bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of sex-determination mechanisms in avian primordial germ cells using RNA-seq analysis
Authors: Ichikawa Kennosuke , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Bono Hidemasa , Ezaki Ryo , Matsuzaki Mei , Horiuchi Hiroyuki
Published: February 2022

Avian sex is determined by various factors, such as the dosage of DMRT1 and cell-autonomous mechanisms. While the sex-determination mechanism in gonads is well analyzed, the mechanism in germ cells remains unclear. In this study, we explored the gene expression profiles of male and female primordial germ cells (PGCs) during embryogenesis in chickens to predict the mechanism of sex-determination. Male and female PGCs were isolated from blood and gonads with a purity > 96% using flow cytometry and analyzed using RNA-seq. Prior to settlement in the gonads, female circulating PGCs (cPGCs) obtained from blood displayed sex-biased expression. Gonadal PGCs (gPGCs) also displayed sex-biased expression, and the number of female-biased genes detected was higher than male-biased genes. The female-biased genes in gPGCs were enriched in some metabolic processes. To reveal the mechanisms underlying the transcriptional regulation of female-biased genes in gPGCs, we performed stimulation tests. Stimulation with retinoic acid against cultured gPGCs derived from male embryos resulted in the upregulation of several female-biased genes. Overall, our results suggest that sex determination of avian PGCs possess aspects of both cell-autonomous and somatic cell regulation. Moreover, it appears that sex determination occurs earlier in females than in males.
Cryo-electron tomography of Birbeck granules reveals the molecular mechanism of langerin lattice formation
Authors: Oda Toshiyuki , Yanagisawa Haruaki , Shinmori Hideyuki , Ogawa Youichi , Kawamura Tatsuyoshi
Published: February 2022

Langerhans cells are specialized antigen-presenting cells localized within the epidermis and mucosal epithelium. Upon contact with Langerhans cells, pathogens are captured by the C- type lectin langerin and internalized into a structurally unique vesicle known as a Birbeck granule. Although the immunological role of Langerhans cells and Birbeck granules have been extensively studied, the mechanism by which the characteristic zippered membrane structure of Birbeck granules is formed remains elusive. In this study, we observed isolated Birbeck granules using cryo-electron tomography and reconstructed the 3D structure of the repeating unit of the honeycomb lattice of langerin at 6.4 Å resolution. We found that the interaction between the two langerin trimers was mediated by docking the flexible loop at residues 258-263 into the secondary carbohydrate-binding cleft. Mutations within the loop inhibited Birbeck granule formation and the internalization of HIV pseudovirus. These findings suggest a molecular mechanism for membrane zippering during Birbeck granule biogenesis and provide insight into the role of langerin in the defense against viral infection.
Metabolic Engineering of Oleaginous Yeast Rhodotorula toruloides for Overproduction of Triacetic Acid Lactone
Authors: Cao Mingfeng , Tran Vinh G. , Qin Jiansong , Olson Andrew , Schultz J. Carl , Huang Chunshuai , Xie Dongming , Zhao Huimin
Published: February 2022

The plant-sourced polyketide triacetic acid lactone (TAL) has been recognized as a promising platform chemical for the biorefinery industry. However, its practical application was rather limited due to low natural abundance and inefficient cell factories for biosynthesis. Here we report the metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides for TAL overproduction. We first introduced a 2-pyrone synthase gene from Gerbera hybrida (GhPS) into R. toruloides and investigated the effects of different carbon sources on TAL production. We then systematically employed a variety of metabolic engineering strategies to increase the flux of acetyl-CoA by enhancing its biosynthetic pathways and disrupting its competing pathways. We found that overexpression of citrate lyase (ACL1) improved TAL production by 45% compared to the GhPS overexpressing strain, and additional overexpression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1) further increased TAL production by 29%. Finally, we characterized the resulting strain I12-ACL1-ACC1 using fed-batch bioreactor fermentation in glucose or oilcane juice medium with acetate supplementation and achieved a titer of 28 g/L or 23 g/L TAL, respectively. This study demonstrates that R. toruloides is a promising host for production of TAL and other acetyl-CoA-derived polyketides from low-cost carbon sources.

Graphical abstract

Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) is a promising platform chemical. Cao et al. overexpressed 2-pyrone synthase in oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides to produce TAL. They systematically evaluated various metabolic gene targets to increase acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA levels for TAL production and found that overexpression of both ACL1 and ACC1 led to 28 g/L or 23 g/L of TAL from glucose or oilcane juice with acetate supplementation, respectively, in fed-batch fermentation.
Multiple scenarios for sexual crosses in the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici on wheat residues: potential consequences for virulence gene transmission
Authors: Orellana-Torrejon Carolina , Vidal Tiphaine , Gazeau Gwilherm , Boixel Anne-Lise , Gélisse Sandrine , Lageyre Jérôme , Saint-Jean Sébastien , Suffert Frédéric
Published: February 2022

Little is known about the impact of host immunity on sexual reproduction in fungal pathogens. In particular, it is unclear whether crossing requires both sexual partners to infect living plant tissues. We addressed this issue in a three-year experiment investigating different scenarios of Zymoseptoria tritici crosses on wheat according to the virulence (‘vir’) or avirulence (‘avr’) of the parents against a qualitative resistance gene. Co-inoculations (‘vir × vir’, ‘avr × vir’, ‘avr × avr’) and single inoculations were performed on a cultivar carrying the resistance gene (Cellule) and a susceptible cultivar (Apache), in the greenhouse. We assessed the intensity of asexual multiplication by scoring disease severity, and the intensity of sexual reproduction by counting the ascospores discharged from wheat residues. As expected, disease severity was more intense on Cellule for ‘vir × vir’ co-inoculations than for ‘avr × vir’ co-inoculations, with no disease for ‘avr × avr’. However, all types of co-inoculation yielded sexual offspring, whether or not the parental strains caused plant symptoms. Parenthood was confirmed by genotyping (SSR markers), and the occurrence of crosses between (co-)inoculated and exogenous strains (other strains from the experiment, or from far away) was determined. We found that symptomatic asexual infection was not required for a strain to participate in sexual reproduction, and that avirulent strains could be maintained asymptomatically “on” or “in” leaf tissues of plants carrying the corresponding resistant gene for long enough to reproduce sexually. In two of the three years, the intensity of sexual reproduction did not differ significantly between the three types of co-inoculation in Cellule, suggesting that crosses involving avirulent strains are not anecdotal. We discuss the possible mechanisms explaining the maintenance of avirulence in Z. tritici populations and supporting the potential efficacy of cultivar mixtures for limiting resistance gene breakdown.

Highlights

Avirulent Zymoseptoria tritici strains can reproduce sexually in wheat plants carrying the corresponding resistant gene.

Symptomatic infection of plant tissues is not essential for a strain to reproduce sexually.

Avirulent strains can be maintained asymptomatically “on” or “in” leaf tissues of plants carrying the corresponding resistant gene for long enough to reproduce sexually.

Crosses of virulent strains with virulent and avirulent strains in a plant host carrying the corresponding resistance gene can produce offspring with similar population sizes.

Several possible scenarios for sexual crosses can explain the maintenance of avirulence in Zymoseptoria tritici populations evolving in a wheat canopy, particular in cultivar mixtures.
An Agrobacterium strain auxotrophic for methionine is useful for switchgrass transformation
Authors: Prías-Blanco Mónica , Chappell Timothy M. , Freed Emily F. , Illa-Berenguer Eudald , Eckert Carrie A. , Parrott Wayne A.
Published: February 2022

Auxotrophic strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can contribute to the development of more efficient transformation systems, especially for crops historically considered recalcitrant. Homologous recombination was used to derive methionine auxotrophs of two common A. tumefaciens strains, LBA4404 and EHA105. The EHA105 strains were more efficient for switchgrass transformation, while both the EHA105 and LBA4404 strains worked equally well for the rice control. Event quality, as measured by transgene copy number, was not affected by auxotrophy, but was higher for the LBA4404 strains than the EHA105 strains. Ultimately, the use of auxotrophs reduced bacterial overgrowth during co-cultivation, with a concomitant decrease in the need for antibiotics. In turn, reduced overgrowth allowed longer co-cultivation periods, with a trend towards higher transformation frequencies for switchgrass, but not for rice.
Initiation of aboveground organ primordia depends on combined action of auxin, ERECTA family genes, and PINOID
Authors: DeGennaro Daniel , Urquidi Camacho Ricardo Andres , Zhang Liang , Shpak Elena D.
Published: February 2022

Leaves and flowers are produced by the shoot apical meristem (SAM) at a certain distance from its center, a process that requires the hormone auxin. The amount of auxin and the pattern of its distribution in the initiation zone determine the size and spatial arrangement of organ primordia. Auxin gradients in the SAM are formed by PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin efflux carriers whose polar localization in the plasma membrane depends on the protein kinase PINOID (PID).

Previous work determined that ERECTA family genes (ERfs) control initiation of leaves. ERfs are plasma membrane receptors that enable cell-to-cell communications by sensing extracellular small proteins from Epidermal Patterning Factor/EPF-like (EPF/EPFL) family. Here, we investigate whether ERfs regulate initiation of organs by altering auxin distribution or signaling. Genetic and pharmacological data suggest that ERfs do not regulate organogenesis through PINs while transcriptomics data show ERfs do not alter primary transcriptional responses to auxin.

