Teachers' Opinions about Inclusion: A pilot study in a Palestinian context

The present study explored teachers' opinions about the inclusion of students with disabilities and special needs in regular primary schools in a Palestinian context, and factors that influenced such opinions. The sample consisted of 90 teachers at six schools. Eighty-seven (97%) of them had students with disabilities or special needs in their classes. Fifty-four (60%) of the teachers were of the opinion that students with disabilities and special needs should have an opportunity to attend public schools. Opinion-related factors were identified and compared to results of previous studies. Eighty-one (90%) of the teachers expressed a need for changes in the public schools in order to meet the needs of students with disabilities and special needs. Their focus of interest for building their own competence was on knowledge and skills that could empower them as teachers, not on knowledge about the students' disabling impairments.     

Windows,Bridges and Mirrors: Building Culturally Responsive Early Childhood Classrooms through the Integration of Literacy and the Arts

This article investigates how instructors can utilize the integration of early literacy skills and the arts to cultivate the appreciation and celebration of cultures in early childhood classrooms. The theoretical framework is developed through three personal accounts establishing a rationale for the importance of a viable home to school connection for young children. Finally, the suggested activities support the transference of theory into classroom practice.     

Investigating First-Year Chemistry Learning Difficulties in the South Pacific: A Case Study from Fiji

The learning difficulties for new entrant chemistry students from a multi-national, regional, tertiary education institution in the South Pacific were investigated using a purpose-designed diagnostic instrument. The instrument contained 25 items distributed across three themes: scientific reasoning, numeracy and scientific language literacy. The research findings suggest that the main learning difficulty facing these students is in numeracy with students able to interpret numerical data presented in graphical form and to complete rudimentary numerical calculations, but unable to use numerical data or perform calculations involving ratios. Targeted remedial tutoring, based on the results of this diagnostic test instrument, rather than content-driven extra tutorials, are suggested for remediation of learning difficulties.     

Monotonic triaxial experiments to evaluate steady-state and liquefaction susceptibility of Babolsar sand

In this study, drained and undrained triaxial tests under isotropic and anisotropic consolidations were conducted on reconstituted samples of Babolsar sand, which underlies a densely populated, seismic region of the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, Mazandaran, Iran. It was demonstrated that the sand experienced all possible states of liquefiable soil： flow failure, limited flow, and dilation. The steady-state and flow liquefaction lines of this sand were presented and compared with previously tested sands. It is shown that the initial stress anisotropy can affect the potential of volume change and pore pressure generation. The steady-state line （SSL）, however, remains identical for the isotropically and anisotropically consolidated specimens under drained and undrained conditions. The tests data were then analyzed in order to investigate the liquefaction susceptibility of this sand in terms of parameters such as the state parameter, relative state parameter index, and lateral earth pressure ratio at failure.     

Climate Change in the Mainstream Turkish Press: Coverage Trends and Meaning Dimensions in the First Attention Cycle

This article examines how climate change is represented by the mainstream press in a developing country context characterized by long-term avoidance of the issue. Study 1 establishes the issue coverage trends in two mainstream Turkish newspapers (1997–2013). Study 2 focuses on the news sections of these papers that were used for reporting about the issue in the first attention cycle (1997–2009) to summarize the knowledge and meaning dimensions presented to the Turkish public sphere. The findings show that the issue became part of the press agenda only after the mid-2000s, with a peak in 2007 (Study 1), and that climate change is represented as anthropogenic and alarming/uncontroversial, by drawing on dramatic consequences. These are constructed simultaneously as already “out there” in the country, and as to be dealt with globally, that is, from outside (Study 2). We discuss the findings by linking them to findings from other developing countries.     

From praxis to pragmatism: Junior scholars and policy impact

ABSTRACT

Drawing on Buckingham’s observation that academic research either has to become public knowledge or its originators must have a high visibility in the public realm before their research can find inclusion into policymaking processes, this article offers a variety of examples of how academics have managed to bridge the gap between media and communication policy scholarship and policymaking. Contrary to the long-standing belief that policy impact is extremely difficult and rare to achieve, we argue that junior scholars have many opportunities to have their work become part of the policymaking process through new forms of conversation, collaboration, coalition-building, changing perceptions of public knowledge, and a more conceptual understanding of impact.     

