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The results and interpretations of published Canadian field studies on the reproductive status of fish in waters receiving pulp and paper mill effluent discharges were reviewed. Most of the information was obtained from indicator measurements such as gonad size, fecundity, and serum steroid levels in wild fish sampled at reference and effluent-exposed sites. Difficulties in selecting appropriate sampling sites, natural variability, and the ecological relevance of the indicator measurements were identified as major complicating factors for the interpretation of the field data. Consequently, it was not possible to conclude to what extent, if any, widespread effects on fish reproduction are being caused by pulp and paper mill effluents or that specific manufacturing processes are causing such effects. Further research on the normal variability and predictive capability of reproductive indicators, for example, using an integrated approach (i.e., laboratory testing, mesocosm studies, and field work), is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a serious mobile-game intervention on older adults' engagement, affect, and cognitive function. Methods: In this single-subject design, twenty older adults, six of whom living with dementia, participated in a 16-session mobile-game intervention. Before and after the intervention, participants had sessions involving traditional paper-based cognitive activities. Engagement and affect were measured in each session. Cognitive measures were administered before and after the intervention. Acceptability was explored through interviews. Results: After the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in engagement in 37% of participants, and in affect in 21% of participants. Participants preferred the mobile games to the paper-based activities. Cognitive measures showed improvement in four participants with dementia. Conclusions: Although not conclusive, participants experienced higher levels of engagement and positive affect while playing the mobile games compared to paper-based activities. The results indicate feasibility and acceptability of the mobile game intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article empirically examines the ways in which Initial Teacher Education in Scotland and Alberta, Canada, seeks to 'get students in', 'get them out and into the workforce', 'get on with teaching future teachers' and how it should 'get on with students'. Using Adams' (2016) policy heuristic, which posits that policy can be discerned in three realms: frame; explanation; and formation, this paper considers the middle realm: that of policy explanation. Here, attempts to position policy through public pronouncement, policy directive, mandate and/or missive are examined in the context of ITE in Scotland and Alberta. By analysing policy explanations, the paper marks out how both jurisdictions should begin to attempt to craft ITE located in career-long, professional learning and development that understands and acknowledges tensions between ITE and later teacher-education phases. Finally, the paper makes a tentative proposal as to what such ITE might hope to achieve and how it might contribute to a well-developed workforce, so that both locations and other jurisdictions might orient initial teacher development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of previous studies on reliability-based highway design focussed on assessing the risk associated with only one mode of non-compliance (i.e. insufficient sight distance on horizontal curves using 2 D sight distance calculations). Only a handful number of studies established a link between risk levels and collisions. This paper calibrates safety-based design charts for horizontal curves considering a system reliability analysis (i.e., multi-mode) where the non-compliance could result from limited sight distance and vehicle skidding. The paper first utilised LiDAR data to collect curve attributes and assess the Available Sight Distance in a 3 D environment on 244 horizontal curves in Alberta, Canada. Monte Carlo Simulation was then used to calculate the associated risk levels, and full-Bayes multivariate Poisson lognormal regression was utilised to develop statistically significant safety performance functions that relate risk levels to collisions. Safety-based design charts were calibrated to relate curve attributes to risk levels and collisions. The calibrated charts showed the importance of using multi-mode reliability analysis. An example of using the calibrated charts in estimating the expected safety benefits of geometric improvements was introduced. The developed charts can offer designers a tool to estimate the safety consequences of design alternatives and aid the decision-making process of rehabilitation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion that Housing First (HF) is a human-rights based approach to housing some of society's most vulnerable citizens is often alluded to in the literature, but seldom interrogated. In this paper, we examine whether HF in Alberta, Canada is practiced in a way that realizes the right to housing for chronically homeless people. We do so using four human rights principles identified by Fukuda-Parr: non-discrimination, participation, adequate progress and remedy. Based on interviews with staff of 14 HF programs in three cities, we identify constraints to a human rights-based approach, including time-limited support, which necessitates a strong emphasis on housing sustainability. We also identify positive practices, such as client participation in decision-making and tenant rights education. The paper also provides a model for systematically assessing whether HF programs respect, protect and fulfil the right to housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an award for the most outstanding student paper at the annual conference of the Plains Anthropological Society in Edmonton, Alberta. Solicitation of entries for the competition; Criteria for the student paper competition; Contact information.

The author discusses the papers presented at the ninth International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels (ICNMM) which was held at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, Alberta on June 19-22, 2011. The author says that the papers highlights the presentations by pioneering researchers D. B. Tuckerman and R. F. W. Pease on invented microchannels. He adds that the papers also focuses on interfacial transport, mixing inside colliding droplets, and wettability.

The article presents selected papers from the CIPS Edmonton 1987 Conference that was held in Edmonton, Alberta on November 16-19, 1987. The theme of the event was Intelligence Integration. The Program Committee's aim is to emphasize the integration of intelligence into computer applications, the application of intelligence to the integration of software components and the development of intelligent tools that would aid the process of system integration. A second unique feature of the event is its balanced treatment of invited and submitted paper presentations. The submitted papers were selected to complement the invited papers by providing technical information as well as indicating future research directions.

Aim: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a motor disorder affecting coordination and performance in daily tasks. Studies regarding design and implementation of knowledge translation strategies effecting DCD practice changes in pediatric rehabilitation settings is limited and DCD remains under-recognized and under-diagnosed with an under-utilization of evidence-based practice. This knowledge-to-practice gap was identified in central Alberta, Canada when a lower caseload of clients with DCD and a lower rate of DCD referrals to a neurodevelopmental assessment clinic was observed, given its 5-6% prevalence in children. This paper describes and discusses the development and implementation of a replicable process of knowledge translation for integrating DCD evidence into frontline practice. Methods: Structures such as the Knowledge to Action framework were retrofitted and used to describe activities that occurred during the knowledge translation process. Main activities consisted of: information dissemination; education; addition of DCD to a neurodevelopmental assessment clinic; and development of a Community of Practice. Outcome evaluation methods included surveys, interviews, referral tracking, and database creation. Results: Knowledge translation strategy implementation resulted in increased knowledge among clinicians and community stakeholders, process standardization, increased referrals querying DCD, established knowledge brokers, and practice change. Conclusion: Pre-determined and systematic implementation strategy design is essential for embedding evidence into frontline practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-sensor vehicle systems have been implemented in large-scale field programs to detect, attribute, and estimate emissions rates of methane (CH4) and other compounds from oil and gas wells and facilities. Most vehicle systems use passive sensing; they must be positioned downwind of sources to detect emissions. A major deployment challenge is predicting the best measurement locations and driving routes to sample infrastructure. Here, we present and validate a methodology that incorporates high-resolution weather forecast and geospatial data to predict measurement locations and optimize driving routes. The methodology estimates the downwind road intersection point (DRIP) of theoretical CH4 plumes emitted from each well or facility. DRIPs serve as waypoints for Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm to determine the optimal driving route. We present a case study to demonstrate the methodology for planning and executing a vehicle-based concentration mapping survey of 50 oil and gas wells near Pecos, Texas. Validation was performed by comparing DRIPs with 174 CH4 plumes measured by vehicle surveys of oil and gas wells and facilities in Alberta, Canada. Results indicate median Manhattan distances of 145.8 m between DRIPs and plume midpoints and 160.3 m between DRIPs and peak plume enhancements. A total of 46 (26%) of the plume segments overlapped DRIPs. Locational errors of DRIPs are related to misattributions of emissions sources and discrepancies between modeled and instantaneous wind direction measured when the vehicle intersects plumes. Although the development of the methodology was motivated by CH4 emissions from oil and gas facilities, it should be applicable to other types of point source air emissions from known facilities. Implications: This paper presents and validates a method that addresses the challenge of measuring industrial emissions from public roads. The method can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of targeted vehicle-based emissions surveys where the locations of potential sources are known. We believe the method has broad application in addition to the upstream oil and gas context it was designed for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue Canadienne des Ressources Hydriques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Notions of 'student success' feature prominently in emerging educational discourses and policy orientations. Current policy frameworks focusing on equity, performance, and reconciliation claim to offer validation for perspectives of Indigenous peoples and other racialized communities, but they are simultaneously raising the stakes for individual responsibility and performance. This paper explores these developments by examining how Indigenous students and family members understand and experience educational success in relation to the notions of success advanced by school systems. We present a case study conducted in Alberta, Canada, drawing on data from ten focus groups with 77 Indigenous youth and parents of Indigenous children connected to one school division. Highlighting the ways that social and educational policy frameworks related to employability and performance exacerbate contradictions inherent in settler colonial societies, we reveal how school systems, despite claims to the contrary, continue to adopt practices that undermine the capacity for many Indigenous people to achieve their aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its historic prominence in group work, there is little empirical research to support our understanding of the professional use of self in group work. This paper reports the results of a SPARC endorsed study, which focused on group workers' experience and struggle with their professional uses of self in groups in responding to diversity. Using focus groups, a semi-structured interview