Reading, Writing, and the Common Core State Standards

During the 2014-15 school year, more high school seniors read the young adult-oriented books The Fault in Our Stars andDivergent than Shakespeare's Macbeth or Hamlet, according to a report that tracks what K-12 students at more than 30,000 schools are reading during the school year. These books are generally self-selected, making it not all that surprising that students would prefer to read a contemporaryNew York Times bestseller than a 17th-century play written in early modern English. And while some of the books that students select are thematically targeted to a mature audience, they are not particularly challenging to read for the average high schooler. The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent, for example, have the readability of a fourth- or fifth-grade text in terms of sentence structure and word difficulty.There is substantial evidence that much of what students are currently reading is not particularly challenging. This lack of complexity in students' reading and writing is likely undermining their preparedness for college and the workplace. In addition, despite the predominant role that reading and writing serve in other subjects and disciplines, literacy development has long been relegated to the English or reading classroom.Take the issue of reading complexity. Three of the top five most commonly assigned titles in grades 9 through 12 are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Crucible, and Of Mice and Men. All three books, while classics, are not particularly challenging in terms of sentence structure and complexity. Does that mean that Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which broaches issues of racial inequality should instead be introduced to elementary school-aged children? Most people—including English teachers—probably would not agree. Readability is only one factor when considering the intended audience of a work of literature.But the difficulty of the reading material to which students are exposed is not inconsequential. An ACT report finds that "performance on complex texts is the clearest differentiator in reading between students who are likely to be ready for college and those who are not." This holds true across gender, race and ethnicity, and family income levels

Competing for School Improvement Dollars: State Grant-Making Strategies

Outlines early findings about the the revamped School Improvement Grant program's impact on states and three approaches to evaluating district and school grant applications, including the use of external reviewers and cutoff scores. Makes recommendations

Temporal Architecture: Poetic Dwelling in Japanese buildings

Heidegger’s thinking about poetic dwelling and Derrida’s impressions of Freudian estrangement are employed to provide a constitutional analysis of the experience of Japanese architecture, in particular, the Japanese vestibule (genkan). This analysis is supplemented by writings by Japanese architects and poets. The principal elements of Japanese architecture are: (1) ma, and (2) en. Ma is usually translated as ‘interval’ because, like the English word, it applies to both space and time.  However, in Japanese thinking, it is not so much an either/or, but rather a both/and. In other words, Japanese architecture emphasises the temporal aspect of dwelling in a way that Western architectural thinking usually does not. En means ‘joint, edge, the in-between’ as an ambiguous, often asymmetrical spanning of interior and exterior, rather than a demarcation of these regions. Both elements are aimed at producing an experience of temporality and transiency

