Availability of Technology in Rural and Small Town Central Illinois K-12 Public School Districts

In the current technological information based society there is a critical need to integrate technology with education. Although many technologies have been available for over 20 years, public educational institutions have been slow to acquire and use the technological advances in the classroom for instructional purposes. In order to help the state and the communities of Illinois develop technology plans to meet the technology needs of K-12 public school districts in rural and small town Illinois, there was a need to investigate the availability of existing technologies. This study was conducted to determine the present condition of K-12 public school classroom teachers in rural and small town central Illinois schools regarding the availability of current technologies for instructional use. The study took place in the spring of 1996 utilizing a survey of a random sample of 400 rural and small town central Illinois public school classroom teachers. Responses to the survey were received from 252 classroom teachers. The majority of classroom teachers did not report availability of current technologies for instructional use in their classrooms. Most teachers reported frequent use of technologies available to them in their classrooms for instructional use. When teachers had current technologies available for instructional use in their school, teachers did not report using the technologies as frequently as teachers who reported having the technologies in their classroom. Most rural and small town K-12 central Illinois public school classroom teachers do not expect unavailable technologies to become available for instructional use within the next five years. With the assistance of the Illinois State Board of Education and state government officials, rural and small town central Illinois K-12 public school districts need to invest in current technologies for instructional use by classroom teachers in the classroom

A Daily Diary Examination of Microaggressions and Alcohol Use Among Emerging Adult Bisexual Women: The Role of Alcohol Demand

Bisexual women are at far greater risk for alcohol use, alcohol-related negative consequences, and alcohol use disorder than heterosexual or lesbian women. However, research on sexual minority women often combines lesbian and bisexual women into a single group. One possible explanation for the increased alcohol use and associated consequences among bisexual women relates to their experiences of discrimination or microaggressions that are daily insults and comments, intentional or unintentional, about their sexuality from both the heterosexual and sexual minority communities. Thus, it is possible that bisexual women drink to cope with microaggressions. Specifically, bisexual women may drink more and have more alcohol consequences on days when they experience more microaggressions. There may also be individual differences that influence the association between microaggressions and alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences. Behavioral economic theory has been applied to examine alcohol demand, which in turn has been shown to be associated with drinking. Therefore, the current study incorporated an Alcohol Purchase Task (APT) to examine alcohol demand indices as a factor that potentially strengthens the relationship between microaggressions and drinking among bisexual women. The current study had two goals: (1) to examine the associations between drinking to cope motives, daily microaggressions, and same-day alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences among bisexual women, and (2) to examine if alcohol demand indices moderate the association between daily microaggressions and same-day alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences among bisexual women. A total of 103 emerging adult bisexual women completed a baseline and 28-day daily diary survey. Results indicated that daily microaggressions were associated with same day alcohol use and consequences. Although drinking to cope motivations did not moderate this association, several alcohol demand indices (intensity and breakpoint) moderated the association between microaggressions and same-day alcohol use and/or consequences. Specifically, the association between daily microaggressions and same day alcohol consequences was strongest for those with higher intensity. Also, daily microaggressions were associated with same day alcohol use and consequences for those with lower breakpoint values, but not higher breakpoint values. Results suggest that microaggressions may be one reason for the high rates of drinking among bisexual women. Clinicians should encourage clients who report microaggression experiences to engage in positive coping skills that do not involve alcohol use, and could incorporate an alcohol purchase task into their intake information. In addition, at a larger level, public health campaigns can be implemented to raise awareness about microaggressions and policies can be enacted to discourage microaggressions

Assessment of the synoptic variability of the Antarctic marginal ice zone with in Situ observations

