Can STEM Initiatives Be Social Justice Oriented: An Analysis of Urban School Reform Via Smaller Learning Communities

STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM academies are theme-based curricula that have gained considerable attention on the national level. The intended outcome of a STEM curriculum is to raise career awareness and increase college and graduate level enrollment in science and engineering in order to ultimately restore the United States' position as a worldwide leader in technological innovation. In 2008, a group of middle school teachers in Maryland designed a STEM academy to address the achievement gap between African American and white students at their school. The founding teachers used a combination of thematic curriculum and structural redesign via a process called "looping" to create a school-within-a-school model that focused on average-performing and at-risk students. This study explores the process these teachers underwent to implement a differentiated STEM program to a diverse student body in an urban middle school

Colorado’s legalization of medicinal marijuana is linked to a rise in marijuana-related arrests in some parts of Nebraska.

Marijuana has now been legal in Colorado for medicinal use for more than 15 years. Over this time, authorities in neighboring Nebraska (where the drug remains illegal) have become concerned about the potential spillover of marijuana into their state’s counties. In new research, Jared M. Ellison and Ryan E. Spohn find that Nebraska’s border counties, and to a lesser extent those along the I-80 highway corridor, have experienced an upward trend in marijuana-related arrests and jail admissions. In light of these findings, they write, both states and the federal government may need to rethink their marijuana laws and make decisions about penalties and potential legalization

Colorado’s legalization of medicinal marijuana: The effects on Nebraska’s law enforcement and local jail system

With the passage of Amendment 20 in 2000 and Amendment 64 in 2012, Colorado legalized the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. Subsequently, Nebraskan law enforcement agencies in border counties have reported increases in arrests and jail admissions for marijuana-related offenses. In response, the Nebraska Legislature passed Legislative Resolution 520 to study potential increased costs incurred by criminal justice agencies in border counties. In order to better understand how Colorado drug policy may have affected counties along the border, we compared trends in marijuana-related criminal justice activity among county agencies following the enactment of both Amendments. Border county arrests, jail admissions, and associated costs of incarceration were compared to two other county groups, those that contain Interstate I-80 as a major transportation route, and a “control group” comprised of the remaining counties in the state of Nebraska from 2000 through 2013. This analysis approximates a “natural experiment” based on the assumption that Nebraska counties that border Colorado will experience the largest impact from the legal changes in Colorado. Because Interstate 80 is the major east/west thoroughfare in Nebraska linking Colorado to the east, we assume the counties along the I-80 corridor will experience an impact that is less than that of border counties, but higher than control counties. Finally, we assume that “control counties” that are neither border counties, nor I-80 corridor counties, will be affected the least since 2000

Borders Up in Smoke: Marijuana Enforcement in Nebraska After Colorado’s Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana

With the passage of Amendments 20 (2000) and 64 (2012), Colorado legalized the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. Nebraskan law enforcement in border counties subsequently reported increases in arrests and reductions in jail space. In response, the Nebraska state legislature passed LR-520 to study the potential increased costs incurred by criminal justice agencies in border counties. To investigate this situation, we compare trends in drug arrests and jail occupancy across three areas: border counties, those that contain Interstate 80 (I-80) as a major transportation route, and the remaining counties in the state of Nebraska from 2000 through 2013. We found that border counties, but not necessarily those along the I-80 corridor, experienced significant growth in marijuana-related arrests and jail admissions after the expansion of the medical marijuana program in Colorado. Implications for research and policy are discussed

Geographical Diversification: An Application of Copula Based CVaR

Risk and Uncertainty,

Using a socioecologial approach to explore the integration of exercise physiologists into primary healthcare teams in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Limited research has explored the integration of Clinical Exercise Physiologists (CEPs) into primary healthcare in Canada. As part of a clinical exercise referral program at Memorial University, graduate students recognized as CEPs participated in four month placements at local family medicine clinics. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of CEPs and physicians during the integration of CEPs into healthcare teams and identify challenges and opportunities that could impact broader implementation of this referral program. In this qualitative study, four CEPs and five physicians participated in semi-structured individual interviews designed to explore their experiences with the referral program using a Socio-Ecological Model. Four main themes emerged from the data: (1) CEP-led advocacy for exercise referral in healthcare, (2) gaps in training and regulation of CEPs, (3) unclear role for exercise professionals within healthcare, and (4) policy and organizational changes to improve exercise referral. The findings of this study provide an understanding of the current challenges and opportunities of integrating CEPs into a primary healthcare team, and will help to guide efforts to expand multidisciplinary healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador

Non-prescription sun eyewear optical performance study

Non-prescription sun eyewear often has induced refractive power, prismatic deviations and variability in resolution within their lenses. The goal of current sun eyewear manufactures is to provide maximum optical quality in their lenses. In order to achieve superior optical quality in their lenses, manufactures attempt to have low refractive power, low prismatic power, and high resolution within and between their lenses. The purpose of this study was to assess various optical qualities including refractive power, prismatic deviation in primary and lateral gaze, and resolution of premium non-prescription eyewear available for over the counter purchase to consumers at local optical shops or stores. 48 pairs oflocally purchased sun eyewear from prominent national brands were purchased for this study. Two principal investigators measured both lenses in each pair of sun eyewear for refractive error and cylinder using a calibrated 8 power telescope. Prismatic deviation was measured on both lenses of each eyewear in primary gaze and 30 degrees dextroversional gaze. Resolution was also obtained for each individual lens by using the same calibrated 8 power telescope and the standard high contrast NBS Definition Pattern. All eyewear within the study produced measurable amounts of refractive power, with a majority oflenses measured producing a low minus power. Cylinder was also found in all lenses. Most lenses induced base-down and base-out prismatic deviations for primary gaze, and most lenses gave a base-out horizontal vergence effect in primary gaze. All but one lens produced base-out prism with temporal gaze and all lenses produced base-in prism in nasal gaze giving a yoked prismatic effect in lateral gazes. The majority of vertical deviations in lateral gaze were base-down. Resolution results showed large variability between lenses within the tested eyewear with over a third of the lenses not meeting current ANSI standards. It was concluded that refractive power and induced cylinder in all the lenses tested would have minimal perceptual effect based on the depth of focus innate in the human eye with variability and sensitivity most likely based on pupil size secondary to tint density. Prismatic deviations were felt to have a more detrimental effect on the viewer due to changes in perception of the viewer\u27s environment. Resolution results were questionable based on variability in tint density and transmittance of individual lenses. Further investigation in areas of transmittance and tint are indicated in determining resolving capabilities of sun eyewear. Further testing in optical quality is also indicated and could include subjective responses to clarity and comfort in both recreational and professional athletes