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Public Elementary School Administrators\u27 Perceptions Of The Systemic Factors That Relate To The Implementation Of Inclusive Education Within Their Schools
Full text linkThis qualitative transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of public elementary school administrators in Washington state and their perceptions of the systemic factors that relate to the implementation of inclusive education within their schools. Inclusive education was defined as the placement of students with and without disabilities into general education classes to create inclusive communities, in which no differentiation is made between students with and without disabilities (Heyder et al., 2020). Systems theory was used as a theoretical framework to examine existing literature on factors that relate to inclusive education as well as to analyze data from semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The data from these interviews was analyzed, and four main themes emerged: organizational structures affecting the implementation of inclusion, the quality and quantity of training, troubles maintaining adequate staffing levels, and the existence of a school culture centered on belonging and inclusion. The most commonly named internal factor that relates to inclusive education was found to be the administrators’ own leadership, while staffing challenges and district initiatives and supports were the most commonly named external factors. Recommendations for action are three-fold: building-based administrators should prioritize and communicate inclusive education goals and initiatives, district-based administrators should redirect resources and lead district-wide initiatives that support inclusion, and finally, state-level policy makers should promote higher salaries for qualified paraeducators. Opportunities for future research include gathering information from a larger sample of participants using a quantitative research design
Fiction For Feminist Jurisprudence: The Power Of The Literary Reality In Feminist Legal Scholarship
Full text linkThis paper asks what can it mean when we take women\u27s stories and their realities seriously and allow them to paint a more nuanced portrayal of life and law? I will argue that a feminist legal theory — which aims to recognize and remedy the subordination of women seen through the legal system — needs a literary counterpart. Furthermore, I will argue that subtleties and nuances that make literature so alluring to us can also benefit in part from the structure and clarity that feminist jurisprudence can offer. One of my central aims is to show that we can create a more meaningful, empathetic, and truly just study and practice of the law by rearranging how to address feminist jurisprudence in a way that doesn’t draw from the same problematic power dynamics it hopes to remedy. I want to show my readers that literature must be part of the solution because it has a unique capability to profoundly reframe our perspectives on social norms and practices. I urge us to consider that this very capacity for reframing our perspectives on life can extend within our legal system and become an essential part of working toward a more representative and just law
Exploring Perceptions Of High School Paraprofessionals Regarding Training On The Use Of Prompts When Implementing Transition Plans For High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder
No full textParaprofessionals often assist teachers in providing instruction to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and require training to help students achieve the goal of independence (Ledford et al., 2018). However, there is a lack of quality training among paraprofessionals when implementing evidence-based teaching practices (Jones & Zarcone, 2014). The problem explored is the lack of quality training paraprofessionals receive in the use of prompts when they implement transition plans for students with ASD (Brock, 2022). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of high school paraprofessionals in New Jersey state-approved private schools related to the training they receive on the use of prompts when they implement transition plans for high school students with ASD. Nine participants employed in state-approved private schools in New Jersey, who used prompting as an instructional method and received training in prompting within the past year, participated in individual semistructured interviews. Through data analysis, three emergent themes informed these findings: paraprofessionals (a) have a negative view of the quality and quantity of their training, (b) prefer more frequent, hands-on training, and (c) view collaboration as essential among school professionals. The implications suggest that school administrators need to be aware that a lack of training and understanding exists among paraprofessionals regarding how to implement prompts for high school students with ASD. Consequently, students may become dependent on prompts, which could limit their access to community experiences after graduation
Speed Breeding And Fungal Blight Testing Of The Darling 54 American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata)
No full textThe American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a dominant, foundational forest canopy species in eastern North America until an imported chestnut blight (caused by Cryphonectria parasitica) rendered it functionally extinct across its native range. Biotechnological approaches, like the Darling 54 transgenic line, have potential for future restoration, but need both lab and field evaluations of their breeding and blight tolerance. This thesis adds to the body of knowledge on the Darling 54 American chestnut. This research reports three novel advancements made through indoor breeding and the first systematic field test for blight tolerance of transgenic American chestnuts.
