Problems Faced by Secondary Technology Education Novice and Veteran Teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges faced by secondary technology education (TE) teachers in Illinois. Specifically, the study sought to identify and categorize a list of challenges encountered during their first years in the TE profession as well as challenges that veteran TE teachers are facing in their current teaching assignment. Seventy-three TE teachers completed an online questionnaire. Twenty-six challenges were identified and of the top five challenges, only three, equipment, funding, and understanding what TE is were identified as a continuous challenge at each career stage. Knowing the challenges identified by TE teachers at different career stages can assist school administration and TE professionals in providing specific support to address these problematic areas in efforts to improve retention rates among TE teachers

E-Process - Its Components And Their Neutron Excesses

NSF GP-18335, GP-32051NASA NGR-44-006-159Astronom

Poverty Simulation Participation: Transformative Learning Outcomes Among Family and Consumer Sciences Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent participating in a poverty simulation effectively increase a student’s understanding of life in poverty among human development and family sciences (HDFS) and teacher education students in family and consumer sciences (FCS). Using a mixed-method design, a convenience sample of junior and senior undergraduate students (N=57) in FCS from a Midwestern state university participated in a modified version of a poverty simulation. Using a pre-post questionnaire, the quantitative results indicated overall scores moved in a favorable direction in attitude improvement toward the poor and the qualitative responses provided support for the poverty simulation as an effective instructional tool. The results concluded encouragement of more positive attitudes among the HDFS and teacher education students, providing future child care specialists, social service agents and educators with an empathic and interaction basis for working with clients and students who are experiencing poverty

Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamics of Pre-Core Collapse: Oxygen Shell Burning

By direct hydrodynamic simulation, using the Piecewise Parabolic Method (PPM) code PROMETHEUS, we study the properties of a convective oxygen burning shell in a SN 1987A progenitor star prior to collapse. The convection is too heterogeneous and dynamic to be well approximated by one-dimensional diffusion-like algorithms which have previously been used for this epoch. Qualitatively new phenomena are seen. The simulations are two-dimensional, with good resolution in radius and angle, and use a large (90-degree) slice centered at the equator. The microphysics and the initial model were carefully treated. Many of the qualitative features of previous multi-dimensional simulations of convection are seen, including large kinetic and acoustic energy fluxes, which are not accounted for by mixing length theory. Small but significant amounts of carbon-12 are mixed non-uniformly into the oxygen burning convection zone, resulting in hot spots of nuclear energy production which are more than an order of magnitude more energetic than the oxygen flame itself. Density perturbations (up to 8%) occur at the `edges' of the convective zone and are the result of gravity waves generated by interaction of penetrating flows into the stable region. Perturbations of temperature and electron fraction at the base of the convective zone are of sufficient magnitude to create angular inhomogeneities in explosive nucleosynthesis products, and need to be included in quantitative estimates of yields. Combined with the plume-like velocity structure arising from convection, the perturbations will contribute to the mixing of nickel-56 throughout supernovae envelopes. Runs of different resolution, and angular extent, were performed to test the robustness of theseComment: For mpeg movies of these simulations, see http://www.astrophysics.arizona.edu/movies.html Submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

Explosive Burning of Oxygen and Silicon

Astronom

University Supervisors\u27 Perspectives on the Student Teaching Timeframe

Structured Abstract Objective: The purpose of this research study was to describe university supervisors’ perception of extending the student teaching time frame in a family and consumer sciences (FCS) teacher education program. Background: Recently, a Midwestern State University FCS teacher education program extended the length of student teaching from 10 to 16 weeks. To verify if the student teaching timeframe mattered in enhancing the development of FCS teacher candidates, this study sought the perspectives of university supervisors who worked in both timeframes. Method: Using a qualitative design, interviews were conducted with two FCS university supervisors who supervised student teachers in Spring 2013 for the 10 week duration and Spring 2014 for the 16 week timeframe. The data was transcribed and analyzed for themes. Results: The most notable finding was that student teachers were just as prepared for entering the teaching workforce in both timeframes however the additional weeks allowed for more time to develop under supervision. Conclusion: The increase to 16 weeks enhanced the development of FCS teacher candidates from the university supervisor’s perspective. Application: The findings provide empirical data for justifying extending the student teaching timeframe for program evaluation and add to the lacking voice among university supervisors in teacher education. Additionally, the findings can be a data resource to review for other teacher education programs considering extending or shortening the student teacher timeframe

