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South African Journal of Education
On-line version ISSN 2076-3433
Print version ISSN 0256-0100
S. Afr. j. educ. vol.34 n.3 Pretoria Mar. 2014
Knowledge and cognitive process dimensions of technology teachers' lesson objectives
David Mathumbu; Willem Rauscher; Max Braun
Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, University of Pretoria, South Africa firstname.lastname@example.com
A clearly stated lesson objective is considered an essential component of a well-planned lesson. Many teachers of Technology, a relatively new subject in South African schools, teach Technology with rather limited training both in content and methodological approaches. This study sought to investigate and classify lesson objectives framed or implied by teachers in their lesson plans according to knowledge and cognitive process dimensions. The two-dimensional Taxonomy Table introduced by Krathwohl was adapted for Technology and formed the framework for this study. It was found that most of the directly stated objectives are directed to the lower level of the cognitive process dimension and address mainly factual knowledge, while no activities or lesson components address meta-cognitive knowledge. Some lesson objectives inferred from planned assessment activities placed higher demands on learners' cognitive domain. A recommendation flowing from the study is that, during pre-service training and in-service teacher support processes, the importance of clear lesson objectives should be emphasised and that assessments planned for such lessons should closely match the lesson objectives. Further research is also needed on the reasons why low cognitive demands are made in the teaching of Technology.
Keywords: Bloom's cognitive taxonomy; cognitive process dimensions; higher cognitive skills; knowledge dimensions; Krathwohl's two-dimensional taxonomy; lesson objectives, technology education.
Developing economies, including South Africa, are challenged to become competitive in knowledge-based and technological domains. Currently, South Africa has a shortage of high level skills which, inter alia, inhibits the county's growth rate (Breier, 2009) to the extent that Du Toit and Roodt (2009:109) describe it as "one of the worst capacity and scarce skills crises in years". Global trends exacerbate this situation as many developing countries lose highly skilled workers produced by them to countries that can, for example, pay more and offer improved occupational and living conditions (Breier, 2009; Porter, 1990). Key sectors such as engineering and other technological fields experience shortages due to the increased demand for higher-level knowledge and cognitive skills. In South Africa an attempt has been made to address the technological and higher-cognitive skills shortage by the introduction of Technology as a subject in South African schools since 1997. A review of the achievements of this introduction has become relevant. Should the introduction of the subject were to be successful, similar attempts may be made in other countries with developing economies.
Technology was introduced into the South African school curriculum in recognition of the need to produce more engineers, technicians and artisans and thus to be a vehicle to develop readiness for a competitive and technology-driven economy (Department of Basic Education, 2011). Bloch (2007) avers that it is due to the poor quality in the education system that South Africa is not able to meet the requirement of adequate skills for growth: he ascribes this failure to the poor quality of teaching and teacher support. Bloch (2007) is especially concerned about teachers' inadequate subject knowledge. Teachers' poor grasp of the subjects they teach (Metcalfe, 2008) results in erroneous presentation of content and concepts, which results in learners leaving school being ill-prepared. In turn this affects the country's economy negatively (Mda, 2009).
When Technology was introduced as a school subject, teachers of Woodwork, Metalwork, Home Economics and Industrial Arts, with limited training in the content and methodological approaches of technology education, were expected to teach Technology (Van Niekerk, Ankiewicz & De Swardt, 2010). Insufficient knowledge of the technological process, procedural knowledge and scientific content knowledge required to teach Technology leads to deficiencies in teachers' approaches to content and teaching methodologies (Van Niekerk et al., 2010).
The Department of Education (DoE) (2003) has reported widespread lack of content knowledge and poor manual skills among Technology teachers. As a purpose of Technology is to develop learners' creative and critical thinking skills (Department of Basic Education, 2011), it should be investigated whether these higher-order thinking skills are addressed in the classroom. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the knowledge and cognitive process dimensions of lesson objectives framed by Technology teachers in their lesson plans, or inferred from the assessment tasks described in their lesson plans as a representation of current practices. To this end the cognitive and knowledge taxonomy of Krathwohl (2002) was adapted to analyse the practices of teachers of Technology in formulating and assessing lesson objectives.
Technology education: contextual background Technology education was first introduced in 1997 in the General Education and Training band (Grades R-9) as part of the outcomes-based education (OBE) curriculum. OBE, according to the DoE (2002), is a way of teaching and learning which makes it clear what learners are expected to achieve as it requires the setting of outcomes to be achieved at the end of the process. The 1997 OBE curriculum was reviewed in 2000 which led to the first curriculum revision: the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades 10-12 (DoE, 2002). In 2009 the curriculum was again reviewed and the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 (Department of Basic Education, 2011) was introduced. In the latter revision curricula for specific subjects are described in documents named Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) (Department of Basic Education, 2011:3).
According to the DoE (2002) the purpose of Technology education in South Africa is to contribute towards learners' technological literacy, which the DoE defines as "the ability to use, manage and assess technology" (DoE, 2002:66). Technology should stimulate learners to be innovative and develop their creative and critical thinking skills: these skills should provide a solid foundation for several Further Education and Training (FET) subjects (Grades 10-12) as well as for the world of work (Department of Basic Education, 2011). Table 1 provides a comparative summary of the learning outcomes stated in the RNCS (DoE, 2002), the specific aims of the NCS (Department of Basic Education, 2011), and the topics and content areas of the 2002 and 2011 Technology curricu-lums.
Table 1 shows that for Technology the learning outcomes of the RNCS (DoE, 2002) have been rephrased to the specific aims of the NCS (Department of Basic Education, 2011). The similarity retained in the purpose of the curriculum through this shift is sufficient to allow for the differences to be neglected, particularly when it is noted that the detailed content has not changed. It is, therefore, assumed that although the study used lesson plans based on the RNCS (DoE, 2002), the results will also apply to the NCS (Department of Basic Education, 2011).
Literature review
The concept: lesson objective
Researchers describe lesson objectives differently. Lemov (2010) takes a lesson objective to mean what learners need to know or be able to do at the end of the lesson. Koepke and Cerbin (2009) refer to a clear and measureable explanation of what learners will be able to do after they have been presented with instruction as an instructional objective. Ricker, Brown, Leeds, Leeds, Bonar Bouton and Volgstadt (1998) state that a measurable objective should contain four pieces of information (which they characterise as "ABCD"): audience/learner characteristics, behaviour/action to be demonstrated, conditions/ circumstances of the lesson environment and degree/or criteria for acknowledging achievement. Mager (1991:5) defines a lesson objective as a "description of a performance you want learners to be able to exhibit before you consider them competent". An objective specifies the end result of an instruction rather than its process. A lesson objective as conceptualised in this study means any behavioural action that is specific and observable or measureable and is required to be demonstrated by learners after receiving instruction.
Hofstee (2006) emphasises that from the outset, in every activity, participants clearly indicate what they want to achieve at the end of the activity. This emphasises that clarity of purpose is important in every activity, inter alia, lesson design and presentation. The purpose may be overtly stated, where the lesson objective is clearly mentioned, or covertly stated, where the lesson objective can be inferred from the description of assessment activities in a lesson plan.
Anderson, Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank, Mayer, Pin-trich, Raths and Wittrock (2001:265) note that educational objectives indicate that the learner "should be able to do something (verb) to or with something (noun)". Objectives should, therefore, reflect a verb-noun relationship.
Classifying objectives in a framework or taxonomy may be helpful to, for example, determine the congruence of educational objectives in a curriculum or to examine the breadth and depth of a course (Krathwohl, 2002). Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill and Krathwohl (1956) published such taxonomy of the cognitive domain. The taxonomy was conceptualised to facilitate the exchange of test items between various universities in order to create banks of items which measure the same educational objective (Krathwohl, 2002).
Taxonomy of educational objectives: cognitive domain The taxonomy by Bloom et al. (1956) (hereafter referred to as the original taxonomy) consists of six major categories in the cognitive domain, namely Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. These categories were ordered from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract (Krathwohl, 2002). Also, it was assumed that the taxonomy constitutes a cumulative hierarchy: the "mastery of each simpler category was prerequisite to mastery of the next more complex one" (Krathwohl, 2002:212-213).
Krathwohl (2002) notes that one of the most frequent uses of the original taxonomy is to classify curricular objectives and test items in order to show the breadth (or lack thereof) of the objectives and items across the spectrum of categories. He also points out that although objectives that involve understanding and use of knowledge (Comprehension through Synthesis categories) are considered the most important goals in education, there is "almost always" a heavy emphasis on objectives that require only recognition or recall of information (Knowledge category) (Krathwohl, 2002:213).
A major criticism against the original taxonomy has been that the Knowledge category generally supplies nouns in objectives. Yet, while the other categories are also formulated as nouns (e.g. Application and Analysis), they take the verb form (e.g. Apply and Analyse) when used in objectives (Anderson et al., 2001). The Knowledge category, on the other hand, can embody both a noun and a verb (in terms of the definition of knowledge) in an objective. This, according to Krathwohl (2002:213) brought "unidimensionality" to the framework and noted that the Knowledge category is dual in nature and is therefore different to the other categories. This difference was addressed in a revised taxonomy by allowing the noun and verb to form separate dimensions: nouns provide the basis for the knowledge dimension and verbs form the basis for the cognitive dimension (Krathwohl, 2002).
The revised taxonomy: from one to two dimensions Anderson et al. (2001) revised the original taxonomy by making three changes, namely in emphasis, in terminology and in structure. The revision's primary focus is on how the taxonomy is used as there is a major shift from the original focus on assessment to an emphasis on the use of the taxonomy in planning the curriculum, instruction and assessment, and the alignment of these three aspects (Anderson et al., 2001).
Another prominent change from the original taxonomy is the change in terminology. Major category titles were changed to provide consistency with the way objectives are framed: Knowledge, for example, was renamed as Remember and all categories were labelled in their verb forms (e.g. Apply and Analyse) (Anderson et al., 2001).
Lastly, there were changes in structure. Anderson et al. (2001) separated the noun and verb components in the original Knowledge category. The noun component retained the label, "Knowledge", but was structured into a separate dimension consisting of four categories. The revised Knowledge dimension comprised the following categories: Factual knowledge, Conceptual knowledge, Procedural knowledge and Meta-cognitive knowledge (Anderson et al., 2001).
While the noun component of the original Knowledge category retained the label "Knowledge" in the revised taxonomy, the verb component of Knowledge was renamed Remember and replaced the Knowledge category in the original taxonomy (Anderson et al., 2001).
Another change in the structure was the order of the categories to reflect an increase in complexity. The order of the top two cognitive categories was changed, placing Create (Synthesis in the original taxonomy) as the most complex category instead of Evaluate (Evaluation in the original taxonomy) (Anderson et al., 2001). The hierarchical order of the Cognitive Process dimension of the revised taxonomy thus becomes: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate and Create (Anderson et al., 2001).
The fact that any objective can be represented in two dimensions presents the possibility of constructing a two-dimensional table, which Krathwohl (2002:215) termed the Taxonomy Table. The conceptual framework used in this study is based on Krathwohl's proposed Taxonomy Table.
Conceptual framework
The Knowledge dimension forms the vertical axis and the Cognitive Process dimension forms the horizontal axis in the Taxonomy Table. The vertical axis, constituting the rows of the Taxonomy Table, consists of the categories of the Knowledge dimension which include Factual knowledge, Conceptual knowledge, Procedural knowledge and Meta-cognitive knowledge. The horizontal axis, forming the columns of the Taxonomy Table, comprises the categories of the Cognitive Process dimension, namely Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate and Create. Tables 2, 3 and 4 reflect the structure of the Taxonomy Table as we have applied it.
The intersections of the Knowledge and Cognitive Process categories form the cells in which any objective could be classified in term of their verbs (columns) and nouns (rows) (Krathwohl, 2002).
In the research reported here, lesson plans were obtained from teachers of Technology. Lesson objectives of these plans were identified in two ways: as they were stated explicitly in the plans by the teachers themselves, or as they were inferred by us from the assessment activities described in the plans.
Explicitly stated and inferred objectives from the teachers' lesson plans were framed in terms of subject matter content and a description of what was to be done with, or to, the content (Krathwohl, 2002). The subject matter content was represented by a noun or noun phrase. What was to be done with or to the content subject matter was represented by a verb or verb phrase (Krathwohl, 2002). The Technology teachers' lesson objectives were analysed and classified according to the cells of the two-dimensional Taxonomy Table using the verb-noun relationship described earlier.
Research approach
A mixed modal study was used to investigate sampled lesson objectives described by Technology teachers. Explicitly stated or inferred objectives were classified according to Krathwohl's (2002) Taxonomy Table after which the objectives in each cell were counted to establish the frequency of occurrence of objectives in each cell in a quantitative phase.
In the qualitative phase specific cases of explicit or inferred objectives were selected in order to examine the implications of the frequency of occurrences of objectives in the Taxonomy Table. Such discussion afforded the opportunity to assess the level of Technology teachers' lesson objectives in terms of knowledge and cognitive dimensions, with a critical reflection on the actual relationship between objectives, assessments and the nature of actual activities in the lesson plans.
A limited survey was conducted to obtain 94 lesson plans from 19 Grade 9 Technology teachers in clustered schools in urban, township and rural environments of Gert Sibande, Ehlanzeni and Nkangala districts in the Mpumalanga Province. Grade 9 Technology teachers were purposefully sampled as Grade 9 is the highest grade in which Technology is a compulsory subject in South African schools. It was assumed that the cognitive challenges posed to the Grade 9 learners would be higher than those in the preceding grades. Evidence of lesson objectives addressing these higher cognitive challenges were therefore more likely to appear in the Grade 9 teachers' lesson plans.
To overcome the challenge of the large and widely dispersed population of schools in these districts (and the often near-inaccessibility of some deep rural schools) cluster sampling was used (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2007). Cohen et al. (2007) advise that cluster sampling allows the researcher to select a specific number of schools and limit the excessive amount of time spent travelling. Curriculum implementers (subject advisors) in those districts assisted in the identification and locations of the clustered schools. Curriculum implementers are employees of the DoE who, as subject specialists, assist teachers in schools with teaching approaches, equipment and assessments on a continual basis within the districts, and are thus acquainted with schools.
Explicitly written lesson objectives were obtained from the lesson plans. Where lesson plans did not have explicitly stated lesson objectives, assessment activities from these lessons were used to infer lesson objectives. A total of 84 explicitly stated and inferred lesson objectives were separately assigned to cells in the Taxonomy Table.
Analysis methodology
In the quantitative phase each lesson objective was classified according to the knowledge and cognitive levels of the Taxonomy Table. In the lesson objective, the verb or verb phrase represented the cognitive level while the noun or noun phrase represented the content or subject matter knowledge level. Choices were made according to the highest level represented by the verbs and nouns. The results of the classification were tabled and counted to establish the frequency of occurrence of each knowledge and cognitive level in the sampled lesson objectives.
In the qualitative analysis a selection of examples of lesson objectives is discussed in order to show how each lesson objective was classified in the indicated cell. This was done for both explicit and inferred lesson objectives.
Content validity was achieved by using Krathwohl's (2002) Taxonomy Table as the conceptual framework to guide the study. The choice of the Taxonomy Table as a framework to this study was aided by its use by Ferguson (2002) and Byrd (2002) who have shown its potential for teachers' reflection on assessment and improvement of classroom practice. Reliability was enhanced by providing qualitative examples of lesson objectives, showing how they were assigned to the cells of Krathwohl's (2002) Taxonomy Table.