format, and Straussian grounded theory data analysis, two key themes emerged – grappling with professional uses of self and disengagement from professional uses of self. When grappling with professional uses of self, group workers employed intentional self-disclosure, opened space, and supported norms for the expression of diversity, humility, genuineness, and reflexivity. Disengagement occurred in response to fear and often resulted in an overemphasis on group tasks. Our results suggest that the effective professional use of self in the here and now of group dynamics creates a sense of safety for both the group workers and the group members when responding to diversity. The implications of this study highlight the need for a method that supports critical self-reflection in real-time in group and builds capacity for responsibly responding to diversity in groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining an up-to-date repository of horizontal curve attributes is extremely important due to the role curves play in the safe operation of highways. Such attributes are typically collected using traditional surveying techniques which have been shown to be time-consuming, traffic disruptive, and potentially unsafe methods. This burden is further aggravated when the data collection is required on a large highway network across North America. To overcome this burden, this paper proposes a framework for network-level detection and extraction of horizontal curve elements from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data in a fully automated manner. The proposed technique was validated and then tested on LiDAR data collected on 242 km of highways in Alberta, Canada. The algorithm was successful in detecting all curves on the test highways and estimated their attributes with accuracies ranging from 96% to 100% demonstrating the robustness of the extraction method and the feasibility of performing the extraction on such a large scale. The proposed method is an alternative approach that could help transportation agencies maintain an updated inventory of horizontal alignment information on a large-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional analysis is used to assess macro (in)formal policy approaches while livelihoods analyses takes a micro bottom up approach to analyse how livelihoods can be improved. The two approaches are rarely linked and scarcely applied to the understudied problem of drought. Hence this paper addresses the question: How can the livelihoods approach be combined with institutional analysis and how can such a hybrid method be applied to assess policy instruments aimed at improving, for example, the resilience of agricultural producers to drought? This paper designs a methodology and tests it in three case studies on drought in Alberta (Canada), Coquimbo (Chile), and Mendoza (Argentina). The methodology requires (a) identifying policy instruments (regulatory, market, suasive, and management), and assessing their effectiveness in addressing the (b) local to global drivers of the problem being addressed while (c) improving the resilience of people through contributing to livelihood capitals. The paper concludes first, that different policy mixes are necessary in different geographical areas and circumstances for enhancing livelihood capitals, and second, that it is possible and useful to combine top down institutional analysis with bottom up livelihood capitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how Edmonton Police Service has built on the foundation of community-based policing and problem solving in an effort to achieve greater levels of efficiency and effectiveness. These proposed operational strategies are closely aligned with the conceptual framework of proactive policing. Here, proactive policing, in its original formulation, ‘refers to the strategic deployment of resources in order to target criminally active individuals’ (Stockdale et al., 1999, p. 5). The paper also examines the implications proactive policing has for police management and how Edmonton has responded to an organizational environment that requires management of demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the development of a 'suitability for practice' policy in a large Canadian school of social work. Pertinent gatekeeping issues are reviewed and the results of a survey on suitability polices in Canadian social work schools are presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of the University of Calgary's Faculty of Social Work Suitability Policy. This policy integrates current research on gatekeeping, the results of the Canadian schools survey and input from primary stakeholders: the students, faculty members, the professional association and the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing aging population in Canada has multi-faceted psycho-social needs. Social workers are well-positioned to address these needs, despite many challenges. This paper reports findings from the World Café at the Gerontology Symposium in Alberta, Canada, held in 2018. The goal was to learn from social work practitioners, researchers, and educators (N = 49) about current and future needs of gerontological social work in Alberta. There were two research questions: 1) What strategies do social workers need on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels to help better serve the growing older adult population in Alberta? (R1) 2) How can social workers promote the value and contribution of gerontological social work within the interprofessional community? (R2) The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Ten R1-related themes emerged: personal traits of a social worker; professional skills; bio-psycho-social needs of older adults; community connections; access to benefits; gerontological social work education; integrated healthcare; aging policy; ageism; and advocacy to strengthen the voice of older adults. The three R2-related themes include strengthening the status of the social work profession; building trust through demonstrated skills; and interprofessional education and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moran's I statistic [Moran, (1950), 'Notes on Continuous Stochastic