Rapid Assessment of marine debris in the coastal waters of Kerala

Marine debris are any manmade materials released into marine ecosystem as a result of various human activities and main sources include maritime and fishing activities, riverine inputs, storm water and urban run-off, tourism and beach activities, industrial and domestic sources and oil rigs. The debris also causes problems to fishermen as they get caught in their gear and causes damages to it and also affects their work efficienc

Assistive and Educational Technology Standards and Teacher Competencies in Relation to Evidence-Based Practice: Identification and Classification of the Literature

The federal No Child Left Behind Act mandates the application of the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) in U.S. education. The purpose of this study was to identify available assistive technology (AT) and educational technology (ET) literature that relates to standards and teacher competencies, and to categorize that literature in relation to Sweeney\u27s (1999) definition of standards and Davies\u27 (1999) EBP hierarchy. Literature was identified through subject index searching, browsing, footnote chasing, and consultation. Content analysis was conducted on 110 documents from years 1995–2009 that met inclusion criteria. The majority of literature is based upon expert opinion evidence, which is not highly rigorous. The most rigorous evidence identified came from survey and correlation descriptive studies; a complete lack of experimental evidence was noted. AT and ET are in the beginning stages of implementing EBP in the area of teacher standards and competencies. Advancing AT and ET practice through evidence is critical for moving the field forward scientifically and for ensuring accountability