Credibility, according to Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen and Raza-vieh (2009), relates to the truthfulness of the findings. The credibility of the study was enhanced through structural corroboration (using more than one method) and through member checks by allowing participants to verify the accuracy of the interpretations in a focus group discussion with some of the teachers who had contributed their lesson plans.
Transferability of this study lies with the practitioners and readers (Ary et al., 2009). For that purpose, sufficient contextual information was given about where the data were collected. Confirmability was enhanced by guarding against the researcher's personal values, theoretical inclinations, bias, own predispositions and preferences swaying the conduct of the research and the findings by discussing lesson objectives on the basis of how they were framed by the teachers. In addition, a complete audit trail is available for other researchers to investigate the data and context used in this study.
Results and discussion
Each explicitly stated and inferred lesson objective was assigned to a cell in Krathwohl's (2002) Taxonomy Table using the verb or verb phrase to indicate the cognitive level, and the noun or noun phrase to indicate the content (knowledge level). The tables that follow present the frequency of these classifications of explicitly stated lesson objectives and inferred lesson objectives.
Table 2 shows that three explicit lesson objectives were aimed at remembering factual (the most basic) knowledge. Five lesson objectives required learners to demonstrate an understanding of factual knowledge and two objectives intended an understanding of conceptual knowledge. These lower-level lesson objectives seem to indicate that the teachers merely wanted learners to retain and comprehend what they had learnt.
The paucity of lesson objectives that required higher-order thinking and complex knowledge is disappointing. Only one objective required learners to evaluate using conceptual knowledge and one objective involved creation using procedural knowledge.
The aggregated frequency of the knowledge dimensions indicates that most objectives were formulated to favour Factual knowledge (50%) and Conceptual knowledge (32%), which reflects the lower levels of simple Technology content. Only 18% of objectives for Procedural knowledge were above these levels, and no objectives expressed a need for Meta-cognitive knowledge.
The incidence of formulation of lesson objectives by the teachers decreased as the knowledge demand increased, with no objectives requiring meta-cognition or actual explanation or reflection by learners about how and why they made their choices.
Again, the low frequency of Create and Evaluate, which are the highest levels in the cognitive process, confirm that less is done by Technology teachers at these levels.
However, the fairly high frequency (36%) of Analyse is startling, although it was noted that this kind of analysis happened mostly on the Factual and Conceptual knowledge levels.
Examples of how five explicitly stated lesson objectives were classified within the Taxonomy Table as a conceptual framework of this study are presented next. The frequency presented in Table 2 was derived from these classifications. Lesson objectives are presented as formulated by the Technology teachers.
(i) Lesson obj ective classified under "remember" and "factual knowledge":
Learners will be able to recognise the impact of technology development on the quality ofpeoples' lives [sic].
Verb: recognise - Recognising is a subcategory of Remember in the Cognitive Process dimension.
Noun phrase: the impact of technology development on the quality of peoples' lives [sic]. This knowledge is addressed in the context of Learning Outcome 3 which deals with the topic of the impact of technology. The assessment standard requires learners to recognise and identify the impact of technological developments on the quality of people's lives and on the environment in which they live, and suggests strategies for reducing any undesirable effects (DoE, 2002). In the lesson objective learners were simply required to recognise those impacts of technological development; hence it was Factual knowledge.
(ii) Lesson objective classified under Analyse and Conceptual:
Learners will be able to find out which shape holds the greatest load.
Verb phrase: find out - Organising is a subcategory of Analyse which includes finding out (or determining) how elements fit or function within a structure.
Noun phrase: which shape holds the greatest load. This lesson objective relates to structures in Learning Outcome 2 and deals with the assessment standard which reads, "analysis (no calculations) the effect of different loads" (DoE, 2002:47). Different concepts of shapes are to be analysed; hence, Conceptual knowledge.
(iii) Lesson objective classified under Apply and Procedural: Learners will be able to demonstrate knowledge of indigenous preservation methods.
Verb: demonstrate - Executing is a subcategory of Apply which involves applying (carrying out) a procedure in a given situation.
Noun phrase: knowledge of indigenous preservation methods. Learning Outcome 3 includes the topic of indigenous technology and culture, where learners deal with methods of preservation, which is primarily Procedural knowledge.
(iv) Lesson obj ective classified under Evaluate and Conceptual Learners will be able to experiment with beam bridges and find out how lengths and materials affect bridges.
Verb: Experiment with...and find out - Checking is a sub-category of Evaluate and involves testing and monitoring.
Noun phrase: beam bridges, different lengths of materials. This addresses the curriculum requirement relating to structures in Learning Outcome 2 where the related assessment standard states: "demonstrates knowledge and understanding of structures - properties of materials that affect their performance in structures" (DoE, 2002:47).
The verb phrases experiment with...and find out are synonymous with evaluate, assess and conduct research, hence falls under Evaluate, while beam bridges and different lengths are concepts. Determining how different lengths of a material can affect its performance in a beam bridge requires of learners to carry out evaluation and also some analysis in order for them to be able to tell how changing lengths affect the bridge.
(v) Lesson objective classified under Create and Procedural On completion of this lesson learners will be able to make their own hydraulic system + lift model and how to operate a hydraulic system.
Verb: Make...and operate - Constructing is a subcategory of Create, which involves putting elements together to form a functional product.
Noun phrase: hydraulic system + lift model. This addresses the curriculum requirement which deals with mechanical systems and control in Learning Outcome 2. The related assessment standard states: "demonstrates knowledge and understanding of interacting mechanical systems and sub-systems" (DoE, 2002: 49). During the making stage learners will be creative and will follow certain procedures. The following questions were addressed in the introduction to this lesson: "how to connect syringes with the plastic tubes"; "how to collect water" and "how the force is transmitted through liquid". In this lesson learners were required to make a hydraulic system by completing two activities that required investigating hydraulics and the effect of piston size. Resources used were syringes, plastic tubes, cardboard and glue. Although this might have raised the level of creativity, learners were not allowed to use their own materials in making their models. Learners were simply required to apply instructions as recipes and to use the provided resources, which would limit the learners' level of creativity to application. However, to some extent the investigative activity might have assisted learners to be creative in making their own hydraulic model. The highest cognitive level Create may thus be acceptable, although it may be argued that Apply remains dominant. The highest level potentially achieved was assigned and thus this objective was counted with Create, rather than Apply and consequently care must be taken with interpretation of these higher levels.
In each case presented here the lesson plans provided insufficient information and it was difficult to establish whether learners were taught at the higher cognitive levels implied by the objective statements.
Most of the lesson plans did not include explicitly stated lesson objectives, but lesson objectives were inferred from assessment activities. The analysis of the inferred lesson objectives is presented in Table 3.
Table 3 shows 18 objectives aimed at remembering factual knowledge, which is unfortunate as this indicates a tendency to teach at the lower cognitive and knowledge dimensions. It is, however, encouraging that 12 lesson objectives involved creating using procedural knowledge.
Table 3, as is the case in Table 2, shows that aspects of the Meta-cognitive level are not taught. Procedural knowledge records a substantial percentage of 32% and its lesson objectives clustered under Create. Once more, the lesson plans did not provide sufficient information. This might imply that learners completed projects that required creativity, but that they were not properly guided by the teacher, nor were explicit lesson objectives provided.
Remember recorded the highest percentage, followed by Create and Analyse, while Apply did not record anything. The Cognitive Process dimension does not flow from lower-order to higher-order thinking. This might mean that assessment activities were applied haphazardly.
We will now provide a detailed explanation of how three inferred lesson objectives were classified within the Taxonomy Table and how this resulted in the frequency shown in Table 3. The assessment activity from which the lesson objective was inferred is provided together with an extract from the curriculum specifications as supplied by the DoE (2002) to show the intended level that may have been addressed by the work covered in the lesson. The latter provides an opportunity to further calibrate both the outcome that has been inferred as well as the levels at which it has been placed in the taxonomy.
(i) Assessment activity: How do you prevent rust at home? The inferred lesson objective, classified under Remember and Factual, is thus At the end of the instruction learners must list ways of preventing rust.
Verb: list - Recalling is a subcategory of Remember as it involves the retrieving (listing) of knowledge from memory (at the end of instruction).
Noun phrase: how to prevent rust. This addresses the curriculum requirement for processing in Learning Outcome 2. The related assessment standard reads as follows: "demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how materials can be processed to change or improve properties" (DoE, 2002:46). Learners need to list ways to prevent rusting of materials. In this lesson one of the educator's activity aims was to establish that corrosion resistance is when corrosion is avoided through painting or galvanisation, which requires six steps. The learner activity was to provide answers to how do you prevent rust at home? Learners were expected to list ways they might use to prevent rust at their homes. Initially the educator seemed to be defining corrosion resistance. However, this was not done as corrosion resistance is a property of material to resist being eaten away by chemical reactions or weather conditions, rather than how corrosion is prevented.
(ii) Assessment activity: Research on increasing the lifespan of materials through varnishing and painting.
The inferred lesson objective, classified under Analyse and Conceptual,
After the instruction learners must be able to perform research on increasing the lifespan of materials through varnishing and painting.
Verb: perform research - Differentiating is a subcategory of Analyse, which includes distinguishing between varnishing and painting.
Noun phrase: increasing life-span of materials through varnishing and painting. This addresses the curriculum requirement for processing in Learning Outcome 2. Assessment Standard 2 states: "demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how materials can be processed to change or improve properties" (DoE, 2002:46). Learners need to analyse the two concepts varnishing (which is done on wood) and painting (which can be done on both wood and metal) through research on how the lifespan of materials can be extended. The lesson content was on explaining different ways to process material in order to prevent corrosion or rust. Concepts like galvanising were explained to learners; hence learners were expected to research other methods such as varnishing and painting. Learners thus demonstrated Conceptual knowledge.
(iii) Assessment activity: Use hand-outs given and follow instructions on the hand-outs and make a toy of your choice. Inferred lesson obj ective classified under: Create and Procedural
Following the instructions from the hand-outs, learners should be able to make a toy of their choice.
Verb: make - Constructing is a subcategory of Create which involves putting elements together to form a functional product.
Noun phrase: a toy. This addresses the curriculum requirement for making in Learning Outcome 1. The assessment standard relates to the making phase of the design process. Although the learners would show their creativity, the instruction did not require of learners to follow the IDMEC process (Investigate, Design, Make, Evaluate and Communicate). Learners would be required to engage in creativity by making a toy of their choice and following some procedures during the making stage. Procedural knowledge would be applicable but learners' creativity could also fall under the application of following instructions provided in the hand-outs. The high cognitive level of Create was thus compromised by the availability of detailed instructions, yet learners could have ignored some of the instructions, or could have applied them loosely, thus using the higher classification.
The last two examples seem to have required higher cognitive levels but under scrutiny also show some dominance of lower cognitive levels in the actual activities. Therefore, it seems that the teachers' intentions to teach learners at higher cognitive levels do not really happen. The lack of explicitly stated objectives in these lesson plans supports the conclusion that while activities are described in terminology derived from higher cognitive levels, the actual implementation falls short of higher levels, possibly due to teachers themselves being unclear regarding the meaning of higher levels.
Explicitly stated and inferred lesson objectives are combined in Table 4 to further show the frequency of the cognitive process and knowledge dimensions.
Table 4 is a combination of information from Tables 2 and 3. From Table 4 it is apparent that teaching and learning happens mostly at Factual knowledge (46%) and at the lowest thinking level, Remember (37%). The placement of objectives at the high cognitive level, Create, should be accepted with some caution as Create in the absence of evidence of Analyse or Evaluate is somewhat suspect. The Analyse and Evaluate levels may have been present if the IDMEC process had been required, but the need for the process is explicitly excluded in the specifications of the DoE (2002). Were one to move the classifications under the Procedural-Create classification to Procedural-Apply according to the dominant nature of the Create and Make activities, the table would have a smoother transition from lower to higher levels, with the vast majority of objectives (73%) falling at levels lower than Analyse or Evaluate (26%).
Krathwohl (2002) advises that the most important goal of education is to produce learners who show understanding in their learning, and this only happens when learners are exposed to activities that require them to operate within objectives framed within the higher levels of the cognitive domain, those ranging from Understand to Create.
From the findings of this study it is clear that most objectively stated teaching in Technology happens at the lower level of the cognitive domain and addresses predominantly Factual knowledge. Teaching on the higher level of the cognitive domain was found only in lessons where learners were given assessment activities without clearly stated objectives, and objectives have been inferred from specified activities. These were generally the more integrative tasks where learners were required to make artefacts or perform some investigation or research, which would allow for their analytical skills and creativity to be developed or used. However, without the requirement of following a design process, these tasks have been more the realisation of process application or recipe-like instructions.
The low level of Technology teachers' lesson objectives in terms of knowledge and cognitive level indicates that the most important goal of education, namely, to produce learners who show understanding and the ability to apply their learning, is not achieved. This is unfortunate as teaching limited to lower cognitive levels fails to develop learners' higher-order thinking skills required for further study or independent practice in work environments. This does not bode well for the current skills shortages or for the development of a competitive economy. Teachers should be encouraged to change their practices of developing assessment activities without clearly stated lesson objectives as this affects learners' ability to appreciate the actual performance level that is required. It is possible that educating teachers in the use of the cognitive taxonomies as a reflective tool during the planning of lessons, particularly their obj ectives, activities and assessments, may address the apparently haphazard application of assessments, or misalignment between activities and assessments.
Further research should be undertaken to determine why teachers seem to avoid teaching with clearly stated objectives and why teachers do not present lessons to address the higher cognitive levels or meta-cognitive knowledge domains that can be addressed in Technology. If teachers have low expectations of learners they will succeed only to these low expectations (Metcalfe, 2008). If learners do not achieve at higher levels the aims and purpose of Technology education are not met, which bears the potential of dire socio-economic consequences of continued uncompetitiveness and unemployability of school leavers.
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Hofstee E 2006. Constructing a good dissertation: a practical guide to finishing a Master's, MBA or PhD on schedule. Sandton, SA: EPE. [ Links ]
Koepke K & Cerbin B 2009. Writing course objectives. Handout: UW-L CATL Colloquium 12/10/09. Available at https://sph.uth.edu/content/uploads/2012/01/Writing_Objectives.pdf. Accessed 09 May 2012. [ Links ]
Krathwohl DR 2002. A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: an overview. Theory into practice, 41:212-218. [ Links ]
Lemov D 2010. Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. [ Links ]
Mager RF 1991. Preparing instructional objectives. Great Britain: Kogan Page. [ Links ]
Mda T 2009. Educators. In J Erasmus & M Breier (eds). Skills shortages in South Africa: case studies of key professions. Cape Town: HSRC Press. [ Links ]
Metcalfe M 2008. Why our schools don't work.. .and 10 tips how to fix them. Sunday Times, 13 January. [ Links ]
Porter ME 1990. The competitive advantage of nations. Harvard Business Review, 68:73-93. [ Links ]
Ricker KT, Brown LC, Leeds CF, Leeds RP, Bonar Bouton EK & Volgstadt CE 1998. Water quality project evaluation: a handbook for objectives-based evaluation of water quality projects. The Ohio State University Extension. [ Links ]
Van Niekerk E, Ankiewicz P & De Swardt E 2010. A process-based assessment framework for technology education: a case study. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 20(2):191-215. [ Links ]