Historically, field-based breeding has been hampered by long generation times, ≤50% transgene inheritance, and regulatory restrictions on outdoor breeding of transgenic trees. However, this work demonstrates that long generational time and field constraints can be circumvented through refined indoor speed breeding. The research produced quantities of both male pollen and receptive female flowers in controlled, indoor facilities. More specifically, this paper presents three novel contributions to research on the Darling 54 (D54) American chestnut; a transgenic line with an inserted oxalate oxidase (OxO) gene which detoxifies the blight. (1) The refinement of indoor speed breeding methodology for transgenic American chestnuts yielding quantities of male and female receptive flowers. (2) The documentation of generational advances (pollen and fertile nuts) from transgenic and wild-type individuals under speed breeding conditions. (3) The production of full-term burs crossed within and between two transgenic lines (D54 and DarWin). These findings demonstrate that an obligate outcrossing and slow-maturing forest tree can reach sexual maturity rapidly and abundantly in a controlled, indoor environment.
Advances in evaluating transgenic trees for blight tolerance are, like breeding, slowed by the years it takes for seedlings to grow to saplings and then to trees, which can live hundreds of years. Current regulatory restrictions further constrain the planting and growth of transgenic chestnuts in the wild. Given these constraints, this study focused on field testing blight tolerance among approximately 200 diverse T3 and T4 transgenic and control chestnut saplings in a permitted orchard in Maine, near the northern end of the native range. These saplings were branch-inoculated with a highly virulent strain of the fungal blight, EP-155. Statistical analysis of inoculated transgenic Darling 54 saplings compared to controls suggested that the transgenic chestnuts produced cankers that are comparable to the naturally-tolerant Chinese (C. mollissima) and F1 (C. dentata x C. mollissima) controls and significantly smaller than cankers on their wild-type, susceptible American chestnut counterparts. Results demonstrate that early field testing techniques to gauge the relative fungal blight tolerance of transgenic chestnut saplings can reveal significant patterns blight tolerant of transgenic D54 lines. This field test of transgenic chestnuts contributes to the goal of restoring this iconic species to its eastern North American native range
Investigating Biomass-Dependent DNA Shedding And The Squishy Crunchy Hypothesis In Green Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)
No full textEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) is a biomolecule that is found in the environment and comes from sloughed cells, fecal matter, gametes, and more. Recently, a hypothesis has been proposed that establishes a link between the external morphology of an organism and the amount of eDNA shed off into the environment. This hypothesis centers around the idea that species with softer morphology (squishy) shed more eDNA and species with harder morphology (crunchy) shed less, and has been coined the Squishy Crunchy Hypothesis. This study aimed to not only test this hypothesis on the Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Green Sea Urchin) but also assess the feasibility of using eDNA analysis techniques for S. droebachiensis, what affects eDNA shedding rates, along with testing eDNA analysis for S. droebachiensis in situ. Lab experiments determined the shedding rate using sterile buckets, with 1, 3, and 5 urchins. Metabolic tests were done using closed vessel respirometry to determine the effect of metabolic rate on eDNA shedding. Field tests included a 3.5-year sampling project and an in situ experiment placing urchins in a tidepool. qPCR was used to quantify the amount of eDNA in the biomass shedding and field samples. Significant trends were observed at higher temperatures (\u3e13˚C) in the lab. S. droebachiensis was determined to be in the middle of the squishy-crunchy spectrum, according to the Squishy Crunchy Hypothesis, with better success predicted when targeting larger aggregations or larval urchins. While limited numbers of adults could be detected in the lab, they were unable to be detected well in the field, making the use of eDNA analysis on S. droebachiensis not viable in situ. Metabolic rate was also found not to influence eDNA shedding rates in S. droebachiensis. This research demonstrates that more investigation is needed to understand the potential use of eDNA in the phylum Echinodermata, as well as to do similar specific experiments on organisms for which eDNA analysis could prove useful
Assessment of Obstetric Outcomes for Immigrants and Non-English Speakers in the United States: A Secondary Data Analysis of the National Survey of Family Growth
No full textCertain populations are at higher risk of poor maternal health outcomes due to social drivers of health (SDOH). These include language and immigration status. Immigrants in the United States (US) are at particular risk. There is a paucity of research nationally and internationally on immigrant health and language discordance, which this study aims to address. The primary objective of this study is to assess pregnancy outcomes based on language and country of origin.https://dune.une.edu/ph_ile/1009/thumbnail.jp
Co-Curricular Experiences And Career Readiness: A Narrative Inquiry Of Bachelor\u27s Degree Graduate Experiences
