Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed March 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-251).

This was a qualitative case study focusing on one fourth-grade bilingual teacher and her students. Using theoretical and methodological tools from Communities of Practice and Sociocultural Learning research, I discuss how the teacher and her students co-constructed a community of practice during science. Additionally, this study provides first hand accounts of students' various oral, written, and visually represented stances related to complex issues in science, to describe how the teacher developed her students' linguistic and cultural resources through science. I used participant observation, video and audio recordings, and student classroom artifacts to document social interactions to understand what practices assisted in the co-construction of a community of practice in this particular fourth-grade bilingual classroom. Data analyses revealed that the teacher and her students engaged in practices that fostered the science identity of the bilingual fourth-graders. Further analyses revealed that through the integration of literacy practices with science, the students acquired ways to write, talk, and read, adopting scientific discourse. Important connections between home and school were present as a component of this community of practice. Finally, I found that the work of doing science within this particular classroom was accomplished by drawing upon linguistic resources in both English and Spanish. Engaging in the work of doing science bilingually became an essential characteristic of the co-construction of the community of practice. Implications for bilingual education and elementary science education include acknowledging the importance of utilizing all available linguistic resources to gain content-area knowledge and develop academic biliteracies. Implications for elementary teacher preparation call for training that focuses on the integration of content-area literacies, bilingualism, and home-school connections that value knowledge from home as a starting point for the study of science. / text

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the developmental process of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) among experienced science teachers. Since teaching is a "learned profession" (Shulman, 1987) centered on a unique set of knowledge, PCK becomes a critical avenue to investigating the roots of effective teaching. Research suggests that PCK develops and grows through classroom practice (Lederman, Gess-Newsome, & Latz, 1994; van Driel, Verloop, & de Vos, 1998; van Driel, De Jong, & Verloop, 2002). In addition, teacher efficacy has been argued to be an "affective affiliate" of PCK (Park, 2007) indicating an association between empowered teachers and knowledge growth. Therefore, this study examined the role of teacher efficacy in sustaining PCK growth among experienced teachers to better comprehend the mechanism of action of classroom teaching experience. This collective case study involved three experienced high school science teachers who have been teaching for at least eight years. Data collection involved the use of classroom observations coupled with teacher interviews. In addition, instruments used in data collection included the use of the CoRe/PaPeRs (Content Representation/Pedagogical and Professional Experience Repertoires) template for validating PCK episodes (Loughran, Mulhall, & Berry, 2004; Loughran, Berry, & Mulhall, 2006) as well as the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) that was used to evaluate efficacy levels. Data analysis indicated teacher efficacy plays a pivotal role in developing PCK through a system of validation and evaluation of the teacher's cognitive belief structure. Furthermore, it was determined that as teachers gain classroom teaching experience, their sustained PCK growth is the result of increasing their knowledge of student understanding. / text

<p>Recent progress in professional policy and legislation at the federal level in the field of forensic science constructs a transformation of new outcomes for future experts. An exploratory and descriptive qualitative methodology was used to critique and examine Digital and Multimedia Science (DMS) as a justified forensic discipline. Chapter I summarizes Recommendations 1, 2, and 10 of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report 2009 regarding disparities and challenges facing the forensic science community. Chapter I also delivers the overall foundation and framework of this thesis, specifically how it relates to DMS. Chapter II expands on Recommendation 1: &ldquo;<i>The Promotion and Development of Forensic Science</i>,&rdquo; and focuses chronologically on professional policy and legislative advances through 2014. Chapter III addresses Recommendation 2: &ldquo;<i>The Standardization of Terminology in Reporting and Testimony</i>,&rdquo; and the issues of legal language and terminology, model laboratory reports, and expert testimony concerning DMS case law. Chapter IV analyzes Recommendation 10: &ldquo;<i>Insufficient Education and Training</i>,&rdquo; identifying legal awareness for the digital and multimedia examiner to understand the role of the expert witness, the attorney, the judge and the admission of forensic science evidence in litigation in our criminal justice system. Finally, Chapter V studies three DME specific laboratories at the Texas state, county, and city level, concentrating on current practice and procedure. </p>