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Sawtooth Mountain Climber's Log
Nick Turtura - Oct 19, 2014 7:43 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2014Hot in October
Started at Timpanogas Lake TH. Hit Sawtooth on the way over to Cow Horn, then back to the lake. It was a nice sunny day in mid October.
ClarenceV - May 29, 2011 1:26 am Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2009Sawtooth mtn. from Indigo Lake
Group of about 10 of us hiked up the trail to the summit. alots of bugs, but beautiful views and weather. Bushwacked back to lake.
alpinedon - Nov 23, 2009 1:29 am Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2003long ago
Climbed this one with my ex, after first settingup camp at the saddle above Indigo Lake. Smoky day. Neat summit, fun scrambling and some of the biggest ravens perched on the summit.
rmick25 - Sep 8, 2009 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2009Sawtooth, Cowhorn loop
Hiked from Timpanogas lake to Indigo Lake and then up to Windy Pass for the night. Awoke well before sunrise and started the hike up. Didn't take the trail and wound are way around from the north to the northeast side where we found some fairly nice class 3 scrambling that met up with main north ridge. Crumbly ridge but can be safely navigated. Arrived at the summit right about sunrise. Gorgeous!
cascadetraveler - Aug 21, 2005 9:44 amRoute Climbed: southeast ridge Date Climbed: 8-20-05
I and some members of a local outdoor club from eugene, spent a beautiful bug free day on the sawtooth mountain trail. The trail from timpinagos lake to indigo lake was chocked full of ripe huckle berries. It was a warm day ,a light breeze every so often kept us cool in the mountain hemlock forest. We arrived at indigo lake and beheld are first close up view of are destination. sawtooth rises dramatically off the south shore of the lake. we began are hike up the southeast ridge. This variation is well graded and offers long switchbacks to the col. we soon come to a junction to the cowhorn mountain trail. go left on the trail heading south. you do lose some elevation here. It is quickly regained as we came up onto the south ridge. at this point you want to pick up the faint trail following the preciptious south ridge. You will figure out you have missed it when you starty gradually losing elevation so don,t do it.. The views open up to the south as Mt thielson and rim of crater lake appear. At this point my group started choosing there own personal summits and in the end I was the lone peak bagger. The last bit is some sketchy some what exposed third class rock . I'ts a fun finish to a great little peak. The views north include diamond peak, summit lake, and the three sisters. we hiked back down to indigo lake. We all took a dip and cooled off then headed back to the cars.
woodyoforegon - Nov 26, 2004 5:18 pmRoute Climbed: From Timpanogas trailhead to Indigo Lake to the col east of Sawtooth, bushwacked up steep rock face to the SE of the summit. Date Climbed: 8/28/04
Climbed with a friend from work. We started up the east ridge, but had to drop off to the south and traverse boulder fields to a point SE of the summit. We climbed up a steep rock face and regained the east ridge about 200 meters from the summit. Beautiful views. Came down the south ridge and got on the trail that runs to the south of the mountain.
Brian Jenkins - Oct 27, 2002 5:38 pmRoute Climbed: Sawtooth Mountain Trail Date Climbed: October 26, 2002
Drove over from Cowhorn Mountain after doing that in the morning. Went through 4WD roads in a blizzard but when I got to the trailhead the snow had stopped. It started up again shortly after like it was trying to trick me into starting the route. Came across a deer or elk carcass with the skin/hide lying next to the intact skeleton. Don't know if it was taken by a predator or died and was eaten later but it made me start wondering about cougars and bears and I noticed I had neglected to bring any pepper spray or even a knife.
Continued on up and over the first ridge which broke my heart as I descended down a lot of what I had just climbed up. The trail can be steep in spots and before too long I was through a small lava bed and climbing the next ridge. Here the snow started again. It never really accumulated, just made me cold and wet and ruined any views.
Once I got to the summit ridge, I could faintly see the first crag and I thought it was the summit. After scrambling up onto it, I found I was wrong. Ahead in the mist was the real summit. I scrambled over to the ridge and onto the summit pinnacle which is very loose dinner plate rock. Went up a small rock gully and came to a wall of loose rock about 12 feet high. Tested it and it came out in my hands and I thought I would not be able to actually summit. Decided to see of the path went to a backside and was happy to find it did. Easy Class 3 from there to the top. Waited for views but never really got any. Once I descended back down I was able to get some of the summit but it was just a cold walk back to my Jeep from there. Went and had pizza at Mountain Pizza in Oakridge and then drove back to Portland.

