Energy Inputs into the Average Arable/forage crop at Sheepdrove Organic Farm 2003/4

This report summarises the energy inputs and outputs for the arable/forage system of Sheepdrove Organic Farm 2003/4.The investigation was undertaken to explore the energy inputs into the arable/forage system. The first objective of the study was to analyse the on-farm energy inputs into the average of all crops per hectare and put figures to the inputs. The second objective was to identify significant inputs within the enterprise, to identify possible energy-saving techniques and identify potential alternative sources of energy. The arable farm manager was consulted and eight different rotations were found for the 2003/4 season. Activities for the crop growth season were identified and per hectare figures were calculated for each activity. The energy use through the season was analysed and presented graphically. The main uses of energy were identified as ploughing, combining and grain drying. Methods of reducing the energy input in ploughing and combine harvesting were identified such as maintenance and use of the most appropriate tractor for the job. Alternative fuels were considered. Bio-diesel was found to be the most viable alternative and a production cost of 27.52p/l was calculated. However since it has a lower energy content compared to diesel it would mean an overall increase in the fuel used. It would mean that the use of fossil fuels would be replaced by a renewable source of fuel and therefore the overall carbon footprint would be smaller. Ways to reduce the power input into the grain dryer were researched such as maintenance, operation method modifications, etc. Alternative methods of producing the power for the grain dryer were also investigated and it was found that a 6kW wind turbine was the best option. Finally, currently, the most fuel-efficient way to dry grain is using a fan-ventilated system using LPG

Number and Numberation Lesson Using TI Calculator

Students will be able to convert fractions, decimals, and percents using the TI-84 to solve applications. The TI-84 will provide the student with an easier, faster way to solve applications involving converting fractions, decimals, and percents AND serve as a strategy to check work

Teaching Empowerment

The contradiction inherent in teaching empowerment is that students need to learn specific, empowering ways to understand and interact with community people while at the same time feeling empowered, themselves, by the way the service-learning course is designed and taught. This requires a delicate balance between starting with students where they are and insisting they confront issues that make them uncomfortable. The author describes her attempt to do this in a new community service learning seminar for freshmen focusing on empowerment education

The Nature of Conversation of Primary Students in Technology Education: Implications for Teaching and Learning

Classroom conversations are core to establishing successful learning for students. This research explored the nature of conversation in technology education in the primary classroom and the implications for teaching and learning. Over a year, two units of work in technology were taught in two primary classrooms. Most data was gathered in Round 2 during the implementation of the second unit titled ‘Props for the School Production’. It used qualitative methodology and an ethnographic approach using participant observations, Stimulated Recall interviews with autophotography, semi-structured interviews with participants and their teachers, and students’ work samples, to develop a rich description of classroom conversation in technology. Initial data identified four significant stages of learning within the second technology unit; these included Stage 1 Character and Function, Stage 2 Planning, Stage 3 Mock-up and Stage 4 Construction. Four over-arching elements of conversation, each with various sub elements, were identified as flowing through the classroom conversations. These were Funds of Knowledge, Making Connections and Links, Management of Learning, and Technology Knowledge and Skills. These elements describe the sources and the purpose of conversation. For example, conversations identified as Funds of Knowledge showed students brought knowledge and or skills learned from home and their community to their technology learning. In Making Connections and Links, students implemented knowledge from school based learning. Management of Learning included classroom conversations initiated by both teachers and students, which enhanced or managed students’ learning in some way. In the fourth element, technological knowledge and skills learned were evidenced. Further analysis of the elements identified three over-arching themes of conversations. The first, ‘Deployment’, describes knowledge and skills brought by students to their technological practice and included the elements Funds of Knowledge and Making Connections and Links. The second, ‘Conduit’, described techniques and strategies used by teachers and students to maximise learning opportunities acting as a conduit between other knowledge and technological knowledge, and was mainly situated within the Management of Learning element. The third theme, ‘Knowledge’, showed the exact nature of technology learning obtained by the students though the bringing together of the first two themes, rather like a set of interconnected cogs. The study makes a significant contribution to understanding how students learn in technology education. It develops current understanding of the nature of talk and the role it plays in learning technology. It also presents new findings on the Funds of Knowledge students bring to technology and it challenges existing findings on students’ ability to transfer knowledge from one domain to other. Finally, it identifies a gap in existing research into students’ abilities to investigate and select appropriate materials for intermediate and final outcomes