Our results indicate that in the absence of ERf signaling, the peripheral zone cells inefficiently initiate leaves in response to auxin signals and that increased accumulation of auxin in the er erl1 erl2 SAM can partially rescue organ initiation defects. We propose that both auxin and ERfs are essential for leaf initiation, and that they have common downstream targets. Genetic data also indicate that the role of PID in initiation of cotyledons and leaves cannot be attributed solely to regulation of PIN polarity, and PID is likely to have other functions in addition to regulation of auxin distribution.

Summary statement

Auxin is unable to promote cotyledon and leaf initiation in the absence of signaling by ERECTA family receptor kinases and the kinase PINOID.
Local light signalling at the leaf tip drives remote differential petiole growth through auxin-gibberellin dynamics
Authors: Küpers Jesse J. , Snoek Basten L. , Oskam Lisa , Pantazopoulou Chrysoula K. , Matton Sanne E. A. , Reinen Emilie , Liao Che-Yang , Eggermont Eline D.C. , Weekamp Harold , Kohlen Wouter , Weijers Dolf , Pierik Ronald
Published: February 2022

Although plants are immobile, many of their organs are flexible to move in response to environmental cues. In dense vegetation plants detect neighbours through far-red light perception with their leaf tip. They respond remotely, with asymmetrical growth between the abaxial and adaxial sides of the leafstalk, the petiole. This results in upward movement that brings the leaf blades into better lit zones of the canopy. The plant hormone auxin is required for this response, but it is not understood how non-differential leaf tip-derived auxin can remotely regulate movement. Here we show that remote light signalling promotes auxin accumulation in the abaxial petiole by reinforcing an intrinsic auxin transport directionality. In the petiole, auxin elicits a response of both auxin as well as a second growth promoter; gibberellin. We show that this dual regulation is necessary for hyponastic leaf movement in response to light. Our results reveal how plants can spatially relay information about neighbour proximity from their sensory leaf tips to the petiole base, thus driving adaptive growth.
m.3685T>C is a Novel Mitochondrial DNA Variant That Causes Leigh Syndrome
Authors: Jean Jeffrey , Christodoulou Eirini , Gai Xiaowu , Tamrazi Benita , Vera Moin , Mitchell Wendy G , Schmidt Ryan J
Published: February 2022

Variants in the mitochondrial genome can result in dysfunction of Complex I within the electron transport chain, thus causing disruptions in oxidative phosphorylation. Pathogenic variants in the MT-ND1 (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 1) gene that result in Complex I dysfunction are a known cause of Leigh syndrome. The patient is a four year-old female who initially presented with generalized tonic-clonic seizures, with other symptoms of Leigh syndrome becoming apparent after the seizures. A three-generation pedigree revealed no family history of mitochondrial disorders. Laboratory studies were remarkable for elevated blood lactate, alanine, and GDF15. T2-weighted MRI revealed bilateral asymmetric signal hyperintensities in the basal ganglia, specifically in the bilateral putamen and right caudate. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed regionally elevated glucose and lactate. Mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme analysis on skin fibroblasts demonstrated slightly reduced Complex I function. A 16-gene dystonia panel and chromosomal microarray analysis did not identify any disease-causing variants. Combined exome and mitochondrial genome sequencing identified the m.3685T>C (MT-ND1 p.Tyr127His) variant with 62.3% heteroplasmy with no alternative cause for the patient's condition. Mitochondrial genome sequencing of the mother demonstrated that the m.3685T>C variant occurred de novo. The m.3685T>C variant is absent from population databases. The tyrosine 127 residue is highly conserved, and several nearby pathogenic variants in the MT-ND1 gene have been previously associated with Leigh syndrome. We propose that the m.3685T>C variant is a novel mitochondrial DNA variant that causes Leigh syndrome, and we classify this variant as likely pathogenic based on currently available information.
Does education affect consumers' attitudes toward genetically modified foods? Evidence from China's two rounds of education reforms
Authors: Zhou Yexin , Chen Siwei , Wang Tianyu , Cui Qi
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study analyzes the causal effect of education on consumers' cognition and attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) foods.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose an analytical framework to clarify the role of education levels and education content in the formation of attitudes toward GM foods and utilize education reforms in China as natural experiments to test the theoretical predictions empirically. For education levels, the authors use Compulsory Education Law's implementation to construct the instrument variable. For education content, the authors utilize the revision of the biology textbook in the Eighth Curriculum Reform to implement staggered difference-in-difference estimation. The authors use two national household surveys, the China Genuine Progress indicator Survey (CGPiS) and the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) of 2017, combined with provincial-level data of education reforms.

