Making mole-hills out of mountains:Peer Mentoring in Engineering education - A case-study

Based on the emergent findings of a pilot study which examined the issues around introducing Peer Mentoring into an Engineering School, this paper, which is very much a 'work in progress', describes and discusses results from the first year of what will be a three year exploratory study. Focusing on three distinctive concepts integral to the student experience, Relationships, Variety and Synergy, the study follows an Action Research Design in that it aims to find a realistic and workable solution to issues of attrition within the Engineering School in which the Project and Study are set. Starting with the research question "Does Peer Mentoring improve engineering students' transition into university?"', the Pilot Project and Study will run for three years, each year building on the lessons of the previous year.

Selected soil properties and bacterial abundance in the glacier forefields 'Black Valley Transect' and 'Glacier Transect' on Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica

Antarctic glacier forefields are extreme environments and pioneer sites for ecological succession. Increasing temperatures due to global warming lead to enhanced deglaciation processes in cold-affected habitats, and new terrain is becoming exposed to soil formation and microbial colonization. However, only little is known about the impact of environmental changes on microbial communities and how they develop in connection to shifting habitat characteristics. In this study, using a combination of molecular and geochemical analysis, we determine the structure and development of bacterial communities depending on soil parameters in two different glacier forefields on Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica. Our results demonstrate that deglaciation-dependent habitat formation, resulting in a gradient in soil moisture, pH and conductivity, leads to an orderly bacterial succession for some groups, for example Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Deltaproteobacteria in a transect representing 'classical' glacier forefields. A variable bacterial distribution and different composed communities were revealed according to soil heterogeneity in a slightly 'matured' glacier forefield transect, where Gemmatimonadetes, Flavobacteria, Gamma- and Deltaproteobacteria occur depending on water availability and soil depth. Actinobacteria are dominant in both sites with dominance connected to certain trace elements in the glacier forefields.

Pro-life Dr. Mildred Jefferson asked to leave conference hall [at International Women's Year conference]

General note: Title and date provided by Bettye Lane.

Annotated record and chemical composition of Mn deposits from R/V Mahi Cruise Abyssal Hills 69 stations

A University of Hawaii oceanographic cruise, Abyssal Hills 69, with the R/V Mahi, was carried out to study the association of manganese nodules with an abyssal hill. Manganese nodules from three dredge hauls on an abyssal hill located at 36°W and 157°W exhibited differences in morphology and composition between stations only three miles apart. The morphology of the nodules suggests that nodules from a single site have similar morphologies because they began growth at the same time, probably because of a volcanic event. Differences in morphology between stations indicate a local supply of elements. Atomic absorption analysis for manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper revealed that nodules nearest to a probable fault line and source of volcanism have a, lower manganese to iron ratio than nodules farther removed. This finding supports the theory that volcanism contributes to the formation of some nodules. Additional evidence showing association with volcanism consists of volcanic nuclei in nodules, crusts formed on layers of volcanic ash, and basalt encrusted to various degrees. The variation in cobalt, nickel, and copper contents Gt the nodules from a single dredge is two-to threefold, but iron content is more uniiorm. Four of the six cores from the area increased in manganese concentration with depth, suggesting that diffusion is concentrating manganese in the upper zone of the sediments or in nodules. The author concludes that volcanism is contributing to the formation of nodules by supplying nuclei and transition elements, but is not necessary for the formation of manganese nodules.

The Immense Journey: Loess Hills Cultural Resources Study, 2011

Known as one of North America’s natural treasures, the Loess Hills is also one of our country’s archaeological gems. This unique landscape harbors hundreds of well-preserved earth lodge dwellings and palisades villages built by ancestral Plains Indians. The descendants of these early Iowa farmers were first described in the journals and accounts of 18th- and 19th-century travelers and explorers. Celebrated artists, such as Karl Bodmer and George Catlin, forever fixed the vibrant life ways of these people in our mind’s eye. The historical legacy of the Loess Hills lies in a rich archaeological record.

Silke Trumpa: Elternperspektiven – Rekonstruktionen an einer Freien Schule, Studien zur Bildungsgangforschung, Band 31, Opladen & Farmington Hills, MI: Barbara Budrich 2010 [Rezension]

Rezension von: Silke Trumpa: Elternperspektiven – Rekonstruktionen an einer Freien Schule, Studien zur Bildungsgangforschung, Band 31, Opladen & Farmington Hills, MI: Barbara Budrich 2010 (276 S.; ISBN 978-3-86649-346-9)

Daniela Böhringer / Ute Karl / Hermann Müller / Wolfgang Schröer / Stephan Wolff: Den Fall bearbeitbar halten, Gespräche in Jobcentern mit jungen Menschen. Opladen & Farmington Hills: Verlag Barbara Budrich 2012 [Rezension]