Phenomena', Biometrika, 37, 17-23] has been widely used to evaluate spatial autocorrelation. This paper is concerned with Moran's I-induced testing procedure in residual analysis. We begin with exploring the Moran's I statistic in both its original and extended forms analytically and numerically. We demonstrate that the magnitude of the statistic in general depends not only on the underlying correlation but also on certain heterogeneity in the individual observations. One should exercise caution when interpreting the outcome on correlation by the Moran's I-induced procedure. On the other hand, the effect on the Moran's I due to heterogeneity in the observations enables a regression model checking procedure with the residuals. This novel application of Moran's I is justified by simulation and illustrated by an analysis of wildfire records from Alberta, Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the development of inputs to an integrated land use and transportation model based on a series of environmentally extended social accounting matrices (SAMs) for the Canadian province of Alberta. A novel form of industry disaggregation is employed, based on aggregate iterative proportion and a unique formulation of location quotients. Social accounts are extended via the inclusion of detailed household consumption broken down by income quintiles. The SAMs are developed from supply-use matrices. Physical flow accounts are framed as derived demands, acting as necessary inputs to the production of downstream goods and services. Applications to regional economic modeling are considered, as planning authorities increasingly seek to model the environmental impacts of policy. The SAMs are then applied to the assessment of two technology change scenarios: a shift in the provincial electricity generation mix and a transition to a fully electric private automobile fleet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we use a postcolonial lens to analyze the impacts of Aboriginal youth’s participation in Alberta’s Future Leaders Program’s youth leadership retreat. While the retreat appeared to have positive lasting impacts on many of the participants, it seemed to have the greatest impact on those who already displayed Eurocentric leadership skills; it had little effect on those who did not display these skills prior to retreat participation and it focused on North American, Eurocentric approaches to leadership. By becoming more culturally relevant, we argue that the retreat could have broader impacts on a greater number of Aboriginal youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on promoting fairness and equity in student assessment practices. The researchers used questionnaires and interviews and the study encompassed a total of 3312 individuals representing a range of stakeholders. The paper is presented in two parts: fairness and discrimination, and challenging policy and practice. Five key principles emerged. Educators must strive to address the personal impact of assessment practices on individual students and their families. Assessment must be differentiated to accommodate the ability, social, cultural and linguistic background of students. All members of school communities must challenge the complacency associated with accepting indefensible assessment practices. The frequency, intensity and intrusiveness of assessments must not be overwhelming for students and their families. Finally, assessment must not be used to counter inappropriate student behaviour or reward desired behaviour. Implications for practice are presented. Additionally, the authors describe changes to policy and practice that occurred as a result of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Biospheres are working landscapes that promote conservation and sustainable land-use while also providing space for outdoor recreation, environmental education, and research. This study focuses on Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, which is part of the Beaver Hills Biosphere. The park is home to bison and black bears and growing visitor numbers have increased the potential for human-wildlife conflict. With a focus on the promotion of human-wildlife coexistence, this study takes a mixed-methods approach to develop and evaluate an environmental education program targeted to improve visitor awareness about safety around bison and bears at Elk Island National Park. The program was found to be effective in teaching visitors about safe behaviors around wildlife and key themes arose about important learning outcomes. In particular, the findings indicate interpretation and environmental education programs have the potential to increase awareness about safety for both humans and wildlife and shift away from more human-centric perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the strategies and delivery of education for students with special educational needs in the province of Alberta, Canada, and in the country of Finland, in the European Union. The rationale for comparing these two jurisdictions is grounded by the idea that both of these areas have high general standards of living, a well-developed public education system, and top results in international school achievement tests. The data consists of available educational policy papers, previous research papers, and educational statistics. This article first describes the special education system development and the current situation, followed by the funding system and discussion about the implications and outcomes of different policies. The historical analysis shows that while many similarities exist between Alberta and Finland, there are also some culturally-bound elements present that have strongly affected the progress and the decision-making process related to the organization of the education for students with special needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Power Purchase Arrangements (PPAs) were one of the significant mechanisms of Alberta's deregulation of the electricity generation sector. This paper argues that the PPAs represent an attempt to mirror by contractual means some of the purpose and effects of the pre-restructuring regulatory scheme. After introducing the background of electric industry