The Brazilian plant-based meats industrial flourishment

The increasing global demand for meat in the 2020s threatens the sustainability and continuity of the food system. While reducing meat consumption is essential, stimulating changes in dietary patterns is complex, and promoting vegetarianism is not suffice. Plant-based meats are a novel food category that has been developed to replicate the culinary, sensory, and nutritional characteristics of traditional animal tissues. Silicon Valley-based food tech startups have added novel food technology to formerly 1960s-developed grain extrusion and texturing industrial processes to create plant-based meats with the potential to expand the consumption of vegetable proteins, thereby saving animals, the environment, the climate, our current food system, and human lives. A collaborative market narrative has sustained the nascent food category, attracting investors interested not only in greening their portfolio but also in disruptive innovation with multiplicative potential. In light of this international food market scenario, we inquired about the role of the Brazilian agrifood sector in this novel food category and how the local foodscape would incorporate it. Brazil's agribusiness is highly productive, particularly in exporting commoditized grains and meats. However, innovation is hindered, especially in food manufacturing instances. Financial flows in Latin America are less fluid than those established in the northern hemisphere, constraining innovation development and implementation. Although prosumer and activist entrepreneur enterprises are working on plant-based meats in Brazil, the country remained on the periphery of the emerging meat substitute industry. The Good Food Institute and FAIRR's multi-level actuation clarified the association between investments in plant-based meats and ESG, while also increasing pressure on global meat corporations and investors to gradually transform the animal farming system, directly impacting the formation and configuration of the Brazilian assemblage. Through an ethnographic study, we report the assembly of a unique conjuncture in Brazil that allowed the flourishing of the plant-based meat industry through the collaboration of various actors with different and sometimes even contrary interests. By following institutional events and mapping market devices, we describe this assemblage as being strategically mediated and partly mirrored in market events previously occurred in the United States. We demonstrate a multi-actor collaborative implementation of an innovative modus operandi, detailing Future Farm, JBS, Archer Daniels Midland, Marfrig, and The Good Food Institute Brasil, and other performative actors in the Brazilian plant-based meat industry. Thus, we explain how this assemblage overcame presupposed weaknesses and obstacles inherent to the Brazilian food industry by mobilizing multiple market devices to construct a shared narrative that framed, guided, and gave meaning to performances and market practices such as unprecedented collaborations, startup modus operandi, international learning, launch speed, competitiveness, and innovation across the whole value chain. Far from primarily focusing on consumers or food technology itself, the assemblage is embedded in the financial market interests. We conclude that the newly flourishing Brazilian plant-based meat industry enhances the chances of a sustainable transformation in the global food system. The study's findings are meaningful to policymakers, investors, and stakeholders in the global food system, mainly for those positioned in other peripheral countries or contexts.A crescente demanda global por carne projetada para a década de 2020 ameaça a sustentabilidade e a continuidade do sistema alimentar humano. Embora a redução do consumo de carne seja essencial, estimular mudanças nos padrões alimentares é complexo e promover o vegetarianismo não é suficiente. As carnes vegetais são uma nova categoria de alimentos desenvolvida para replicar as características culinárias, sensoriais e nutricionais das carnes animais em seus cortes e produtos mais tradicionais. As foodtech do Vale do Silício adicionaram novas tecnologias de alimentos a processos industriais de extrusão e texturização de grãos datados da década de 1960 para criar carnes vegetais com potencial de expandir o consumo de proteínas vegetais para além dos nichos vegetarianos, salvando assim os animais, o meio ambiente, o clima, nosso sistema alimentar atual e vidas humanas. Uma narrativa de mercado colaborativa sustentou a nascente categoria de alimentos, atraindo investidores interessados não apenas em esverdear seu portfólio, mas também em inovação disruptiva com potencial de crescimento exponencial. Diante desse cenário do mercado internacional de alimentos, indagamos sobre o papel do setor agroalimentar brasileiro junto a essa nova categoria de alimentos e como a paisagem alimentar local a incorporaria. O agronegócio brasileiro é altamente produtivo, principalmente na exportação de grãos comoditizados e carnes, também consideradas commodities. No entanto, a inovação é travada, especialmente nas instâncias de processamento de alimentos. Os fluxos financeiros na América Latina são menos fluidos do que os estabelecidos no hemisfério norte, restringindo o desenvolvimento e a implementação de inovações. Embora iniciativas prosumidoras e de empreendedorismo ativista tenham iniciado projetos de carnes vegetais no Brasil, inicialmente a indústria brasileira e o mercado alimentar local estavam à margem da emergente indústria de substitutos da carne. A atuação multinível do Good Food Institute e do FAIRR esclareceu a associação entre investimentos em carnes vegetais e ESG, ao mesmo tempo em que aumentou a pressão sobre as companhias globais de processamento de carnes e investidores para transformar gradativamente o sistema pecuário; o que impactou diretamente a formação e configuração da assemblage brasileira de carnes vegetais. Por meio de um estudo etnográfico, relatamos a assemblagem de uma conjuntura única no Brasil que permitiu o florescimento da indústria de carnes vegetais por meio da colaboração de diversos atores com interesses variados e por vezes até contrários. Ao acompanhar eventos institucionais e mapear dispositivos de mercado, descrevemos essa assemblagem como sendo estrategicamente mediada e parcialmente espelhada em eventos de mercado ocorridos anteriormente nos Estados Unidos. Demonstramos a implementação colaborativa dessa indústria detalhando os casos de Fazenda Futuro, JBS, Archer Daniels Midland, Marfrig e The Good Food Institute Brasil, e outros atores performativos na indústria brasileira de carne vegetais. Assim, explicamos como essa assemblagem superou fragilidades e obstáculos pressupostos inerentes à indústria alimentar brasileira ao mobilizar múltiplos dispositivos de mercado para construir uma narrativa compartilhada que emoldurasse, orientasse e desse sentido a performances e práticas de mercado como colaborações inéditas, startup modus operandi, aprendizado internacional, aceleração de lançamentos, competitividade e inovação em toda a cadeia de valor. Ao invés de se sustentar nas demandas dos consumidores ou na própria tecnologia de alimentos, essa assemblagem está pautada pela lógica do mercado financeiro. Concluímos que a recém-florescida indústria brasileira de carnes vegetais aumenta as chances de uma transformação sustentável no sistema alimentar global. As descobertas do estudo são significativas para políticas públicas, investidores e stakeholders do sistema alimentar, principalmente para aqueles posicionados em outros países ou contextos periféricos