Evidence for a Mid-Atomic-Number Atmosphere in the Neutron Star 1E1207.4-5209

Recently Sanwal et al. (2002) reported the first clear detection of absorption features in an isolated neutron star, 1E1207.4-5209. Remarkably their spectral modeling demonstrates that the atmosphere cannot be Hydrogen. They speculated that the neutron star atmosphere is indicative of ionized Helium in an ultra-strong (~1.5x10^{14} G) magnetic field. We have applied our recently developed atomic model (Mori & Hailey 2002) for strongly-magnetized neutron star atmospheres to this problem. We find that this model, along with some simp le atomic physics arguments, severely constrains the possible composition of the atmosphere. In particular we find that the absorption features are naturally associated with He-like Oxygen or Neon in a magnetic field of ~10^{12} G, comparable to the magnetic field derived from the spin parameters of the neutron star. This interpretation is consistent with the relative line strengths and widths and is robust. Our model predicts possible substructure in the spectral features, which has now been reported by XMM-Newton (Mereghetti et al. 2002). However we show the Mereghetti et al. claim that the atmosphere is Iron or some comparable high-Z element at ~ 10^{12} G is easily ruled out by the Chandra and XMM-Newton data.Comment: 5 pages, AASTeX, Revised version. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Educator\u27s Perception of Integration of Reading Skill Instruction

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine family and consumer sciences (FACS) teacher educators’ perceptions on the integration of reading skill instruction in secondary FACS courses. Background: As a result of low national reading scores and legislation, family and consumer sciences (FACS) teachers are being challenged to explicitly teach reading into course curricula but feel untrained to do so. Therefore, this demonstrates that FACS teachers know the value of literacy integration, but lack pedagogical skills too successfully and explicitly integrate literacy in the FACS curriculum. This draws attention to the preparation of FACS teachers, moreover FACS teacher educators’ thoughts on the need and responsibility of reading skill integration in FACS courses. Method: A descriptive study was designed to answer the research purpose. Specifically, a survey instrument was used to elicit information on (a) the research participants’ characteristics and (b) their views regarding the integration of reading skills into FACS courses. A population of 107 FACS teacher educators who were responsible for the preparation of FACS teacher candidates in instructional strategies for teaching FACS courses was surveyed. Fifty-two surveys were returned, resulting in a response rate of 48.6%. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics. Results: Results revealed most FACS teacher educators reported positive perceptions towards the integration of reading skills but did not feel responsible for providing explicit reading instructional methods to pre-service FACS teachers. However, respondents did not support holding FACS teachers accountable for reading scores on standardized academic assessments. Additionally, majority of respondents indicated that Reading teacher educators and other teacher educators (e.g., Curriculum and Instruction) should be primarily responsible for preparing FACS teacher candidates to integrate reading skills in the courses they teach. Conclusion: Overall, FACS teacher educators acknowledged the need but lacked support for assuming responsibility of integration of reading instructional strategies for FACS teachers and teacher candidates. Implications: Building a cadre of teachers who understand the benefits of integrating literacy skills and contextual curriculum is a pre-requisite for increased student academic achievement and workforce readiness. FACS teachers need to be given the tools to explicitly assist students with literacy action which starts in their FACS teacher education coursework. FACS teacher educators should make the effort to provide reading skill development in their instructional strategy courses because without the support and ‘buy in’ future FACS teachers will continue to feel untrained to explicitly teaching reading skill development

E-Process - Its Components And Their Neutron Excesses

NSF GP-18335, GP-32051NASA NGR-44-006-159Astronom

Differing calcification processes in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells and osteoblasts

© 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc.Arterial medial calcification (AMC) is the deposition of calcium phosphate mineral, often as hydroxyapatite, inthe medial layer of the arteries. AMC shares some similarities to skeletal mineralisation and has been associatedwith the transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) towards an osteoblast-like phenotype. Thisstudy used primary mouse VSMCs and calvarial osteoblasts to directly compare the established and widely usedin vitromodels of AMC and bone formation. Significant differences were identified between osteoblasts andcalcifying VSMCs. First, osteoblasts formed large mineralised bone nodules that were associated with widespreaddeposition of an extracellular collagenous matrix. In contrast, VSMCs formed small discrete regions of calcifi-cation that were not associated with collagen deposition and did not resemble bone. Second, calcifying VSMCsdisplayed a progressive reduction in cell viability over time (≤7-fold), with a 50% increase in apoptosis,whereas osteoblast and control VSMCs viability remained unchanged. Third, osteoblasts expressed high levels ofalkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity and TNAP inhibition reduced bone formation by to 90%. TNAP activity incalcifying VSMCs was∼100-fold lower than that of bone-forming osteoblasts and cultures treated withβ-gly-cerophosphate, a TNAP substrate, did not calcify. Furthermore, TNAP inhibition had no effect on VSMC calci-fication. Although, VSMC calcification was associated with increased mRNA expression of osteoblast-relatedgenes (e.g. Runx2, osterix, osteocalcin, osteopontin), the relative expression of these genes was up to 40-foldlower in calcifying VSMCs versus bone-forming osteoblasts. In summary, calcifying VSMCsin vitrodisplay somelimited osteoblast-like characteristics but also differ in several key respects: 1) their inability to form collagen-containing bone; 2) their lack of reliance on TNAP to promote mineral deposition; and, 3) the deleterious effectof calcification on their viability.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio