Using critical literacy to explore genetics and its ethical, legal, and social issues with in-service secondary teachers

The described interdisciplinary course helped a mixed population of in-service secondary English and biology teacher-participants increase their genetics content knowledge and awareness of Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) that arose from discoveries and practices associated with the Human Genome Project. This was accomplished by applying a critical literacy approach that allows people develop cognitive skills such that they are able to "read the world" (Wink, 2004). The approach is one that permits readers to go beyond the literal text to examine what is present as well as what is missing as it relates to issues of equity and fairness. Becoming critically literate enabled these teacher-participants to challenge the subtle attitudes, values, and beliefs conveyed by a range of written and oral texts. The teacher-participants in this course improved their critical literacy skills by actively reading, critically writing about, and using evidence to support their conclusions about issues arising from advances in human genetics. A biologist, a linguist, and an educator collaboratively designed and taught the course. The personalized focus on the integration of thoughtful reading and writing in this class enhanced the teacher-participants' (n = 16) professional and intellectual development and will potentially improve learning in their biology and English classrooms in the future.     

Questioning minds on the lookout for potential workplace research and improvement markers: Practice‐based research

In the performance improvement field, performance technologists are in an ideal position to detect and investigate unexpected effects (UEs) in the workplace: those near‐invisible root variables that, once exposed, pose either potentially performance‐harming or performance‐enhancing challenges for their organization. Working with UE triggers and trends will round out performance technologists' capabilities through the adoption of what is known as practice‐based research.     

Collaboration modality, cognitive load, and science inquiry learning in virtual inquiry environments

Educational multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) have been shown to be effective platforms for situated science inquiry curricula. While researchers find MUVEs to be supportive of collaborative scientific inquiry processes, the complex mix of multi-modal messages present in MUVEs can lead to cognitive overload, with learners unable to effectively process the rich information encountered in virtual space. In this study, we investigated the effect of communication modality on cognitive load and science inquiry learning in students completing a science inquiry curriculum in an educational MUVE. Seventy-eight undergraduate education majors from a large southwestern university participated in this control-treatment study. Significant positive results were found for reducing cognitive load for participants communicating through voice-based chat, although this reduction was not found to influence learning outcomes. We conclude that use of voice-based communication can successfully reduce cognitive load in MUVE-based inquiry curricula.     

Three-dimensional assessment of squats and drop jumps using the Microsoft Xbox One Kinect: Reliability and validity

The Microsoft Xbox One Kinect? (Kinect V2) contains a depth camera that can be used to manually identify anatomical landmark positions in three-dimensions independent of the standard skeletal tracking, and therefore has potential for low-cost, time-efficient three-dimensional movement analysis (3DMA). This study examined inter-session reliability and concurrent validity of the Kinect V2 for the assessment of coronal and sagittal plane kinematics for the trunk, hip and knee during single leg squats (SLS) and drop vertical jumps (DVJ). Thirty young, healthy participants (age = 23 ± 5yrs, male/female = 15/15) performed a SLS and DVJ protocol that was recorded concurrently by the Kinect V2 and 3DMA during two sessions, one week apart. The Kinect V2 demonstrated good to excellent reliability for all SLS and DVJ variables (ICC ≥ 0.73). Concurrent validity ranged from poor to excellent (ICC = 0.02 to 0.98) during the SLS task, although trunk, hip and knee flexion and two-dimensional measures of knee abduction and frontal plane projection angle all demonstrated good to excellent validity (ICC ≥ 0.80). Concurrent validity for the DVJ task was typically worse, with only two variables exceeding ICC = 0.75 (trunk and hip flexion). These findings indicate that the Kinect V2 may have potential for large-scale screening for ACL injury risk, however future prospective research is required.     

Carnival supporters,hooligans, and the ‘Against Modern Football’ movement: life within the ultras subculture in the Croatian context

Abstract

This paper is based on sociological research on Torcida, football supporters of Hajduk Football Club from Split (Croatia). We used ethnographic methodology throughout 37 months of fieldwork (from July 2012 to August 2015) and conducted 23 in-depth interviews with hardcore members of Torcida. Although our research included the distinction between carnival supporters and hooligans, these elements are much more interconnected within the hard core of Torcida than they are separate. Because of various social efforts (sometimes coordinated with other Ultras groups) against the local and global football establishment – especially against the Croatian Football Federation and UEFA – we consider Torcida part of a wide, heterogeneous social movement against modern football. This corresponds to the self-reflection and self-perception of the core group of Torcida. Ultras subculture in the Croatian context represents a key (although not the only) social actor in bearing the AMF movement.     

Adventure education as aesthetic experience

This study is an investigation of what happens to participants during their adventure education (AE) experiences and the meanings they ascribe to those experiences. These topics were explored through the qualitative framework of educational connoisseurship and criticism at three sites: a backpacking expedition, a challenge course and a multi-activity adventure programme. Through 183 hours of observation and 74 interviews with 41 participants, the qualities of AE as aesthetic experience were revealed. This conception of AE experience is characterised through sensory encounters, full attention and aesthetic paradox. Findings are supported with the voices of participants, and the significance of this conception of AE experience is discussed.     

I CARE: Development and Evaluation of a Campus Gatekeeper Training Program for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention

Addressing the need for suicide prevention on campus, I CARE training, developed and facilitated by counseling center clinicians, trains students, staff, and faculty to provide support to students experiencing distress or mental health problems. We assessed its impact using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analyses demonstrated significant increases in knowledge of intervention skills and readiness to intervene from pretraining to posttraining. Knowledge and readiness remained significantly higher than preworkshop for the entire follow-up evaluation period, extending 15 months posttraining. Qualitative analyses revealed the value of experiential activities and emotional processing in increasing participants’ comfort and preparedness to intervene in challenging situations.     

Simultaneous temporal and spatial processing

Rats searched for food that was contingent on time and place in an open field. One location was active at a time, the active location moved in a clockwise direction after each reward, and each location was repeated several times on each daily session. When a location was active, the first response after a fixed interval produced food. The intervals associated with each of the four locations were consistently 60, 30, 30, and 60 sec. For independent groups, inspecting an inactive location had no consequence (n = 7) or reduced the amount of food delivered at the active location (n = 6). The rates of inspecting active and inactive locations increased before the associated intervals elapsed, with preferential responding at the active locations. Rates of anticipation at active locations failed to superimpose when plotted as a function of proportional time. Simultaneous temporal and spatial processing contributed to the failure of proportional timing.     

Might progress assessments hinder equitable progress? Evidence from England

Prior research has highlighted the importance of educational achievement throughout school in predicting subsequent progression to higher education in England. However, progress assessments may not only demonstrate students’ prior academic achievement but also influence their future achievement. I compare students who have received different grades on one such assessment, despite performing almost identically, to see whether grade labels influence their progress to post-compulsory education. Further, I investigate whether any impact differs according to socio-economic status. Results indicate that grade labels received in eighth grade influence students’ performance in school-leaving exams and enrollment in post-compulsory schooling. For lower socio-economic students, this impact is higher than for other students and extends to university enrollment.