Humane Literacy and Formal Educators

Formal educators (those with formal education degrees versus informal educators who may work in shelters or nature centers) in the K-12 system are tasked with facilitating academic, character, and social and emotional learning in the classroom. As part of this learning, the teaching of critical thinking revolving around and reinforcement of “kindness . . . care and compassion towards” people, animals, and the environment and the interconnection among the three can work to prevent needless suffering and create community building attitudes (Selby, 1995, p. 7). Based upon knowledge of state mandates involving humane education, the Humane Literacy Coalition (HLC) was formed to study basic educator knowledge of humane education and their understanding of mandates concerning humane topics. HLC was also formed to review the creation and potential use of humane education benchmarks on the part of formal educators. HLC hypothesized that educators were not aware of humane education nor whether humane education was required in their state. HLC also wished to learn the opinion of educators, administrators, and policy makers concerning the creation of benchmarks that would help educators to infuse humane education into standards-based work. Based on these assumptions and questions, HLC developed a questionnaire that was disseminated both at national education conferences and online. Results showed that educators, administrators, and policy makers at both elementary and secondary levels believed that all areas of humane education were important and felt that humane values were likely to be infused into the standards-based curricula. Results also showed that educators had varied levels of understanding concerning humane education and little knowledge of state requirements. Additionally, results indicated that educators and policy makers supported the utilization of humane education benchmarks when preparing lessons if such benchmarks were available. A possible implication is that teacher preparation and in-service programs are not including the concepts of humane education, and that given benchmarks for humane education, formal educators would more often include all three components of humane education in their work

Increasing Student Engagement through Animal Welfare Education and Service

Student engagement is for the most part driven by three factors, “underlying need for competence, the extent to which students experience membership in the school, and the authenticity” of the task they are given. Animal welfare education and correlated service‐learning can address all three of these factors. In addition, for the many students who have traditionally written‐off school and school sponsored functions, personal and authentic learning can assist in rebuilding trust in the educational system. Authentic learning built around animal welfare education and animal welfare topics that impact the real world or personal neighborhoods of students encourages brain growth and increased competencies in areas such as kinesthetic, spatial, artistic, and interpersonal in a way that traditional didactic and educator‐centered learning does not

Reduction of Non-Specific Protein Adsorption Using Poly(ethylene) Glycol (PEG) Modified Polyacrylate Hydrogels In Immunoassays for Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Detection

Three PEG molecules (PEG-methacrylate, -diacrylate and -dimethacrylate) were incorporated into galactose-based polyacrylate hydrogels and their relative abilities to reduce non-specific protein adsorption in immunoassays were determined. Highly crosslinked hydrogels containing amine-terminated functionalities were formed and used to covalently attach antibodies specific for staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). Patterned arrays of immobilized antibodies in the PEG-modified hydrogels were created with a PDMS template containing micro-channels for use in sandwich immunoassays to detect SEB. Different concentrations of the toxin were applied to the hydrogel arrays, followed with a Cy3-labeled tracer antibody specific for the two toxins. Fluorescence laser scanning confocal microscopy of the tracer molecules provided both qualitative and quantitative measurements on the detection sensitivity and the reduction in non-specific binding as a result of PEG incorporation. Results showed the PEG-modified hydrogel significantly reduced non-specific protein binding with a detection limit for SEB of 1 ng/mL. Fluorescence signals showed a 10-fold decrease in the non-specific binding and a 6-fold increase in specific binding of SEB

In-Service Teachers’ Understanding and Teaching of Humane Education Before and After a Standards-Based Intervention

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which credentialed educators conceptualized, understood, and perceived humane education, as well as their intent to include humane education in personal practice and their knowledge of strategies for integrating humane education concepts into their classroom work. The group of 25 educators participated in an online eight-week professional development course and completed pre- and post-surveys. The participants consisted of educators from the United States, British Columbia, and Vietnam. Participants were 11 secondary educators, 10 primary educators, 2 substitute teachers, 1 administrator, and 1 librarian. Results indicate that after an eight-week professional development intervention, participants had a greater understanding of humane education and an increased intent to include humane concepts in their practice, as well as increased knowledge of strategies for integrating humane concepts into their personal work. Results show that while the educators did not have an understanding of humane education at the beginning of the study, the humane themes resonated with their desire to engage students and to teach prosocial behaviors. A recommendation is for educators to receive humane education professional development that aligns with reform models and standards-based education in order to increase their knowledge of strategies and to infuse humane education into traditional pedagogy.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/boocov/1012/thumbnail.jp

In-Service Teachers’ Understanding and Teaching of Humane Education Before and After a Standards-Based Intervention

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which credentialed educators conceptualized, understood, and perceived humane education, as well as their intent to include humane education in personal practice and their knowledge of strategies for integrating humane education concepts into their classroom work. The group of 25 educators participated in an online eight-week professional development course and completed pre- and post-surveys. The participants consisted of educators from the United States, British Columbia, and Vietnam. Participants were 11 secondary educators, 10 primary educators, 2 substitute teachers, 1 administrator, and 1 librarian. Results indicate that after an eight-week professional development intervention, participants had a greater understanding of humane education and an increased intent to include humane concepts in their practice, as well as increased knowledge of strategies for integrating humane concepts into their personal work. Results show that while the educators did not have an understanding of humane education at the beginning of the study, the humane themes resonated with their desire to engage students and to teach prosocial behaviors. A recommendation is for educators to receive humane education professional development that aligns with reform models and standards-based education in order to increase their knowledge of strategies and to infuse humane education into traditional pedagogy.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/hebg/1002/thumbnail.jp

