Understanding Teacher Participation in Online Communities: Why Do Teachers Want to Participate in Online Communities of Teachers?

Thesis (PhD) - Indiana University, School of Education, 2007This study examined reasons for teacher participation in three online communities of K-12 teachers with an aim of investigating methods to improve teacher professional development. To achieve the goal of this study, multiple data were gathered from four sources: (a) interviews with 31 members from the three online communities, (b) online postings, (c) member profiles, and (d) community guidelines. The findings of this study indicated that there were six reasons why teachers wanted to participate in the online communities of teachers: (a) sharing emotions, (b) exploring ideas, (c) seeking advice, (d) experiencing a sense of camaraderie, (e) combating teacher isolation, and (f) utilizing the advantages of online environments. These reasons are intrinsically connected to each other, so a holistic perspective is necessary to understand teacher participation in the communities fully. Moreover, the analysis of data indicated four components affecting teacher participation in the online communities. The components included community culture, safety, flexibility, and teachers' shared values and time. In conclusion, the findings suggested elements that should be considered when teacher educators create online learning environments in which teachers can freely share both emotions and knowledge

Factors Cultivating Sustainable Online Communities for K-12 Teacher Professional Development

The purpose of this study is to discover factors related to fostering a sustainable online community for K-12 teachers. This study was conducted through the investigation of an online teacher community called INDISCHOOL in Korea. Data were gathered through in-depth telephone interviews with INDISCHOOL members, the examination of archived postings on the Web-boards, and participant observations. Twelve factors, including eight support factors and four hindrance factors, were identified as results of this study. These factors were categorized into three subgroups: internal, external, and outcome factors. Findings from this study revealed that internal factors, such as having a sense of ownership and autonomy and acknowledging the value of participation, played a significant role in the growth of INDISCHOOL. It was also noted that the value of teachers' participation was related to their belief that active involvement in INDISCHOOL improves student learning. These teachers also reported that INDISCHOOL participation is a valuable part of their professional development

Multi-marker approach using procalcitonin, presepsin, galectin-3, and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 for the prediction of mortality in sepsis

Background: Biomarker could be objective and reliable tools to predict mortality in sepsis. We explored the prognostic utilities of emerging biomarkers in septic patients and questioned whether adding biomarkers to the clinical variables would improve the prediction of mortality in sepsis. Methods: This retrospective study included 157 septic patients (112 patients with sepsis; 45 patients with septic shock). Procalcitonin (PCT), presepsin, galectin-3, and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) concentrations were analyzed in relation to the 30-day all-cause mortality. Their value added on top of Sequential (Sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and white blood cells was also analyzed. Results: PCT could not predict 30-day mortality. Univariate hazard ratio [HR with 95% confidence interval (CI)] of the other dichotomized variables was: 1.33 (0.55–3.194) for presepsin; 7.87 (2.29–26.96) for galectin-3; 1.55 (0.71–3.38) for sST2; and 2.18 (1.01–4.75) for SOFA score. The risk of 30-day mortality increased stepwise as the number of biomarkers above optimal cutoff values increased, and the highest risk was observed when all four biomarkers and SOFA score increased (HR = 14.5). Multi-marker approach predicted 30-day mortality better than SOFA score [area under the curves (95% CI), 0.769 (0.695–0.833) vs. 0.615 (0.535–0.692)]. In reclassification analyses, adding biomarkers to clinical variables improved the prediction of mortality. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a possible prognostic utility of PCT, presepsin, galectin-3, and sST2 in sepsis. Multi-marker approach could be beneficial for an optimized management of patients with sepsis

Corporeality in Contemplation: A Comparative Study of Edith Stein and Tibetan Buddhist Lojong

Thesis advisor: John . Makransky“The body” has become a major focus of intellectual inquiry across academic disciplines over the last fifty years. The interest in the body has also intensified with recent advances in studies of materiality, affect, technology, and neuro and cognitive sciences. In Christian theology, works on the body have also grown rapidly. My aim in this essay is to make a contribution to contemporary Christian theological discussions on the nature and role of the human body by turning to Edith Stein’s writings on contemplation and engaging a comparative theological study of a particular Tibetan Buddhist meditation tradition called lojong (Tib. blo sbyong). The core issue that I address is the lack of practical traction between theologies of the body and a person’s actual relationship with her body in a life of Christian formation. Christian theology has not provided an adequate model of the body that can concretely inform Christian experience of the body and guide Christian practice. I argue that Stein’s extensive work on the body in both philosophical phenomenology and ascetico-contemplative theology can make a particularly important contribution to addressing this issue. However, Stein’s theory of the body has limitations that point to deeper issues in the ontology and anthropology she inherits from the Western Christian tradition. I argue for a comparative theological study of non-Christian sources that conceive the body in ways that shed new light on her view of the body. The current theological literature shows three broad approaches to constructing a theology of the body: re-appropriating neglected sources within the Christian tradition; appropriating concepts and methods from academic disciplines outside Christian theology; or a combination of the two. Yet, these approaches fall short of elucidating how theoretical work on the body should concretely affect bodily experience and practice. In addition to these approaches, there is a need to study theological sources that employ models where the body is better integrated into the anthropology and contemplative framework. I turn to Tibetan Buddhist lojong to reflect on how the points of convergence and divergence between lojong and Stein can help us develop a model of the body that addresses the lacunae in Christian theology of the body. I examine the underlying ‘subtle body’ model operative in lojong texts and argue for explicitly using a subtle body model in Christian contemplation.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Theology