Exploring career change transitions through a dialogic conceptualization of science teacher identity

Research into the construct of science teacher identity has gained momentum over the past decade in an effort to achieve a more comprehensive, holistic understanding of teacher learning and development. As yet few studies have examined the unique identity challenges of science teacher career changers. Akkerman and Meijer’s (2011) dialogical approach to the conceptualization of teacher identity informed this longitudinal, qualitative study exploring the different identity aspects, or I-positions, of two individuals who had changed careers to teach high-school biology. The study identified moments of disequilibrium experienced by the participants and explored how they each eventually restored equilibrium. Analysis included tabulation of data using preliminary categories of multiplicity and unity, discontinuity and continuity, social and individual, and the participants’ internal negotiations. Findings revealed various I-positions and the disequilibrium that resulted as competing I-positions emerged during participants’ transition to a new career in teaching. However, there was also a common theme of participants eventually integrating these competing I-positions in an effort to find unity and continuity. The need for teacher preparation programs to support career changers in negotiating I-position conflicts such that they do not become insurmountable is discussed. Implications of depicting identity from a developmental perspective are offered for teacher preparation programs as well as teacher education research

A Preliminary Study Connecting School Improvement and MTSS With Student Outcomes

Schools have an increased focus on implementing schoolwide initiatives (e.g., multi-tiered systems of support; MTSS) to address risk factors related to dropping out. These interventions can involve multiple domains, including academic, behavioural, and social and emotional supports. Although researchers suggest that schoolwide interventions are effective, school staff may need help implementing various content (e.g., academic, behaviour) domains into a cohesive plan. This preliminary study focused on nine schools in the Midwestern United States that implemented schoolwide interventions as part of a statewide technical assistance approach. The research included using survey and extant data for all students to determine the connections between schoolwide interventions, school improvement, and student outcomes. Schools in this study that were higher on both school improvement and MTSS implementation had, in general, better student outcomes associated with predictors of dropping out of school. These findings indicate that school improvement and MTSS may be mutually beneficial enterprises that help school staff address factors related to dropping out

The Emotional Side of Dynamic Assessment: L2 Writing from Vygotsky\u27s Perezhivanie Lens

This qualitative multiple-case study investigated the emotional perceptions of English-as-a-foreign language learners (EFLs) and an English writing instructor as they met online via the Zoom application. Dynamic Assessment (DA) and the Vygotskyan perezhivanie notion guided the study. DA is an interactive assessment approach that combines instruction and assessment processes during student-instructor interactions with the goal of diagnosing and developing learners’ abilities. As to the perezhivanie notion, Vygotsky (1994) argued for uncovering the particular prism through which the individual refracts (i.e., shapes) the influence of the environment, and how she “becomes aware of, interprets, and emotionally relates to a certain event” (p. 341). As the researcher and writing instructor, I held eight individualized sessions with three Persian-speaking English learners to jointly review the essays they wrote alone and re-wrote following our review session. I video-recorded all these sessions. During these individualized sessions, I utilized DA principles to assist participants in identifying and revising the challenges arising from language usage, as well as essay-level issues such as thesis statement and paragraphing. That is, when assisting participants, I always started with general help related to the issue of focus, and then gradually moved on to more specific and relevant guidance if participants needed more help to identify and self-correct a given error. As such, I adhered to the nature of help as it is characteristic of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. All interactions took place in Persian, the participants’ and researcher’s first language. I used the Geneva Emotion Wheel (GEW) to identify the emotions perceived by the participants and I at the start and end of each session–the identification step. I then interviewed participants about their perceived emotions and took notes on why I felt that way at the two time points for each tutorial – the exploration step. I focused on participants’ perceptions of why they emotionally experienced a specific situation in a particular way during these interviews. I discovered that emotions permeated the DA sessions and the participants experienced both positive and negative emotions under six main patterns. The study also showed how the individuals’ emotional experiences differed from one another and were sparked by various triggers. Finally, although all three participants acknowledged experiencing negative emotions, they all agreed that these emotions had a positive effect on how they engaged with the mediator as well as with revising their essays due to the instructor’s positive language such as praise. My findings hold implications, among other things, for creating optimal learning environments during DA tutorials and investigating the developmental nature of learners’ emotional experiences and how they relate to mediation in the ZPD and its effectiveness

Going beyond One-to-One Mediation in Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): Concurrent and Cumulative Group Dynamic Assessment

