Putting down roots in environmental literacy: a study of middle school students\u27 participation in Louisiana Sea Grant\u27s Coastal Roots Project

Few people realize that in Louisiana land is lost to open water at about a rate of 24 square miles a year, faster than anywhere else in the world (Barras, Beville, Britsch, Hartley, Hawes, Jonston, Kemp, Kinler, Martucci, Porthouse, Reed, Roy, Sapkota, & Suhayda, 2003). Not only is the public low to moderately environmentally literate, there is a need to reach students early on to ensure the greatest benefit. This is the main reason why Louisiana Sea Grant¡¦s Coastal Roots Wetland Seedling Nursery Project (Coastal Roots) came into inception. The goal of the project is to improve environmental literacy of participating students, by fostering a sense of ownership through raising wetland plants. An environmentally literate person combines his/her knowledge of ecology with values that will lead to action (Morrone, Mancl, & Carr, 2001). The addition of a formal education component to Coastal Roots was needed increase students¡¦ environmental knowledge. Therefore, six lesson plans were developed by the researcher to give students a broad view of Louisiana wetland habitats and deltaic geology and administered by teachers in three middle schools. The 7 and 8 grade classes were purposefully selected based on roughly equivalent ability of the teacher and students. Teachers were observed teaching lessons to their treatment classes. Students were pretest and posttested and 4 treatment students from each school participated in a group clinical interview. Pretest and posttest results were examined using the statistical randomized block design with repeated measures showed a significant (t ƒ¬ 0.0001) improvement of knowledge for the treatment group. There was no statistical difference among schools or between grade levels of students. The results from the qualitative dimensions support the classroom-tested, innovative unit materials developed for this study appear to be applicable to similar environmental science learning situation throughout the Deep South. These results supports the hypothesis that included educational unit can improve the environmental literacy of students¡¦ participation in Coastal Roots

Solution of linear programs- an algorithm

A linear programming problem, of minimizing a linear combination of variables subject to a linear set of inequalities, is presented

Referencing for nursing, health, and social care undergraduates; what do students understand and what do academics know?

Accurate referencing is a key tenet of academic work for all disciplines, though not all nursing, health and social care students consistently apply principles during their studies (Froste 2020; Lynch et al 2016). This can hinder a student’s academic achievement, with professional implications should practice fall far below expected standards (HCPC 2016; NMC 2023). Universities produce resources and signpost guides for students on referencing, though despite this practice remains sub optimal. This project is designed to uncover what nursing, health and social care students know about referencing and what academic staff teaching these students, think students know about referencing

Evolution of red wines II. An assessment of the role of acetaldehyde

Factors influencing formation and utilisation of acetaldehyde during red vinification have been examined, with emphasis on its production during primary fermentation and depletfon during early maturation.Acetaldehyde concentrations in new wines were controlled at predictably low levels by addition of SO2 at 30- 50 mg/l before fermentation. There was no appreciable effect from yeast strain, pH or temperature on acetaldehyde production. Significant decrease in acetaldehyde, a-ketoglutaric acid and pyruvic acid, with release of free SO2, occurred during malolactic fermentation. The rate of acetaldehyde consumption in sterile-filtered wine was increased at higher te·mperature and decreased by the presence of free SO2 at high levels. Progressive change in pigment composition of new wines was not influenced by variation in bound acetaldehyde within the range 2-103 mg/l.Acetaldehyde concentration also decreased in a majority of red wines during conservation in commercial cellars. Increases were attributed to abnormal conditions of wine exposure to air. lt was concluded that acetaldehyde formation in wine is probably a surface phenomenon, involving autoxidation of ethanol at the wine interface with atmospheric oxygen. Increase in acetaldehyde during vinification was considered to be adverse in relation to sensory properties and stability of red wine