The Development of an Anatomy Atlas About Selected Hydrophyte and Xerophyte Structural Strategies for a Senior High School

This study aimed to develop an anatomy atlas about selected hydrophyte and xerophyte structural strategies as an enrichment learning medium. The Analysis, Design, Development model was used. The participants included a material expert, a media expert, biology teachers, and students of SMA Negeri 1 Wonosari at Grade XI. Data were collected using material and media expert validation sheets and questionnaires conducted with teachers and students which had been modified from other research instruments. The results were analyzed qualitatively. The anatomy atlas that was developed received favorable results, with an average value of 88.53% validity rate. Based on these results, the developed anatomy atlas would be useful for enrichment programs. Keywords: atlas, anatomy, hydrophyte, xerophyte, enrichment

The organization model of socio-cultural practices of youth enrichment programs (as exemplified by a student ball)

The article presents the results of the theoretical analysis of such phenomena as “socio-cultural practices”, “enrichment program”. The research determines their role in students’ personal development. The contemporary social position of a student calls for a new pedagogical approach, and therefore requires innovative or retro-innovative approaches. The author develops a socio-cultural practice of the youth enrichment program merging the ball and the role-play. Thus, the research aim is to develop an organization model of socio-cultural practices of youth enrichment programs (as exemplified by a ball) in order to enable students’ personal development. The study reveals characteristic pedagogical features of the socio-cultural practices of youth enrichment programs. Using the example of a student ball, the article shows how through the study of the history of dance and etiquette, students immerse themselves in the cultural environment, which will contribute to the development of patriotism, diligence and curiosity. Team work on concert acts contributes to the formation and strengthening of student partnership. Discussions about the nature of politeness promote kindness, empathy, honesty, and courtesy in student relationships. Students also develop non-standard thinking. Working together in the youth enrichment program, students learn to be hard-working and creative. Part of the enriching experience of this socio-cultural practice is secured in the non-standard situation that goes beyond students’ usual everyday life. The practical application of the research results makes it possible to use the proposed model to develop socio-cultural practices of youth enrichment programs aimed at students’ personal development.

Identification of Lampung local potential as source of Biology learning in senior high school

This research is a preliminary study on a small and limited scale that aims to identify local potentials in the Lampung area as a source of learning biology with conformity to the Basic Competencies in the 2013 Curriculum. This study used a qualitative method with a survey technique through an exploratory descriptive approach. Participants in this study were all biology teachers from 17 public high schools in Bandar Lampung totaling 30 teachers (5 males and 25 females). The selection of participation was done through purposive sampling technique using certain criteria. The results of the study show 18 local potentials of Lampung consisting of 6 natural resource potentials, 4 conservation areas, 4 culinary delights, 2 arts, 1 handicraft and 1 traditional ceremony. The grouping of local potentials can be related to the subject of biology at the high school level. Local potential can be categorized as use in the field of education, namely natural resources and conservation areas. It can alsobe used as practicum activities with the help of LKPD media. Furthermore,local culinary potential can be used as practicum activities on learning devices (RPP), local potentials for arts, crafts. moreover, traditional ceremonies can be used as an additional reference for enrichment programs on learning devices (RPP).

“Developing Capabilities”. Inclusive Extracurricular Enrichment Programs to Improve the Well-Being of Gifted Adolescents

The educational inclusion of gifted students requires not only equity but also emotional accessibility and social participation. However, different studies indicate that gifted students constitute a vulnerable group (for example, the incidence of bullying is higher). Psychosocial variables are determinants for the development and expression of giftedness, particularly during adolescence. This study analyzes the impact of an inclusive extracurricular enrichment program for gifted secondary school students on the well-being of adolescents. The program was based on the enrichment model of Renzulli and Reis (2016). The objective was to develop a cluster to facilitate high-achieving learning in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors from their schools as well as university professors and students that would address their emotions and socialization across the board and benefit or involve their peers in their regular classrooms. The intervention took place over two years: eight sessions, one afternoon per week, for five months during each school year. The sample consisted of 47 students from the first and second years of compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria - ESO) (age, mean (M) = 12.57, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) during the first year and 27 students from the first, second, and third years of ESO (age, M = 13.48, SD = 0.94) during the second year; 61.4% were girls. Participants completed a questionnaire before (T1) and (T3) and after (T2) and (T4) each intervention. The results show better outcomes for psychological and subjective well-being, more positive moods, and a significant reduction in school fears. The results from this study indicate the importance of educational screening and support for gifted students to promote their well-being through collaborative enrichment activities.

