The Effect of Teachers’ Instructional Style On The Motivation And Attitudes Of At-Risk Science Students Attending Alternative Education Programs

Despite a steady improvement in overall graduation rates since the 1960s, many students in the United States continue to leave school without a diploma (Balfanz, Bridgeland, Moore, & Fox, 2010). In an effort to educate children who present increased risks for dropping out of school, alternative schools are mandated by all states. Typically, high-risk youth who attend these types of programs have been exposed to negative social and environmental risk factors throughout their lives stemming from problems associated with poverty, family adversity, inadequate parental monitoring, and/or physical and emotional trauma (Guerin & Denti, 1999; Mclntyre, 1993; Waldie & Spreen, 1993). Due to the negative social and environmental risk factors, at-risk students present challenges to teachers regarding instruction. Teachers need to incorporate effective instructional strategies which will motivate students to learn science and improve students’ attitudes toward science. This mixed-methods study examined the perceptions of four alternative education science teachers and their students. Teachers’ beliefs about students learning were examined to determine how their beliefs affected their pedagogy. Students’ perception of the science classroom was investigated in relation to teachers’ instructional style. Teachers’ instructional styles were analyzed to determine how their pedagogy affected students’ motivation to learn science and attitudes toward science. Key factors which led to motivation and improved attitudes of at-risk science students were caring teacher-student relationships, relevancy of the learning, and the incorporation of inquiry based activities. Results show the need for reformed based instruction at the pre-service levels to prepare future educators to effectively teach all students, including the at-risk population. Findings from this research may encourage principals to provide professional development for teachers focused on caring teacher-student relationships, relevancy of learning, and incorporation of inquiry based activities

Closing the STEM Gap: A University, P-12 School District Partnership to Engage Sixth Grade Students in Integrated Computing Activities

This article describes how participating in a computing program positively impacted young adolescents from underrepresented populations in STEM attitude toward STEM and interest in STEM- related careers. Nineteen sixth-grade students attending a rural, Title I middle school participated in the study. Five computing lessons were taught by undergraduate interns majoring in computer science, middle-level mathematics and science teacher education, and secondary mathematics teacher education. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data provide convincing evidence that students’attitudes toward STEM improved and interests in STEM-related careers increased because of participating in the computing program

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to < 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of & GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P < 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo