Mobiles for literacy in developing countries: An effectiveness framework

In recent years, the advent of low-cost digital and mobile devices has led to a strong expansion of social interventions, including those that try to improve student learning and literacy outcomes. Many of these are focused on improving reading in low-income countries, and particularly among the most disadvantaged. Some of these early efforts have been called successful, but little credible evidence exists for those claims. Drawing on a robust sample of projects in the domain of mobiles for literacy, this article introduces a design solution framework that combines intervention purposes with devices, end users, and local contexts. In combination with a suggested set of purpose-driven methods for monitoring and evaluation, this new framework provides useful parameters for measuring effectiveness in the domain of mobiles for literacy.     

The Impact of an Obstacle Course Sport Education Season on Students' Aerobic Fitness Levels

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if factor patterns of selected sports skills were similar for two samples, a skilled sample and one consisting of a wide range of skills. Comparisons were also made with kinesiological evidence regarding the patterning of basic sports skills. Data consisting of performance scores on various sports skills were available for 166 high school girls. Out of this sample, a smaller sample was drawn consisting of 69 girls who were above average in skill. Two factor models, alpha and incomplete image analysis, were used in the analysis of this data. The factor pattern of selected sports skills performed by subjects above average in skill was similar in many respects to that of a sample which included a wide range of skill. The primary difference lay in the clustering of overarm skills which appeared in the above-average factor pattern. The overarm and push patterns of the above-average sample resembled the patterns of skill obtained through kinesiological analysis. The structure of kicking, underarm, and sidearm skills remained obscure, based on the results of factor analytic techniques.     

Effects of a remote,YouTube-delivered exercise intervention on young adults’physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic:Randomized controlled trial

Background:Public health guidelines have called for innovative and flexible physical activity(PA)intervention strategies to promote PA and health amid the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Therefore,this study’s purpose was to examine the effects of a home-based,YouTube-delivered PA intervention grounded in self-determination theory on young adults’free-living PA,sedentary behavior,and sleep quality(NCT04499547).Methods:Sixty-four young adults(48 females;age=22.8±3.4 years,mean±SD;body mass index=23.1±2.6 kg/m²)were randomized(1:1)into the intervention group,which received weekly aerobic and muscle-strengthening PA videos,or control group,which received weekly general health education videos,for 12 weeks.Our primary outcome was free-living moderate-to-vigorous PA(MVPA)and our secondary outcomes were sedentary behavior,light PA,and sleep quality(measured using ActiGraph accelerometers)along with muscle-strengthening PA frequency,self-determination theory-related motivation(non-regulation,external regulation,introjected regulation,identified regulation,integrated regulation,and intrinsic regulation),and perceived PA barriers(assessed using validated questionnaires).Repeated measures analysis of variances(ANOVAs)examined between-group differences at an adjusted significance level of 0.004 and effect sizes as partial eta-squared(η;).Results:We observed statistically significant interaction effects for MVPA,sleep efficiency,muscle-strengthening PA frequency,non-regulation,integrated regulation,intrinsic regulation,and perceived PA barriers(F(1,62)=10.75-77.67,p<0.001-0.002,η_p²=0.15-0.56)with all outcomes favoring the intervention group.We observed no statistically significant differences in either group for sedentary behavior,light PA,sleep duration,or external,introjected,and identified regulations after 12 weeks(F(1,62)=1.11-3.64,p=0.06-0.61).Conclusion:With national COVID-19 restrictions still in place and uncertainty regarding post-pandemic PA environments and behaviors,a remote,YouTube-delivered PA intervention may help foster clinically meaningful improvements in young adults’free-living MVPA,musclestrengthening PA frequency,sleep efficiency,PA-related intrinsic motivation,and perceived PA barriers.     

