La importancia del crecimiento interno y el bienestar comunitario en la evaluación educativa para la justicia social

During 2009, while undertaking a collaborative study with U.S.-based teachers, I witnessed academic violence in the form of a high-stakes examination. This manuscript distinguishes my experience with this assessment tool in a nearly all-black public high school from two extracurricular educational programs for African American youth: a Philadelphia Freedom School and the National Rites of Passage Institute. In both of the latter programs, students' inner growth and positive contributions to their surrounding communities, not just their performance on standardized external measures, indicated the programs' and students' success. I thus argue that educational evaluations for social justice must attend not only to academic achievement but also to the cultivation of a social fabric that alleviates human suffering and environmental degradation. Such evaluations can come from looking outward, at the observable and felt effects of our actions in the world, as well as inward, at the growth of our inner lives.No ano de 2009, nos Estados Unidos, enquanto apresentava indagações para a ação a um grupo de docência, presenciei um fato de violência acadêmica gerado pelo uso de exames padronizados que fomentam a exclusão. Este artigo destaca minha experiência com esse instrumento de avaliação no contexto de dois programas educativos extracurriculares dirigidos a jovens afro-americanos, a Philadelphia Freedom School e o National Rites of Passage Institute, em uma escola pública de ensino fundamental cuja maioria da população é negra e na qual um dos membros do meu grupo de trabalho é docente. Investiguei esses dois programas com o propósito de encontrar novas alternativas aos problemas causados pelos exames padronizados. Ao final, concluí que os dois programas avaliam o crescimento interno dos alunos e suas contribuições à comunidade, e não somente sua capacidade de responder a exames padronizados, o que significa que esses programas não estão reduzidos ao objetivo de comprovarem o próprio êxito e o dos estudantes. Fica claro, portanto, que a avaliação educativa para a justiça social deve atender não somente ao sucesso acadêmico dos alunos mas também a todo desenvolvimento social e pessoal que possa atenuar a dor humana e a degradação do meio ambiente. Esse tipo de avaliação pode originar-se de um olhar externo, ou seja, dos efeitos percebidos e observáveis de nossas ações no mundo, e de um olhar interno que recupere o crescimento de nossas próprias vidasEn el año 2009, mientras facilitaba un grupo de docencia sobre indagación para la acción en Estados Unidos, presencié un hecho de violencia académica generado por el uso de exámenes estandarizados que fomentan la exclusión. Este artículo destaca mi vivencia con este instrumento de evaluación en relación con dos programas educativos extracurriculares dirigidos a jóvenes afro-americanos, la Philadelphia Freedom School y el National Rites of Passage Institute, en una escuela secundaria pública de población mayoritariamente negra, en la que uno de los miembros de mi grupo de trabajo imparte docencia. Investigué estos dos programas con el propósito de buscar nuevas alternativas a los problemas causados por los exámenes estandarizados. Al final he encontrado que los dos programas evaluaban el crecimiento interno de los alumnos y sus contribuciones a la comunidad, y no sólo su capacidad por responder a exámenes estandarizados, con la idea de comprobar el éxito de estos programas y de los estudiantes. De esta manera, la evaluación educativa para la justicia social debe atender no solo al logro académico de los alumnos, sino también al desarrollo social y personal que pueda mitigar el dolor humano y la degradación del medio ambiente. Este tipo de evaluaciones podría originarse desde una mirada hacia afuera, es decir, de los efectos percibidos y observables de nuestras acciones en el mundo, así como también de una mirada interna que recupere el crecimiento interno de nuestras propias vidas

A importância do crescimento interno e o bem-estar comunitário na avaliação educativa para a justiça social