Combining Cultural Analytics and Networks Analysis: Studying a Social Network Site with User-Generated Content

Humanities and social sciences require new research approaches to deal with and to benefit from the explosion of digital media. Thanks to large scale data storage and processing, close reading of individual items can be supplemented with analysis of broader trends from massive amounts of data. Cultural Analytics (CA) is a recently developed methodology for the exploration of content and visual form in large image and video collections. It has already been applied to a variety of media types, including TV programs, feature films, newspapers, and video games. However, until now these applications did not take into account the social context of media. In many cases, media artifacts under scrutiny are generated or used by people in a social setting, either in forms of (digital) communities, or in terms of social relations, which can be also analyzed as a valuable source of information. Social network analysis (SNA) is a set of methods for the analysis of human networks, including massive online social networks. In this article, we argue that CA and SNA can be combined synergistically, using data and images from deviantArt, the leading online network of user-created art, as a case study.     

In vivo application of poly-3-hydroxyoctanoate as peripheral nerve graft

Objective

This study aims to investigate the degree of biocompatibility and neuroregeneration of a polymer tube, poly-3-hydroxyoctanoate (PHO) in nerve gap repair.

Methods

Forty Wistar Albino male rats were randomized into two groups: autologous nerve gap repair group and PHO tube repair group. In each group, a 10-mm right sciatic nerve defect was created and reconstructed accordingly. Neuroregeneration was studied by sciatic function index (SFI), electromyography, and immunohistochemical studies on Days 7, 21, 45 and 60 of implantation. Biocompatibility was analyzed by the capsule formation around the conduit. Biodegradation was analyzed by the molecular weight loss in vivo.

Results

Electrophysiological and histomorphometric assessments demonstrated neuroregeneration in both groups over time. In the experimental group, a straight alignment of the Schwann cells parallel to the axons was detected. However, autologous nerve graft seems to have a superior neuroregeneration compared to PHO grafts. Minor biodegradation was observed in PHO conduit at the end of 60 d.

Conclusions

Although neuroregeneration is detected in PHO grafts with minor degradation in 60 d, autologous nerve graft is found to be superior in axonal regeneration compared to PHO nerve tube grafts. PHO conduits were found to create minor inflammatory reaction in vivo, resulting in good soft tissue response.     

Measuring intermittent exercise performance using shuttle running

Abstract

The aim of this study was to include self-paced exercise within a modified Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST-P) in order to quantify key performance variables not possible with prescribed workloads. Sixteen male games players performed two trials of the LIST-P, at least 7 days apart. The LIST-P incorporates 4 × 15-min blocks of “prescribed-pace” activity (participants exercise in time to audible signals) followed by 2 × 15-min blocks of “self-paced” running (no audible signals). Distances covered and mean speeds were monitored during self-paced exercise. Total distance covered (12.54 ± 0.45 km vs. 12.64 ± 0.32 km; P = 0.10) and mean speed (8.37 ± 0.31 km ? h^?1 vs. 8.44 ± 0.22 km ? h^?1; P = 0.10) was similar between trials. Other indices also showed the test to be reliable (Pearson’s correlation = 0.89 and 0.90 (P < 0.01), total distance and mean speed, respectively; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.88 and 0.88 (P < 0.01); standard error of measurement = ±0.13 km and ±0.09 km ? h^?1; coefficient of variation (CV) = 1.7% and 1.7%; ratio limits of agreement = 1.00 */÷1.03 and 1.01 */÷1.04). Sprint time was also similar between trials (2.60 ± 0.19 s vs. 2.64 ± 0.23 s; P = 0.29). Incorporating self-paced exercise within an established intermittent shuttle running test appears to be a sensitive means of quantifying key performance variables for multiple-sprint sports research.