Patients, Preferences, and Portals: Barriers Identified to Accessing Personal Health Information Through a Secure Online Website

Patient engagement is one of the 6 quality directives issued by the Institute of Medicine for patient-centered care. Federal meaningful use regulations require health care organizations to offer patients a secure online website, or patient portal, to access their health information. Although the patient portal offers patients the opportunity to be more involved in their care, the portal has not been widely used. However, barriers to utilization are best understood from the perspective of the patient. Any barriers to patients accessing the portal are also barriers to patient engagement. The purpose of this project was to understand from the patient perspective why 99% were not using the portal at a large health system. The goal was to understand the patient preferences and their expectations for the portal as well as the perceived barriers. The Diffusion of Innovation Theory guided this quality improvement project to understand the patient perspective to initiate focused portal revisions and program changes. A focus group method was used to interview patients about their portal knowledge, willingness to use the portal, and general preferences for accessing health information. Four focus groups were conducted with 15 participants. Each session was recorded, transcribed within the program NVivo, and reviewed through content analysis. The main barrier to patient portal use is a general knowledge deficit about the purpose, usefulness, and accessibility. As possible solutions, the participants suggested education and promotion materials are essential. Also, nursing staff will need to offer patients information about how to access and use the portal. Through this project, positive social change can be achieved as patients will have better access to their personal health information with the revised portal

Hurricane Relief using Stella and TI Calculator

FREDERICK DOUGLASS - FRANKLIN FINANCE HURRICANE RELIEF PROJECT 2OO5 Our schools have joined together to raise money to give to the Red Cross for hurricane relief. We have implemented five different fundraisers to accomplish our goal. We performed these activities in October and November. Car washes Bottle and can drive Homebase race Candy sales Interest pledges (monthly) We have developed a model in Stella to show income, expenses, and profit for the car washes and candy sales. We have direct donations from the Homebase race and bottle and can drive. We also tied in an interest income element from soliciting teachers to pledge an interest percentage per month on October and November revenues. We used a SMARTBoard to draft much of our work in Word (for candy flyers) and Excel (pie charts to show our Homebase race) and as we put our PowerPoint presentation together. Students used a digital camera to photograph our activities and downloaded pictures to incorporate on our posters and into our PowerPoint presentation. We used a TI-84 to add up our monies. Students spent a lot of time rolling coins so we did not have to pay a store a percentage of our earnings. While working on our project, students earned a sense of pride and individual responsibility by performing community service as they learned to use new technologies. The car washes were our kick-off and became a rewarding source of fundraising. The students were inspired by the generosity of our community both on campus and off. Our project has allowed students to learn and use technology, but has also provided them the experience of giving of their time to make the world a better place

Area Circumference

Students will be able to identify and apply formulas for the circumference and area of a circle in the design of a vegetable garden for Science clas

Transformative Processes in Environmental Education: A Case Study

This paper presents a case study on the severely degraded Boksburg Lake’s (Gauteng, South Africa) social–ecological system, and on an environmental-education initiative that aimed to support the lake’s transformation with a view to its improved social and ecological well-being. In this case study, three key characteristics of the initiative which appeared to support the transformative process are discussed, namely:1. Learning was aligned with the local social–ecological context;2. Human-to-human and human-to-ecological connections were encouraged; and3. The youth played a key role in initiating and effecting transformation.Apparent consequences of this particular environmental-education approach include: local people becoming involved and invested in an environmental-education process that was highly meaningful to them; a deeper connection being nurtured among participating stakeholders, as well as between the youth and Boksburg Lake; a collective identity being adopted to bring about change; knowledge of Boksburg Lake’s social– ecological system being strengthened; acknowledgement of personal culpability in the lake’s degradation; many of the youths changing their negative environmental practices; and local stakeholders, including the youth, engaging in collective action to reclaim Boksburg Lake. Furthermore, a range of new practices emerged from the Schools for a Sustainable Environment (SSE) initiative. The literature is drawn on to explain the possible consequences of this initiative. Through this paper, it is hoped that environmentaleducation practitioners will be provided with useful conceptual tools to support their work