Quality Child Care From A Parental Perspective

This thesis addresses the issue of quality care from a parental perspective. It is based on interviews with thirty parents in a Midwestern city who have children in different forms of child care: 10 with children in agency child care; 10 with children in registered child care homes; and 10 with children in unregistered child care homes. Lengthy semi-structured interviews were conducted with the thirty parents. Questions explored the criteria parents used in deciding who was the right child care provider for them. Included in the interview were four hypothetical situations in which the interviewee was asked to advise other parents about choosing child care. The hypothetical situations were used to probe further into what a parent considers important in determining quality child care. Parents view quality child care differently than child care professionals and early childhood educators. The factors which professionals include in quality care are: group size; staff ratios; physical space; care-giver training; and curriculum. These factors are not the main indicators of quality care for the parents in this study. From this study it was determined that quality care for children is defined by parents according to their own values and perceptions about what is good for children. Parents who place children in agency day care want their child to be socially adjusted. It is important to them that their children learn to succeed in a group environment. They want their child to be given the best training for social adaptation. Parents who place children in unregistered child care want a home environment for their child. They are seeking a loving, caring environment. These parents want specific traits in a provider. The traits they sought were nurturing traits such as being loving, caring, understanding and compassionate. Parents who place children in registered child care also want a home environment with qualities similar to child’s home. They want to know that their child is being cared for by someone who loves and cares for the child. However, they also want certain health and cleanliness standards to be upheld. By seeking a registered home for their child\u27s care, they know the state will guarantee that this home meets certain stipulations. Convenience and access were considerations, especially for single parents, but subsidiary to basic values about the appropriate environment for a child. Cost was not an important consideration, perhaps because the sample was above the U.S. median in income or because in this particular locale parents were able to find child care that was affordable for them. The study had certain limitations: only mothers participated; the sample was small and non-random; participants were almost entirely those who were favorable to their current child care provider; and the interviewing and interpretation of the data were the work of only one person. Nevertheless, the conclusion that parents\u27 definitions of child care quality vary so dramatically from those of child care experts suggests the importance of further research, as well as a rethinking of child care policy

Gender and the Collaborative Artist Couple

Through description and analysis of the balancing and intersection of gender in the collaborative artist couples of Marina Abramović and Ulay, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude, I make evident the separation between their public lives and their private lives, an element that manifests itself in unique and contrasting ways for each couple. I study the link between gendered negotiations in these heterosexual artist couples and this division, and correlate this relationship to the evidence of problematic gender dynamics in the artworks and collaborations

Effects of Nitrogen Photoabsorption Cross Section Resolution on Minor Species Vertical Profiles in Titan's Upper Atmosphere

The significant variations in both measured and modeled densities of minor species in Titan's atmosphere call for the evaluation of possible influencing factors in photochemical modeling. The effect of nitrogen photoabsorption cross section selection on the modeled vertical profiles of minor species is analyzed here, with particular focus on C2H6 and HCN. Our results show a clear impact of cross sections used on all neutral and ion species studied. Affected species include neutrals and ions that are not primary photochemical products, including species that do not even contain nitrogen. The results indicate that photochemical models that employ low-resolution cross sections may significantly miscalculate the vertical profiles of minor species. Such differences are expected to have important implications for Titan's overall atmospheric structure and chemistry.NASA Outer Planet Research program NNH12ZDA001NInstitute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES

God and Leviathan : a canonical and ancient Near Eastern dialogue

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/1982/thumbnail.jp

Development of a conservation action plan for the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) in West Virginia

The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis ) is the largest salamander in North America growing to 75 centimeters in length. This fully aquatic species is an indicator of good stream and river quality and has been considered to be in decline or rare throughout its range. This study focused on the current distribution of the Eastern hellbender at sites of historic occurrence in West Virginia in order to determine the species\u27 current range and factors impacting its distribution in order to facilitate planned reintroductions and translocations of hellbenders reared in human care. The success of the reintroduction and translocation efforts were also a key focus of this study to determine if the release of individuals raised in human care could contribute to the conservation of this species in West Virginia.;Results of this study have indicated that hellbenders were only detected at 12 of 23 (52%) surveyed sites of historic occurrence, and the habitat variables most strongly associated with the presence of this species at historic sites was the presence of forested landscape within the watershed and increased dissolved oxygen concentration within streams and rivers.;Key data from diet intake studies showed that 84% of hellbenders collected in West Virginia during periods of feeding had consumed crayfish with fish species being the second most frequently observed item consumed. In addition, no (39 of 39) hellbenders captured from July 8th - August 29th in West Virginia had any food items present in their stomach during surveys. The greatest factor associated with the lack of prey consumption was water temperatures in excess of 23°C. These findings were confirmed with individuals in human care with individuals maintained at these temperatures not eating and losing an average of 15.33 grams during the 86 day trial period.;Finally, we created predictive models based on sites of hellbender presence during our surveys to identify high probability of occurrence sites for translocation of head-started hellbenders. We then released 14 individuals at a reintroduction site where head-started hellbender eggs were collected as well as 15 individuals at a translocation site that was previously occupied by hellbenders. Survival rates through 6 months of tracking during this study did not differ statistically between sites. Movement and home range were greater at the reintroduction site than at the translocation site, and stream bank shelters were used more frequently than stone shelters at the reintroduction site than at the translocation site. Increased movement and alternative shelter use are believed to be due to reduced shelter availability due to fewer boulders and the presence of adult hellbenders at the reintroduction site as opposed to conditions at the translocation site. Future hellbender conservation efforts in West Virginia should include preservation of forest habitat near current hellbender populations and surveillance of historic sites based upon predictive model results. Reintroductions and translocations of head-started juveniles or sub-adults should be conducted at sites of greatest predicted occurrence with long-term monitoring for detection of reproductively sustainable populations

Meeting People Where They Are, Creating a Bridge Out of Poverty

The poverty rate is a key economic indicator often used by policy makers to evaluate current economic conditions within communities. Teen Start Inc. targets persons experiencing generational poverty by offering programs that supports young parents and their children providing culturally competent programs to improve human capital through education, employment, intergenerational transfer of knowledge and social bridging capital (Payne, 2012).https://fuse.franklin.edu/ss2016/1021/thumbnail.jp