The role of gender in students’ ratings of teaching quality in computer science and environmental engineering

Students’ ratings of teaching quality on course units in computer science and environmental engineering at a large Swedish university were obtained using the Course Experience Questionnaire; 8,888 sets of ratings were obtained from men and 4,280 sets were obtained from women over ten academic years. There were differences in the ratings given by students taking the two programs; in particular, teachers tended to receive higher ratings in subjects that were less typical for their gender than in subjects that were more typical for their gender. There were differences in the ratings given to male and female teachers, differences in the ratings given by male and female students, and interactions between these two effects. There was no systematic trend for students to give different ratings to teachers of the same gender as themselves compared with teachers of the other gender. Nevertheless, without exception even the statistically significant effects were small in magnitude and unlikely to be of theoretical or practical importance. It is concluded that the causes of differences in the career progression of male and female teachers in engineering education need to be sought elsewhere.   

Homi Bhabha and Canadian Curriculum Studies: Beyond the Comforts of the Dialectic

In this article we consider the potential for the work of the postcolonial theorist, Homi Bhabha, to engage us in important reflections on Canadian curriculum studies. Drawing on Bhabha’s writings and interviews, we offer possibilities for ways in which his concepts of cultural difference, hybridity, and the third space, could influence English language art education, social studies education and teacher education

Safety of intravenous iodinated contrast medium injection in rabbits undergoing conscious computed tomography

BACKGROUND: Contrast media in CT is widely used in dogs and cats to provide superior tissue delineation and increase the diagnostic capabilities. These contrast‐enhanced imaging techniques are gaining popularity in rabbits; published studies reporting the safety of doing so are lacking. METHODS: This retrospective observational study aimed to determine the incidence of adverse events following the intravenous administration of iodinated non‐ionic contrast medium in 350 rabbits. The medical records of this subset of rabbits admitted between January 2009 and November 2018, that underwent CT examination and received intravenous contrast media, were evaluated. RESULTS: From the 350 rabbits, 342 rabbits were still alive 7 days after the scan. A total of eight rabbits died within 7 days of the scan, seven of which within the first 24 h. All deaths were presumed to be sequelae to the diseases they were being investigated for and not thought to be related to the administration of intravenous contrast medium. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the use of intravenous non‐iodinated contrast medium was well tolerated and safe in rabbits undergoing conscious CT examination

Awareness, Discovery, Becoming, and Debriefing: Promoting Cross-Cultural Pedagogical Understanding in an Undergraduate Education Program

This article discusses the first phase of an action research project aimed at identifying a collaborative and collective response to the need to prepare student teachers to work in diverse school contexts. The research brought together university researchers, community and cultural institutions, professional associations, school boards, and government and civil organizations to design a Diversity Institute for integration into the teacher preparation program at the University of Alberta. Student teachers’ responses to the Diversity Institute suggest that although a few participants were able to develop new understandings of themselves and others and to effect changes in their pedagogical practices, many remained at a shallow level of awareness about the complexities of diversity and difference. Reflections on the first phase of the Institute point to the underlying dynamics of learning and unlearning that are at work in becoming a teacher and the need for time and space for a deeper engagement with diversity in the teacher education program.Cet article présente la première phase d’un projet de recherche action visant l’identification d’une réponse collaborative et collective au besoin de préparer les étudiants en pédagogie à travailler dans divers contextes scolaires. La recherche a impliqué la collaboration de chercheurs universitaires, d’instituts communautaires et culturels, d’associations professionnelles, de conseils scolaires et d’organisations gouvernementales et civiles, dans la conception d’une série d’ateliers et de présentations (nommée Diversity Institute 2008) qui a ensuite été intégrée au programme de pédagogie à l’Université de l’Alberta. La réaction des étudiants en pédagogie qui ont participé aux ateliers et aux présentations indique que, même si quelques participants ont pu développer de nouvelles connaissances sur eux-mêmes et les autres, et qu’ils ont réussi à modifier leurs pratiques pédagogiques, plusieurs n’ont acquis qu’une connaissance superficielle des complexités de la diversité et la différence. Les réflexions sur la première phase de Diversity Institute ont fait ressortir, d’une part, les rapports dynamiques et sous-jacents d’apprentissage et de désapprentissage qui accompagnent la formation des étudiants en pédagogie et, d’autre part, le besoin de temps et d’espace au sein du programme de pédagogie pour permettre une appréciation approfondie de la diversité