subset: commoncrawl


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NCN Nano-Devices for Medicine and Biology: Simulation Tools for Education
Published on
Many simulation tools are available on the nanoHUB. The tools have been well-tested and here include supporting materials so that they can be effectively used for education or intelligently used for research.
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Researchers should cite this work as follows:


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Comebacks: Blue Moon rises, Tokyo Rose blooms
Blue Moon Diner fans still have a reason to howl. The recent flurry of renovations at this beloved little West Main Street institution owned since 1996 by UVA grads Marc Hahn and Robert Gustafson is not, alas, a sign of a come-back.
Instead it's an indication of the growth of the building's current occupant: Harvest Moon Catering. After closing the diner exactly one year ago (on August 29) to focus on their more lucrative catering business, Hahn and Gustafson were so busy feeding UVA sororities and fraternities in addition to their other special event clients- during the academic year that they postponed renovations until this summer.
"Now that the rest of West Main is becoming so upscale, we thought it was time to do something," Hahn says.
Once a private residence, the building that's been a diner on and off since 1949 is looking fresh with updated teal green façade and a retro-looking prep kitchen in place of the former diner. The counter has been removed, walls and window frames have been tiled in green, black, and white, and the floor now sports black-and-white checkerboard linoleum.
The main kitchen in the back, where I found Harvest Moon's new chef Rebecca Cartwright (a recent New England Culinary Institute grad), also got some serious upgrades.
Though they've been impressing a variety of catering clients with their diverse menus and service, Harvest Moon must be making the biggest impact at UVA. Instead of hamburgers and pizza, students at the Greek houses they cater to dine on dishes like seared chicken and grilled beef with a peach-cucumber salsa. Menus change daily.
"We want to enlighten the students," Hahn explains, "and show them there's more to food than white bread and American cheese."
With all these changes afoot, regulars will be glad to know that the Blue Moon Diner sign will likely stay put. "It will stay in effigy," Hahn says. "In our hearts we'd love to do it again."
Speaking of restaurant signage, a shiny new one just went up at Tokyo Rose the long-lived sushi restaurant and live music club on Ivy Road that's been closed for serious renovations since the winter. In January, the Rose's original owner, musician Atsushi Miura, sold the business to Philip Chen, who owns and operates the Chinese restaurant Yuan Ho on Maury Avenue.
When I stopped by earlier in the week, I found Chen's mother, Helen Yan, sitting on a bench outside with Pei Ho, the restaurant's new chef, a Taiwan native who trained for six years in Tokyo. Apparently they've been doing a lot of waiting lately.
"We are ready to open, but we still need to wait for the Health Department and the electrician," Yan explained. She gave me a tour of the new dining room with its sleek, curvy black booths and shiny tables, custom-built sushi bar, and traditional tatami room.
The menu wasn't ready to show off yet (pending translation), but Yan says it will be entirely Japanese and feature many weekend specials like grilled salmon with miso sauce. Previously nocturnal, the new Tokyo Rose will serve lunch as well as dinner.
Downstairs, the completely renovated basement smells of fresh paint and new furniture. A disco ball hangs from the ceiling, and a big-screen TV and Karaoke set will soon be installed on either side of the new bar. Yan says they're considering some kind of live music component, and they also hope to rent the basement out for parties.
After such a long wait, I better be holding chopsticks instead of a pen the next time I visit Tokyo Rose.
The sign stays.
Tokyo Rose readies for opening.


