The World of Ibn Taymiyya: An Analysis of the Historical Context of Ibn Taymiyya’s Anti-Mongol Fatwas

Studies into Ibn Taymiyya’s fatwas against the Mongols are relatively new, despite the increasing frequency with which they are cited by modern extremist groups. Detailed explorations into the Mamluk-Ilkhanid War of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century are also relatively new. Ibn Taymiyya, the early Mamluk Sultanate, and the Mamluk-Ilkhanid War are intricately connected, yet they are often not studied in synthesis. Generally, works that give overviews of the history of this period lack intricate details, studies dedicated to in-depth analysis of specific events are not focused on a connection to Ibn Taymiyya’s writings, and biographies on Ibn Taymiyya or works that focus on a particular aspect of his thought lack an incorporation of the historical details. Therefore, this study aims to explore and illuminate explicit linkages between actions and rulings of Ibn Taymiyya, particularly those related to war against the Mongols, with historical events of his time. Through a more thorough synthesis of historical events and Ibn Taymiyya’s life in this thesis, it will become increasingly apparent how the terms of his fatwas against the Mongols were prescribed to address very specific time and place contexts. This will provide an insightful look into the past while also providing a starting point for understanding those who invoke Ibn Taymiyya in our time

Innovation in Teacher Preparation: - Using Performance Expectations and Annotated Video to Facilitate Reflection.

CalStateTEACH (CST) is a California State University statewide, online, site-supported teacher preparation program that prepares candidates primarily for teaching in elementary school. Teacher candidates engage in academic work online and participate in field experiences at a local school each term. The program promotes innovation, technology integration, and reflection (Mishra, Koehler, & Henrikson, 2011) via the Observation Event (OE) in the clinical practice component of the program. Data collected over three terms in the program is used to monitor candidate progress. The OE is a lesson planning interface that was developed to give teacher candidates greater control over the classroom observation process by determining the lesson focus and pedagogical proficiency levels based on California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE) (California Commission for Teacher Credentialing [CCTC], 2013). The 13 TPEs are skills a teacher candidate needs to develop by the end of a teachertraining program. These are grouped within the broad range of categories in the Standards for the Teaching Profession: Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Learners, Assessing Student Learning, Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning, Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students, and Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments forStudent Learning (CCTC, 2009). See Figure 1. Candidates begin preparing for the OE by completing a lesson plan and choosing two or three TPEs indicating which aspects of teaching they intend to demonstrate, providing a rationale for that expectation. The elements of the electronic lesson plan include a preconference self-evaluation rationale for proficiency level performance and a reflective video feedback loop for teacher candidates. In the preconference self-evaluation, candidates rank their pedagogical proficiency levels for the TPEs by selecting exploring, applying, proficient, or exemplary, and providing a rationale for the ranking. Faculty mentors provide feedback to the candidate on the lesson plan prior to observing the lesson. &nbsp

Acoustic Signalling in Eurasian Penduline Tits Remiz Pendulins: Repertoire Size Signals Male Nest Defence

Elaborate male song may restrain competitors in various songbirds, although the exact mechanism, information content and information flow of acoustic signals are not completely understood. Here we focus on the interactions between resident and intruder males using the Eurasian penduline tit Remiz pendulinus. The breeding system of this small passerine bird is unusually variable including sequential polygamy by both sexes, and appears to be driven by intense sexual selection and sexual conflict over parental care. We had two objectives in this study: (i) to investigate whether male repertoire size is an intra-sexual signal in penduline tits, and (ii) to determine emitter and receiver roles during acoustic communication between residents and intruders. We tested these objectives in a natural population by recording the resident males' song and then challenging them by song playbacks. The residents' approach to intruder stimuli and behavioural responses were monitored. We found that intruder repertoire size did not evoke different responses by the residents. Rather, the resident's approach distance and behavioural response was predicted by his own repertoire size, suggesting that song in penduline tits is involved in male-male communication, and repertoire size may function as a reliable signal of the resident male's ability and willingness to defend his nest and avert possible intruders

The Neural Basis of Birdsong

Songbirds represent an excellent model system for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying learning