‘Capping off’ the development of graduate capabilities in the final semester unit for biological science students: review and recommendations

Biology is the most rapidly evolving scientific field of the 21st century. Biology graduates must be able to integrate concepts and collaborate outside their discipline to solve the most pressing questions of our time, e.g. world hunger, malnutrition, climate change, infectious disease and biosecurity. University educators are attempting to respond to this need to better prepare undergraduates to face these challenges by undergoing a dramatic shift in teaching practice from teaching-centered to student-centered and from discipline knowledge to graduate capabilities. With this shift came the development of capstone units—a student’s culminating academic experience where authentic learning environments assist students to develop employer-prized capabilities, e.g. metacognition, networking, time management, collaborative skills. The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) launched a new student centered set of science majors in 2012 and in second semester 2015 will offer a capstone in biology for the first time. My main aims with this report are to understand the theoretical basis and logic behind the development of capstone units and to compare and contrast what other Australian institutions are providing. Based on my findings, I recommend six generic elements for capstone units in biological science: 1. Challenging inquiry-based learning tasks that are intentionally ill defined and complicated, and address cutting edge relevant problems. 2. Small group work activities and assessment that encourages positive constructivist learning. 3. Student centered learning where teachers take the role of coaching and mentoring with students also being provided opportunities to network with members of the professional community. 4. Students perform authentic tasks that involve articulating their findings to peers and experts including the experience of having to defend arguments and decisions. 5. Learning opportunities that include career development skills and training. 6. Explicit modeling of self-aware and meaningful learning to encourage deep learning strategies that foster an appreciation for the nature of science. Overall, I found that the characteristics of capstone units should not be focused on transmitting content, nor simply another controlled application of the scientific method; instead the activities and assessment students perform should be complex, relevant, and realistic to encourage students to move beyond being motivated by grades or fear of failure to wanting to understand concepts deeply and solve problems to make a difference within their future professions and communities

Characterization of an Urban Watershed: The Case for Rowlett Creek Watershed Impaired by Bacteria and Nutrient Concerns

Firn, Heather B.S., Southern Connecticut State University, 2009 M.S., Southern Connecticut State University, 2013 Characterization of an Urban Watershed: The Case for Rowlett Creek Watershed Impaired by Bacteria and Nutrient Concerns Advisor: Professor Wenjie Sun Master of Science conferred May, 15, 2021 Thesis completed April, 27, 2021 Water quality and its relationship with urbanization is one of many nationwide environmental concerns. Rowlett Creek is located in an urban watershed in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Since 2014, it has been listed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as impaired for bacteria and as a screening limit concern for nitrate. Water quality samples were collected and analyzed for several parameters including flow, Escherichia coli (E. coli), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia as Nitrogen (NH3), total phosphorus (TP), pH, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and temperature. Load duration curves were developed to identify non-point source and point source pollutant concerns. The influence of land cover on water quality was also investigated. Analyzation of this watershed showed that E.coli, Nitrate + Nitrite, and TSS are non-point source concerns. Low flows indicate pollutants stem from point source and potentially non-point source. High flow conditions, Moist conditions, and Mid-range conditions are a source of non-point pollutants. Land cover between Rowlett Creek headwaters and outlet to Lake Ray Hubbard impacts pollutant concentration in the watershed, increasing flow and concentrations per acre. Best management practices are needed for all flow conditions. Green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and bioretention areas, is an implementation strategy to mitigate non-point source pollutants during rainfall events. Public outreach and education as a pollutant mitigation strategy are needed for all flow conditions, specifically low flows, to change human practices. Wastewater effluent into Rowlett Creek also needs to be further investigated

