HIP to COLLEGE 2012-2015: Creating Strong Funding and Nonprofit Networks for Latino Student Success

For the past three-and-a-half years, through the HIP to College initiative, Hispanicsin Philanthropy has worked diligently to strengthen the academic success of Latino students and the long-term community advancement that results from their earning postsecondary degrees. With the support of generous partners, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the HIP to College initiative in North Carolina and Colorado worked to develop networks that support Latino students through high school and into college. Improving outcomes for Latino students is the priority of the HIP Education Focused Initiative. The success of this initiative has been remarkable. HIP is optimistic about the future of this work and its role in cultivating an educational landscape and partnerships in the United States that help Latino students thrive

A Study of Factors and Perceptions that Mediate Student Participation in Supplementary Discussion Forums

In higher education in a campus setting, student participation in even voluntary discussion forums can benefit both student and instructors. In engineering education, the benefits of collaborative discussion are particularly important. This thesis had two goals—to identify factors that influence student participation in supplementary class discussion forums, and to explore perceptions that students and instructors have about their class forums. The study took place at a large university in the United States. Six instructors and 369 students from nine computer science and engineering courses participated in the study. The first goal of the study was to identify facilitatory and inhibitory factors that mediate a student’s decision to participate or, conversely, not to participate, in a voluntary class discussion forum. Students were surveyed using the Forum Participation Mediator Instrument, which was developed for this study, that encompassed participation motivation, forum satisfaction, and help-seeking preferences. An exploratory factor analysis of student responses identified six components that characterized different mediators of participation—“engaged socially”, “urgent need”, “seek affirmation”, “lack confidence”, “view negatively”, and “do not prefer”. Multivariate analyses of variance showed that the components varied with respect to the students’ gender, class levels and subject majors. Multiple regression analysis showed that message posting frequency was significantly explained by student help-seeking preference, help urgency, grade point average and, most significantly, the class instructor. The second goal of the study was to investigate students’ and instructors’ perception of their class forums. A sentiment analysis of student responses to open-ended survey questions showed that, despite a negative perception of peer interaction, students overwhelming perceived the use of forums as positive. A thematic analysis based on interviews with six instructors resulted in five themes—"examples of use”, “instructor participation”, “forum use policies”, “perceptions of students”, and “support of students”. These defined two important instructional narratives, managing discussion and motivating discussion, which were supported by an existing analytical framework

LGBT+ Friendly: Campus Climate, Minority Stress, and Mental Health of LGBT+ College Students in Virginia

Members of the LGBT+ community are at a higher risk for mental health concerns like depression, not because an LGBT+ identity is inherently a mental illness but, because LGBT+ people have more stressful experiences due to their minority status. The minority stress model illustrates how discrimination affects the mental health of individuals who are part of socially marginalized groups. In regard to LGBT+ college/university students, experiences of discrimination may be unique to their campus. Within this study, LGBT+ college students from three institutions in Virginia were surveyed regarding their perceptions of campus climate, experiences of minority stress, and depression symptomatology. A more positive perception of campus climate predicted lower minority stress scores. Lower minority stress predicted lower depression symptoms. However, there were no indirect effects of campus climate on depression symptoms. These findings indicate that LGBT+ college students are facing minority stress and depression symptoms, and that campus climate affects experiences of minority stress, but it is unclear how campus climate relates to depression symptoms. More research is needed to investigate this potential relationship further

Black walnut plantations in West Virginia: Maximizing financial returns through decision modeling and cash flow analysis

The purpose of this study was to identify the management strategies that lead to maximum financial returns from a black walnut plantation. To evaluate a selection of plantation establishment scenarios, thinning treatments, and product objectives, an Excel-based black walnut financial model was updated and revised. Key updates to the model included incorporating three cash flows for 1) the collection and wholesale of black walnut sap, 2) producing black walnut syrup, and 3) leasing black walnut trees for tapping. Additionally, outputs from the Forest Vegetation Simulator were integrated into the model’s growth and yield projections as a means of more accurately projecting sawtimber, nut, and sap yields over a 70-year period. Financial criteria including Net Present Value (NPV), Equivalent Annual Income (EAI), Benefit/Cost Ratio (BCR), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) were calculated for a range of scenarios; NPV and IRR were used to rank each scenario. A discounted cash flow analysis was then performed, as well as sensitivity analyses to determine the impact of receiving cost-share funds, increasing plantation acreage and stumpage value, and adjusting the discount rate. Of the scenarios examined, NPV ranking indicated that the highest net returns are achieved by planting on 8 x 8 foot spacing without thinning, and gaining revenue through timber sales, nut harvesting, and leasing taps. The greatest losses were seen when planting on 8 x 8 foot spacing without thinning, but pursuing revenue through nut harvesting and wholesaling collected sap

Examining Middle School Teacher Practices and Attitudes Regarding Teaching Information Literacy Skills.

This study examined practices and attitudes towards teaching information literacy skills (ILS) of 30 teachers from two rural middle schools. Responses to a pre- and post-survey provided data to examine three research questions after participants completed an Information Literacy Skill Intervention for Middle School Teachers: 1. Does knowledge of ILS instruction influence projected teaching practices of participants? a. What changes, if any, are seen in participant self-reports regarding the frequency that they required students to complete information literacy (IL) tasks during past as compared to projected requirements for future research projects? b. What changes, if any, are seen in participant self-reports regarding the frequency that they provided ILS instruction for past research projects as compared to projected provision for future research projects? 2. What changes, if any, are seen in participant attitudes toward ILS instruction? 3. What do participants report as reasons for including and for not including ILS when teaching middle school students? Significant differences were seen between pre- and post-survey responses regarding ILS student tasks and instruction. Question 1 outcomes revealed significant changes regarding required ILS student tasks, with key changes evidenced for evaluating the information solving process; defining the problem; identifying appropriate resources; and evaluating the product or performance. Question 2 results revealed significant changes regarding increased teacher belief in instructing students to evaluate resources for validity and citing sources to avoid plagiarism; a shift in teacher attitudes regarding who should teach ILS and in which courses it should be taught, with notable shifts for art, music, and mathematics. The findings suggest most participants recognized the value of including ILS in instruction and requiring students to complete ILS tasks to increase research skills. Participant open-ended responses for Question 3 suggest a belief in the importance of ILS and the inclusion of ILS in all subject areas, with less agreement regarding ILS for math and physical education. Participants expressed a need for professional development to appropriately include ILS instruction and student tasks for future research projects. Implications include areas such as instructional design for intervention, professional development for current teachers, and training for future educators

Lateral exchange of water and nitrogen along a beaver-dammed stream draining a Rocky Mountain valley

Dynamic exchange of water across the stream-riparian zone interface is important in increasing stream water transit time through basins and enhancing redox-sensitive biogeochemical reactions that influence downstream water quality and ecosystem health. Such exchange may be enhanced by beaver dams, which are common throughout low order streams in North America, Europe, and Argentina. Lateral exchanges of water and nitrogen (N) were observed along a beaver dammed, third-order stream draining a 1.3 km2 Canadian Rocky Mountain valley bottom capped in peat. Measurements of hydraulic heads and chloride concentrations from a network of 80 water table wells were used to identify areas of stream water and groundwater mixing in the riparian area, and their spatiotemporal dynamics in summer 2008. Beaver were found to be the greatest factor affecting lateral movement of channel water into the riparian area. Channel water flowed laterally into the riparian area upstream of the dams and back to the channel downstream of the dams. The hyporheic zone expanded by ¡Ü1.5 m in the un-dammed reaches, but upwards of 7.5 m or more when dams were present. High contributions of stream water were found far out in the riparian area where dams were not immediately present within the stream reach, suggesting that upstream dams directed stream water into the riparian area where it travelled down valley before returning to the stream. This suggests that multiple dams create hyporheic flow paths at multiple scales. Potential mass flux calculations show the riparian area immediately downstream of the beaver dam was a source of N and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the stream, and a sink along the rest of the reach. Cold spots of N and DOC availability were also found along the beaver-driven flow paths in the riparian area adjacent to the dam. This pattern likely developed due to flushing of nutrients along the beaver driven hyporheic flow vectors. This work enhances our understanding of stream-aquifer exchange and N dynamics in riparian areas, and the effects of beaver on these processes

We Set the Climate: Implications for Rural School Counselors in Creating LGBTQIA-affirming Schools

This phenomenological qualitative study examined a Southern regional sample (N=9) of rural school counselors’ perspectives of the procedures and processes that contributed to their ability to create safe zones in an effort to make their schools more LGBTQIA-affirming. The researchers identified five key themes and twelve subthemes. The key themes were: (a) organized support system, (b) collaborations with school leadership, (c) addressing challenges, (d) utilization of professional development resources, and (e) adherence to professional ethics

Realising potential and recognising paradox: The national induction and mentoring project

Although comprehensive policy and resourcing of beginning teacher induction and mentoring can improve teacher retention and quality, there is growing recognition that combining on-site leadership and policy is integral to providing effective learning for teachers. This has led to an increased interest in melding policy and resources with school and service leadership to promote consistency of beginning teachers’ induction and mentoring experiences. This article describes and provides insights into a project involving four pilots which are trialling the draft national guidelines for effective induction programmes and mentor teacher development. An external evaluation across the four pilots has revealed that national guidelines can be a positive lever for effecting change in induction and mentoring practices. Implementing such change nationally will require leaders to take seriously an educative, transformative approach to learning for both beginning teachers and their mentors