#DeleteDeficitThinking

In this chapter, the authors propose that Universal Design for Learning can be a way to resist and reframe pervasive deficit thinking in exceptional education. While UDL is based on a radical framework, it has been taken up in practice in a diluted way, de-emphasizing the radical conception of learners at its core. In this chapter, the researchers argue that in order to eliminate deficit thinking in UDL, users and scholars alike will need to 1) interrogate gaps and erasures in UDL professional development that affect its anti-racist and anti-ablest potential and 2) provide professional development that can challenge deficit thinking. This chapter describes findings in two studies working towards these goals. The first preliminary study investigates gaps in the conceptualization of the “user” of UDL in professional texts on UDL. The second study reports on how a professional development course on UDL actively disrupted deficit thinking about disability.

Contributions of a Professional Development Course to Language Teacher Identity Development: Critical Incidents in Focus

Despite the widely recognized significance of critical incidents (CIs) in teachers’ professional learning, little research has investigated the role of CIs in language teacher identity development. This study attempts to fill this gap by exploring the contributions of a Telegram-based professional development course—framed around CI storying—to the language teacher identity development process of a group of teachers. Data were collected from 10 teachers before, during, and after the course. Data analyses indicated that, before the course, CIs negatively influenced the teachers’ agency and emotions. Participation in the course contributed, however, to the teachers’ enhanced agency and greater emotion regulation. In addition, the course afforded the teachers an opportunity to experience further professional socialization and collegial engagement. Our findings revealed that during the course, the teachers developed greater expertise in storying their CIs and discussed higher order issues relevant to the multiplicity of identity as connected to sociocultural-educational dimensions. These findings suggest that emotions and agency are two significant identity aspects that are profoundly influenced by and influence CIs. Our article closes with a discussion of the implications of embedding CIs in professional development courses to help teachers (re)construct their identities.

The effects of using the agile methodology as an instructional format for software development courses

The objective of traditional software development courses focuses on competencies in the programming languages and technical tools. Project methodologies and software development are typically taught as theory-driven and separate courses in Information Systems undergraduate programs. Rather than teaching project methodologies as secondary to the learning phase of software development, these methodologies can be actively incorporated into the software development course, applying the theoretical concepts in the classroom with the same tools used in the industry for product development. This research evaluates the effects of instituting the project methodology Agile as an active learning, instructional tool for a low-code software development course using the Mendix platform to give students hands-on learning of Agile while increasing their expertise in software development. The use of Agile in an instructional pedagogical approach enhanced student learning and prepared students with skills directly applicable in the industry. Future research could be applied to measure the Agile methodology as an instructional format for technical courses other than software development.

Influence of VDR gene polymorphisms on the development and course of breast cancer

Annotation. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. In the last 5 years, it has been diagnosed in 7.8 million women, and in 2020, 685,000 deaths from breast cancer were registered. The growing number of patients with this pathology and the cost of therapy creates a need to study new methods of diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, detailed attention is paid to genetic risk factors for cancer, in particular, the VDR gene and its polymorphisms ApaI, TaqI, BsmI and FokI. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to collect and analyze currently known information about these SNPs and their relationship to the development, course and effectiveness of breast cancer treatment. To do this, an extensive literature review was conducted using basic databases, which described the effect of vitamin D3 on the tumor process and found that VDR receptor dysfunction increases the risk of breast cancer and affects the sensitivity of patients to treatment, which proves the effect of polymorphisms. ApaI, TaqI, BsmI and FokI on the development of pathology. Therefore, the prospects for further research are to study the prognostic value of each polymorphism and develop new treatments for the disease.

European practices for the development of PhD training courses (on the example of personal development course)

В статье представлены результаты применения европейских практик разработки учебных курсов на примере курса личностного развития для аспирантов российских и белорусских университетов. Авторы курса входят в команду международного консорциума вузов по реализации программы Erasmus+ проект MODEST (Modernization of Doctoral Education in Science and Improvement Teaching Methodologies – Модернизация обучения в аспирантуре по естественным наукам и улучшение педагогических методик). Цель разработанного курса: развитие эмоционального интеллекта, а также и эффективных навыков стресс-менеджмента и управления временем. Методологическими основами разработки курса явились теория результатов обучения Д.Кеннеди и концепция развития гибких навыков. Разработанная структура, содержание и технология курса проходят апробацию в процессе подготовки аспирантов и молодых исследователей в университетах России и Беларуси. Внедрение курса будет реализованов практике деятельности Doctoral Training Centers – Тренинговых центров для аспирантов, организованных на базе университетов консорциума проекта MODEST программы ERASMUS+ в странах: Россия; Беларусь и Армения. Article presents results of training course design according to European practices by example of a Personal Development course for PhD students of Russian and Belarusian universities. Authors are part of an international consortium of universities team of the Erasmus + MODEST project implementation (Modernization of Doctoral Education in Science and Improvement Teaching Methodologies). Course goal: development of emotional intelligence, as well as effective stress management and time management skills. Methodological foundations of the course development were D. Kennedy's learning outcomes theory and the concept of soft skills development. Structure, content and technology of the course are being tested in the process of training PhD students and young researchers at universities in Russia and Belarus. Introduction of the course is planned in the practice of the Doctoral Training Centers – Training centers for PhD students, organized at the universities of the MODEST project consortium (ERASMUS + program) in the countries: Russia; Belarus and Armenia.