Hunting flowers: home and its poetic deceits

Peer-reviewed article.A personal exploration of a feeling of displacement in the author's life, through discourse, poetry, and correspondence

Early care professionals' perspective of sociodramatic play.

This qualitative study was conducted to deepen the understanding of the Early Care Professional's perspective while implementing sociodramatic play. Data was gathered and categorized from two interviews of each of the five Early Care Professionals, field notes and observations. Four themes emerged: ECPs Chose Props and Themes, ECPs Use Reflective Practice, Stepping into Sociodramatic Play, and ECPs Inform Parents. Recommendations for further study are as follows: how the impact of props affect the child's choice of play themes, a need for peer idea sharing or mentoring, a need to raise the awareness of the importance of rough and tumble play for young children, and a need to create a classroom community which includes, respects and understands the needs of the child's family.--Abstract

Promoting the Development of Positive Attitudes in a Culturally Pluralistic Classroom

This project addressed the following question: How can teachers promote positive attitudes in a culturally pluralistic classroom? The review of related literature revealed a shortage of both research and practical applications regarding multicultural approaches in the classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to develop a curriculum which incorporated appropriate learning activities and strategies designed to enhance positive attitudes toward cultural differences in the elementary classroom. The project was developed for third graders and goals which promoted a multicultural perspective were outlined. An attitudinal survey was developed and administered as a pre test to establish entry level attitudes toward diversity. Activities designed to facilitate the goal of the project were implemented during a six-week period. The attitudinal survey was readministered as a post test to assess potential changes in students\u27 attitudes. The data gathered was analyzed using comparisons of pre and post test responses. Positive movement occurred regarding each statement on the survey and ranged from negligible to significant. It was therefore determined that the unit of instruction fostered the development of more positive attitudes in a culturally pluralistic classroom. Other conclusions and recommendations were also included

Durability Assessment of TiAl Alloys

The durability of TiAl is a prime concern for the implementation of TiAl into aerospace engines. Two durability issues, the effect of high temperature exposure on mechanical properties and impact resistance, have been investigated and the results are summarized in this paper. Exposure to elevated temperatures has been shown to be detrimental to the room temperature ductility of gamma alloys with the most likely mechanisms being the ingress of interstitials from the surface. Fluorine ion implantation has been shown to improve the oxidation resistance of gamma alloys, and ideally it could also improve the environmental embrittlement of high Nb content TiAl alloys. The effect of F ion implantation on the surface oxidation and embrittlement of a third generation, high Nb content TiAl alloy (Ti-45Al-5Nb-B-C) were investigated. Additionally, the ballistic impact resistance of a variety of gamma alloys, including Ti-48Al-2Cr- 2Nb, Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb, ABB-2, ABB-23, NCG359E, 95A and Ti-45Al-5Nb-B-C was accessed. Differences in the ballistic impact properties of the various alloys will be discussed, particularly with respect to their manufacturing process, microstructure, and tensile properties

How to Collect your Water Sample and Interpret the Results for the Poultry Analytical Package

Rapidly growing birds may consume up to twice as much water as feed (Scantling and Watkins 2013), which means a plentiful supply of clean water is crucial for poultry health and productivity. To determine the quality of your poultry’s water resources, periodic sampling and analysis is needed. Analyzing water supplies can also be a crucial tool in identifying existing or potential challenges. The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the UA Cooperative Extension Service offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance to poultry producers on collecting water samples for analysis and understanding the “Poultry Water Report Form” provided by the AWRC’s Water Quality Laboratory (Lab). The information contained within this fact sheet should be used as general guidance, and the reader is encouraged to seek advice from Extension specialists regarding the interpretation of individual reports and water testing results that may be of concern

Assessing Teacher Beliefs about Early Literacy Curriculum Implementation

McKenney, S., Bradley, B., & Boschman, F. (2011, 8-12 April). Assessing Teacher Beliefs about Early Literacy Curriculum Implementation. Presentation at AERA annual meeting, New Orleans.Against the backdrop of growing international concern for a narrowing view of early literacy, this study was initiated to determine how teachers of four-year-olds view their task of fostering early literacy. This paper reports on the first steps to design and validate an instrument which captures teachers’ perceptions of: early literacy content goals; developmentally appropriate and effective pedagogical practices related to each content goal; and their own competencies to offer a suitable environment for developing early literacy. The content validity of the instrument was evaluated by an expert screening; the reliability and practicality of the instrument are being assessed through a pilot study involving 40 teachers from two countries; this paper reports on the findings from the first 20 teachers. Validation findings indicate that the instrument appears to be reliable. The findings from the pilot run show that teachers focus on decoding skills most; there is some attention to book orientation and understanding, and relatively little to the functions of written language

School sport and academic achievement

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Physical Education and School Sport (PESS) is an integral part of the school curriculum in Ireland. Historically the Healthy Body, Healthy Mind philosophy has promoted the inclusion of PESS alongside more cognitive school subjects and research suggests that PESS can promote cognitive function and provide educational benefits. However there is little research on how the choice of school sport influences academic achievement. This case study aims to investigate how participation in school sport influences the Leaving Certificate points score in an Irish secondary school. In particular, the study will investigate how the particular sport chosen by students participating in school sport during their Leaving Certificate years influences their Leaving Certificate results. METHODS: The study recorded the Leaving Certificate scores and sporting participation from 402 school children graduating from an all-boys secondary school in the Republic of Ireland during the period 2008-2011. Sports participation was assigned one of four categories: Rugby; Rowing; Soccer; No Sport. RESULTS: Participation in a sport during the Leaving Certificate years conferred a 25.4 point benefit to the final Leaving Certificate score. However, participation in Rowing, the only individual sport available in the study, resulted in significantly higher Leaving Certificate scores than Rugby, Soccer and No Sport (p < .05), conferring an additional 73.4 point benefit over the next highest group, Rugby. CONCLUSION: Promoting participation in school sport and providing access to a range of team and individual sports throughout the secondary school years may be a beneficial way to improve students Leaving Certificate results

Occupational therapy-led pulmonary rehabilitation: A practice analysis

Statement of context: Pulmonary rehabilitation is accepted as an essential strategy for the management of respiratory disease. However, there is wide variation in models of service delivery, and evidence to understand which elements are most effective is less clear. This analysis outlines key elements of an occupational therapy-led pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Critical reflection on practice: It is proposed that the core focus on occupation and the unique skills and reasoning of occupational therapists contribute to positive outcomes for service users. Implications for practice: Occupational therapists are ideally placed to lead and develop pulmonary rehabilitation programmes. As there is genuine uncertainty about which elements are most effective, this analysis should encourage further evaluation and research