Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Teacher Performance Evaluation Systems in Two Georgia Public School Districts

Teacher evaluation has the potential for improving teachers\u27 skills and contributing to school improvement. This study was designed to measure and compare the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding two performance evaluation systems that were in use in two comparable Georgia school districts during the 2001- 2002 school year to determine if teachers and administrators perceived any significant difference between the two systems of teacher evaluation and their impact on improving instruction and promoting professional growth. One of the school district\u27s utilized a locally adopted alternative teacher evaluation system, while the other school district maintained its use of the Georgia Teacher Evaluation Program. A survey instrument was distributed to teachers and building -level administrators in both the Southeast and Central School Districts. The items on the survey asked the respondents to rate their perceptions of their teacher evaluation system in terms of 16 characteristics, along with being asked to respond to open-ended questions that addressed the strengths and weaknesses of their teacher evaluation systems, as well as to note their responses as to how their teacher evaluation system could be improved. I he data collected on the survey was summarized and analyzed in the form of a frequeney distribution summary , a profile of means and standard deviations, t-tests. and two-way Analysis of variance. The responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed and categorized according to the frequency of responses. The results of the study indicated that teachers and school administrators in both school districts did not differ statistically with each other as to the impact of their teacher evaluation system on improving instruction and promoting professional growth when compared individually by school district. However, when the school districts were compared together, position and school district did have a statistically significant impact on teachers and administrators\u27 ratings of their teacher evaluation system on improving instruction. While administrators in both school districts were in close agreement, the teachers in the Southeast School District were more undecided than the teachers in the Central the School District on the effectiveness of their teacher evaluation system on improving instruction. The findings of this study also indicated, that while teachers and school administrators may not always have differences in their perceptions of the impact of the their teacher evaluation system on improving instruction and promoting professional growth, there were a variety of opinions noted in their responses to the open-ended questions. While the majority of the respondents in both school districts stated that their teacher evaluation system had a positive effect on instructional improvement and provided opportunities for professional growth, respondents from the Southeast School [District made note of the time-consuming paperwork and lack of objectivity of their teacher evaluation system. Respondents from the Central School District cited that their process was subjective and generic and that the classroom observations were too brief and limited in scope. Although a majority of the administrators in the Southeast School District suggested a return to the state devised Georgia Teacher Evaluation Program, only a small percentage of teachers suggested that as an improvement. A large percentage of respondents in the Central School System wanted their evaluation system to be restructured, incorporating peer and self-evaluation needed to be included into the teacher evaluation process. The study\u27s results also suggest that every effort needs to be made to ensure that teachers are supported by a teacher evaluation system that provides them with the opportunity to improve their instructional skills and promote their professional growth

Endangered bodies: Woman and nature in the contemporary British novel by women writers

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Criticism that involves the linkage of the terms ‘environment’ and ‘literature’, or ‘ecocriticism’, has focused largely on texts such as nature writing or on fiction that is set in rural or wilderness settings. This project attempts to widen the scope of ecocriticism by analysing the contemporary British novel, in which nature conceived in such stereotypical ways is largely absent. However, in my analysis of the fifteen texts selected here, I demonstrate that British women writers employ new discursive constructions of nature in order to contest deterministic formulations that subjugate both women and nature. My focus on female textual bodies enables me to explore representations of the fluid interfaces of nature and culture. In my analysis of novels from an environmental standpoint, `environment' is reconceived to refer to `where we live, work, and play' and may include not only the countryside and urban nature, but also the female body itself. Thus, the nature of my title is an inclusive term that includes contemporary discourses of nature employed by the sciences of biomedicine, genetics and technology. This project examines the ecofeminist premise that discourses of mastery not only affect subjugated others such as women, animals and others, but also influence the treatment of the natural environment. Analysing novels that employ forms of embodiment that foreground extreme bodily conditions such as pregnancy, monstrosity and death, I employ the theoretical constructs of Mikhail Bakhtin (the grotesque body, carnivalisation and dialogism) and Julia Kristeva's notion of abjection as tools of analysis to provide a new conception of ecological bodies. Novelists such as Jeanette Winterson, Fay Weldon, Penelope Lively, Zadie Smith, Margaret Drabble, Kathy Lette and Eva Figes provide a wide range of viewpoints from which to gather evidence of the insistence of the recurring trope of the endangered body within the troubled landscape of contemporary Britain

