How No Child Left Behind encourages more affluent parents to flee poorly performing schools.

For a democracy to function properly, its citizens need to be informed. In order to raise how informed people are and to increase democratic accountability, the US has implemented performance accountability measures for public and private goods and services. In new research, John B. Holbein examines the effects of the No Child Left Behind policy, which gives citizens information about school performance. He finds that when schools fail not only does voter turnout in school board elections increase, but the number of parents – especially the affluent – exiting increases

Unmonumental Moment

This thesis statement investigates the coexistence of joy with grief, light alongside darkness, and the intersection of the divine with the ordinary, as they express themselves in my thesis “Unmonumental Moment.” In it, painting merges with sculptural forms to create a three-dimensional work that addresses the idea of duality. The exhibit is marked by the on going common elements in my work, namely the use of a saturated color palette, the incorporation of papier-maché with everyday detritus, dream imagery, and portals alluding to a parallel spiritual world. This statement analyzes the thesis components and examines them in light of art historical movements and debates. It further explores the underlying inspiration (The Annunciation by Fra Angelico), and comments on the influence of artists such as Charlotte Salomon, Ai Wei Wei, Vincent Fecteau, and Ming Fay

School Choice Trade Offs

Book Revie

From Traditional Delivery to Distance Learning: Developing the Model

Today’s classrooms are no longer bound by geography. Distance learning has provided an attractive and increasingly highly regarded alternative to traditional face-to-face instruction. However, effective implementation requires a shift in thinking for both students and instructors. The purpose of this article is to describe a model for applying a traditional campus-based graduate course to a distance format

Social Skills in Youth with Spina Bifida: A Longitudinal Multimethod Investigation of Bio-Neuropsychosocial Predictors

Objective: Despite research documenting social dysfunction in youth with spina bifida (SB), little is known about the etiology of these social difficulties; most investigations identifying predictors of social deficits have concentrated exclusively on one domain. This longitudinal study examines the relative predictive power of neurocognitive (attention and executive function), family (cohesion and conflict), and health-related (body mass index, condition severity) variables on later social skills in youth with SB. Methods: 112 youth with SB (T1 mean age = 11.19 years) and their families participated in study visits two years apart. Study variables were assessed by multiple methods (questionnaire, medical chart review, observed family interactions, observed peer interactions, neurocognitive tests) and reporters (parents, teachers). Hierarchical linear regressions with demographic covariates were conducted to determine the relative predictive power of the three domains on T2 social skills. Results: Observed social skills at T2 were predicted by neurocognitive variables, while both the family and health-related domains yielded nonsignificant values; neurocognitive tests and observed family conflict accounted for significant variance in observed T2 social skills. The associations between the neurocognitive and family domains with T2 teacher-reported social skills attained marginal significance, with neurocognitive tests and observed family cohesion being the strongest individual predictors. Parent-reported social skills were not predicted by any of the study variables. Conclusions: Neurocognitive variables accounted for the most variance in later social skills, while family variables were the next strongest predictors. Results differed based on the method and reporter used to assess social skills. To maximize effectiveness, social skills interventions may address attention and executive function as well as family interactions

Deciphering the role of apoplastic root barriers in the interaction between sedentary nematodes and Arabidopsis

