New VISTAs in Science Education

In the summer of 2012, a colleague and I attended the four-week Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA) Elementary Summer Science Institute where we were trained to conduct inquiry-based science teaching in a problem-based learning setting. We then implemented our training in our own academic classrooms by developing a Problem-Based Learning unit meeting the objectives of our Virginia standards-based science curriculum and selecting a topic with tics to our local community. Toward demonstrating that students, teachers, and educational systems stand to benefit from the implementation of this methodology, this article clarifies the following aspects: 1) outlines the problem, scenario, and process of developing a Problem-Based Leaming unit; 2) explains the delivery in the classroom; 3) analyzes ongoing formative and summative assessments; 4) and, discusses the influence on students, teachers, and instruction as a whole

Anion permselective membrane

The synthesis and fabrication of polymeric anion permselective membranes for redox systems are discussed. Variations of the prime candidate anion membrane formulation to achieve better resistance and/or lower permeability were explored. Processing parameters were evaluated to lower cost and fabricate larger sizes. The processing techniques to produce more membranes per batch were successfully integrated with the fabrication of larger membranes. Membranes of about 107 cm x 51 cm were made in excellent yield. Several measurements were made on the larger sample membranes. Among the data developed were water transport and transference numbers for these prime candidate membranes at 20 C. Other work done on this system included characterization of a number of specimens of candidate membranes which had been returned after service lives of up to sixteen months. Work with new polymer constituents, with new N.P.'s, catalysts and backing fabrics is discussed. Some work was also done to evaluate other proportions of the ingredients of the prime candidate system. The adoption of a flow selectivity test at elevated temperature was explored

Anion permselective membrane

The efforts on the synthesis of polymer anion redox membranes were mainly concentrated in two areas, membrane development and membrane fabrication. Membrane development covered the preparation and evaluation of experimental membranes systems with improved resistance stability and/or lower permeability. Membrane fabrication covered the laboratory scale production of prime candidate membranes in quantities of up to two hundred and sizes up to 18 inches x 18 inches (46 cm x 46 cm). These small (10 in x 11 in) and medium sized membranes were mainly for assembly into multicell units. Improvements in processing procedures and techniques for preparing such membrane sets lifted yields to over 90 percent

Effectiveness of Oral Contracts, Within the Statute of Frauds

In Morris v. Baron and Co., (House of Lords, 1917), 87 L. J. R. (K. B.) 145, plaintiff and defendant had entered into a contract of sale and plaintiff, as vendor, had delivered part of the goods agreed upon. Delivery of the remainder would have been a condition precedent to any recovery by the plaintiff. This contract, however, was followed by a second one, not in writing, whereby plaintiff was absolved from delivering the rest of the goods, but by which he agreed that he would deliver them if the defendant should so request. Thereafter plaintiff brought this action for the price of the goods delivered. The defendant set up, by way of counterclaim, plaintiff\u27s failure to deliver the rest of the goods as requested under the second contract. The court held that the second contract, although not in writing, absolved the plaintiff from having to deliver all the goods under the first contract, and therefore allowed him to recover for the goods delivered, but that, because it was not in writing, the defendant could not maintain his counterclaim for breach of it

Performance of an Existing Obligation as Consideration for a Promise

The dictum that if there be nothing in a rule flatly contradictory to reason the law will presume it to be well founded, and that the office of the judge is jus dicere and not jus dare , is responsible for much agony of construction and tortious logic on the part of courts torn by desire to evade it in the interest of modern ideas of right. There is a trilogy of accepted legal principles which it has been particularly difficult for the courts to adhere to in spirit or to repudiate in letter. They are the propositions, that for a promise to be enforcible a consideration must emanate from the promisee, that doing what one is already legally bound to do is not a consideration, and that one is legally bound to perform a contract according to its terms. In other words, doing what one has already contracted to do is not consideration for a promise made on condition or in contemplation of such performance. Under this rule, if A. has contracted to do something for B., his actual performance of that promise can not be consideration for a new promise by B. or a collateral promise by C. There is no lack of real application of the rule

Liability Without Fault

In Ives v. South Buffalo Ry. Co., 201 N. Y. 271, appeared, as a basis for the decision, the statement that When our Constitutions were adopted, it was the law of the land that no man who was without fault or negligence could be held liable in damages for injuries sustained by another. That is still the law. Mr. Justice McKenna has recently voiced the same idea. In his dissenting opinion in Arizona Copper Co. v. Hammer, 39 Sup. Ct. Rep. 553, he contends that the Workmen\u27s Compensation Act of Arizona is unconstitutional, because, It seems to me to be of the very foundation of right-of the essence of liberty as it is of morals-to be free from liability if one is free from fault. Even the majority of the court seemed inclined to justify their decision, that the Act was constitutional, by the argument that, as the liability under it would be known in advance, employers could protect themselves by reducing wages and increasing the selling price of the product, in order to allow for the statutory liability

Co-operation Between the Judiciary and the Police

The problem in which I have been interested is the reason for the great disproportion between the number of arrests by the police and the number of convictions resulting.... Professor Waite expresses his opinion that judges occasionally thwart police in their lawful activities out of distrust or ignorance of police practices by capriciously interfering with criminal procedure

Effectiveness of Oral Contracts, Within the Statute of Frauds

In Morris v. Baron and Co., (House of Lords, 1917), 87 L. J. R. (K. B.) 145, plaintiff and defendant had entered into a contract of sale and plaintiff, as vendor, had delivered part of the goods agreed upon. Delivery of the remainder would have been a condition precedent to any recovery by the plaintiff. This contract, however, was followed by a second one, not in writing, whereby plaintiff was absolved from delivering the rest of the goods, but by which he agreed that he would deliver them if the defendant should so request. Thereafter plaintiff brought this action for the price of the goods delivered. The defendant set up, by way of counterclaim, plaintiff\u27s failure to deliver the rest of the goods as requested under the second contract. The court held that the second contract, although not in writing, absolved the plaintiff from having to deliver all the goods under the first contract, and therefore allowed him to recover for the goods delivered, but that, because it was not in writing, the defendant could not maintain his counterclaim for breach of it