Assessing agro-ecological practices using a combination of three sustainability assessment tools

This paper is based on results from the research project UNISECO, which is funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 773901.We would like to thank all the farmers, farm organisations and stakeholders of the multi-actor platforms of the UNISECO project who contributed to the data collection. We also like to thank Andreas Basler whose corrections improved the comprehensibility of the paper.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

AN EVALUATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF THE WISCONSIN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD

This study sought to determine the type of exceptional education and remedial education programs offered in the forty-eight elementary schools of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in the Greater Milwaukee Area. The study also looked at the type and the degree of involvement of the regular classroom teacher in conducting these special education programs. An attempt was also made to evaluate objectively the effectiveness of the program offered in each school. Each principal of the schools studied was asked to complete a questionnaire that described the exceptional education or remedial programs conducted at that school. If these programs were not available at the school, the principal was asked to give the reasons for that and the possibility of beginning such programs. Half of the teachers at these schools were asked to complete a questionnaire dealing with their involvement in the special programming procedures. Each school having an exceptional education or remedial program was visited for an on-site evaluation of that program. In order to obtain an objective evaluation, the Division for Handicapped Children Monitoring Document for Public Agencies Responsible for the Education of Handicapped Children, published by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, was completed. The study found that 70% of the schools participating in the study did offer remedial programs. The subject areas most likely to be remediated were reading and arithmetic. Of the schools not having remedial programs, 83% felt that there was a need to begin such a program at the school. It was also learned that there was a variety of program delivery models used in the special education programs. The on-site evaluation found that the special education programs tended to be quite informal. Few had any written procedural guidelines. The use of educational diagnostic evaluation, formalized statements of long- and short-term goals, and program evaluation were very limited. The majority of the classroom teachers were responsible for all or at least part of the remediation needed by the students in that teacher\u27s classroom. Volunteers, paid teacher-aides, and special education coordinators were also used in some of the schools as providers of special education services. The results of this study indicated that there are many available alternatives for the schools studied to improve and broaden their special education offerings

Future Options For Organic Farming Policy Support In Europe

Policy support has been very important for the development of organic farming in Europe since the 1990s. Measures include regulations defining organic in the marketplace, support payments for organic conversion and maintenance, and action plans aimed at integrating market and rural development support. Such support has been justified in terms of the environmental and other societal benefits delivered, as well as the economic benefits of the market for organic food. While the evidence for public benefits from organic farming is clear and increasing, the mechanisms for rewarding these benefits have been focused, as other agri-environment measures, on income foregone and costs incurred. With the introduction of a new CAP, involving Member State Strategic Plans and Ecoschemes, the focus of policy is shifting to results. This paper explores the implications of the for future organic farming support, including how public benefits from complex, multi-functional systems can be identified, quantified and valued at an affordable cost

The Consumer Or The Citizen: Who Should Pay For The Benefits Of Organic Farming?

Organic farming delivers a range of benefits for individual consumers and society at large, which is often referred to as the dual role of organic farming. In recognition of societal benefits often referred to as public goods that correspond to policy goals organic farming receives public support in many countries. The growing interest of consumers in organic products is illustrated by the market. In this paper, we present an economic framework, distinguishing between public and private goods and explore where public support is justified and for what consumers can be expected to pay a premium price

Development of a Video Recording and Review Process for Trauma Resuscitation Quality and Education

Video review for quality and education purposes has been a valued tool for decades. However, the use of this process dropped significantly after the development of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in the 1990s. Video review was recently reestablished at our institution. By working with our institutional legal counsel and risk management team, we have been able to create a video review process that complies with legal requirements. Literature on this subject has not described the process of obtaining video recordings. We aimed to review the process of obtaining high quality recordings in a secure manner. We hope that in the future, the data collected through our multidisciplinary review process will be helpful in improving quality of care for injured patients and providing coaching and feedback to learners, as well as improving our trauma education curriculum