A Development Program For Reading In The First Grade In Prairie View Training School

How can we judge whether or not a child is ready to read? Should we base such judgment on his ability to do accurate word calling? Can we say he is ready to read because he shows a strong desire to understand printed matter and exhibits an attitude of demanding the meaning of words he has read? Is his readiness to read proven by his grasp of the meaning of whole sentences; or by his ability to distinguish word forms; or his ability to remember the meaning and usage of words he has learned; or if he shows ability to think clearly? These questions and many others ought to be considered in any attempt to formulate a reading program in Prairie View Training School which will be generally approved. Of course, the answer to all these questions must be yes. The final test of good reading lines in determining how much the child chooses to read when he is left to his own devices; how easily and efficiently he understands the meaning of what he reads; how expressively he reads to an audience; and what type of reading he chooses when he is permitted to select his own reading matter. The program for teaching reading, therefore, must be broad enough to include all phases of what we call the language arts; which involve listening, speaking, and writing, as well as reading. Consequently, even though the activities of the program are designed to aid the pupil in developing increased ability in reading, they must be integrated with other, equally important, activities which are designed to enable him to discuss what he has read, to select the important ideas, to recognize the significant details, and to form valid conclusions. In other words, reading is not an isolated activity; it is essential to the broader activities of communication and thought, all of these activities can only be performed in conjunction with each other

“How Well Does Your Structural Equation Model Fit Your Data?”: Is Marcoulides and Yuan’s Equivalence Test the Answer?

Structural equation modeling is an ideal data analytical tool for testing complex relationships among many analytical variables. It can simultaneously test multiple mediating and moderating relationships, estimate latent variables on the basis of related measures, and address practical issues such as nonnormality and missing data. To test the extent to which a hypothesized model provides an appropriate characterization of the collective relationships among its variables, researchers must assess the “fit” between the model and the sample’s data. However, interpreting estimates of model fit is a problematic process. The traditional inferential test of model fit, the chi-square test, is biased due to sample size. Fit indices provide descriptive (i.e., noninferential) values of model fit (e.g., comparative fit index, root-mean-square error of approximation), but are unable to provide a definitive “acceptable” or “unacceptable” fit determination. Marcoulides and Yuan have introduced an equivalence-testing technique for assessing model fit that combines traditional descriptive fit indices with an inferential testing strategy in the form of confidence intervals to facilitate more definitive fit conclusions. In this paper, we explain this technique and demonstrate its application, highlighting the substantial advantages it offers the life sciences education community for drawing robust conclusions from structural equation models. A structural equation model and data set (N = 1902) drawn from previously published research are used to illustrate how to perform and interpret an equivalence test of model fit using Marcoulides and Yuan’s approach

Sustainable Landscapes: Evaluating Strategies for Controlling Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) on Reclaimed Surface Mineland at The Wilds Conservation Center in Southeastern Ohio

Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) was planted during the reclamation process to reduce erosion and improve nitrogen content of the soil. However, since its establishment, E. umbellata has spread prolifically and control measures are difficult. The primary objective of this case study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various control methods on eradication of E. umbellata in varying degrees of infestation. A two-phase case study was conducted at The Wilds conservation center in Cumberland, OH. Phase 1 began in 2007-2008 to evaluate three treatments in areas with moderate cover (15-30%) of E. umbellata: mechanical removal, foliar herbicide, and dormant stem herbicide. Nine 200m2 study plots were established with three replications of each treatment. Effectiveness of each treatment was evaluated in 2009 through tracking 225 individual shrubs. The foliar herbicide controlled 98% of E. umbellata; dormant stem herbicide achieved 71 % and the mechanical treatment controlled only 15 %. Statistical comparisons indicated the foliar and dormant stem herbicides were more effective (P = 0.0008) than mechanical removal. This suggests that foliar applications can be a reliable tool for control of E. umbellata in areas with a 15- 30 % density level. Based on these findings, phase 2 of this study was initiated in 2010 to evaluate removal techniques in dense shrub infestations (95-100 %). Treatments included a combination of mechanical clearing then a chemical treatment of stumps to reduce re-sprouts. The fracture treatment was most effective during the second phase (63 %), when compared to the cut-stump (46 %) mechanical treatment (P = 0.004). Results demonstrate that a combined mechanical-chemical approach is efficient in dense infestations. Mechanical land clearing through fracture and re-sprout treatment appeared to be most effective in E. umbellata control and the most cost effective in dense cover; however replicated studies are needed to provide conclusive information about the fracture re-sprout treatment

