A human approach to restructuring the education system: why schools in England need social pedagogy

In this article, we contend that the current schools’ system in England needs to be carefully reconsidered if we are to offer opportunities for success (in its broadest sense) to those whom our current, technocratic education system excludes. With a focus on social pedagogy and human-centred learning systems, we argue that continued modifications to the existing education system are no longer sufficient and that an ideology overhaul is needed before any significant positive progress can be made. To this end, we suggest various ways that schools might work towards developing healthier and more inclusive communities, built on the key social pedagogical foundations of positive relationships, democracy, inclusion, creativity and pedagogical love. We also make recommendations for an education system in which the teacher, as a highly trained professional, can enjoy a professional autonomy commensurate with their level of qualification. Finally, we dispel some of the myths that have prevented radical, community-focused change to date

Valor nutritivo de pastagens de capim-elefante manejadas sob sistema convencional e agroecológico.

O capim-elefante é utilizado, na sua grande maioria, em sistemas convencionais de produção animal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar o valor nutritivo do capimelefante em sistemas de manejo agroecológico e convencional, quanto a proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS). Foram usados quatro piquetes, com 0,12ha cada um. No sistema convencional, o capim-elefante foi estabelecido singularmente. No sistema agroecológico, o plantio foi feito em linhas afastadas de 3m. Nas entrelinhas, estabeleceu-se a aveia e o azevém no período hibernal, enquanto que no período estival permitiu-se o desenvolvimento de espécies espontâneas. A adubação foi feita com fertilizantes orgânicos (150kg ha-1 de N). No sistema agroecológico, foram conduzidos sete pastejos, de 24/04/2004 a 05/05/2005. Na pastagem convencional, usouse a mesma quantidade de N (uréia), sendo conduzidos quatro ciclos de pastejo, de 06/10/2004 a 05/05/2005. Para ambos os sistemas foram utilizadas vacas da raça Holandês, recebendo complementação alimentar de 3,5kg dia-1 de concentrado com 20% de proteína bruta, constituindo-se nos animais experimentais. Nas avaliações, considerou-se a massa de forragem inicial com base na matéria seca (MS), os componentes botânicos da pastagem e estruturais do capimelefante. As análises de qualidade foram feitas em amostras de pastejo simulado. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com dois tratamentos, convencional e agroecológico, duas repetições (piquetes) e em parcelas incompletas subdivididas no tempo (pastejos). Houve interação (P<0,05) entre tratamentos e pastejos em todas as variáveis. Na pastagem agroecológica, o modelo que melhor se ajustou foi o cúbico para todas as variáveis, em função do tempo de pastejo. Na pastagem convencional, a PB e a DIVMS ajustaram-se melhor ao modelo linear, com taxa positiva de crescimento, sendo observado comportamento inverso para FDN, com o decorrer dos pastejos. Tanto na pastagem convencional quanto na agroecológica encontraram-se associações negativas entre lâmina foliar do capim-elefante com PB e DIVMS e positiva com FDN. Ambos os sistemas apresentaram teores qualitativos elevados das pastagens, considerando-se a adubação, o manejo e o tempo de utilização

The population biology of the living coelacanth studied over 21 years

Between 1986 and 2009 nine submersible and remote-operated vehicle expeditions were carried out to study the population biology of the coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae in the Comoro Islands, located in the western Indian Ocean. Latimeria live in large overlapping home ranges that can be occupied for as long as 21 years. Most individuals are confined to relatively small home ranges, resting in the same caves during the day. One hundred and forty five coelacanths are individually known, and we estimate the total population size of Grande Comore as approximately 300–400 adult individuals. The local population inhabiting a census area along an 8-km section of coastline remained stable for at least 18 years. Using LASER-assisted observations, we recorded length frequencies between 100 and 200 cm total length and did not encounter smaller-bodied individuals (\100 cm total length). It appears that coelacanth recruitment in the observation areas occur mainly by immigrating adults. We estimate that the mean numbers of deaths and newcomers are 3–4 individuals per year, suggesting that longevity may exceed 100 years. The domestic fishery represents a threat to the long-term survival of coelacanths in the study area. Recent changes in the local fishery include a decrease in the abundance of the un-motorized canoes associated with exploitation of coelacanths and an increase in motorized canoes. Exploitation rates have fallen in recent years, and by 2000, had fallen to lowest ever reported. Finally, future fishery developments are discussed

Herbage Accumulation and Nutritive Value of Limpograss Breeding Lines Under Stockpiling Management.

