The impact of data reduction on the intra-trial reliability of a typical measure of lower limb musculoskeletal stiffness

Double-leg repeated jumping tasks are commonly used as measures of lower limb stiffness in exercise science research. Within similar stiffness calculations, variation in data-reduction criteria exists. The impact of these varied data-reduction methods on stiffness measures is unknown. Sixteen adolescent female participants from varied physical activity backgrounds performed 15 self-paced, bent-knee continuous jumps (CJb) on two force plates. Leg stiffness was calculated as the ratio of the peak force and the centre of mass displacement for each contact. Using combinations of criteria based on previous literature, 83 data-reduction methods were applied to the raw data. Data reduction suitability was assessed based on intra-trial reliability, the number of participants excluded and the average contacts excluded. Four data-reduction methods were deemed suitable for use with adolescent female populations, with three consecutive contacts within 1 SD of the average jump frequency considered optimal. The average individual stiffness values were not greatly influenced by the data-reduction method; however, for a single participant, a stiffness change of up to 6 kN · m^?1 (30%) was observed. The role and potential impact of data-reduction methods used to evaluate measures of lower limb stiffness during repeated jumping tasks warrants consideration.     

A Path to Designing Inquiry Activities in Mathematics

Abstract

This paper aims to illustrate a design cycle of inquiry-based mathematics activities. We highlight a series of questions that we use when creating inquiry-based materials, testing and evaluating those materials, and revising the materials following this evaluation. These questions highlight the many decisions necessary to find just the right tasks for our students. Throughout the paper the use of multiple representations (graphical, numerical, symbolic, and narrative) and the distinction between facts, skills, methods, and conceptual understanding is explained and illustrated with examples. Additionally, we present evidence of student learning through excerpts from student journals and exam analysis.     

Measuring Pharmacy Student Attitudes Toward Prayer: The Student Prayer Attitude Scale (SPAS)

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to assess the attitude of student pharmacists toward prayer in general and in particular as it relates to their academic performance. To fulfill the study objective, faculty from seven colleges of pharmacy located at Christian universities collaboratively developed the Student Prayer Attitude Scale (SPAS). The items were used to assess the attitudes of student pharmacists toward prayer as well as the effects of prayer on personal lives and academic performance. Faculty investigators asked 1,563 students to complete the survey and received 677 valid responses. A principal components analysis with promax rotation was conducted and revealed a two-factor structure: (a) general attitude toward prayer and (b) specific attitude regarding the impact of prayer on academic performance. Analysis of variance was used to compare student responses by religious identity. Students identifying as atheist or agnostic were significantly different in their responses than students from theistic religions; however, the responses of students from various theistic religions were not significantly different from one another. Faculty concluded that SPAS is a reliable tool for measuring student attitudes toward prayer. The use of such a tool could help faculty tailor educational opportunities to allow pharmacy students to explore prayer more fully and be aware of its impact on the patients they serve.     

VO2 prediction and cardiorespiratory responses during underwater treadmill exercise

We compared cardiorespiratory responses to exercise on an underwater treadmill (UTM) and land treadmill (LTM) and derived an equation to estimate oxygen consumption (VO2) during UTM exercise. Fifty-five men and women completed one LTM and five UTM exercise sessions on separate days. The UTM sessions consisted of chest-deep immersion, with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% water-jet resistance. All session treadmill velocities increased every 3 min from 53.6 to 187.8 m x min(-1). Cardiorespiratory responses were similar between LTM and UTM when jet resistance for UTM was 50%. Using multiple regression analysis, weight-relative VO2 could be estimated as: VO2 (mLO2 c kg(-1) x min(-1)) = 0.19248 x height (cm) + 0.17422 x jet resistance (% max) + 0.14092 x velocity (m x min(-1)) -0.12794 x weight (kg)-27.82849, R2 = .82. Our data indicate that similar LTM and UTM cardiorespiratory responses are achievable, and we provide a reasonable estimate of UTM VO2.     

Curriculum-Dependent and Curriculum-Independent Factors in Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Science

In this nested mixed methods study I investigate factors influencing preservice elementary teachers’ adaptation of science curriculum materials to better support students’ engagement in science as inquiry. Analyses focus on two ‘reflective teaching assignments’ completed by 46 preservice elementary teachers in an undergraduate elementary science methods course in which they were asked to adapt existing science curriculum materials to plan and enact inquiry-based science lessons in elementary classrooms. Data analysis involved regression modeling of artifacts associated with these lessons, as well as in-depth, semester-long case studies of six of these preservice teachers. Results suggest that features of the existing science curriculum materials, including measures of how inquiry-based they were, have a relatively small influence on the preservice teachers’ curricular adaptations, while teacher-specific variables account for a much greater percentage of the variance. Evidence from the case studies illustrates the critical impact of the preservice teachers’ field placement contexts as an explanatory, teacher-specific factor in their curricular adaptations. These findings have important implications for science teacher educators and science curriculum developers, in terms of not only better understanding how preservice teachers engage with curriculum materials, but also how programmatic features of teacher education programs influence their ability to do so.