A Situational Analysis Grounded Theory Study of University Inclusive Physics Learning Environments

Different teaching and learning strategies have informed physics educators on addressing the cultural meanings and practices of physics that have sustained homogeneity within university programs. However, literature evidence physics learning environments are under-theorized in dismantling homogeneity and conceptually changes physics student learning for those struggling to learn physics. The purpose of this situational analysis grounded theory study was to explain a theoretical construct of inclusive physics learning environment strategies of eighteen college and university faculty, collected from interview data in a 2017 study. The research question guiding this study was to describe the sociocultural theoretical structure emergent in the inclusive physics learning environment interview data. Situational analysis grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014, Clarke et al, 2018) was used to analyze eighteen semi-structured interviews with university physics educators from multiple institutions and programs. During the analysis, two situated epistemic modes, physics as content and as a sociocultural orientation were found to act as an organizing center of the inclusive physics theoretical framework. Findings suggest that the foundation of the inclusive physics learning environment was that power, defined as the ability to negotiate and reify ideas and norms, functioned dialectically with the physics social world. Meaning, inclusive practices were acquired through the physics social world and were often reflective of an instructor’s lived experience. Based on these findings, this study agrees with existing science education and learning science scholarship that questions the lack of a critical approach and an over individualized unit of analysis in sociocultural research regarding diversity and inclusion. The findings of this study go further by revealing the organizing process described as not passive or neutral, but intentionally formational, social, and structural. This study likely serves as a pilot framework for furthering the study of inclusion and physics, and the learning environments which may lead to unseating racialized and gendered physic

Auditory enhancement of visual temporal order judgment

Abstract: Although numerous studies have shown that response times can be speeded by the presentation of multisensory stimuli, here we show that such speeding can be seen even when the second sensory channel fails to provide any task-relevant (i.e. redundant) information, and where cueing appears an unlikely explanation. Study participants performed a visual temporal order judgment task in the presence of task uninformative auditory cues, with the latter sound delayed relative to the latter visual cue. Responses were maximally speeded when the auditory stimulus was delayed by a short time (i.e. 100 ms) relative to the second visual target. These results illustrate a unique form of temporal benefit underlying a multisensory interaction, and form the basis for a novel explanation of these perceptual enhancements

Teaching Cybersecurity to Students with Visual Impairments and Blindness

This work showcases specific adaptations used to make cybersecurity accessible to high school students with visual impairments and blindness (VIB). The rapidly growing field of cybersecurity demands a diverse workforce; however, barriers exist which can deter students with disabilities from studying cybersecurity, let alone pursuing a career in the field. To help overcome this challenge, we launched the first GenCyber camp specifically developed and instructed for high school students with VIB in summer 2019. We created a unique learning environment by combining interactive instructional aids, accessible development environments, and innovative instructional strategies. With intent to show cybersecurity as a viable career option for a diverse workforce, the program outcomes from this work included a clear understanding of the GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts, sparking interest in cybersecurity careers, and building the confidence to pursue those careers. This material is based upon work supported by the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation through the GenCyber program under award number 19-AL-UAHx-UV-S1

Survey of reconnection signatures in auroral oval ion precipitation

The protons and electrons on newly reconnected field lines exhibit time-of-flight effects that have been observed and modelled on both the dayside and nightside, at both high and low altitudes. These reconnection signatures feature proton energy distributions that are cutoff toward low energy. In LEO the cutoff energy exhibits a dispersion with latitude, typically seen in the cusp on the dayside, and referred to as velocity dispersed ion structures on the nightside. Here, an automated algorithm for detecting such low-energy cutoffs in the energy spectra of precipitating ions was developed, without regard for any possible dispersion with latitude. The occurrences of LEC ion spectra were mapped over a year of DMSP observations. There are four distinct components to this map, two of which are produced by reconnection. On the dayside LEC ion spectra are seen in cusp, mantle, and open-LLBL precipitation, predominantly at sub-keV energies, as the result of dayside reconnection. On the nightside LEC ion spectra are seen at the poleward edge of the oval at supra-keV energies (usually dispersed with latitude), that indicate magnetotail reconnection. There is another supra-keV population seen on the dusk side at the equatorward edge of the oval, possibly indicating the onset of isotropy. Finally, there is a sub-keV population seen throughout the auroral oval that is thought to consist of ions accelerated out of the opposing hemisphere. The presence of the nightside reconnection signature is modulated by magnetic activity level. Superposed epoch analyses of the ionospheric flow velocity reveal flow through the open–closed boundary when reconnection signatures are present, and enhanced upflow on the dayside when reconnection signatures are present

Healthier prisons: The role of a prison visitors' centre

Since the inception of the prison as a ‘setting’ for health promotion, there has been a focus on how the health of those men and women who spend ‘time inside’ can at least be maintained and if possible, enhanced, during their prison sentence. This paper presents findings from a mainly qualitative evaluation of a prison visitors' centre in the UK. It reports experiences of prisoners' families, prisoners, prison staff, the local community and the ways in which the visitors' centre has contributed positively to their health and well-being. In addition, key stakeholders were interviewed to ascertain the role this visitors' centre has in policy frameworks related to re-offending. The findings from this evaluation underscore how the visitors' centre improved the quality of visits, and contributed towards the maintenance of family ties through the help and support it provides for families and prisoners. The paper concludes by suggesting that visitors' centres are an essential part of a modern prison service helping to address the government's health inequalities agenda

Storm-time meridional flows: a comparison of CINDI observations and model results

During a large geomagnetic storm, the electric field from the polar ionosphere can expand far enough to affect the mid-latitude and equatorial electric fields. These changes in the equatorial zonal electric field, called the penetration field, will cause changes in the meridional ion flows that can be observed by radars and spacecraft. In general this E × B ion flow near the equator caused by the penetration field during undershielding conditions will be upward on the dayside and downward on the nightside of the Earth. Previous analysis of the equatorial meridional flows observed by CINDI instrument on the C/NOFS spacecraft during the 26 September 2011 storm showed that all of the response flows on the dayside were excess downward flows instead of the expected upward flows. These observed storm-time responses are compared to a prediction from a physics-based coupled model of thermosphere–ionosphere–inner-magnetosphere in an effort to explain these observations. The model results suggest that the equatorial downward flow could be attributed to a combined effect of the overshielding and disturbance dynamo processes. However, some discrepancy between the model and observation indicates a need for improving our understanding of how sensitive the equatorial electric field is to various model input parameters that describe the magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling processes

Consequences of a saturated convection electric field on the ring current

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94778/1/grl15466.pd

Earth's ion upflow associated with polar cap patches: global and in-situ observations

We report simultaneous global monitoring of a patch of ionization and in situ observation of ion upflow at the center of the polar cap region during a geomagnetic storm. Our observations indicate strong fluxes of upwelling O+ ions originating from frictional heating produced by rapid antisunward flow of the plasma patch. The statistical results from the crossings of the central polar cap region by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F16–F18 from 2010 to 2013 confirm that the field-aligned flow can turn upward when rapid antisunward flows appear, with consequent significant frictional heating of the ions, which overcomes the gravity effect. We suggest that such rapidly moving patches can provide an important source of upwelling ions in a region where downward flows are usually expected. These observations give new insight into the processes of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling