Online Professional Learning Communities as Sites for Learning and Connection: Teacher Agency and the Rhizome

This paper responds to the themes of learning and connected communities and technology enhanced learning. It explores the relationship between teacher agency and online Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) – specifically the use of social media tools among trainee teachers. Using a discourse analysis methodology we present the early experiences and reflections of the curriculum development team and trainee teachers as we seek to integrate social media, both formally and informally into a distance-learning environment, merging the best practices of face-to-face and blended learning. The site of learning is a distance learning Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) provided by a large University in the North of England. This Master’s level course enhances the practice-based development of trainee teachers (leading to Qualified Teacher Status). It provides opportunities for trainee teachers to create and share knowledge, and to connect with educational theory, evidence informed research and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Originally established as face-to-face and blended provision, the curriculum development team has moved towards distance learning, and two cohorts are currently enrolled, constituted of 75 students. The University works in partnership with School Based Initial Teacher Training providers (SCITTs). The curriculum architecture of this PGCE is premised upon notions of Heutagogy, Rhizomatic Learning and Instructional Design. It embeds Master’s level attributes, promoting self-determined learning, high levels of autonomy, epistemic curiosity and a willingness to engage and participate. The affordances of social media tools supports the creation of learner-generated content, and emerging communities of practice, facilitated and moderated by several agents, including the curriculum team, the trainee teachers, and their mentors. We reflect on our ongoing research into participation in constructed and facilitated Professional Learning Communities. This paper contributes to debates surrounding heutagogy, PLCs, instructional design, and non-participation. It will be of interest to academics and practitioners seeking to debate social media in education and curriculum development, whether for blended, online or distance learning

Beyond Performance Management by Observation: An Enquiry into Effective Professional Development for Teachers across a Multi Academy Trust

Performative lesson observation is widely used in schools, proportedly, as a tool through which leaders may improve standards of teaching and learning. However, the high­pressure and judgemental nature often associated with such an approach is largely considered to mitigate any potentially positive outcomes of the observation process. This action research project sought to explore whether a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) was able to change a performative lesson observation model to a more effective strategy for teacher growth in confidence and self­esteem, thus impacting positively upon teacher practice and self­efficacy. The project was funded by the Carey Philpott Partner Research Fund via the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University and it involved the three founding primary schools of a newly established MAT. The project developed from an original intention to introduce Video Enhanced Observation (VEO) to support peer and self­observation practices into a wider approach based upon coaching models. There is strong evidence to suggest that models of observation that are non­judgemental and development­focused have the potential to remove the barriers of the traditional performative model and to reap the benefits of increased motivation, collaboration and culture of scholarship to improve teaching and learning. Yet underlying issues around professional autonomy and the involvement of teachers in their own development adds to the complex nature of teacher evaluation. As such, there is more work to be done in ensuring that such changes have a lasting and sustainable impact upon the profession. A growing appreciation for the complex, phenomenological nature of teacher development led the study towards an investigation of the nature of professional autonomy and teacher agency. The findings of this study contribute to wider discourses among practitioner researcher communities as it argues that teachers should be involved in the processes of improving their own practice ­ as agents of change, not objects of surveillance. Further that collaboration and the opportunity to be involved in professional dialogue enhances professional learning

Transgenic cross-referencing of inhibitory and excitatory interneuron populations to dissect neuronal heterogeneity in the dorsal horn

The superficial dorsal horn (SDH, LI-II) of the spinal cord receives and processes multimodal sensory information from skin, muscle, joints and viscera then relays it to the brain. Neurons within the SDH fall into two broad categories, projection neurons and interneurons. The later can be further subdivided into excitatory and inhibitory types. Traditionally, interneurons within the SDH have been divided into overlapping groups according to their neurochemical, morphological and electrophysiological properties. Recent clustering analyses, based on molecular transcript profiles of cells and nuclei, have predicted many more functional groups of interneuron than expected using traditional approaches. In this study, we used electrophysiological and morphological data obtained from genetically-identified excitatory (vGLUT2) and inhibitory (vGAT) interneurons in transgenic mice to cluster them into groups sharing common characteristics, and subsequently determined how many clusters will be assigned by combinations of these properties. Consistent with previous reports, we show differences exist between excitatory and inhibitory interneurons in terms of their excitability, nature of ongoing excitatory drive, action potential properties, sub-threshold current kinetics, and morphology. The resulting clusters based on statistical and unbiased assortment of these data fell well short of the numbers of molecularly predicted clusters. There was no clear characteristic that in isolation defined a population, rather multiple variables were needed to predict cluster membership. Importantly though, our analysis highlighted the appropriateness of using transgenic lines as tools to functionally subdivide both excitatory and inhibitory interneuron populations

NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP): Guidance for Regional Implementation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Coastal Change Analysis Programl (C-CAP) is developing a nationally standardized database on landcover and habitat change in the coastal regions of the United States. C-CAP is part of the Estuarine Habitat Program (EHP) of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program (COP). C-CAP inventories coastal submersed habitats, wetland habitats, and adjacent uplands and monitors changes in these habitats on a one- to five-year cycle. This type of information and frequency of detection are required to improve scientific understanding of the linkages of coastal and submersed wetland habitats with adjacent uplands and with the distribution, abundance, and health of living marine resources. The monitoring cycle will vary according to the rate and magnitude of change in each geographic region. Satellite imagery (primarily Landsat Thematic Mapper), aerial photography, and field data are interpreted, classified, analyzed, and integrated with other digital data in a geographic information system (GIS). The resulting landcover change databases are disseminated in digital form for use by anyone wishing to conduct geographic analysis in the completed regions. C-CAP spatial information on coastal change will be input to EHP conceptual and predictive models to support coastal resource policy planning and analysis. CCAP products will include 1) spatially registered digital databases and images, 2) tabular summaries by state, county, and hydrologic unit, and 3) documentation. Aggregations to larger areas (representing habitats, wildlife refuges, or management districts) will be provided on a case-by-case basis. Ongoing C-CAP research will continue to explore techniques for remote determination of biomass, productivity, and functional status of wetlands and will evaluate new technologies (e.g. remote sensor systems, global positioning systems, image processing algorithms) as they become available. Selected hardcopy land-cover change maps will be produced at local (1:24,000) to regional scales (1:500,000) for distribution. Digital land-cover change data will be provided to users for the cost of reproduction. Much of the guidance contained in this document was developed through a series of professional workshops and interagency meetings that focused on a) coastal wetlands and uplands; b) coastal submersed habitat including aquatic beds; c) user needs; d) regional issues; e) classification schemes; f) change detection techniques; and g) data quality. Invited participants included technical and regional experts and representatives of key State and Federal organizations. Coastal habitat managers and researchers were given an opportunity for review and comment. This document summarizes C-CAP protocols and procedures that are to be used by scientists throughout the United States to develop consistent and reliable coastal change information for input to the C-CAP nationwide database. It also provides useful guidelines for contributors working on related projects. It is considered a working document subject to periodic review and revision.(PDF file contains 104 pages.

Echoes of time. The mobility of Brazilian researchers and students in Portugal

A investigação que apresentamos, de caráter exploratório, recaiu sobre histórias biográficas de brasileiros que escolhem Portugal para prosseguir formação e ou investigação. Procura-se encontrar na sua experiência elos de ligação explicativos sobre as motivações e os processos que os trazem para Portugal, assim como as expetativas e os projetos que comportam para os seus futuros e que incluem, ou não, este país. Temos em conta, especialmente, a forma como essa narrativa transporta sentidos identitários decorrentes das formas de relacionamento intercultural e político entre Portugal e Brasil e formas de cooperação implícitas, assim como mapas representacionais acerca dos lugares de eleição para desenvolvimento de carreiras científicas e académicas. A nossa pesquisa incide sobre as informações recolhidas através de um inquérito por questionário e entrevistas realizadas junto de estudantes e bolseiros brasileiros em Portugal.We present an exploratory study that investigated biographical stories of Brazilians who choose to continue their education or develop research in Portugal. We sought to find in their experiences explanatory links connecting the motivations and processes that bring them to Portugal, as well as the expectations and projects that they hold for the future, which may include, or not, this country. We take into account, particularly, the way this narrative carries senses of identity arising from the forms of intercultural and political relationship between Portugal and Brazil, as well as implicit forms of cooperation and representations about the places chosen for the development of scientific and academic careers. Our research draws on information collected through a survey based on questionnaires and interviews with Brazilian students and scholarship holders in Portugal.(undefined

In utero exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances and the human fetal liver metabolome in Scotland : a cross-sectional study

The Fetal Human study was funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MR/L010011/1) to PAF, PJO’S, JPI, DCH, and AD, by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Union under Grant Agreement 212885, and by NHS Grampian Endowments grants (08/02, 09/12, 13/56, and 15/1/010) to PAF. The metabolomics and exposomics study was supported by the Swedish Research Council (to TH and MO; grants 2016-05176 and 2020-03674), Formas (to TH and MO; grant 2019-00869), Novo Nordisk Foundation (to TH; grant NNF20OC0063971), Research Council of Finland (to MO; grant 333981), the Inflammation in human early life: targeting impacts on life-course health consortium funded by the Horizon Europe Program of the European Union (Grant Agreement 101094099 to MO, TH, and PAF), and the framework of the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals, and has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement 101057014). Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The authors would like to thank (1) the Fowler team members, NHS Grampian research nurses, and staff at the Pregnancy Counselling Service for their essential work in recruiting, collecting, and processing fetuses; and (2) the Centre for Genome Enabled Biology and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, for carrying out the RNA-Seq. The RNA-Seq data analysis was supported by use of the University of Aberdeen Maxwell High Performance Computer Cluster.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A Complete Expression Profile of Matrix-Degrading Metalloproteinases in Dupuytren’s Disease

Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is a common fibrotic condition of the palmar fascia, leading to deposition of collagen-rich cords and finger contractions. The metzincin superfamily contains key enzymes in the turnover of collagen and other extracellular matrix macromolecules. A number of broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, used in cancer clinical trials, caused side effects of DD-like contractures. We tested the hypothesis that changes in the expression of specific metalloproteinases underlie or contribute to the fibrosis and contracture seen in DD. We collected tissue from patients with DD and used normal palmar fascia as a control. We profiled the expression of the entire matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin motif (ADAMTS) gene families in these tissues using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. A number of metalloproteinases and inhibitors are regulated in DD. The expression of 3 key collagenases, MMP1, MMP13, and MMP14 is increased significantly in the DD nodule, as is the expression of the collagen biosynthetic enzyme ADAMTS14. The expression of MMP7, an enzyme with broad substrate specificity, is increased in the DD nodule and remains equally expressed in the DD cord. TIMP1 expression is increased significantly in DD nodule compared with normal palmar fascia. This study measured the expression of all MMP, ADAMTS, and TIMP genes in DD. Contraction and fibrosis may result from: (1) increased collagen biosynthesis mediated by increased ADAMTS-14; (2) an increased level of TIMP-1 blocking MMP-1– and MMP-13–mediated collagenolysis; and (3) contraction enabled by MMP-14–mediated pericellular collagenolysis (and potentially MMP-7), which may escape inhibition by TIMP-1. The complete expression profile will provide a knowledge-based approach to novel therapeutics targeting these genes