A promising science and literacy instructional model with Hispanic fifth grade students

Abstract

This study evaluated the Science and Literacy Instructional Model aimed at helping primarily Hispanic bilingual/English Learners (ELs) and economically disadvantaged fifth grade students with science achievement as measured by high-stakes standardized science achievement scores. The model combined purposeful planning, innovative academic vocabulary instruction, and a Lesson Design Lab. Difference-in proportions tests were used to determine if students at two school campuses showed positive achievement gains on a state science test. This study found statistically significant results with medium to large effect sizes at both campuses. Findings contribute to much needed research, practice, and policy in the area of effective models to assist both teachers and students in an era of high-stakes testing.     

SCAR分子标记监测菌群中的哈茨木霉

研究目的：开发具有种属特异性序列特征性扩增区域（SCAR）标记物来监测哈茨木霉在其入侵的试验菌群中的定殖和生长,为哈茨木霉应用于生物防治等生态和生物技术中提供支撑。 创新要点：多种木霉属真菌能与各种微观和宏观的生物有机体建立相互作用。利用这些相互作用,木霉可做为原生种群的入侵物种而用于生物防治。本文通过使用试验菌群为研究模型,利用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）技术和序列特征性扩增区域（SCAR）标记物来监测菌群中哈茨木霉的生长状态。 研究方法：利用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）技术,从16个10聚体引物进行多态性筛选,其中1个引物扩增出对应哈茨木霉的条带。对该条带进行克隆测序,并设计5个20-23聚体引物。成功利用引物对2F2／2R2和2F2／2R3278分别特异性地扩增出哈茨木霉BpTloa菌株278bp和448bp的DNA片段。同时,用这两个引物对14个哈茨木霉菌株和几种不同的真菌菌株进行特异性对照试验,也只成功扩增出哈茨木霉菌株。此外,使用真菌DNA混合物和试验真菌群的DNA为模板,采用实时聚合酶链式反应（PCR）对引物对2F2／2R2进行评估。当仅使用100份SCAR标记物或哈茨木霉仅占整个菌群的0．1％时,仍能检测出哈茨木霉。 重要结论：本研究所建立的SCAR分子标记能有效监测菌群中的哈茨木霉的定殖和生长,具有较高特异性、灵敏度和准确度。     

Online Searching on Selected Business Databases for Management Aspects of Health Care

Reference librarians developed an assessment tool to determine if formal classroom instruction on the use of PDAs benefits medical students. The questionnaire on PDA concepts and skills, designed to assess both comfort level and self-described skill level, was administered to students before and after a mandatory hands-on PDA class. Of 105 students surveyed, 90 (85.7%) felt the class was immediately beneficial. Mean scores on all questions increased from pre-session to post-session. Score increases were statistically significant (p < .05) for almost all questions, demonstrating to faculty, students, and instructors that the PDA class is beneficial, necessary, and should remain mandatory.     

Relationship Between Language and Concept Science Notebook Scores of English Language Learners and/or Economically Disadvantaged Students

Despite research interest in testing the effects of literacy-infused science interventions in different contexts, research exploring the relationship, if any, between academic language and conceptual understanding is scant. What little research exists does not include English language learners (ELLs) and/or economically disadvantaged (ED) student samples—students most at risk academically. This study quantitatively determined if there exists a relationship, and if so, how strong of a relationship, between ELL and ED students’ academic language and conceptual understanding based on science notebook scores used in a larger science and literacy-infused intervention with a sample of culturally diverse students. The study also considered strengths of relationships between language and concept science notebook scores within student language status groups (ELL, former ELL, and English speaking). Correlational analyses noted positive, large, and significant correlations between students’ language and concept scores overall, with the largest correlations for science notebook entries using more academic language. Large correlations also existed for ELL student entries at the end of the school year. Implications of the findings for future research and practice in science classrooms including literacy interventions, such as science notebooks, with populations of culturally diverse students are discussed.     

Relationship Between Language and Concept Science Notebook Scores of English Language Learners and/or Economically Disadvantaged Students

Despite research interest in testing the effects of literacy-infused science interventions in different contexts, research exploring the relationship, if any, between academic language and conceptual understanding is scant. What little research exists does not include English language learners (ELLs) and/or economically disadvantaged (ED) student samples—students most at risk academically. This study quantitatively determined if there exists a relationship, and if so, how strong of a relationship, between ELL and ED students’ academic language and conceptual understanding based on science notebook scores used in a larger science and literacy-infused intervention with a sample of culturally diverse students. The study also considered strengths of relationships between language and concept science notebook scores within student language status groups (ELL, former ELL, and English speaking). Correlational analyses noted positive, large, and significant correlations between students’ language and concept scores overall, with the largest correlations for science notebook entries using more academic language. Large correlations also existed for ELL student entries at the end of the school year. Implications of the findings for future research and practice in science classrooms including literacy interventions, such as science notebooks, with populations of culturally diverse students are discussed.

     

The nature of counselling: An investigation of counselling activity inselected countries

The purpose of this study was to investigatecounselling as a process. It was conducted toexplore whether counselling is available invarious countries, even if it is known byanother name. This study examined the kinds ofhelp available to people with specificdifficulties. It sought to discern whether theways of helping include activities that mightbe thought of as counselling. As a way todiscover what forms of help might be availableto people in a given country, a series ofstressful incidents confronting one family ofaverage income living in a large town weredeveloped into a questionnaire format. Theseincidents were designed to stimulate thinkingand focus attention on possible help-givingsources. Data were collected from sources infifteen countries through interviews atinternational counselling conferences and withselected embassy officials in Washington, D.C.Interviews were also conducted in the UnitedKingdom, the United States, Costa Rica, andMalaysia. In addition, questionnaires were sentto experts knowledgeable about social welfareissues in a number of countries. The findingsfrom this investigation suggest thatcounselling as an activity or a process may betaking place under different names in differentcultures.