Clinical ketosis and standing behaviour in transition dairy cows

Ketosis is a common disease in dairy cattle, especially in the days after calving, and is often undiagnosed. The objective of this study was to compare the standing behaviour of dairy cows with and without ketosis during the days around calving to determine if changes in this behaviour could be useful in the early identification of sick cows. Serum beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) was measured in 370 cows on three commercial dairy farms, twice weekly from 2 to 21 d after calving. Standing behaviour was measured from 7 d before calving to 21 d after calving using data loggers. Retrospectively, 19 cows with subclinical ketosis (BHBA ≥1.2 and ≤ 2.9 mmol/L) and 20 cows with clinical ketosis (BHBA >2.9 mmol/L) were matched by farm with 39 non-ketotic cows (BHBA <1.2 mmol/L). Five periods were defined for the statistical analyses: wk -1 (d -7 to d -1), d 0 (day of calving), wk +1 (d 1 to d 7), wk +2 (d 8 to d 14) and wk +3 (d 15 to d 21). The first signs of both subclinical and clinical ketosis occurred 4.5 ± 2.0 d after calving. The standing behaviour of cows diagnosed with subclinical ketosis was not different than non-ketotic cows during any period. Total daily standing time was longer for clinically ketotic cows relative to non-ketotic cows during wk +1 (14.4 ± 0.8 vs. 12.2 ± 0.7 h/d) and d 0 (17.6 ± 1.0 vs. 13.4 ± 0.7 h/d) but was not different during the other periods. Clinically ketotic cows exhibited fewer standing bouts compared to non-ketotic cows on d 0 only (12.8 ± 2.2 vs. 18.1 ± 1.6 bouts/d). Average standing bout duration was also longer for clinically ketotic cows on d 0 compared to non-ketotic cows (64.9 vs. 40.4 min/bout) but was not different during the other periods. These results suggest that differences in standing behaviour before calving may be useful for the early detection of clinical ketosis in dairy cows.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat

Humane Literacy and Formal Educators

Formal educators (those with formal education degrees versus informal educators who may work in shelters or nature centers) in the K-12 system are tasked with facilitating academic, character, and social and emotional learning in the classroom. As part of this learning, the teaching of critical thinking revolving around and reinforcement of “kindness . . . care and compassion towards” people, animals, and the environment and the interconnection among the three can work to prevent needless suffering and create community building attitudes (Selby, 1995, p. 7). Based upon knowledge of state mandates involving humane education, the Humane Literacy Coalition (HLC) was formed to study basic educator knowledge of humane education and their understanding of mandates concerning humane topics. HLC was also formed to review the creation and potential use of humane education benchmarks on the part of formal educators. HLC hypothesized that educators were not aware of humane education nor whether humane education was required in their state. HLC also wished to learn the opinion of educators, administrators, and policy makers concerning the creation of benchmarks that would help educators to infuse humane education into standards-based work. Based on these assumptions and questions, HLC developed a questionnaire that was disseminated both at national education conferences and online. Results showed that educators, administrators, and policy makers at both elementary and secondary levels believed that all areas of humane education were important and felt that humane values were likely to be infused into the standards-based curricula. Results also showed that educators had varied levels of understanding concerning humane education and little knowledge of state requirements. Additionally, results indicated that educators and policy makers supported the utilization of humane education benchmarks when preparing lessons if such benchmarks were available. A possible implication is that teacher preparation and in-service programs are not including the concepts of humane education, and that given benchmarks for humane education, formal educators would more often include all three components of humane education in their work

Cortney H. Itle

C.H. Itle The arsenic maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water is likely to be lowered sometime in 2001 or 2002. If the MCL is lowered, it is speculated that there will be stricter limits imposed on the disposal and handling of arsenic-containing residuals. The purpose of this study is to determine the properties of drinking water residuals, including the chemical characteristics, the amount of arsenic that leaches in common residual handling and dewatering processes, and the hazardous potential of the residuals. Residual samples were collected from seven utilities with high arsenic concentrations in their raw water. Included in the study were four plants that coagulate with ferric chloride, two with aluminum hydroxide, and one softening plant. The residuals from each facility were acid digested and chemically characterized using ICPAES to determine the total arsenic, aluminum and iron present. TCLP and California WET were performed to verify if the residuals were hazardous. Simulated lagoons were set up and monitored over a six-month period to determine the amount of arsenic that was leached to the liquid portion over time. Toxicity testing was performed on the residuals at 20% and 100% after two months and six months of storage. Bench-scale sand drying beds were used to dewater residuals, and the leachates were analyzed to determine if arsenic leached from residuals. The residuals were found to contain high levels of arsenic during the chemical characterization. However, all of the facilities passed the current TCLP limit of 5 mg/L. For all residuals, the California WET values were much higher than the TCLP values. In the lagoon study, redox potentials decreased and the arsenic and iron concentrations in the liquid portions increased. In the sand drying beds..