Developing needed reading skills within the content area

The writer feels that research must turn from general principles to specific principles, thus allowing the teacher to see the development of a given skill. The subject area teacher is hampered in teaching the needed skills because he focuses on an isolated skill instead of looking to the prerequisites required to become proficient in the skill at hand. The writer wishes to investigate the skills involved in reaching proficiency in order to develop an outline to be used at the junior high level. This investigation will be limited to outlining, which is a reading study skill. The author wishes to list the various reading skills that are utilized when making an outline and to demonstrate how content-teachers can make use of this knowledge

A study to determine the factors involved in the development of students' attitudes toward chemistry and anatomy and physiology.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Training persons with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease how to use an electronic medication management device : development of an intervention protocol

Background/Objectives: Medication management is challenging for persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their caregivers. Electronic medication management devices (eMMDs) are specifically designed to support this task. However, theory-driven interventions for eMMD training with this population are rarely described. This study aimed to develop and assess the appropriateness of an intervention protocol to train persons with early-stage AD how to use an eMMD. Methods: Interviews with three categories of participants [persons with early-stage AD (n = 3), caregivers (n = 3), and clinicians (n = 3)] were conducted to understand medication management needs, perceived usefulness of an eMMD, and to explore training strategies. Subsequently, this knowledge was integrated in an intervention protocol which was validated with the three clinicians. A content analysis led to iterative modifications to maximize the acceptability and coherence of the intervention protocol in a homecare context. Results: The final intervention protocol specifies the expertise required to provide the training intervention and the target population, followed by an extensive presentation of eMMD features. Specific learning strategies tailored to the cognitive profile of persons with AD with step-by-step instructions for clinicians are included. Finally, it presents theoretical information on cognitive impairment in AD and how eMMDs can support them. Conclusions: This intervention protocol with its theoretical and pragmatic foundation is an important starting point to enable persons with early-stage AD to become active users of eMMDs. Next steps should evaluate the immediate and long-term impacts of its implementation on medication management in the daily lives of persons with AD and their caregivers

LGBTQI-women and trans-men community, Wake County : an action oriented community assessment ; findings and next steps of action

During the period between September 2006 and April 2007, a team of five first-year graduate students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, conducted an Action Oriented Community Assessment (AOCA) with lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex women and transgender men of Wake County. An AOCA involves understanding the collective dynamics and functions of relationships within a community, and the broader community structures that promote health status improvement and well-being. More specifically, an AOCA attempts to identify and explore the strengths, needs, and assets of a community by understanding and integrating secondary data, and internal and external perspectives regarding the community. In this AOCA of Wake County LGBTQI-women and trans-men, Beth Bruch of the Lesbian Resource Center (LRC) and Jan Muller of Triangle Community Works (TCW) served as co-preceptors for the student team. In this role, preceptors act as liaisons and facilitate the student team’s process of developing rapport with and gaining entrée into the community. Preceptors are also responsible for providing the team with advice regarding culturally sensitive and appropriate methodology and interaction with the community. Information gathered throughout the AOCA process was presented to the community at a forum held on April 21, 2007 in Raleigh, N.C. Several strengths and assets that characterized the community were presented, including 1) the ability to mobilize and offer support in times of need, 2) extensiveness and rich diversity within the community, 3) the support of several affirming spiritual/religious communities, and 4) several opportunities for action, networking, and socializing. The community forum also provided a space in which prioritized community themes (or needs) were discussed in small groups with the goal of developing action steps for positive change. All participants at the community forum were initially provided the opportunity to discuss the following broad topics: 1) community needs, 2) health care, 3) racial and ethnic division, 4) ageing and ageism, and 5) divisions between LGBTQI-individuals. However, due to limited attendance at the community forum, the student team and forum attendees decided to focus the small group discussions on the three themes concerning community needs, racial divisions, and LGBTQI divisions. All prioritized themes and their corresponding action steps are summarized below: There is a need within the community for a safe and affirming gathering space that could lead to more interactions between diverse sub-communities. Establish an “umbrella” group with representatives from various organizations and any other individuals interested in working to establish a safe and affirming gathering space. Create a planning committee. Make a resource listing of organizations along with contact individuals. Disseminate the information discussed and gathered in group and at greater forum. Six individuals from the group committed to taking responsibility for these action steps. A listserv will be established and all individuals in attendance will be given the contact information (i.e. email address) for all other individuals in attendance. Racial divisions and racial segregation exist within the community of LGBTQI-women and trans-men. Talk to executive board members at various LGBTQI-friendly organizations regarding the need to pro-actively encourage racially diverse leadership and ensure culturally affirming space for people of color. Individually take responsibility to speak out against racism when it is heard or seen. Individually take ownership of racial identity and knowledge regarding other racial and ethnic communities. Form alliances and coalitions with women/people of color-led organizations and those that do anti-racism work. Engage members of existing groups regarding methods for making social spaces more inclusive and welcoming for people of color. Have small group dinner discussions with friends and inner social circle regarding white privilege and racism. Segregation and divisions exist in the broader LGBTQI community between gay men, lesbian and bisexual women, and trans-identified individuals. Make a commitment to talk to all community forum participants and share information regarding services, etc. Explore ways to reach out to all members of the broader LGBTQI community through new technological advances (including the internet, facebook/myspace, listservs, and online games). Connect individual groups present at the forum and begin developing opportunities and forums for collaboration. Network with others by attending various social activities within the broader LGBTQI community. There is a need for physical and mental health care providers that are sensitive to the issues faced by LGBTQI-women and trans-men. Information regarding these providers and their services should also be easily accessible to the community. (Please note: An insufficient number of community forum participants selected to participate in the small group discussion on healthcare, thus action steps for this theme were not developed.) Aging and elderly individuals in the community face the challenges of ageism, isolation, minimal support, exclusion from the broader community, and discrimination in health care facilities. (Please note: Community forum participants did not choose to participate in the small group discussion on ageing and ageism, thus action steps for this theme were not developed.)Master of Public Healt