RELAÇÕES ENTRE COBRANÇA PELO USO DA ÁGUA COM O ICMS ECOLÓGICO

O Estado Paraná em 1991, foi o primeiro estado brasileiro a implementar o ICMS ecológico como política pública de preservação ambiental, voltada a preservação de mananciais de abastecimento e unidades de conservação. Vinte e dois anos após implantação do ICMSe o Comitê de bacias do Alto Iguaçu e Afluente do Alto Ribeira (COALIAR) aprovou e deu início a cobrança pelo uso da água, que é um dos instrumentos da Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos (PNRH). Este trabalho tratou de analisar as relações entre o ICMSe e a Cobrança pelo uso da água e teve como área de estudo 25 munícipios que participam Comitê, onde desses 25 municípios apenas quatro não recebem repasse do ICMSe. Para isso foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória do tipo documental e concluiu-se que a principal relação entre as duas ferramentas de preservação ambiental está na maneira que os recursos arrecadados financeiros são gerenciados.Palavras-chave: políticas públicas, cobrança pelo uso da água, ICMS ecológico. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHARGING FOR WATER USE WITH THE ECOLOGICAL ICMS ABSTRACTThe Paraná State in 1991 was the first Brazilian state to implement the ecological ICMS as public policy of environmental preservation, aimed at preservation of supply and conservation units springs. Twenty-two years after ICMSe implementation the Committee watershed High Iguaçu and Tributary of High Ribeira (COALIAR) approved and started charging for the use of water, one of the instruments of the National Water Resources Policy (PNRH). This study evaluated the relationship between ICMSe and charging for the use of water. The study area is composed by 25 municipalities participating committee, these only four do not receive transfer of ICMSe. For it was made an exploratory research of documentary type and it was concluded that the main relationship between the two environmental preservation tools is the way of the funds raised financial are managed.Keywords: public policy, charge for the use of water, ecological ICMS. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5935/2318-7670.v05n03a0

Oligonucleotide ligation assay detects HIV drug resistance associated with virologic failure among antiretroviral-naive adults in Kenya

Background: Transmitted drug resistance (TDR) is increasing in some areas of Africa. Detection of TDR may predict virologic failure of first-line non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART). We evaluated the utility of a relatively inexpensive oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) to detect clinically relevant TDR at time of ART initiation. Methods: Pre-ART plasmas from ART-naive Kenyans initiating an NNRTI-based fixed-dose combination ART in a randomized adherence trial conducted in 2006 were retrospectively analyzed by OLA for mutations conferring resistance to NNRTI (K103N, Y181C, and G190A) and lamivudine (M184V). Post-ART plasmas were analyzed for virologic failure (≥1,000 copies/mL) at 6 month intervals over 18-month follow-up. Pre-ART plasmas of those with virologic failure were evaluated for drug resistance by consensus and 454-pyrosequencing. Results: Among 386 participants, TDR was detected by OLA in 3.89% [95% Confidence Interval (CI), 2.19-6.33], and was associated with a 10-fold higher rate of virologic failure [Hazard Ratio (HR), 10.39; 95% CI, 3.23-32.41; p Conclusions: Detection of TDR by a point mutation assay may prevent use of sub-optimal ART

The early Neolithic of Iraqi Kurdistan: current research at Bestansur, Shahrizor Plain

Human communities made the transition from hunter-foraging to more sedentary agriculture at multiple locations across southwest Asia through the Early Neolithic (ca. 10,000-7000 BC). Societies explored strategies involving increasing management and development of plants, animals, materials, technologies and ideologies specific to each region whilst sharing some common attributes. Current research in the eastern Fertile Crescent is contributing new insights into the Early Neolithic transition and the critical role that this region played. The Central Zagros Archaeological Project (CZAP) is investigating this transition in Iraqi Kurdistan, including at the earliest Neolithic settlement so far excavated in the region. In this article, we focus on results from ongoing excavations at the Early Neolithic site of Bestansur on the Shahrizor Plain (Sulaimaniyah province), in order to address key themes in the Neolithic transition