A survey and analysis of the beginning teacher program in Florida and its relationship to effective education

This study was conducted to determine whether there were significant factors contributing to a teacher\u27s ability to perform effectively in the classroom. An approximate 5% stratified random sample was selected from 9,401 possible subjects in Florida\u27s Beginning Teacher Program between 1982 and 1985. A comparison of descriptive and reportive data was performed for teachers who completed and teachers who did not complete the program. Statistical measures included the use of contingency tables, chi-square statistic, frequency distributions and t-tests. Results suggested that a teacher\u27s possibility of successfully completing Florida\u27s Beginning Teacher Program was influenced by the participant\u27s age, grade point average, type of university, college of education background, student teaching experience and teaching field. Of the teachers surveyed, those teachers who completed the Beginning Teacher Program reported significantly higher levels of performance in competencies dealing with discipline and motivation. All teachers cited peer teachers and coaching as the most common methods of assistance. Teachers who did not complete the program were more likely to lack student teaching and education background, to teach in critical shortage areas and to receive more assistance from principals than more successful teachers

Refining an Instrument and Studying Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of the Scope of Engineering

To effectively incorporate engineering into their instruction, K–12 teachers need sufficient knowledge of the engineering discipline. An important component of teachers’ engineering knowledge is their understanding of the nature of engineering: what engineers do, the epistemological underpinnings of engineering, and the relationships between engineering and other fields of study. In this study, we present a quantitative tool that was developed to assess teachers’ knowledge of a particular nature of engineering dimension: the scope of engineering, which describes the demarcation between engineering and non-engineering. This tool was used to assess the knowledge of teachers and engineering graduate students, before and after they participated in a research project focused on improving elementary science and engineering instruction. Our results indicate that the scope of engineering knowledge of all participants, including the engineering graduate students, improved over the course of the project. Unexpectedly, we found that engineering graduate students were no more knowledgeable about the scope of engineering than the teachers in the study. We explore potential reasons for this result, propose recommendations for future use of the scope of engineering instrument, and discuss promising avenues for future instrument development

Promoção de saúde e qualidade de vida entre mães de pré-adolescentes: um estudo etnográfico enfocado em Timbó/SC-Brasil

This is a focused ethnography study of 10 preadolescents' mothers who participate in OASE (Help Group of Evangelic Women) in Timbó, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The purpose of the study was to describe variances in patterns of health promotion, quality of life and preadolescents' risk behavior from the mothers' perspective, exploring how they influence their children and protect them in terms of risk behavior such as alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and violence. Semistructured interviews, participant observation, field notes, genograms and photography were used for data collection. Data were analyzed according to Bardin and the results were grouped in 4 categories: mothers see their function as a challenge; being healthy as a condition for quality of life; obstacles to achieve quality of life; health promotion practices to protect preadolescents from risks. The study showed mothers see themselves as participants in health promotion, which can guide health policy makers and encourage behavioral changes.Estudio etnográfico enfocado, realizado con 10 madres de preadolescentes que participan en OASE (grupo de ayuda de mujeres evangélicas) en Timbó, SC/Brasil. El objetivo fue describir las variaciones sobre los patrones de promoción de la salud, calidad de vida y comportamiento de riesgo bajo las perspectivas de las madres, explorando como estas influyen en sus hijos y los protegen de comportamientos de riesgo como alcohol, cigarro, otras drogas y violencia. Se utilizaron: entrevista semiestructurada, observación participante, diario de campo, genograma y fotografías. Los datos fueron analizados con base en Bardin y los resultados formaron cuatro categorías: madres encaran su función como un desafío; ser saludable como condición de calidad de vida; impedimentos para alcanzar calidad de vida; prácticas de promoción de salud. El estudio evidenció la creencia de las madres como participantes en la promoción de la salud, lo que puede orientar la elaboración de políticas de salud y estimular cambios comportamentales.Este é um estudo etnográfico enfocado, realizado com 10 mães de pré-adolescentes da OASE (Ordem Auxiliadora Senhoras Evangélicas) em Timbó, Santa Catarina, Brasil. O objetivo foi descrever variações em padrões dos fenômenos promoção de saúde, qualidade de vida e comportamento de risco a partir das perspectivas das mães, explorando como influenciam seus filhos, protegendo-os de comportamento de risco tais como álcool, fumo, outras drogas e violência. Utilizamos entrevista semi-estruturada, observação participante, diário de campo, genograma e fotografias. Os dados foram analisados segundo Bardin e os resultados agrupados em 4 categorias: mães encaram sua função como desafio; ser saudável como condição de qualidade de vida; impedimentos para atingir qualidade de vida; práticas de promoção à saúde para proteger filhos de comportamento de risco. O estudo evidenciou a crença das mães como participantes na promoção de saúde, o que poderá orientar a elaboração de políticas de saúde e encorajar mudanças de comportamento

