Stellar Populations and the Star Formation Histories of LSB Galaxies: I. Optical and H-alpha Imaging

This paper presents optical and H-alpha imaging for a large sample of LSB galaxies selected from the PSS-II catalogs (Schombert et. al 1992). As noted in previous work, LSB galaxies span a range of luminosities (-10 > M_V > -20) and sizes (0.3 kpc < R_V25 < 10 kpc), although they are consistent in their irregular morphology. Their H-alpha luminosities (L(H-alpha) range from 10^36 to 10^41 ergs s^-1 (corresponding to a range in star formation, using canonical prescriptions, from 10^-5 to 1 M_solar yr^-1). Although their optical colors are at the extreme blue edge for galaxies, they are similar to the colors of dwarf galaxies (van Zee 2001) and gas-rich irregulars (Hunter & Elmegreen 2006). However, their star formation rates per unit stellar mass are a factor of ten less than other galaxies of the same baryonic mass, indicating that they are not simply quiescent versions of more active star forming galaxies. This paper presents the data, reduction techniques and new philosophy of data storage and presentation. Later papers in this series will explore the stellar population and star formation history of LSB galaxies using this dataset.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, accepted for Advances in Astronomy/Hindaw

The Relationship Between Community Policing, Police Profiling And Brutality, And How It Relates To Minority Communities’ Perceptions Of Police

Ethnic communities in the United States are at a greater risk of police-related mortality and experiencing racial profiling by the police and are more likely to report negative perceptions of the police than White Americans. Community policing has been proposed as a viable solution to this problem. Residents’ perceptions of the police seem to be predicted by race, where they live, and other factors. Studies also show that the intensity of racial profiling and brutality by the police differs in urban and suburban areas. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize the perceptions of the police across all communities. This study aimed to examine the degree and extent to which community policing is practiced and the likelihood of having experienced racial profiling or brutality by the police predicted residents’ perceptions of the police in urban and suburban communities. The researcher surveyed 112 participants using three quantitative instruments. A multivariate regression analysis revealed that the extent to which community policing is practiced and the likelihood of having experienced racial profiling or brutality by the police when combined had a highly significant predictive relationship and a moderate positive correlation with residents’ perceptions of the police, and explained 25.30 percent of the variance in residents’ perceptions of the police. Negative perceptions of the police decreased with an increase in community policing but increased with the likelihood of having experienced racial profiling. Location did not influence perceptions of the police. The findings encourage police departments to adopt community policing practices and train police officers against racial profiling and brutality. Keywords: community policing, racial profiling and brutality, perceptions of the polic

Stepping Stone or Road Block: An Evaluation of Community Colleges in the Midwest to Improve Attrition and Graduate Percentages of African American Students

The path towards higher education is not the same for all. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore why African American students enroll into community college in the Midwest at higher percentages than any other racial group but persist to graduation at the lowest percentages. Factors that hinder African American students from persisting toward graduation and eventual degree completion from a 2-year college were uncovered through interviews conducted with participants on community college campuses throughout the Midwest. Considering the findings of this study, it is suggested that professors and instructors use classroom interactions and instructional opportunities to provide mentorship to African American students that will support focus and ignite the determination to graduate. Additionally, career and life coaching should be offered to assist African American students toward graduation. Together these components of mentorship and assistance can encourage African American students to overcome the obstacles they face in reaching their goal to graduate

Observational study of children with autism who have participated in hyperbaric oxgen therapy

