Predicting college student classroom performance with a simple metacomprehension scale

The present study investigated the relationship between college student metacomprehension and the error of predicted classroom performance. College student metacomprehension was evaluated using the Metacomprehension Scale (MCS) designed by Moore, Zabrucky, and Commander (1997a). Prior to an examination administered by a course instructor, covering course content, students predicted the percentage score he/she expected to achieve. The predicted score was subtracted from the obtained score generating an error score. It was hypothesized that error of predicted classroom performance is a function of student metacomprehension, as measured by the MCS. Results indicate the MCS was not a reliable indicator of student predicted performance. Factor structure of the MCS was examined to consider why the MCS was not a significant predictor of college student error scores

Parents enrolled in graduate programs and their experiences with faculty

Parenthood and graduate school require significant investments of time and energy. Those who engage in both roles simultaneously are at risk for increased stress, feelings of guilt, and marginalization, which may impact their ability to succeed as parents and scholars. Faculty behaviors and faculty-student relationships are known to predict student academic and emotional outcomes, yet the influence of faculty on graduate student parents has been unexamined in the literature. Guided by role conflict and role enhancement theories, the current study explores graduate student parents’ experiences, with special attention to the ways in which faculty affect those experiences. Sixteen participants who were parents to dependent children while enrolled in a graduate program were recruited from four departments within a large Midwestern university. Because the present study seeks to describe the essence of a specific type of experience shared by a group of people, a phenomenological approach was chosen. Consistent with this approach, interviews were conducted and I recorded observation notes. In order to achieve trustworthiness, reflective journaling was used to bracket my own experiences as a graduate student parent and I created an audit trail to document the research process. During phases of data analysis, I attended meetings with my dissertation chairs to discuss coding, notable themes, and emerging findings, which contributed to the study’s dependability. Eight themes emerged from the full dataset, including “Time as a Source of Conflict,” “Where is My Tribe?” “It’s Not Their Decision to Make,” “Not in the Same Boat,” “Am I ‘Just a Graduate Student?” “Face Value’ versus Sincere Support,” “Trust That They’re Doing the Best They Can,” and “Resources? What resources?” Nine less dominant themes were found specific to race, international students, children’s ages, participants’ gender, and marital status. Findings suggest graduate student parents experience varying degrees of role conflict and role enhancement simultaneously and that faculty and graduate programs contribute to such experiences. Participants recommended improvement of family-friendly structures on campus, paid maternity and paternity leave, a “stop the timeline to degree clock” policy, cessation of unsolicited advice and decreased opportunities, and continued flexibility and empathy from faculty members

Rapid Prototyping to Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Microfluidic Devices

Microfluidics constitutes a widely applicable field of enabling technologies with great potential to revolutionize healthcare and biotechnology. The ability to miniaturize and parallelize processes with microfluidics is seen as a solution for many problems with diagnostics technologies and accessibility. Unfortunately, fabricating microfluidics often require extremely expensive, time consuming, and specialized high-precision methods, making both prototyping and commercial-scale mass manufacturing difficult to accomplish. In this work, we evaluate the feasibility of using a unique roll-to-roll (R2R) micropatterning manufacturing process coupled with Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) to rapidly prototype and produce microfluidic devices at high-volume on film or paper backings for applications in biotechnology. The first part of this process involved using Innovation Engineering approaches to navigate the customer discovery process to define the market areas in microfluidics that were of most value. Next, we identified key feasibility metrics for assessing products made with this process by looking at both manufacturability and functionality. Feature dimensions of products fabricated in the R2R process were evaluated at each step of production to determine manufacturability. Functionality was then assessed using microfluidic mixing patterns to compare the mixing efficiency of our film product to those manufactured with a current industry standard method. Ultimately, we found that fabrication of microfluidic patterns was feasible in the R2R production method, and that the devices created had functionality comparable to traditional microfluidic devices. This work will serve as a platform for further investigations into the high-volume manufacturing and prototyping of microfluidic patterns for applications in diagnostics and other areas of biotechnology

Mindfulness in Elementary Schools

Breathing is vital to our well-being. Being attentive to our breathing and taking deep breaths can actually help our bodies relax and focus. Teaching students to pause and focus on their breath can help them handle difficult situations that arise during the school day. This technique is something students can carry with them and use as they grow up. Breathing also helps develop mindfulness, which helps improve attention skills and memory. Mindfulness also encourages compassion, kindness, and understanding. In this children\u27s book, Bah Bah faces many difficulties on his first day at a new school. He handles his emotions discreetly by pausing and having breathing breaks throughout the day that help him relax and move on. Read along and learn to breathe like Bah Bah