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Are you saving for your retirement? If you're like most Americans, learning about how to save for your financial future is hardly a top priority, even though experts continue to say that it should be.
"Fewer than 10 percent of Americans can answer five basic questions about retirement," said retirement expert Julia Valentine, author of "Joy Compass: How to Make Your Retirement the Treasure of Your Life." "Many people over 50 feel that there should be a system in place that looks out for them—but we have to embrace that we are truly on our own."
Valentine, who became passionate about helping people make smart money decisions after watching her grandparents lose their savings to a pyramid scheme, said you don't need an MBA to create a great retirement plan. All it takes is a little education.
"Twenty-seven states have mandatory sex education classes and only three states have mandatory financial education in the schools, so it's no wonder we are behind," Valentine said. "People want miracles, or they don't want to know anything about our financial crisis."
Here are Valentine's five retirement reinvention tips:
Get a visual.
"People are emotional when it comes to money—they aren't calculators," she said. "Looking at a number isn't going to sink in for a lot of people. But if you get a vision in your mind of what retirement will look like, maybe a place you can go or something you can enjoy, it will help you save.
"When people visit a retirement community (and) realize they could live overseas for so much less, it gives them a vision for their future they can truly get excited about. It's not about focusing on what you don't have saved, it's about what you can have when you start the process of keeping track of your money that will help you get there."
Alleviate angst with automation.
"We cannot be stuck worrying about whether we keep track of every Starbucks coffee," Valentine said. "There are lots of banks that offer an automatic savings accounts and employers offer automated 401(k)s. The more routine our behavior becomes, the more naturally it is to do. If you get an automatic email showing your balance, that can be helpful to some people."
Fuel your own fire.
"Think back to high school—you are exhausted, can't do your homework, and then all of the sudden a boy calls, and you're ready in six minutes," she said. "We find the burst of energy for the things that motivate us. Do you want to take your grandchildren to Disney? Do you like seeing them open your Christmas presents? I work people through the process so they have an emotional connection to the enjoyment they feel by being able to spend on those things they love."
Design your destination.
"When we put our conscious attention on whatever is going on, it produces better results," Valentine said. "And we can't wait for opportunities to find us, we have to create them ourselves. … We all have expertise, and leveraging that is hugely important. I knew a musician that made a small salary as a violinist, so he started a business as a violin dealer — and he was able to leverage his expertise to bring in income."
Knowledge is power.
"If you really want to make these changes, you will have to learn some new skills by the time you are 60," Valentine said. "My parents didn't want to Skype and now my mother is addicted to it. They'd rather have the banker hold their hand than automate their banking, but when they see the money they can earn, it becomes more appealing.
"For the new year, make it your resolution to really master financial communication and change your skill sets. We have enough research to show us exactly how to create well-being in every aspect of life — we're just not applying it. In 2012 we need to start applying it as much as possible."
Twitter: @jenweigel
Are you saving for your retirement? If you're like most Americans, learning about how to save for your financial future is hardly a top priority, even though experts continue to say that it should be.


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Freitag, 28. Februar 2014, 06:44
[21:19:30] GM 4.42 ~ This region (ardeur) has enabled: [Aiding] [Stronger melee] [Half splash] [Shields] ~
[21:25:26] Channel Mod ( -INFO- ): HaniBaal Mohr is now marked away from keyboard.
[FIX] all meters same, RLV -> Beast -> Normal (Thus repairing some missing damages in some of those)
[FIX] no self aid, ever!
[NEW] dialog, Accept or Decline to be killed.
[FIX] additional parameter for 'bandage use'
[DEL] Remove of Stamina, as it not used....
[NEW] Announcement of what is on in a region to one line and more clean/clear
[NEW] ( -458238, Splash Type), msg be... `Zero splash`, `Half splash` or `Full splash` (for weapon creators)
[FIX] allow only one meter to be worn.
[FIX] New bubble texture using other alpha blend to make it visible even in alpha grass.
[FIX] Other way to figure out if we have to update or not, making it faster and less memory usage
[NEW] Announce going OOC / AFK to Mod channel
So to the GM RP Servers will under go some fixes, so stay tuned in!
In regards of the Binds issue, This is a Linden Labs issue, they know about it and are implementing a fix for this. How ever this fix needs both a server side and a client side fix to be repaired, the server side is in; so now waiting is all all clients to implement the fix. So the end date for this to be fixed, is for now unknown, how ever Fire Storm, stated to have the fix in next release as well.
Jara and alika
Forensoftware: Burning Board®, entwickelt von WoltLab® GmbH | reDesign by HaniBaal
Der Gegenerde Verbund© 2009 HaniBaal&Lane&Geister All rights reserved.
Dauerhaft angemeldet bleiben?


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Weight Training Improves Parkinson's Symptoms
Weight training for two years straight significantly improves motor function for those living with Parkinson's disease, according to a new report from the American Academy of Neurology.
The study included 48 people living with Parkinson's disease. Some underwent weight training while others participated in workouts that included flexibility, balance and strengthening exercises. Each group exercised for one hour, twice a week, for a two-year period.
Researchers measured the severity of motor symptoms, including tremors, after six, 12, 18 and 24 months, with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Scores were taken when participants were not taking their regular Parkinson's medication.
Although both forms of physical activity decreased motor skill symptoms during six consecutive months of exercise, those who underwent weight training experienced 7.3 percent improvement in their rating scale score after two years, while the fitness counts group returned to the same score they had at the start of the study.
"Our results suggest that long-term weight training could be considered by patients and doctors as an important component in managing Parkinson's disease," said Daniel Corcos, lead author of the research.


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Lesson Plan
The Tale of Despereaux: Fact or Fiction?
|3 – 6
|Lesson Plan Type
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|Four 50-minute sessions
|Lesson Author
Urbana, Illinois
Brookhaven, Mississippi
In this lesson, after reading the book The Tale of Despereaux, students choose a section of the book and research medieval times to make comparisons between the events that occur in the book and what they learn about this time in history from other web and print sources. Students will then choose a project based on their learning style to showcase the information they learned about medieval times.
In this lesson, students research medieval times after learning about the time period through the use of a historical fiction novel and its characters.
As Beck et al. state, "Teachers know that these novels focus a rich, human lens on a sometimes abstract topic. The stories and the lives of historical characters help readers see the details of everyday life that are not incorporated into textbooks." Historical fiction presents a new perspective to the students.
Further Reading
Beck, Cathy, et al. "Historical Fiction: Teaching Tool or Literary Experience?" Language Arts 77.6 (July 2000): 546-555.


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A cataract is an "opacity", or loss of transparency of the lens of the eye. The opacity may be confined to a small area of the lens, or it may affect the whole structure. A complete cataract affecting both eyes will result in blindness, whereas small non-progressive cataracts will not interfere with vision. Primary cataracts occur in some breeds; in other breeds the cataract may develop secondarily to another inherited disorder such as progressive retinal atrophy or glaucoma.
Obvious cataracts occur between 9 and 15 months of age with further progression and maturity of the cataract between 2-4 years. This is a blinding condition if left untreated.
A number of breeds are known to suffer from HC and there are almost certainly different genetic causes for a number of these. Mutations in one gene called HSF4, has been shown to cause HC in a number of different breeds (Australian Shepherd, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier). One of the HSF4 mutations causes bilateral cataracts, in Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs, that can be diagnosed as early as 8-12 weeks of age, but are not congenital.
In these breeds the mutation in HSF4 is an autosomal recessive condition. This means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from its mother or its father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and may pass the gene on to any offspring.
A slightly different mutation in the same gene has been identified as a risk factor for bilateral posterior polar subcapsular cataracts in the Australian Shepherd. This form of cataract has quite a variable age of onset and in this breed, the HSF4 mutation appears to behave as an autosomal dominant condition. This means that a dog must inherit only one copy of an abnormal gene (one from its mother or one from its father) before its health may be affected.
A list of laboratories and DNA tests can be found at the following link www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-breeders/dna-testing-simple-inherited-disorders/worldwide-dna-tests/
If, once your dog is DNA tested, you would like to find out what their DNA test results mean, or how to select the right mate to avoid producing affected puppies, then please read our breeding advice and information on the following link http://bit.ly/2oSbtnn.
The Kennel Club's "Health Test Results Finder" allows you to find the results of DNA tests carried out as part of official Kennel Club DNA testing schemes for any dog on the Kennel Club's breed register. To access this free health tool, please follow this link http://bit.ly/1jyCFnc.
Copyright © The Kennel Club Limited 2020. The unauthorised reproduction of text and images is strictly prohibited.