Findings

The education level, instrumented by the Compulsory Education Law's implementation, has an insignificant effect on consumers' cognition and attitudes toward GM foods, whereas the acquisition of formal education on genetic science, introduced by the Eighth Curriculum Reform, has a statistically significant and positive influence.

Originality/value

This is the first study to investigate the causal effects of education level and content on consumers' cognition and attitude toward GM foods using national representative data. It is also the first to evaluate the long-term effects of the biology textbook reform in China. The findings help open the black box of how education shapes people's preferences and attitudes and highlight the significance of formal biology education in formulating consumers' willingness to accept GM foods.
Personality traits and organizational leaders' communication practices in the United States: perspectives of leaders and followers
Authors: Lee Yeunjae
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between leaders' personality traits and their internal communication practices from the leaders' and the followers' perspectives. The effectiveness of leader communication on the followers' perceived relational quality with their organization is also tested.

Design/methodology/approach

Two survey studies in the United States were conducted focusing on leaders' and followers' perspectives on communication practices, respectively.

Findings

Results of Study 1 showed that leaders' self-reported extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional stability and openness to experience are all significantly and positively associated with their symmetrical and transparent communication practices. From the followers' perspective (Study 2), extraversion and agreeableness positively influenced symmetrical leader communication, while agreeableness and conscientiousness were positively related to transparent leader communication. Both symmetrical and transparent leader communication enhanced the followers' perceived relationship quality with their organization.

Originality/value

The current study is among the first attempts to incorporate the trait theory of leadership in understanding organizational leaders' effective and ethical communication practices with their followers.
Does gold–platinum price ratio predict stock returns? International evidence
Authors: Xu Dezhong , Li Bin , Singh Tarlok
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between gold–platinum price ratio (GP) and stock returns in international stock markets. The study addresses three empirical questions: (1) Does GP have robust predictive power in international stock markets? (2) Does GP outperform other macroeconomic variables in international stock markets? (3) What is the relationship between GP and stock market returns during economic recessions?

Design/methodology/approach

The study mainly uses OLS regressions to perform empirical tests for a comprehensive set of 17 advanced international stock markets and overall world market. The monthly data is used for the period January 1978 to July 2019, 499 observations for each market.

Findings

The study finds that the first-difference of GP (ΔGP), not the initial-level of GP, has strong predictive power for stock returns, both in short- and long-time horizons. The results remain robust after controlling for a number of macroeconomic predictors. The out-of-sample test results are significant, confirming the robustness of the predictive power of ΔGP.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine the ability of the ΔGP to predict stock returns, and provide novel evidence on the relationship between ΔGP and international stock markets. The study draws on behavioral finance theory, specifically the myopic loss aversion, the herd effect and the limited attention theory, to explain the predictability of stock returns in international stock markets.
Data analytics capability and servitization: the moderated mediation role of bricolage and innovation orientation
Authors: Chen Meng , Pu Xiaodie , Zhang Mengru , Cai Zhao , Chong Alain Yee-Loong , Tan Kim Hua
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Despite the potential influence of data analytics capability on servitization, the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this influence remains unclear. This study aims to explore how data analytics capability affects servitization by examining the mediation effect of bricolage and the conditional role of innovation orientation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs the moderated mediation method to examine the proposed research model with archival data and multiple-respondent surveys from 1,206 top managers of 402 manufacturing firms in the Yangtze River Delta area in China.

Findings

Bricolage partially mediates the positive relationship between data analytics capability and servitization, and innovation orientation positively moderates this effect.

Practical implications

Manufacturers can leverage bricolage to materialize data analytics capability for servitization. Manufacturers should also pursue an innovation orientation to fully glean the benefits of bricolage in transforming data analytics capability into servitization.

Originality/value

This study opens the black box of how data analytics capability affects servitization by revealing the underlying mechanism of bricolage and the boundary condition role of innovation orientation for this mechanism. It offers valuable insights for practitioners to leverage data analytics to improve servitization through developing bricolage and cultivating a culture of innovation orientation.
Barriers to sustainable agribusiness: a systematic review and conceptual framework
Authors: Brenya Robert , Akomea-Frimpong Isaac , Ofosu Deborah , Adeabah David
Published: February 2022

Purpose

As global concerns for sustainability have gained traction in all sectors of every economy including agribusiness, the need to investigate the critical barriers that could hamper this novelty has also risen. In that regard, this study presents a comprehensive overview of the dominant barriers encountered by agribusinesses to ensure long-term success through the lenses of a literature review.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a systematic literature review (SLR) of 43 relevant articles. The study applies content analysis to identify and analyze the selected articles. The conceptual framework underlines the three principal barriers to sustainable agribusinesses.

