The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation: A Case Study at Central High School

Abstract Title of Document: The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation: A Case Study at Central High School Brein Bashore Doctor of Philosophy, 2011 Directed By:Dr. Jing Lin, Department of Education Leadership, Higher Education and International Education University of Maryland, College Park Across the nation, we continue to see an achievement gap between African American and Hispanic students and White and Asian students. This achievement gap is demonstrated by lower test scores among African American and Hispanic students as well as a lower number of these students graduating high school. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), as its name suggests, attempts to ensure that all students are able to achieve on standardized tests by 2014. However, under NCLB, what was required of students was left to the discretion of each individual state. Maryland's testing requirements went into effect for students who began high school in 2005 or later. With thousands of students yet to meet these requirements at the start of their senior year (2008-2009 school year), Maryland decided to create an alternate pathway for students to meet these testing requirements. This program, called The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation, allows students who are unable to pass the High School Assessment exams to complete one or more projects in order to meet the state testing requirements. Central High School is currently one of the worst performing high schools in New Town Public Schools in New Town, Maryland and has consistently been one of the schools with the greatest participation in the Bridge Plan in the state of Maryland. Throughout my research, I explored the following three questions. First, I wanted to better understand why The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation was developed as an alternative to statewide testing requirements. Second, I wanted to understand how Bridge was implemented at Central High School. Finally, I wanted to analyze the impact of Bridge on students, particularly at Central High School. I conducted a qualitative case study using document analysis, interview and observation. I used political and symbolic frameworks, as well as a critical perspective to frame my research. The findings from this study support the research on disparity in test scores among students as a result of differences in race, economic status, social capital and cultural capital

Maternal mercury exposure, season of conception and adverse birth outcomes in an urban immigrant community in New York City

Adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth (PTB: < 37 weeks gestation) and low birthweight (LBW: <2500g) result in severe infant morbidity and mortality. In the United States, there are racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of preterm birth and low birth weight. The focus of this study is to examine the association between frequency of maternal fish consumption during pregnancy, prenatal mercury exposure, and season of conception with preterm birth and low birth weight in a population of African-American, Caribbean and West Indian women in an urban immigrant community in New York City. The proportion of preterm births and low birth rates in this cohort of women was higher than reported in other studies of African-American and Caribbean births in New York City. There was no association between maternal urinary mercury or infant cord blood concentrations and either LBW or preterm birth. Infants conceived in winter (December, January, February) were at increased odds of low birthweight

Service-Learning as a Practical Approach to Teaching Auditing

Business pedagogy can be more effective for students and business through a hands-on, practical approach rather than traditional lectures. The Pathways Commission of the AICPA and AAA recommended we “develop curriculum models, engaging learning resources, and mechanisms for easily sharing them as well as enhancing faculty development opportunities in support of sustaining a robust curriculum” (American Accounting Association 2012 p. 12; Hawawini 2005). In this article, we present a method to teach auditing. We identify a few articles integrating service-learning opportunities into a business school environment (Tonge and Willett 2012; Govekar and Rishi 2007). Our student teams performed agreed-upon procedures at three small churches. Qualitative data from both students and church personnel support this pedagogy. We develop practical implications for upper-level undergraduate business courses

Pulmonary Hypertension Related to Left-Sided Cardiac Pathology

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the end result of a variety of diverse pathologic processes. The chronic elevation in pulmonary artery pressure often leads to right ventricular pressure overload and subsequent right ventricular failure. In patients with left-sided cardiac disease, PH is quite common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This article will review the literature as it pertains to the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of PH related to aortic valve disease, mitral valve disease, left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. Moreover, therapeutic strategies, which focus on treating the underlying cardiac pathology will be discussed

“Adaptable to Unexpected Situations”: Nursing and Social Work Students Reflect on Interprofessional Communication and Teamwork

Background/Introduction: Undergraduate nursing students partnered with undergraduate and graduate social work students to implement school-based health promotion and empowerment modules in fulfillment of their practicum coursework. Of the four domains outlined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative, two in particular were the focus of this nursing-social work collaboration: communication and teamwork. The purpose of this paper is to describe the perceptions of students regarding their experiences of interprofessional communication and teamwork. Methods: A sample of 26 nursing students and 5 social work students worked together across two academic semesters at an urban, primarily Hispanic middle school. Data collection consisted of reflective journals and end-of-semester evaluations. Conventional methods of content analysis were used to examine the narrative data for emergent patterns or themes. Results: Analysis of students’ reflective journals and evaluations revealed specific themes regarding the value of interprofessional education (IPE), the utility of TeamSTEPPSTM as a resource for improving communication and team performance, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future. Conclusion: Nursing and social work students expressed positive experiences with IPE and shared insights beneficial for future planning. With advanced preparation and strategic partnerships, IPE projects may strengthen the collaborative skills necessary for students to be practice-ready upon graduation