USF Jesuit Foundation Grant Application Coversheet

This is a 2-page cover sheet that goes into the budget breakdown for the USF Jesuit Foundation Grant Application

Vitamin D Supplementation and Pain-Related Emergency Department Visits in Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent inherited hematological disorder and affects 100,000 individuals in the United States. Pain is the most common cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the SCD population, which profoundly affects quality of life. Vitamin D supplementation is a potential target for reducing pain. Thus, the goal of the present study was to identify the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and explore the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and ED visits in pediatric patients with SCD. / Design: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 110 patients with SCD aged 8 to 16 years who had at least one ED visit for SCD pain during the 6-year study period. Patients were categorized into three vitamin D supplementation groups: patients who did not receive supplementation, patients supplemented with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (< 30 ng/mL), and patients supplemented with at least one sufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (≥ 30 ng/mL). / Results: Overall, 45% of patients were vitamin D deficient. Only 20% of patients had sufficient vitamin D levels. This number increased to 55% when examining only patients who did not receive vitamin D supplementation. For patients supplemented with vitamin D, the number of ED visits was significantly lower after they reached the sufficient range (≥ 30 ng/mL), p = .03. / Conclusions: Our findings indicate that reductions in the number of pain-related ED visits may be achieved by normalizing 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with supplementation. In addition, findings highlight the need for screening and vitamin D supplementation being incorporated into routine care for pediatric patients with SCD

Mission as Diversity, Diversity as Mission

This is a 2-page program outline of the 6-session series Mission as Diversity, Diversity as Mission. It describes the topic and facilitators for Origins of the Conversation Unraveling and Understanding Place within Diversity (Self-Knowledge) Campus Climate and the Role of Jesuit Mission (Communal Discernment) Individual Vocation in Shaping an Inclusive Community (Personal Striving) Proclaiming and Acting on Our Commitment to Shared Values (Enacted Love) March 8: Strategies & Continued Suppor

Self-Efficacy Change Associated with a Cognitive Load-Based Intervention in an Undergraduate Biology Course

Cognitive load theory (CLT) holds that discovery learning and other instructional strategies imposing high levels of extraneous load on novice learners hinder learning. Such learning conditions are also associated with significant drops in persistence, a key measure of motivation. However, research within the CLT framework typically engages motivation as a necessary precursor to learning, rather than as an outcome of instruction. In this study, we examine changes in motivational beliefs as outcomes of learners\u27 cognitive processes through a CLT lens as they engage with instruction. Using a double-blind quasi-experimental design, we manipulate the level of cognitive load imposed on participants through instruction and assess changes in self-efficacy from pre-to post-intervention. In an analysis of data from students enrolled in an undergraduate biology course (n = 2078), students in the treatment condition demonstrated significantly higher performance on end-of-semester lab reports and self-efficacy measures. However, post-instruction self-efficacy was not significantly related to performance, controlling for pre-instruction self-efficacy, gender, and scientific reasoning ability. These findings introduce the possibility that the cognitive load imposed on working memory during instruction may affect motivational beliefs and provides a foundation to further explore connections between historically distinct theoretical frameworks such as CLT and social cognitive theory

Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences

Equitable gender representation is an important aspect of scientific workforce development to secure a sufficient number of individuals and a diversity of perspectives. Biology is the most gender equitable of all scientific fields by the marker of degree attainment, with 52.5% of PhDs awarded to women. However, equitable rates of degree completion do not translate into equitable attainment of faculty or postdoctoral positions, suggesting continued existence of gender inequalities. In a national cohort of 336 first-year PhD students in the biological sciences (i.e., microbiology, cellular biology, molecular biology, develop-mental biology, and genetics) from 53 research institutions, female participants logged significantly more research hours than males and were significantly more likely than males to attribute their work hours to the demands of their assigned projects over the course of the academic year. Despite this, males were 15% more likely to be listed as authors on published journal articles, indicating inequality in the ratio of time to credit. Given the cumulative advantage that accrues for students who publish early in their graduate careers and the central role that scholarly productivity plays in academic hiring decisions, these findings collectively point to a major potential source of persisting underrepresentation of women on university faculties in these fields

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Roadmap for USF Faculty and Staff Professional Development

This is a proposal is seeking support for a series of interactive workshops and lectures for USF faculty and staff that center on exploring the intersections between Jesuit Catholic identity, lgnatian spirituality and the complex issues we face as a community around diversity, equity and inclusion. It includes a description of a 6-part conversation series with select faculty/ staff who seek to expand our understandings of the intersections of Jesuit intellectual traditions, Catholicity and race, thereby increasing our capacity to move forward together on these issues as a more united community