Differential parent and teacher reports of school readiness in a disadvantaged community

Differential ratings by multiple informants are an important issue in survey design. Although much research has focused on differential reports of child behaviour, discrepancies between parent and teacher reports of children’s school readiness are less explored.

Habitat Selection Across A Temperature And Nutrient Gradient By Cope’S Grey Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis) And The Mosquito, Culex Restuans

Habitat selection by pond breeding amphibians and insects is often critical for larval survival, performance, and resulting parental fitness, since there is typically little parental care beyond oviposition site choice. Numerous axes of patch quality have been identified and quantified, but species with varied life histories may differently shift perception of habitat quality as changes in global climate increase water temperatures and rates of eutrophication. Three outdoor mesocosm experiments were conducted using two species with complex life cycles and very different life histories; Hyla chrysoscelis, or Cope’s Gray tree frog, and the mosquito (Culex restuans). Two mesocosm experiments were conducted to test the oviposition preference of each species by establishing gradients of temperature and nutrients in a completely crossed design. Additionally, a third mesocosm experiment testing larval performance of H. chrysoscelis was conducted by measuring frog metamorph body metrics of individuals reared in each temperature and nutrient combination. The temperature and nutrient treatments shono significant effect in any of the three experiments, but each experiment had significant covariate predictors. The temperature difference from control pools in each block had a significant positive linear relationship with the number of H. chrysoscelis eggs laid per mesocosm, and metamorph mass increased with higher nitrate levels. C. restuans laid more egg rafts in mesocosms with higher levels of nitrate, and nitrate was driven significantly by temperature. Both species choose to oviposit in treatments that may ultimately benefit their offspring through increase rate of development and survival. The environmental variables that influence oviposition choice and offspring performance are crucial to understanding species distributions, abundances, and community structure as global warming and eutrophication affect the quality of freshwater systems

Report on Children's Profile at School Entry 2008-2009: Evaluation of the 'Preparing For Life' Early Childhood Intervention Programme

The Children's Profile at School Entry (CPSE) was conducted by the UCD Geary Institute who have been commissioned by the Northside Partnership to assess the levels of school readiness in a designated disadvantaged community of Ireland, as part of an overall evaluation of the Preparing for Life (PFL) early childhood intervention programme.

From Picket Lines to Picket Fences: Latinas and the Remaking of the Jim Crow South, 1930-1964

“From Picket Lines to Picket Fences: Latinas and the Remaking of the Jim Crow South, 1930-1964,” traces the transformation of Latina/o politics and culture in Ybor City and Tampa, Florida. This case study examines and compares the actions of two generations of Latinas as they fought for economic equality, social dignity, and political representation in the early battles for labor, women’s, and civil rights in the United States and abroad. I argue that Latinas were effective as political strategists and public figures because their gender facilitated their activism and protected them from the threats of racial and nativist violence experienced by men of color. In turn, these women’s actions and choices became part of a series of changes that would redefine the meaning and power of latinidad in Florida’s political culture. More than a story of regional activism, this project investigates the relationship between the nation and immigration. It considers the impact of global cultures on American identity to ask crucial questions about how race, ethnicity, and political affiliation influence who has access to American citizenship and why this matters. On the micro-level, this dissertation examines how Latinas and Latinos in Florida negotiated the racial and nativist political policies and social mores that governed their everyday lives. It is an untold story of Latina/os in the southeast—one that encourages scholars to consider Jim Crow’s reach as intersectional rather than black and white and highlights the interplay between different racial and ethnic groups as each sought representation. The broader implications of this case study illustrate how these histories of local and regional conflict underline present-day political battles. Historic precedents define and drive national debates surrounding immigration reform and social justice. Understanding the politics of the past brings visibility to unacknowledged histories and challenges resistance to a diverse and inclusive American identity.Doctor of Philosoph

Unamerican Americans: Latina Working-Class Activism in Ybor City, Florida, 1937

During the 1930s, the Popular Front mobilized the American working class and reignited the flame of labor organization throughout the nation. This thesis investigates the Popular Front movement in the Latino community, Ybor City, located on the eastern edge of Tampa, Florida. It studies the Popular Front as a social movement rather than a communist movement, and questions the rise of a Popular Front culture despite the absence of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in Tampa and Ybor City. This work explores how Floridian Latinos and Latinas used the Popular Front to advance their own platform of workers' rights and become active and participatory citizens in Southern Society. It reconsiders the centralization of white men as the leaders of the Popular Front and uncovers women's activism that defied and challenged traditional gender stereotypes in Tampa, the South, and the United States.Master of Art

Returns to higher education and dropouts: A double machine learning approach

This paper provides estimates of the short-term individual returns to Higher Education (HE) in the United Kingdom, focusing on the effects of attending HE on the labour market outcomes for dropouts. Results show differential labour market outcomes for dropouts vs. individuals who have never attended HE, where outcomes are employment, wages and occupational status. I find that female dropouts, on average, have a higher occupational status than those who have never participated in HE, but do not experience a wage premium. Conversely, male dropouts experience a wage premium relative those who have never participated in HE, but the effect on occupational status is comparatively small. The evidence is mixed, however, as both male and female dropouts are more likely to be unemployed, though the effect is larger for males

24th National Timber Bridge Design Competition

For the 2016 Senior Design project, our team elected to design and construct a short-span pedestrian bridge for the 24th National Timber Bridge Design Competition. The competition was sponsored by the Southwest Mississippi RC&D council (SMRCD) of the Forest Products Society in association with the American Society of Civil Engineers. There were a number of different design and testing requirements to abide by, including both competition regulations as well as AASHTO guidelines pertaining to the construction of pedestrian bridges. [1] A great deal of diligence was taken to assure that our team performed well in the competition; every rule and regulation was carefully considered and designed to. [5] Throughout the course of this project our team was exposed to many aspects of a structural engineering project: an iterative design process, procurement coordination, and construction. The bridge performed really well during testing, deflecting a mere 7.58m, which was only about 73% of the allowed deflection of 0.42”. This performance, along with other bridge characteristics, lead to the team placing 1st nationally in the competition. Furthermore, in order to contribute to the development of our surrounding community, we worked extensively with the Santa Clara County Parks to arrange a donation. Our hopes are to one-day encounter our finished product in a local park

Practices of climate change adaptation in the Pacific: survey of implementing agencies (phase II)

Various and diverse socio-economic, political and environmental challenges face the countries of the Pacific region. Over the last few decades, climate change has risen to increasing prominence as a key challenge and focal point for both national governments and communities to address. This has largely been a result of the ongoing climate change projections for the Pacific region, coupled with various observations by locals of changes to the climate, seasons and their local environment. Together, these observed and projected impacts of climate change can have profound social, economic and environmental implications for all Pacific Island Countries (PICs). To date, a series of broad-brush climate change related impacts have been reported in the literature; the impacts of which include a significant strain on crucial community sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, freshwater resources, human health, economic security, physical infrastructure and coastal resources