Sexual reproduction is the null hypothesis for life cycles of rust fungi

Sexual reproduction, mutation, and reassortment of nuclei increase genotypic diversity in rust fungi. Sexual reproduction is inherent to rust fungi, coupled with their coevolved plant hosts in native pathosystems. Rust fungi are hypothesised to exchange nuclei by somatic hybridisation with an outcome of increased genotypic diversity, independent of sexual reproduction. We provide criteria to demonstrate whether somatic exchange has occurred, including knowledge of parental haplotypes and rejection of fertilisation in normal rust life cycles

Posterior cortical atrophy : impact on daily living activities and exploration of a cognitive rehabilitation approach

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the posterior region of the brain. Little is known about both the impact of PCA on functioning and how to support patients on a daily basis. The purpose of this study was to describe the functional profile of DD, a woman diagnosed with PCA, as well as to explore a pilot cognitive rehabilitation program designed to optimize functioning in daily living. The ADL Profile was used to assess the daily tasks that DD chose to undertake. Four operations, i.e. formulate a goal, plan, carry out and verify goal attainment, were scored for each task. Difficulties were observed during the execution of all tasks, as she struggled to find items or showed unsafe behaviors. Impairments were also seen in formulating a goal and planning, especially for less routine tasks. DD identified two tasks to be addressed in rehabilitation: setting the table and dealing cards. Learning was optimized using errorless learning and compensatory aids when setting the table, while dealing cards received no intervention. Only setting the table improved significantly with time. Further studies should be conducted to portray a wider functional profile of people living with PCA and develop effective rehabilitation programs

Exploring Powered Wheelchair Users and Their Caregivers’ Perspectives on Potential Intelligent Power Wheelchair Use: A Qualitative Study

Power wheelchairs (PWCs) can have a positive impact on user well-being, self-esteem, pain, activity and participation. Newly developed intelligent power wheelchairs (IPWs), allowing autonomous or collaboratively-controlled navigation, could enhance mobility of individuals not able to use, or having difficulty using, standard PWCs. The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of PWC users (PWUs) and their caregivers regarding if and how IPWs could impact on current challenges faced by PWUs, as well as inform current development of IPWs. A qualitative exploratory study using individual interviews was conducted with PWUs (n = 12) and caregivers (n = 4). A semi-structured interview guide and video were used to facilitate informed discussion regarding IPWs. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) "challenging situations that may be overcome by an IPW" described how the IPW features of obstacle avoidance, path following, and target following could alleviate PWUs' identified mobility difficulties; (2) "cautious optimism concerning IPW use revealed participants" addresses concerns regarding using an IPW as well as technological suggestions; (3) "defining the potential IPW user" revealed characteristics of PWUs that would benefit from IPW use. Findings indicate how IPW use may help overcome PWC difficulties and confirm the importance of user input in the ongoing development of IPWs