The plant-parasitic nematode species Heterodera schachtii and Meloidogyne incognita infect economically important crop plants in the entire world. Their infection causes yield losses, but effective and environmentally friendly pest management strategies require high expenses or are impractical. Nematological research therefore studies plant-nematode interaction on cellular and molecular level to improve nematode control strategies. Plant-parasitic nematodes invade roots and establish feeding sites in the vascular tissue. Within root tissue, nematodes cross the endodermis, which is equipped with cell wall reinforcements and Casparian strips (CSs) in the apoplast. These cell wall modifications consist of the resilient biopolymers suberin and lignin, respectively. To examine whether suberin and the CS play a role during nematode infection of Arabidopsis, the expression of related biosynthesis genes in nematode-infected tissue was analysed. A number of suberin biosynthesis genes were significantly upregulated in infection sites, while CS related genes were downregulated. Reporter gene analysis showed differential expression of CS and suberin markers in feeding sites, indicating the presence of suberin in surrounding tissue. Histochemical staining verified the presence of a lipophilic substance, such as suberin, in an endodermis-like cell layer encircling nematode feeding sites. Finally, a typical suberin monomer composition has been verified in nematode-infected root segments. On quantitative level, this suberin monomers showed significant differences in abundance as compared to control roots. To test whether suberin or the CS affect nematode parasitism, mutants altered in suberin deposition or CS formation were used for infectivity studies. Surprisingly, not suberin alterations but defective CSs had a significant impact on nematode infection and development. The role of suberin and CSs during nematode infection and nutrient acquisition as well as the impact of the endodermal barrier surveillance system are discussed.Die Entschlüsselung der Rolle apoplastischer Wurzelbarrieren in der Interaktion zwischen sedentären Nematoden und Arabidopsis Die pflanzenparasitären Nematodenarten Heterodera schachtii und Meloidognye incognita befallen ökonomisch wichtige Nutzpflanzen weltweit. Der Befall verursacht Ertragsverluste, aber effektive und umweltverträgliche Maßnahmen zur Schädlingskontrolle sind kostspielig oder inpraktikabel. Aus diesem Grund untersucht die nematologische Forschung die Pflanze-Nematode Interaktion auf zellulärer und molekularer Ebene zur Verbesserung der Pflanzenschutzstrategien. Pflanzenparasitäre Nematoden dringen in Wurzeln ein und etablieren Nährgewebe im Zentralzylinder. Dafür durchdringen Nematoden innerhalb des Wurzelgewebes die Endodermis, welche durch Zellwandverstärkungen und den Casparischen Streifen (CS) modifiziert ist. Diese Verstärkungen bestehen jeweils aus den widerstandsfähigen Biopolymeren Suberin und Lignin. Um zu untersuchen ob Suberin und der CS eine Rolle bei der Infektion von Arabidopsis mit Nematoden spielen, wurde die Expression von zugehörigen Bio-synthesegenen in infizierten Wurzelsegmenten analysiert. Eine Reihe von Suberinbiosynthesegenen war signifikant hochreguliert in Infektionsstellen, wobei CS verwandte Gene runterreguliert waren. Die Reportergenanalyse zeigte unterschiedliche Expressionsmuster von Suberin und CS verwandten Markern in Infektionsstellen, implizierte , jedoch, das Vorliegen von Suberin in umliegendem Gewebe. Histochemische Färbungen betsätigten Ablagerungen einer lipophilen Substanz, wie Suberin, in einer Endodermis-ähnlichen Zellschicht, die die Infektionsstelle umgibt. Schließlich wurde eine typische Suberin-Monomerzusammensetzung qualitativ bestätigt. Auf quantitativer Ebene zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede im Vergleich zu Suberin aus nicht befallenen Wurzeln. Um zu untersuchen, ob Suberin oder der CS eine Auswirkung auf den Befall von Nematoden haben, wurden transgene Pflanzenlinien mit veränderter Suberinbiosynthese oder defekter Bildung des CSs für Infektionsstudien genutzt. Überraschenderweise hatten defekte CS einen signifikanten Einfluss auf den Parasitismus und nicht die Suberinveränderungen. Die Rolle von Suberin und CS insbesondere für die Nährstoffakkumulation von Nematoden sowie der Einfluss des Barriere-Überwachungssystems der Endodermis werden diskutiert

Leveraging a Teacher Mentorship Program in a Complex System

The support a beginning teacher receives varies from school to school, and from district to district. When beginning teachers are not supported, their learning as teachers is not maximized. New teacher induction is the strategy most school districts employ to support new-hires. Current scholarship suggests the terms induction and mentor program are often used interchangeably, but actually have very different definitions. Mentors programs are one component of a comprehensive induction program; where as, an induction program is a series of events or activities in the beginning years of a teacher’s career. Effectively leveraging the mentorship program in a complex system meant creating the time and space for instructional conversations between new-hires, mentors and principals. How to create that space and time required examining and understanding the experiences of all stakeholders involved in the mentorship program and the district as a whole. This design research study implemented the Integrative Learning Design (ILD) framework proposed by Bannan-Ritland (2003) provided both the structure and flexibility to explore complex systems in naturalistic settings. The ILD is comprised of four stages: (a) Informed Exploration, (b) Enactment, (c) Evaluation: Local Impact, (d) Evaluation: Broader Impact. The informed exploration of this study included a review of the program history and a survey of the literature. Data collected for this study include archival data, 659 surveys of new-hire and mentor experiences, 232 classroom observations, and 6 focus interviews with principals. Findings from this design study indicated that creating the space for new-hires and mentors to learn and grow in a complex system means adapting to changes, dealing with conflict, and constantly asking ourselves as scholarly practitioners, “Why we are doing this?” and “Why we are doing this, this way?” as we work to impact policy and practice. Adaptations and iterations of the program will continue to as the mentorship program in this study evolves. Adviser: Edmund T. Haman

Docente en formación, un relato de vida

En este trabajo se narra una serie de aprendizajes, vivencias y experiencias en el desarrollo del seminario especializado de grado “educar en la escuela, un reto para pensadores” que permite describir acontecimientos relevantes en el marco de una experiencia pedagógica, trazada desde elementos teóricos y prácticos constituidos por conceptos relevantes como contexto, educación, aprendizaje, comprensión y pedagogía. En el desarrollo del texto permito establecer una serie de experiencias individuales y colectivas con un ejercicio importante realizado por todo el grupo de estudiantes del seminario como el de las Zonas que dejó evidenciar dinámicas de conflicto incidiendo en todo el proceso grupal que se dio en las clases, haciendo de ellas elementos enriquecedores, en tanto todo grupo social debe hacer catarsis con sus dificultades y exteriorizar sus marcos referenciales para poder lograr a través de esas expresiones un contexto dotado de diálogo. Como afirme antes se desarrollan temáticas que determinan un contexto, que permite describir el proceso que se vivió en el seminario de grado, consecuente con comprender el proceso desde una mirada de educación y aprendizaje que guían un recorrido conceptual y experiencial, determinado por la reflexión que se enmarca en el transcurso de pensarnos como educadores en consecuencia de unas vivencias que permitieron moldear la manera de ver y sentir en la educación