Liberation Kitchen: Annotating Intergenerational Conversations Among Black Women in Art and Education

In this essay, we, four Black women art educators, draw from Black feminisms and Afrofemcentrism. Our practice considers nuanced ways that Black women curate spaces of communal care, which position forms of dialogic encounters with one another. We put forward aspects of Black life, as lived in and through sharing intimacies of the geospatial and as continuation of Black radical traditions. We argue that a kitchenspace indexes a Black praxis, centering intergenerational knowledge-sharing and methodology toward liberation. We think with Black feminist scholar/artists and insist a method of self-annotating, indexing our lives into the otherwise absences of Black women’s narratives in the field of art education. We practice the theorization and method of using images of personal artwork and our dialogues. These annotations realign new centers of knowledge and refuse cannibalization by Euro-dominant narratives

Avaliar a validade da avaliação das carteiras de acreditação

This study examines one part of a validity argument for portfolio assessments of teaching practice used as an indicator of teaching quality to inform a licensure decision.  We investigate the relationship among portfolio assessment scores, a test of teacher knowledge (ETS’s Praxis I and II),  and changes in student achievement (on Touchstone’s Degrees of Reading Power Test [DRP]).  Key questions are the extent to which the assessment of teaching practice (a) predict gains in students’ achievement and (b) contribute unique information to this prediction beyond what is contributed by the tests of teacher knowledge.  The venue for our study is Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE) support and licensure system for beginning teachers, the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program (as it was implemented at the time of our study). We investigated whether elementary teachers’ mean effects on their students’ reading achievement support the use of BEST elementary literacy portfolio scores as a measure of teaching quality for licensure, using a data set gathered from both State and two urban school district sources.  The HLM findings indicate that BEST portfolio scores do indeed distinguish among teachers who were more and less successful in enhancing their students’ achievement. An additional analysis indicated that the BEST portfolios add information that is not contained in the Praxis tests, and are more powerful predictors of teachers’ contributions to student achievement gains.Este estudio examina una parte de un argumento de validez para las evaluaciones de los cartera de la práctica docente utilizados como un indicador de la calidad docente para informar una decisión licencia. Investigamos la relación entre los resultados de la evaluación de cartera , una prueba de conocimientos del profesorado ( Praxis I del ETS y II), y los cambios en los logros del estudiante ( en grados de piedra de toque de la prueba eléctrica de la lectura [ DRP ] ) . Las cuestiones clave son la medida en que la evaluación de la práctica docente ( a) predecir las ganancias en el rendimiento de los estudiantes y ( b ) contribuir información única a esta predicción más allá de lo aportado por las pruebas de conocimiento de los maestros . El lugar elegido para nuestro estudio es el Departamento de apoyo y otorgamiento de licencias ( CSDE ) Sistema de Educación para los maestros principiantes del Estado de Connecticut , el Principio Educador , y la programa (BEST ) (como se implementó en el momento de nuestro estudio ) Adiestramiento. Hemos investigado si los "efectos medias en sus alumnos los profesores elementales logros en lectura apoyan el uso de las mejores puntuaciones de la cartera de alfabetización primaria como una medida de calidad de la enseñanza para obtener la licencia , el uso de un conjunto de datos recogidos de Estado y de dos fuentes distrito escolar urbano . Los hallazgos indican que las puntuaciones HLM mejor cartera de hecho distinguen entre los profesores que se encontraban cada vez menos éxito en la mejora de los logros de sus alumnos. Un análisis adicional indicó que los mejores carteras añadir información que no está contenida en las pruebas Praxis , y son más potentes predictores de las contribuciones de los profesores a las ganancias de rendimiento de los estudiantes .O presente estudo analisa uma parte de um argumento de validade para avaliação da carteira de prática de ensino utilizadas como um indicador da qualidade do ensino para informar a decisão de licença. Nós investigamos a relação entre os resultados do portfólio de avaliação, um teste de conhecimentos e competências ( ETS Praxis I e II) , e as mudanças no desempenho do aluno (em graus pedra de toque de teste elétrico leitura [ DRP ] ) . As questões-chave são a medida em que a avaliação da prática docente ( a) prever ganhos no desempenho dos alunos e ( b) contribuir com informações exclusivas para a predição além da evidência fornecida pelo conhecimento dos professores. O local escolhido para o nosso estudo é o suporte Departamento e licenciamento ( CSDE ) Sistema de Educação para professores iniciantes do Estado de Connecticut, o Educador Começando , eo programa (BEST ) (como implementado no momento do nosso estudo ) Treinamento. Nós investigamos se os "efeitos médios em seus professores elementares de leitura os alunos realização apoiar o uso das melhores pontuações da carteira de alfabetização primária como uma medida da qualidade da educação para o licenciamento , o uso de um conjunto de dados coletados fontes do Estado e dois distrito escolar urbano . os resultados indicam que as pontuações melhor portfolio HLM realmente distinguir entre os professores que estavam menos bem sucedido de sempre na melhoria da realização dos seus alunos. Uma análise indicou ainda que os melhores portfolios adicionar informações não contidas nos testes Praxis , e são preditores mais poderosos de contribuições dos professores para os ganhos de desempenho dos alunos

Physical Activity in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): A Review

