Teachers’ Perceptions of Creativity and How It Relates to Primary School Science: A Reflection

The aim of my MA dissertation was to explore teachers' perceptions of creativity and how this relates to primary science lessons through the context of an Academy mantra which stated that teachers will endeavour 'to develop a child's creativity'. My literature review makes the case that creativity is a set of skills or traits a person holds which can be developed through acts such as being taught creatively and being situated within a creative environment. These skills can be used across the curriculum, meaning creativity is not subject- bound. As a scientist one would need to: make unforeseen connections, have originality of ideas, articulacy and curiosity which are all key skills of creativity. This also demonstrates how creativity does not have one definition and how the notion that it has can blur professional judgment and cause confusion. Using a case study, a questionnaire was completed by teachers and senior leaders within the school and this was followed by three semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were able to discuss their own perception of creativity, how it appears in their classroom and what barriers they face in promoting it. These questionnaires and interviews were evaluated to generate themes. There was one unexpected finding in the first interview, so I took the opportunity to explore this further in the subsequent two interviews and discuss this in the critical review

Wind turbine acoustic standards

A program is being conducted to develop noise standards for wind turbines which minimize annoyance and which can be used to design specifications. The approach consists of presenting wind turbine noise stimuli to test subjects in a laboratory listening chamber. The responses of the subjects are recorded for a range of stimuli which encompass the designs, operating conditions, and ambient noise levels of current and future installations. Results to date have established the threshold of detectability for a range of impulsive stimuli of the type associated with blade/tower wake interactions. The status of the ongoing psychoacoustic tests, the subjective data, and the approach to the development of acoustic criteria/standards are described

Epithelial organization and cyst lumen expansion require efficient Sec13-Sec31-driven secretion

Epithelial morphogenesis is directed by interactions with the underlying extracellular matrix. Secretion of collagen and other matrix components requires efficient coat complex II (COPII) vesicle formation at the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we show that suppression of the outer layer COPII component, Sec13, in zebrafish embryos results in a disorganized gut epithelium. In human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2), Sec13 depletion causes defective epithelial polarity and organization on permeable supports. Defects are seen in the ability of cells to adhere to the substrate, form a monolayer and form intercellular junctions. When embedded in a three-dimensional matrix, Sec13-depleted Caco-2 cells form cysts but, unlike controls, are defective in lumen expansion. Incorporation of primary fibroblasts within the three-dimensional culture substantially restores normal morphogenesis. We conclude that efficient COPII-dependent secretion, notably assembly of Sec13–Sec31, is required to drive epithelial morphogenesis in both two- and three-dimensional cultures in vitro, as well as in vivo. Our results provide insight into the role of COPII in epithelial morphogenesis and have implications for the interpretation of epithelial polarity and organization assays in cell culture

The Development and Failure of Social Norms in Second Life

This Note analyzes the development and efficacy of social norms in maximizing the welfare of participants in the virtual community of Second Life. Although some of these norms developed appropriately in response to the objectives and purposes of this virtual world, Second Life is so thoroughly steeped in conditions that have impeded the development of successful social norms in other communities that any system of social norms in Second Life will ultimately fail. Because social norms will likely,fail to successfully maximize resident welfare, regulatory schemes imposed both by the operators of the virtual world and by real-world governing institutions are needed to enhance the functioning of this particular alternative reality inhabited by millions

Book Review: A Right to Read; Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama’s Public Libraries, 1900-1965

A review of the book A Right to Read;Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama’sPublic Libraries, 1900-1965, by Patterson Toby Graham. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2002