Renewal after the extinction of free operant behavior

Four experiments were performed to explore the role of context in operant extinction. In all experiments, leverpressing in rats was first reinforced with food pellets on a variable interval 30-s schedule, then extinguished, and finally tested in the same and a different physical context. The experiments demonstrated a clear ABA renewal effect, a recovery of extinguished responding when conditioning, extinction, and testing occurred in contexts A, B, and A, respectively. They also demonstrated ABC renewal (where conditioning extinction and testing occurred in contexts A, B, and C) and, for the first time in operant conditioning, AAB renewal (where conditioning, extinction, and testing occurred in contexts A, A, and B). The latter two phenomena indicate that tests outside the extinction context are sufficient to cause a recovery of extinguished operant behavior and, thus, that operant extinction, like Pavlovian extinction, is relatively specific to the context in which it is learned. AAB renewal was not weakened by tripling the amount of extinction training. ABA renewal was stronger than AAB, but not merely because of context A’s direct association with the reinforcer.     

Development and Evaluation of a Multi‐Institutional Case Studies‐Based Course in Food Safety

Developing novel, engaging courses in food safety is necessary to train professionals in this discipline. Courses that are interactive and case‐based encourage development of critical thinking skills necessary for identifying and preventing foodborne disease outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a case study module‐based course for upper division undergraduate and graduate students interested in food safety. Four independent case study modules were developed and implemented by 4 universities working in tandem over a semester course. All case studies incorporated molecular and epidemiological methods employed by professionals in food safety in outbreak investigations. Each case study was based on a (i) suspect foodborne pathogen, (ii) identification tools including biochemical test variations and pulsed field gel electrophoresis, multiplex PCR and/or whole genome sequencing, and (iii) suspect location and company type from farm to production site to restaurant. Pre‐ and postinstruction evaluations revealed significant increases in understanding of the concepts introduced through each module as demonstrated by overall mean normalized gain of 0.32 ± 0.35 (15% ± 19%; n = 60). Institution, role of instructor, prescore, and learning environment all played a significant role in the effects of overall learning. This study provides a successful model for a case study‐based course in food safety. The guidelines and materials developed by our group are available for use by other institutions.     

Educating Our Own: The Historical Legacy of HBCUs and Their Relevance for Educating a New Generation of Leaders

Providing a brief history of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)??including how and why they were founded, funding sources and needs over time, and an examination of mission statements??the author considers the relevance of HBCUs in the current twenty-first century context. He makes an argument that the educational opportunities HBCUs offer continue to be strongly needed in the contemporary U.S. economic and sociopolitical climate. Finally, he offers HBCU faculty and administrators some suggestions for consideration as they face significant challenges ahead.     

An Investigation of Student Roles within Small,Racially Mixed Science Groups: A racial perspective

Achievement disparities among racial groups attest to the elusiveness of the ‘science for all’ goal, an emphasis of reform efforts in the USA. One popular approach to making science accessible to all is group work. The study investigated roles attained by five African American and six European‐American eighth graders working in small, racially mixed groups. What roles did the African‐American and European‐American students attain in the small, racially mixed science groups? Did race‐associated patterns of role attainment exist? If so, what was the nature of the patterns? Roles were derived and patterns examined via the qualitative and quantitative analyses of videotaped group interactions. The findings indicated that European‐Americans attained roles more frequently than their African‐American counterparts of comparable abilities and whiteness operated in the small groups. The findings imply racial inequities in group work and the need for teachers to consider race when employing it.     

FINDING THE COMMON GROUND OF FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVING: THE EDUCATION AGENDA AT THE ROSALYNN CARTER INSTITUTE

The Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) for Human Development is the only national institute or center to integrate both professional and family caregiver issues in research, education, and advocacy agendas. This paper focuses on caregiver education and support and includes: (1) a discussion of the limitations of models that separate family versus professional caregivers, (2) a brief overview of the Rosalynn Carter Institute and the conceptual basis for the Institute's integrated caregiving agenda, and (3) precepts of effective caregiver education and support that guide activities at the RCI.     

Simply Irresistible: Reality TV Consumption Patterns

This purpose of this study was to explore college students' consumption patterns in regard to reality television, their rationale for watching reality shows, their perceptions of the situations portrayed on these shows, and the role of social affiliation in the students' consumption of reality television. The results of focus groups indicate that while participants perceive a social stigma associated with watching reality television, they continue to watch because of the perceived escapism and social affiliation provided.     

Great American city: Chicago and the enduring neighborhood effect

Establishing causal relationships is an elusive process for criminal justice researchers. Elimination of rival causal factors tends to be the most problematic area. This practice note first describes the methodology of a recent study conducted by the authors and then elaborates on the methodological problems inherent in the search to establish a causal relationship between course work and attitudinal change among students enrolled in introductory criminal justice classes.