En el año 2009, mientras facilitaba un grupo de docencia sobre indagación para la acción en Estados Unidos, presencié un hecho de violencia académica generado por el uso de exámenes estandarizados que fomentan la exclusión. Este artículo destaca mi vivencia con este instrumento de evaluación en relación con dos programas educativos extracurriculares dirigidos a jóvenes afro-americanos, la Philadelphia Freedom School y el National Rites of Passage Institute, en una escuela secundaria pública de población mayoritariamente negra, en la que uno de los miembros de mi grupo de trabajo imparte docencia. Investigué estos dos programas con el propósito de buscar nuevas alternativas a los problemas causados por los exámenes estandarizados. Al final he encontrado que los dos programas evaluaban el crecimiento interno de los alumnos y sus contribuciones a la comunidad, y no sólo su capacidad por responder a exámenes estandarizados, con la idea de comprobar el éxito de estos programas y de los estudiantes. De esta manera, la evaluación educativa para la justicia social debe atender no solo al logro académico de los alumnos, sino también al desarrollo social y personal que pueda mitigar el dolor humano y la degradación del medio ambiente. Este tipo de evaluaciones podría originarse desde una mirada hacia afuera, es decir, de los efectos percibidos y observables de nuestras acciones en el mundo, así como también de una mirada interna que recupere el crecimiento interno de nuestras propias vida

Actin Nemaline Myopathy Mouse Reproduces Disease, Suggests Other Actin Disease Phenotypes and Provides Cautionary Note on Muscle Transgene Expression

Mutations in the skeletal muscle α-actin gene (ACTA1) cause congenital myopathies including nemaline myopathy, actin aggregate myopathy and rod-core disease. The majority of patients with ACTA1 mutations have severe hypotonia and do not survive beyond the age of one. A transgenic mouse model was generated expressing an autosomal dominant mutant (D286G) of ACTA1 (identified in a severe nemaline myopathy patient) fused with EGFP. Nemaline bodies were observed in multiple skeletal muscles, with serial sections showing these correlated to aggregates of the mutant skeletal muscle α-actin-EGFP. Isolated extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles were significantly weaker than wild-type (WT) muscle at 4 weeks of age, coinciding with the peak in structural lesions. These 4 week-old mice were ∼30% less active on voluntary running wheels than WT mice. The α-actin-EGFP protein clearly demonstrated that the transgene was expressed equally in all myosin heavy chain (MHC) fibre types during the early postnatal period, but subsequently became largely confined to MHCIIB fibres. Ringbinden fibres, internal nuclei and myofibrillar myopathy pathologies, not typical features in nemaline myopathy or patients with ACTA1 mutations, were frequently observed. Ringbinden were found in fast fibre predominant muscles of adult mice and were exclusively MHCIIB-positive fibres. Thus, this mouse model presents a reliable model for the investigation of the pathobiology of nemaline body formation and muscle weakness and for evaluation of potential therapeutic interventions. The occurrence of core-like regions, internal nuclei and ringbinden will allow analysis of the mechanisms underlying these lesions. The occurrence of ringbinden and features of myofibrillar myopathy in this mouse model of ACTA1 disease suggests that patients with these pathologies and no genetic explanation should be screened for ACTA1 mutations

The number of tree species on Earth

One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global groundsourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are 73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness

The number of tree species on Earth.

One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global ground-sourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are ∼73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness

The number of tree species on Earth.

One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is how many species inhabit the Earth. However, due to massive logistical and financial challenges and taxonomic difficulties connected to the species concept definition, the global numbers of species, including those of important and well-studied life forms such as trees, still remain largely unknown. Here, based on global ground-sourced data, we estimate the total tree species richness at global, continental, and biome levels. Our results indicate that there are ∼73,000 tree species globally, among which ∼9,000 tree species are yet to be discovered. Roughly 40% of undiscovered tree species are in South America. Moreover, almost one-third of all tree species to be discovered may be rare, with very low populations and limited spatial distribution (likely in remote tropical lowlands and mountains). These findings highlight the vulnerability of global forest biodiversity to anthropogenic changes in land use and climate, which disproportionately threaten rare species and thus, global tree richness

(De)ciphering Collaborative Research for Social Justice: Reviving Relationality Through Metaphor

