Supplied visuals and imagery instructions in field independent and field dependent children’s recall

Does showing children pictures that depict a story help them recall story content? Is having them form mental pictures of the story more effective? Is it better to show the pictures or give instructions to form mental images before or after the children hear the story? Do field independent and field dependent children respond differently? This study involving sixth graders found that imaging was the most effective method of instruction, regardless of whether instructions to image came before or after the listening period.     

Faculty at Mid-Career: A Program to Enhance Teaching and Learning

While the number of mid-career faculty currently in U.S. higher education is significant, professional development programming that addresses the teaching and learning issues of this population has not been a priority. This article describes the Mid-Career Teaching Program (MCTP) and presents data that assesses its impact on participants' professional and personal lives. Survey and interview results indicate positive changes in teaching behaviors and knowledge as well as an increase in teaching satisfaction and confidence. Faculty also reported that MCTP renewed their energy and enthusiasm and positively impacted their life outside of the academy.     

University students vary their use of textese in digital messages to suit the recipient

Background

The casual, abbreviated writing style sometimes known as ‘textese’ (e.g., sorry im late ?) has become widespread with the rise of digital communication. We explored Australian university students' views on, and use of, textese across three modalities (text message, Facebook post, email) and three recipient types (friends, peers, lecturers).

Methods

In Study 1, 51 undergraduates composed messages across the three modalities to the three recipient types. They also rated the appropriateness of messages written with high, medium and no textese, across modality and recipient types. In Study 2, 37 additional students provided examples of their own sent messages across modalities and recipients.

Results

Overall, participants rated textese use as more appropriate, and used significantly more textese, in messages to friends, than to peers, than to lecturers.

Conclusions

Undergraduates are sensitive to when and where it is appropriate to use textese and vary their use (and opinions) of written language as a function of the recipient.

     

Direct and indirect calorimetry of lactate oxidation: implications for whole-body energy expenditure

Whole-body energy expenditure for heavy/severe exercise is currently accounted for by either: (1) anaerobic and oxygen uptake measures during exercise where recovery energy expenditure is omitted; or (2) oxygen uptake during, and an EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), measure following exercise where substrate level phosphorylation during exercise is considered part of EPOC. Simultaneous direct/indirect calorimetry enabled us to determine if a thermodynamic reversal (i.e. heat consumption) takes place as the highly exothermic pyruvate to lactate reaction proceeds in the opposite direction. Reversibility implies that oxygen uptake (e.g. EPOC) can indeed account for rapid glycolytic ATP production regardless if lactate is formed or not (e.g. 1.2 g glucose catabolism = 20.9 kJ x l O2(-1)). Cultured hybrid cells and mouse cardiac muscle fibres were utilized in simultaneous calorimetry and respirometry experiments where pyruvate or lactate was predominantly oxidized. The calorimetric to respiratory ratio was determined using heat flux (pW x cell(-1)) and oxygen flux (pmol x s(-1) cell(-1)) measures. Ten cell experiments gave calorimetric to respiratory ratios that showed no statistical difference (P= 0.97) whether cells respired predominantly on lactate (-516+/-53 kJ x mol O2(-1)) or pyruvate (- 517+/-89 kJ x mol O2(-1)). In three cardiac preparations, the calorimetric to respiratory ratio was -502+/-15 kJ x mol O2(-1) for lactate and -506+/-47 kJ x mol O2(-1) for pyruvate, again a non-significant difference (P= 0.91). Heat consumption did not occur during lactate oxidation. These results suggest that rapid glycolytic ATP and lactate production, and lactate oxidation, are both independently associated with heat production and thus represent separate and additive components to the measurement of total energy expenditure for exercise and recovery.     

Who succeeds? II. Perceptions of graduates and inactive students of a nontraditional bachelor of arts degree program

A questionnaire was returned by 241 (79%) graduates and 75 (31%) of the inactive students of a nontraditional BA degree program. A profile of each type of adult learner was presented and differences between the profiles in age and ethnic affiliation are discussed. The two groups did not differ in primary reason for seeking a degree or a nontraditional program, but graduates gave more reasons in each case. Graduates were more likely to perceive dispositional, communication, and program variables as assets. Inactive students were more likely to perceive time to study and cost of courses as problems. Results are compared to the concept of educational barriers.Dr. Losty is Associate Dean of the Faculty at Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri. She has served as Associate Director and Director of Stephens College Without Walls. Ms. Kreilick is a graduate of Stephens College.     

AV Production activities in school systems

Educational technology research and development -     

Computer-aided publishing and open learning materials

The authors discuss the potential impact of computer-aided publishing hardware and software on the production of distance education and self-instructional study material. They compare the capabilities of computer-aided publishing systems with those of other equipment. General typographic design criteria are raised.
The implications of the availability of computer-aided publishing systems are then discussed in relation to the production of printed learning materials. Computer-aided publishing systems have benefits in revealing instructional design strategies, aiding development and revision, and in the production and incorporation of graphics. However, an ability to operate the software does not guarantee the production of high quality printed materials. The knowledge and skills of the graphic designer are as necessary as ever.     

A Comparison of the Expressive Language Opportunities Provided by Shared Book Reading and Facilitated Play for Young Children with Mild to Moderate Intellectual Disabilities

ABSTRACT In this study, which aimed to compare the expressive language opportunities provided by shared book reading and facilitated play, the language of 22 young children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and delayed language was examined. The children were videotaped while interacting with a facilitator during a session that included both book reading and play. Two different protocols were used to analyse the children's language in both conditions. The first protocol was used to document the number of intelligible, unintelligible and inaudible utterances and the second protocol was used to examine the intelligible utterances in relation to their complexity and function. The findings indicated that shared book reading elicited more language, more intelligible language and more complex language than the facilitated play condition. Results also suggested that shared book reading allowed for more conversational interaction between the children and the facilitators. The indications are that shared book reading may provide better opportunities than facilitated play for collecting a representative language sample from young children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities.     

Childbirth educators, doulas, nurses, and women respond to the six care practices for normal birth

This collection of commentaries by childbirth educators, doulas, a labor and delivery nurse, and a woman preparing for the birth of her second baby provide an overall response to all six of Lamaze International's care practice papers that promote normal birth: Labor Begins on Its Own; Freedom of Movement throughout Labor; Continuous Labor Support; No Routine Interventions; Non-Supine (e.g., Upright or Side-Lying) Positions for Birth; and No Separation of Mother and Baby with Unlimited Opportunity for Breastfeeding. Strategies for using the position papers to facilitate learning in childbirth classes and for helping expectant parents access and understand research are presented. The commentaries describe the value of the position papers as a catalyst for professional growth, a foundation for creating change, a way to encourage reflection among professionals and women planning for the births of their babies, and an inspiration for everyone who advocates normal birth.