Designing for 21st century learning online: a heuristic method to enable educator learning support roles

With the growing emphasis on developing 21st century skills among today’s youth, there is continued optimism about the possibilities granted by increasing access to networked technologies, particularly for encouraging youth to pursue their interests and take ownership of their learning. Yet, research demonstrates the importance of adult support in realizing the promise of achieving these outcomes. Designers of such systems are thus faced with the need to create youth-centered spaces that also provide adult facilitation of learning. This paper presents an adaptation of the traditional heuristic evaluation method which provides designers of online learning systems with a holistic view of how adult learning support is enabled across the system. We describe how the heuristic evaluation method was adapted, and through a case example analyzing one online social learning system used in a middle school context, we demonstrate how it can be used to help identify areas for improvement and promising areas for further research. We also present a framework of heuristics which reflect specific educator learning support roles that have been found to be important for youth learning, particularly for supporting 21st century skills. This work contributes a novel heuristic evaluation method that can help designers of online learning platforms attend not only the experiences of learners, but also to how educators are enabled to support their learning.     

Environmental education in southern Africa: a case study of a secondary school in the Okavango Delta of Botswana

This study explored the extent to which teachers integrate environmental education and local environmental knowledge into the curriculum of a secondary school in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. In doing so, the study explored the potential value of place-based education in redressing concerns brought to light in postcolonial critiques of education in southern Africa. The study found that teachers sought to integrate environmental education into the curriculum through lessons that included references to local place names and local flora and fauna, lessons addressing issues related to environmental resource management in the region, and the acknowledgment and celebration of traditional lifestyle activities in the schools. The study also found that efforts to integrate environmental education into the curriculum were limited by a lack of educational resources needed to support these endeavors as well as a lack of adequate teacher training promoting this educational goal. The results also illustrate the potential value of place-based education in redressing the legacy of southern Africa’s colonial past in schools in Botswana and southern Africa.     

Lower limb muscle strength and physical activity in healthy individuals approaching retirement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine knee extensor/flexor muscle strength and physical activity in healthy males and females approaching retirement. Peak torques of the knee extensor and knee flexor muscle groups were measured bilaterally in 95 individuals (mean age 59.4 years) using an isokinetic dynamometer. Isokinetic concentric contractions were performed at angular velocities of 1.05 and 3.14 rad · s^?1. Physical activity, including household, leisure, and sporting activities, was assessed. The results show that the average peak torques exhibited were lower than previously reported in studies using the same methodology with different populations of similar age and body size. Over one-third of the participants were sedentary, with just 13% being active enough to obtain health benefits. The poor muscle strength and low physical activity of this self selecting group of healthy working adults were surprising, and potentially a cause for concern. The combination of retirement being a potential watershed for a decrease in physical activity and the known age-related decline in physical performance indicates that some of these participants are at risk of losing their functional independence fairly early in the retirement stage. We recommend the introduction of effective health promotion interventions for individuals approaching retirement, encouraging them to become more physically active.     

Tennis

The study investigated differences in the one‐ (SH) and two‐handed (DH) backhands when hit flat, across‐court (AC) and down‐the‐line (DL), and with heavy topspin DL (TDL). The ability to disguise each of these backhands when hitting the above strokes was also assessed. Eighteen college‐level male tennis players, identified as having a high performance topspin SH (n = 6) or DH (n = 12) backhand drive, participated in the study. Players were required to hit three AC, DL and TDL backhands from the baseline with their preferred technique, while being filmed with two high‐speed video cameras operating at 200 Hz. The highest horizontal velocity backhand for each stroke was analysed. Results indicated that the sequential coordination of five body segments (hips, shoulder, upper arm, forearm, and hand/racquet rotations) was required for the execution of the SH stroke. The same number of segments were generally coordinated in the DH stroke (hips, shoulders, and varying degrees of upper arm and forearm rotations followed by hand/racquet movement). Mature players produced comparable racquet horizontal velocities 0.005 s prior to impact using either the SH or DH backhand technique. The SH backhand was characterised by a more rotated shoulder alignment than the DH stroke (SH: 119.1°; DH: 83.4°) at the completion of the backswing. At impact the ball was impacted further in front (SH: 0.59 m; DH: 0.40 m) and a similar distance to the side of the body (SH: 0.75 m; DH: 0.70 m). Players using the DH backhand technique delayed the horizontal acceleration of the racquet towards the ball (SH: 0.13 s; DH: 0.08 s prior to impact) and thus were capable of displaying a similar hitting motion closer to impact than players with a SH technique.     

The development, validation, and applicability of The Personnel Evaluation Standards

Michigan State UniversityAir Force Human Resources Laboratory     

The Nonreciprocating Robot: Effects on Verbal Discourse, Social Play, and Social Referencing at Two Years of Age

2-year-old children interacted with a robot in a large playroom while their mother sat quietly in the corner. Identical vocalizations from the robot had very different effects on 3 dimensions of the children's behavior when the vocalizations were embedded in reciprocating and nonreciprocating social structures. The reciprocating robot produced (1) more topic-maintaining verbal dialogue, (2) less physical and more linguistically mediated social play, and (3) gender-specific effects on the children's tendency to visually reference their mother during the play session. The data are discussed with reference to the frequently encountered assumption that reciprocal social structures have an impact on children's behavior when the quantity and other qualitative dimensions of social stimulation are held constant, and with reference to the children's attributions about the robot as a social partner.     

Oregon's contribution to career information delivery, 1972–1987

Summary What was only an idea 15 years ago is now accepted practice and an essential component of career guidance programs. Quality information, flexible delivery systems, and active user services are fundamental components of systematic career information development, delivery, and use. In Oregon, a consortium management structure has made it possible for the Career Information System to serve a varied user base.The future lies in the same general directions. There are still millions of people who need but do not have ready access to useful career information. On the other hand, coordinated data is increasingly available; lower cost and more user-oriented information media are making computerized career information systems feasible for more organizations; and there is increasing evidence that user-controlled organizations such as the career information consortium are effective in helping agencies and institutions provide the career information that people need.Bruce McKinlay is Executive Director, Career Information System, University of Oregon.     

Spelling errors and reading fluency in compensated adult dyslexics

Generally, a person who is diagnosed as dyslexic remains diagnosably dyslexic all his/her life. However, occasionally, an individual compensates for his/her difficulties in some way, and by adulthood is no longer diagnosably dyslexic. In what ways are these compensated dyslexics different from both dyslexics and nondyslexics? We compared IQ, achievement test, and spelling error scores in adult dyslexics, adult nondyslexics, and adult compensated dyslexics (N=25) in the two studies reported here. The second study differed from the first in that the subjects were matched for age, education, IQ, and SES. In both studies, compensateds were significantly different from nondyslexics on the WRAT Spelling subtest and Reading Quotient scores. In the second study the compensateds differed from the nondyslexics in total raw score and average reading speed on Gray Oral Reading Test. On the other hand, they were different from dyslexics on all reading and spelling variables in both studies, except for PIAT Reading Comprehension in Study 2. Finally, in Study 2, the compensateds were different from both dyslexics and nondyslexics in average reading speed. In conclusion, it appears that compensation does not result from differences in IQ, education, or SES, though it may be influenced to some extent by sex. Compensateds appear very similar to nondyslexics in their reading and spelling skills; however, there appears to be a difference in the automaticity with which they apply these skills.