Symmetry principles and conservation laws in atomic and subatomic physics — 2

This article is the second part of our review of the important role that symmetry plays in atomic and subatomic physics. We will concentrate on the discrete symmetries — parity, charge conjugation, and time reversal — that have played a significant part in the development of the ‘standard model’ of particle physics during the latter part of the 20th century. The importance of experimental tests of these symmetries, in both atomic and particle physics, and their sensitivity to new phenomena is also discussed. To conclude, we describe how ‘symmetry breaking’ in the standard model leads to the generation of mass via the Higgs mechanism and how the search for evidence of this symmetry violation is one of the principal goals of the Large Hadron Collider, which began operating at CERN, Switzerland in 2009.     

Memory skills of deaf learners: implications and applications

The author reviews research on working memory and short-term memory abilities of deaf individuals, delineating strengths and weaknesses. Among the areas of weakness that are reviewed are sequential recall, processing speed, attention, and memory load. Areas of strengths include free recall, visuospatial recall, imagery, and dual encoding. Phonological encoding and rehearsal appear to be strengths when these strategies are employed. The implications of the strengths and weaknesses for language learning and educational achievement are discussed. Research questions are posed, and remedial and compensatory classroom applications are suggested.     

Family Incomes Fall While Admission Requirements Rise: Implications for Community Colleges

Median family incomes in the United States are falling while admissions requirements for community colleges are rising. The purpose of this paper was to call attention to the predicament faced by low-income and academically underprepared students aspiring to complete community college programs in this environment and the implications for community college leaders. Average family incomes in the U.S. have fallen for the third year in a row, with poverty at 15.1% and 46.5 million people living in poverty conditions. Rising income inequality between the wealthy and the poor contributes to the persistence of working poor families in the U.S. Reversing the trend of increasing income inequality and reducing the poverty rate are difficult. However, education has always been a way in which upward mobility for the disadvantaged can get started. Community colleges in particular have a strong tradition of serving low-income and academically underprepared students. But community colleges are now struggling to maintain their tradition of open access in the push for academic and fiscal accountability. Some colleges are shifting to serve better prepared students. What effects are these changes having on the types of students and programs at community colleges? We examined this issue and the implications for community college leaders.