Gender effect on classroom management skills and competencies of teachers: A meta-analysis study

This study aims at determining the effect sizes of perceptions and opinions of teachers regarding classroom management skills and competencies according to their gender. 19 journal articles out of 28 journal articles specializing on teachers’ classroom management skills and competencies in Turkey downloaded from the national thesis archives of Higher Education Institution appropriate to inclusion criteria are included in the study. Also, moderators which could not be included to the assessment of primary researches as publication type, publication year, region where study conducted, educational level, school type, scale type, branches of the teachers and gender of the researcher moderators were analyzed as variables. As a result, according to fixed effects model (d=0,149) and random effects model (d=0,133) in favor of female teachers, effect size was statistically significant. Moderator analysis revealed that publication type (p=0,001), type of scale (either ready or improved) (p=0,049) and validity and reliability studies (p=0,008) were found as moderators. Furthermore, effect sizes of researches showed that gender awareness included a continuing tendency over the years. Moderator analysis showed that school type (p=0,054), educational level (p=0,477), region where research was conducted (p=0,075), teachers’ branches (p=0,257) and gender of the researchers were not considered as moderators. As a result, it is recommended not to use gender as an important independent variable in studies in relation to teachers’ perceptions and opinions on classroom management skills and competencies

An interdisciplinary and participatory methodology to improve user acceptability of root, tuber and banana varieties

Breeding programmes for root, tuber and banana (RTB) crops have traditionally considered consumer demand for quality characteristics low priority against other considerations such as yield and disease resistance. This has contributed to low levels of adoption of new varieties and its potential benefits. To address these challenges, an interdisciplinary five‐step methodology was developed to identify demand for quality characteristics among diverse user groups along the food chain. The methodology includes an evidence review, consultations with key informants and rural communities, processing diagnosis with experienced processors, and consumer testing in urban and rural areas. Quality characteristics are then prioritised into a Food Product Profile by user group to inform further work of biochemists and breeders in developing improved selection tools. This initiative presents a new basis to understand consumer preferences for RTB crops. The methodology is currently being applied in projects in sub‐Saharan Africa and is applicable globally

Transcriptional response of virus-infected cassava and identification of putative sources of resistance for cassava brown streak disease

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a major food staple in sub-Saharan Africa, which is severely affected by cassava brown streak disease (CBSD). The aim of this study was to identify resistance for CBSD as well as to understand the mechanism of putative resistance for providing effective control for the disease. Three cassava varieties; Kaleso, Kiroba and Albert were inoculated with cassava brown streak viruses by grafting and also using the natural insect vector the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. Kaleso expressed mild or no disease symptoms and supported low concentrations of viruses, which is a characteristic of resistant plants. In comparison, Kiroba expressed severe leaf but milder root symptoms, while Albert was susceptible with severe symptoms both on leaves and roots. Real-time PCR was used to estimate virus concentrations in cassava varieties. Virus quantities were higher in Kiroba and Albert compared to Kaleso. The Illumina RNA-sequencing was used to further understand the genetic basis of resistance. More than 700 genes were uniquely overexpressed in Kaleso in response to virus infection compared to Albert. Surprisingly, none of them were similar to known resistant gene orthologs. Some of the overexpressed genes, however, belonged to the hormone signalling pathways and secondary metabolites, both of which are linked to plant resistance. These genes should be further characterised before confirming their role in resistance to CBSD

‘They think we are delaying their outputs’. The challenges of interdisciplinary research: understanding power dynamics between social and biophysical scientists in international crop breeding teams

Public sector crop improvement for development programmes aims to produce varieties tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers and their environments. Understanding how social heterogeneity, including gender, drives trait preferences is essential to ensure that crop improvement objectives meet farmers’ and stakeholder demands. This requires an interdisciplinary approach, integrating social science knowledge with crop breeding. Although the necessity of interdisciplinary research is recognised and promoted, it is impeded by a multitude of challenges including ontological and epistemological differences, institutional and global hierarchies, disciplinary power relations and struggles for scientific authority. The Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) sector is marked by entrenched power differentials, including dominance of the biophysical sciences, a historical emphasis on technical solutions which ignores social contexts, and the underrepresentation of women scientists and farmers themselves. Nevertheless, there is limited theoretically informed analysis of power dynamics within AR4D settings. Drawing on qualitative, ethnographic observations of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (ILCI), this article seeks to understand how power affects interdisciplinary research processes. Critical ethnography and power theory is used to analyse power within international crop breeding collaborations and the implications for inclusive knowledge production and research impact. The Powercube is used to examine how visible, hidden and invisible forms of power manifest within local, national, and international relationships across closed, invited and claimed spaces. Our findings suggest that these intersecting power dimensions, which include disciplinary, gendered, institutional and global hierarchies, constrain the contributions that individual researchers can make – particularly social scientists – thereby hindering disciplinary integration. The ILCI case study reveals the complex multi-dimensional dynamics that emerge within agricultural research teams and highlights structural limitations constraining efforts to build socially inclusive and gender-responsive crop improvement programmes. The article contributes to a small but growing literature studying the social construction of agricultural science, and provides insights that can enable interdisciplinary research strategies to more effectively meet the needs of farmers and other stakeholders