In recent years, states throughout the U.S. have started mandating the incorporation of playful learning in public schools. However, translating policy into practice remains a significant challenge. Researchers from the Active Playful Learning (APL) project highlight how their one-on-one coaching program supports teachers in implementing small, sustainable pedagogical shifts that foster playful and meaningful learning environments. Grounded in a three-part framework, APL emphasizes student agency to help children develop crucial 21st-century competencies. Using real coach examples, they show how APL is laying the groundwork in four U.S. states to bring playful learning to scale in diverse educational contexts.

Global declines in oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus populations have resulted in international protections and a 'threatened' listing under the United States Endangered Species Act in 2018. Despite having international regulations on catch and trade of C. longimanus populations, large gaps remain in our understanding of their basic biology, ecology, and population structure. The main Hawaiian Islands (MHIs), USA, are thought to be a biologically important area for central Pacific C. longimanus, where commercial and recreational fishers have reported seasonal spikes in abundance and interaction rates. Using photo-identification of dorsal fin patterns, this study describes population demographics, reproductive activity, fishery interactions, and associative behaviors of C. longimanus around the MHIs. From 2006 to 2024, 383 individuals were identified, with 42 individuals sighted more than once. The highest number of encounters was recorded during the spring (March-May) and the lowest in winter (December-February). The sex ratio was similar to 2:1 females:males (females n = 241: males n = 108), and 42 females (17.4%) had visible mating scars while 87 females (36.1%) had distended abdomens, possibly indicating pregnancy. Fishery interactions were observed on 157 individuals (26.3% of all encounters), and 46.8% of sharks observed in this study were found within 0.4 km of a fish aggregation device, while 19.2% were found in association with marine mammals. These results provide baseline information on C. longimanus around the MHIs and are necessary to inform conservation and management efforts for this protected species throughout the central Pacific Ocean.

Oceanic whitetip sharks, Carcharhinus longimanus, are known to be common scavengers; however, observations of C. longimanus scavenging events are extremely rare due to their classification as an oceanic pelagic species, typically solitary in nature. On April 9, 2024, over 8.5 h, at least nine C. longimanus were observed scavenging from a heavily degraded carcass off the coast of Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i, USA. Five tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) were also observed scavenging on the same carcass. Simultaneous feeding within and between species occurred; however, no agonistic or aggressive interactions were observed. Although a small snapshot, this stochastic event sheds new light on trophic relationships and social interactions among aquatic apex predators that do not normally overlap in space and time.

In gaining word knowledge, children's semantic representations are initially imprecise before becoming gradually refined. We developed and tested a framework for a digital receptive vocabulary assessment that captured varied levels of representation as children learn words. At pre-test and post-test, children selected one of four images to match a word's meaning: a correct target, a conceptually-related foil, a thematically-related foil, and a phonologically-similar foil. We expected that selecting a conceptually related foil would indicate that the word is understood at a deeper level than selecting a phonologically similar foil. Indeed, selection of phonological foils decreased from pre- to post-test, while selection of more advanced thematic and conceptual foils increased. These results demonstrate that this assessment tool probed semantic knowledge that might be characterized as intermediate word knowledge. The current paper presents a novel and sensitive way to capture the incremental process of word learning. Applications for vocabulary interventions are discussed.

Background Bycatch mortality in longline fisheries is a major contributor to global declines in shark populations. The duration of time that an animal is hooked and the impacts of hooking on behavior affect the likelihood of mortality. However, limited information exists on the behavior of sharks to longline capture because of difficulties observing hooking events. Using a fortuitous recovery of an archival satellite tag, we describe the movement of an oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) and examine the behavior prior to its mortality in response to hooking on a longline.Results A 1.5 m (fork length) C.longimanus was tagged and released in good condition by a fisheries observer following initial capture on a US longline fishing vessel. After release, the shark resumed normal vertical behavior within 5 h. Over 198 days, the shark undertook wide-ranging movements throughout the Pacific between Samoa, Niue, and Tonga. The shark was hooked by a second longline vessel while conducting routine yo-yo diving between 0 and 120 m depth. For the first hour after being hooked the shark exhibited high swimming activity with rapid vertical movements between 20 and 40 m indicative of an initial struggle against the line. After this, the shark struggled at the surface for approximately 5 h, until it succumbed to exhaustion and died on the line.Conclusion Fight time has a strong influence on the mortality rates of sharks captured in commercial longline fishing operations. Data obtained from this shark offers further understanding of capture behavior and time to mortality on a longline for C.longimanus which may assist managers as they work on options to reduce mortality rates for this threatened species.