Exploring the value of Scotland's environment

Protection of the environment can be regarded as representing a substantial cost to business. However, it is typically considered from the point of view of effect on company profitability, rather than its relative importance to human kind. This paper estimates the value of Scotland's natural environment by applying the methodology developed by Costanza et al (1997a and b) for estimation of the value of the earth's ecosystem services. Ecosystem services provide the vital functions to support life on Earth, such as flows of materials and energy. Since the study's publication, further research has sought to apply this global methodology to a regional and national level (for example Loomis et al, 2000, Farber and Griner, 2000 and Stevens et al, 2000). The value derived for Scotland provides a useful context for understanding the scale and importance of Scotland's natural habitats and it helps to reinforce the message that the environment is central to human welfare (Williams et al, 2003). The valuation of ecosystem services in monetary terms provokes theoretical, practical and philosophical arguments. This paper does not seek to revisit in depth these debates; rather the valuation should be taken as a starting point for setting the importance of Scotland's ecosystems in an interesting perspective. A recent edition of the journal Ecological Economics (Costanza and Farber, 2002) was devoted to considering some of these issues and providing many avenues for further exploration

Hospital-based social workers’ perceptions of generalist- and specialist-level palliative social work activities

Summary: A social work advisory group recently proposed 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities applicable to any venue, including hospital-based social work, but this applicability has not been empirically tested. Therefore, we used critical realist grounded theory analysis of qualitative interviews to explore whether the activities proposed by the advisory group reflect inpatient social workers’ perceptions of their generalist-level palliative activities when caring for patients alongside specialist-level palliative social workers. Fourteen Masters educated social workers from six hospitals in the Midwest United States participated. Corresponding concepts from interview data of hospital-based social workers’ perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with specialist-level palliative social workers were identified and mapped onto the 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities. We used NVivo to organize and track data. Findings: Inpatient social workers find it challenging to engage in specific generalist-level palliative social work activities; provision of generalist-level palliative services is shaped by discharge planning duties, the consultation model, and the concentrated role of specialist-level palliative social workers. Competency in cultural and spiritual aspects of care could be lacking. Applications: Most of the 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities are present in hospital-based social workers’ clinical practice. However, not all activities may be applicable or realizable in the inpatient venue. In the hospital, an emphasis on discharge planning and related time-barriers can mean seriously ill patients and their families lack access to generalist-level palliative social work services. Clarification is needed about which of the 41 activities are relevant to and actionable within the inpatient venue

What are the views of hospital-based generalist palliative care professionals on what facilitates or hinders collaboration with in-patient specialist palliative care teams?:a systematically constructed narrative synthesis

Background: Hospital-based specialist palliative care services are common, yet existing evidence of inpatient generalist providers’ perceptions of collaborating with hospital-based specialist palliative care teams has never been systematically assessed. Aim: To assess the existing evidence of inpatient generalist palliative care providers’ perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with hospital-based specialist palliative care teams. Design: Narrative literature synthesis with systematically constructed search. Data sources: PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and ProQuest Social Services databases were searched up to December 2014. Individual journal, citation and reference searching were also conducted. Papers with the views of generalist inpatient professional caregivers who utilised hospital-based specialist palliative care team services were included in the narrative synthesis. Hawker’s criteria were used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Studies included (n = 23) represented a variety of inpatient generalist palliative care professionals’ experiences of collaborating with specialist palliative care. Effective collaboration is experienced by many generalist professionals. Five themes were identified as improving or decreasing effective collaboration: model of care (integrated vs linear), professional onus, expertise and trust, skill building versus deskilling and specialist palliative care operations. Collaboration is fostered when specialist palliative care teams practice proactive communication, role negotiation and shared problem-solving and recognise generalists’ expertise. Conclusion: Fuller integration of specialist palliative care services, timely sharing of information and mutual respect increase generalists’ perceptions of effective collaboration. Further research is needed regarding the experiences of non-physician and non-nursing professionals as their views were either not included or not explicitly reported

Managed livestock grazing is compatible with the maintenance of plant diversity in semidesert grasslands.

