Fostering TEFL-Specific Digital Competences of English Student Teachers and In-Service Teachers in a Cross-Phase Collaborative Seminar

Seit der Veröffentlichung der „Ländergemeinsame(n) inhaltliche(n) Anforderungen für die Fachwissenschaften und Fachdidaktiken in der Lehrerbildung“ (KMK, 2019) ist die Förderung digitaler Kompetenzen zu einer gemeinsamen Aufgabe aller in den Lehramtsstudiengängen Beteiligten geworden. In diesem Beitrag wird ein Projekt vorgestellt, das im Rahmen der Initiative COMeIN (Communities of Practice NRW für eine innovative Lehrerbildung) an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal durchgeführt wird. Es wurde ein Seminarkonzept zur Förderung von TEFL-spezifischen digitalen Kompetenzen entwickelt und evaluiert. Erkenntnisse aus dem Seminar „Technology Assisted EFL Vocabulary Teaching and Learning: From Theory to Practice“ (EFL: English as a Foreign Language), das im Wintersemester 2022/2023 durchgeführt wurde, werden vorgestellt. Lehramtsstudierende und Lehrkräfte arbeiteten in CoPs zusammen, um digitale lexikalische Aufgaben für den Englischunterricht zu entwickeln. Die Lehramtsstudierenden bereiteten eine Fortbildungsveranstaltung vor, in der sie theoretische Annahmen und empirische Belege für den Wortschatzunterricht mit digitalen Medien und deren Auswirkungen auf den Unterricht vorstellten. Die Lehramtsstudierenden und die Lehrkräfte arbeiteten gemeinsam an der Erstellung von Unterrichtsmaterial zum Erlernen von Wortschatz in digitalen Lernszenarios für die Grund- und weiterführende Schule. Die Lehrkräfte setzten die Aufgaben mit ihren Schüler*innen ein und gaben den Studierenden ausführliches Feedback zur Qualität der Aufgaben. In dieser Studie wird untersucht, wie Englischstudierende und Lehrkräfte ihre eigenen digitalen Kompetenzen in Bezug auf das Unterrichten von Wortschatz mit digitalen Werkzeugen vor und nach der Teilnahme an diesem phasenübergreifenden Kooperationsseminar wahrnehmen und wie sie verschiedene Aspekte eine solchen Seminarkonzepts bewerten.Since the publication of the new standards for teacher education in Germany (KMK, 2019) fostering digital competences has become a joint task of lecturers involved in the courses of studies for future teachers. This article presents a project conducted in the context of the COMeIN initiative (Communities of Practice NRW für eine innovative Lehrerbildung [German for: CoP NRW for an innovative teacher education]) at the University of Wuppertal. A seminar concept for fostering TEFL-specific digital competences was developed and evaluated. Findings from the seminar “Technology Assisted EFL Vocabulary Teaching and Learning: From Theory to Practice”, which was conducted during the winter term 2022/2023, are presented. Student teachers and in-service teachers worked collaboratively in CoPs in order to develop digital lexical tasks for EFL classrooms. The student teachers prepared a teacher training session in which they introduced theoretical assumptions and empirical evidence about learning vocabulary with digital media and their implications for teaching. Student teachers and in-service teachers worked together to create teaching materials for students of different grades from primary and secondary schools. The in-service teachers implemented the tasks in their classrooms and provided extensive feedback on the quality of the designed tasks for the student teachers. This study investigates how student teachers and in-service teachers perceive their own digital competences related to teaching vocabulary with digital tools before and after having taken part in this cross-phase collaborative seminar and how they evaluate various aspects of such a seminar concept

Developmental Changes in Genome Replication Progression in Pluripotent versus Differentiated Human Cells

DNA replication is a fundamental process ensuring the maintenance of the genome each time cells divide. This is particularly relevant early in development when cells divide profusely, later giving rise to entire organs. Here, we analyze and compare the genome replication progression in human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and differentiated cells. Using single-cell microscopic approaches, we map the spatio-temporal genome replication as a function of chromatin marks/compaction level. Furthermore, we mapped the replication timing of subchromosomal tandem repeat regions and interspersed repeat sequence elements. Albeit the majority of these genomic repeats did not change their replication timing from pluripotent to differentiated cells, we found developmental changes in the replication timing of rDNA repeats. Comparing single-cell super-resolution microscopic data with data from genome-wide sequencing approaches showed comparable numbers of replicons and large overlap in origins numbers and genomic location among developmental states with a generally higher origin variability in pluripotent cells. Using ratiometric analysis of incorporated nucleotides normalized per replisome in single cells, we uncovered differences in fork speed throughout the S phase in pluripotent cells but not in somatic cells. Altogether, our data define similarities and differences on the replication program and characteristics in human cells at different developmental states

Developmental changes in genome replication progression in pluripotent versus differentiated human cells

