Back on track? How civic learning opportunities widen the political knowledge gap in a tracked education system

This article examines how different civic learning opportunities relate to students’ political knowledge in different school tracks. Existing studies have found that citizenship teaching can not only enhance overall levels of civic outcomes but also mitigate inequalities. However, educational achievement studies emphasize the risk of a tracked school context exacerbating the general knowledge gap. Combining these findings, we do not know whether efforts in the vocational track to enhance civic outcomes can still reduce civic inequalities. This study relies on the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2016 data. It uses multilevel analysis to examine how the civic learning opportunities schools offer (as perceived by students) are related to civic knowledge across different tracks. It finds that cross-track differences in civic knowledge are not smaller in schools rich in civic learning opportunities. We provisionally propose that this is due to differences across tracks in the levels and the nature of the civic learning opportunities provided

THE DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL CLIMATE: ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AT SCHOOL

In this dissertation, I examine the relation between the democratic school climate and students' engagement. Hence, I inspect the relation between the school context and students' political knowledge, their political attitudes and their willingness to participate. On the one hand, the results of this dissertation provide evidence of the democratic school climate and the teachers' role within the socialization process. On the other hand, this dissertation points out how risks can be related to citizenship education. It shows how citizenship education at school can accelerate social inequality and how teachers can stimulate conventional citizenship instead of real participation. This dissertation connects both the political socialization literature and the school effectiveness literature. Within the first field of literature both John Dewey and Constance Flanagan describe how students can learn civics at school. They perceive the school as a kind of mini-polity. The second strand of literature describes the school's contextual influences related to general student outcomes. This school effectiveness field uses a practical framework to describe the social school context in four dimensions (the school's order, social relationships at school, teaching and learning practices and the school structures). In this dissertation, I apply this framework to examine the democratic school climate and its influence on civic outcomes in specific. An advantage of this approach is that it focusses on the broader school influences related to the school in general, instead of the influence of specific actions such as civic courses or projects. This democratic school climate framework enables me to describe the democratic school climate as a specific, social and experiential school context, existing of social conventions, relationships and teaching and learning practices that commonly contribute to students' civic outcomes. Next, this framework also enables me to point out the central position of teachers in the socialization process. The data used in the dissertation comes from the two recent cycles of the International Civic and Citizenship Survey (ICCS) 2009 and 2016. I was part of the team responsible for the fieldwork of the ICCS 2016 cycle. These surveys are organized by the IEA (Institute for Educational Achievement). The ICCS 2009 cycle contains data of 38 countries. The recent cycle provides results of citizenship education in 24 countries. Both teachers, school principals and students (grade 8) are involved in these studies. The survey contains a broad range of citizenship information describing students' political knowledge, democratic attitudes and their engagement in the community. Hence this survey is the ideal starting point to examine the democratic school climate. There are three main results. First, this dissertation is able to describe the democratic school climate as a intercultural and comparable concept that can be related to students' citizenship outcomes. Next, it is clear that the teacher plays a central role in the democratic school climate. Results provide evidence that teachers can both stimulate equality and improve democratic attitudes. Hence, the teacher can be seen as a role model within the political socialization process. Third, this dissertation point out how citizenship education can contribute to more equality (between boys and girls or between students in the general track or the vocational track). This dissertation points out that a careful reflection is needed to stimulate these opportunities for more social equality. Different views about citizenship among teachers can jeopardize a common citizenship education approach within the school and structural differences can accelerate a citizenship gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. To conclude, this dissertation points out the need for more support for each teacher to better implement citizenship education at school. Teacher professionalization rarely focusses on citizenship education, nevertheless, this dissertation shows how citizenship education is the responsibility of every teacher at school.status: publishe

THE DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL CLIMATE: ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AT SCHOOL