Supplements or conserved forage are often used to overcome forage quantity deficits for beef cattle, but stockpiled forage can be more economical. Limpograss [Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf & C.E. Hubb.] is the best available species for stockpiling in Florida because it is productive in autumn and maintains greater digestibility than other grasses at advanced stages of maturity. New limpograss hybrid breeding lines have been developed, but they have not been tested under stockpiling. Three limpograss breeding lines (1, 4F, and 10) and the most-used cultivar, Floralta, received 50 or 100 kg N ha?1 at initiation of stockpiling and herbage accumulated for 8, 12, or 16 wk. Entry 4F had greater herbage accumulation (7.3 Mg ha?1) than Entries 10, 1, and Floralta (6.1, 6.0, and 5.4 Mg ha?1, respectively). Entry 4F also had greater in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentration (530?594 g kg?1) than Entries 1 and Floralta, but 4F was not different from Entry 10 (519?531 g kg?1) after 12 and 16 wk of accumulation. As stockpiling period increased from 8 to 16 wk, herbage accumulation increased from 5.3 to 7.4 Mg ha?1, dead material proportion increased from 1 to 10%, and herbage crude protein (CP) decreased from 44 to 32 g kg?1. Limpograss hybrids 4F and 10 are superior to Floralta for stockpiling, stockpiling period should not be longer than 12 wk, and protein supplement will be required to achieve satisfactory animal performance on stockpiled limpograss

Capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), sob duas doses de nitrogênio. Consumo e produção de leite

A produção de leite, o consumo voluntário de matéria seca e a taxa de passagem da FDN no trato gastrintestinal em quatro épocas do ano (julho, outubro, janeiro e março), de vacas mestiças, sob pastejo de capim-elefante, submetido a dois níveis de nitrogênio (300 e 700 kg de N/ha•ano), foram estimados. Foi usado pastejo rotativo com três dias de ocupação e 30 de descanso, empregando-se 36 vacas lactantes mestiças Holandês x Zebu, em uma lotação de 6 vacas/ha. A estimativa de consumo e a taxa de passagem foram determinadas em apenas 24 animais. Para a coleta de extrusas, foram usadas duas vacas esôfago-fistuladas. O consumo foi estimado usando-se a relação produção fecal:indigestibilidade dos alimentos. A produção fecal foi estimada usando-se a FDN da extrusa marcada com dicromato de sódio fornecida em dose única. O consumo de MS total não foi influenciado pelas doses de N e por épocas do ano, com valores médios diários de 10,9 e 10,5 kg /MS•vaca para as doses de 300 e 700 kg N/ha•ano, respectivamente. Entretanto, o consumo de MS do capim-elefante foi influenciado por doses de N e épocas, com valores de 6,5 e 5,6 kg/vaca•dia para as doses de N supracitadas, respectivamente. O capim-elefante contribuiu com 26,0% da MS total ingerida, durante a época seca (julho/outubro) e sua contribuição aumentou para 84,0% na época das águas (janeiro/março). A produção diária de leite não foi influenciada por doses de N, com produções médias de 11,6 e 12,3 kg de leite/vaca•dia, para as doses de 300 e 700 kg N/ha•ano, respectivamente.The milk production, the dry matter intake (DMI) and the NDF passage rate in the gastrointestinal tract in four seasons (July, October, January and March), of crossbred cows, under grazing of elephant grass, submitted to two levels of nitrogen (300 and 700 kg N/ha•year) were estimated. The rotation grazing with three days of occupation and 30 days of resting, using 36 crossbred Holstein Zebu milking cows, in a stocking rate of 6 cows/ha, was used. The estimates of the intake and passage rate were determined only in 24 animals. For the extrusa collection, two esophageal fistulated cows were used. The intake was estimated using the fecal output: feed indigestibility ratio. The fecal output was estimated using the NDF of the extrusa marked with sodium dichromium fed in an unique dose. The total dry matter intake was not affected by the N levels and the year seasons, with average values of 10.9 and 10.5 kg DM/cow, for the levels of 300 and 700kg N/ha•year, respectively. However, the DM intake of the elephant grass was affected by N levels and year seasons, with reported values of 6.55 e 5.63 kg/cow•day, for the above described N levels, respectively. The elephant grass contributed with 26% of the total DM intake during the dry season (July/October) and its contribution increased up to 84% in the rainy season (January/March). The milk production was not affected by N levels, with reported average production of 11.6 and 12.3 kg/cow•day, for the levels of 300 and 700 kg N/ha•year, respectively