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This article reports a study involving: (1) developing and validating a learning environment instrument, (2) investigating whether reflection on feedback generated using the instrument led to improvements in the learning environment and (3) examining how teachers used the feedback. For the new learning environment instrument, validity was supported for a sample of 10,345 secondary students over 3 years (2,042 students in 2008, 4,467 in 2009 and 3,836 in 2010). To investigate whether reflection on feedback from this instrument led to improvements in the learning environment, multivariate analysis of variance and effect sizes were used to examine pre-post differences. Statistically significant improvements in students' views of the learning environment were found for 8 of the 11 scales. Finally, we examined how teachers used the student feedback. Of the 459 teachers, 45 focus teachers used the feedback as part of a formal action research approach involving entries in reflective journals, written reports, discussions and participation at a forum. These data were analysed to provide an overview of the ways in which the information was used, and to provide a more detailed account of the journey of one of the teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research interests regarding the psychopharmacology of salvinorin A have been motivated by the recreational use and widespread media focus on the hallucinogenic plant, Salvia divinorum. Additionally, kappa opioid (KOP) receptor ligands may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of some neuropsychiatric conditions, including drug dependence and mood disorders. Salvinorin A is a selective KOP agonist, but only a few studies have explored the discriminative stimulus effects of this compound. This study compared the discriminative stimulus effects of salvinorin A and two synthetic derivatives of salvinorin B to the KOP agonists, U69,593 and U50,488. Sixteen male Sprague–Dawley rats trained to discriminate U69,593 (0.13 mg/kg, s.c., N = 8) or U50,488 (3.0 mg/kg, i.p., N = 8) under a fixed-ratio 20 schedule of food reinforcement were administered substitution tests with salvinorin A (0.125–3.0 mg/kg, i.p.). The animals trained to discriminate U69,593 were also administered substitution tests with salvinorin B ethoxymethyl ether (0.005–0.10 mg/kg, i.p.) and salvinorin B methoxymethyl ether (0.03–0.10 mg/kg, i.p.). Another eight rats were trained to discriminate 2.0 mg/kg salvinorin A and tested with U69,593 (0.04–0.32 mg/kg) and U50,488 (0.4–3.2 mg/kg). Salvinorin A and both synthetic derivatives of salvinorin B substituted completely for U69,593. Additionally, cross-generalization was observed between salvinorin A and both KOP agonists. These findings support previous reports indicating that the discriminative stimulus effects of salvinorin A are mediated by kappa receptors. Future studies may assist in the development and screening of salvinorin A analogs for potential pharmacotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]