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Concluding July 7 Silence! The Musical (Off-Broadway at the Elektra Theatre). Silence! The Musical, winner of the 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, features Sean McDermott as Hannibal Lecter and Laura Jordan as Clarice Starling with David Ayers, Howard Kaye, Tyler Maynard, Sarah O'Gleby, Ronica V. Reddick, Kevin Spirtas, Kimberly Stern, Natalie Joy Johnson and Kevin Za. "In the Academy Award-winning film 'The Silence of the Lambs,'" press notes state, "rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill. Clarice faces her own demons while racing the clock to unlock Lecter's clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Buffalo Bill. The laugh-out-loud wicked satire, Silence! The Musical, features a singing chorus of floppy eared lambs narrating the action as Buffalo Bill gleefully dances a hoedown while kidnapping hapless Catherine Martin. Even Dr. Lecter, scary as ever, sings about the life he'd like to lead someday outside the prison walls." Visit SilenceTheMusicalNYC.com.
Far From Heaven (Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons). Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale and Isaiah Johnson star in Far From Heaven, the musical adaptation of Todd Haynes' 1950s-set film by Tony Award-nominated Grey Gardens songwriters Michael Korie and Scott Frankel and Take Me Out Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg. In the show, according to PH, "Cathy Whitaker (O'Hara) seems to be the picture-perfect wife and mother in 1957 suburban Connecticut. But roiling beneath the surface, secret longings and forbidden desires cause her world to unravel, with incendiary consequences. With a lush score that is both jazz-inflected and hauntingly lyrical, Far From Heaven is a powerful story of romance, betrayal and intolerance, as a woman grapples with her identity in a society on the verge of upheaval." Visit PlaywrightsHorizons.org.


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Indiana would pay up to $9,000 of student loans for some teachers under a measure headed to Gov. Mike Pence.
The legislation sponsored by Democratic Rep. Justin Moed of Indianapolis would provide loan reimbursements for some of those teaching science, technology, engineering or math.
The reimbursements would only be available to teachers who performed at the top of their class in high school and college. Moed said the measure is designed to keep talented teachers in Indiana while training new students in critical areas.
Lawmakers gave final approval to the proposal Monday. It now goes to the governor for consideration.


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Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Holiday Inn Club Vacations® provides exceptional resort-style vacation experiences in top leisure destinations across the country. Settle in with spacious villa accommodations and family-friendly amenities, and then venture out to explore world-class attractions, mountain adventure, championship golf, beachside serenity-whatever a great getaway means to you. For a fun and relaxing environment where memorable vacations are created and shared among family and friends, time and again, Holiday Inn Club Vacations is your ideal choice.
Connect with Holiday Inn Club Vacations
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Participating locations include:
8505 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy
Kissimmee, FL 34747
Phone: 407-239-0000
Fax: 407-239-5119