This paper reports on a study delving into the efficiency of two types of Group-Dynamic Assessment (G-DA, concurrent and cumulative) in teaching English articles. To this aim, two intact classes of third-grade high school students were included in the study and randomly assigned to Cumulative G-DA (n= 34) and Concurrent G-DA (n= 33) groups. The homogeneity of the classes was determined and their knowledge of articles, prior to and after the treatment, was measured by administering two parallel cloze tests. G-DA sessions lasted for three sessions, during which both groups worked on three editing tasks on articles according to the operational definitions proposed by Poehner (2009) for G-DA procedures. Results of the study revealed that both types of G-DA increased gains in learning articles. Additionally, it came to light that the concurrent group outperformed the cumulative one. The results are discussed in the light of the tenets of sociocultural theory

The Role of School Improvement Planning in the Implementation of MTSS in Secondary Schools

As a result of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools and districts are encouraged to implement school-wide initiatives to improve outcomes for all students. In accordance with the ESSA, this research study investigated the relationship between school improvement planning and the implementation of school-wide interventions. The study examined survey and extant data from five high schools in a Midwestern state to analyze academic and behavior-related school-wide efforts and their relationship to school improvement. The data showed a statistically significant relationship between school improvement planning and the state’s school improvement report card of student performance (Kendall Rank-Order Coefficient, p = .025). These findings suggest that schools might consider integrating their school-wide efforts into school improvement planning

Nasal carriage screening of community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in healthy children of a developing country

Background: The rapid emergence and spread of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has raised considerable public health concern in both developed and developing countries. The current study aimed to address the extent of this phenomenon in healthy preschool children of a developing country. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective study from April 2013 to March 2014 on 410 healthy 2-6 years old preschool children in Isfahan, Iran. Demographic medical data and nasal samples were collected from the participating children. Isolates were identified as S. aureus and MRSA based on microbiological and molecular tests, including the presence of eap and mecA genes. Results: The overall prevalence of S. aureus and CA-MRSA nasal carriage was 28% (115/410) and 6.1% (25/410), respectively. The identity of isolates was confirmed by molecular assay. The factors that were independently associated with nasal carriage of S. aureus were: Children crowding in day-care nurseries and income level of families. A total of 20/90 (22.2%) of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and all 25 CA-MRSA displayed multiple drug resistance to 3–8 antibiotics. Conclusions: The current report reflects issues and concerns that the high rate of colonization by CA-MRSA in Iranian healthy children provides obliging evidence that MRSA have established a foothold in the community and are emerging as important health threatening pathogens. It is suggested that we need more effective infection control measures to prevent transmission of nasal CA-MRSA in healthy preschool children

Preventing the expression of VEGFR-1 in culture medium using specific SiRNA - as a potential therapeutic method in eye neovascularization

Background and Aim: Angiogenesis is one of important biological processes any disruption in which leads to disease. The main signaling factor in this process is VEGF which acts through its receptors. The present study was done in order to inhibit the expression of receptor type1of this factor (VEGFR-1) using specific siRNA in the culture medium to use its inhibitory effect on neovascularization in the eye. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study first, using target gene sequences, sequences of the specific siRNA were designed against them blasted and manufactured. On the other hand, cDNA of HUVEC cell was synthesized and PCR, with specific primers for target gene, was reproduced as necessary. Then, PEFGP-N1 expression vectors were cloned and confirmed. Then, the obtained plasmid vector was transferred to Hela cells lacking target expressive genes through lipofectamin. GFR expression rate in the initial vector and in the cloned one, both in presence and in absence of specific VEGFR1 siRNA, was assessed. Evaluation of gene inhibition was carried out through decreasing of green fluorescence from GFR, Western blot and RT-PCR. Results were analyzed using T-test and P<0.05 was taken as the significant level. Results: The fluorescence emission from defined siRNA decreased compared to control group. SDS pages and blots from vector cloned cells exposed to both siRNA showed reduced protein expression The outcome of applying two siRNA indicates gene expression in the form of transcription and translation, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Specifically designed siRNA against VEGFR1, through lipofectamin, was appropriately transferred into cell and significantly prevented from the receptor expression. In fact, by blocking angiogenesis signaling route, it was able to prevent neovascurization. Thus, this can be made use of as an appropriate factor in preventing or decreasing neovascularization in the eye