Self-Management Program to Handle Social/Emotional Baggage in the Classroom

This action research study investigated the effects of teaching students to use a self-management tool in a fourth/fifth grade general education and science classroom at Master\u27s Academy in Chicago, Illinois. Seven students who come from a range of broken homes exhibited effects of their home lives in their academic and social learning. These students were taught to assess their abilities both academically (spelling) and socially (teamwork) and then to set weekly goals for improvement in these areas. Weekly goal setting took place over a four week period during the third quarter of academic year 2014-2015. Students\u27 accomplishments were celebrated weekly. Results of this study were observed in students\u27 weekly and quarterly spelling grades which improved by 7.2% , their weekly goal charts as compared to their improved character report cards, and on their quarterly grades in science which improved by 2.1% . This shows that a goal system is very much needed to further improve students’ scores

S9 E11: Teacher Preparation with Dr. Mary Little

Today we interview Dr. Mary Little, a Professor of Exceptional Student Education at the University of Central Florida and in expert in partnerships. Tune in to learn about her experience and her goal to improve K-12 student learning, especially within diverse, urban schools. Don\u27t forget we love to hear from our listeners. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305, Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access)

Season 9 Bonus: Call Me MISTER

Less than 2 percent of public school teachers in the United States are African American men. Call Me MISTER (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) was established to help increase the number of African American males in the classroom. Call Me MISTER is an innovative and effective leadership development program for African American males to prepare and place them as teachers and role models in elementary schools. The program aims to address the most pressing educational concerns, including achievement gaps and dropout rates in the African-American community. Today we interview Dr. Charmion Rush, an Associate Professor of Inclusive and Special Education at Western Carolina University, and the Call Me MiSTER cohort she leads. Tune in to learn how the program provides financial and academic support, program mentors, summer leadership institutes, and professional development opportunities designed specifically for the MISTERs. Don\u27t forget we love to hear from our listeners? If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305, Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access)

S1 E4: Supporting Students in Online Environments with Low or No Technology

In this episode UCF Professors Drs. Rebecca Hines and Lisa Dieker share practical ideas to consider for students with low or no tech options as we move into this new online world. They provide specific ideas to support students with disabilities

S1 E3: Keeping Students Connected to Each Other in an Online World

This session UCF Professors Drs. Lisa Dieker and Rebecca Hines provide practical ways to consider keeping students with a range of disabilities and really all students connected. The episode includes quick and easy ways to connect students to each other in this new online world

Genetic and biogeochemical investigation of sedimentary nitrogen cycling communities responding to tidal and seasonal dynamics in Cape Fear River Estuary

Tidal and seasonal fluctuations in the oligohaline reaches of estuaries may alter geochemical features that influence structure and function of microbial communities involved in sedimentary nitrogen (N) cycling. In order to evaluate sediment community responses to short-term (tidal) and long-term (seasonal) changes in different tidal regimes, nitrogen cycling rates and genes were quantified in three sites that span a range of tidal influence in the upper portion of the Cape Fear River Estuary. Environmental parameters were monitored during low and high tides in winter and spring. N-15 tracer incubation experiments were conducted to measure nitrification, denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Abundances of functional genes including bacterial and archaeal ammonia monooxygenase (amoA), nitrite reductases (nirS and nrfA), nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ), and hydrazine oxidoreductase (hzo) were measured using quantitative PCR assays. Denitrification rates were highest among the measured N cycling processes while bacteria carrying nrfA genes were most abundant. A discernable pattern in the short-term variation of N cycling rates and gene abundance was not apparent under the different tidal regimes. Significant seasonal variation in nitrification, denitrification, and anammox rates as well as bacterial amoA, nirS and nosZ gene abundance was observed, largely explained by increases in substrate availability during winter, with sediment ammonium playing a central role. These results suggest that the coupling of nitrification to N removal pathways is primarily driven by organic carbon mineralization and independent of tidal or salinity changes. Finally, changes in denitrification and nitrification activities were strongly reflected by the abundance of the respective functional genes, supporting a linkage between the structure and function of microbial communities. (c) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Spatial Analysis of Travel Demand and Accessibility in Vermont: Where will EVs work?

The suitability and charging requirements of electric vehicles (EVs) may differ in rural areas, where the electrical grid may be less robust and daily VMT higher. Although other studies have examined issues of regional power requirements of EVs, none have done so in conjunction with the spatial considerations of travel demand and accessibility. We use three datasets to forecast the future spatial distribution of EVs, as well as to assess these vehicles’ ability to meet current daily travel demand: the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), geocoded Vermont vehicle fleet data, and an E911 geocoded dataset of every building statewide. We consider spatial patterns in existing daily travel and homebased tours to consider EV charging locations, as well as area-types that are unsuited for widespread electric vehicle adoption. We also consider how built environment attributes, including residential and commercial density and retail accessibility, affect travel demand and thus future EV energy requirements. We found that existing hybrid vehicles were more likely to be located near other hybrids than conventional vehicles were. This clustering of current hybrid vehicles, in both urban and rural areas, suggests that the distribution of future EVs may also be clustered. Our analysis suggests that between 69 and 84% of the state’s vehicles could be replaced by a 40-mile range EV, and 96-99% could be replaced by a 100-mile EV, depending on the availability of workplace charging. We did not find a strong relationship between land-use and travel demand, perhaps due to our low number of urban data points, the highly variable nature of rural travel, and the limitations of using a one-day travel log dataset. Our results suggest EVs are a viable option to serve existing travel demand by rural residents but may require special consideration for power supply and vehicle charging infrastructure

An Evidence-based Teaching Plan to Increase Awareness of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to Patient Safety Threats due to Provider Fatigue and to Offer Effective Strategies to Mitigate Fatigue

The mental, physical, and emotional effects of stress and fatigue pose significant patient safety risks resulting from impaired concentration, coordination, and overall productivity in certified registered nurse anesthetists. Fatigue is commonly experienced by nurse anesthetists. Fatigue is an occupational hazard that affects not only nurse anesthetists but also patients, colleagues, and other healthcare stakeholders. Certified registered nurse anesthetists are most affected by fatigue due to the prolonged duration of extensive patient monitoring during surgical and complex medical procedures. Due to their central role in ensuring patient safety and comfort during surgery and other procedures requiring anesthesia, certified registered nurse anesthetists are also highly susceptible to organizational and clinical adjustments, such as changes in work schedules and medical/obstetrical emergencies. Fatigue negatively impacts the personal and professional well-being of certified registered nurse anesthetists. Provider fatigue is well-documented as a causative factor in patient safety threats, errors, and decreased quality of anesthesia care. This doctoral project used a quality improvement design related to a provider education program to inform certified registered nurse anesthetists of safety threats related to fatigue and to provide evidence-based strategies to reduce the effects of fatigue. An evidence-based teaching plan was developed based on analysis of the literature. Experts evaluated the content areas of the teaching plan. The final form of the teaching plan was modified based on expert comments and ranks. In the future CRNAs may attend an educational program that was structured within the teaching plan