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TESTIMONIAL 7 Nights wine Touring Piedmont and Tuscany. A Discovery through wines and foods and excellence.
June 2011
" I thank you both Tim and Cristian for the extremely well planned and executed tour of Italy for us. I felt at all times well looked after, stimulated by your obvious deep knowledge and passion for wines. This then enabled us to enjoy our trip all the more so as we felt especially well informed with regards to the culinary / gastronomic and wine. We never expect to eat as well for a long time after Piedmont and Tuscany."
Ted and Dawn Chatsworth MN USA
Governors Club Wine Society – Experts Tour of Chile and Argentina
Dec / 2013
Our Wine Society travel group would like to thank Tim Robertson and Robertson Wine Tours for providing an exceptional experience in Chile and Argentina. We were all very impressed with the selection of wineries and wines, especially the variety in the different kinds of wineries. Being able to meet many of the winemakers was very interesting and most informative. Needless to say we learned a great deal. This was a well-traveled group who have been to many wineries around the world and yet there were new and innovative methods introduced to us. One highlight in Chile was Antiyal Winery with their dedication to biodynamic methods as well as their use of the egg-shaped concrete fermentation tanks. Everyone was charmed by Maria Luz Marin at Casa Marin Winery. She visited with us the entire morning describing her excellent wines as we tasted them and answering our questions as she told us about her acquisition of her vineyards and her dedication to producing fine wines. The dinner and wines served the night with the MOVI group was very interesting. We met several of the small independent producers from this group and were impressed with their dedication as well. In Mendoza, we had an equally interesting variety of wineries and experiences. The view of the Andes from the vineyards was spectacular as well. We are all familiar with the Paul Hobbs collection of wines and we definitely learned a great deal about Malbec at Cobos Winery where he is a part owner. The Wine Maker competition at Norton Winery definitely brought out the competitive spirits as we were divided into two groups each to blend its own wine to be judged with prizes to the makers of the winning blend. There was not a winery on the entire trip that we would have wanted to miss.
RWT's choices were perfect for our group as were the hotels and the restaurants in Santiago and Mendoza. On our first night in Santiago, the dinner a Puerto Fuy was exceptional. The restaurant was newly renovated and had not opened to the public yet. They served us a wonderful 6 course dinner and had set all the other tables in the restaurant although they were only open for us. The lunch at Casa del Bosque Winery with its beautiful setting was very enjoyable as well. In Mendoza, the dinner our first night there at 1884 was also a wonderful experience. Lunch at Melipal Winery was another great meal in a beautiful setting as was Cavas Wine Lodge Restaurant. Everyone said they would love to go back to stay at the Lodge. Our final dinner at Nadis OF Restaurant capped off a wonderful trip, greatly enjoyed by all. We must also thank you for providing excellent tour guides as well as providing us with expert wine guides, especially Lucile and Leticia in Mendoza. And we really appreciate all that Cristian did for us – above and beyond. Those of us who were on the extension to Iguazu Falls want to thank RWT for another amazing experience.
Tim and Robertson Wine Tours were wonderful to work with and they provided an exceptional experience. Their attention to detail could not have been better and was much appreciated. We hope to be able to tour with you again in the future.
Governors Club Wine Society Carol Smithwick President, Chapel Hill.
Emilie and Micah Delo
December 2013
Total Relaxation. We traveled to Buenos Aires and Mendoza for our Honeymoon and everything was managed 100% by Robertson Wine Tours leaving us to relax and enjoy our time together. I never opened a door to a car or lifted a bag myself! Tim was very giving of his time to discuss and carefully recommended hotels and experiences that he felt would help us to most enjoy our experience and he was right on point. Each hotel was a different and wonderful experience. Recognizing the occasion, they each provided special upgrades or surprises to make our honeymoon even more special. The wine was great and the food even better. We look forward to traveling to Italy next to experience what Robertson Wine Tours has to offer there as well!
Pittsburgh PA USA
Piedmont. Outstanding wine and Gourmet Tour including Rome.
Dec 2016
Let me start out with a disclaimer – myself and my travel partners are not wine or culinary experts so this review is intended for anyone who simply love wine, food and travel. Do we drink a lot of wine from around the world? Do we love all food, be it a Pizzeria down the road or the French Laundry? Do we love travel, the experience of local culture and people? Yes to all. So given these stated interests why did we choose Robertson Wine Tours (RWT) when there is simply a world wide web of choices? Well frankly we did not know anything about RWT's and discovered them on a web search as we started to piece together plans for a trip. My wife and I along with friends (3 couples) travel on annual wine tours but we had no experience in Northern Italy specifically the Piedmont region. We wanted to know the area and of course the wine and food but did not feel organizing a trip with limited knowledge of the area would be fruitful. We determined that bringing in a travel company was the only option but we had one issue that was a showstopper – we don't like crowds, large groups and the standard tourist experience. We simply love the experience of travelling together and wanted to ensure this was not compromised. Many of the travel companies we looked at where immediately out of the running, as they did not suite our preferences. We did find a few who dealt with personalized travel plans and to the destination that we wanted so the vetting began. Through all the companies we looked at RWT's was the most promising as they outlined a business philosophy very close being exactly what we wanted – personalised travel plans with focus on local expertise and a balance of local culture thrown in. Basically they claimed to know the region intimately and that they where wine experts and of course knew how to pair that experience with local dining. My friends and I had a healthy scepticism about promises made as we have been had some poor experiences in the past. So often in the travel business when you hand over your cash, the service falls apart from that point. I know, sounds a little negative but it is a reality. In this case RWT's delivered on everything they said they would deliver. No hype with these guys, they deliver and they do know their business.The trip we had them organize included our initial stop in Turin with a local guide Matteo Gazzarata. Call out to Matteo who was the most pleasant person and with a massive knowledge to the area and its history. His quite, professional demeanour was balanced by his willingness to engage in any topic, as he was not on script. Ask anything and he was right there with the answers. What an engaging person, we all very much appreciate his involvement. This part of the trip was primarily to gain familiarity with the area and its culture. A big call out to one dinner experience at Ristorante L'Birichin in Turin. Nicola Batavia, the Chef and proprietor took care of us personally right down to the choice of wine. What an experience, this man is a master chef and a real gentlemen as well. Another call out to Enoteca Parlapa in Turin - great local experience, a lot of fun. Next we moved to the areas of Roero, Barbaresco, Barolo, and Tortonesi & Monferrato. This was now a move into the hard-core wine experience for our group. We have always tasted great wines from this area but have never developed a great sense of the area and its geography. Some wine areas in the world are pretty easy to develop an intimate understanding of the geography and wine; Napa, Burgundy, Tuscany has always been pretty easy to encapsulate but Piemonte has always been illusive, (keep in mind our disclaimer). This part of the trip matched us with a new guide, Paul Balke, basically a renaissance man, Journalist, Author, Barolo Specialist and to our surprise and pleasure a concert pianist. We found ourselves so fortunate to have Paul with us as his knowledge and experience was remarkable. Paul was not only brilliant when it came to understanding the region but he knew everyone, the producers, the local restaurateurs and there was a incredible mutual respect between them all. We could not imagine a better guide. Paul is a quite gentleman but wow did he have our backs so to speak. He was so well prepared with insights into the area and winemakers that we never would have gained via travel by ourselves. Paul organized so many great vineyard tours and dinning experiences for us that I would like to list them all but this is not the venue for such a long list. We started out with a fabulous local vineyard, Bruno Rocco Winery in the Roero region. Over the next few days we visited some of the most honoured and or favoured wineries in the regions of Barbaresco, Barolo & Monferrato. However one area and winery in particular stood out, Walter Massa Winery in the Tortonesi region. Firstly who has ever heard of the Tortonesi region. Wow was this an experience. Walter Massa was brilliant, enchanting and totally in his own zone. We had the feeling we were in the presence of the future of wine in Italy. A remarkable innovator and artist and his wines spoke volumes. If we had one experience that left an indelible impression that was it. One other aspect that generally would go unnoticed was out Driver. RWT's arranged a private driver to get ours around from morning to night. This young man was not only a very good driver but he was polite and always had a smile for the team despite some early mornings and late nights. Other travel companies take notice, pay attention to details like this as it does make a difference. All in all we loved the trip and RWT's delivered everything as promised and more. Tim Robertson calls out his company's attention to detail and this was evident on the whole trip. The choice of guides, the selection of visits and right down to the detailed attention to the dietary needs of our group, they did not drop the ball. Would we recommend RWT – absolutely! We are already thinking about organizing a Tuscany flavored trip with RWT's as well.
Mike O'Dell Wine, Food and Travel EnthusiastAlberta Canada
TESTIMONIAL – PIEDMONT Wine touring: Turin Langhe, Roero, Monferrato and the Northern Lakes
October 2013
I was in an Italian restaurant here at home the other night, and as I picked up the wine list I KNEW that I could knowledgeably make a selection -- at least from the Piedmont wines on the list! Thank you Tim Robertson for teaching me so much about Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera wines! I highly recommend arranging a tour through Robertson Wine Tours Tours. In the fall of 2013 three of us enjoyed a ten day custom tour with Tim and his local wine expert, Paul Balke, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Although two of us speak halting Italian, none had ever been to Piedmont. We chose Robertson because we did not want a large "tour;" we wanted a specialized itinerary. We wanted to do wine tasting, have cooking classes and also explore some of the beauty of Piedmont. Tim helped us arrange for all these things. First, the wines. We focussed on the Langhe region, and with Paul's assistance, were able to visit many small wineries that we would never have been able to see on our own. Between Paul, Tim and the hosts at the wineries, we were in good hands and gained extensive knowledge about local winemaking. From small, family owned wineries where our guides were the owners themselves, to larger well-established vintners, we got a broad range of wine experiences. Second, the cooking classes Robertson arranged for us were a lot more fun than we had expected, and were taught by well-known, experienced working chefs. The focus of course was food from the region and we learned not just how to cook these dishes, but about the history and origins of the food in Piedmont and in other regions of Italy. On Lake Orta, Robertson arranged for a charming local guide for us, who was very flexible about what we wanted to see and do. We said good-bye to Tim when we arrived there, but had a lovely last two days with our new guide. Through it all, Robertson made the planning easy by reserving for us the best hotels, and guiding us toward the best restaurants. Robertson provides the personal touch that big tour operators simply can't do. I highly recommend designing a tour in Italy with Tim, especially if learning something about wine and food is also on the agenda!!
Kathryn Vizas San Francisco. CA USA
Piedmont wine touring. Getting to grips with Nebbiolo in all its forms
November 2018
Hey Tim I was meaning to write earlier but you piped me to the post. Yes I did get back safe and sound. The tour was great, absolutely perfect and what I wanted. Sandro did a excellent job of educating me and my palate. Both you and him picked some great wineries. It is a pretty amazing place with some real genuine producers. I had such a good trip you'll probably see me next year or I imagine a few of my teammates would be interested. Thanks again Tim for everything and say Hi to Sandro from me. Do I speak to you or him about sending wine to me here?
Jay Jaspers Germany
4 nights staying between Florence and Siena, taking in Montalcino and Chaintis wine regions
September 2013
"We have to say Superb job Tim, Tuscan wines and great company with Robertson Wine Tours. You provided an excellent choices of vineyards and overview in Montalcino, Bolgheri and Chianti. We are pleased to be home none the less and thank you once again. Lets think Sicily in a couple of years, you have piqued our interest with Sicilian wine tasting we made together. Best of luck and stay in touch.
Richard Bough Cambridge UK
Slovenia Winemakers tour of South America, Argentina, Salta and Jujuy with Uruguay
June 2013
Dear Tim & Cristian. Thank you for organizing the wine tour for the 19 members of the Slovenian Club KLP (of Wine Enthusiasts of Sparkling Wine 2013) in Argentina and Uruguay. Great choice of wineries, restaurants, hotels and local guides. Clients were impressed by the quality of wine in the wineries visited. Travel to Hacienda de Molinos and Colomé Winery was not easy but great journey and with the good weather we had to top it with good food and wine experience. I must say that all clients liked Salta a lot. I am sure that the local guide Yaco added a lot to the pleasant experience. Uruguay was also very interesting regarding such a different climate and their wine cannot be compared with high altitude wines of Argentina. Good and interesting Tannat. I hope that we will have the chance soon to organize another tour like this. Best Regards.
Borut Sraj and the Wine Enthusiasts and makers of Slovenia Ljubljana Slovenia
Outstanding tour of Peru, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco and Lima
June 2013
"Don't make a travel decision without RWT, my second trip with them in six months to Peru, is proof positive of their excellence".
Prue La RoccaGreenwich CT USA
Superb Wine and Cooking experience in Puglia and Matera, Basilicata.
May 2013
Serendipitously I stumbled upon Roberson Wine Tours -- had never heard of you, but after a few emails back and forth, it felt so right to jump in and chance celebrating one of the big milestones of my life and travel to Puglia with you. You say 'discerning' and its true -- impeccable, yet warm and intimate -- an experience where every detail was thought through and seamlessly taken care of. To be spoiled by someone who, in a short time, understands what are the sweet spots for you is an impeccable skill. Tim, you spoiled me in so many ways. The special touches whether it was greeting me at the airport; checking in on me throughout the week to see how I was doing, and helping me celebrate my birthday with roses and the beautiful cake -- you so warmed my heart. And of course, my stay in the Trulli -- after all, not everyone gets to sleep in one! You've given me an experience and memories that far exceeded my expectations and, at a time of my life, when it was so needed. And with the perfect combination of wine, culinary and richness of great history came new friendships; a new appreciation of wine and the longing for my next trip -- Grazie mille il mio amico . . . Fino a Sicilia
Carolina Migliaccio Chicago IL USA
8 nights. Puglia and Basilicata Food and Wine Experience tour.
April 2013.
It is difficult to describe our impressions of the Puglia and Basilicata Food and Wine Experience tour in only a couple of lines! First of all, we want you to know that the trip exceeded our expectations on many levels. The area of Southern Italy that we toured was captivating; the cities and the countryside were unique and fun to explore. We learned the culture of the area through it's food and wine-both excellent. We were treated like VIP's at our wine tastings and the olive oil tasting. While all the cities and hotels were beautiful, the city of Matera and our accommodations there were a highlight of the trip and we didn't want to leave! Thank you for planning such a unique experience and we would never hesitate to book a tour with Robertson Wine Tours again. We are looking forward to receiving the cooking lesson recipes and news of future tours.
Mike and Sandy Ruesewald Minnesota MN USA