Enhancing Science for ELLs: Science strategies for English language learners that benefit all students.

Most of us recall the first time we had English Language Learners (ELLs) in our classrooms. What does this child understand? How do I help her feel comfortable when I can’t communicate in the same language? How do I teach academic subjects and monitor progress when he doesn’t speak the language of instruction? How will her peers act toward her? These concerns are often coupled with a fear that spending valuable instructional time helping the ELLs may cause us to neglect the bulk of our class who are not ELLs

Trial feasibility and process evaluation of a motivationally-embellished group peer led walking intervention in retirement villages using the RE- AIM framework: the residents in action trial (RiAT)

Objective: The Residents in Action Trial (RiAT; ACTRN12616001177448) was a 16-week motivationally-embellished peer-led walking intervention designed to increase walking, reduce sitting, and improve mental health and well-being in insufficiently active residents in retirement villages. In this paper we report on 1) trial feasibility and acceptability, and 2) evaluate the processes involved in the implementation of the intervention using the RE- AIM framework. Method: A mixed methods design was employed, consisting of data from accelerometers, surveys, (individual, pair-based and focus group) interviews, and participant logbooks. Participants included 116 walkers (M(SD) age=78.37(8.30); 92% female), 8 peer leaders (i.e. ambassadors) and 3 retirement village managers from 14 retirement villages. Descriptives and linear mixed modelling were used to analyse the quantitative data and inductive thematic analyses were employed to analyse the interview data. Results: The intended cluster randomised controlled design became quasi-experimental due to insufficient numbers of recruited ambassadors. The perceived burden of the number and frequency of research assessments was a frequently mentioned reason for a poor recruitment. Facilitators to walking maintenance were the use of self-monitoring, goal setting, social support, and having a routine. Reach was modest (about 14% of eligible participants were recruited from each village), but retention was excellent (92%). The motivational strategies taught appeared to have been implemented, at least in part, by the ambassadors. The walkers in the main experimental condition increased marginally their step counts, but there were no group differences on mental health and well-being outcomes, partly because of low statistical power. Conclusions: Walkers and ambassadors who did take part in the study suggested that they enjoyed the programme and found it useful in terms of becoming more active and making social connections. However, the group format was not appealing to some participants, hence, other delivery options should be explored in the future

Programas internacionais de capacitação em pesquisa para enfermeiros no estudo do fenómeno das drogas na América Latina: desafios e perspectivas

