Face-to-face and virtual mathematics enrichment for rural schools: intersection of teachers, students, technology and pedagogy

In this paper the authors report on the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Mathematics Rural and Regional Communities (MRRC) project. This project is an extension to the Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP), which has been running since 2007. Since the MEP’s inception, more than 500 students, 29 schools, 15 pre-service teachers (who are involved to gain practical teaching experience) and many volunteer university lecturers and other mathematics and education professionals have been involved. The MRRC project builds on USQ’s MEP to offer content in an online or virtual format. Through an interactive virtual environment, the MRRC project connects regional high schools to USQ’s two campuses to build the capacity of the teachers and students involved. The authors describe the overall aim and structure of the MRRC program, preliminary evaluations of the program, analysis of the virtual space and future plans for the program

Who Helps Public Schools: A Portrait of Local Education Funds, 1991-2001

This study was commissioned by PEN with the goals of building awareness about the vital role and characteristics of LEFs and educating policymakers, the media and the public. Through the provision of data on the financial, programmatic and functional aspects of this relatively new movement, this research intends to more clearly define LEFs and distinguish them from other nonprofit organizations involved in K-12 public education at the local level.This report was written by Linda M. Lampkin and David D. Stern, with assistance from Sheryl Romeo, all at the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy based in Washington, DC. The project was commissioned by the Public Education Network in Washington, DC

Adoption, adaptation, stabilization and stagnation: software appropriation over time

Persistent use of an information technology is necessary if it is to enhance productivity and user satisfaction. In this paper, we examine the process of appropriation of an application software over time, to gain a deeper understanding of the influences that encourage productive and persistent use. In a longitudinal study in an educational setting, through intensive field research, we identify changing expectations and influences that encourage persistent use of a technology above and beyond adoption. We identify further appropriation beyond initial stabilization and suggest that easy access to ongoing training is a driving force in avoiding stagnation and encouraging productive use

Growth of Flagellar Filaments of Escherichia coli is Independent of Filament Length

Bacterial flagellar filaments grow at their distal ends, from flagellin that travels through a central channel $\sim 2 nm$ in diameter. The flagellin is extruded from the cytoplasm by a pump powered by a proton motive force (PMF). We measured filament growth in cells near the mid-exponential-phase with flagellin bearing a specific cysteine-for-serine substitution, allowing filaments to be labeled with sulfhydryl-specific fluorescent dyes. We labeled filaments first with a green maleimide dye and then, following an additional period of growth, with a red maleimide dye. The contour lengths of the green and red segments were measured. The average lengths of red segments $(2.3 \mu m)$ were the same regardless of the lengths of the green segments from which they grew (ranging from less than 1 to more than $9 \mu m$ in length). Thus, flagellar filaments do not grow at a rate that decreases exponentially with length, as formerly supposed. If flagellar filaments were broken by viscous shear, the broken filaments continued to grow. Identical results were obtained whether flagellin was expressed from fliC on the chromosome under the control of its native promoter or on a plasmid under the control of the arabinose promoter.Molecular and Cellular BiologyPhysic

How We Got Here: Connectivity, Creativity, Confluence and Internet Culture

There are more innovations today than at any time in human history. The companies that value creativity and diversity of ideas in their hires are the ones most likely to thrive. Indeed, the key asset of a corporation is the abilities, innovativeness, and creativity of its employees. The authors construct a timeline of critical events leading up to today’s highly networked and interconnected world with its ubiquitous social media technologies. The current state has been influenced by advances in media, technology, military defense, and commerce. One trend that stands out in this timeline is the increasing rate of change. It also becomes apparent that the companies that will survive are the ones that are nimble, sensitive to changes in the competitive environment, and can quickly adapt

Is There a Next For Reference Librarians?

In this opinion piece four reference librarians at a medium sized academic library in Louisiana, describe their experience with an unanticipated effect of educational technology (online computers) and their recommendations for taking advantage of this effect. This paper makes a case for teaching as the new occupation for reference librarians

A Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Support for Social Movements: The Case of Environmentalism

We present a theory of the basis of support for a social movement. Three types of support (citizenship actions, policy support and acceptance, and personal-sphere behaviors that accord with movement principles) are empirically distinct from each other and from committed activism. Drawing on theoretical work on values and norm-activation processes, we propose a value-belief-norm (VBN) theory of movement support. Individuals who accept a movement\u27s basic values, believe that valued objects are threatened, and believe that their actions can help restore those values experience an obligation (personal norm) for pro-movement action that creates a predisposition to provide support; the particular type of support that results is dependent on the individual\u27s capabilities and constraints. Data from a national survey of 420 respondents suggest that the VBN theory, when compared with other prevalent theories, offers the best available account of support for the environmental movement

Adaptive evolution of chloroplast genome structure inferred using a parametric bootstrap approach

BACKGROUND: Genome rearrangements influence gene order and configuration of gene clusters in all genomes. Most land plant chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) share a highly conserved gene content and with notable exceptions, a largely co-linear gene order. Conserved gene orders may reflect a slow intrinsic rate of neutral chromosomal rearrangements, or selective constraint. It is unknown to what extent observed changes in gene order are random or adaptive. We investigate the influence of natural selection on gene order in association with increased rate of chromosomal rearrangement. We use a novel parametric bootstrap approach to test if directional selection is responsible for the clustering of functionally related genes observed in the highly rearranged chloroplast genome of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, relative to ancestral chloroplast genomes. RESULTS: Ancestral gene orders were inferred and then subjected to simulated rearrangement events under the random breakage model with varying ratios of inversions and transpositions. We found that adjacent chloroplast genes in C. reinhardtii were located on the same strand much more frequently than in simulated genomes that were generated under a random rearrangement processes (increased sidedness; p < 0.0001). In addition, functionally related genes were found to be more clustered than those evolved under random rearrangements (p < 0.0001). We report evidence of co-transcription of neighboring genes, which may be responsible for the observed gene clusters in C. reinhardtii cpDNA. CONCLUSION: Simulations and experimental evidence suggest that both selective maintenance and directional selection for gene clusters are determinants of chloroplast gene order