regulation in Alberta, this paper discusses the motivations for deregulation. It then reviews electricity deregulation in an international context, looking at the United States and the European Union, to provide a global context for the discussion of Alberta's deregulation experience. Then, after a description of the progression of Alberta's deregulation, the paper explains the method by which Alberta effected the PPAs and offers a perspective on how they are in tended to be `regulation by any other name', in particular looking at the force majeure and change in law clauses and understanding the effects of the dispute resolution provision. Finally, the success of this attempt to echo the regulatory scheme is analysed, and its impact on industry players and the public is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Community, Work & Family is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the outcomes of a collaborative planning exercise in the mountain town destination of Canmore, Canada, and offers a unique view of the experiences and challenges facing community leaders, planners and residents in post-process strategy implementation and monitoring. Diverse resident and stakeholder interests came together in 1994 in a year-long collaboration to develop a Growth Management Strategy (GMS). While short-term process outcomes are reported elsewhere, this paper focuses primarily on the medium- to longer-term outcomes and the experiences of participants eight-nine years after the GMS process ended. Tangible and intangible, as well as direct and indirect outcomes were identified. The results show that some gains appear to have faded overtime, significant challenges were experienced in strategy implementation and monitoring, while growth continued to impact the social-cultural fabric of the community. However, a number of positive gains and efforts indicate that collaborative processes complemented by citizen-based strategic visioning and strategic planning can be valuable for direction setting, growth management and sustainable community development in destinations like Canmore. Implications for research and practice are discussed. The study also suggests the need for a new planning paradigm to manage such complex community domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many have explored fantasy-based and themed cities, relatively few consider these developments within small communities. This paper investigates the implications for fantasy-themed tourism development in one small community on the Canadian Prairies. Vulcan, Alberta was a product of the agricultural industry but economic hardships have threatened the community, leading to ongoing attempts to 'cash in' on the community's name in connection with the Star Trek television series. Three main features of this case of worldmaking are presented: (1) why and how this image/identity has been brought into the community; (2) how it has been contested and negotiated by visitors and locals; and (3) how this case helps develop our critical understanding of the implications of themed environments. In addition, a critical, interpretivist research methodology is presented as offering valuable insights into the making and re-making of communities through tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sharpley identifies the need to help the public adopt a new paradigm of sustainable development through learning and understanding. The example of a guided hike in Banff National Park, Canada, that communicates to visitors ideas about sustainable development - and sustainable tourism - is examined in this paper to gain some sense of the world of the hike. The paper is based on a hermeneutical theatrical model derived from the philosophical hermeneutics of Gadamer, which includes play, festival, mimesis, gaze and beauty Through the use of the model, the paper examines the present day performance of the hike, including the narratives of hikers and those involved in presenting the hike. The examination also includes relevant legislation, history and the setting. The result explores the nature and process of understanding a sustainable development paradigm on a guided hike in a natural protected area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the topics discussed at a conference of the Peace Education Commission (PEC) in Calgary, Alberta in 2006 is presented. It is stated that the conference focus in unifying the organization through effective operations and build a culture of peace from within. It highlights the comments relative to constructive criticism sent by the attendees after the event.

This paper documents and discusses an investigation into the improved performance grading of asphalt binders that were used in the Canadian Strategic Highway Research Program (C-SHRP) pavement trial in Lamont, Alberta. Binders were assessed for their tendency to reversibly age at low-temperatures. While the correlation between cracking severity and regular AASHTO M320 and MP1a grades was weak ( r 2 =0.73 and 0.49, respectively), the predictive ability of the BBR method increased significantly when binders were tested after 1, 3 and 8 days of conditioning ( r 2 =0.94–0.97). Brittle and ductile fracture energies were measured in single-edge-notched bending (SENB) and double-edge-notched tension (DENT), respectively. In the brittle state, the SENB test revealed little difference between the binders. However, in the ductile state, the DENT test revealed significant differences between materials, with binders that showed the least amount of cracking having the highest works of fracture at 0°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentoring graduate students toward scholarly research and writing activities has become an important area of focus for faculty at the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies at Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. With an emphasis on teaching excellence, instructors seek out and create experiences to involve graduate students in their own programme of research and publication. However, despite a plethora of literature available on the concept of mentoring, few definitive guidelines exist to illustrate what the process might look