Towards Inquiry-Based Flipped Classroom Scenarios: a Design Heuristic and Principles for Lesson Planning

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education - The effectiveness of flipped classroom approaches can be improved by combining it with other pedagogical models such as inquiry-based...     

Adult Role Models: Feasibility,Acceptability, and Initial Outcomes for Sex Education

The authors present the feasibility and acceptability of a parent sexuality education program led by peer educators in community settings. They also report the results of an outcome evaluation with 71 parents who were randomized to the intervention or a control group and surveyed one month prior to and six months after the four-week intervention. The program was highly feasible and acceptable to participants, and the curriculum was implemented with a high level of fidelity and facilitator quality. Pilot data show promising outcomes for increasing parental knowledge, communication, and monitoring of their adolescent children.     

Unvarnished Documentation: A Dialogue Between Teacher and Parent in Understanding a Child's “Bad” Behavior

Teachers are often asked to fill out progress reports that include check marks indicating if a child has met certain criteria. While this document offers a superficial glance at knowing a child, it is often the only kind of “assessment” a parent receives. The authors, a daycare teacher and a parent of Rosa, “the mean girl” in the daycare, show how the teacher's daily, unvarnished observations of Rosa and her daycare peers are written and shared publicly in a way that not only helps Rosa's mother gain profound new understandings of her daughter but also helps create a trusting community.     

A prospective,randomized crossover study comparing direct inspection by light microscopy versus projected images for teaching of hematopathology to medical students

Instruction in hematopathology at Mayo Medical School has evolved from instructor‐guided direct inspection under the light microscope (laboratory method), to photomicrographs of glass slides with classroom projection (projection method). These methods have not been compared directly to date. Forty‐one second‐year medical students participated in this pilot study, a prospective, randomized, crossover study measuring educational performance during a hematology pathophysiology course. The students were randomized to one of two groups. All students received the same didactic lectures in the classroom and subsequent case‐based review of peripheral blood smears using either laboratory or projection methods, on day one with a crossover to the other method on day two. Pre‐ and post‐test examinations centered on morphology recognition measured educational performance on each day, followed by a questionnaire identifying the student's favored method. There was no significant difference in the pre‐test and post‐test scores between the two teaching methods (rank‐sum P = 0.43). Students overwhelmingly preferred the projection method and perceived it as superior (76%), although post‐test scores were not significantly different. Student's recommended method was split with 50% favoring the projection method, 43% favoring a combined approach, and 23% noting logistical challenges to the laboratory. In this study, the laboratory and projection method were equivalent in terms of educational performance for hematopathology among medicals students. A classroom‐based approach such as the projection method is favored, given the large class sizes in undergraduate medical education, as well as the ergonomic challenges and additional resources required for large group instruction in a laboratory setting. Anat Sci Educ 7: 130–134. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

A known group analysis validity study of the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education in US elementary and secondary schools

The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) provides educators with a tool for principal evaluation based on principal, teacher, and supervisor reports of principals’ learning-centered leadership. In this study, we conduct a known group analysis as part of a larger argument for the validity of the VAL-ED in US elementary and secondary schools. We asked superintendents to select the principals in their district who they believe in performance of their duties are in the top 20 % and the bottom 20 %. We ask how accurately VAL-ED scores can identify membership of the two known groups. Using a discriminant analysis, the VAL-ED places principals in the superintendent groups, on average, 70 % of the time for both elementary and secondary schools. Placement accuracy is greater for the top group than the bottom group.     

The National Standards Scene: NISO and related U.S. standards organizations

Those entering the world of publishing standards for the first time may find it a baffling alphabet soup—with NISO, ANSI, BISG, IEEE, NIST, and ANSC floating on a broth bubbling with activity. Jacob and Rings sort out the acronyms, explaining what each of these groups does and how they interact. Mary Ellen L. Jacob, vice president for library planning at OCLC, is responsible for strategic planning activities regarding libraries and library services. Mrs. Jacob is also the board chair of the National Information Standards Committee. Deborah L. Rings, information analyst for library planning at OCLC, is responsible for identifying trends and factors relative to the library and information science areas, and for assessing their impact and potential impact on OCLC and its strategic planning processes.     

Regulation of professional sport in a changing broadcasting environment: Australian club and sport broadcaster perspectives

Broadcasting is undergoing massive changes with technology introducing new delivery opportunities and thereby more broadcasters into the equation. Emerging technology in the sport broadcasting environment is complicated by the existing league and broadcasting regulations. League-based regulations impact on income distribution and product distribution, while broadcasting regulations, largely imposed by the elected Federal Government of the day, are enacted to ensure that commercial and public interests are being supported. Introducing a stakeholder interest-based approach, the regulation affecting professional sport clubs and broadcasters was examined in order to identify how they would respond to the regulation imposed on them in the emerging broadcasting environment.In depth interviewing of senior managers of Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) clubs as well as sport broadcasters was undertaken with the data analysed, and emergent themes recorded. Results indicate that league, broadcaster and government regulations impact on the clubs and broadcasters in a variety of ways, with clubs facing regulation from the league and the broadcasters, while the broadcasters and league face regulation from the government legislation enacted. The results indicate that these organisations need to be aware of the conditions that arise from the existing and emerging broadcast regulatory environment in order to better understand and respond to it.