Findings

The results from the SLR demonstrates that inadequate financial support, excessive post-harvest loss, gender inequality, non-climate-smart policies and weak institutional controls constitute the major challenges to the sustainability of agribusinesses.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited in scope to barriers to the sustainability of agribusiness only not the broad spectrum of the concept of agriculture.

Originality/value

This study's uniqueness is twofold. First, it provides a checklist for practice with the goal of addressing problems that hamper the sustainability of agribusinesses. Second, the findings and research gaps in this study are important to support future studies.
Beyond MIVCA: How Social Studies Student Teachers Negotiate the National Council for the Social Studies' (NCSS) Curriculum Guidelines for Powerful Teaching and Learning
Authors: Curry Kristal
Published: February 2022

This paper presents case studies of three student teachers negotiating the demands of the National Council of the Social Studies' (NCSS) five characteristics of powerful teaching and learning (meaningful, integrative, value-based, challenging, and active instruction) while engaged in the context-specific tasks of student teaching. For these three student teachers, the context of both their teaching and beliefs about teaching combined to help them focus on two of the five characteristics more deeply than the others. These case studies suggest that social studies pre-service teachers can constructively use their student teaching semester to focus on developing strengths in those characteristics most appropriate to their beliefs about teaching and their teaching contexts, and that social studies methods courses can aid in this process by helping student teachers to reflect on these factors prior to their student teaching semester.
Student Teachers at Work Shifting the Orientation of Planning for Teacher Activities to Planning for Student Learning
Authors: Serrano Ana M.
Published: February 2022

This paper focuses on how one Student Teacher (ST) shifted his planning from teacher activities to student learning during a semester-long student-teaching practicum course in social studies. The study of this shift provides a glimpse of the enormity of the ST’s task and the ways in which he responds to the complexity of the work. Data include: lesson plans, providing a written record of activities, and classroom discourse. Analyses of the data rendered three areas relevant to the shift, including: 1) evidence of initiation-response-evaluation [IRE] script as a default script before the shift, 2) evidence of a shift to planning for student learning, and 3) evidence of movement away from the IRE to increasingly open-ended questioning. Preliminary evidence indicates increments that appear inconsequential taken individually, combine to present a picture of an incipient, developmental shift by the ST from planning for teacher activities to planning for student learning.
Hazard Education in 4th to 7th Grade Social Studies Courses in Turkey
Authors: Öcal Adem
Published: February 2022

Turkey is located in one of the most significant active seismic regions in the world. The country also is subject to many other natural and manmade disasters. In 2004, the Turkish Primary Education curriculum was revised radically with hazard education being included in social studies programs. The aim of the hazard education program is to reduce the disastrous effects of disasters, develop greater hazard awareness and increase students’ knowledge of how to protect themselves when a hazard occurs. This study focuses on the aims, design and delivery of the hazard education component to fourth to seventh grade students in social studies courses in Turkey.
Bending the Golden Rule
Authors: Christensen Lois McFadyen
Published: February 2022

It has been 34 years since the passage of Title IX. Yet women in academia are still underpaid and underrepre-sented in the full professor ranks nationwide. Why is this still an operative convention? Identities, roles, and perceptions leave some wondering if the old male guard isn’t still guarding.
Pedagogical Negotiations and Authentic Intellectual Work: A Phenomenological Examination of High School Teachers’ Experiences
Authors: Brkich Christopher Andrew , Washington Elizabeth Yeager
Published: February 2022

This article focuses on the following questions: 1) How do secondary social studies teachers working in schools of color experience pedagogical negotiations when trying to teach students thoughtful, critically informed citizenship and government and school accountability mandates? and 2) How does teaching with lessons grounded in the principles of authentic intellectual work (AIW) affect this negotiation experience? We employed a phenomenological framework as the methodological basis for eliciting two classroom teachers’ experiences, both of whom have advanced degrees in social studies education and several years of teaching experience in schools of color and of poverty. The findings show that prior to the incorporation of lessons based on the principles of authentic intellectual work, these teachers’ negotiation experiences had strong negatively affective dimensions based on a zero-sum pedagogical conceptualization of curriculum. Following the introduction of lessons based on AIW, these negatively affective dimensions began to recede from their experiences and were replaced by more positive ones. Given that classroom teachers are the ultimate arbiters of curriculum in their classrooms, this research has implications for improving the experiences of secondary social studies teachers working in schools of color.
Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy Written by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin
Authors: Hubbard Janie
Published: February 2022

Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy is a biography incorporating history and social justice. This lesson involves students in grades 5-8 exploring social justice issues related to economic equality, racial equality, gender equality, health equality, peace, and justice. Students trace Jane Addams’s public service activities, in these areas of social justice, while simultaneously examining significant, external historical events and people, between 1860 and 1939, through the lens of Addams’s life. Students create a timeline and engage in ongoing discussions related to Addams’s involvement in these historical events and her connections to people, of this period, who, like Addams, were advocates for social change (e.g. Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Eleanor Roosevelt). Example activities and scoring rubrics are included in the appendix section. Inspired by descriptions of Jane Addams’s extraordinary life, an extension activity introduces students to social justice issues, within their own community, and provides steps to initiate community involvement.
Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan Remember: The Journey to School Integration Written by Toni Morrison
Authors: Williamson Jennie , Butler Judy D.
Published: February 2022

The Remember: The Journey to School Integration lesson introduces students to the ideas of segregation and school integration. The lesson is designed to be a combination of teacher-led ins-truction and student-centered learning. Students build and develop their background knowledge on the topics of segregation and the integration of public schools. Once a knowledge base has been established, students look at the pictures from Toni Morrison’s book, think critically about the message being conveyed in them, and then create their own comprehensive response to the material presented in the entire lesson.
Graduates Use of Technology in their K-8 Classrooms
Authors: Wilson Elizabeth , Besnoy Kevin
Published: February 2022

This article examines ways in which graduates of an online teacher certification program integrate technology into social studies instruction. With dramatic growth in the number of online teacher certification programs, educators are faced with how to ensure their graduates incorporate effective teaching strategies, including technology, into classrooms. Research over the past decade indicates that teachers do not integrate technology within social studies instruction in meaningful ways, beyond traditional approaches to teaching (Ravitz & Wong, 1999; Van Fossen & Shively, 2003, 2009). Results from this study indicate that online teacher education graduates, who have access to technology within their schools, find meaningful ways to integrate such technology into social studies instruction. Teacher educators must conduct more research, and receive more funding, to follow online teacher education graduates. Today’s new generation of tech-savvy students deserve teachers who can competently integrate technology into all content areas.
TIPS FOR TEACHING THE HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS COURSE
Authors: Leet Don R. , Lopus Jane S.
Published: February 2022

Because economics is increasing in importance in the high school curriculum, it is critically important that it is taught well by well-trained teachers. We offer suggestions for teaching high school economics in the areas of content, methodology, materials, and professional development. We address what content to include, the use of textbooks and supplementary materials, and innovative approaches for teaching economics. The use of literature, film, music, and activity-based lessons are discussed. Teachers are encouraged to seek out professional development opportunities through the Council for Economic Education and networking opportunities through the Global Association of Teachers of Economics. Although teaching high school economics can be challenging, there are many helpful materials and resources available.
Economics in World History: Two Success Stories
Authors: Ellington Lucien , McCoy M. A.
Published: February 2022

The objective of this essay is to assist secondary school world history teachers in helping students develop an understanding basic economic concepts through learning about two successful pre-industrialized economies: The Florentine Republic and Tokugawa Japan. We includes a short introduction about the importance of integrating economic concepts in history instruction; narratives suitable for teachers and many high school students on the economies of the Republic of Florence and Tokugawa Japan; and an annotated list of pedagogical resources suitable for more extensive study of both societies.
An Updated Theoretical and Practical Model for Promoting Historical Empathy
Authors: Endacott Jason , Brooks Sarah
Published: February 2022

Over the past two decades significant attention has been given to the topic of historical empathy, yet the manner in which historical empathy is currently defined, operationalized, and put into classroom practice lacks consistency and often is based on dated conceptualizations of the construct. Scholars have employed a variety of theoretical and practical approaches to utilizing historical empathy with students, leading to persistent confusion about the nature, purpose and fostering of historical empathy. Our goal is to present an updated conceptualization that clearly defines historical empathy as a dual-dimensional, cognitive-affective construct and differentiates historical empathy from exclusively cognitive or affective modes of historical inquiry. We further provide an updated instructional model for the promotion of historical empathy that includes consideration for historical empathy’s proximate and ultimate goals. We aim to highlight where research has produced some consensus on best practice for promoting empathy and where further study is needed.
What Schools Can Do to Increase Racial Acceptance?
Authors: Pettapiece Bob , Campbell Sabrina Smith
Published: February 2022

Although several articles of progress exist that indicate various levels of improvement in race relations in America—perhaps the most notable being the election of the country’s first African American president--racism is far from over. News reports have highlighted the resurfacing of hate groups, and some even suggest that the political dissension that exists on Capitol Hill is directly correlated to the color of the President’s skin. This article looks at schools as one possible source of this problem and as a possible place for solutions. It includes a study done in three public schools in southeast Michigan that evaluated acceptance levels of African American teachers and White teachers of one another. The study showed that in their most personal and intimate actions or dating, sharing confidences and sexual relations, neither group is accepting of each other. The article also gives some suggested approaches to improve relations between African American and White teachers.
Authentic Pedagogy and the Acquisition of Lower Order Knowledge in History
Authors: Maddox Lamont E. , Saye John W.
Published: February 2022

