Effectiveness of teacher education

Teacher-education research lacks a common theoretical basis, which prevents a convincing development of instruments and makes it difficult to connect studies to each other. Our paper models how to measure effective teacher education in the context of the current state of knowledge in the field. First, we conceptualize the central criterion of effective teacher education: “professional competence of future teachers”. Second, individual, institutional, and systemic factors are modeled that may influence the acquisition of this competence during teacher education. In doing this, we turn round the perspective taken by Cochran-Smith and Zeichner (Studying teacher education. The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah 2005), who mainly take an educational-sociological perspective by focusing on characteristics of teacher education and looking for their effects. In contrast, we take an educational-psychological perspective by focusing on professional competence of teachers and examining influences on this. Challenges connected to an assessment of teacher-education outcomes are discussed as well.     

Formation of trioctylamine from octylamine on Au(111)

The adsorption of octylamine on Au(111) under ultrahigh vacuum conditions is investigated. The molecules surprisingly undergo a thermally activated chemical reaction, resulting in formation of trioctylamine as confirmed both by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by comparison to the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) signature of trioctylamine deposited directly onto the surface.     

Perfluoroalkyl(dithiocarbamato) tellurium(II) compounds

[NMe(4)][R(f)Te(SC(S)NR(2))(2)] derivatives are selectively formed by the oxidation of [NMe(4)]TeR(f) (R(f) = CF(3), C(2)F(5)) with [R(2)NC(S)S](2) (NR(2) = NEt(2), NBz(2), N(CH(2))(4)) in almost quantitative yields. An alternative route to obtain the dithiocarbamato complex anions offer reactions of Te[SC(S)NR(2)](2) (NR(2) = NEt(2), NBz(2)) with equimolar amounts of Me(3)SiR(f) and [NMe(4)]F. Some of the derivatives were recrystallized with bulky cations in order to determine the crystal structures. Structural elucidation by diffraction methods exhibit the structural feature of a distorted pentagonal planar environment (resembling "butterflies") around the tellurium centres. The carbamato tellurates can be transferred easily into the neutral derivatives, R(f)TeSC(S)NR(2), upon treatment with Ag[BF(4)]. In solution they equilibrate with Te(2)(R(f))(2) and [R(2)NC(S)S](2) and finally are transformed into Te(R(f))(2), Te[SC(S)NR(2)](2), and Te[SC(S)NR(2)](4), respectively. All compounds are fully characterized by NMR spectroscopic methods ((1)H, (13)C, (19)F, (125)Te). Additionally, synthesis and characterization of the hitherto unknown derivative [NMe(4)]TeC(2)F(5) are described.     

2,4,6,8-Tetracyanoazulene: A New Building Block for “Organic Metals”

Simply mixing solutions of the title compound 1 and tetrathiafulvene (TTF) in acetonitrile provides the charge-transfer complex 2 . Here, 1 functions as a novel electron acceptor and is present in the complex as a radical anion. An electrical conductivity of up to 3 S cm⁻¹ was determined for 2 with a two-point powder measurement.     

Γ-convergence of Variational Integrators for Constrained Systems

For a physical system described by a motion in an energy landscape under holonomic constraints, we study the Γ-convergence of variational integrators to the corresponding continuum action functional and the convergence properties of solutions of the discrete Euler–Lagrange equations to stationary points of the continuum problem. This extends the results in Müller and Ortiz (J. Nonlinear Sci. 14:279–296, 2004) to constrained systems. The convergence result is illustrated with examples of mass point systems and flexible multibody dynamics.      

The influence of nanocrystal size on optical second harmonic generation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>ara-nitroanaline embedded in electro-spun polymeric fibers

Poly(methyl methacrylate) electro-spun fibers with embedded nanocrystals of the paradigmatic donor–acceptor nonlinear chromophore para-nitroaniline have been recently demonstrated to be efficient generators of second harmonic light. To understand the influence of the size and local strain experienced by the embedded para-nitroaniline nanocrystals, a Williamson?Hall analysis was carried out on the X-ray diffraction intensity. Both the mean crystal size and strain can be tuned by simple changes in the deposition parameters of flow rate and applied voltage. The observed second harmonic signal is well correlated with the ratio of the fiber diameter to the mean para-nitroaniline crystal size suggesting that surface effects are the main source of the strong nonlinear optical response. Adjusting the electro-spinning deposition parameters when producing polymeric fibers doped with strong nonlinear organic chromophores with high dipole moments has the potential to provide a versatile and efficient method for developing second-order nonlinear optical materials.     

Die Synthese von 3β-Acetoxy-24-aza-24-desoxa-xysmalogenin,. Partialsynthetische Versuche in der Reihe der Herzgifte. 12. Mitteilung,

Synthesis of 3β-acetoxy-24-aza-24-desoxa-xymalogenin Starting from the pregnenolone-derivative 1 we report the synthesis of the possibly cardiac-active compound 24-aza-24-desoxa-xysmalogenin 15 .     

MRD CI study of the photodissociation of HO2 into OH(X2II) + O(3P, 1D)

A MRD CI procedure has been used to calculate several electronic states of the hydroperoxyl radical. The basis set is of double-zeta plus polarization quality augmented with s- and p-type bond and Rydberg functions. The vertical excitation energies of the lowest eight doublet and six quartet states are reported. Oscillator strengths for transitions form the ground to upper doublet states were calculated. A cut of the potential energy surfaces along the OOH fragmentation pathway is used to discuss the mechanisms of HO₂ photodissociation below 6.4 eV. Arguments are presented which indicate O(¹D) rather than O(³P) is the primary dissociation product, and so support the experimental findings rather than theory in the conflict raised earlier on this matter. Ostensibly the dissociation proceeds diabatically on the surface of the initially populated ²A″(1a″ → 2a″) state yielding OH(X²II) + O(¹D).