like within Masters programmes offered exclusively through a WebCT online environment. This paper describes an approach to mentoring two graduate students in the Master of Health Studies programme that was perceived as positive and mutually beneficial for the protégés as well as the mentor. Insights are revealed into the experiences that these students found both engaging and difficult as they developed skills in analysing qualitative research and submitting manuscripts for publication. The students' stories are discussed to describe significant features of the experience of `partnering in scholarship' with their teacher. Suggestions and practical strategies for mentoring online graduate students are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Campus Alberta Applied Psychology: Counselling Initiative is a collaboration between three universities in western Canada to offer a predominantly Web-based Master of Counselling program. This paper describes the basic structure of the program, the Web-based delivery system, communication tools employed, and the philosophical, pedagogical, programmatic, and administrative principles and concepts foundation to the development and implementation. Development of curricular content and learning processes have been driven by explicit examination of learner needs, a program-level competency matrix reflective of professional practice standards in the discipline of psychology, and deliberate and continuous formative evaluation and learner engagement in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woodland Caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou habitat mapping in northern Alberta, Canada is incomplete and imprecise, as habitat relationships are not fully understood, and land cover mapping is neither consistent nor complete. Spectral information obtained through remote sensing observations makes possible the evaluation of Woodland Caribou habitat use over large areas. With the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) collars fitted on the animals, correlations between satellite observations and Woodland Caribou locations were studied. This study examines Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper imagery of the Wabasca region of northern Alberta in relation to a dataset containing nearly 100 000 locations acquired from GPS radio-collars and approximately 5000 locations acquired from Very High Frequency (VHF) radio-collars. The intent was to determine if spectral signatures measured by remote sensing satellites could be related to habitat use or avoidance by caribou, and to use this knowledge to predict caribou habitat selection in areas where there are no collared animals. The analysis presented in this paper provides a new perspective for the analysis of large and complex habitat selection datasets and opens new opportunities for the implementation of better and more comprehensive conservation policies in boreal environments. The methodology and habitat associations presented in this paper are being used in northern Alberta to advance caribou conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the Psychodynamic Psychiatry Service (PPS) of the University of Alberta Hospital over its 30 years of development. This psychiatric organization consists of three clinical programs-an outpatient clinic and intensive day and evening programs-and an integral evaluation and research unit. The PPS is unique in its group therapy clinical orientation, its psychodynamic theoretical orientation, and its integration of an ongoing research program that establishes empirical validation of its clinical work. The productivity and longevity of this psychiatric organization appear to derive from several strengths, including cooperation between leaders of the clinical and research programs; the institution of staff relations groups in the three clinical programs; the operation of the fully integrated evaluation and research program that serves to provide empirical support for the treatments offered; and a unifying ideology characterized by the valuing of both psychodynamic and group oriented work. Other important factors to the success of the PPS include the strengths of the founder of the service and financial and other support of the academic department in which it is housed. This paper describes the historical development and present structure and functioning of the PPS, the challenges it has been confronted with, and the responses to those challenges. We conclude with factors contributing to its survival and productivity and with thoughts about the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational choice theory suggests that parents are utility maximizers who make decisions from clear value preferences, that they are able to demand effective action from local schools and teachers, and that they can be relied upon to pursue the best interests of their children. This paper presents a different perspective and argues that parents invest a mixture of rationalities when selecting schools. Based on the results of a survey of 1,500 parents of students in 11 private, eight public and 10 alter- native elementary schools in Alberta, Canada, this paper explores the logic, values, and concerns that inform parental decision making in the selection of an elementary school for their children and discusses implication for policy and educational reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the Humanities and Social Sciences Library of University of Alberta. The library is situated at I-01 Rutherford Library, Edmonton, Alberta. Primary users of the library have free access to the collection. While consortial partners and external users have access via interlibrary loan. Free on-site access is available to any user. The library's collection focuses on the areas of humanities and social sciences. There are a number of unique archival collections preserved at the University of Alberta, housed at the University of Alberta Archives and at the Canadian institute of Ukrainian Studies. The strengths of the collection in humanities include literature (primary and secondary works), philology, language teaching and learning, applied linguistics, cultural studies, popular media, and folklore.

