Today's Choices, Tomorrow's Changes

Provides an overview of the issues in California's November 2008 elections -- the status quo of education, infrastructure, environment, budget, and governance, and the need for change in each area

California's Future Workforce: Will There Be Enough College Graduates?

Analyzes trends in the state's supply and demand of college-educated workers, the projected shortfall in 2025, and wage gaps between education levels. Discusses implications for the economy and calls for investment in the public education system

Employment Relationships in the New Economy

It is often argued that 'new economy' jobs are less likely to use traditional employment relationships, and more likely to rely on 'alternative' or 'contingent' work. When we look at new economy jobs classified on the basis of employment in high-tech industries, we do not find greater use of contingent or alternative employment relationships. However, when we classify new economy workers based on residence in high-tech cities, contingent and alternative employment relationships are more common, even after accounting for the faster employment growth in these cities. Finally, defining 'new economy' more literally to be those industries with the fastest growth yields the most striking differences, as workers in the fastest-growing industries are much more likely to be in contingent or alternative employment relationships, with a large share of this difference driven by employment in the fast-growing construction and personnel supply services industries where employment is perhaps 'intrinsically' contingent or alternative. While subject to numerous qualifications, the combined evidence gives some support to the hypothesis that the new economy may entail a possibly significant and long-lasting increase in contingent and alternative employment relationships.

The Inland Empire in 2015

Presents projections for international and local migration, demographics, education, economic and employment conditions, and political participation for Southern California's Riverside and San Bernardino counties

A local approximation of a QCD-inspired nucleon-nucleon interaction

There have been several attempts to understand the nature of the nucleon-nucleon interaction on the basis of the quark structure of the nucleon. In this work, the potential model approach is pursued. In particular, this project expands upon work done by P. D. Morley, D. L. Pursey, and S. A. Williams. They started with a basic interaction between quarks which was the sum of a phenomenological confining potential for quark confinement and a one-gluon-exchange potential inspired by QCD. This model led naturally to a nonlocal nucleon-nucleon interaction. In this thesis, a consistent local approximation to this nonlocal potential is presented. The local approximation lends itself to speedier calculations and should be more widely used than its nonlocal source. It should thus facilitate testing of the underlying assumptions of this QCD-derived model

Parental Awareness and Lead Poisoning: a Suburban Analysis

Lead poisoning is one of the most common pediatric health problems in the United States. A direct result of industrialization, the toxic substance lead has contaminated our environment. Parents of young children should be aware of the hazards of lead, the environmental sources, the need for annual screening. the implications of screening results. and steps to reduce the chances of exposure. Questionnaires were distributed at a pediatrician\u27s office. Parents with children under six years of age were asked to complete the survey. Sixty-two questionnaires were completed and returned. It was determined that parents have a good understanding of the pathways for exposure and general knowledge about lead, but their knowledge was minimal about less common lead hazards, prevention and the role of nutrition in helping to prevent lead poisoning

Protecting Ourselves from Harm: Voices of Aging Farmers

Senior farmers suffer the highest fatality risk of any age group in agriculture. The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop a voice for senior farmers by examining aging farmers\u27 and their families\u27 perspectives of farm work, associated injury risks, and methods to decrease those risks. Focus groups and personal interviews were used to collect data from 81 participants across seven U.S. states. The findings reflect the collective and verified voice of the study group. The Health Belief Model was applied and revealed differences between farmers and their family members; however, the need and desire to continue self-directed work was ubiquitous. Seniors reported external risks, while family members were more likely to name risks associated with the health of the senior farmer. Both groups cited stress as an injury risk. Posing risk to others was the trigger point for senior farmers to make behavior changes. Family members reported uneasiness in initiating safety conversations. Adaptation of existing interventions for self-assessment of risk was rejected. Use of the popular farm press and respected local resources were desired as avenues for safety education. Humor and stories were highly regarded. Interventions should be tailored for the target audience. These new insights into the risk perceptions of senior farmers and their families may result in more appropriate actions by health professionals, extension staff social workers, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and others who work with farm populations

A historical examination of the tradition of experience in the teaching of literature in English education

By examining major documents for tensions regarding the teaching of literature in the field of secondary English education, this dissertation addressed the following questions: (1) What assumptions about learning and knowledge helped to shape the field? (2) To what extent does the field demonstrate consistency or change in its discourse defined-positions? and (3) How might current conversations in the field fit within a larger historical, social, and political context, thus equipping English educators to better articulate and situate their own pedagogical beliefs? Stephen Toulmin’s (1958) model of an argument served as a means of analyzing the field’s ongoing conversation about the teaching of literature, as revealed in its central documents and publications. The study examined these works, which were generally offered in response to texts from outside of the field, during three periods throughout the history of English education as a profession: the inaugural era of the field, the social reform era, and the era of accountability. Analyses, which focused on asserted claims and the data and warrants supporting them, demonstrated that the field has remained relatively consistent in its claims about the purposes and methodologies for the teaching of literature, particularly with its emphasis on experience, a concept commonly associated with the progressive movement in education. This study, which provides insight into the shared values among English education, serves as a continuation of the conversation in the field. It highlights the relevance of key works from the field and of the voices of major historical figures as well as of current participants, and it provides a historical lens for examining contemporary issues in English education. In doing so, it promotes a synonymous, rather than dichotomous, relationship between tradition and reform. Throughout history, when English educators have felt outward pressure to redefine their field, they have turned to the progressive notion of experience as their guiding tradition. Despite the connotations usually associated with traditional education, this analysis demonstrates that reform or progress—typically juxtaposed against tradition—is the tradition for the field of English education. Reference Toulmin, S. E. (1958). The uses of argument. New York: Cambridge University Press

Educational Progress Across Immigrant Generations in California

Explores the disparities in levels of educational progress among different immigrant population groups in California. Examines factors that influence educational attainment among youth by race, ethnicity, and generation. Includes policy considerations