African-American Males, African-American Female Principals, & The Opportunity Gap

Over the past decade, research has been devoted to bridging the gap in academics and opportunity among African-American males. Missing from the dialogue however, are the voices of African-American female leaders. This voice will not only play an instrumental part in mediating cultural misunderstandings that occur in the classroom, but it will also facilitate a much needed conversation in understanding gender and race by displaying different views on educational leadership. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of the opportunity gap among African-American female principals in Title I schools to raise the presence of their voice in this educational discussion. As the opportunity gap is an issue that has a global impact, this research can be transferred to various contexts in the educational setting. The findings that emerged from this study can assist both rural and Title I school districts in reevaluating existing educational programs or aid in designing new initiatives to improve outcomes for low-performing African-American males. Moreover, this data can support school districts in developing the cultural competence of teachers and staff through professional development and culturally sensitive pedagogy

The e-portfolio continuum: Discovering variables for e-portfolio adoption within music education

This article presents the results of audit data compiled from a case study introducing e-portfolios into a Music Education degree program, and highlights the key challenges faced from the initial stages of student use to curricular embedding and student adoption. This article discusses the technological, social and educational impacts inherent in a student’s adoption of e-portfolios within a degree program, and critically, shows how training for e-portfolio use must manage these complex,interrelated imbalances on an individual student basis

Dyed Resist Study

Dyed and undyed AZ1512 series resists were characterized for exposure latitude, development rate, and reduction of both notching and standing waves. Uniform and patterned oxidized silicon wafers were coated with aluminum and employed as substrates for all phases of the experiment. The results show that the addition of a dye provided for the reduction of standing waves and an increase in exposure latitude. The control of reflective notching was not verified as collected data proved inconclusive

Exploring the Pedagogy and Impact of Technology on ePortfolio Creation for Arts Students in Australian Tertiary Study

The creative application and development of an ePortfolio as a pedagogic innovation in learning and teaching in higher education lies in strategies acquired by students to select authentic evidence to document achievements and skills as a graduate. Many educators use ePortfolios as a learning tool and through the introduction of reflection, or reflective practice activities the ePortfolio has the potential to be a powerful tool for all learners. This paper reports the pedagogic and technological undertaking of ePortfolio development for creative and performing arts students at four tertiary institutions in Australia. It explores how the artist perceives her/himself and the choice of evidence selected to showcase development, thus highlighting aspects of artistic identity versus professional career identity. ePortfolio development involves reflection, organisation and critical thinking by students developing a learning ‘story’ that accurately represents skills learnt and competencies developed during tertiary study. The creation of an ePortfolio often relies on a student’s ability to collect, reflect and select material that is appropriate; and to exercise the management of their knowledge in such a way that contributes to linking pedagogy and technology. It can also involve students exploring their known ICT skills and, at times, extending these beyond their expectation. This paper will review literature, in addition to reporting initial experiences of academics and students where the ePortfolio has been implemented into curriculum for creative and performing arts degree programs. Results show ePortfolios allowed students to achieve a demonstration of artistic capabilities and revealed that students have increased their ability to plan, implement and assess their learning reflectively; and to understand documentation relevant to Arts careers. Students developed a greater competency in their educational beliefs, pedagogical skills, University generic attributes, technological expertise and ability to address employment parameters required by employer groups and such professional bodies

Field-Evolved Resistance to Bt Maize by Western Corn Rootworm

Crops engineered to produce insecticidal toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are planted on millions of hectares annually, reducing the use of conventional insecticides and suppressing pests. However, the evolution of resistance could cut short these benefits. A primary pest targeted by Bt maize in the United States is the western corn rootwormDiabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We report that fields identified by farmers as having severe rootworm feeding injury to Bt maize contained populations of western corn rootworm that displayed significantly higher survival on Cry3Bb1 maize in laboratory bioassays than did western corn rootworm from fields not associated with such feeding injury. In all cases, fields experiencing severe rootworm feeding contained Cry3Bb1 maize. Interviews with farmers indicated that Cry3Bb1 maize had been grown in those fields for at least three consecutive years. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of years Cry3Bb1 maize had been grown in a field and the survival of rootworm populations on Cry3Bb1 maize in bioassays. However, there was no significant correlation among populations for survival on Cry34/35Ab1 maize and Cry3Bb1 maize, suggesting a lack of cross resistance between these Bt toxins. This is the first report of field-evolved resistance to a Bt toxin by the western corn rootworm and by any species of Coleoptera. Insufficient planting of refuges and non-recessive inheritance of resistance may have contributed to resistance. These results suggest that improvements in resistance management and a more integrated approach to the use of Bt crops may be necessary

Electronic portfolios and learner identity: an ePortfolio case study in music and writing

Although the employability of graduates is of concern across further and higher education it is particularly problematic in the arts disciplines, from which few students transition to a traditional, full-time position. Arts graduates shape their work to meet personal and professional needs, and the successful negotiation of this type of career requires a strong sense of identity and an awareness of diverse opportunities. The challenge for educators is how we might develop these capacities whilst being mindful of students’ dreams, which are often focused on artistic excellence and recognition. This paper reports findings from a collaborative study undertaken at four Australian universities. With a focus on developing an electronic portfolio (eP), the study involved students in classical and contemporary music, music education, music technology, creative writing and professional writing. The combination of music and writing provided points of comparison to identify issues specific to music, and those that might apply more generally. This paper reports findings related to learner identity, drawing evidence from survey and interview data. The study, which was driven by the learning process rather than the technological tool, revealed that students’ use of eP transitions from archive to self-portrait. Moreover, the eP emerged as a vehicle through which identity is negotiated and constructed. Indeed, the process of developing of an eP prompted students to adopt future-oriented thinking as they began to redefine their learning in relation to their future lives and careers. These findings were common to all students, regardless of discipline or technological platform.This work was supported by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching [ID11-2041]. The views in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teachin

University Band Symphonic Band

Braden Auditorium Bone Student Center Wednesday Evening April 25, 2001 8:00p.m

A Pilot Study Comparison of Sensory Integration Treatment and Integrated Preschool Activities for Children with Autism

This exploratory pilot study was conducted to evaluate outcome differences between traditional individualized sensory integration treatment and integrated sensorimotor activities for preschool children with autism spectrum disorders. Pre- and post test measures of play were evaluated for two small groups of children who met criteria for exhibiting sensory processing issues. Results indicated positive differences in play behavior for both groups of children. Overall, further research is indicated to better understand the impact of various treatment approaches on participation in preschool occupations