Knowledge of sea ice variability, which contributes to the detection of climate change trends, stems primarily from remote sensing information. However, sea ice in the Southern Ocean is characterised by large variability that remains unresolved and limits our confidence on the remotely sensed products. Although one of the biggest seasonal changes on Earth is the annual advance and retreat of the Antarctic sea ice cover, relatively little attention has been given to the processes by which the marginal ice zone (MIZ) edge forms and responds to synoptic events. This study aimed to assess the seasonal sea ice extent (SIE) of the MIZ by comparing sea ice observations estimated from aboard ship to high resolution passive microwave (PM) satellite imagery when transecting the MIZ. To achieve this, sea ice concentration (SIC) was derived from two AMSR (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer ) products; the ARTIST (Arctic Radiation and Turbulence Interaction STudy) Sea Ice (ASI-AMSR ) and the bootstrap (BST-AMSR ). Theice concentration estimated from these PM satellite products was assessed against SIC observations collected from the S.A. Agulhas II (using the Antarctic Sea Ice Processes and Climate (ASPeCt) protocol). This assessment took place over summer and winter for the years 2016 and 2017. After evaluating how well these PM-SIC estimates compared against the ASPeCt SIC observations, we found that there was good correlation over summer MIZ conditions, while over winter MIZ conditions the correlation was relatively poor. This highlighted winter limitations inherent in PM SIC estimates. Therefore, from these comparison results, an analysis of the seasonal SIE was accomplished while being aware of the winter limitations linked to the PM products. We inferred that the MIZ acts as an indicator for what the evolution of winter SIE might look like over the following months. In addition to winter limitations associated with PM-SIC retrievals, the ASPeCt SIC estimates, based on human interpretation of the sea ice conditions, was limited because of subjective bias. This resulted in the development of an algorithm to automatically acquire SIC from image stills and videos. This method can be used to obtain quantitative seaice data from vessels of opportunity without the need to have trained personnel on-board. In summary, this study assesses seasonal MIZ SIE within the Atlantic sector after highlighting the limitations associated with various SIC-retrieval methods

Cubo de dificuldade como modelo referencial para o estágio supervisionado de estudantes no curso de administração de empresas

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio-Econômico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração.Este estudo foi elaborado com o objetivo de colher subsídios de coordenadores de estágio, ou de cursos de Administração de Empresas, sobre a problemática do estágio supervisionado de estudantes. Com o recurso de questionário e de entrevista semi-estruturada, levantaram-se dados específicos sobre políticas e práticas de estágio vigentes numa amostra intencional de onze instituições de ensino superior localizadas na mesorregião Metropolitana de Curitiba. O Cubo de Dificuldade, que pretende conciliar a pedagogia do ensino-aprendizagem e a pedagogia do trabalho, foi adotado como modelo referencial para provocar a análise, reflexão e crítica do grupo de entrevistados. Para contextualizar a pesquisa, de caráter exploratório, foi feita uma caracterização do estágio e de seus possíveis benefícios para as partes envolvidas: estudante, escola e empresa. Examinaram-se os principais elementos da legislação de estágio, bem como as diretrizes curriculares que norteiam o curso de Administração de Empresas. O estágio de estudantes, entendido como treinamento de papel profissional, foi descrito ao longo de três dimensões de natureza sistêmica: operacional, conceitual e situacional. De acordo com os resultados da pesquisa, detectou-se que as instituições de ensino consultadas dedicam pouca atenção aos estágios não-obrigatórios e, em relação aos de caráter obrigatório, prevalece uma concepção formalística do processo com baixo grau de interação com os campos de aplicação. O conjunto de enunciados que fundamenta o Cubo de Dificuldade foi avaliado, em termos gerais, de forma positiva pelos entrevistados

Diatomáceas (Bacillariophyta) na plataforma continental de Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brasil