Even when no baseline data are available, the impacts of 150 years of livestock grazing on natural grasslands can be assessed using a combined approach of grazing manipulation and regional-scale assessment of the flora. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of this method across 18 sites in the semidesert Mitchell grasslands of northeastern Australia. Fifteen-year-old exclosures (ungrazed and macropod grazed) revealed that the dominant perennial grasses in the genus Astrebla do not respond negatively to grazing disturbance typical of commercial pastoralism. Neutral, positive, intermediate, and negative responses to grazing disturbance were recorded amongst plant species with no single life-form group associated with any response type. Only one exotic species, Cenchrus ciliaris, was recorded at low frequency. The strongest negative response was from a native annual grass, Chionachne hubbardiana, an example of a species that is highly sensitive to grazing disturbance. Herbarium records revealed only scant evidence that species with a negative response to grazing have declined through the period of commercial pastoralism. A regional analysis identified 14 from a total of 433 plant species in the regional flora that may be rare and potentially threatened by grazing disturbance. However, a targeted survey precluded grazing as a cause of decline for seven of these based on low palatability and positive responses to grazing and other disturbance. Our findings suggest that livestock grazing of semidesert grasslands with a short evolutionary history of ungulate grazing has altered plant composition, but has not caused declines in the dominant perennial grasses or in species richness as predicted by the preceding literature. The biggest impact of commercial pastoralism is the spread of woody leguminous trees that can transform grassland to thorny shrubland. The conservation of plant biodiversity is largely compatible with commercial pastoralism provided these woody weeds are controlled, but reserves strategically positioned within water remote areas are necessary to protect grazing-sensitive species. This study demonstrates that a combination of experimental studies and regional surveys can be used to understand anthropogenic impacts on natural ecosystems where reference habitat is not available

The University of Glasgow's Faculty of Divinity in the First World War

How was the Divinity Faculty at the University of Glasgow affected by the First World War? This article draws on the University Archives and the lists of serving Divinity Students produced for the Church of Scotland's General Assembly to explore the stories of the Faculty of Divinity's staff and students (both current and potential), who joined up. It considers the way in which the Faculty adjusted to the depletions resulting from the War, as numbers of students dropped to a fraction of pre-War enrolments, and outlines the arrangements made by the Church of Scotland to allow Divinity Students who had served to complete their studies. Finally, it analyses the responses of the Glasgow Divinity professors to the General Assembly's recommendation that the Scotland's Divinity Faculties should combine resources with their sister United Free Church Colleges. This step of ecumenical, inter-presbyterian cooperation paved the way for the establishment of Glasgow's Trinity College after the 1929 Reunion

Hospital-based generalist social workers’ views of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with specialist palliative care social workers:a grounded theory

Background: In the United States inpatient generalist social workers in discharge planning roles work alongside specialist palliative care social workers to care for patients. As a result two social workers may concurrently be involved in the same patient’s care. Previous studies identifying components of effective collaboration, which impacts patient outcomes, care efficiency, professional job satisfaction, and healthcare costs, were conducted with nurses and physicians. The components of effective collaboration for generalist social workers’ interactions with specialist palliative care social workers are unknown. Aim: To explore inpatient generalist social workers’ views of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with specialist palliative care social workers. Methods: Using a grounded theory approach, qualitative interviews with inpatient generalist social workers (n=14) were systematically analysed to develop a theoretical model of generalist social workers’ collaboration with specialist palliative care social workers. Results: The emerging theoretical model of collaboration consists of: 1) trust, which is comprised of a) ability, b) benevolence, and c) integrity, 2) information sharing, and 3) role negotiation. Effective collaboration occurs when all pieces of the model are present. Collaboration is facilitated when generalists’ perceptions of trust are high, pertinent information is communicated in a time-sensitive manner, and a flexible approach to roles is taken. Conclusion: Trust is increased when generalist social workers’ perceive the specialist palliative care social worker has the necessary skills to identify and address patient needs, manage interactions with the multidisciplinary healthcare team, support the generalists’ roles, and adheres to social work professional values. Opportunities for formal and informal communication boost collaboration, along with regular access to the specialist palliative care social worker. At the organisational level effective collaboration is hindered by a lack of clarity regarding roles. Research about specialist palliative care social workers’ perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with generalist social workers is needed