Collaborative Partnership to address Workforce Education in a Rural Region: A Case Study

Objective: This study examined factors contributing to the success of a rural workforce development collaborative initiative. Background: In 2011 a three year grant was successfully secured from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advance Technology Education (ATE) program to address concerns of small and medium size manufacturing companies about the lack of skilled, entry level Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) technician employees from the region. Method: A case study inquiry was used to explore the success of this collaborative partnership from the perspective of individuals playing essential roles and generate a deep understanding of the characteristic of this particular collaborative partnership. Results: Some themes emerging from the interviews and documents includes; having the right people at the table, commitment of team members, and effective group processes. Conclusion: Other rural areas with similar demographic and workforce development constraints can also benefit from the model used in in this collaborative initiative

Using “Expert Employees” to identify Duties and Tasks for CADD Technicians in North Central Idaho: Lessons Learned from a Modified DACUM Process

Objective: We conducted a job analysis to identify the competency profile of an entry level CADD technician in North central Idaho. Background: In 2011, the Clearwater Economic Development Association and NIMA collaborated with Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho in a project to strengthen the capacity of Career and Technology Education (CTE) teachers to teach computer aided drafting and designing (CADD). An application to the National Science Foundation, Advanced Technology Education (NSF ATE) program was made and funding began July of 2011. Method: A modified DACUM was used. A total of seven expert workers from six companies participated. Results: The DACUM research chart created consisted of 8 duty statements and 54 task statements. Conclusions: Effective facilitation helps to reduce self-serving biases. The panel of experts believed the modified DACUM expedited the development of a new DACUM Research Chart that is reflective of what is done in the region

African swine fever epidemiology and control

African swine fever is a devastating disease that can result in death in almost all infected pigs. The continuing spread of African swine fever from Africa to Europe and recently to the high–pig production countries of China and others in Southeast Asia threatens global pork production and food security. The African swine fever virus is an unusual complex DNA virus and is not related to other viruses. This has presented challenges for vaccine development, and currently none is available. The virus is extremely well adapted to replicate in its hosts in the sylvatic cycle in East and South Africa. Its spread to other regions, with different wildlife hosts, climatic conditions, and pig production systems, has revealed unexpected epidemiological scenarios and different challenges for control. Here we review the epidemiology of African swine fever in these different scenarios and methods used for control. We also discuss progress toward vaccine development and research priorities to better understand this complex disease and improve control

Reflective Pedagogy Community of Practice: Engaging Faculty and Staff in Reflective Pedagogy to Prepare for Eportfolio Launch

To prepare faculty and staff for using eportfolios in classes and with co-curricular experiences, we engaged faculty and staff in a Reflective Pedagogy Community of Practice. Participants reviewed and discussed the literature on reflective pedagogy, particularly related to using eportfolios. Participants documented their learning about reflective pedagogy in an eportfolio and shared their eportfolio with other participants for review and feedback. Materials and discussion prompts used during the community of practice sessions are provided. The assessment indicated that participants felt that the amount of work and the number of sessions that the group met were reasonable and that they learned a lot from the readings, discussions, eportfolio creation, and peer review of others’ eportfolios. This model to prepare faculty for using reflective pedagogy with eportfolios can be adopted by other institutions

Application of next-generation sequencing technologies in virology

The progress of science is punctuated by the advent of revolutionary technologies that provide new ways and scales to formulate scientific questions and advance knowledge. Following on from electron microscopy, cell culture and PCR, next-generation sequencing is one of these methodologies that is now changing the way that we understand viruses, particularly in the areas of genome sequencing, evolution, ecology, discovery and transcriptomics. Possibilities for these methodologies are only limited by our scientific imagination and, to some extent, by their cost, which has restricted their use to relatively small numbers of samples. Challenges remain, including the storage and analysis of the large amounts of data generated. As the chemistries employed mature, costs will decrease. In addition, improved methods for analysis will become available, opening yet further applications in virology including routine diagnostic work on individuals, and new understanding of the interaction between viral and host transcriptomes. An exciting era of viral exploration has begun, and will set us new challenges to understand the role of newly discovered viral diversity in both disease and health