Shared book reading is a common and effective way to support vocabulary knowledge. However, it is not the only pedagogy for supporting this learning goal. We propose a "toolbox" of activities that teachers can use to foster vocabulary acquisition in young children. We first discuss the science behind why these activities are effective (they are active, engaging, meaningful, socially interactive, iterative, and joyful), and then give examples of playful learning experiences that have been effectively used in classroom vocabulary interventions. Finally, we offer ways in which these activities can be easily adapted to help educators reach vocabulary-teaching goals in their own classrooms.

Habitat associations and preferences of animals can be inferred from how long they remain within close proximity to a certain location. The residency index (RI) is a common metric used in acoustic telemetry studies to assess how long an individual spends in an area. However, the methods used to calculate RI can affect the interpretation of telemetry results. The index has been used under different names and with different equations and definitions. This review of 72 publications highlights that RI has been defined using 2 main equations: RIA, which divides the number of days detected by days at liberty; and RIB, which divides the number of days detected by the monitoring period. We present a case study using long-term acoustic telemetry data from 244 individuals of 8 species collected in Queensland, Australia, to assess how the definition of RI affects ecological interpretation. Over 3 million detections from Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, C. melanopterus, Galeocerdo cuvier, Hemigaleus australiensis, Lethrinus miniatus, L. nebulosus, Lutjanus sebae, and Plectropomus leopardus were analysed to evaluate how the 2 main RI equations differ in the results they provide and their possible interpretation. The 2 equations yielded significantly different RIs for some species and individuals. This was primarily driven by variation in behavioural ecology. Either equation can be useful depending on the aim of the study. However, we propose using both equations in combination to better identify detection patterns and strongly recommend future studies clearly define the equation to enable comparisons and appropriate interpretation of results.

Previous research demonstrates that children delineate more nuanced color boundaries with increased exposure to their native language. As socioeconomic status (SES) is known to correlate with differences in the amount of language input children receive, this study attempts to extend previous research by asking how both age (age 3 vs 5) and SES (under-resourced vs advantaged) might impact color name acquisition of preschool children. The results confirm the findings of previous research, showing that older children labeled the color continuum more accurately than did younger participants. In addition, we found that while SES did not make a difference in how children labeled the continuum using basic color terms (e.g. blue), basic color terms with achromatic modifiers (e.g. light blue), and compound terms (e.g. blueish-green), 5-year-olds from more advantaged economic environments used significantly more non-basic color terms (e.g. turquoise) compared to their counterparts from under-resourced environments. We suggest that, as children hear more non-basic terms, these world-to-word mappings become solidified, and exposure to such labels may contribute to the timing of when children can map those terms to the color continuum.

Scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini are a circumglobal species found in tropical and subtropical waters. Globally, populations of S. lewini have undergone dramatic declines in recent decades, and 4 of 6 distinct population segments are at risk of extinction and listed under the United States Endangered Species Act. Despite this, limited data exist on movement behavior or habitat use requirements of S. lewini, especially in the Central Pacific region. In this long-term (2009-2020) telemetry study, 27 S. lewini (24 males [22 adults, 2 juveniles], and 3 juvenile females) ranging in size from 106 to 310 cm (total length) were tagged with a combination of acoustic and/or satellite tags in a known nursery area, Kāne‘ohe Bay, Hawai‘i. Acoustic data revealed repeated movements of adult male S. lewini to Kāne‘ohe Bay between May and September across multiple years. Horizontal movements away from the Bay indicate these individuals are highly associated with the Hawaiian Archipelago (i.e. Northwestern and main Hawaiian Islands), while vertical movements were dynamic, with repeated, nocturnal deep dives to depths beyond 800 m and temperatures as low as 5.0°C. We conclude that adult male and juvenile S. lewini tagged in Kāne‘ohe Bay exhibit fairly restricted movements throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, and mature males specifically exhibit strong seasonal site fidelity to Kāne‘ohe Bay. These data add crucial baseline information on habitat preferences of S. lewini around the Hawaiian Islands, and can be used to help structure conservation strategies for a portion of the Central Pacific population.

