Motivating Students to Become Engaged Lifelong Readers

The intent of our study was to determine the effect of using daily silent reading, with teacher/student conferencing, on our student’s enjoyment and motivation for reading. The research study took place at a public elementary school, in second and fifth grade classrooms with 18 and 19 students. The sources of data included a Star Literacy Test, Reading Interest Questionnaire, Teacher/Student Conferencing Log, and Teacher Observation Checklist. The data revealed an increase in the majority of students’ reading levels, and in our student’s enjoyment of reading. The teacher observations also showed a significant decrease in student off –task behaviors during silent reading time. Therefore, we think silent reading with teacher/student conferencing shows lasting benefits in students’ reading abilities and motivation for reading. Due to the purposeful inclusion of silent reading with conferencing, our Action Research Plan demonstrates student growth with silent reading in the elementary classroo

Open for Business: Offering Physical Library Spaces in the COVID Era

Objective: Our goal was to safely reopen physical library spaces at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library for use by various Emory University user groups including students, faculty, and staff during the COVID pandemic of 2020. Because our university brought a subset of students back to campus, we felt it was important to offer safe, socially distanced seating and workstations in the library. Methods: In collaboration with Emory University’s environmental and safety health officers, we made determinations of the number of seats that could safely be offered. Seating was removed or cordoned off or otherwise signposted. We implemented a reservations system to limit the number of people in the library at one time and to ensure that all library visitors had completed the University’s requirements for returning to campus. In addition, cleaning materials were distributed around the library for easy access by library staff and users. Library staff monitor user behavior and issue reminders as needed. Results: We were able to open the library on July 6th at approximately 25% of our normal capacity. Students adhere to library expectations and we have been able to gradually offer additional spaces. Conclusions: With careful planning and collaboration with other University service points, libraries can partially reopen their physical spaces and create a climate of safety, compliance, and comfort for their users

The Systematic Review-lution: A Manifesto to Promote Rigour and Inclusivity in Research Synthesis

The field of human-computer interaction (HCI) is maturing. Systematic reviews, a staple of many disciplines, play an important and often essential role in how each field contributes to human knowledge. On this prospect, we argue that our meta-level approach to research within HCI needs a revolution. First, we echo previous calls for greater rigour in primary research reporting with a view towards supporting knowledge synthesis in secondary research. Second, we must decide as a community how to carry out systematic review work in light of the many ways that knowledge is produced within HCI (rigour in secondary research methods and epistemological inclusivity). In short, our manifesto is this: we need to develop and make space for an inclusive but rigorous set of standards that supports systematic review work in HCI, through careful consideration of both primary and secondary research methods, expectations, and infrastructure. We call for any and all fellow systematic review-lutionaries to join us.Comment: 11 page

University of Dundee Botanic Garden Tree Asset Valuation Report:An i-Tree Eco and CAVAT assessment

This report highlights the findings of a study to record the structure and composition of the trees within the University of Dundee’s public facing landscapes to calculate some of the benefits, public goods, or ecosystem services they provide. This report examines two areas: the Botanic Garden, and the Campus. The report highlights the tree resources on each site, and their contribution to mitigating some of the environmental impact while adding significant value to the University urban estate beyond its perceived amenity.• 1,378 trees over 7cm DBH were recorded in the University of Dundee Botanic Garden and main campus grounds. • Their potential is to remove over 60.3 kg of air pollution annually at a current value of £4,400. These pollutants include Sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).• These trees reduce water runoff by 1,600 m³ per year, preventing it from entering the combined water drainage system, worth an estimated £2,600 in avoided surface runoff water treatment costs. A highlighted priority in the ‘Local flood risk management plan’, due to the risk of being overwhelmed during extreme rainfall events.• In total, the trees store over 633 tonnes of carbon and sequester a further 15.7 tonnes of carbon annually - with associated values of around £624,000 and £15,400 respectively.• Trees also confer many other benefits as part of functional urban ecosystems, including habitat provision, soil conservation and noise reduction which currently cannot be valued. These should be considered when shaping policy or strategy documents. Reported values herein are a conservative estimate of overall benefits. • 243 species of tree are recorded within the University’s tree inventory, with a relatively even spread that shows little reliance on a single species dominance. The most common tree species are Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) with 153 trees, Betula pendula (silver birch) with 114 trees, and Eucalyptus gunnii (cider gum) with 93 trees. Note: this is likely to be an underestimation of tree diversity, reflecting multiple surveyors and identification ability, that will be improved with subsequent surveys.• The tree population includes a wide variety of species, which is a good indication that the sites will be more resilient to pests, diseases, and climate change than a less diverse treescape. The most prominent threats in this regard are Dothistroma needle blight, acute oak decline, and oak lace bug. • The amenity value of the campus and garden trees were calculated to be £38.1 million, as determined using a CAVAT valuation approach. The replacement cost of these trees was an estimated £1.48 millio

When do we eat? An evaluation of food items input into an electronic monitoring application

We present a formative study that examines what, when, and how participants in a chronic kidney disease (stage 5) population input food items into an electronic intake monitoring application. Participants scanned food item barcodes or voice recorded food items they consumed during a three week period. The results indicated that a learning curve was associated with barcode scanning; participants with low literacy skills had difficulty describing food items in voice recordings; and participants input food items depending on when they had dialysis treatment. Participants thought this electronic self monitoring application would be helpful for chronically ill populations in their first year of treatmen

Underground press: Its influence on American sociopolitical movements of the 1960s and 1970s

This thesis examines the underground press in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Through close analysis of the more popular underground newspapers from this time period and from different geographical regions of the United States, this thesis shows how the underground press helped aid in awareness for different sociopolitical movements as well as helped organize and gain support for these movements. This thesis focuses on three sociopolitical movements and their relationship with the underground press. These three movements are the Red Power Movement, the Women's Liberation Movement, and the Gay Liberation Movement. Inspired by the politics of the 1960s, papers like the Berkeley Barb, East Village Other, Great Speckled Bird, and The Rag challenged mainstream ideas about these three movements and many others. Unlike the mainstream press, which tended to prioritize objectivity and profits, the underground press prioritized empathy and political activism. The underground press gave the youths of America participating in these movements an opportunity to report their news the way they wanted it to be reported. The mainstream media at the time did not give these three sociopolitical movements the attention and sympathy these groups felt they deserved. The mainstream media, in many cases, showed either an unconscious or direct bias against these movements. As a result of the mainstream media's bias against and/or apathy towards these movements, and others, hundreds of underground newspapers formed across the United States in the matter of a couple of a years. They made it their mission to inform their readers of these movements and the plights of minority and oppressed groups and asked for the direct involvement of their readers to help these people. They were also many of these sociopolitical movement's primary means of organization for protests, demonstrations, and meetings. The underground press helped these movements spread awareness, gain allies, and support (physical, monetary, and political) which in turn helped these movements make long-term changes to American society and American attitudes