A survey of certain mathematical periodicals published during the years 1915-1925 inclusive, with particular reference to the mathematics of the junior high school, and early college years

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

The Value of Assessment for the Inclusive General Music Classroom

This project contains an analysis of the current inclusion and assessment practices of the middle school (7th and 8th grade) general music classroom. There are many studies concerning inclusion of students with special needs and the importance of assessments in teaching music. However, there are very few studies that connect assessment techniques with inclusion, demonstrating that music teachers are teaching to each student’s ability. This study used the case study methodology in the qualitative approach with teacher interviews, surveys, and several classroom observations to analyze the data. The data was coded, and names of people and the school district were anonymized to protect the privacy of those involved. After the data was analyzed, the best strategies for assessment as well as how to use those assessments were provided. The purpose of this project is to present findings on how methods of assessment can increase the success of all students in the inclusive general music classroom

Moving Forward on the Atlantic Gateway: Context and Further Key Questions

This paper begins by exploring the meaning of the word gateway, and the role of ‘gateways and corridors’ in the current global trading environment. It examines the integrated nature of today’s economic environment, to provide context for the discussion about the players and their interests—what they seek to gain from gateway development. It then steps back to look at the lessons identified in various research activities undertaken in the Atlantic Gateway Research Initiative, developing four questions for those seeking to participate in gateway development. In answering these four questions, the remainder of the paper proposes strategies for the various players to consider. The paper closes with reflections on the vision for the Gateway and the future research agenda that the current research has identified. The concept of Gateway support discussed here takes a much larger view of the Atlantic Gateway in the world trading environment, and sees roles for all players, including universities, in developing the economic opportunities presented by the Atlantic Gateway

Does extremely early expression of colostrum after very preterm birth improve mother's own milk quantity? A cohort study

Objective: Assess the relationship of time to first expression after very preterm birth and mothers’ own milk quantity. Design: A cohort study (nested within a randomised trial). Setting: Four neonatal units in the UK. Patients: 132 mothers of single or twin infants born at 23+0 to 31+6 weeks postmenstrual age. Exposures: Time to the first attempt to express after birth. Primary outcomes: 24-hour mother’s own milk yield on days 4, 14 and 21 after birth. Results: Median time to first expression attempt was 6 hours. 51.7% expressed within 6 hours of birth (62/120) and 48.3% expressed more than 6 hours after birth (58/120). Expressing within 6 hours of birth was associated with higher milk yield on day 4 (88.3 g, 95% CI 7.1 to 169.4) and day 14 (155.7 g, 95% CI 12.2 to 299.3) but not on day 21 (73.6 g, 95% CI −91.4 to 238.7). There was an interaction between expressing frequency and time to first expression (p<0.005), with increased expressing frequency being associated with higher yield only in those who expressed within 6 hours. Expressing within 2 hours of birth was not associated with further milk yield increase. Conclusions: Mothers who expressed within 6 hours of birth had higher milk yield, and a greater yield per expressing session, in the first 3 weeks after birth. This information will be highly motivating for families and the clinicians supporting them. There was no evidence of further benefit of extremely early expression (first 2 hours after birth). Trial registration number: ISRCTN 16356650

Learning German in English speaking tertiary contexts: Identity, social strategies and language use

The social context in which a language is learnt plays a primary role in determining the possibilities for learning that language. This study takes English-speaking tertiary contexts as its focus, looking at German learning in a foreign language environment in Australia, as well as in a second language environment in Germany. Anglophone learners are the focus in both contexts as it is not only the language being learnt, but also the languages in which one is already competent, that influence how one interacts in social settings. Individuals’ identity is seen as socially constructed through interaction, and changeable across situations. Language and identity are intertwined with and inseparable from one another. Identity is constructed through the use of language, and choosing a particular language forms a primary tool for self- presentation in interaction. This study uses data gathered as part of an action research project, interviews and questionnaires to look at factors related to the construction of identity which influence learners’ choices to engage with German as a foreign language. It further investigates the effect of teaching social language learning strategies within foreign language classrooms, identifying strategies that help learners to use the German in a personally meaningful way. The results of this study suggest that incorporating social language learning strategies into classroom teaching practices can help learners to take a more autonomous and engaged approach to their out of class learning.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 202

The Effects of Life Skills Instruction on the Personal-Social Skills Scores of Rural High School Students with Mental Retardation

