The impact of verbal capacity on theory of mind in deaf and hard of hearing children

Even when they have good language skills, many children with hearing loss lag several years behind hearing children in the ability to grasp beliefs of others. The researchers sought to determine whether this lag results from difficulty with the verbal demands of tasks or from conceptual delays. The researchers related children's performance on a nonverbal theory of mind task to their scores on verbal aptitude tests. Twelve French children (average age about 10 years) with severe to profound hearing loss and 12 French hearing children (average about 7 years) were evaluated. The children with hearing loss showed persistent difficulty with theory of mind tasks, even a nonverbal task, presenting results similar to those of hearing 6-year-olds. Also, the children with hearing loss showed a correlation between language level (lexical and morphosyntactic) and understanding of false beliefs. No such correlation was found in the hearing children.     

The ‘truth’ of academic development: how did it get to be about ‘teaching and learning’?

The nature of academic development in contemporary universities has been a recent focus in the literature. Highlighting the diversity of practices that exist under its name, ‘academic development’ has been described by some as an ambiguous project and a fragmented field, while others suggest a more coherent project, pointing out a near universal concern with, in particular, teaching and learning. Through an exploration of the practices of the first academic developers in New Zealand, and a consideration of the particular institutions in which they were operating, this article draws on the work of Foucault to consider the modalities of power that were available to them. This exploration is used as a basis from which to consider the systems of truth that began to emerge as a result of the early appointees' practice, in particular their original and enduring concern with teaching and learning as objects of knowledge.     

Portrayal of the History of the Photoelectric Effect in Laboratory Instructions

The literature on the pedagogical aspects of the photoelectric effect as used in the undergraduate student laboratory shows that little research has been done in this area. Our current study is an analysis of the instructions in 38, electronically published laboratory manuals for the photoelectric effect. The analyses were based on history and philosophy of science criteria that we had developed for evaluating the presentation of the photoelectric effect in introductory, university-physics textbooks. The results show that writers of laboratory instructions do not pay sufficient attention to the relevant background for the photoelectric effect. In our study, none of the instructions achieved a score of excellent, only 5% were scored as satisfactory, and only 7% mentioned the various aspects contained in our criteria. These results for our analysis of laboratory instructions are significantly less favorable than those achieved for physics textbooks in our previous study. Based on our work, we recommend that several historical aspects be included in all laboratory instructions for the photoelectric effect.     

Heart Rate Holter Monitoring of 6- and 7-Year Old Children with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Cardiovascular and Short Term Metabolic Response to Exercise: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study examined whether gender and/or training were related to the exercise-induced changes in plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), triiodothyronine (T₃), and thyroxine (T₄). Twenty subjects (male and female 10-km runners; untrained males and females) ran on a treadmill for 30 win at 80% of previously determined maximum heart rate. Blood samples were taken through an indwelling catheter from an antecubital vein at ?30, 0, +15, +30 min of the test and 30 min of recovery. Reded temperature rose significantly (p < .01) at +15 and +30 min with concomitant rise in GH concentration, but PRL, T₃, and T₄ were not affected by the exercise. We concluded that a 30-min run at 80% of maximum heart rate is associated with higher concentrations of GH but not of PRL, T₃, and T₄ Neither training state nor gender affected the aforementioned results.     

Cardiac Structure and Function in Weight Trainers,Runners, and Runner/Weight Trainers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare cardiac structure and function in adult male weight trainers, runners, and those who do both activities. Subjects had actively participated in the various training programs for the previous five years. Age ranged from 28.4 to 31.3 years in the three groups. Echocardiography was used to assess selected heart diameters, volumes, indices of contractility, and thicknesses, while VO₂ max and percent body fat were measured using standard methods. Heart structure and function were expressed in absolute terms and relative to total body weight. An alpha level of .05 was used in all comparisons. Results indicated the runners demonstrated significantly greater relative LVID_d, LVID_s, and LVPW than the weight trainers. The runner/weight trainers possessed significantly greater relative LVID_d, LVID_s, LVPW, IVS, and LVEDV than the weight trainers. No significant differences, absolute or relative, existed between the runner and runner/weight trainer groups in any of the myocardial structure and function variables. It was concluded that men who run or run and weight train have similar structural and functional characteristics of the heart and possess greater relative internal diameter and left ventricular wall thickness than men who only weight train.     

Development of an Attitude Inventory to Measure the Attitude of High School Girls toward Physical Education as a Career for Women

Abstract

An attitude inventory was developed for the purpose of determining the attitudes of high school girls toward physical education as a career for women. Likert's technique of scale construction was selected for use in this study. Statements covering aspects of the physical education profession as they apply to women were prepared according to recommended criteria. Each statement was subjected to statistical analysis in order to eliminate those which were ambiguous or which had poor discriminatory power. Following the use of the split-half method for determining reliability, the statements were divided into two equivalent forms of the inventory.     

Comparison of Motor Ability,New Motor Skill Learning,and Adjustment to a Rearranged Visual Field

Abstract

The ability of 48 college women to adjust hand-eye coordination in a rearranged visual field was compared with ability to learn a new motor skill and with present level of motor ability. The measuring instruments utilized included the Scott motor ability test, Moody's new motor skill learning test, and a variation of the mirror-box test of Held and Gottlieb. Subjects were exposed for one minute to each of four experimental treatments—moving chessmen and throwing a ball performed both while wearing prism-glasses and without wearing these glasses. Subjects received one treatment per day, two days per week; the treatments were repeated in the same order and sequence, making a total of eight experimental sessions. The findings did not justify the conclusion that a relationship exists between motor ability or new motor skill learning and ability to adjust to a rearranged visual field. Wearing prism-glasses did not result in a consistent amount of visual rearrangement with each subject.     

An open source library system and public library users: Finding and using library collections

Large scale open-source library automation systems can increase efficiencies in bibliographic production. The implementation of such a system, Evergreen, was examined in order to ascertain whether it facilitated detection and use of library collections in Indiana public libraries. Three hundred forty-nine participants recruited from nine public libraries completed user surveys. Additionally, library server data about interlibrary loan (ILL) statistics were collected from participating libraries on a monthly basis. The self-reported user survey included questions about patron history at local public libraries, use of the previous Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs), and use of the Evergreen OPAC for finding and accessing multiple library collections since library users could directly request interlibrary loans via the Evergreen OPAC. The findings indicate that the implementation of the Indiana Evergreen system received moderately positive ratings from the participants; the positive evaluation was primarily related to the use of the ILL function. The ILL service satisfied the participants' needs and motivated them to use the Evergreen OPAC. Benefits for Evergreen users were confirmed.