Beginning Teachers and Literacy Instruction Using iPads in Title I Schools

Though iPads are being implemented more in elementary classrooms, many beginning teachers struggle with integrating literacy using the iPad in Title I schools among struggling readers. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to seek an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of kindergarten through 2nd grade 1styear teacher self-efficacy and experiences with literacy-based iPad integration among struggling readers in Title I schools. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy provided theoretical foundation to determine the relationship between self-efficacy and participants’ experiences. Seven elementary school teachers from grades K-2 participated in open-ended interviews. Data were transcribed, coded, and categorized by textural and structural descriptions through the process of horizontalization that resulted in 10 major themes. Findings revealed that using the iPad as an instructional tool increased engagement and promoted growth in reading, and self-efficacy was directly related to teacher instructional experiences. Findings also revealed diverse experiences regarding teacher support, prior training, and functional challenges when using the iPad to integrate literacy. Implications include increased support at the elementary level as well as further education on self-efficacy and teaching students from poverty. This social change effort spreads awareness to educators who serve students in Title I schools in their effort to increase literacy skills among struggling readers using digital technology

The effects of burning in mountain big sagebrush on key sage grouse habitat characteristics in southeastern Oregon

Sage grouse are a species of concern because their abundance, distribution, and productivity have declined during the past century. Sage grouse productivity has been linked to specific habitat components including particular forbs and native bunchgrasses. Studies on the effects of fire were conducted in Southeastern Oregon in mountain big sagebrush communities to better understand the effects of fire on key sage grouse habitat components. The short-term study was conducted at South Steens Mountain during 1997 and 1998. Habitat components (medium shrub cover; perennial grass cover; hen and chick food forb cover, frequency, and availability; chick food forb nutrition; insect abundance; and sagebrush reproductive branch abundance) were compared between preburn or unburned, 1- year post-bum, and 2-years post-burn areas. The long-term effects of fire on essential sage grouse habitat components were studied during 1997 at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (Lake County), and during 1998 at South Steens Mountain (Harney County). Habitat components (medium height mountain big sagebrush, tall grass, hen and chick food forb, and other forb cover) were measured at burned and adjacent unburned control sites and compared with recommended cover amounts. Burned sites ranged in age from 5 to 43 years. In the short-term fire effects study, prescribed burning increased the amount of sage grouse hen and chick foods, the quality of some chick foods, and increased the amount of time of these foods were available. Sagebrush cover was essentially eliminated in burned areas. Perennial grass cover was significantly higher in a comparison of the 2-years post burn to the 1-year post burn samples. In the long-term fire effects study, all key vegetative and structural components needed for successful sage grouse reproduction became available in burned areas from 25-35 years old. Sagebrush cover was the only habitat component tested that was substantially affected by burning in the long term. Prescribed burning would be most beneficial to sage grouse habitat if used as a management tool to create a mosaic of needed habitat components

An Ecoregional Context for Forest Management on National Wildlife Refuges of the Upper Midwest, USA

To facilitate forest planning and management on National Wildlife Refuges, we synthesized multiple data sources to describe land ownership patterns, land cover, landscape pattern, and changes in forest composition for four ecoregions and their associated refuges of the Upper Midwest. We related observed patterns to ecological processes important for forest conservation and restoration, with specific attention to refuge patterns of importance for forest landbirds of conservation priority. The large amount of public land within the ecoregions (31–80%) suggests that opportunities exist for coarse and meso-scale approaches to conserving and restoring ecological processes affecting the refuges, particularly historical fire regimes. Forests dominate both ecoregions and refuges, but refuge forest patches are generally larger and more aggregated than in associated ecoregions. Broadleaf taxa have increased in dominance in the ecoregions and displaced fire-dependent taxa such as pine (Pinus spp.) and other coniferous species; these changes in forest composition have likely also affected refuge forests. Despite compositional changes, larger forest patches on refuges suggests that they may provide better habitat for area-sensitive forest landbirds of mature, compositionally diverse forests than surrounding lands if management continues to promote increased patch size. We reason that although finescale research and monitoring for species of conservation priority is important, broad scale (ecoregional) assessments provide crucial context for effective forest and wildlife management in protected areas

Differential Impact of LPG-and PG-Deficient \u3cem\u3eLeishmania major\u3c/em\u3e Mutants on the Immune Response of Human Dendritic Cells

BACKGROUND: Leishmania major infection induces robust interleukin-12 (IL12) production in human dendritic cells (hDC), ultimately resulting in Th1-mediated immunity and clinical resolution. The surface of Leishmania parasites is covered in a dense glycocalyx consisting of primarily lipophosphoglycan (LPG) and other phosphoglycan-containing molecules (PGs), making these glycoconjugates the likely pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) responsible for IL12 induction. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we explored the role of parasite glycoconjugates on the hDC IL12 response by generating L. major Friedlin V1 mutants defective in LPG alone, (FV1 lpg1-), or generally deficient for all PGs, (FV1 lpg2-). Infection with metacyclic, infective stage, L. major or purified LPG induced high levels of IL12B subunit gene transcripts in hDCs, which was abrogated with FV1 lpg1- infections. In contrast, hDC infections with FV1 lpg2- displayed increased IL12B expression, suggesting other PG-related/LPG2 dependent molecules may act to dampen the immune response. Global transcriptional profiling comparing WT, FV1 lpg1-, FV1 lpg2- infections revealed that FV1 lpg1- mutants entered hDCs in a silent fashion as indicated by repression of gene expression. Transcription factor binding site analysis suggests that LPG recognition by hDCs induces IL-12 in a signaling cascade resulting in Nuclear Factor κ B (NFκB) and Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF) mediated transcription. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest that L. major LPG is a major PAMP recognized by hDC to induce IL12-mediated protective immunity and that there is a complex interplay between PG-baring Leishmania surface glycoconjugates that result in modulation of host cellular IL12