School size and student outcomes: a nontechnical paper

Education

Modeling multiple time scales during glass formation with phase-field crystals

The dynamics of glass formation in monatomic and binary liquids are studied numerically using a microscopic field theory for the evolution of the time-averaged atomic number density. A stochastic framework combining phase field crystal free energies and dynamic density functional theory is shown to successfully describe several aspects of glass formation over multiple time scales. Agreement with mode coupling theory is demonstrated for underdamped liquids at moderate supercoolings, and a rapidly growing dynamic correlation length is found to be associated with fragile behavior.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letter

Counterposed phase velocity and energy-transport velocity vectors in a dielectric-magnetic uniaxial medium

When a plane wave is launched from a plane surface in a linear, homogenous, dielectric-magnetic, uniaxial medium, we show that its phase velocity and the energy-transport velocity vectors can be counterposed (i.e., lie on different sides of the surface normal) under certain circumstances.Comment: 3 figure

Differential Tissue Response to Growth Hormone in Mice

Growth hormone (GH) has been shown to act directly on multiple tissues throughout the body. Historically, it was believed that GH acted directly in the liver and only indirectly in other tissues via insulin‐like growth hormone 1 (IGF‐1). Despite extensive work to describe GH action in individual tissues, a comparative analysis of acute GH signaling in key metabolic tissues has not been performed. Herein, we address this knowledge gap. Acute tissue response to human recombinant GH was assessed in mice by measuring signaling via phospho‐STAT5 immunoblotting. STAT5 activation is an easily and reliably detected early marker of GH receptor engagement. We found differential tissue sensitivities; liver and kidney were equally GH‐sensitive and more sensitive than white adipose tissue, heart, and muscle (gastrocnemius). Gastrocnemius had the greatest maximal response compared to heart, liver, white adipose tissue, and whole kidney. Differences in maximum responsiveness were positively correlated with tissue STAT5 abundance, while differences in sensitivity were not explained by differences in GH receptor levels. Thus, GH sensitivity and responsiveness of distinct metabolic tissues differ and may impact physiology and disease

Subharmonic Generation in Quantum Systems

We show how the classical-quantum correspondence permits long-lived subharmonic motion in a quantum system driven by a periodic force. Exponentially small deviations from exact subharmonicity are due to coherent tunneling between quantized vortex tubes which surround classical elliptic periodic orbits.Comment: 11 pages + 5 figures (available upon request), Revtex 3.0, NSF-ITP-93-4

The Role of Knowledge Management in Fortifying Foresight

The knowledge management practices within the strategic foresight process are as varied as the foresight practitioners that apply them. If foresight as a discipline is to continue to lay stake as a strong and worthy practice in the realm of business and management, foresighters will need to bring consistency to their knowledge management practices. It is the purpose of this study to shed light on what tools are used for knowledge management throughout the strategic foresight process. Through our research using a literature review and 15 semistrucutred interviews of strategic foresight practitioners, we identified and noted the tools that are more commonly used and how they are applied for knowledge management within the strategic foresight process. By identifying the tools used and aligning them with knowledge management theory, we then illustrated the foresight process, the tools and the knowledge management process using a process map, giving way to the formulation of recommendations in an attempt to create a more efficient and robust strategic foresight process. These recommendations will be most useful to foresight practitioners used to working in teams as they focus on organisational and collaborative knowledge management challenges

The Relationship Between Positive Academic and Behavior Support Services: School Failure Prevention Plan

Urban middle school students experience poor self-efficacy and poor attitudes toward school climates after being retained. Previous research has indicated that grade-level retention in primary and secondary education might cause long-term achievement gaps, school failure, and high school dropout rates. However, current research has yet to examine relationships between archival data retrieved on retained middle school students’ achievement outcomes and perceptions of school climate. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to assess the relationships between retained middle school students’ self-efficacy as measured by the School Climate Survey and their performance outcomes as measured by PowerSchool®. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy maintains that an individual must have the belief, motivation, determination, and drive to persevere when challenged. The archival data was collected from one Northeastern urban middle school in the United States representing underachieving participants (N = 45) enrolled in the Postive Academic and Behavioral Support Program during the academic school years of 2017 and 2018. Population groups of females and males students ranged in age between 11–14 years old. A repeated measure design analyzed the same participants over 6 months by measuring archival data on achievement (grade point average [GPA]); attendance; and demographics (sex and age). Results showed significant increases in GPAs and significant increases in males’ positive perceptions of school over the school years of 2017 and 2018. The results of this study could be useful for education professionals working in urban school districts providing support services to at-risk students facing school failure