Experimental and Computational Studies of Hydrogenous Materials

Chapter 1 gives an introduction to hydrogen bonding and the existing research surrounding short strong hydrogen bonds. The concept of a reversible, temperature dependent, proton migration is introduced and a selection of systems in which this proton migration has been observed to date is discussed. Chapter 2 describes the synthetic techniques, characterisation methods and computational procedures used throughout this work. Chapter 3 describes the variable temperature structural studies on 3,5 pyridinedicarboxylic acid and its deuterated analogues. The fully deuterated analogue undergoes a non-classical, first order, isosymmetric phase transition between 150 and 200 K and DFT calculations have identified vibrational free energy changes as the driving force for this. Although similar behaviour is exhibited by two partially deuterated isotopologues, no such transition is observed in the fully protonated form. Chapter 4 presents a combined spectroscopic and computational study of three isotopologues of 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid. Whilst spectral observations and diffraction data are coincident for the fully deuterated form, the advantage of spectroscopy over diffraction for describing migration in the fully protonated and a partially deuterated isotopologue is demonstrated. Chapter 5 explores the role of vibrational coordinates in the PES governing proton dynamics in light of NMR relaxometry measurements, which reveal a non zero dynamical rate at temperatures close to 0 K, indicative of proton tunnelling. Tunnelling is confirmed by the presence of a 2-well potential in the system, and described based on reorganisations within the structure as a whole. Chapter 6 reports the synthesis of further short strong hydrogen bond systems. The variable temperature structural properties for each of these compounds are discussed, and comparisons with other well known proton migration compounds are drawn. Chapter 7 presents the attempted synthesis of a series of new co-crystals, with components based on those of 4-methylpyridine-pentachlorophenol; the successful products were found to possess medium length hydrogen bonds. Variable temperature diffraction studies for one of these products are discussed and show that it undergoes a phase transition on cooling resulting from slight rotations of its components. Chapter 8 gives the main conclusions of this thesis and outlines a number of opportunities for further work

Linkage of four administrative datasets to examine blood transfusion in pregnancy

Currently collected hospital data records fact of transfusion, but lacks detail on quantity of blood transfused, and timing of transfusions. A number of administrative datasets collect information on blood transfusion including quantity and timing. Linkage of multiple datasources has the potential to give increase the depth of information available for researchers. This study aims to describe the linkage of four administrative datasets to identify transfusions among women giving birth in NSW and to describe the population represented by this linked data. Hospital, birth, blood issue and blood pack databases were linked to identify women receiving red blood cell transfusions in NSW between July 2006 and December 2010. Characteristics of the linked data population are compared with the population of all women giving birth, and births in public hospitals. Between July 2006-December 2010 there were 425,036 births in NSW hospitals, including 235,796 in a population with additional blood issue data available, of which, 4642(2%) received a transfusion. Hospitals supplying blood issue data were more likely to be larger urban or tertiary hospitals, and had a higher risk population than the state overall and public hospitals generally. Linkage of multiple data sources provides additional detail compared with hospital data alone, providing a wealth of data for researchers. The population identified through linkage differs from the overall birthing population, and to a lesser extent from women birthing in public hospitals. In some cases this may affect generalisability of research findings, but in other cases may be beneficial

Peripartum antidepressant use is associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage

Dissertação de mestrado em Treino Desportivo para Crianças e Jovens, apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física da Universidade de CoimbraEste estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os fatores determinantes do rendimento e da contribuição metabólica numa competição de 1000m em Kayak ergómetro, em jovens atletas praticantes de canoagem na variante “regatas em linha”. A amostra foi constituída por 12 atletas jovens de canoagem com experiencia desportiva. Verificou-se também a associação dos parâmetros morfológicos e maturacionais com a performance num teste máximo de 1000m e em segmentos de 250m desses 1000m. Este estudo ganha pertinência pela determinação da associação da intensidade relativa, identificada com os parâmetros ventilatórios, com o resultado de uma prova critério – 1000m em kayak ergómetro, em jovens praticantes. Metodologia: O desenho do estudo consistiu num levantamento de dados antropométricos da amostra, após este levantamento foi realizado um protocolo progressivo e após 48 horas foi realizado um teste máximo de 1000 metros. Dados da amostra: idade decimal 16,0 ± 1,1; massa corporal (kg) 63,8 ± 7,2; estatura (centímetros) 174,9 ± 7,2; estatura matura predita (Khamis-Roche) 100,1 ± 5,7; prática semanal (horas) 10,5 ± 2,4; com experiencia desportiva (anos) 2,7 ± 0,7. Utilizámos: adipômetro, estadiómetros, Bod Pod, Balança, estação meteorológica, analisador de gases, kayak ergómetro, ciclo ergómetro e analisador de lactato portátil. Resultados: No protocolo incremental alcançaram um valor de VO2 max abs (L.min-1) 3,4 ± 0,6; sendo o Lv1 (58,8 ± 11,8%) e o Lv2 (88 ± 14,7%), e um valor de potência 138,5 ± 24,5 watt. O teste máximo de 1000m teve duração de 292,25 ± 15 segundos, uma percentagem da VAM 97,0 ± 2,8, uma percentagem VO2 max de 90,0 ± 6,5 e uma percentagem da PAM de 96,3. Conseguindo um modelo preditivo. Discussão: Verificámos a existência de correlação entre as seguintes variáveis e a performance no teste máximo: idade, PAM, Cadência, VO2 max abs, VAM, VLv1, VLv2 e FC Lv1. O que é uma novidade pois na literatura sobre esta temática apenas são apresentados com frequência o VO2 max abs, a idade, cadência e a VAM. Estes novos indicadores necessitam de maior aprofundamento para perceber numa amostra com um N maior a sua resposta e dessa forma perceber a sua importância como preditores. Conclusão: A realização do protocolo progressivo pode ser preditor de um teste máximo de 1000m, contribuindo também para o planeamento de treino para a preparação de competições desta distância. Além disso os limiares ventilatórios são uma das novas tendências da prescrição do treino. iii ABSTRACT Coelho, AB (2015). Predictive value of a progressive protocol on a Kayak ergometer for the 1,000 metre race in Kayak ergometer. Master's Thesis on Children and Teenage Sport Training - Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra. Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the determinants of efficiency and metabolic contribution in a 1,000 metre race in Kayak ergometer in young athletes practicing canoeing in the variant flat water. The sample contained 12 young canoeing athletes with competitive sporting experience. The association of morphological and maturation parameters with the performance of a maximum 1,000 metre test and 250 metre segments within the 1,000 metres was verified. This study gains relevance from the determination of the association of relative intensity , identified with the ventilation parameters, with the result of a test criterion – 1,000 metre kayak ergometer in young sportsmen. Methodology: The study consisted of a survey of the anthropometric data of sample. After this survey a progressive protocol was conducted and after 48 hours a maximal test of 1,000 metres at full speed was performed. Sample data: decimal age 16.0 ± 1.1; body mass (kg) 63.8 ± 7.2; height (centímetros) 174.9 ± 7.2; predicted mature height (Khamis-Roche) 100.1 ± 5.7; weekly practice (hours) 10.5 ± 2.4; with sports experience (years) 2.7 ± 0.7. We used: adipometer, stadiometers, Bod Pod, weighing scale, weather station, gas analyzer, kayak ergometer, ergometer cycle and portable lactate analyzer. Results: In the incremental protocol they reached a value of VO2 max abs (L.min-1) 3.4 ± 0.6; being VT1 (58.8 ± 11.8%) and VT2 (88 ± 14.7%), and a power value of 138.5 ± 24.5 watts. The maximum 1,000 m test race lasted 292.25 ± 15 seconds, a 97.0 ± 2.8 MAV percentage, a 90.0 ± 6.5 maximum VO2 percentage and a 96.3 MAP percentage. A predictive model was reached. Discussion: We found a correlation between the following variables and the maximum performance in the test: age, MAP, Cadence, VO2 max abs, MAV, VVT1, VVT2 and HR VT1. This is new because in the literature on this subject only VO2 max abs, age, cadence and MAV are presented frequently. These new indicators need to be deeper clarified to understand in a sample with a higher N their answer and, thus, understand its importance as predictors. Conclusion: The performance of the progressive protocol can be a predictor of a maximum 1000m test, also contributing to the training plan for the preparation of competitions of this distance. In addition, the ventilatory thresholds are one of the new trends in the training prescription

