On the distribution of galaxy ellipticity in clusters

We study the distribution of projected ellipticity n(ϵ) for galaxies in a sample of 20 rich (Richness ≥ 2) nearby (z 0.4), therefore it is not a consequence of the increasing fraction of round slow rotator galaxies near cluster centers. Furthermore, the ϵ-R relation persists for just smooth flattened galaxies and for galaxies with de Vaucouleurs-like light profiles, suggesting that the variation of the spiral fraction with radius is not the underlying cause of the trend. We interpret our findings in light of the classification of early type galaxies (ETGs) as fast and slow rotators. We conclude that the observed trend of decreasing ϵ towards the centres of clusters is evidence for physical effects in clusters causing fast rotator ETGs to have a lower average intrinsic ellipticity near the centres of rich clusters

Comparison of Four Commercially Available Group B Streptococcus Molecular Assays Using Remnant Rectal-Vaginal Enrichment Broths

The incidence of neonatal Group B streptococcal (GBS) disease has significantly declined since the widespread implementation of prenatal screening of expectant mothers for urogenital and gastrointestinal tract GBS colonization. Screening methods have evolved from exclusively culture-based approaches to more rapid and highly sensitive molecular methods. We chose to evaluate the performance of four commercially available GBS molecular tests for detection of GBS colonization using 299 antepartum rectal-vaginal specimens submitted to our laboratory for routine GBS screening. In 97% of instances, there was agreement between all three systems. When testing 1, 6, and 12 samples simultaneously, all methods performed comparably, but the ARIES® GBS assay required the least total hands-on time and the illumigene® Group B Streptococcus assay required the most hands-on time

Recruiting, Training, and Engaging Virtual Faculty via an Award-Winning Online Pedagogy Institute -- #NSWM30

Columbia University School of Social Work’s (CSSW) five-week Institute on Pedagogy and Technology for Online Courses prepares social work professionals to become excellent educators with our Online Campus, which offers a fully online MSW degree. 152 participants from 31 US states have passed in the first four cohorts, and they have led about 100 online courses so far. The award-winning Online Pedagogy Institute includes weekly live virtual class sessions and homework each week in our learning management system, and now offers CEUs. This session will share the details of this innovative training institute and the impact on talent management. The Online Pedagogy Institute is for social workers who want to explore pedagogy and technology for online courses and trains social work professionals to become excellent educators with CSSW’s Online Campus. The institute is designed to be highly engaging, with homework that includes relevant readings, realistic scenarios, quizzes and flashcards to reinforce learning, and weekly live virtual class sessions and discussion forums that build community and enable participants to share their thoughts and expertise. Participants learn how to establish a virtual classroom environment that is welcoming and reflective of social work values, and plan interactive and engaging lessons for an Adobe Connect virtual classroom using web conferencing tools. Participants see the Instructor and Teaching Associate roles modeled, and think about ways they can develop their online teaching skills and personas at a high level of quality. The institute was recognized with an 2018 International E-Learning Award from the International E-Learning Association and a 2019 International Distance Learning Award from the United States Distance Learning Association. The institute attracts a variety of social workers from across the country, creating a diverse and supportive community of professionals who care about providing the next generation of social workers with a high quality education. When the institute concludes, the top participants are recruited for positions as instructors and TAs. As a case study, the institute has high ratings on feedback surveys from graduates. When asked “On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate the overall quality of this Institute?” the average score from our last two cohorts was 9.72. Comments from graduates have included, “The Institute set a golden standard for online education. The live sessions, along with the assignments, modeled holistic learning opportunities and effective teaching strategies. It was incredibly well-rounded and of high quality!” Further, social justice, diversity, and inclusion themes are interwoven throughout the institute’s curriculum in line with social work values. Discussions are held on Universal Design for Learning to support accessibility for all learners and how to address current events, including those impacting social justice. The institute focuses on teaching and modeling pedagogy that is inclusive and accounts for diverse experiences, including have a range of diverse guest faculty discuss their innovative approaches to teaching online

Development and use of an instrument adapted to assess the clinical skills learning environment in the pre-clinical years

BACKGROUND: The Communication, Curriculum, and Culture (C3) instrument is a well-established survey for measuring the professional learning climate or hidden curriculum in the clinical years of medical school. However, few instruments exist for assessing professionalism in the pre-clinical years. We adapted the C3 instrument and assessed its utility during the pre-clinical years at two U.S. medical schools. METHODS: The ten-item Pre-Clinical C3 survey was adapted from the C3 instrument. Surveys were administered at the conclusion of the first and second years of medical school using a repeated cross-sectional design. Factor analysis was performed and Cronbach's alphas were calculated for emerging dimensions. RESULTS: The authors collected 458 and 564 surveys at two medical schools during AY06-07 and AY07-09 years, respectively. Factor analysis of the survey data revealed nine items in three dimensions: "Patients as Objects", "Talking Respectfully of Colleagues", and "Patient-Centered Behaviors". Reliability measures (Cronbach's alpha) for the Pre-Clinical C3 survey data were similar to those of the C3 survey for comparable dimensions for each school. Gender analysis revealed significant differences in all three dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: The Pre-Clinical C3 instrument's performance was similar to the C3 instrument in measuring dimensions of professionalism. As medical education moves toward earlier and more frequent clinical and inter-professional educational experiences, the Pre-Clinical C3 instrument may be especially useful in evaluating the impact of curricular revisions

Increasing Faculty Satisfaction and Student Access to Online Education via Dedicated Technical Support Specialists

It is critical to have high-quality technical support and knowledge in synchronous social work classes (Marquart, Fleming, Rosenthal, & Hibbert, 2016; Marquart & Fleming, 2014). As many seasoned or novice online social work instructors have discovered, technology is not always predictable and technological disruptions or challenges are inevitable (Pardasani, Goldkind, Heyman, & Cross-Denny, 2012). To support the technological preparedness of both students and instructors, a closer look at technology support is needed for online social work courses (Levin, Fulginiti, & Moore, 2018). This poster overviews our School’s practice of having a dedicated technical support specialist for each course, called a Live Support Specialist (LSS)

Recruiting, Training, and Engaging Virtual Faculty via an Award-Winning Online Pedagogy Institute -- #SWDE2019

Columbia University School of Social Work's five-week Institute on Pedagogy and Technology for Online Courses prepares future instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) to become excellent educators with our Online Campus, which offers a fully online MSW degree. 151 participants from 31 US states have passed in the first four cohorts, and they have led about 100 online courses so far. The award-winning Institute includes weekly two-hour live virtual class sessions and about three hours of homework each week in our learning management system, and now offers CEUs. This session will share the details of this institute, and its social justice approach to online education

Trials of the urban ecologist

A group of scientists describe some of the obstacles encountered and insights gained while carrying out ecological research in and around the city of Indianapolis