The First International Research Capacity-Building Program for Nurses to Study the Drug Phenomenon in the Americas is a result of a partnership between the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Faculty of Nursing in the University of Alberta, with financial support from the Government of Canada. The program was divided into two parts. The first part of the program was held at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It involved capacity-building in research methodologies at the Faculty of Nursing, which lead to the preparation of four multi-centric research proposals for drug demand reduction in the home countries of the eleven participants in the program. The second part of the program was related to the implementation of multi-centric research proposals in seven countries in Latin America and in Canada. This program presented expertise in research methodology to members of Latin American Schools of Nursing and introduced Latin American expertise to members of a Canadian Faculty of Nursing. The International Research Capacity-Building Program for Nurses to Study the Drug Phenomenon in the Americas has fostered the kind of inter-cultural respect and mutual appreciation necessary to confront the global health problem of the abuse of both licit and illicit drugs.El Primer Programa Internacional de Capacitación en Investigación para Enfermeros en el Estudio del Fenómeno de las Drogas en las Américas resultó de una colaboración entre la Comisión Interamericana para el Control del Abuso de Drogas (CICAD) de la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA) y la Facultad de Enfermería en la Universidad de Alberta, con apoyo financiero del Gobierno de Canadá. El programa fue dividido en dos partes. La primera parte del programa se organizó en la Universidad de Alberta en Edmonton, Alberta, Canadá. Abarcó la capacitación en metodologías de investigación en la Facultad de Enfermería, que llevó a la preparación de cuatro propuestas de investigación multicéntrica con vistas a la reducción de la demanda de drogas en los países de origen de los once participantes en el programa. La segunda parte del programa estaba relacionada a la implementación de propuestas de investigación multicéntrica en siete países de América Latina y en Canadá. Este programa presentó conocimientos especializados en metodologías de investigación a miembros de Escuelas de Enfermería latinoamericanas e introdujo los conocimientos especializados latinoamericanos a miembros de una Facultad de Enfermería canadiense. El Programa Internacional de Capacitación en Investigación para Enfermeros en el Estudio del Fenómeno de las Drogas en las Américas estimuló el tipo de respecto intercultural y apreciación mutua necesario para confrontar el problema de salud global del abuso de drogas lícitas e ilícitas.O Primeiro Programa Internacional de Capacitação para Enfermeiros no Estudo do Fenômeno das Drogas nas Américas é resultado de uma parceria entre a Comissão Interamericana para o Controle do Abuso das Drogas (CICAD) da Organização dos Estados Americanos (OEA) e a Faculdade de Enfermagem da Universidade de Alberta, com apoio financeiro do Governo do Canadá. O programa foi dividido em duas partes. A primeira parte do programa foi realizada na Universidade de Alberta em Edmonton, Alberta, Canadá. Compreendeu a capacitação em metodologias de pesquisa na Faculdade de Enfermagem, que levou à preparação de quatro propostas de pesquisas multicêntricas para a redução da demanda de drogas nos países de origem dos onze participantes no programa. A segunda parte do programa estava relacionada à implementação de propostas de pesquisa multicêntricas em sete países da América Latina e no Canadá. Este programa apresentou expertise em metodologias de pesquisa a membros de Escolas de Enfermagem latino-americanas e introduziu expertise latino-americana a membros de uma Faculdade de Enfermagem canadense. O Primeiro Programa Internacional de Capacitação para Enfermeiros no Estudo do Fenômeno das Drogas nas Américas estimulou o tipo de respeito intercultural e apreço mútuo necessário para confrontar o problema de saúde global do abuso das drogas lícitas e ilícitas

Promoção da saúde e qualidade de vida entre mães de pré-adolescentes da comunidade de Chuguayante-Chile: uma etnografia enfocada