Abstract When used with caution and humility, the cipher, a metaphor central to hip-hop worlds, captures the power of human relationality and the arts in collaborative qualitative research about and for social justice at the beginning of the 21st century. In this article, the author illustrates the potential of this metaphor via a year-long study that involved four K-12 educators and a university-based researcher inquiring into the meanings and implications of education for social justice. The author concludes that more democratic, process-oriented, and creative approaches to qualitative inquiry can transform the individuals involved and, in turn, enhance our commitments to working toward a more equitable society and world

Emphasizing Inner Growth and Community Welfare in Educational Evaluation for Social Justice

During 2009, while undertaking a collaborative study with U.S.-based teachers, I witnessed academic violence in the form of a high-stakes examination. This manuscript distinguishes my experience with this assessment tool in a nearly all-black public high school from two extracurricular educational programs for African American youth: a Philadelphia Freedom School and the National Rites of Passage Institute. In both of the latter programs, students' inner growth and positive contributions to their surrounding communities, not just their performance on standardized external measures, indicated the programs' and students' success. I thus argue that educational evaluations for social justice must attend not only to academic achievement but also to the cultivation of a social fabric that alleviates human suffering and environmental degradation. Such evaluations can come from looking outward, at the observable and felt effects of our actions in the world, as well as inward, at the growth of our inner lives.No ano de 2009, nos Estados Unidos, enquanto apresentava indagações para a ação a um grupo de docência, presenciei um fato de violência acadêmica gerado pelo uso de exames padronizados que fomentam a exclusão. Este artigo destaca minha experiência com esse instrumento de avaliação no contexto de dois programas educativos extracurriculares dirigidos a jovens afro-americanos, a Philadelphia Freedom School e o National Rites of Passage Institute, em uma escola pública de ensino fundamental cuja maioria da população é negra e na qual um dos membros do meu grupo de trabalho é docente. Investiguei esses dois programas com o propósito de encontrar novas alternativas aos problemas causados pelos exames padronizados. Ao final, concluí que os dois programas avaliam o crescimento interno dos alunos e suas contribuições à comunidade, e não somente sua capacidade de responder a exames padronizados, o que significa que esses programas não estão reduzidos ao objetivo de comprovarem o próprio êxito e o dos estudantes. Fica claro, portanto, que a avaliação educativa para a justiça social deve atender não somente ao sucesso acadêmico dos alunos mas também a todo desenvolvimento social e pessoal que possa atenuar a dor humana e a degradação do meio ambiente. Esse tipo de avaliação pode originar-se de um olhar externo, ou seja, dos efeitos percebidos e observáveis de nossas ações no mundo, e de um olhar interno que recupere o crescimento de nossas próprias vidas.En el año 2009, mientras facilitaba un grupo de docencia sobre indagación para la acción en Estados Unidos, presencié un hecho de violencia académica generado por el uso de exámenes estandarizados que fomentan la exclusión. Este artículo destaca mi vivencia con este instrumento de evaluación en relación con dos programas educativos extracurriculares dirigidos a jóvenes afro-americanos, la Philadelphia Freedom School y el National Rites of Passage Institute, en una escuela secundaria pública de población mayoritariamente negra, en la que uno de los miembros de mi grupo de trabajo imparte docencia. Investigué estos dos programas con el propósito de buscar nuevas alternativas a los problemas causados por los exámenes estandarizados. Al final he encontrado que los dos programas evaluaban el crecimiento interno de los alumnos y sus contribuciones a la comunidad, y no sólo su capacidad por responder a exámenes estandarizados, con la idea de comprobar el éxito de estos programas y de los estudiantes. De esta manera, la evaluación educativa para la justicia social debe atender no solo al logro académico de los alumnos, sino también al desarrollo social y personal que pueda mitigar el dolor humano y la degradación del medio ambiente. Este tipo de evaluaciones podría originarse desde una mirada hacia afuera, es decir, de los efectos percibidos y observables de nuestras acciones en el mundo, así como también de una mirada interna que recupere el crecimiento interno de nuestras propias vidas