BACKGROUND:The number of inpatient mental health facilities for children and adolescents in the United States is growing rapidly. While undergoing inpatient treatment, children and adolescents can benefit from innovative play opportunities designed to foster social interaction and learning.METHODS:The Playful Learning Landscapes (PLL) initiative is a group of projects designed to transform everyday spaces into opportunities for playful learning. As a part of this initiative, two designs-Lifesize Ruler and Jumping Feet-were installed in an inpatient mental health facility for children and adolescents in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.RESULTS:Results of pre-installation and post-installation naturalistic observations suggested that social interactions, the use of STEM-related language and 21st century skills, including confidence, increased after interacting with the installations.CONCLUSIONS:While previous research on PLL projects has demonstrated the efficacy of transforming public spaces into places for playful learning, this research provides support that, even in private, targeted settings, using a trauma-informed approach, children and adolescents, can reap the benefits of playful learning.

This study examined preschool teachers' fidelity in implementing a vocabulary intervention. The purpose of the study is to inform the scaling up of vocabulary interventions, identifying strategies that are both feasible for teachers and effective for vocabulary learning. We analyzed data from a vocabulary intervention in which teachers (n = 10) taught 80 new target words to children (n = 138) during shared book reading (BR) and playful learning experiences (PLEs). Teachers were asked to use core intervention strategies, which included both teacher- and child-focused practices. Results showed that teachers had higher adherence to strategies in BR than in PLEs and for teacher-focused strategies versus child-focused practices. Across settings, teachers' use of core strategies and the use of child-focused practices were significantly related to children's vocabulary outcomes. Results not only suggest the importance of child-focused vocabulary teaching strategies but also indicate the need for additional coaching in this area for teachers.

Our changing climate poses growing challenges for effective management of marine life, ocean ecosystems, and human communities. Which species are most vulnerable to climate change, and where should management focus efforts to reduce these risks? To address these questions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Climate Science Strategy called for vulnerability assessments in each of NOAA’s ocean regions. The Pacific Islands Vulnerability Assessment (PIVA) project assessed the susceptibility of 83 marine species to the impacts of climate change projected to 2055. In a standard Rapid Vulnerability Assessment framework, this project applied expert knowledge, literature review, and climate projection models to synthesize the best available science towards answering these questions. Here we: (1) provide a relative climate vulnerability ranking across species; (2) identify key attributes and factors that drive vulnerability; and (3) identify critical data gaps in understanding climate change impacts to marine life. The invertebrate group was ranked most vulnerable and pelagic and coastal groups not associated with coral reefs were ranked least vulnerable. Sea surface temperature, ocean acidification, and oxygen concentration were the main exposure drivers of vulnerability. Early Life History Survival and Settlement Requirements was the most data deficient of the sensitivity attributes considered in the assessment. The sensitivity of many coral reef fishes ranged between Low and Moderate, which is likely underestimated given that reef species depend on a biogenic habitat that is extremely threatened by climate change. The standard assessment methodology originally developed in the Northeast US, did not capture the additional complexity of the Pacific region, such as the diversity, varied horizontal and vertical distributions, extent of coral reef habitats, the degree of dependence on vulnerable habitat, and wide range of taxa, including data-poor species. Within these limitations, this project identified research needs to sustain marine life in a changing climate.

Coral reef fishes often exhibit specific or restricted depth distributions, but the factors (biotic or abiotic) that influence patterns of depth use are largely unknown. Given inherent biological gradients with depth (i.e. light, nutrients, habitat, temperature), it is expected that fishes may exploit certain depths within their environment to seek out more favourable conditions. This study used baited remote underwater video (BRUV) systems to document variation in the taxonomic and functional (trophic and size) structure of a fish assemblage along a shallow to upper-mesophotic depth gradient (13–71 m) at a submerged, offshore shoal in the northern Great Barrier Reef. BRUVs were deployed during two separate time periods (February and August 2017), to separately examine patterns of depth use. Both the relative abundance and diversity of reef fishes declined with depth, and there were pronounced differences in the taxonomic and functional structure of the fish assemblage across the depth gradient. In shallow habitats (< 30 m), the fish assemblage was dominated by herbivores, detritivores, planktivores and sessile invertivores, whereas the fish assemblage in deeper habitats (> 30 m) was dominated by piscivores and mobile invertivores. Depth and habitat type were also strong predictors for important fisheries species such as coral trout ( Plectropomus spp.), emperors ( Lethrinus spp.) and trevallies (Carangid spp.). We found limited evidence of temporal changes in depth and habitat use by fishes (including fisheries target species), although recorded temperatures were 4 °C higher in February 2017 compared to August 2017.