The aim of this ethnographic trial was to identify cultural patterns present in mothers' actions when protecting their children from environmental risks like drugs and violence. Data collection consisted in a tape-recorded structured interview with 10 mothers of 9 to 13-year-old preadolescents, complemented with pictures, field notes and participant observation. Mothers conceptualize their child as a "Big Boy" who wants to make his own decisions and be independent, generating conflicts in the family as a whole. As a conclusion, mothers perceive their pre teenagers as more vulnerable, so a close guiding and control is necessary for their developing activities. They believe it will help their children to recognize hazardous situations and stay away from them.El objetivo de este estudio etnográfico fue identificar patrones culturales presentes en las acciones de las madres al proteger a sus hijos de riesgos ambientales como drogas y violencia. Para la recopilación de las informaciones se realizó una entrevista estructurada y grabada con 10 madres de niños entre 9 y 13 años, complementadas con fotografías, notas de campo y observación participante. Las madres conceptualizan a su hijo como "un niño grande" que quiere tomar sus propias decisiones e independizarse, lo que genera conflictos al interior de la familia. Como conclusión, las madres perciben al preadolescente como más vulnerable, por lo que es necesario guiar y controlar muy de cerca el desarrollo de sus actividades, y creen que, de esta forma, ayudaran a su hijo a reconocer el peligro y a no involucrarse.O objetivo deste estudo etnográfico foi identificar padrões culturais presentes nas ações das mães ao proteger seus filhos de riscos ambientais como drogas e violência. Para a coleta de informações, realizou-se uma entrevista estruturada gravada com 10 mães de crianças entre 9 e 13 anos, complementada com fotografias, notas de campo e observação participante. As mães conceitualizam seus filhos como "uma criança grande" que quer tomar suas próprias decisões e tornar-se independente, o que gera conflitos dentro da família. Como conclusão, as mães percebem seus filhos como mais vulneráveis, sendo necessário guiar e controlar mais de perto o desenvolvimento de suas atividades. Desta forma, elas acreditam que ajudarão seus filhos a reconhecer o perigo e a não envolver-se nele

The development of a multilingual tool for facilitating the primary-specialty care interface in low resource settings: the MSF tele-expertise system

In 2009, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) started a pilot trial of store-and-forward telemedicine to support field workers. One network was operated in French and one in English; a third, Spanish network was brought into operation in 2012. The three telemedicine pilots were then combined to form a single multilingual tele-expertise system, tailored to support MSF field staff. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all telemedicine cases referred from April 2010 to March 2014. We also carried out a survey of all users in December 2013. A total of 1039 referrals were received from 41 countries, of which 89% were in English, 10% in French, and 1% in Spanish. The cases covered a very wide range of medical and surgical specialties. The median delay in providing the first specialist response to the referrer was 5.3 h (interquartile range 1.8, 16.4). The survey was sent to 294 referrers and 254 specialists. Of these, 224 were considered as active users (41%). Out of the 548 users, 163 (30%) answered the survey. The majority of referrers (79%) reported that the advice received via the system improved their management of the patient. The main concerns raised by referrers and specialists were the lack of support or promotion of system at headquarters' level and the lack of feedback about patient follow-up. Because of the size of the MSF organization, it is clear that there is potential for further organizational adoption

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exploits a PIP3-dependent pathway to transform apical into basolateral membrane

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important human pathogen, preferentially binds and enters injured cells from the basolateral (BL) surface. We previously demonstrated that activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt are necessary and sufficient for P. aeruginosa entry from the apical (AP) surface and that AP addition of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) is sufficient to convert AP into BL membrane (Kierbel, A., A. Gassama-Diagne, K. Mostov, and J.N. Engel. 2005. Mol. Biol. Cell. 16:2577–2585; Gassama-Diagne, A., W. Yu, M. ter Beest, F. Martin-Belmonte, A. Kierbel, J. Engel, and K. Mostov. 2006. Nat. Cell Biol. 8:963–970). We now show that P. aeruginosa subverts this pathway to gain entry from the AP surface. In polarized monolayers, P. aeruginosa binds near cell–cell junctions without compromising them where it activates and recruits PI3K to the AP surface. Membrane protrusions enriched for PIP3 and actin accumulate at the AP surface at the site of bacterial binding. These protrusions lack AP membrane markers and are comprised of BL membrane constituents, which are trafficked there by transcytosis. The end result is that this bacterium transforms AP into BL membrane, creating a local microenvironment that facilitates its colonization and entry into the mucosal barrier