In this dissertation, I examine the relation between the democratic school climate and students' engagement. Hence, I inspect the relation between the school context and students' political knowledge, their political attitudes and their willingness to participate. On the one hand, the results of this dissertation provide evidence of the democratic school climate and the teachers' role within the socialization process. On the other hand, this dissertation points out how risks can be related to citizenship education. It shows how citizenship education at school can accelerate social inequality and how teachers can stimulate conventional citizenship instead of real participation. This dissertation connects both the political socialization literature and the school effectiveness literature. Within the first field of literature both John Dewey and Constance Flanagan describe how students can learn civics at school. They perceive the school as a kind of mini-polity. The second strand of literature describes the school's contextual influences related to general student outcomes. This school effectiveness field uses a practical framework to describe the social school context in four dimensions (the school's order, social relationships at school, teaching and learning practices and the school structures). In this dissertation, I apply this framework to examine the democratic school climate and its influence on civic outcomes in specific. An advantage of this approach is that it focusses on the broader school influences related to the school in general, instead of the influence of specific actions such as civic courses or projects. This democratic school climate framework enables me to describe the democratic school climate as a specific, social and experiential school context, existing of social conventions, relationships and teaching and learning practices that commonly contribute to students' civic outcomes. Next, this framework also enables me to point out the central position of teachers in the socialization process. The data used in the dissertation comes from the two recent cycles of the International Civic and Citizenship Survey (ICCS) 2009 and 2016. I was part of the team responsible for the fieldwork of the ICCS 2016 cycle. These surveys are organized by the IEA (Institute for Educational Achievement). The ICCS 2009 cycle contains data of 38 countries. The recent cycle provides results of citizenship education in 24 countries. Both teachers, school principals and students (grade 8) are involved in these studies. The survey contains a broad range of citizenship information describing students' political knowledge, democratic attitudes and their engagement in the community. Hence this survey is the ideal starting point to examine the democratic school climate. There are three main results. First, this dissertation is able to describe the democratic school climate as a intercultural and comparable concept that can be related to students' citizenship outcomes. Next, it is clear that the teacher plays a central role in the democratic school climate. Results provide evidence that teachers can both stimulate equality and improve democratic attitudes. Hence, the teacher can be seen as a role model within the political socialization process. Third, this dissertation point out how citizenship education can contribute to more equality (between boys and girls or between students in the general track or the vocational track). This dissertation points out that a careful reflection is needed to stimulate these opportunities for more social equality. Different views about citizenship among teachers can jeopardize a common citizenship education approach within the school and structural differences can accelerate a citizenship gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. To conclude, this dissertation points out the need for more support for each teacher to better implement citizenship education at school. Teacher professionalization rarely focusses on citizenship education, nevertheless, this dissertation shows how citizenship education is the responsibility of every teacher at school.status: publishe

Flocculation in ale brewing strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae : re-evaluation of the role of cell surface charge and hydrophobicity

Flocculation is an eco-friendly process of cell separation, which has been traditionally exploited by the brewing industry. Cell surface charge (CSC), cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and the presence of active flocculins, during the growth of two (NCYC 1195 and NCYC 1214) ale brewing flocculent strains, belonging to the NewFlo phenotype, were examined. Ale strains, in exponential phase of growth, were not flocculent and did not present active flocculent lectins on the cell surface; in contrast, the same strains, in stationary phase of growth, were highly flocculent (>98%) and presented a hydrophobicity of approximately three to seven times higher than in exponential phase. No relationship between growth phase, flocculation and CSC was observed. For comparative purposes, a constitutively flocculent strain (S646-1B) and its isogenic non-flocculent strain (S646-8D) were also used. The treatment of ale brewing and S646-1B strains with pronase E originated a loss of flocculation and a strong reduction of CSH; S646-1B pronase E-treated cells displayed a similar CSH as the non-treated S646-8D cells. The treatment of the S646-8D strain with protease did not reduce CSH. In conclusion, the increase of CSH observed at the onset of flocculation of ale strains is a consequence of the presence of flocculins on the yeast cell surface and not the cause of yeast flocculation. CSH and CSC play a minor role in the auto-aggregation of the ale strains since the degree of flocculation is defined, primarily, by the presence of active flocculins on the yeast cell wall.Manuela D. Machado gratefully acknowledges the post-doctoral grant from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) from Portuguese Government (SFRH/BPD/72816/2010)

Alterations of protein expression in conditions of copper-deprivation for Paracoccidioides lutzii in the presence of extracellular matrix components

Background: Paracoccidioides spp is a fungi genus and the agent of paracoccidioidomycosis. The strategies of infection used by these pathogens involve the expression of proteins related to adaptation to the host, particularly regarding the uptake of micronutrients. This study analyzed the adhesion of Paracoccidioides lutzii during conditions of copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) deprivation, while also evaluating the proteins expressed in conditions of Cu depletion in the presence of four extracellular matrix (ECM) components (laminin, fibronectin and types I and IV collagen).Results: We cultured the P. lutzii in a chemically defined media without Cu and Fe. The fungus was then placed in contact with different ECM components and adhesion was evaluated. A significant increase in binding to all ECM components was observed when the fungus was cultured without Cu; which might be related to some adhesins expression. A proteomic assay was developed and revealed 39 proteins expressed that are involved in processes such as virulence, protein synthesis, metabolism, energy, transcription, transport, stress response and the cell cycle when the fungus was interacting with the ECM components. The up-regulated expression of two important adhesins, enolase and 14-3-3, was observed at the fungal cell wall during the interaction with the ECM components, indicating the role of these proteins in the Paracoccidioides-host interaction.Conclusions: This study is important for determining prospective proteins that may be involved in the interaction of Paracoccidioides with a host. Understanding the adaptive response to different growth conditions, elucidating the processes of adhesion and cell invasion, and identifying the proteins that are differentially expressed during the fungus-host interaction may help elucidate mechanisms used for survival and growth of Paracoccidioides in various human tissues.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)National Council for Scientific and Technological DevelopmentPADCFCF-Sao Paulo State UniversityUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Lab Micol Clin, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut,Dept Anal Clin, Araraquara, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Dept Genet, Lab Multiusuarios Ctr Genom Func Aplicada Agr &A, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Lab Micol Clin, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut,Dept Anal Clin, Araraquara, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2008/56476-5FAPESP: 2009/52046-9FAPESP: 2011/18038-9National Council for Scientific and Technological Development: 473119/2010-