Current recommendations indicate that children and youth ages 5–17 should participate in 60 min and adults in 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Research suggests that physical activity levels of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are lower than typically developing and developed peers. Despite evidence for PA decreasing negative behaviors and promoting positive behaviors, individuals with ASD may be less motivated and less likely to participate. Individuals with ASD may be more likely to be overweight or obese than their typically developing counterparts as a result of decreased activity levels. Conflicting findings regarding PA levels in individuals with ASD have been reported. Given mixed evidence, further inquiry is warranted. The present chapter provides a review of literature pertaining to PA in individuals with ASD. Four databases were searched. Predetermined search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria were clearly outlined to identify relevant articles which were then critically appraised. This research provides a greater understanding of the status of PA participation of individuals with ASD

Exploiting animal personality to reduce chronic stress in captive fish populations

Chronic stress is a major source of welfare problems in many captive populations, including fishes. While we have long known that chronic stress effects arise from maladaptive expression of acute stress response pathways, predicting where and when problems will arise is difficult. Here we highlight how insights from animal personality research could be useful in this regard. Since behavior is the first line of organismal defense when challenged by a stressor, assays of shy-bold type personality variation can provide information about individual stress response that is expected to predict susceptibility to chronic stress. Moreover, recent demonstrations that among-individual differences in stress-related physiology and behaviors are underpinned by genetic factors means that selection on behavioral biomarkers could offer a route to genetic improvement of welfare outcomes in captive fish stocks. Here we review the evidence in support of this proposition, identify remaining empirical gaps in our understanding, and set out appropriate criteria to guide development of biomarkers. The article is largely prospective: fundamental research into fish personality shows how behavioral biomarkers could be used to achieve welfare gains in captive fish populations. However, translating potential to actual gains will require an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the expertise and viewpoints of researchers working across animal behavior, genetics, and welfare science

Exploiting animal personality to reduce chronic stress in captive fish populations

Chronic stress is a major source of welfare problems in many captive populations, including fishes. While we have long known that chronic stress effects arise from maladaptive expression of acute stress response pathways, predicting where and when problems will arise is difficult. Here we highlight how insights from animal personality research could be useful in this regard. Since behavior is the first line of organismal defense when challenged by a stressor, assays of shy-bold type personality variation can provide information about individual stress response that is expected to predict susceptibility to chronic stress. Moreover, recent demonstrations that among-individual differences in stress-related physiology and behaviors are underpinned by genetic factors means that selection on behavioral biomarkers could offer a route to genetic improvement of welfare outcomes in captive fish stocks. Here we review the evidence in support of this proposition, identify remaining empirical gaps in our understanding, and set out appropriate criteria to guide development of biomarkers. The article is largely prospective: fundamental research into fish personality shows how behavioral biomarkers could be used to achieve welfare gains in captive fish populations. However, translating potential to actual gains will require an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the expertise and viewpoints of researchers working across animal behavior, genetics, and welfare science

Focus determination for the James Webb Space Telescope Science Instruments: A Survey of Methods

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a segmented deployable telescope that will require on-orbit alignment using the Near Infrared Camera as a wavefront sensor. The telescope will be aligned by adjusting seven degrees of freedom on each of 18 primary mirror segments and five degrees of freedom on the secondary mirror to optimize the performance of the telescope and camera at a wavelength of 2 microns. With the completion of these adjustments, the telescope focus is set and the optical performance of each of the other science instruments should then be optimal without making further telescope focus adjustments for each individual instrument. This alignment approach requires confocality of the instruments after integration and alignment to the composite metering structure, which will be verified during instrument level testing at Goddard Space Flight Center with a telescope optical simulator. In this paper, we present the results from a study of several analytical approaches to determine the focus for each instrument. The goal of the study is to compare the accuracies obtained for each method, and to select the most feasible for use during optical testing

Exploiting animal personality to reduce chronic stress in captive fish populations

Chronic stress is a major source of welfare problems in many captive populations, including fishes. While we have long known that chronic stress effects arise from maladaptive expression of acute stress response pathways, predicting where and when problems will arise is difficult. Here we highlight how insights from animal personality research could be useful in this regard. Since behavior is the first line of organismal defense when challenged by a stressor, assays of shy-bold type personality variation can provide information about individual stress response that is expected to predict susceptibility to chronic stress. Moreover, recent demonstrations that among-individual differences in stress-related physiology and behaviors are underpinned by genetic factors means that selection on behavioral biomarkers could offer a route to genetic improvement of welfare outcomes in captive fish stocks. Here we review the evidence in support of this proposition, identify remaining empirical gaps in our understanding, and set out appropriate criteria to guide development of biomarkers. The article is largely prospective: fundamental research into fish personality shows how behavioral biomarkers could be used to achieve welfare gains in captive fish populations. However, translating potential to actual gains will require an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the expertise and viewpoints of researchers working across animal behavior, genetics, and welfare science

Reflections on the Cost of Low-Cost Whole Genome Sequencing: Framing the Health Policy Debate

The cost of whole genome sequencing is dropping rapidly. There has been a great deal of enthusiasm about the potential for this technological advance to transform clinical care. Given the interest and significant investment in genomics, this seems an ideal time to consider what the evidence tells us about potential benefits and harms, particularly in the context of health care policy. The scale and pace of adoption of this powerful new technology should be driven by clinical need, clinical evidence, and a commitment to put patients at the centre of health care policy