Policy makers in a variety of sites are embracing initiatives that attempt to tighten the links between school and work. A reinvented human capital discourse argues that more highly skilled workers are required to meet the demands of the 'knowledge economy'. This paper explores the new vocationalism as it is promoted within the Framework for Enhancing Business Involvement, a policy report produced in 1996 in Alberta, Canada. Using a critical policy approach, this paper focuses on the process of developing this document with attention to the policy context, influences on the process, ideological assumptions and the impact of the document since its release. Analysis suggests that questions of representation in policy processes, accountability for outcomes and the role of public interests in multi-stakeholder consultation are critical in this era of new public management practices. Further, despite the impression of unity and consensus suggested by policy documents, there are tensions in vocational education and policy that must be addressed if they are also to promote equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of INFOR is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to examine the acceptance of Global Positioning System (GPS) used to help people with dementia, who are at risk for wandering in their communities. We used a mixed methods research approach that included use logs, pre and post paper-based questionnaires, and focus groups. Forty-five client-caregiver pairs (dyads) were included to use one of the GPS devices for an average of 5.8 months over a 1-year period. GPS acceptance was high; dyads were likely to continue using the GPS. According to the participants, the GPS provided caregivers peace of mind and reduced anxiety in dyads when clients got lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the qualitative findings from a recent doctoral study that examined the leadership practices of 17 middle school administrators from three school districts in the Canadian province of Alberta (Rheaume, 2018). The data gathered through six focus group interviews are framed within the three dimensions of Brown et al.'s (2002) Developmentally Responsive Middle Level Leadership (DRMLL) model, illustrating ways that middle school leaders are responsive to the development of: (a) young adolescent students by understanding their developmental characteristics and establishing engaging, equitable learning environments that empower them to thrive; (b) faculty by establishing a shared vision and a collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement; and (c) the middle school itself by implementing the organizational structures of the middle school concept that promote meaningful relationships and learner success. Although the findings of this study aligned with the DRMLL model, they also led to suggestions for expanding it to better reflect current leadership practices and the newly revised middle school concept (Bishop & Harrison, 2021). Even so, DRMLL has stood the test of time for nearly two decades and continues to serve as an excellent foundation for middle level leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is affected by many fungal diseases that can cause severe yield and quality losses. Disease prediction models generally employ weather data to estimate potential for infection to determine timing for fungicide applications, but these models fail to account for the presence and quantity of pathogen inoculum. This study adapted highly specific qPCR primers to identify and quantify, in real-time, inoculum present in air for the six most important wheat pathogens in Canada. Fungal spores were collected using either Burkard spore collectors and quantified using qPCR or microscope slides covered with adhesive tape and identified and quantified using microscopy. Samples were collected from seven different sites in southern Alberta throughout the 2015–2017 growing seasons. The results demonstrated that qPCR can reliably identify and quantify spores from Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, P. triticina, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, and Fusarium graminearum. The limits of detection of DNA for primer pairs in singleplex tests ranged from 0.0001 ng for P. graminis to 0.001 ng for P. tritici-repentis, which corresponded to approximately 3 spores for P. tritici-repentis and F. graminearum and 1 spore for the other pathogens. Conversely, microscopy permitted identification of rusts to the genus but not to the species level and was ineffective in quantification of the remainder of the wheat pathogens. This study will contribute to the development of a fast and reliable forecasting system that will enable identification and quantification of airborne pathogens in real-time before initial disease symptoms appear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the special issue of REPCS dedicated to the analysis of the restructuring of higher education in Alberta, Canada. It describes the acceleration of the processes of commodification of education and research and the corporatization of institutional governance under the government that took office in April 2019. The Alberta case is situated within the political economy of this petro-state, governed by a right-wing populist party, as well as in relation to the global trends in post-secondary education driven by neoliberal regimes. Further, the article highlights the cracks in the foundations of modern universities that have deeper historical origins than neoliberalism, and that are widening as the governance and raison d'etre of these institutions are challenged by global socio-ecological crises and Indigenous-led decolonization and climate justice movements. Drawing upon firsthand knowledge, as a participant in the struggles at the University of Alberta, as well as extensive research into the government's restructuring agenda and the impacts on the post-secondary sector, the author outlines proposals for reform of the legislative framework governing the relationship between universities and the state, as well as the internal governance of the institution, and assesses the current terrain of agency for such transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy companies in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada are evaluating the viability of incorporating pit lakes into reclamation closure designs to both sequester tailings and re-integrate the mining lease into the broader natural landscape. Lake Miwasin is a pilot-scale oil sands pit lake encompassed by a constructed catchment where the volume of the water cap is not actively managed. This study compared the water balance during the open water season over two consecutive years with contrasting levels of summertime precipitation. The first year had above average rainfall triggering surface water inflow events that diluted the over-winter water volume by ~ 25%. Flushing of the deepest layers of the water column was restricted from May – September as thermal stratification inhibited complete lake mixing. The second year had below average rainfall resulting in minimal surface water inflow