Optimum Design of Composite Wing Spar Subjected to Fatigue Loadings

Composites are now being incorporated into aircraft designs because of their high strength to weight ratio compared to traditional metal materials. Due to the complexity of the material, composite parts are presently being over designed to satisfy static and fatigue requirements. A greater understanding of composite fatigue behavior will allow for even greater weight savings leading to increased fuel economy. A critical part of an aircraft that is subjected to fatigue bending loads are its wings. The forces acting on the wings include its lift distribution, powerplant, and fuel which can be carried in the wing body. When in flight these forces repeatedly cause cyclic displacements which could ultimately lead to failure. It is important to design the wing spars which carry the bending loads, to be fatigue resistant so that damage or expensive inspections could be avoided. Wing models were be made from composite materials with a NACA 0016 airfoil shape, chord length of 9.25”, and a span of 15.25”. The C – channel spars were located at 22% and 72% of the chord. Strain gages on the wing model were used to measure strain at different locations. Static test were conducted on the specimens in order to validate a finite element analysis(FEA) model to be used for simulations. Overall, the strain measurements on the leading edge from two of the wings matched the model within 9% of the simulation results. Additional spar designs were then analyzed to determine the optimal one for static and fatigue bending loads. The wings were fatigue tested under displacement control at a test frequency. A model 8801 servo-hydraulic Instron machine and Wave Matrix software was used to fatigue the wings. After 100,000 cycles the test would be deemed a success and concluded

Free Route Airspace in FAB CE

U tijeku je proces ujedinjenja rascjepkanog neba iznad Europe putem projekta Jedinstvenog Europskog Neba koji se postupno uvoditi putem uvoĊenja funkcionalnih blokova zraĉnog prometa, a cilj mu je povećati kapacitet Europskog neba. Jedinstveno Europsko Nebo nije jedini projekt kojemu je namjera povećati kapacitet. Uz mnogo drugih projekta, posebno se izdvaja projekt prostora slobodnih ruta gdje korisnici sami odabiru rutu kojom žele letjeti koristeći definirane ulazne i izlazne toĉke iz takvog prostora. Svrha ovog diplomskog rada je analiza uĉinkovitosti uvoĊenja prostora slobodnih ruta unutar Funkcionalnog bloka zraĉnog prostora Središnje Europe te usporedba trenutne mreže ruta i direktnih ruta unutar prostora po prijeĊenoj udaljenosti, potrošenom gorivu i utjecaju na okoliš putem aplikacije NEST. U sluĉaju uvoĊenja prostora slobodnih ruta unutar Funkcionalnog bloka zraĉnog prostora Središnje Europe od razine leta 325 do razine leta 660, na godišnjoj razini uštedjelo bi se 24 milijuna kilograma goriva, emisija CO2 bi se smanjila za 76 milijuna kilograma te emisija dušiĉnih oksida za 280 tisuća kilograma.Single European Sky (SES) project is implemented due to disunited sky over Europe and is now in the process of implementation through functional airspace blocks (FABs). The purpose of this project is to increase the capacity of European airspace. With SES and FAB there are many more projects that have a purpose to increase capacity and one of them is Free Route Airspace (FRA) where users can freely plan there routs through given airspace with only entry and exit points. The purpose of this research work is to analyze the efficiency of Free Route Airspace in FAB Central Europe and to compare present route network and proposed direct routes by miles flown, fuel efficiency and environment impact using NEST software. If one implements FRA in FAB CE from flight level 325 to flight level 660 one can save 24 million kilograms of fuel, 76 million kilograms of CO2 and 280 thousand kilograms of nitrogen oxides

