Clinical Anatomy and Unexpected Careers: Is There Curriculum for That?

Reduction in faculty positions in higher education and increased graduate matriculation rates represent a higher education conundrum. Planned happenstance theory (PHT) is a career development model focusing on positive outcomes resulting from unpredictable precareer events. This mixed methods study explores how PHT applies to the career paths of a clinical anatomy (CA) postgraduate cohort. It provides insight into educational practices designed to equip students for labor markets inside and outside academia. Alumni of CA (n = 12; 2014-2018) were interviewed about career-related events transpiring from graduate studies to present, allowing exploration on how PHT contextualizes their shared experiences. Planned happenstance career inventory (PHCI) enumerated planned happenstance skill (PHS) scores. Total PHS was referenced 527 times across 12 interviews. Of the PHS references, curiosity established highest incidence (154 references, 29%), optimism (132 references, 25%), flexibility (101 references, 19%), risk-taking (85 references, 16%), and persistence (55 references, 10%) and 43 distinct happenstance events were documented. In addition, social networking (52 references) arose as an emergent code and was divided into internal networking (28 references, 54%) and external networking (24 references, 46%). Application of the five-point PHCI scale revealed: curiosity (4.4 ± 0.3; mean ± SD), flexibility (3.6 ± 0.7), persistence (4.4 ± 0.3), optimism (4.3 ± 0.4), and risk-taking (4.1 ± 0.5). Curiosity had the strongest association with happenstance event incidence. Social networking was a key substituent of PHT not yet described in the literature. Educational practices incorporating PHT concepts, with emphasis on curiosity, may provide graduates novel metacognitive skills needed to develop novel career paths.     

HPT and Six Sigma: Is There a Difference That Matters?

This article explores the major differences and similarities between Six Sigma and human performance technology or human performance improvement (HPT or HPI). It addresses the definitions and foundations of both Six Sigma and HPT as major performance improvement approaches. It explains how their methodologies are similar in some aspects and different in others. It compares the popularity and applicability of the two approaches in both small and large companies. It discusses the psychological elements underlying each method. Moreover, it considers the criteria of success in managing HPT and Six Sigma projects. It also addresses the reasons for the similarities and differences between the two processes and suggests an integrated approach that focuses on both human and nonhuman improvement in an attempt to overcome the limitations of each approach.     

Is There a Double Standard of Aging?: Older Men and Women and Ageism

This study was designed to determine current young adults' attitudes toward older adults and to explore, more specifically, whether they hold different attitudes towards older men and women. An additional objective was to examine the association between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes towards older adults. A total of 405 (210 males, 195 females) undergraduate students at a small Midwestern university were assessed on their attitudes toward an older male and an older female and on their knowledge of aging. Data analyses revealed that the participants showed more positive, rather than negative, attitudes towards older adults, and they rated older women significantly more positively than older men. No relationship was found between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes toward aging. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Is There a Link Between Teachers' Beliefs and Behaviors?

This study examined the link between beliefs and behaviors for early childhood teachers. Currently, consensus has not been reached regarding the belief-practice relationship for early childhood educators due to inconsistent attention to measurement specificity, perceived ability to practice beliefs, and strength of teacher training. The participants in this study were 47 early childhood educators. Teachers were primarily female and all worked with children aged 3–5. Teachers had worked with children aged 3–5 an average of 7.6 years (range = 0–30). Many teachers had training in early childhood. Twenty-nine had majored in early childhood and 26 held teaching certificates. Teaching beliefs were measured with a self-report questionnaire. Teaching actions were assessed with four observational measures via videotape. The results showed that there was not a relationship between teachers' beliefs and actions. In addition, the results indicated that when teachers had more experience with children they were less sensitive and that early childhood teaching certification held was a positive predictor of high level involvement and verbalizations.     

Creating an Online Learning Community: Is it Possible?

As institutions are moving towards offering more online and distance education courses, scholars have reported that instructors may have difficulty developing learning communities among students enrolled in these courses (DiRamio and Wolverton 2006). The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in students’ perceptions of a learning community when enrolled in an online or on-campus introduction to counseling course. Participants were beginning graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in pursuing a higher education degree in counseling. Results indicated no significant difference in students’ perceptions of learning communities based on course format.     

