Fair Game: Using Simulators to Change Likelihood of Distracted Driving at the Minnesota State Fair

Distracted driving is a problem on U.S. roadways. Strategic campaigns have tried to curb this behavior with varying success. Researchers are examining how distracted-driving simulators might be useful in helping to combat this epidemic. Participants (N = 193) took part in a pretest/posttest, between-subjects field experiment where they were randomly assigned to one of five video game driving simulation scenarios (e.g., texting/talking/two combo conditions/distraction-free). Results indicated that participants texting during simulation committed more crashes, fog line crossings, and speed infractions than those talking and those who were not distracted. Further, results indicated that the simulation experience led to reports of being less likely to drive distracted in the future.     

Pathways linking perceived athletic competence and parental support at age 9 years to girls' physical activity at age 11 years

Girls' perceived athletic competence and parental support of physical activity across the ages of 9 to 11 years were examined as predictors of girls' physical activity at age 11 years. Participants were 174 girls and their mothers and fathers who completed questionnaires when the girls were ages 9 and 11 years. Two alternative temporal pathways linking perceived competence, parental support, and physical activity were assessed using path analysis. Results provided evidence for the child elicitation pathway; higher perceived competence at the age of 9 years predicted higher parental support at age 11 years, which, in turn, predicted higher physical activity among girls. Findings highlight the importance of encouraging parents to make a special effort to support physical activity among girls who do not perceive themselves as being athletically competent.     

Infusing an inter‐professional and inter‐university perspective into healthcare education

A national (USA) student‐led, case‐based CLinician/Administrator Relationship Improvement OrganizatioN (CLARION) competition focuses students in medical and related healthcare programs on the provision of healthcare that is safe, timely, equitable, patient‐centred, effective and efficient. Students work in four‐person, inter‐professional teams to research and analyse a designated case. They then present their findings and recommendations to a panel of independent judges. Students, with support from their faculty advisors, approach the case as they see fit. Following initial participation in this CLARION competition, an inter‐professional team of students from two universities and their advisory faculty developed a two‐semester, pre‐competition course as a model to facilitate transformation in healthcare education. The course is theoretical, empirical and practical. It has multiple levels of learning and is designed to mentor students, develop faculty, measure learning outcomes and stimulate administrators in higher education to think creatively about curriculum development across disciplines. This integrated and inter‐professional approach is pivotal in healthcare education to ensure students learn safe and evidence‐based clinical practice that meets the highest standards for quality care.     

Use of the Teacher Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with German and American Preschoolers

Research Findings: The present study evaluated the utility of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as a teacher-report measure of internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool-age children. Participants included preschoolers drawn from Germany and the United States, with the American sample composed of both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children. In some respects the SDQ demonstrated adequate reliability and validity across these 3 culturally and linguistically divergent samples, but some problems were noted with the internal consistency of the subscales and the clinical cutoff scores. Practice or Policy: The findings generally support the potential usefulness of the SDQ as a psychopathology screening instrument within culturally and linguistically diverse preschool settings. However, normative studies need to be conducted with preschool samples so that the SDQ cutoff scores used to identify clinically significant emotional and behavioral problems can be appropriately adjusted for age, gender, and culture.     

Grandparents and grandchildren: The relationship between self‐ disclosure and solidarity in an intergenerational relationship

Past research has found a linear relationship between dimensions of self‐reported self‐disclosure and solidarity when a “target” individual is identified. The present study sought to further investigate the relationship between dimensions of self‐disclosure and perceived interpersonal solidarity within an intergenerational relationship, and specifically, the grandparent‐grandchild dyad. Results supported a significant and positive relationship between the dimensions of intent, depth, honesty, and solidarity for grandparents; amount, depth, honesty, and solidarity for grandchildren. Implications of these results are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.     