Rezension von: Daniela Böhringer / Ute Karl / Hermann Müller / Wolfgang Schröer / Stephan Wolff: Den Fall bearbeitbar halten, Gespräche in Jobcentern mit jungen Menschen, Opladen & Farmington Hills: Verlag Barbara Budrich 2012 (265 S.; ISBN 978-3-86649-451-0)

Miriam Hellrung: Lehrerhandeln im individualisierten Unterricht, Entwicklungsaufgaben und ihre Bewältigung. Opladen / Farmington Hills: Verlag Barbara Budrich 2010 [Rezension]

Rezension von: Miriam Hellrung: Lehrerhandeln im individualisierten Unterricht, Entwicklungsaufgaben und ihre Bewältigung, Opladen / Farmington Hills: Verlag Barbara Budrich 2010 (276 S.; ISBN 978-3-86649-338-4)

Dise?o de situaciones que permitan el desarrollo del pensamiento espacial a trav?s de la actividad cognitiva de construcci?n para los estudiantes del grado sexto del Colegio Jefferson

Este trabajo es producto de un esfuerzo conjunto por generar una propuesta en la ense?anza de la geometr?a, apoyada en la teor?a semi?tica cognitiva de Duval y que es puesta en escena en el contexto de un experimento de ense?anza. La propuesta hace ?nfasis en la actividad cognitiva de la construcci?n, se espera que ayude a los estudiantes a superar los problemas de visualizaci?n de figuras geom?tricas, y con ello se pueda reflejar mejoras en su desempe?o. En este trabajo tambi?n, se resumen los logros alcanzados mediante un an?lisis de los resultados obtenidos, esperados o no, que son importantes por la informaci?n que arrojan en el estudio de las relaciones entre construcci?n y visualizaci?n en geometr?a. Contiene tres cap?tulos en los que se da cuenta de todo el proceso de construcci?n de la propuesta, sus referentes te?ricos, el contexto en el que es puesta en marcha, la descripci?n de la misma, los resultados obtenidos, el an?lisis y selecci?n de los mismos que permiten hacer las conclusiones del trabajo.

The Brooklyn Hills Improvement Co.'s plat no. 1 : property at Woodhaven, L.I. ; Brooklyn Hills Improvement Co.'s map showing relative position of property to prominent points in cities of New York & Brooklyn /

Woodside map is black-and-white cadastral map with lot lines/dimensions, lot/block numbers, and street widths.

A Hydrogeologic Evaluation of the Waterloo Area in the Upper Jefferson River Valley, Montana

The Upper Jefferson River is one of the most dewatered rivers in Montana. The river exists in an intermontane basin filled with sediment transported from the Highland Mountains to the west, the Tobacco Root Mountains to the east, and the Jefferson River from the south. The Upper Jefferson River Valley is highly dependent on the Jefferson River as the main industry in the valley is agriculture. A majority of the valley is irrigated and used to grow crops, and a good portion is also used for cattle grazing. The residents of the Upper Jefferson River Valley use the aquifer as the main source of potable water. The Jefferson River is also widely used for recreation. This study took place in the Waterloo area of the Upper Jefferson River Valley, approximately 20 miles south of Whitehall, Montana. The Waterloo area provides significant groundwater base flow to the Jefferson River, which is particularly important during the late irrigation season when the river is severely dewatered, and elevated surface-water temperatures occur, creating irrigation water shortages and poor trout habitat. This area contains two springfed streams, Willow Springs and Parson’s Slough, which discharge to the Jefferson River providing cool water in the late season as well as providing the most important trout spawning habitat in the valley. The area is bordered on both the east and west by irrigation ditches, and about 60% of the study area is irrigated. Tile drains were installed in the study area in close proximity to Parsons Slough causing some concern by neighboring residents. This study evaluated relationships between surface water, groundwater, and irrigation practices so that water managers and others can make informed management decisions about the Upper Jefferson River. Data was collected via a network of groundwater wells and surface-water sites. Additionally, water-quality samples were taken and an aquifer test was conducted to determine aquifer properties. The field data were analyzed and a groundwater budget was created in order to evaluate the aquifer. Results of the groundwater budget show that seepage from the irrigation canals and irrigation recharge have the biggest influence on recharge of the aquifer. There is significant groundwater outflow from the aquifer in the spring-fed streams as well as discharge to the Jefferson River. In comparing previous study results to this study’s results, there is no evidence of the water table decreasing due to irrigation practice changes or tile drain installation. However, given the amount of recharge irrigation practices contribute to the aquifer, if significant changes were made, they may affect groundwater elevations. Also lining the irrigation ditches would have a significant impact on the aquifer, as the amount of seepage would be greatly reduced.