Embedding Interventions to Promote Self-Determination within Multitiered Systems of Supports

Schools are increasingly exploring the implementation of multitiered systems of support. This article reviews the literature pertaining to efforts to promote self-determination to provide initial direction as to how interventions and supports to promote self-determination could be implemented within a tiered framework. The intent is to provide direction to the field on how such an approach can engage all students—including students with and without disabilities—in their learning across the lifespan to promote positive school and postschool outcomes. Specifically, we review interventions and supports that have been described in the literature pertaining to self-determination, organizing our review and analysis around the traditional three-tier approach. Implications for future research and development to promote the universal applicability of self-determination are discussed.     

温度对马铃薯加工废液粘滞系数和泡沫安全性影响的试验研究

在试验的基础上，认为马铃薯加工废液粘滞系数的升温和降温变化特性有显著不同，与其中含有的蛋白质和淀粉等有机质产生了不可逆的特性变化有关，在有机物特性变化最剧烈的温度区间内，其形成的泡沫最不稳定，安全性最差。     

唐代馆驿诗初探

馆驿诗属于行旅诗的一种 ,在唐代达到了高度繁荣 ,这类诗歌以羁旅行役为中心母题 ,全面、生动地记录了唐文人的行旅生活 ,表现了他们放荡、洒脱、执着的漂泊精神与游子品性     

Equivalence of Population Variances: Synchronizing the Objective and Analysis

Researchers are often interested in establishing equivalence of population variances. Traditional difference-based procedures are appropriate to answer questions about differences in some statistic (e.g., variances, etc.). However, if a researcher is interested in evaluating the equivalence of population variances, it is more appropriate to use a procedure designed to determine equivalence. A simulation study was used to compare novel equivalence-based tests to traditional variance homogeneity tests under common data conditions. Results demonstrated that traditional difference-based tests assess equality of variances from the wrong perspective and that the proposed Levene-Wellek-Welch test for equivalence of group variances the best performing test for detecting equivalence. An R function is provided in order to facilitate use of this test for equivalence of population variances.     

A regional cooperative acquisition program for monographs.

A cooperative acquisition program for monographs for the twelve resource libraries in Region IX of the Regional Medical Library Network is described. Each of the participating libraries has agreed to purchase all books of an assigned publisher which fall within a prescribed subject-format profile. It is hoped that this will help to reduce unnecessary duplication and contribute toward the development of resources in the region.     

Literature Searching in Medical Education: Online Tutorial Development from Idea to Creation

The medical education literature is growing, and the result is not only greater knowledge, but an increasing complexity in locating quality evidence-based information. In 2008, eight librarians partnered with the Association of American Medical Colleges to research, conceptualize, and build an online module to develop medical educators’ search skills. Developing an online instructional module is a time-consuming, multi-stage process requiring the expertise of content, technical, and design specialists working in concert. Many lessons were learned, including the power of collaborative tools; the benefits of including specialists, such as graphic designers; the benefit of thoroughly surveying existing resources; and the importance of choosing technology wisely.     

Assessing Differential Prediction of College Grades by Race/Ethnicity with a Multilevel Model

Previous research notes the importance of understanding racial/ethnic differential prediction of college grades across multiple institutions. Institutional variation in selection indices is especially important given some states' laws governing public institutions' admissions decisions. This paper employed multilevel moderated multiple regression to study the variation of selection indices across 30 institutions and the accuracy of selection indices in predicting college grades for students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Several benefits of multilevel models for cross-institutional differential prediction studies were described and include: controlling for institutional differences in range restriction, providing reliability estimates of least squares estimates, and adjusting criterion scores for differences in coursework difficulty. The findings from this study provide evidence of institutional variation in selection indices, which challenges current laws aimed at standardizing them. Specifically, there was evidence that the predictor slope coefficients varied across institutions, in addition to the estimates that measured intercept differences for African and Asian American students. Across universities, the results mirrored previous findings: high school grade point average (GPA) differentially predicted grades for African Americans, SAT verbal scores differentially predict grades for Asian Americans, and SAT math scores were better predictors of Asian Americans' grades.