Adolescent Daily and General Maladjustment: Is There Reactivity to Daily Repeated Measures Methodologies?

The present study examined whether repeated exposure to daily surveys about negative social experiences predicts changes in adolescents' daily and general maladjustment, and whether question content moderates these changes. Across a 2-week period, 6th-grade students (N = 215; mode age = 11) completed 5 daily reports tapping experienced or experienced and witnessed negative events, or they completed no daily reports. General maladjustment was measured in 2-week intervals before, at the end of, and 2 weeks after the daily report study. Daily maladjustment either decreased or did not change across the 5 daily report exposures. General maladjustment decreased across the three 2-week intervals. Combined, results indicate that short-term daily report studies do not place youth at risk for increased maladjustment.     

Diversity and Performance: A Shotgun Marriage?

Books and articles promoting “diversity” abound. Many of their authors are not clear what they mean by diversity. Many seem to be naive about the amount of conflict “diversity” can engender. And almost all authors assume–without presenting any meaningful evidence–that diversity is somehow good for organizations. This article attempts to define diversity, suggest the conflict that is often associated with it, and then investigate the conditions (if any) under which diversity with its attendant conflict can benefit the organization.     

Childbirth Education and Obstetric Interventions Among Low-Risk Canadian Women: Is There a Connection?

The objective of this study was to examine the associations between attendance at childbirth education classes and maternal characteristics (age, income, educational level, single parent status), maternal psychological states (fear of birth, anxiety), rates of obstetric interventions, and breastfeeding initiation. Between women’s 35th and 39th weeks of gestation, we collected survey data about their childbirth fear, anxiety, attendance at childbirth education classes, choice of health-care provider, and expectations for interventions; we then linked women’s responses (n = 624) to their intrapartum records obtained through Perinatal Services British Columbia. Older, more educated, and nulliparous women were more likely to attend childbirth education classes than younger, less educated, and multiparous women. Attending prenatal education classes was associated with higher rates of vaginal births among women in the study sample. Rates of labor induction and augmentation and use of epidural anesthesia were not significantly associated with attendance at childbirth education classes. Future studies might explore the effect of specialized education programs on rates of interventions during labor and mode of birth.     

Ramadan Fasting and the Propensity for Learning: Is There a Cause for Concern?

The literature indicates that glucose deprivation, dehydration, decreased sleep quality and quantity, and mood changes, independently and adversely can influence cognitive functions and therefore learning. The Ramadan fast is an annual religious act undertaken by Muslims where individuals refrain from consuming food and fluid during daylight hours, daily over 30 days. Alteration in eating times and sleep–wake cycles lead to a disruption in the body's daily circadian rhythm resulting in sleep perturbations and mood swings. Consequently, Ramadan fasting is linked to daytime lower glucose concentration, dehydration, decreased sleep quality and quantity, mood swings and elevated subjective feelings of fatigue and malaise. This review highlights how Ramadan fasting potentially poses learning difficulties as a result of the independent and/or combined effects of these factors.     

Longitudinal Analysis of Intrinsic Motivation and Competence Beliefs: Is There a Relation Over Time?

The present study explored whether competence beliefs and intrinsic motivation for different school domains show reciprocal effects over time. A sample of 670 German elementary school pupils (M= 8.8 years, SD= 0.51) was followed over 1 year. At 4 measurement occasions, children completed self-reports on their intrinsic motivation and competence beliefs for math, German, and school in general. Latent growth models revealed that intrinsic motivation and competence beliefs decreased over time. Comparing correlational and cross-lagged structural equation models yielded only weak evidence for cross-lagged influences between the 2 constructs. Results suggest that the developmental curves of competence beliefs and intrinsic motivation might be less inextricably interwoven than frequently assumed.     

Student Self-Assessment in HOCS Science Examinations: Is There a Problem?