Linking communication motives to loneliness in the lives of older adults: An empirical test of interpersonal needs and gratifications

Utilizing the interpersonal needs and gratifications perspective as the framework for this investigation, two studies investigated the link between interpersonal communication motives and the development of loneliness in the lives of older adults. Results suggest that (a) the interpersonal communication motives are a viable construct to be studied within this target population, (b) a significant relationship does exist between interpersonal communication motives (escape, pleasure, relaxation, cntrol, affection, and inclusion) and feelings of loneliness, and (c) communication is a significant factor in the development of loneliness within the lives of older adults. Implications of these results are discussed, and suggestions for future research are proposed.     

The Effects of Grade Level,Type of Motion,Cueing Strategy,Pictorial Complexity,and Color on Children's Interpretation of Implied Motion in Pictures

The ability of kindergarten and 3rd-grade children to accurately interpret implied motion in pictures was examined. Sixty-four children responded to pictures from experimental conditions that varied type of motion, cueing strategy, pictorial complexity, and color. The 3rd-grade children were more adept at identifying implied motion than the kindergarten children, the postural motion condition was more effective than the flow-line condition in conveying motion, and cues and relevant pictorial background information increased accuracy of interpretation.     

Archaeology in the classroom: An intra-university continuing education workshop for K-12 teachers

In this article the authors describe an innovative program in continuing education for teachers at the University of Georgia. The program, developed by the Museum of Natural History, the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, and the Department of Anthropology within the university and an independent research institute, offered teachers an opportunity to do archaeological field work as they learned about new discoveries in archaeology and Native American history and culture. The workshop design incorporated principles of adult and experiential learning. With the help of the workshop leaders, teachers developed their own materials for presenting integrated thematic units in their classrooms. Teachers responded enthusiastically to the workshops in a two-stage evaluation process. The authors conclude that intrauniversity cooperation is necessary if teachers are to benefit from all the resources of the university.Jacqueline J. Saindon obtained her M.A. in Anthropology at Hunter College, CUNY. She is Associate Director of the Multicultural Population and Resources Project at Georgia State University. Her special area of interest is in developing continuing education workshops and curriculum for teachers on anthropology, archaeology and ecology. Carol M. Downs obtained her M.A. and Ed.D. in Adult Education, and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, at the University of Georgia. She is Program Director of the Office of Continuing Education and Public Service at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her special area of interest includes continuing education in the arts, humanities, education and historic preservation.     

Self‐assessment and the disadvantaged student: potential for encouraging self‐regulated learning?

The Science Foundation Programme (SFP) at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg attempts to address past educational inequalities by providing disadvantaged matriculants with the skills, resources and self‐confidence needed to embark on their tertiary studies. Students entering the Programme typically adopt a surface approach to learning with emphasis being placed on high score achievement which results in a mark‐driven attitude towards assessment. Students also lack the metacognitive skills associated with a deep approach to learning. Within this mark‐driven culture, it is important to attempt to move students away from such a superficial approach to learning and assessment. Worldwide, self‐assessment practice has been gaining recognition, and it has been linked to the adoption of a deep approach to learning; self‐regulated learning and the development of metacognitive skills. In the biology module of the Programme, students are given two essay assignments, tasks that are routinely performed very poorly. In attempt to improve SFP students’ essay writing abilities, a self‐assessment scheme to accompany the essay tasks was instituted, hoping that this would get the students to engage with the assessment criteria. It was intended that students would not only fulfil the requirements of the task better, but also achieve the valuable skill of self‐assessment. The results provide overwhelming evidence that SFP students cannot accurately self‐assess. Their naivety and inexperience in fulfilling assessment criteria was also revealed. Overall, marks awarded by staff were significantly lower than those awarded by students, and there was no evidence to suggest that any one category of students based on academic ability were better able to self‐assess than another. Marker inconsistencies were revealed, but this was shown to have no effect on findings. In spite of these results, a case for pursuing self‐assessment is made and proposals for improving student self‐assessment practice in the SFP are suggested.