<p> This mixed methods case study documents an effort to implement authentic science and engineering instruction in one teacher&rsquo;s ninth grade science classrooms in a science-focused public school. The research framework and methodology is a derivative of work developed and reported by Newmann and others (Newmann &amp; Associates, 1996). Based on a working definition of authenticity, data were collected for eight months on the authenticity in the experienced teacher&rsquo;s pedagogy and in student performance. Authenticity was defined as the degree to which a classroom lesson, an assessment task, or an example of student performance demonstrates construction of knowledge through use of the meaning-making processes of science and engineering, and has some value to students beyond demonstrating success in school (Wehlage et al., 1996). Instruments adapted for this study produced a rich description of the authenticity of the teacher&rsquo;s instruction and student performance. </p><p> The pedagogical practices of the classroom teacher were measured as moderately authentic on average. However, the authenticity model revealed the teacher&rsquo;s strategy of interspersing relatively low authenticity instructional units focused on building science knowledge with much higher authenticity tasks requiring students to apply these concepts and skills. The authenticity of the construction of knowledge and science meaning-making processes components of authentic pedagogy were found to be greater, than the authenticity of affordances for students to find value in classroom activities beyond demonstrating success in school. Instruction frequently included one aspect of value beyond school, connections to the world outside the classroom, but students were infrequently afforded the opportunity to present their classwork to audiences beyond the teacher. </p><p> When the science instruction in the case was measured to afford a greater level of authentic intellectual work, a higher level of authentic student performance on science classwork was also measured. In addition, direct observation measures of student behavioral engagement showed that behavioral engagement was generally high, but not associated with the authenticity of the pedagogy. Direct observation measures of student self-regulation found evidence that when instruction focused on core science and engineering concepts and made stronger connections to the student&rsquo;s world beyond the classroom, student self-regulated learning was greater, and included evidence of student ownership. </p><p> In light of the alignment between the model of authenticity used in this study and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the results suggest that further research on the value beyond school component of the model could improve understanding of student engagement and performance in response to the implementation of the NGSS. In particular, it suggests a unique role environmental education can play in affording student success in K-12 science and a tool to measure that role.</p>

Library leadership is almost an unexplored area in LIS education and literature in Pakistan. All library education schools in the country offer management courses to impart skills needed for managing libraries but there hardly exists awareness regarding the importance of inducing leadership concept and traits—as distinct to managerial skills—among LIS academia, researchers and practitioners. The paper explores different aspects of the issue with specific reference to Pakistan by using triangular research method. The review of the literature was instrumental in developing data-gathering tools. Data was obtained from professionals through questionnaire, content-analysis, focus group, discussion and personal observation & experience. The paper identified fundamental leadership attributes required for LIS professionals and their status among professionals in Pakistan. General and specific barriers related to the profession were also identified as LIS education, poor working of professional associations, low profile among the public, low status among other colleagues in the same organization, low self-esteem and so forth. Findings suggest that emerging social, professional and technological scenario in the country requires information professionals, with leadership qualities, to foresee and create the future by timely planning and not become the victim of unforeseen changes. The role of the concerned quarters in this regard has also been suggested.

This paper presents results from twenty-one semi-structured interviews with museum information professionals who were asked about their experiences working with information resources, tools, and technologies in the museum environment. These interviews were analyzed to determine common elements in the participantsâ career paths, educational backgrounds, and on-the-job experiences. Based on this analysis, we identified five factors that we believe will influence the ability of Library and Information Science (LIS) students to succeed as information professionals in museums. This paper will provide guidance for LIS students who wish to pursue museum careers, answering the question, â How do I become an information professional in a museum?â

This presentation (of 18 slides) at the Research SIG session titled "Intriguing Interdisciplinary Initiatives" was presented on Thursday, January 13, 2005 at the 2005 ALISE Conference, Boston, MA. It discusses a research study which investigated Small Business (SB) managersâ needs for information and library managers/staff perceptions to design appropriate service models.

This article presents results from a survey designed to assess the relevance of library and information science (LIS) expertise - here defined as those topics typically, but not exclusively, taught in LIS programs - for museum professionals. The topics covered in this article are information representation, information organization and access, information management, computer technologies, digitization technologies, interactive technologies, information policy, evaluation methods, and collaboration initiatives. An online survey assessed the degree to which museum professionals possess skills in these topics, perform work in these topics, and consider these topics important for future study. The article examines the relative value of each topic for museum professionals, and discusses the importance of strengthening relationships between LIS and museum studies by better understanding the relevance of LIS expertise in museums.

This presentation (of 26 slides) at the Research SIG session "Intriguing Interdisciplinary Initiatives" was presented on Thursday, January 13, 2005 at the 2005 ALISE Conference, Boston, MA. Two interdisciplinary projects about digital inclusion (also known as digital divide) involving researchers from the following disciplines at Kent State University: Library and Information Science, Political Science, Nursing , Communication Studies, Adult Literacy, and Sociology are highlighted.