Neurolinguistic programming as observational and mediational strategies in teaching primary-level English as a second language

This project serves as a resource for kindergarten ESL educators to explore more creative multisensory teaching strategies. The five methodologies presented are Neurolinguistic Programming, Suggestopedia, music, storytelling and Total Physical Response

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Fall 2009

USDA working to manage invasive annual grasses, effects of heat and smoke on red brome soil seed bank, how burial depth and substrate affect germination of Sahara mustard and red brome, environmental effects of the southern Nevada groundwater projec

Alternatives to punishment: Counterterrorism strategies in Algeria

Rational choice theory has been one of the key theories used to explain the effectiveness of counterterrorism policies (Dugan, LaFree & Piquero, 2005; Enders & Sandler, 1993; 2003; Frey, 2004; LaFree, Dugan & Korte, 2009). These investigations have examined policies focused on increasing the costs of committing political violence, such as criminalization, increased police presence, and government strikes. However, few investigations have looked at policies that increase the benefits of not committing political violence such as negotiations and amnesties. In this study, I investigate the effectiveness of counterterrorism policies that seek to increase the benefits of not committing terrorism. I use Algeria as a case study and examine three counterterrorism policies between 1994 and 2004. One of the policies is a traditionally deterrent policy that increases the consequences of committing terrorism while the two other policies represent alternatively deterrent policies that increase the benefits of not committing terrorism. To analyze these policies, I use ARIMA modeling (N=120 months) and the Global Terrorism Database to determine whether each policy led to a significant change in overall attacks and the proportion of fatal attacks. While researchers have found mixed results when studying the effectives of traditional deterrence counterterrorist measures (Dugan, LaFree & Piquero; Enders & Sandler, 1993; Enders, Sandler & Cauley, 1990; LaFree, Dugan & Korte, 2009), I found that the Civil Concord Act, an amnesty program, as well as the Rome Platform, a negotiation policy, were related to a significant reduction in terrorism in Algeria

Everglades National Park – Surveying the southernmost cave in the continental United States

Everglades National Park encompasses 1.5 million acres of grassland glades, tree islands, cypress strands, and mangrove marshes and is world renowned for natural vistas and wonders at the surface. The cave and karst resources in this park, however, are little known even though much of the park is underlain by limestone. In a recent communication to the authors, Alan Cressler (U.S. Geological Survey, written communication, 2006) described his visit to Palma Vista Cave in Everglades National Park last November that he originally explored and described over 13 years ago (Cressler, 1993)

Comparison of the Effects of Ice and 3.5% Menthol Gel on Blood Flow and Muscle Strength of the Lower Arm

Context: Soft-tissue injuries are commonly treated with ice or menthol gels. Few studies have compared the effects of these treatments on blood flow and muscle strength. Objective: To compare blood flow and muscle strength in the forearm after an application of ice or menthol gel or no treatment. Design: Repeated measures design in which blood-flow and muscle-strength data were collected from subjects under 3 treatment conditions. Setting: Exercise physiology laboratory. Participants: 17 healthy adults with no impediment to the blood flow or strength in their right arm, recruited through word of mouth. Intervention: Three separate treatment conditions were randomly applied topically to the right forearm: no treatment, 0.5 kg of ice, or 3.5 mL of 3.5% menthol gel. To avoid injury ice was only applied for 20 min. Main Outcome Measures: At each data-collection session blood flow (mL/min) of the right radial artery was determined at baseline before any treatment and then at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min after treatment using Doppler ultrasound. Muscle strength was assessed as maximum isokinetic flexion and extension of the wrist at 30°/s 20, 25, and 30 min after treatment. Results: The menthol gel reduced (–42%, P \u3c .05) blood flow in the radial artery 5 min after application but not at 10, 15, or 20 min after application. Ice reduced (–48%, P \u3c .05) blood flow in the radial artery only after 20 min of application. After 15 min of the control condition blood flow increased (83%, P \u3c .05) from baseline measures. After the removal of ice, wrist-extension strength did not increase per repeated strength assessment as it did during the control condition (9–11%, P \u3c .05) and menthol-gel intervention (8%, P \u3c .05). Conclusions: Menthol has a fast-acting, short-lived effect of reducing blood flow. Ice reduces blood flow after a prolonged duration. Muscle strength appears to be inhibited after ice application