A Perspective on Strategic Enrichment for Brain Development: Is This the Key to Animal Happiness?

Livestock animals are sentient beings with cognitive and emotional capacities and their brain development, similar to humans and other animal species, is affected by their surrounding environmental conditions. Current intensive production systems, through the restrictions of safely managing large numbers of animals, may not facilitate optimal neurological development which can contribute to negative affective states, abnormal behaviors, and reduce experiences of positive welfare states. Enrichment provision is likely necessary to enable animals to reach toward their neurological potential, optimizing their cognitive capacity and emotional intelligence, improving their ability to cope with stressors as well as experience positive affect. However, greater understanding of the neurological impacts of specific types of enrichment strategies is needed to ensure enrichment programs are effectively improving the individual's welfare. Enrichment programs during animal development that target key neurological pathways that may be most utilized by the individual within specific types of housing or management situations is proposed to result in the greatest positive impacts on animal welfare. Research within livestock animals is needed in this regard to ensure future deployment of enrichment for livestock animals is widespread and effective in enhancing their neurological capacities.

Investigating the Impact of a Mathematics Enhancement Programme on Jamaican Students’ Attainment

Underperformance in mathematics has been an issue that plagues the education system in Jamaica. Studies in first world countries have shown that enrichment programs, including Mathematics Enhancement Programmes (MEPs,) have been positively impacting attainment in mathematics. This quasi-experimental research design study investigated the impact of an MEP on Jamaican students’ attainment in mathematics. A sample of seven grade one classes from two primary schools in representative areas in Jamaica were selected for the intervention group. The treatment involved teaching the Jamaican grade one mathematics standards using the MEP resources for nine months. A statistically significant improvement and large effect size of the intervention was found, indicating that the MEP had a substantial impact on students’ achievement and attitudes towards mathematics. This study has implications for designing enrichment programs geared at addressing mathematics underperformance in Jamaica and in similar countries.

Assessment of animal management and habitat characteristics associated with social behavior in bottlenose dolphins across zoological facilities

Bottlenose dolphins are a behaviorally complex, social species that display a variety of social behaviors. Because of this, it is important for zoological facilities to strive to ensure animals display species-appropriate levels of social behavior. The current study is part of the multi-institutional study entitled “Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in zoos and aquariums” commonly referred to as the Cetacean Welfare Study. All participating facilities were accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and/or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Behavioral data were collected on 47 bottlenose dolphins representing two subspecies, Tursiops truncatus and Tursiops aduncus, at 25 facilities. The social behaviors of group related activity (group active) as well as interacting with conspecifics (interact with conspecific) were examined for their relationships to both animal management factors and habitat characteristics. The behavioral state of group active and the rate of interact with conspecific were both positively related to the frequency of receiving new forms of environmental enrichment. Both were inversely related to the random scheduling of environmental enrichment. Additional results suggested interact with conspecific was inversely related with daytime spatial experience and that males displayed group active more than females. Overall, the results suggested that animal management techniques such as the type and timing of enrichment may be more important to enhance social behavior than habitat characteristics or the size of the habitat. Information gained from this study can help facilities with bottlenose dolphins manage their enrichment programs in relation to social behaviors.

Bottlenose dolphin habitat and management factors related to activity and distance traveled in zoos and aquariums

High-resolution non-invasive cetacean tagging systems can be used to investigate the influence of habitat characteristics and management factors on behavior by quantifying activity levels and distance traveled by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus and Tursiops aduncus) in accredited zoos and aquariums. Movement Tags (MTags), a bio-logging device, were used to record a suite of kinematic and environmental information outside of formal training sessions as part of a larger study titled “Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in zoos and aquariums” (colloquially called the Cetacean Welfare Study). The purpose of the present study was to explore if and how habitat characteristics, environmental enrichment programs, and training programs were related to the distance traveled and energy expenditure of dolphins in accredited zoos and aquariums. Bottlenose dolphins in accredited zoos and aquariums wore MTags one day per week for two five-week data collection periods. Overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), a proxy for energy expenditure, and average distance traveled per hour (ADT) of 60 dolphins in 31 habitats were examined in relation to demographic, habitat, and management factors. Participating facilities were accredited by the Alliance for Marine Mammal Parks and/or Aquariums and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Two factors were found to be related to ADT while six factors were associated with ODBA. The results showed that enrichment programs were strongly related to both ODBA and ADT. Scheduling predictable training session times was also positively associated with ADT. The findings suggested that habitat characteristics had a relatively weak association with ODBA and were not related to ADT. In combination, the results suggested that management practices were more strongly related to activity levels than habitat characteristics.