Ascertaining severe perineal trauma and associated risk factors by comparing birth data with multiple sources

Objectives Population data are often used to monitor severe perineal trauma trends and association of risk factors. Within NSW, two different datasets can be used; the Perinatal Data Collection (‘birth’ data), or a linked dataset combining birth data with the Admitted Patient Hospital Data Collection (‘hospital’ data). Severe perineal trauma can be ascertained by birth data alone, or by hospital ICD-10-AM diagnosis and procedure coding in the linked dataset. The aim of this study is to compare rates and risk factors for severe perineal trauma using birth data alone, with those using linked data. Methods The study population consisted of all vaginal births in NSW 2001-2011. As perineal injury coding in birth data was revised in 2006, data were analysed separately for 2 ‘earlier data’ and ‘more recent data’. Rates of severe perineal injury over time were compared in birth data alone, and in linked data. Kappa and agreement statistics were calculated. Risk factor distributions (primiparity, instrumental birth, birthweight≥4kg, Asian country of birth and episiotomy) were compared between women with severe perineal trauma identified by birth data alone, and identified by linked data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios of severe perineal trauma. Results Among 697,202 vaginal births, 2.1% were identified with severe perineal trauma by birth data alone, and 2.6% by linked data. The rate discrepancy was higher among earlier data (1.7% for birth data, 2.4% for linked data). Kappa for earlier data was 0.78 (95% CI 0.78, 0.79), and 0.89 (95% CI 0.89, 0.89) for more recent data. With the exception of episiotomy, differences in risk factor distributions were small, with similar adjusted odds ratios. Adjusted odds ratio of severe perineal trauma for episiotomy was higher (1.34 95% CI 1.27, 1.41) using linked data compared with birth data (1.03 95% CI 0.97, 1.09). Conclusions While discrepancies in ascertainment of severe perineal trauma improved after revision of birth data coding in 2006, higher ascertainment by linked data was still evident for recent data. There were also higher risk estimates of severe perineal trauma with episiotomy by linked data than by birth data.Australian Research Council; Dr Albert S McKern Research Scholarshi

Introduction

This volume marks the first sustained study to interrogate how and why issues of sexuality, desire, and economic processes intersect in the literature and culture of the Victorian fin de siècle. At the end of the nineteenth-century, the move towards new models of economic thought marked the transition from a marketplace centred around the fulfilment of ‘needs’ to one ministering to anything that might, potentially, be desired. This collection considers how the literature of the period meditates on the interaction between economy and desire, doing so with particular reference to the themes of fetishism, homoeroticism, the literary marketplace, social hierarchy, and consumer culture. Drawing on theoretical and conceptual approaches including queer theory, feminist theory, and gift theory, contributors offer original analyses of work by canonical and lesser-known writers, including Oscar Wilde, A.E. Housman, Baron Corvo, Vernon Lee, Michael Field, and Lucas Malet