Religious, secular, and spiritual diversity on campus: Book review of Goodman, Giess & Patel (2019) Educating about religious diversity and interfaith engagement

Book review of Goodman, K.M., Giess, M.E., & Patel, E (2019). Educating about religious diversity and interfaith engagement: A handbook for student affairs. Stylus Publishing

How students learn and instructors can, too: Effective college teaching according to Eyler (2018)

Book Review Eyler, J. R. (2018). How Humans Learn: The Science and Stories behind Effective College Teaching. West Virginia University Press. 293 pages Available in hardback, paperback, and digital format Price $85 (hc),$22 (pb), $17 (ebook) Keywords: learning, teaching, college students, classroom practice Reviewer: Karin deJonge-Kannan, Principal Lecturer Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Utah State University [email protected]

Development and utilization of irrigation simulation with CERES-Maize in a central Iowa cornfield

Crop models have emerged as a method to evaluate different crop management practices such as irrigation without costly and time-consuming onsite experiments. A decision support system called APOLLO has been developed in past years to assist researchers in using the CERES-Maize crop model to simulate precision farming methods for corn. Past experiments have used APOLLO to develop precision population and nitrogen application prescriptions for maximum yield. In this work, an additional module was created for APOLLO to automate spatially variable irrigation scenarios. This module has the capability of simulating blanket scheduled uniform irrigations or precision irrigations based on percent of available soil water. In a Windows-based interface, the user can input desired irrigation application efficiency, irrigation amount, and threshold and management depth used for automatic applications. The module was successfully tested using several years of data and various schedules, application thresholds, irrigation amounts, and management depths. This simulation may be a very powerful tool in studying irrigation feasibility, deficit irrigation, and varying irrigation management strategies. Few studies have been done considering the possibility of irrigation systems in Iowa or other humid regions. Recent technological progress in precision agriculture may allow irrigation in these areas to become more economically feasible. In this study, the newly developed irrigation module in the APOLLO program was used to evaluate potential improved yield in a central Iowa cornfield on a spatially and temporally variable basis. Five years of historical yield and weather data were used to calibrate the model for the 20.25 ha field over 100 spatially variable grids. This calibrated model then used 28 years of historical weather data to simulate three irrigation scenarios: no irrigation, scheduled uniform irrigation, and precision irrigation. 30 mm irrigations were applied when the percent of available soil water fell below 50 percent. Irrigation improved yield by at least 1000 kg ha⁻¹ in half of the years simulated, and also showed to have less variability both spatially and temporally. Precision irrigation showed slightly higher yields than scheduled uniform irrigation. Spatial variability of yield was most influence by topography, with the largest improvements occurring on steep sideslopes and hilltops. Assuming use of a center pivot irrigation system, irrigation showed economic returns in only three of the 28 years included in the study. High capital costs were the leading restrictor of economic feasibility

Impact and extinction signatures in complete Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary sections

The Zumaya, Caravaca and Agost sections in Spain, the El Kef section in Tunisia and the Negev (Nahal Avdat) sections in Israel are among the most continuous, expanded and complete K-T boundary sections. The distribution patterns of the planktic faunas were quantitatively analyzed in closely spaced samples across the K-T boundary in these sections, in conjuction with the geochemistry, stable isotopes, mineralogy and magnetostratigraphy. Three hundred foraminiferal specimens were randomly selected and determined. Reliable estimates for the foraminiferal productivity changes across the K-T boundary and for the 1 to 2 Ma interval preceding the K-T boundary were made from the numbers of individuals/gram of sediment corrected for the sedimentation rates (calculated from magnetic reversals and lithology). No gradual or stepwise extinction is seen below the K-T boundary nor any productivity decrease. Stable isotope analyses show a warming just after deposition of the ejecta layer, not cooling as predicted by nuclear winter scenarios, although the duration of such cooling may be too short to be observed even in these complete sections. Low REE values and cpx spherules with quench textures idential to quench-textures in diagenetically altered spherules, strongly indicate an oceanic site of (one of) the impactor(s)

Chapter 22- Searching as Learning: A Scaffolded Approach to the Research Paper Assignment

Somewhere on a university campus, there is a hunched figure working at a computer. The person is surrounded by books, papers, beverage cans, and writing utensils. Their fingers tap on the keyboard, intermittently coming to a stop when the person’s gaze shifts from the screen into the distance. Their torso leans forward, their brow is tense. Frequent sighing can be heard. Did you picture a student? An instructor? When it comes to the research paper assignment, this scene could feature either of them, frustrated and dispirited. While it may be worthwhile pondering how we got here (see, for example, Freedman & DiPardo, n.d. and Murphy & Thaiss, 2020 for a historical perspective on the teaching of writing), in this chapter I describe a way out of the frustration for both parties. In a nutshell, this approach shifts the emphasis away from the traditional focus on the outcome to a more engaging and satisfying focus on the process, particularly the aspect of finding and sifting through sources. I outline the structure and rationale of a scaffolded approach to the research paper assignment that I use in a 2000-level course titled Language & Religion, which uses a sociolinguistic lens to examine the lives of ordinary practitioners from a wide range of religious traditions. This course emphasizes “diversity within each religious tradition, especially as actually practiced by various adherents” (Kuhlken, 2021, p. 216); it has no prerequisites and enrolls students of all majors and backgrounds. I describe the design and learning outcomes of the course in greater detail in deJonge-Kannan and Lyon (2023)