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Luciano F. FernandesCoorientadora : Profª. Drª. Priscila Izabel TremarinDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica. Defesa: Curitiba, 26/02/2015Inclui referências : f. 72-87;122-126Resumo: As diatomáceas são microalgas representativas em ambientes marinhos costeiros, desempenhando importante função na produção primária e na teia trófica nestas áreas. As espécies que ocorrem no Brasil são bem conhecidas, pois elevado número de levantamentos taxonômicos foram executados para essas regiões. Por outro lado, há poucos estudos taxonômicos com informações descritivas e ilustrativas da morfologia das espécies na Plataforma Continental externa. O estudo taxonômico das diatomáceas da Plataforma Continental Sul foi realizado com base em 18 amostras coletadas durante cinco cruzeiros oceanográficos realizados entre os anos de 2005 e 2006. O material foi amostrado ao longo de um transecto de 147 km em frente á região de Itajaí, Santa Catarina em diferentes profundidades que variaram entre 20 metros e 140 metros. Rede de plâncton foi utilizada em arrastos verticais. O material foi analisado em microscopias óptica e eletrônica permitindo a identificação de 97 táxons de diatomáceas. A riqueza de espécies foi semelhante à registrada em trabalhos prévios para regiões costeiras do Estado de Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul. Fragilariopsis oceanica, Navicula sp., Nitzschia bicapitata var. faeroensis, Nitzschia bifurcata, Nitzschia dippelli, Nitzschia ikeanae, Nitzschia sicula, Stigmaphora lanceolata e Thalassiosira symmetrica, uma espécie de Navicula identificada em nível de gênero e uma variedade são citações novas para costa brasileira. As famílias Thalassiosiraceae e Bacillariaceae apresentaram maior riqueza, representadas por 13 e 17 espécies, respectivamente. O complexo bicapitata foi o grupo que apresentou dificuldades na identificação por apresentar estruturas morfológicas inconspícuas quando observadas em microscopia óptica. Nitzschia bifurcata e N. ikeanae foram identificadas somente com auxílio da microscopia eletrônica. Leptocylindrus mediterraneus, Stigmaphora rostrata, Stigmaphora lanceolata, Alveus marinus, Nitzschia sicula e Fragilariopsis kerguelensis foram registradas apenas em profundidades maiores do que 50 m e nunca ou raramente foram citadas para o Brasil. Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima/arenysensis, Pseudo-nitzschia dolorosa e Pseudo-nitzschia micropora pertencem ao grupo produtor da toxina ácido domóico. Pseudo-nitzschia micropora foi identificada pela primeira vez na costa brasileira. Pela escassez de trabalhos realizados em áreas mais profundas da Plataforma Continental Brasileira e nos resultados obtidos com o presente estudo, sugere-se a continuidade das pesquisas taxonômicas com diatomáceas dessa região. Palavras-chave: Diatomáceas, Microscopia eletrônica, taxonomia, Plataforma Continental Sul.Abstract: Diatoms are representative microalgae in coastal marine environments, playing an important role both in the coastal primary production an in the trophic chain. Species occurring in Brazil have studied since the early years of XXth century, as a large number of taxonomic surveys have been carried out in these regions. Moreover, there are few taxonomic studies or descriptive and illustrative information about diatoms over the outer Shelf of South Brazilian waters. In the present work, a taxonomic study of the South Brazilian Shelf diatoms was based on 18 samples collected during five oceanographic cruises carried out between the years 2005 and 2006. The samples were acquired over 147 km in Itajai region, Santa Catarina state, at different depths ranging from 20 m at 140 m. A plankton net was used in vertical hauls. The material was analyzed in light and electron microscopy allowing the identification of 97 taxa of diatoms. Species richness was similar to that recorded in previous works for coastal regions of the state of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Fragilariopsis oceanica, Navicula sp., Nitzschia capitata var. faeroensis, Nitzschia bifurcata, Nitzschia dippelli, Nitzschia ikeanae, Nitzschia sicula, Stigmaphora lanceolata and Thalassiosira symmetrica, a species of Navicula identified at genus and a variety are new records in the Brazilian coast. The families Thalassiosiraceae and Bacillariaceae occurred at higher richness, represented by 13 and 17 species, respectively. The complex bicapitata was the group that presented difficulties regarding identification by presenting morphological structures inconspicuous when viewed in optical microscopy. Nitzschia bifurcata and N. ikeanae were identified only with the help of electron microscopy. Leptocylindrus mediterraneus, Stigmaphora rostrata, Stigmaphora lanceolata, Alveus marinus, Nitzschia sicula and Fragilariopsis kerguelensis were registered only at depths greater than 50 m and never or rarely have been cited for Brazil. An article was prepared with Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima / arenysensis, Pseudo-nitzschia dolorosa and Pseudo-nitzschia micropora because they belong to the toxin domoic acid producer group. Pseudo-nitzschia micropora was first identified in the Brazilian coast. The scarcity of work carried out in deeper areas of the Brazilian Continental Shelf and the results obtained with this study suggests the continuity of taxonomic research on diatoms that region. Key-words: Diatoms; Electronic microscopy, Taxonomy, South Brazilian Shelf