Training effects on teachers\u27 feedback practice. The mediating function of feedback knowledge and the moderating role of self-efficacy

Formative assessment has been identi?ed as a promising intervention to support students\u27 learning. How to successfully implement this means of assessment, however, is still an open issue. This study contributes to the implementation of formative assessment by analyzing the impact of a training measure on teachers\u27 formative feedback practice, with a special focus on mediating and moderating variables. Research questions are as follows: (1) Is there an indirect training effect on teachers\u27 instructional feedback practice via (a) teachers\u27 declarative feedback knowledge and (b) the ability to generate feedback in a test situation? (2) Is this indirect effect moderated by teachers\u27 self-efficacy? A total of 67 secondary education mathematics teachers participated in the study, taking part in professional development either on formative assessment and feedback (PD-FA) or on mathematical modelling and problem solving (PD-PM). Training was provided in two sessions (T1 and T2; each lasting 3 days) with 10 weeks in between T1 and T2. Teachers\u27 self-efficacy regarding feedback was measured before T1 with a questionnaire. Declarative feedback knowledge and the ability to apply this knowledge were tested after T2. Teachers\u27 instructional feedback practice was assessed with a student questionnaire (before T1 and 4-6 weeks after T2). Path analyses show that (1) there is no indirect training effect (PD-FA vs. PD-PM) on the development of teachers\u27 feedback practices in mathematics instruction; but an indirect effect on the ability to generate feedback in a test situation via teachers\u27 declarative feedback knowledge. Teachers participating in PD-FA show a higher level of declarative feedback knowledge than teachers in the PD-PM condition. Declarative feedback knowledge in turn is positively related to the ability to generate feedback in a test situation. (2) This indirect effect is moderated by teachers\u27 self-efficacy. Teachers with a high level of self-efficacy are better able to use their knowledge to generate feedback in a test situation than teachers with a low level of self-efficacy. (DIPF/Orig.

Updating genome annotation for the microbial cell factory Aspergillus niger using gene co-expression networks

A significant challenge in our understanding of biological systems is the high number of genes with unknown function in many genomes. The fungal genus Aspergillus contains important pathogens of humans, model organisms, and microbial cell factories. Aspergillus niger is used to produce organic acids, proteins, and is a promising source of new bioactive secondary metabolites. Out of the 14,165 open reading frames predicted in the A. niger genome only 2% have been experimentally verified and over 6,000 are hypothetical. Here, we show that gene co-expression network analysis can be used to overcome this limitation. A meta-analysis of 155 transcriptomics experiments generated co-expression networks for 9,579 genes (∼65%) of the A. niger genome. By populating this dataset with over 1,200 gene functional experiments from the genus Aspergillus and performing gene ontology enrichment, we could infer biological processes for 9,263 of A. niger genes, including 2,970 hypothetical genes. Experimental validation of selected co-expression sub-networks uncovered four transcription factors involved in secondary metabolite synthesis, which were used to activate production of multiple natural products. This study constitutes a significant step towards systems-level understanding of A. niger, and the datasets can be used to fuel discoveries of model systems, fungal pathogens, and biotechnology.DFG, 325093850, Open Access Publizieren 2017 - 2018 / Technische Universität BerlinEC/FP7/607332/EU/Quantitative Biology for Fungal Secondary Metabolite Producers/QuantFun

Obesity, inflammatory markers, and endometrial cancer risk: a prospective case–control study

Obesity, a major risk factor for endometrial cancer, is a low-grade inflammatory state characterized by elevated concentrations of cytokines and acute phase reactants. The current study had two aims: first to investigate the associations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), and IL1 receptor antagonist (IL1Ra) with endometrial cancer risk and second to examine to which extent these markers can influence the association between obesity and endometrial cancer. We conducted a case–control study, nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which comprised 305 incident cases of endometrial cancer and 574 matched controls. CRP, IL6, and IL1Ra were measured in prospectively collected blood specimens by immunoassays. Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression. All statistical tests were two-sided, and P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. We observed a significant increase in risk of endometrial cancer with elevated levels of CRP (odds ratio (OR) for top versus bottom quartile: 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03–2.41, Ptrend=0.02), IL6 (OR for top versus bottom quartile: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.08–2.54, Ptrend=0.008), and IL1Ra (OR for top versus bottom quartile: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.22–2.73, Ptrend=0.004). After adjustment for body mass index (BMI), the estimates were strongly reduced and became non-significant. The association between BMI and endometrial cancer was also substantially attenuated (∼10–20%) after adjustment for inflammatory markers, even when the effects of C-peptide or estrone had already been taken into account. We provided epidemiological evidence that chronic inflammation might mediate the association between obesity and endometrial cancer and that endometrial carcinogenesis could be promoted by an inflammatory milieu

Einlenkung zur Sittlichkeit? – Zur sittlich-moralischen Erziehbarkeit des Menschen. Anfragen an Pestalozzi

Schütze SB. Einlenkung zur Sittlichkeit? – Zur sittlich-moralischen Erziehbarkeit des Menschen. Anfragen an Pestalozzi. In: Schütze SB, ed. Pestalozzi im internationalen Gespräch. Beiträge zu Leben, Werk und Wirkung Johann Heinrich Pestalozzis aus Anlass des 60. Geburtstages von Leonhard Friedrich. 1st ed. Zürich ; Wiesbaden: Orell Füssli; 1990: 131-146

Migration and Educational Media: Introduction to the Contributions of this Volume

Schütze SB. Migration and Educational Media: Introduction to the Contributions of this Volume. In: Schütze SB, Matthes E, eds. Migration und Bildungsmedien. Migration and Educational Media. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuch- und Bildungsmedienforschung. 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2020: 26-32

Aufgaben zum Thema DDR in Sozialkundebüchern der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in den siebziger und achtziger Jahren

Schütze SB. Aufgaben zum Thema DDR in Sozialkundebüchern der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in den siebziger und achtziger Jahren. In: Matthes E, Schütze SB, eds. Aufgaben im Schulbuch. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuchforschung. 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2011: 149-163

Migration und Bildungsmedien: Einführung in die Beiträge dieses Bandes

Schütze SB. Migration und Bildungsmedien: Einführung in die Beiträge dieses Bandes. In: Schütze SB, Matthes E, eds. Migration und Bildungsmedien. Migration and Educational Media. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuch- und Bildungsmedienforschung. 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2020: 18-25

Schulbücher auf dem Prüfstand. Einleitung

Matthes E, Schütze SB. Schulbücher auf dem Prüfstand. Einleitung. In: Matthes E, Schütze SB, eds. Schulbücher auf dem Prüfstand. Textbooks under Scrutiny. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuch- und Bildungsmedienforschung. 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2016: 9-18

Aufgaben im Schulbuch. Einleitung

Matthes E, Schütze SB. Aufgaben im Schulbuch. Einleitung. In: Matthes E, Schütze SB, eds. Aufgaben im Schulbuch. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuchforschung. 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2011: 9-15

Religion and Educational Media. Introduction to the Topic and to the Contributions

Schütze SB, Matthes E. Religion and Educational Media. Introduction to the Topic and to the Contributions. In: Schütze SB, Matthes E, eds. Religion und Bildungsmedien. Religion and Educational Media. Beiträge zur historischen und systematischen Schulbuch- und Bildungsmedienforschung . 1st ed. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt; 2018: 23-35