Philly Scientists: Blending Professional Development for In-School and Out-of-School Educators

In the fall of 2016, a team of Pennsylvania STEM educators received a generous grant from the National Science Foundation to provide STEM education to middle-school students in the Philadelphia Promise Zone. Entitled “Philly Scientists” and targeting both classroom teachers and out-of-school time (OST) staff, this grant combined biodiversity curriculum development, teacher training, career access activities, and modern technology to address the following three research questions: 1. What coherent set of experiences effectively support fourth, fifth and sixth grade students’ knowledge development (e.g., biodiversity content knowledge blended with science practices), motivation and career awareness about STEM-related work and jobs of today and the future? What are characteristics of their knowledge, motivation and career awareness competencies? 2. What professional development models and recognition systems can effectively engage teachers and OST providers in demonstrating Next Generation Science knowledge, pedagogy, and career awareness for fourth through sixth grade students? 3. How effective is the activity of Promise Zone fourth-sixth grade students as information providers and Urban Scientists interacting with scientist mentors towards increasing career awareness and understanding characteristics of STEM work? Our partners in this initiative were Drexel University, The Philadelphia Education Fund (PEF), The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (ANS), and the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN). The project also engaged Research for Action (RFA) as the external evaluator. Staff from the Philadelphia Education Fund were primarily tasked with designing, implementing, and evaluating the professional development component of this initiative. The team recognized that in-school and OST teachers have different skill-sets, needs, and schedules - but that each group of educators also has a great deal to offer one another. For instance, we hypothesized that classroom teachers may have more experience connecting lessons to national standards and local educational initiatives; while OST providers may be more versed in working with families, with communities, and with blending social work and education. For these reasons, we were interested in both the logistical and pedagogical results and implications of our study. And while there is a great deal of research pertaining to STEM professional development for both in-school and out-of-school staff, we found little literature that referenced blending PD for both populations

El liderazgo del profesor: requisito para la empleabilidad

In the current context of the European Higher Education Area, the University's mission is to prepare qualified professionals with the necessary skills to work at a prestigious level, and therefore, develop professional leadership. This study addresses whether it is possible to develop professional leadership from the specific field of initial training of future teachers. We start from the educational leadership which includes the concept of teacher leadership. In Spain it is still difficult to find literature sources that delve into this particular type of leadership, although this concept is making inroads into the approaches of other types of leadership in schools. However, in the references found, there is agreement on raising the participation of teachers in the school context by putting their personal and professional skills at the service of improving their environment. From this starting point, and at the same time taking into account the current approach by competences of Higher Education, some methodological proposals are made which may materialize in good educational practices, and help to think how to promote leadership from initial teacher training.En el marco actual del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior se encomienda a la Universidad la misión de preparar profesionales cualificados, dotados de las competencias necesarias que les permitan desarrollar un verdadero liderazgo profesional. En este estudio se aborda si es posible desarrollar el liderazgo profesional desde el ámbito específico de la formación inicial de los futuros maestros con vistas a fomentar en ellos las competencias requeridas para la empleabilidad. Para ello partimos del término liderazgo educativo en el que se sitúa el liderazgo del profesor. Todavía es difícil encontrar fuentes que ahonden en este tipo concreto de liderazgo, el del profesor, aunque se va abriendo paso en los planteamientos de otros tipos de liderazgo ampliamente estudiados como el distribuido, el transformacional o el instruccional. No obstante, en las referencias halladas existe un acuerdo en resaltar la participación del profesor en el contexto escolar poniendo las competencias personales y profesionales al servicio de la mejora de su entorno. Desde este punto de inicio y, teniendo en cuenta al mismo tiempo, el actual enfoque por competencias de la Educación Superior, se proponen algunas propuestas metodológicas que pueden materializarse en buenas prácticas educativas, contribuyendo de esta forma al desarrollo del liderazgo del profesor y las competencias de empleabilidad desde su formación inicial

Edades radiométricas de los edificios miocenos de Fuerteventura (Islas Canarias).

Se han realizado once nuevas dataciones K-Ar de las coladas básicas (basaltos, nefelinitas) y sálicas (traquitas) de los tres edificios principales subaéreos (Tetir o Norte, Gran Tarajal o Central y Jandía o Sur) que constituyen la Fase miocena de la isla. Se precisa algo más la cronoestratigrafía relativa entre ellos, así como la correspondiente a los tramos que los integran

Tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent activation of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase occurs upstream of Ca^(2+)-signalling induced by Fcy receptor cross-linking in human neutrophils

