Interactive learning in biology with PhotoCD and associated software

This paper describes the pioneering development of flexible‐learning courseware in the teaching and learning of cell biology using a novel optical disk‐based technology — PhotoCD — and its associated computer software. The use of this format in an educational context for the manipulation of, and interaction with, photographic images in electronic form is presented for the first time. Examples of courseware which use PhotoCD, image‐enhancement and image‐management software in biology education are given, and an evaluation by undergraduates in biology education (student teachers) of these teaching and learning strategies is presente

Alcohol and youth work

This thesis is an analysis of a curriculum development process used to train youth workers to raise and respond to alcohol issues. Within an interpretivist framework, a seven-stage model of curriculum planning was developed. Stage 1 involved examination of the literature on youth work and alcohol and youth work training, an empirical needs assessment study (via a national survey and in-depth consultation in one youth service) and examination of the results in relation to the literature on young people and alcohol. Stage 2 used the stage 1 data to define the rationale, which in turn informed stages 3-5, formulation of aims and learning outcomes, learning activities and teaching resources. Stage 6, delivery, involved pilot courses in in- service and initial-training contexts. Illuminative evaluation was used to assess the training process (Stage 7) and its impact on youth worker practice. The staged model was found to be a practical curriculum development framework, particularly combined with an action-research approach. The study confirmed the importance of thorough training needs assessment, including the needs of service users. Youth workers were found to typically adopt a reactive approach to alcohol issues, which focused on individual young drinkers rather than structural determinants of alcohol-related harm. The pilot courses were successful in stimulating planned alcohol education initiatives. Features of training that enabled youth workers to tackle alcohol issues included: a clear rationale based on youth work principles, harm-reduction goals, understanding the place and meaning of alcohol in young people's lives, a practice focus and managerial support. The study discusses the implications of the findings for youth work training and informal education practice and suggests a strategy for fixture development of the alcohol training materials

Leveling the Playing Field: Attracting, Engaging, and Advancing People with Disabilities

People with disabilities experience significant challenges in finding employment. The participation of people with disabilities in the workforce and their median income are both less than half that of the civilian workforce. They work part time 68 percent more frequently than people without disabilities. These disheartening results persist despite the enactment of significant federal legislation aimed at making the workplace more supportive and accessible to people with disabilities. The Conference Board Research Working Group (RWG) on Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities was convened to address how to overcome these disparities. It was sponsored by the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University, under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. The RWG members focused on four questions: 1) The business case: Is it advantageous for organizations to employ people with disabilities? 2) Organizational readiness: What should organizations do to create a workplace that enables people with disabilities to thrive and advance? 3) Measurement: How can success for both people with disabilities and the organization itself be determined? 4) Self-disclosure: How can people with disabilities, especially those whose disabilities are not obvious, be encouraged to identify themselves so that resources can be directed toward them and outcomes can be measured

Language and Intergroup Contact: Investigating the Impact of Bilingual Instruction on Children’s Intergroup Attitudes

This study examined the impact of bilingual versus English-only instruction on the intergroup attitudes of White, English-speaking children in kindergarten through second grade. Replicating prior research, White children generally showed a clear preference toward the ingroup in terms of positive evaluations, friendship preference, and perceived similarity to the self. However, all three effects were significantly smaller among children who were in classrooms with a significant amount of Spanish instruction (i.e. bilingual classes). The smaller preference for the ingroup over the outgroup found in bilingual classes resulted from higher evaluations of, greater selection of friends among, and greater perceived similarity to Latino targets, and not from changes in preference for White ingroup targets. Furthermore, comparisons with English-only classes that had substantial Latino representation shows that the positive impact of bilingual instruction can be only partially explained by the greater representation of Latino children in bilingual classes. Finally, these positive patterns of intergroup attitudes found in bilingual classes were not associated with any negative effects on White children’s personal self-evaluation

The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects

Examines the efficacy of federal funding for non-motorized modes of transportation based on funding patterns across metropolitan regions, case studies of policies and projects, and an analysis of the funding's impact on bicycling and walking behavior