This study examined the impact of varying levels of authentic pedagogy on student learning in select 9th and 10th grade history classrooms. The sample included four junior high and four high school teachers. During the initial phase of the study, instructional artifacts (tasks) and classroom observational data were collected and analyzed to determine the level of authentic pedagogy students experienced in their classes. Participating teachers were assigned an authentic pedagogy score based on this analysis that was used as the primary independent variable in subsequent statistical analyses designed to evaluate student learning outcomes. The findings suggest that the use of authentic tasks and instruction has a small, but positive correlation with student performance on the Alabama High School Graduation Exam in use at the time the study was done. A performance benefit was also noted for students who experienced multiple courses at the moderate authentic pedagogy level. The benefit, however, could be attributed to an advanced placement effect since advanced placement students in the sample were more likely to receive moderate authentic pedagogy.
Trade books’ Historical Representation of Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Helen Keller
Authors: Bickford III John H. , Rich Cynthia W.
Published: February 2022

Common Core State Standards Initiative mandates increased readings of informational texts within English Language Arts starting in elementary school. Accurate, age-appropriate, and engaging content is at the center of effective social studies teaching. Textbooks and children’s literature—both literary and informational—are prominent in elementary classrooms because of the esoteric nature of primary source material. Many research projects have investigated historical accuracy and representation within textbooks, but few have done so with children’s trade books. We examined children’s trade books centered on three historical figures frequently incorporated within elementary school curricula: Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Helen Keller. Findings revealed various forms of historical misrepresentation and differing levels of historicity. Reporting such lacunae is important for those involved in curricular decisions. We believe children’s books, even those with historical omissions and misrepresentations, provide an unique opportunity for students to incorporate and scrutinize diverse perspectives as they actively assemble historical understandings. All secondary narratives, even historically representative children’s books, can benefit from primary source supplementation. We guide teachers interested in employing relevant and rich primary source material.
Effectively Using Social Studies Textbooks in Historical Inquiry
Authors: Roberts Scott L.
Published: February 2022

Of all of the educational tools used in social studies education, by far the most critiqued is the standard basal textbook. If used properly, nevertheless, textbooks are not as problematic as critics claim and can be a useful tool in the teaching and learning of social studies and history. Based on the focus found in the Common Core Standards on informational texts, the practicality of using textbooks is especially true in today’s educational environment. This article was written with the goal of helping social studies teachers develop lessons that assist their students in meeting the requirements of the Common Core. One specific strategy is described to offer teachers an example of how to effectively use their textbook in a Common Core focused and social studies content-based activity. A sample lesson, based on an inquiry activity titled “Hollywood or History,” is provided.
NCSS Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue and Mystery During World War II Thomas “Logan”Arrington
Authors: Butler Judy D.
Published: February 2022

The His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue and Mystery During World War II lesson plan addresses teaching a very difficult topic, the Holocaust, by looking at a heroic individual who devoted his life to saving those affected. This lesson’s focus is student-centered discovery. Small student groups approach multiple aspects of the Holocaust and then come back together as a classroom to share their new knowledge. The students then compare critically the experiences of individual Holocaust survivors to better understand the complexities of the event. This lesson emphasizes technology as a means for students to discover information on this challenging topic.
Scrutinizing and Supplementing Children’s Trade Books about Child Labor
Authors: Bickford III John H. , Rich Cynthia W.
Published: February 2022

State and national initiatives place an increased emphasis on both students’ exposure to diverse texts and teachers’ integration of English/language arts and history/social studies. The intent is for students to critically examine diverse accounts and perspectives of the same historical event or era. Critical examination can be accomplished through teachers’ purposeful juxtaposition of age-appropriate, engaging trade books and relevant informational texts, such as primary source materials. To guide interested elementary and middle level teachers, researchers can evaluate trade books for historical representation and suggest divergent or competing narratives that compel students to scrutinize diverse perspectives. Researchers can locate germane primary sources and modify them in ways that maintain their historicity. As students read, they scrutinize, contextualize, and corroborate sources, which enables them to actively construct historical understandings. We examined children’s literature centered on child labor. We juxtaposed trade books targeting elementary students with those intended for middle level students. While our findings revealed various forms of historical misrepresentation, child labor trade books appear far more historically representative than those centered on slavery.
Teaching Newcomers Inclusively: Social Studies in a New Gateway State
Authors: Hilburn Jeremy , Rong Xue Lan , Parkhouse Hillary , Turner Alison
Published: February 2022