A specially-designed self-assessment questionnaire (SAQHOCS), containing higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS)-type questions, was administered to 71 biology majors, enrolled in a four-year college program. The gap between students' self-assessment marking, and that of their HOCS-biased teachers (the authors), is accounted for by the prevailing LOCS-orientation and the testing culture—a total separation between testing and learning—in contemporary science teaching. The majority of the students in the study evaluated themselves as capable of self-assessment, and felt reasonably confident in doing so. They were quite reserved as far as the applicability of the self-assessment method to nonalgorithmic (correct/incorrect) questions is concerned. The results of this study suggest that the potential for student self-assessment within college science teaching and learning exists. However, still a great purposed effort in HOCS-oriented teaching and learning is required in order for the student self-assessment practice to become a routine integral component of HOCS science examinations.     

Why Is Performance on Multiple‐Choice Tests and Constructed‐Response Tests Not More Closely Related? Theory and an Empirical Test*

Both professional certification and academic tests rely heavily on multiple‐choice questions, despite the widespread belief that alternate, constructed‐response questions are superior measures of a test taker's understanding of the underlying material. Empirically, the search for a link between these two assessment metrics has met with limited success, leading some researchers to conclude that the relationship is close and others to conclude that no relationship exists at all. The authors suggest that “knowledge level” may play a key role in explaining this disparity in findings. This article outlines the theory for such a concept, and investigates the possibility using 172 carefully constructed tests in several entry‐level programming classes. The article also discusses several caveats that suggest the usefulness of yet further research in the area.     

Is There a Relationship between Training Quality and Premature Contract Terminations in VET?

The dominant organizational form of vocational education and training in Switzerland is the dual-track system, in which trainees sign an apprenticeship contract with a training company. Notably, 10 % to 40 % of those contracts are terminated prematurely each year, depending on region and occupational category, which is an important topic of concern for politics, practice and research. Thus, premature contract terminations (PCTs) are associated with high costs for society, companies, and young people. This study of 335 companies involving cooks and painters from German-speaking Switzerland aims to investigate the relationship between training quality and PCT. Of these companies, 136 had been affected by a PCT, and 199 had not. The results indicate that training at the workplace is universally of rather high quality. In line with the previous literature, trainees evaluate quality significantly lower than trainers. Furthermore, there are considerable differences between the two occupations: cooks evaluate their training quality more positively than painters. Moreover, cluster analyses indicate that high quality training can help companies avoid PCTs.     

Is There a Relationship between Brain Type,Sex and Motivation to Learn Science?

Whilst sex is considered to be one of the most significant factors influencing attitudes towards science, previous research seems to suggest that, at least in non‐science classes, there is no correlation between sex and motivation to learn science. The present study investigates a mixed group of science and non‐science students of upper secondary level. The data show that there is in fact no correlation between sex and motivation to learn science in this group, but that there is a highly significant positive correlation between the students’ so‐called brain type and their motivation to learn science. At the same time, male students show a more systemizing brain type whilst female students have a more empathizing one. Therefore, the brain type seems in fact to be a basic variable of motivation to learn science, as previous research suggests. Our intention was to explore if involving the science motivation questionnaire (SMQ) could be a strategy to confirm and extend this hypothesis, which seems to be the case. We consider this study as a pilot in preparation for a larger and more systematically sampled project.     

South African Teachers Caught Between Nation Building and Global Demands: Is There a Way Out/Forward?

In this article, we explore the impact of the nation-building and global demands on teachers’ work and how they survive the pressure of, and reconcile, these various demands that impact their work. We draw on two separate data sets that emerged from studies undertaken in the Eastern Cape Province (EC), South Africa. Findings reveal a rift between the nation-building and global mandates. Most intended changes assumed that teachers are ready and prepared for whatever changes that are introduced. Consequently, teachers are in a constant struggle to come to terms with them, thus resulting in slow implementation or the nonimplementation of reforms in classrooms. We argue that recognition and acknowledgment of existing realities, classroom cultures, and implementation requirements or support should be the first step in improving education. Also, a strong visionary leadership becomes pivotal to achieve the desired reform success. Additionally, policy development and programs need to recognize the country's history and the murky terrain that still has to be navigated to ensure successful curriculum reform implementation.