Training for better teaching in the third world: Lessons from research

This article reviews some teacher-related research in British and North American contexts and examines its trends in relation to research on teaching found in third world or developing country situations. Its specific aim is to look at findings relevant to the design of pre- and inservice training programmes. A model for teacher training is presented and used as a framework for assessing the contributions of research on initial awareness, presentation, practice and feedback, and coaching. In conclusion, the promise of ethnographic work and the harsh problems of the context of teaching are discussed.     

Gonadal hormones may predict structural bone fragility in elite female soccer player

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study determined the impact of menstrual status on bone tissue in elite post-pubertal female soccer players over an entire season.

Methods: Fifty-one elite female soccer players participated. At baseline, forty-one were assigned to the low hormonal androgenic profile (low-HAPL) and 10 to the high hormonal androgenic profile (high-HAPL).

Results: An 8-month training program led to increased bone mineral density content (p<0.05). The low-HAPL athletes improved the Narrow neck average cortical thickness (ACT) by 1.4% and reduced the corresponding Buckling ratio (BR) by 2.6%, thus decreasing the fracture risk (p<0.05). The high-HAPL athletes decreased the Narrow neck ACT by 5.4% and increased the BR by 2.6%, increasing fracture risk (p<0.05). Differences were assigned as being “very likely beneficial” for the low-HAPL athletes, supported by very large (d=3.41) and large (d=1.58) effect sizes for the Narrow neck ACT and BR, respectively.

Conclusion: A season of soccer training has induced bone geometry improvements in adolescent females. Bone health parameters improved in the two clusters. However, high-HAPL athletes decreased its resistance to loading compare to low-HAPL athletes. Even if female players do not present clinical symptoms related to their hormonal status, sport medicine physicians should pay attention to their structural bone fragility.     

Adverse childhood experiences,health perception,and the role of shared familial factors in adult twins

To examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and health perception in adulthood, and to explore the contribution of shared familial factors to these associations. Data were collected from 180 female twins (90 pairs) from the community-based University of Washington Twin Registry. Participants completed questionnaires including the modified ACE Questionnaire, Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form, and the SF-36. Mixed effects linear regression modeling investigated the effects of ACE on indices of health perception controlling for correlated twin data. Additional models examined the associations while controlling for the experience of physical and/or sexual abuse in childhood; within-twin pair models that inherently adjust for familial factors explored shared familial influences. After controlling for relevant demographic variables, more ACE was associated with worse perceptions of general health (p = .01) and vitality (p = .05) on the SF-36. After controlling for childhood physical and/or sexual abuse, the relationship between ACE and general health remained significant (p = .01) while vitality was no longer significant. None of the associations remained significant after accounting for the influence of familial factors. These results support previous findings on the negative link between ACE and perceived health in adulthood. The detrimental effects of ACE on vitality may be accounted for by the experience of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse. Shared familial factors might play a partial role in the relationship between ACE and health perception. Future research should further investigate the genetic and environmental mechanisms that may explain this relationship.     

Young Children's Aspirations in Science: The unequivocal,the uncertain and the unthinkable

Students' lack of interest in studying science and in science-related careers is a concern in the UK and worldwide. Yet there is limited data, particularly longitudinal, on the sources and development of science-related aspirations. In response, the ASPIRES (Science Aspirations and Career Choice: Age 10–14) longitudinal study is investigating the development of students' educational and occupational aspirations over time. In the first phase of the project, a questionnaire exploring science-related aspirations and interests was completed by over 9,000 primary school students across England. This survey allowed us to explore possible associations between attitudes and aspirations, links which have not been investigated in previous attitudinal studies of this scope. Overall, students expressed positive attitudes to science, reported positive parental attitudes to science and held very positive images of scientists. Multilevel modelling analyses revealed that aspirations in science were most strongly related to parental attitudes to science, attitudes to school science and self-concept in science, and are also associated with students' gender, ethnicity and cultural capital. However, the images students held of scientists were not as closely related to aspirations. These factors are discussed in more detail within the paper, alongside a consideration of possible school-related effects.     

Gleanings From the Whirl

No abstract available for this article.