We explored social studies teachers’ dispositions towards working with immigrant students in an Atlantic new gateway state. We surveyed 99 middle and high school social studies teachers using the additive versus subtractive models as a theoretical framework. Although teachers’ professional backgrounds and school contexts were connected to teaching inclusively, their academic expectations of immigrant students, their beliefs on assimilation (regarding schools’ and teachers’ roles in maintaining heritage cultures and languages), and their opinions on the effective implementation of school policies concerning immigrant students’ learning were significant contributors to teaching inclusiveness.
Primary Sources in the Social Studies Classroom: Historical Inquiry with Book Backdrops
Authors: Cowgill II Daniel A.
Published: February 2022

One of the main Common Core Requirements focuses on student use of authentic subject area skills. These skills are those used by professionals in the academic field of study. It is important that students develop and use appropriate historical thinking skills in the classroom. Historical skills include ability to read, write, speak, listen, and complete research based projects, and to appropriately analyze primary and secondary documents to make conclusions about what has occurred during a historical event. The implementation of instructional techniques requiring students to think like a historian are widely supported in the literature and are largely focused on the development of student historical literacy. This article examines how combining the use of children’s literature and primary sources can be used to construct a lesson promoting historical inquiry in the secondary classroom.
New Curricular Approaches to Teaching About the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Hantzopoulos Maria , Zakharia Zeena , Shirazi Roozbeh , Bajaj Monisha , Ghaffar-Kucher Ameena
Published: February 2022

This paper explores the possibilities of engaging in cross-disciplinary research to generate social studies curricula that disrupt singular historical constructions about the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), specifically for US high school teachers and students. As part of a larger multi-sited study that investigated and analyzed the common categories used to describe and teach MENA in US World History textbooks, the team engaged in multidisciplinary scholarship on the region to (1) review and analyze the five most widely adopted high school World History textbooks in the US; (2) share analyses with researchers and experts in the fields of MENA studies, history, and religion; (3) synthesize and integrate innovative scholarship on the region for potential curricula; and (4) generate robust alternative curricula for Grades 9-12 teachers. The authors, consequently, consider how educational research spurs innovative and culturally relevant curricular interventions for high school teachers. We argue thorough analysis of existing textbooks, informed by deep understandings of contested versions of historical events, should undergird social studies curriculum development. We suggest multidisciplinary and transnational collaboration can inform curricula in order to respond critically to singular narrations of peoples, cultures, and histories of a region.
Trade Books’ Historical Representation of Anne Sullivan Macy, The Miracle Worker
Authors: Bickford III John H. , Silva Katherine A.
Published: February 2022

State and national initiatives provide teachers opportunities for interdisciplinary units with increased significance of non-fiction in English Language Arts and decreased reliance on the textbook in history and social studies. In these three disciplines, beginning in elementary school, students are expected to scrutinize multiple trade books of the same event, era, or person to construct understandings. Trade books are a logical curricular link between these three curricula. The initiatives, however, do not prescribe specific curricular materials; teachers rely on their own discretion when selecting available trade books. Historical misrepresentations have been found to emerge within trade books to varying degrees, yet only a few empirical studies have been conducted. We empirically evaluated trade books centered on the Anne Sullivan Macy, Helen Keller’s teacher. Celebrated as the Miracle Worker, she remains a relatively obscure figure. As a child, Macy faced the desertion or death of every family member and struggled to overcome poverty and isolation. Macy’s story, thus, complements Keller’s in consequential ways. We report various historical misrepresentations within the trade books and provide ancillary primary sources for teachers interested in addressing the historical omissions.
The Progressive Era: How American History Textbooks' Visuals Represent Women
Authors: Williams Frances Janeene , Bennett Linda B.
Published: February 2022

Studies of the representation of women in United States history textbooks, both in number and manner in which they appear, have found women are inequitably represented as compared to their male counterparts and are viewed through a patriarchal lens. This study analyzed a contemporary high school United States history textbook’s representation of women in the Progressive Era compared to an earlier edition textbook. Using their visual representation of women, it was found that the textbooks continued the patriarchal view of women and their roles in society. Although the number of representations of women had slightly increased over time, these additions did not promote a more contemporary view of women's role in history, except in the area of women's rights. Recommendations for future areas of research are made. Some are: monitoring of textbooks for equability, analyzing of textbooks covering U.S. history prior to 1877 for equability in inclusion of women in history, investigating what teachers are doing to compensate for the inequity, determining whether or not state standards are inclusive of women's history, and analyzing how women's history in college level textbooks represent women in history.