No full textColleges are expected to graduate students who are both academically prepared and professionally ready. Although co-curricular involvement has been known to foster leadership learning, little research has explored how graduates themselves view these experiences and their career relevance. Prior studies emphasized that the depth and quality of involvement are more important than participation alone (Astin, 1999; Foreman & Retallick, 2013; Seemiller, 2018). This study explored how recent bachelor’s degree graduates (n = 5, 2018–2021) perceived the role of co-curricular involvement in developing leadership competencies and applying them in early careers. Guided by Astin’s (1999) student involvement theory and Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional framework, a qualitative narrative inquiry was employed in which participants shared stories through semi-structured interviews that were restoried and analyzed with descriptive and in vivo codes. Findings revealed that meaningful leadership competency growth stemmed from the depth and intensity of engagement, supported by mentorship, institutional structures, and peer networks. Participants emphasized transferable skills—communication, collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking—as central to career readiness. This study’s findings highlighted the need for intentionally designed co-curricular opportunities that align student involvement with leadership competency education and workforce preparation
Teacher Identity: A Phenomenological Study Of The Development Of Teacher Identity For Pre-Service Teachers
Full text linkThe purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to determine how pre-service teachers perceive teacher identity and how it develops. Existing research emphasized the multifaceted nature of teacher identity and how it developed through technical, practical, and critical approaches. Research overlooked how social experiences and socially held beliefs outside the classroom shaped teacher identity development and contributed to pre-service teachers’ under preparedness for the realities of the classroom. Semi-structured interviews with five participants completing their field experiences in one of two public schools in Massachusetts suggested that the pre-service teacher participants had a limited understanding of teacher identity. The findings revealed how socially held beliefs contributed to teacher identity development and that participants required deeper critical reflections on their experiences, and their relationships in and outside of the classroom. Data underscored participants’ desires to have a stronger voice within the profession. The findings of this study are an important consideration for teacher preparation programs, pre-service teachers, and the schools and students they serve. Developing a more agentic version of teacher identity is necessary to ensure a strong connection between teacher identity student achievement, and educator retention remains. Additional research is identified as being needed to reflect a broader perspective of teacher identity development and to understand the role of other factors outside of the classroom
Pain Registry For ME 2 Participant Information Sheet
No full textInformation sheet for potential participants in UNE project Pain Registry for ME 2. Including: Chronic pain is a serious public health problem but little is known about how pain affects Mainers. We plan to establish a pain registry through this study. This registry will collect information from Maine adults who experience recurrent and frequent pain. It is estimated that one in three Mainers experience chronic pain. We would like to hear from as many Mainers as possible. The information we obtain could inform public health approaches to improve pain care across Maine in the future.https://dune.une.edu/mepainreg/1000/thumbnail.jp
District Administrator Perceptions Of Response To Intervention Implementation In K-12 Underperforming Public Schools In Connecticut
Full text linkThis qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the perceptions of Connecticut public school district administrators working at K-12 underperforming schools implementing response to intervention (RTI). Little was known about district administrators working in Connecticut K-12 underperforming schools’ perceptions of RTI implementation. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with six volunteer participants who qualified as district administrators working in underperforming K-12 public schools in Connecticut. The information from this study illustrated how the district administrators perceived RTI implementation within their districts and the barriers they faced related to RTI implementation. Four themes and nine subthemes were identified. The four themes were structures and systems, restrictions, value, and data. The subthemes were scheduling, professional development, elementary versus secondary, resources, consistency, teacher mindset, growth, data-driven decisions, and scope of instruction. This study also revealed that participants valued RTI and felt it helped their students grow. However, participants also felt they had limited training around the RTI process and that there were significant barriers associated with implementing RTI. The results of this study demonstrated that more robust systems, particularly related to RTI implementation at the secondary level, must be in place for RTI to be fully effective