CHILDREN IN NEED OF PROTECTION: REPORTING POLICIES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA SCHOOL BOARDS

High profile sexual assault cases by British Columbia elementary school teachers in 2010 revealed BC school boards had “disturbingly inconsistent” child protection policies. As a result of the intense media scrutiny, the BC Ministry of Education required all school boards to reassess and update their policies on reporting suspected child abuse. This article presents an analysis of (N = 50) current school board child protection policies and procedures in British Columbia and an exploration of what training, resources, and support school boards state they provide to help teachers recognize and report cases where a child needs protection. The review revealed that most boards had documentation. However, the amount of information provided by each board varied greatly. An analysis of the documents revealed some school board procedures need to be updated to reflect current legislation and expectations regarding child welfare. Policy recommendations are proposed based on the results of the study.

CHILDREN IN NEED OF PROTECTION: REPORTING POLICIES IN ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARDS

A clear, well defined policy can help empower school personnel to make informed decisions on how to handle cases of suspected child abuse. This article presents an analysis of (N = 64) school board child abuse reporting policies and procedures in Ontario and explored what training, resources, and support school boards state they will provide to help teachers recognize and report cases where a child may be in need of protection. The results showed that, while most boards had documentation, the amount of information provided by each school board varied greatly, with documents ranging from 1 page to 155 pages long. An analysis of the documents revealed a lack of clear expectations around training and support to assist teachers in reporting child abuse. Policy recommendations are proposed based on the results of the online search.

From stripe to checkerboard order on the square lattice in the presence of quenched disorder

We discuss the effects of quenched disorder on a model of charge density wave (CDW) ordering on the square lattice. Our model may be applicable to the cuprate superconductors, where a random electrostatic potential exists in the CuO2 planes as a result of the presence of charged dopants. We argue that the presence of a random potential can affect the unidirectionality of the CDW order, characterized by an Ising order parameter. Coupling to a unidirectional CDW, the random potential can lead to the formation of domains with 90 degree relative orientation, thus tending to restore the rotational symmetry of the underlying lattice. We find that the correlation length of the Ising order can be significantly larger than the CDW correlation length. For a checkerboard CDW on the other hand, disorder generates spatial anisotropies on short length scales and thus some degree of unidirectionality. We quantify these disorder effects and suggest new techniques for analyzing the local density of states (LDOS) data measured in scanning tunneling microscopy experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures; added referenc

Adaptive Precision Floating-Point Arithmetic and Fast Robust Geometric Predicates

Exact computer arithmetic has a variety of uses including, but not limited to, the robust implementation of geometric algorithms. This report has three purposes. The first is to offer fast software-level algorithms for exact addition and multiplication of arbitrary precision floating-point values. The second is to propose a technique for adaptive-precision arithmetic that can often speed these algorithms when one wishes to perform multiprecision calculations that do not always require exact arithmetic, but must satisfy some error bound. The third is to provide a practical demonstration of these techniques, in the form of implementations of several common geometric calculations whose required degree of accuracy depends on their inputs. These robust geometric predicates are adaptive; their running time depends on the degree of uncertainty of the result, and is usually small. These algorithms work on computers whose floating-point arithmetic uses radix two and exact rounding, including machines complying with the IEEE 754 standard. The inputs to the predicates may be arbitrary single or double precision floating-point numbers. C code is publicly available for the 2D and 3D orientation and incircle tests, an

Kinetic and Dynamic Delaunay tetrahedralizations in three dimensions

We describe the implementation of algorithms to construct and maintain three-dimensional dynamic Delaunay triangulations with kinetic vertices using a three-simplex data structure. The code is capable of constructing the geometric dual, the Voronoi or Dirichlet tessellation. Initially, a given list of points is triangulated. Time evolution of the triangulation is not only governed by kinetic vertices but also by a changing number of vertices. We use three-dimensional simplex flip algorithms, a stochastic visibility walk algorithm for point location and in addition, we propose a new simple method of deleting vertices from an existing three-dimensional Delaunay triangulation while maintaining the Delaunay property. The dual Dirichlet tessellation can be used to solve differential equations on an irregular grid, to define partitions in cell tissue simulations, for collision detection etc.Comment: 29 pg (preprint), 12 figures, 1 table Title changed (mainly nomenclature), referee suggestions included, typos corrected, bibliography update

Minimum cost data collection techniques for circulation control at the University of Missouri at Rolla Library

Data collection is beginning to assume increased importance in the field of data processing. This thesis investigates a method for quantitatively selecting a portion of the library to place on an automated circulation control system that uses data collection as an entry into a data processing system. The circulation function of the library was considered to be an inventory problem. Titles were considered as items of inventory and circulation of that title was considered to be a sale of that item. The IMPACT method was used to distribute items (titles) in a sample by age. Various ages were found to be responsible for different percentages of circulation. (For example, less than 30% of the volumes accounted for almost 80% of the circulation.) This provides a quantitative guide for automating select portions of the library. The method involved using a sample to estimate load requirements on an automated system. Then the estimate was used to predict conversion requirements. This results in a minimum cost conversion for a particular level. Queueing theory was used to calculate effectiveness under a new system as opposed to the old. This information can also be used to justify data collection because of the additional service provided the borrower and the library. The application of queueing theory to the circulation function indicates that an automated system will speed up the charging process fivefold, while cutting the waiting period to 1/11 of the manual system. It was concluded that this experimental approach is quantitatively consistent with observed improvements provided by implementing data collection equipment at other libraries --Abstract, pages 2-3

Intermediadores de conhecimento em educação: Como as organizações intermediárias estão fazendo a ponte entre pesquisa, política e prática internacionalmente?

Interest in how to better connect research to policy and practice is gaining momentum globally. Also gaining widespread agreement is the view that intermediary organizations have an important role to play in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships between researchers, practitioners and policymakers in order to increase the mobilization of research and its impact in public service sectors. Knowledge mobilization (KMb) includes efforts to strengthen linkages between research, practice and policy in public service sectors. This special issue explores a range of intermediary organizations, networks and initiatives in order to showcase how research-practice-policy gaps are being addressed in different contexts.  El interés por mejorar las conexiones entre la investigación y los ámbitos de la política y la práctica está ganando impulso en todo el mundo. También esta generalizándose la opinión de que las organizaciones intermedias tienen un papel importante en la facilitación de asociaciones entre investigadores, profesionales y responsables políticos con el fin de aumentar la movilización de la investigación y su impacto en sectores de servicios públicos. La movilización del conocimiento (KMB) incluye esfuerzos para fortalecer los vínculos entre la investigación, la práctica y la política en los sectores de servicios públicos. Este número especial explora una gama de organizaciones intermedias, redes e iniciativas con el fin de mostrar cómo se están abordando áreas problemáticas  en las relaciones entre la investigación-práctica-política en diferentes contextos.O interesse em melhorar as ligações entre a investigação e as áreas da política e prática está ganhando força em todo o mundo. Também esta generalizando a opinião de que as organizações intermediárias têm um papel importante na facilitação de parcerias entre pesquisadores, profissionais e políticos, a fim de aumentar a mobilização dos conhecimentos de investigação e seu impacto nos sectores dos serviços públicos. Mobilização do Conhecimento (KMB) inclui esforços para reforçar as ligações entre a investigação, a prática e política nas áreas de serviços públicos. Este dossiê explora uma série de organizações intermediárias, redes e iniciativas a fim de mostrar como elas estão lidando com problemas das relações entre contextos de pesquisa-prática-política em diferentes áreas

The ACTwatch project: methods to describe anti-malarial markets in seven countries.

BACKGROUND: Policy makers, governments and donors are faced with an information gap when considering ways to improve access to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and malaria diagnostics including rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). To help address some of these gaps, a five-year multi-country research project called ACTwatch was launched. The project is designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the anti-malarial market to inform national and international anti-malarial drug policy decision-making. METHODS: The project is being conducted in seven malaria-endemic countries: Benin, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia from 2008 to 2012.ACTwatch measures which anti-malarials are available, where they are available and at what price and who they are used by. These indicators are measured over time and across countries through three study components: outlet surveys, supply chain studies and household surveys. Nationally representative outlet surveys examine the market share of different anti-malarials passing through public facilities and private retail outlets. Supply chain research provides a picture of the supply chain serving drug outlets, and measures mark-ups at each supply chain level. On the demand side, nationally representative household surveys capture treatment seeking patterns and use of anti-malarial drugs, as well as respondent knowledge of anti-malarials. DISCUSSION: The research project provides findings on both the demand and supply side determinants of anti-malarial access. There are four key features of ACTwatch. First is the overlap of the three study components where nationally representative data are collected over similar periods, using a common sampling approach. A second feature is the number and diversity of countries that are studied which allows for cross-country comparisons. Another distinguishing feature is its ability to measure trends over time. Finally, the project aims to disseminate findings widely for decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: ACTwatch is a unique multi-country research project that threads together anti-malarial supply and consumer behaviour to provide an evidence base to policy makers that can help determine where interventions may positively impact access to and use of quality-assured ACT and RDTs. Because of its ability to detect change over time, it is well suited to monitor the effects of policy or intervention developments in a country

Exploring Equity in Ontario:: A Provincial Scan of Equity Policies Across School Boards

Canada—and Ontario, in particular—is proud to be characterized as one of the most equitable education systems in the world. However, diversity poses unique challenges for Canadian education systems. This study presents findings from an environmental scan of equity policies across the 72 school boards in Ontario, which yielded 785 equity policies for analysis. Data extraction focused on five dimensions of knowledge mobilization:structures, brokering, co-production, dissemination, and exchange. Findings show that many topics remain under-represented in school board policy coverage, including religious accommodation, antiracism and ethno-cultural discrimination, anti-discrimination procedures for LGBTQ2+ students, gender identity, and socio-economic status.Le Canada—et particulièrement l’Ontario—est fier d’être décrit comme l’un des systèmesd’éducation les plus équitables du monde. Néanmoins, la diversité présente des défisparticuliers pour les systèmes d’éducation canadiens. Cette étude présente des constatsdécoulant d’une analyse des politiques en matière d’équité de 72 conseils scolairesd’Ontario, ce qui a mené à l’examen de 785 politiques concernant l’équité. Pour l’extraction des données, nous nous sommes concentrés sur cinq dimensions de la mobilisation du savoir : les structures, la transmission, la coproduction, la dissémination, et l’échange. Les observations démontrent que de nombreux sujets demeurent sous-représentés dans ce qui est couvert par les politiques des conseils scolaires, notamment en ce qui concerne les accommodations religieuses, l’antiracisme et la discrimination ethnoculturelle, les procédures antidiscriminatoires pour les étudiants GLBTTQ2, l’identité de genre et le statut socioéconomique

Higher-quality tetrahedral mesh generation for domains with small angles by constrained Delaunay refinement

Algorithms for generating Delaunay tetrahedral meshes have difficulty with domains whose boundary polygons meet at small angles. The requirement that all tetrahedra be Delaunay often forces mesh generators to overrefine near small domain angles---that is, to produce too many tetrahedra, making them too small. We describe a provably good algorithm that generates meshes that are constrained Delaunay triangulations, rather than purely Delaunay. Given a piecewise linear domain free of small angles, our algorithm is guaranteed to construct a mesh in which every tetrahedron has a radius-edge ratio of $2 \sqrt{2 / 3} \doteq 1.63$ or better. This is a substantial improvement over the usual bound of $2$; it is obtained by relaxing the conditions in which boundary triangles are subdivided. Given a domain with small angles, our algorithm produces a mesh in which the quality guarantee is compromised only in specific places near small domain angles. We prove that most mesh edges have lengths proportional to the domain's minimum local feature size; the exceptions span small domain angles. Our algorithm tends to generate meshes with fewer tetrahedra than purely Delaunay methods because it uses the constrained Delaunay property, rather than vertex insertions, to enforce the conformity of the mesh to the domain boundaries. An implementation demonstrates that our algorithm does not overrefine near small domain angles