The Effects of Life Skills Instruction on the Personal-Social Skills Scores of Rural High School Students with Mental Retardation. (Under the direction of Dr. Margaret Ackerman) School of Education, March, 2007. The current legislation No Child Left Behind mandates that students with mental retardation have access to core curriculum courses. A comprehensive life skills program, Life Centered Career Education (LCCE), was integrated into the curriculum of high school students with mental retardation. The LCCE program was utilized to educate students on Personal-Social, Daily Life skills, and Occupational lessons with an academic emphasis. The study measured improvements made in the personal-social skills of students measured by pre- and posttest scores of the LCCE Knowledge Battery and Competency Rating Scale (CRS). The study observed differences in the control group and an experimental group receiving the LCCE instruction. The results indicated that the students participating in the experimental group did not show a greater increase in scores on the Knowledge Battery and Competency Rating Scale than the scores of students who belonged to the control group. Furthermore, interviews with the participating instructors indicate that the experimental group would potentially demonstrate significantly higher scores if the personal-social skills curriculum was continued over an extended period of time and continuously reinforced

The relationship of milk expression pattern and lactation outcomes after very premature birth: A cohort study

Introduction: Mothers of very premature infants often have difficulties expressing breastmilk, which can cause distress and potential negative impact on infant health. Clinical recommendations on breastmilk expression are extrapolated from term infants’ breastfeeding patterns. This study’s objective was to analyse the association of expressing pattern with lactation outcomes after very premature birth. Methods: 132 participants were recruited after birth between 23+0 and 31+6 weeks’ gestation. Participants recorded the milk expressed in several 24-hour periods in the three weeks after birth. Results: Expressing frequency was positively associated with 24-hour milk yield, with an adjusted 30.5g increase per expressing session on day four (95% CI 15.7 to 45.3) and 94.4g on day 21 (95% CI 62.7 to 126.2). Expressing ≥8 times per day was associated with higher adjusted milk yield than expressing <6 times (on day four, 146.8g, 95% CI 47.4 to 246.1), but not in comparison to expressing 6–7 times (on day four, 82.1g, 95% CI –25.9 to 190.1). Participants with six months or more prior breastmilk feeding experience had a higher adjusted milk yield than others (on day four, 204.3g, 95% CI 125.2 to 283.3). Night-time (2300–0700 hours) expressing sessions were not associated with increased milk yield after adjustment for time since the prior session. On average, participants who had a longest gap between expressions of less than six hours achieved the UK target of 750g breastmilk, whereas those with a longer gap did not. Conclusion: Expressing frequency was an important determinant of milk yield. Clinical recommendations to express ≥8 times per day were supported but for some, 6–7 times was sufficient. This was particularly likely for those with six months or more of prior breastmilk feeding experience. A need to express during the night-time hours appeared to be related to minimising the gap between expressions rather than an inherent value of night-time expression

Preventing disease and saving resources:the potential contribution of increasing breastfeeding rates in the UK

Two challenges stand out as we contemplate the future of health services in the United Kingdom. The first is the state of the public finances and therefore the pressure in real terms on health services funding. The second is the recurring and vexing problem of health inequalities. The state of health inequalities in Britain has been commented on by many, but we have seen precious little real change in the disproportionate burden of early death and illness among the most disadvantaged and indeed across the whole health gradient in recent years.This work was funded by UNICEF UK

Relaxation therapy and human milk feeding outcomes : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Importance Human milk feeding is a key public health goal to optimize infant and maternal/parental health, but global lactation outcomes do not meet recommended duration and exclusivity. There are connections between lactation and mental health. Objective To appraise all available evidence on whether the provision of relaxation interventions to lactating individuals improves lactation and well-being. Data Sources Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched on September 30, 2023, and topic experts were consulted. Study Selection Two independent reviewers screened for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were full-text, peer-reviewed publications with a randomized clinical trial design. Techniques that were entirely physical (eg, massage) were excluded. A total of 7% of initially identified studies met selection criteria. Data Extraction and Synthesis Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Fixed-effects meta-analysis and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations guidelines were used to synthesize and present evidence. Main Outcomes and Measures Prespecified primary outcomes were human milk quantity, length and exclusivity of human milk feeding, milk macronutrients/cortisol, and infant growth and behavior. Results A total of 16 studies were included with 1871 participants (pooled mean [SD] age for 1656 participants, 29.6 [6.1] years). Interventions were music, guided relaxation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises/muscle relaxation. Provision of relaxation was not associated with a change in human milk protein (mean difference [MD], 0 g/100 mL; 95% CI, 0; 205 participants). Provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89; 464 participants), increased infant weight gain in breastfeeding infants (MD, z score change = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.72; 226 participants), and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety (SMD stress score, −0.49; 95% CI, −0.70 to −0.27; 355 participants; SMD anxiety score, −0.45; 95% CI, −0.67 to −0.22; 410 participants). Conclusions and Relevance Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity and infant weight gain and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety. Relaxation interventions can be offered to lactating parents who would like to increase well-being and improve milk supply or, where directly breastfeeding, increase infant weight gain