The effect of wortmannin on IgG-receptor (FcyR)-mediated stimulation of human neutrophils was investigated. The Ca^(2+) influx induced by clustering of both Fcy receptors was inhibited by wortmannin, as was the release of Ca^(2+) from intracellular stores. Wortmannin also inhibited, with the same efficacy, the accumulation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 observed after FcyR stimulation, but did not affect the increase in Ins(1,4,5)P3 induced by the chemotactic peptide, formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine. Because wortmannin is, in the concentrations used here, an inhibitor of PtdIns 3-kinase, these results suggested a role for PtdIns 3-kinase upstream of Ca^(2+) signalling, induced by FcyR cross-linking. Support for this notion was obtained by investigating the effect of another inhibitor of PtdIns 3-kinase, LY 294002, and by studying the kinetics of PtdIns 3-kinase activation. We found translocation of PtdIns 3-kinase to the plasma membrane and increased PtdIns 3-kinase activity in the membrane as soon as 5 s after FccR cross-linking, even before the onset of the Ca^(2+) response. Moreover, the translocation of PtdIns 3-kinase to the plasma membrane was inhibited by cocross- linking of either FcyRIIa and FcyRIIIb with the tyrosine phosphatase, CD45, indicating a requirement for protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the recruitment of PtdIns 3-kinase to the plasma membrane. Taken together, our results suggest a role for PtdIns 3-kinase in early signal transduction events after FcyR cross-linking in human neutrophils

Short-term outcomes after long inverted versus short standard biliopancreatic limb in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Background: Obesity is a public health issue that affects the entire world and it is rising. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is one of the most common bariatric procedures and it can reach a significant and sustained excess weight loss and efficient comorbidity control. The main objective was to compare short-term outcomes between standard versus long biliopancreatic limb gastric bypass patients.Methods: it was a retrospective, comparative, descriptive, single-center study. We evaluated obese patients that underwent a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with standard or long biliopancreatic limb in Centro Medico ABC, Mexico City, and compared general demographics, weight loss, excess weight loss, comorbidities and quality of life.Results: Of 50 patients analyzed, 24 were in the standard gastric bypass (S-GB) and 26 in the long biliopancreatic limb (LBPL-GB). Mean weight loss in the S-GB group was 33.1±12.1 kg and in the LBPL-GB was 40.2±12.6 kg with a difference of 7.1 kg. The percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) was 72.5±14% in S-GB and 72.9±19% in LBPL-GB, with a difference of 0.4% in the 12 months of follow-up. There was a complete reduction of hypoglycemic drugs in 80% in the S-GB group and 100% in the LBPL-GB group.Conclusions: With this modification of the technique, we achieved important outcomes in regard of comorbidities, without affecting drastically weight loss or the EWL. This procedure is safe and feasible

Community composition and habitat characterization of a rock sponge aggregation (Porifera, Corallistidae) in the Cantabrian Sea.

Deep-sea sponge-dominated communities are complex habitats considered hotspots of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. They are classified as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem and are listed as threatened or declining as a result of anthropogenic activities. Yet, studies into the distribution, community structure and composition of these habitats are scarce, hampering the development of appropriate management measures to ensure their conservation. In this study we describe a diverse benthic community, dominated by a lithistid sponge, found in two geomorphological features of important conservation status —Le Danois Bank and El Corbiro Canyon— of the Cantabrian Sea. Based on the analyses of visual transects using a photogrammetric towed vehicle and samples collected by rock dredge, we characterize the habitat and the associated community in detail. This deep-sea sponge aggregation was found on bedrock. It is dominated by one lithistid sponge, Neoschrammeniella aff. bowerbankii (0.2 ind./m2) and further composed of various sponge species as well as of other benthic invertebrates such as cnidarians, bryozoans and crustaceans. Using a non-invasive methodology (SfM – Structure from Motion) and empirical relationships of individuals size and biomass/volume obtained in laboratory for N. aff. bowerbankii, we were able to estimate a total biomass of 41 kg and volume of 39 l of this species in the surveyed area. This approach allows a fine tune methodology for estimating biomass and volume by image-based-observed area avoiding destructive techniques for this species.Postprin

Can multisensorial media improve learner experience?

In recent years, the emerging immersive technologies (e.g. Virtual/Augmented Reality, multisensorial media) bring brand-new multi-dimensional effects such as 3D vision, immersion, vibration, smell, airflow, etc. to gaming, video entertainment and other aspects of human life. This paper reports results from an European Horizon 2020 research project on the impact of multisensoral media (mulsemedia) on educational learner experience. A mulsemediaenhanced test-bed was developed to perform delivery of video content enhanced with haptic, olfaction and airflow effects. The results of the quality rating and questionnaires show significant improvements in terms of mulsemedia-enhanced teaching

Rocas volcánicas submarinas en la base de la Formación Cañadas. Macizo de Tigaiga (N. de Tenerife)

A volcanic submarine formation crops out in the north coast of Tenerife, east of San Juan de la Rambla. This unit is formed by massive and pil/owed lavas, pillow-breccias, hyaloc/astites and palagonitic tuffs and is interpreted as consisUng of subaerial lavas that flowed into shal/ow marine waters. The lavas are amphibolic trachybasalts. An unaltered sample coming fram the most massive zone has yielded a whole rack 2.60±0.17 Ma K-Ar age. These submarine lavas are underlying the oldest formations of the Las Cañadas Series dated at 1.24 Ma in that same area. The submarine lavas correspond to a time period for which very scarce information was yet available in Tenerife