Planejamento estratégico em empresas comerciais

Orientador: Pedro SteinerMonografia(Especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná,Setor de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, Curso de Especialização em Gestão EmpresarialResumo: Este estudo visa apresentar a importância do planejamento estratégico nas organizações comerciais, sendo que para a elaboração do planejamento Estratégico e recomendável que a empresa faça um detalhado diagnóstico das condições internas e externas do negócio, com base em algumas ferramentas consagradas e disponíveis para essa atividade. Assim sendo, qualquer que seja a empresa, ela necessita hoje, e continuara precisando no futuro, talentos em todas as funções e carreiras. Mas, dificilmente conseguiremos atingir esta meta sem lideres talentosos. Líderes são exemplos inspiradores. Não basta que existam equipes competentes. São necessários lideres que de fato obtenham resultados concretos, positivos e significativos por meio das pessoas. Líderes que reúnam competências técnicas, administrativas, interpessoais e politicas para alinhar todos os propósitos individuais de uma única direção, a da visão da empresa. Líderes que construam o clima organizacional típico das melhores empresas para se trabalhar, aquelas que são capazes de atrair, propiciar desenvolvimento e motivar a permanência dos talento

Free Route Airspace in FAB CE

U tijeku je proces ujedinjenja rascjepkanog neba iznad Europe putem projekta Jedinstvenog Europskog Neba koji se postupno uvoditi putem uvoĊenja funkcionalnih blokova zraĉnog prometa, a cilj mu je povećati kapacitet Europskog neba. Jedinstveno Europsko Nebo nije jedini projekt kojemu je namjera povećati kapacitet. Uz mnogo drugih projekta, posebno se izdvaja projekt prostora slobodnih ruta gdje korisnici sami odabiru rutu kojom žele letjeti koristeći definirane ulazne i izlazne toĉke iz takvog prostora. Svrha ovog diplomskog rada je analiza uĉinkovitosti uvoĊenja prostora slobodnih ruta unutar Funkcionalnog bloka zraĉnog prostora Središnje Europe te usporedba trenutne mreže ruta i direktnih ruta unutar prostora po prijeĊenoj udaljenosti, potrošenom gorivu i utjecaju na okoliš putem aplikacije NEST. U sluĉaju uvoĊenja prostora slobodnih ruta unutar Funkcionalnog bloka zraĉnog prostora Središnje Europe od razine leta 325 do razine leta 660, na godišnjoj razini uštedjelo bi se 24 milijuna kilograma goriva, emisija CO2 bi se smanjila za 76 milijuna kilograma te emisija dušiĉnih oksida za 280 tisuća kilograma.Single European Sky (SES) project is implemented due to disunited sky over Europe and is now in the process of implementation through functional airspace blocks (FABs). The purpose of this project is to increase the capacity of European airspace. With SES and FAB there are many more projects that have a purpose to increase capacity and one of them is Free Route Airspace (FRA) where users can freely plan there routs through given airspace with only entry and exit points. The purpose of this research work is to analyze the efficiency of Free Route Airspace in FAB Central Europe and to compare present route network and proposed direct routes by miles flown, fuel efficiency and environment impact using NEST software. If one implements FRA in FAB CE from flight level 325 to flight level 660 one can save 24 million kilograms of fuel, 76 million kilograms of CO2 and 280 thousand kilograms of nitrogen oxides