DNA replication is a fundamental process ensuring the maintenance of the genome each time cells divide. This is particularly relevant early in development when cells divide profusely, later giving rise to entire organs. Here, we analyze and compare the genome replication progression in human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and differentiated cells. Using single-cell microscopic approaches, we map the spatio-temporal genome replication as a function of chromatin marks/compaction level. Furthermore, we mapped the replication timing of subchromosomal tandem repeat regions and interspersed repeat sequence elements. Albeit the majority of these genomic repeats did not change their replication timing from pluripotent to differentiated cells, we found developmental changes in the replication timing of rDNA repeats. Comparing single-cell super-resolution microscopic data with data from genome-wide sequencing approaches showed comparable numbers of replicons and large overlap in origins numbers and genomic location among developmental states with a generally higher origin variability in pluripotent cells. Using ratiometric analysis of incorporated nucleotides normalized per replisome in single cells, we uncovered differences in fork speed throughout the S phase in pluripotent cells but not in somatic cells. Altogether, our data define similarities and differences on the replication program and characteristics in human cells at different developmental states

Gradients in climate, geology, and topography affecting coastal alluvial fan morphodynamics in hyperarid regions - The Atacama perspective

Along the coast of the hyperarid Atacama Desert, late Quaternary alluvial fans emerge from the Coastal Cordillera to the Pacific Ocean between 20.5 degrees S and 25.5 degrees S. Coastal alluvial fans (CAF) show, in comparison to the interior fans of the Atacama Desert, pronounced recent activity. However, the complex interplay between climate, lithology, and tectonics affecting the CAF morphodynamics in such hyperarid coastal settings needs to be better understood. We therefore aim at assessing the major factors driving CAF activity and evaluate their effects along gradients. We conducted an extensive study relating climatic, lithologic, and tectonic characteristics to fan and catchment geomorphology of 123 CAF. Geomorphometric analyses are based on the 12.5 m TanDEM-X WorldDEM (TM), catchment lithology and faults are extracted from 13 regional geological maps, and the frequency of heavy rainfall events capable of activating CAF is derived from a Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model. Our results point to a primary climatic control on CAF morphodynamics shown in functional relationships with catchment hydromorphometric characteristics reflecting a high susceptibility to debris flows - the main CAF-constructing process. Catchment properties along the latitudinal gradient reflect the source of significant precipitation events: frontal systems and cut-off lows which mainly originate in the extratropics and become increasingly rare towards the north. The frequency of precipitation extremes can only be correlated to the hydromorphometry and geomorphic maturity of catchments that feature a high degree of sediment transport potential and generally do not cut back far into the Coastal Cordillera. Related to the strongly reduced influence of the Pacific precipitation source towards the east, this additional climatic transition is governed by the orographic effect of the steep W-E gradient in topography. In contrast, source-area lithology is of negligible relevance for CAF catchment morphometry and fan activity. An important indirect influence of tectonics, however, can be seen in the long-term (neo)tectonic activity within the Coastal Cordillera, which in turn shapes catchments and controls the topography

Developmental differences in genome replication program and origin activation

To ensure error-free duplication of all (epi)genetic information once per cell cycle, DNA replication follows a cell type and developmental stage specific spatio-temporal program. Here, we analyze the spatio-temporal DNA replication progression in (un)differentiated mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. Whereas telomeres replicate throughout S-phase, we observe mid-S phase replication of (peri)centromeric heterochromatin in mES cells, which switches to late S-phase replication upon differentiation correlating with increase in condensation and decrease in acetylation of chromatin. We also find synchronous duplication of the Y chromosome, marking the end of S-phase, irrespectively of the pluripotency state. Using a combination of single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy, we measure molecular properties of the mES cell replicon, the number of replication foci active in parallel and their spatial clustering in mES cells versus somatic cells. We conclude that each replication nanofocus in mES cells corresponds to an individual replicon, with approximately up to one quarter representing unidirectional forks. Furthermore, with molecular combing and genome-wide origin mapping analyses we find that mES cells activate twice as many origins spaced at half the distance than somatic cells. Altogether, our results highlight fundamental developmental differences on progression of genome replication and origin activation in pluripotent cells

Histone variant macroH2A1 regulates synchronous firing of replication origins in the inactive X chromosome

MacroH2A has been linked to transcriptional silencing, cell identity, and is a hallmark of the inactive X chromosome (Xi). However, it remains unclear whether macroH2A plays a role in DNA replication. Using knockdown/knockout cells for each macroH2A isoform, we show that macroH2A-containing nucleosomes slow down replication progression rate in the Xi reflecting the higher nucleosome stability. Moreover, macroH2A1, but not macroH2A2, regulates the number of nano replication foci in the Xi, and macroH2A1 downregulation increases DNA loop sizes corresponding to replicons. This relates to macroH2A1 regulating replicative helicase loading during G1 by interacting with it. We mapped this interaction to a phenylalanine in macroH2A1 that is not conserved in macroH2A2 and the C-terminus of Mcm3 helicase subunit. We propose that macroH2A1 enhances the licensing of pre-replication complexes via DNA helicase interaction and loading onto the Xi