and a drop in lake stage of ~ 30 cm. As the constructed catchment lacks both natural water bodies and connectivity to a legacy groundwater system, freshwater additions to the lake during the summer season were governed by rainfall. This research highlights challenges with constructing sustainable reclamation landscapes within a region characterised by variations in interannual and decadal water cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For First Nations tuberculosis (TB) patients in the Prairie Provinces, the past matters. In this paper, we draw on the analysis of historical statements made by 20 First Nations interviewees with infectious TB to explore the function of talking about the past in relation to a current diagnosis of TB and the implications of historicity on contemporary TB prevention, programming and care. Despite interviewees not being asked directly about past contexts of TB treatment, they talked about historical topics such as the removal of First Nations TB patients from communities for treatment in distant sanatoria, painful and invasive surgical procedures once used to treat TB, and the attitudes that persist due to the ongoing failure to eliminate TB from First Nations communities. In these narratives, past experiences of TB treatment are intimately connected to present-day experiences and context. What happened 'years ago' profoundly affects the health and well-being of people diagnosed with TB today. Attempts to eliminate TB among First Nations peoples in Canada must also address its historical legacy. Understanding the contemporary effects of past TB treatment and mistreatment among First Nations peoples in the Prairie Provinces can also be seen as part of a larger project of truth and reconciliation in Canada, which involves both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of electric vehicle technologies and renewable energy storage will increasingly depend on lithium-ion batteries. Current lithium extraction operations are far from the environmentally and socially compliant operations desired by the 'clean-tech' industry. However, an innovative and more compliant lithium extraction process has emerged. Several companies are actively working on scrubbing lithium from lithium-enriched brines by purifying wastewater from oil and gas operations or through standalone extraction facilities. This paper examines the legal considerations and risks associated with the development of a novel lithium brine extraction industry in Western Canada, primarily focused on Alberta as a traditional oil and gas jurisdiction. Our analysis of Alberta's subsurface regimes identifies and discusses ambiguities that the Alberta government may need to address for this emerging subsurface industry. Similarly, we identify unique contractual considerations for counsel to contemplate when advising parties involved in this new industry. We conclude that the current legal landscape in Alberta, from both a regulatory and a contractual perspective, needs further clarification in order to attract a large-scale and viable industry. Nevertheless, we emphasise that Western Canada is ripe with opportunity to commercialise on a new lithium extraction industry and take note of the increased governmental interest in the development of this emerging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a critical framework applied to findings from a critical discourse analysis of curriculum and lesson plans in Alberta to examine the assumption that Canada is an ideal place for global citizenship education. The analysis draws on a framework that presents a critique of modernity to recognize a conflation within calls for new approaches to educating citizens for the twenty-first century. A main finding is that although the Alberta curriculum reflects important potential for promoting a critical approach, a conflation of different versions of liberalism often results in a false sense of multiple perspectives and a foreclosure of potential. The paper argues for a critical approach to global citizenship education that engages with the tensions inherent to issues of diversity rather than stepping over or reducing them to theoretically and conceptually vague ideas of universalism and consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the economics of adopting agricultural beneficial management practices (BMPs) to protect riparian areas in the Canadian Prairies. Monte Carlo simulation methods and cost/benefit analysis (net present value) are used to evaluate BMP adoption for a set of representative cropping and mixed farm operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan. BMPs considered in the analysis involve restoration, maintenance and/or protection of riparian areas and associated wetlands. Implementation of these BMPs by the representative farms is generally costly, resulting in negative net benefits. This is primarily due to opportunity costs from forgone returns and BMP establishment costs. The farm level results are combined with estimates of public values for riparian ecosystem services using the Pannell land use policy framework. Results indicate that in many cases, positive incentives, such as subsidies or conservation auctions, are appropriate policy responses to encourage increased production of riparian/wetland ecosystem services. Given the uncertainty in public and private benefit estimates, it may also be the case that no intervention is the optimal policy response in some instances. There is significant scope for further research in order to obtain better estimates of benefits and costs associated with riparian area management. Ce travail étudie les gains économiques obtenus en adoptant de meilleures pratiques agricoles de management (MPAMs) pour protéger les zones riparienne des Rocheuses Canadiennes. Nous combinons les méthodes statistiques de Monte Carlo et une analyse coût/bénéfice (valeur présente nette) pour évaluer l’adoption de meilleure pratiques pour un échantillon représentatif de fermes céréalières dans l’Alberta et la Saskatchewan. Les MPAMs considérées dans notre analyse impliquent la restauration, le maintien et/ou la protection des zones riparienne et des marais qui leur sont associés. La mise en place d’une MPAM est en général couteuse et réduit les bénéfices nets. Cette réduction est en grande partie due aux coûts de mise en œuvre de la MPAM et à la perte nette d’exploitation qui résulte de la MPAM. En nous aidant du cadre règlementaire de l’utilisation des terres développé par Pannell, les résultats obtenus à l’échelle de la ferme sont combinés avec les estimations des valeurs publiques pour des services des écosystèmes riparien. Nos résultats montrent que dans de nombreux cas des incitations positives telles que des subventions ou des enchères de conservation sont nécessaires pour encourager la production de services obtenus grâce aux écosystèmes riparien. Dans certains cas, étant donnée l’incertitude, il est possible qu’il soit optimal de ne pas intervenir du tout. Notre étude montre aussi l’importance de continuer les travaux de recherche dans le management des zones ripariennes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]