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This is the last of a four-part series on Russian maneuvering in the Middle East, and how it affects Israel. If you have not done so already, we recommend first reading Russian Chess in the Middle East – Part I, Russian Chess in the Middle East – Part II and Russian Chess in the Middle East – Part III
"The discrepancy of approaches [in Russia's dealings with Israel] is explained by the split inside the Kremlin," said Zvi Magen, an expert specializing in Russia's foreign policy at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). "The government is divided into those who call for tighter cooperation with the Islamic states (like Syria and Iran), and those – the so-called mainstream – who advocate good ties with all the regional players as part and parcel of Russia's multi-vector foreign policy," he argued.
As the Middle East once again becomes a ground for a US-Russian confrontation, Moscow views Syria and Iran as its last frontier, the fall of which would hurt Russia's national interests and undermine any hope of restoring its past glory as a superpower.
That's why, according to Magen, Russia is clinging not to the regime of Assad but rather to Syria as a strategically important location. "Determined to maintain its positions in the region, Moscow is willing to hold talks with all the parties to the conflict, be it the government or the opposition, while trying to reach a consensus with the West," he explained.
Addressing the potential split of Syria, Magen is certain that if it does take place, Russia will try to establish ties with the various resulting cantons to promote its interests.
When it comes to Iran, Magen thinks that Moscow will not want to see a nuclear Iran at her borders because that would enable Iran to "…leverage nuclear weapons to position itself as a superpower with all of the geopolitical ramifications this has for the region, including damage to Russia's standing."
Additionally, an atomic bomb in the hands of the Islamic Republic could trigger a regional arms race, which would destabilize international security.
Nevertheless, the pundit believes Moscow has an interest in keeping Iran's anti-American regime in power to use it as a "bargaining chip" in its negotiations with Washington.
Perhaps this is the reason behind the Kremlin's growing concern with the economic sanctions that have been imposed on Iran since 2006. "The regime of US and EU sanctions could finally topple the government in Tehran, depriving Russia of an ally in its anti-western bloc. That's why Russia is actively mediating between the West and Iran, trying to find a way out of the stalemate," argued Magen.
Commenting on the Israel-Russia ties, Magen, who served as Israel's ambassador to Russia in the late 1990s, argued that the two states have much in common.
"First of all, there is a natural affinity due to the strong spiritual, historic, cultural and political ties, coupled with impressive bilateral trade that was primarily achieved thanks to Israel's big Russian-speaking community that bridges between the countries," he argued.
Moreover, following the upheavals in the Arab world, Russia and Israel found themselves in the same boat, facing a common challenge: radical Islam. Combined with a looming Turkish threat — as Ankara 'bares its teeth' to Moscow and Jerusalem amid attempts to pursue its hegemonic ambitions — the two countries seem willing to consider closer ties on security, military and strategic levels.
"Even though Israel is indeed considered to be the client of the US, and it seems unlikely that the Jewish state would be willing to turn its back on Washington in favor of Moscow, one can't exclude the possibility that Israel might be interested in adding Russia to its circle of allies as part of Israel's own multi-vector foreign policy," concluded Magen.


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2 convicted in rap video targeting police
Rashee Beasley, Jamal Knox found guilty in connection with video that mentions cop-killer Richard Poplawski, police officers' names
Two men have been convicted of charges in western Pennsylvania including witness intimidation and conspiracy in connection with a rap video posted online that authorities said urged people to kill Pittsburgh police officers.
Twenty-two-year-old Rashee Beasley and 19-year-old Jamal Knox are scheduled for sentencing Feb. 6 in Allegheny County court.
The video, pulled from YouTube after police began investigating it in November, praises Richard Poplawski, who was convicted of killing three city officers in April 2009.
The lyrics include the line, "Let's kill these cops 'cause they don't do us no good" and names specific officers who patrol the area where Poplawski lived.
Judge Jeffrey Manning disagreed Thursday with defense arguments that the video was protected by free speech guarantees, saying it "far exceeds what the First Amendment allows."


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The rib and shoulder injuries that have sidelined Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger indefinitely are a vivid reminder of how fortunate the Ravens have been to have Joe Flacco under center.
More than halfway through his fifth season in the NFL — all with the Ravens — Flacco has never missed a start. That's 73 regular-season games and nine playoff contests, and the combined 82 starts are the most to begin a career by a quarterback in league history.
Flacco's ability to avoid serious injuries has not been lost on Coach John Harbaugh.
"[H]e is durable," Harbaugh said. "He's just a tough guy, and we've protected him pretty well over the years."
The value of a No. 1 quarterback was re-emphasized this week with the injuries to Roethlisberger and concussions suffered by the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler, the Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick and the San Francisco 49ers' Alex Smith.
Smith is reportedly close to being cleared for practice and could be available for the 49ers' game against the Bears on Monday night, but Jason Campbell and rookie Nick Foles are expected to start for the Bears and Eagles, respectively.
Flacco acknowledged feeling blessed that he has yet to suffer a major injury.
"I probably think about how fortunate I am to still be standing, but it's the name of the game, so I don't put too much thought into it," he said. "It's just the way it is. Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with a head injury like that. Hopefully, I have a lot of football left, so you never know. It's a crazy game. It's a game we all choose to play. Sometimes things like that happen — hopefully just not too often."
Flacco has persevered through minor bumps and bruises and the occasional sprained ankle. The worst injury was a deep bruise on his right hip that affected his throwing mechanics in the Ravens' 33-14 victory over the New England Patriots in an AFC wild card game on Jan. 10, 2010.
"I never thought I wasn't going to go, but I definitely had a tough time moving around that week," Flacco recalled. "At times in practice, it was tough to have my legs underneath me. I could drop back and throw pretty comfortable, but moving around here and there was definitely a little tough that week."
This season, Flacco has been sacked 19 times, tied for the 15th most in the NFL. And according to Pro Football Focus, he has been hit six times as he's thrown a pass, which is tied for the sixth-highest mark in the league.
Running back Ray Rice said keeping Flacco upright is a priority for the entire offense.
"Our goal as an offensive group is not to get Joe hit, and we take pride in that," Rice said. "But even when he does get hit, you always look back and check on him, and he's getting up. He's ready to roll. That says something about our quarterback because quarterbacks, obviously, when guys are coming free at him — by him throwing the ball and everything – he's really unprotected. … Usually when you get a hit on a quarterback, it's one of those free shots. And [Joe has] taken a few of them, but he's able to bounce back, and we take pride in protecting him."
Tyrod Taylor is the only other quarterback on the Ravens' active roster. But like Kyle Boller (2008), Troy Smith (2008-09) and Mark Bulger (2010), Taylor has yet to make a start.
But Harbaugh expressed confidence in Taylor — who has thrown five passes in his career — and Dennis Dixon, a member of the team's practice squad.
"Tyrod has done a great job. Dennis Dixon is here," Harbaugh said. "Those guys are always prepared for their opportunity as well. At any position, at any time, you are ready for the next guy to go in and play."
Flacco said durability is part of the job requirement.
"You want to go out there and you want to show up for your teammates every Sunday, and you do everything you can to make sure that happens," he said.


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The University of Hawaii Board of Regents formally endorsed the Hawaii Graduation Initiative (HGI) and the university's strategies for achieving its goals at its September board meeting.
The HGI's primary goal is to increase the number of UH graduates by 25 percent by 2015. This would mean awarding 10,500 degrees/certificates in 2015 compared to the 8,804 awarded in 2008-09.
According to the Banner Operational Data Store, University of Hawaii has already seen significant increases in graduation rates since the initiative was formally launched in 2010:
* 2010-11: 8,988 degrees awarded; 8.4 percent increase
* 2011-12: 9,628 degrees awarded; 7.1 percent increase
* 2012-13: 10,001degrees awarded; 3.9 percent increase
Increasing the number of graduates in Hawaii is critical because it is estimated that 65 percent of jobs in Hawaii will require some college education or more by 2018, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
"This was recommended to the board by the board's Academic Affairs Committee which thoroughly examined all strategies the system is employing. This is the sort of strategic effort that a public university should be making toward the future of its state, and a perfect example of the board's role in setting broad policy to benefit future generations," said Board of Regents Chairman John Holzman.
"The campuses have been committed to increasing the number of graduates and have been meeting the goals. The Board's formal endorsement is a validation of the path we are already on and the good work that has been accomplished to date. The HGI was put in place because the state of Hawaii needs more educated citizens and the university is committed to meeting that need," said Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Linda Johnsrud.


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One BGH floor no longer in outbreak
A bacterial outbreak at Belleville General Hospital is now limited to two patient departments.
The outbreak of VRE, or vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, began in November.
Outbreaks were declared eventually in the Quinte 4, 5 and 6 inpatient units.
But QHC communications director Catherine Walker said the outbreak on Quinte 6, the surgical inpatient floor, ended June 6.
A specialized team from Public Health Ontario toured BGH Tuesday at the request of QHC. Walker said the team's findings won't be available until mid-July.
Efforts to end the outbreak continue.
"There is absolutely no risk to the general public," Dr. Gary Garber, Public Health Ontario's chief of infection prevention and control, told The Intelligencer in May. He said the bacteria can, however, post risks to certain vulnerable patients.
All visitors to the Quinte 4 and 5 units should follow precautions, including handwashing and wearing protective clothing provided outside patients rooms, as directed by signs on each floor.


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Teixeira takes step toward return to action
NEW YORK -- Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira took swings in an indoor batting cage and fielded ground balls at first base on Sunday, both for the first time since an MRI revealed a mild strain in his lower left lat.
The injury has kept Teixeira out of the lineup since Monday, but if he can clear this latest activity without pain, he should avoid the disabled list. The next step for the slugger -- who still led the Yankees with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs entering Sunday's finale vs. the Blue Jays -- would be to take batting practice on the field.
"We'll reevaluate where he is tomorrow and how he feels after today," manager Joe Girardi said. "Hopefully, he's a player for us pretty soon here."
Kelly Johnson would be the primary backup first baseman, but he was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday with a strained left groin. Brian McCann has filled the role in the duo's absence, despite not having made a start there before this season.
And with Teixeira on the bench but unavailable, the Yankees have essentially been playing with a 24-man roster since Monday. They are also carrying 13 pitchers, so Girardi has been operating with two bench players for much of the past week.
"We've played short, and we've done it a number of times during the course of this season and last season," Girardi said.