Countermapping the Past : Reenvisioning Ancient Maya Spaces at Say Kah, Belize

Acknowledgments The fieldwork that contributed to this study was supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (Grant 9001), the National Geographic Society (Grants W377-14 and HJ-038R-17), the American Philosophical Society (Franklin Research Grant), the Curtiss T. and Mary G. Brennan Foundation, the Taft Research Center (University of Cincinnati), and the College of Arts and Sciences (University of Cincinnati), which the authors gratefully acknowledge. Our fieldwork was made possible by Dr. Fred Valdez, the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project (PfBAP), and the Belize Institute of Archaeology. Key project staff members who contributed to this work include: Lindsay Argo, Luke Aspland, Meredith Coats, Holly Dorning, Chris Motz, Beau Murphy, Anna Novotny, Colleen O’Brien, and Caleigh Richissin. Valuable feedback on the article came from Jeff Millar, Leila Rodriguez, and Stephanie Sadre-Orafai; we also thank Andrew Newman for helpful perspectives on countermapping. Finally, we are grateful for the detailed and thought-provoking comments of two anonymous reviewers, which helped clarify our thinking and strengthen our manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Both a Global and a Domain-Specific Perceived Quality of Life Measure When Used with Youth Who Have Chronic Conditions

The purpose of this paper was to assess the psychometric properties of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) and the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) when used with youth who have chronic conditions. Baseline data from a longitudinal study examining predictors of changes in perceived quality of life (PQOL) for youth with chronic conditions were used. SLSS and BMSLSS data were collected on over 400 youth aged 11–17 using youth self-report and parent proxy-report versions. Internal consistency, convergent validity, and factor structure were examined for both versions. Extent of agreement and magnitude of differences between youth and parent report were evaluated. Finally, gender, age, and condition group differences in youth report scores were examined for the SLSS and BMSLSS. Strong internal consistency was demonstrated for the youth and parent reports of both measures. As with normative samples, a single factor structure was found for youth and parent reports of the BMSLSS. However, both youth and parent reports of the SLSS had a two-factor structure: one consisting of five positively worded items, and the other, two negatively worded items. Youth reported their PQOL to be significantly higher than did their parents. Significant differences in PQOL scores for the youth report were not found by age, gender, or conditions. Findings show that, from a psychometric standpoint, the BMSLSS (both youth and parent report) is a promising measure of PQOL for use in population-based research with youth who have chronic conditions. The SLSS may need to be revised to exclude negative items when used with this population of youth

Talk About Self Harm (TASH): participatory action research with young people, GPs and practice nurses to explore how the experiences of young people who self-harm could be improved in GP surgeries

Background: The incidence of self-harm in young people in primary care is increasing dramatically and many young people who self-harm visit their GP surgery as a first point of contact for help. Aim: To explore with young people, GPs and Practice Nurses; 1) why young people present with self-harm to primary care and 2) whether young people, GPs and Practice Nurses can take steps to have more helpful consultations about self-harm in GP surgeries that include self-help materials developed by young people being used to support such consultations to take place. Design and setting: Participatory action research with GPs, Practice Nurses and young people employed mixed methods to collect statistical and narrative data.Methods: Statistics from 285 young people’s medical records were captured including more detailed analyses of a random sample of 75 of these records. A series of 24 focus groups with a total of 45 GPs, Practice Nurses and Young People, with an average number of 8 participants in each group were conducted. Statistical data was subject to descriptive and inferential analyses and thematic analysis was applied to the transcripts from the focus groups. Results and conclusion: The type of self-harm young people presented with influenced whether they would see a GP or Practice Nurse. While self-help materials were welcomed and deemed helpful, young people, GPs and Practice Nurses were ambivalent about using these in short consultations where time was an overriding constraint. More research is needed on the feasibility of adopting self-help assisted interventions in GP surgeries

The Evolution of First Amendment Protection for Commercial Speech

During the past 15 years, the U. S. Supreme Court has used Central Hudson Gas v. Public Service Commission (1980) to expand significantly the power of the government at all levels to regulate advertising and other promotional activities. As a result, first amendment protection for commercial speech has steadily diminished. In this article, Supreme Court decisions subsequent to Central Hudson are reviewed to provide an update of Cohen\u27s (1978) work. In addition, the current standard for identifying commercial speech is analyzed, and managerial recommendations are made to guide managers who are responsible for making promotional decisions in this increasingly restricted area

Cytological, Morphological, and Agronomic Traits of Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum Dactyloides L.) Accessions

Agronom