Autism is the fastest growing disability ever. With the growth comes a lot of questions as to the etiologies and treatment of this condition, often putting parents, schools, and traditional medical personnel at odds with what treatments have efficacy. As the popularity of alternative treatments increase, so does the need for research. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one alternative treatment parents are seeking for their child with autism. When one looks at the science behind hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the physical condition of a child with autism the rationale behind the treatment becomes clear. Research has shown that children with autism have decreased cerebral blood flow, neurological and gastrointestinal inflammation, reduction of purkinje cells, poor immune systems, increase of heavy metals, and deficits with their myelination. When these conditions are compared to the benefits one receives in hyperbarics a correlation is noted, and an understanding of why a child functioning improves. This research was a study of five children with school diagnosis of autism that were doing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Both the parents and the child\u27s teacher filled out a pre and post evaluation of the child using ATEC evaluation tool. The evaluation tool assessed improvements in the area of speech/language/communication, sociability, sensory/cognitive awareness, health/physical/behavior of a child with autism.The results were assessed with the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Personal Computer) software using t-test with Paired Samples Statistics data analysis to compare the pretest and posttest scores. All areas showed improvements. In speech/language/communication the parents reported a 6.33 percentage of improvements and the teachers reported a 10.34 percentage of improvements. In sociability the parents reported a 10.53 percentage of improvements and the teachers reported a 3.96 percentage of improvements. In sensory/cognitive awareness the parents reported a 4.11 percentage of improvements and the teachers reported a 14.29 percentage of improvements. Lastly, in health/physical/behavior the parents reported a 17.61 percentage of improvements and the teachers reported a 10.22 percentage of improvements. Overall, the study concluded that further research with a larger sample size is warranted to see if hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help benefit children with autism

Teacher Perceptions of Global Citizenship Education in a Southern Elementary Public School: Implications for Curriculum and Pedagogy

Curriculum for global citizenship education is gaining momentum as countries have experienced an increase in interdependence and interconnectedness through technology over the last century. Through qualitative research, this study employed a phenomenological methodology to understand how ten female elementary teachers in grades third- through fifth- at the site of the present study, located in Mundo Pax Elementary School (MPES), define global citizenship and how these teachers utilized their personal definitions to shape their curriculum within their classrooms. The data were collected through semi-structured personal interviews, the school-wide curriculum, teacher lesson plans, and final products projects. The researcher used the program Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software NVivo 10 to assist in the coding process, providing the researcher with a way to view themes from selected research segments. Themes that emerged from the interview data answered the research questions and include: 1) teacher perceptions about global citizenship; 2) roles and responsibilities for preparing global citizens; 3) promoting global citizenship in the classroom; and 4) challenges in global citizenship education. Overall the teacher participants felt that global citizenship involves the awareness of similarities and differences among cultures other than the cultures of their students. Some teacher participants also felt a global citizen is someone who is affected by or has an impact on the world. Most of the teacher participants in the present study felt there should be a shared responsibility when teaching global citizenship, although a few teacher participants felt it was their sole responsibility. Lack of preparation and implementation time was reiterated as the largest barrier by the participants, many of whom also felt that resistance from other teachers created challenges when implementing a curriculum for global citizenship education. Participants also cited lack of support from parents/guardians and the effect parental attitudes have on students concerning other cultures. In addition, the impact technology has on students\u27 interpersonal communication skills and a lack of monetary resources were cited as barriers

Perceptions of the Effects of Technical Competence on Female Adult Learners

Colleges and universities face some retention problems for female adult learners over the age of 25 who face technical requirements in higher education courses. However, little is known about how technology influences the experiences of female adult learners. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to identify how female adult learners over the age of 25 perceived the technical demands of the courses in their degree programs and how they coped with those demands. The conceptual frameworks for the study were the adult learning theory, which focuses on self-directed learning, and the transactional distance theory. Participants for this study were 12 female adult learners who reside in Tennessee who have been enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses and were over the age of 25. Data sources included face-to-face and phone interviews. Data were analyzed using open coding to identify patterns and themes. The findings of this study indicated that participants were influenced by the technical demands they faced. Participants attributed the extent of success in their courses to the level of technical competence they possessed during their time as students. Participants used individual coping strategies in their courses as well as resources provided by the institutions they attended. This study contributes to positive social change because it provides information that higher education institutions can use to both increase retention and help female adult learners succeed during their higher education careers