Changes to fishing gear configurations have great potential to decrease fishing interactions, minimize injury and reduce mortality for non-target species in commercial fisheries. In this two-part study, we investigate potential options to optimize fishing gear configurations for United States Pacific pelagic longline vessels to maintain target catch rates whilst reducing bycatch mortality, injury, and harm. In part one, a paired-gear trial was conducted on a deep-set tuna longline vessel to compare catch rates and catch condition of target and non-target species between wire and monofilament leader materials. Temperature-depth recorders were also deployed on hooks to determine sinking rates and fishing depth between the two leader materials. In part two, hooks of different configurations (size, diameter, shape, metal type, and leader material) were soaked in a seawater flume for 360 days to obtain quantitative estimates of breaking strength, as well as the time taken for gear to break apart. We found that switching from wire to monofilament leaders reduced the catch rate of sharks by approximately 41 %, whilst maintaining catch rates of target species (Bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus). However, trailing gear composed of monofilament did not break apart even after 360 days. In contrast, branchlines with wire leaders began to break at the crimps after approximately 60 days. Additionally, the breaking strength of soaked fishing hooks was greater for larger, forged hooks composed of stainless steel typically used in United States Pacific longline fisheries. These results have direct implications for fisheries management and the oper-ational effectiveness of bycatch mitigation strategies for longline fisheries worldwide.

Despite the prevalence of educational apps for children, there is little evidence of their effectiveness for learning. Here, children were asked to learn ten new words in a narrative mobile game that requires children use knowledge of word meanings to advance the game. Study 1 used a lab-based between-subjects design with middle-SES 4-year-olds and used a receptive vocabulary test to examine whether children learned the game's words. Children who played the game answered more questions correctly than children who did not play the game. Study 2 used a within-subjects design with low-SES preschoolers who played the game four times as part of a larger classroom intervention. Children showed evidence of learning on both a receptive and an expressive vocabulary measure. The difference between pre- and post-test scores was significantly larger for target words than for five non-exposure control words. Results show that both middle-SES children in the lab and low-SES children in the classroom learned new vocabulary from an interactive mobile game, suggesting that developmentally-appropriate mobile games show promise for vocabulary learning.

Temperature directly affects the metabolic rate and resource requirements of ectothermic animals, which is likely to influence their movement and habitat use. Space use is a fundamental component of an animal's ecology, and the extent of an animal's home range has consequences for individual distributions, community structure and ecosystem function. As ocean temperatures continue to rise as a result of global warming, determining the effects of temperature on space use and movement patterns of important fisheries species is vital. Our aim was to investigate the spatial and temporal variation in space use by a tropical fisheries species, the leopard coralgrouper (Plectropomus leopardus), from two latitudinally distinct locations on Australia's Great Barrier Reef to determine the potential response of large-bodied tropical fishes to ocean warming through behavioural modification. Using passive acoustic telemetry of 36 tagged individuals, we found that both core use areas (50%KUD) and home range extent (95%KUD) varied with respect to location, season, body size and temperature. Average home range extent (95%KUD) for tagged P. leopardus was 0.32 km(2) at the high-latitude location (Heron Island) compared to 0.23 km(2) at the low-latitude location (Opal Reef). However, core use areas (50%KUD) did not differ significantly between the two locations. Seasonal differences were also apparent at both locations with P. leopardusshowing contraction in home range extent during the summertime. This effect was most pronounced at the low-latitude location where home range was significantly reduced during summer when temperatures exceeded 27 degrees C. Taken together, our findings indicate that higher ambient temperature may elicit a sustained and significant decline in space use by a commercially important reef fish. Given projected increases in ocean temperature due to global climate change, large-bodied reef fishes may be increasingly constrained in their movement and space use, which will have ramifications for individual fitness, population viability, fisheries productivity and ecological function.

Rising ocean temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change are expected to have significant negative impacts on the biodiversity and productivity of shallow tropical oceans, with concomitant effects on fisheries production. Tropical ectotherms are predicted to be particularly vulnerable to ocean warming due to the pervasive effects of temperature on their performance and physiology, combined with adaptation to relatively stable thermal environments. For many coral reef fishes, moderate increases in temperature lead to increases in individual performance and fitness. However, extreme temperatures (outside of those normally or previously experienced) often have marked adverse effects. During initial and short-term exposure to elevated temperatures, fishes may alter their foraging behaviour and increase food intake to compensate for increasing metabolic demands. Alternatively, fishes may conserve energy as temperatures increase. Or, they may move to more optimal habitats. To date, most of the studies on thermal sensitivities of coral reef fishes, have been conducted under controlled laboratory settings. As such, these studies may have overestimated the vulnerability of fishes to temperature because they do not take account of the ability of individuals to mediate the effects of increasing temperature through modification of their behaviour (i.e. moving to more optimal habitats). This is particularly true for large-bodied tropical fisheries species that are typically understudied in the wild. To address this problem, I used in situ observations and high-resolution passive acoustic telemetry to explore temporal and spatial variation in behaviour and movement of coral trout, Plectropomus leopardus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Plectropomus leopardus are an important coral reef mesopredator and are one of the primary species targeted by both commercial and artisanal fishers throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Previous experimental studies have shown that P. leopardus are sensitive to increasing temperature and ocean acidification (Chapter 2) though there have yet to be any field tests to establish their vulnerability to environmental change under natural conditions. To address this knowledge gap, I investigated spatial and temporal variation in foraging behaviour and activity patterns (i.e. amount of time spent resting) of P. leopardus from latitudinally distinct locations. From > 500 hrs of in situ observation, I found that P. leopardus exhibited increased foraging frequency in summer versus winter time, irrespective of latitude, however, foraging frequency substantially declined at water temperatures > 30 °C. In addition, the amount of time spent resting was greatest for P. leopardus during the summer time at both locations, however, the effect was most pronounced at the low-latitude location where individuals spent up to 62% of their time inactive, compared with 43% for the high-latitude population (Chapter 3). These results provided the first indication that P. leopardus moderate their foraging behaviour and activity according to changes in ambient temperature. Using fine-scale acoustic telemetry ( 27 °C (Chapter 4). Further, average acceleration for P. leopardus was 0.69 m.s⁻² and acceleration increased with increasing temperature up to 30 °C. However, the impact of ambient water temperature strongly influenced resting patterns for P. leopardus from the low-latitude location, where individuals were twice as likely to be detected at low-activity (i.e. resting) than individuals from the high-latitude location. In contrast, individuals from the high-latitude location were more active and detected more often undertaking routine activity indicating higher rates of activity for P. leopardus from the high-latitude location (Chapter 5). Finally, although P. leopardus altered their depth use on a daily basis, and in response to monthly temperature variation, it was notably small ( 50%) 3-D activity space than individuals from the low-latitude location (Chapter 6). These results indicate that P. leopardus are more likely to alter their horizontal rather than vertical space use in response to higher ambient temperature. Taken together, the results of this thesis suggest that ever-increasing ocean temperatures may impose significant constraints on the capacity of P. leopardus to meet increasing metabolic costs associated with higher temperatures (Chapters 2 & 3). Given projected increases in ocean temperature, P. leopardus may be increasingly constrained in their ability to obtain sufficient prey resources while forced to conserve energy (Chapters 3 & 4). Reductions in movement and space use will also have ramifications for individual fitness, population viability, and ecological function (Chapters 4, 5 & 6). This will likely have negative demographic consequences for P. leopardus potentially undermining the viability and sustainability of coral reef fisheries, particularly in low-latitude locations.

Global climate change is increasingly considered one of the major threats to tropical coastal fisheries, potentially undermining important revenue and food security provided by coral reef ecosystems. While there has been significant and increasing work on understanding specific effects of climate change on coral reef fishes, few studies have considered large-bodied fisheries target species, limiting understanding of the effects of climate change on tropical fisheries. This review focuses on coral grouper (Plectropomus spp., and mainly Plectropomus leopardus), which are heavily fished throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans, and represent an exemplar group to assess potential effects of climate change on coral reef fisheries. In experimental studies, P. leopardus appear to be extremely sensitive to increasing ocean temperature, exhibiting declines in survivorship, aerobic scope and activity with relatively moderate increases in temperature. As such, ongoing ocean warming may jeopardize the catchability of coral grouper and sustainability of reef-based fisheries, especially at low latitudes. Notably, a significant portion of wild stocks of P. leopardus are already exposed to temperatures (≥30 °C) that have been shown to compromise individual performance and body condition. While there are considerable knowledge gaps in predicting effects of global climate change on coral grouper, such as their capacity to avoid, acclimate or adapt to changes in local environmental conditions, current information suggests that there is cause for concern. As such, we take the formative steps to outline both ecological and socioeconomic adaptations that could reduce vulnerability of coral reef fisheries to climate impacts on stocks of coral grouper, using a linked socio-economic framework.