Dog ownership, dog walking, and children's and parents' physical activity

This study aimed to determine cross-sectional associations of dog ownership, dog walking, and physical activity (PA) among children and their parents. Objective measures of PA were obtained for children ages 5-6 and 10-12 years from 19 primary schools across Melbourne, Australia. Parents self-reported their PA, dog ownership, and frequency of dog walking: 53% of families owned a dog, 41% of children who owned a dog did not walk their dog at all, and 32% reported never or rarely walking their dog as a family. Dog ownership was associated with an additional 29 min/day in PA among younger girls, and 70 and 59 min/week more in PA among mothers of younger boys and older girls, respectively. Among mothers of older girls, dog owners were 1.6 times as likely to meet PA guidelines. Mothers with older boys and girls, and fathers with younger boys, who reported walking the dog regularly as a family, spent more time in PA (105, 90, and 158 more min/week, respectively). Promoting dog ownership and dog walking among children and as a family are potential strategies for increasing PA participation in some families.     

Using compositional data analysis to explore accumulation of sedentary behavior,physical activity and youth health

Purpose:The study aimed to describe youth time-use compositions,focusing on time spent in shorter and longer bouts of sedentary behavior and physical activity(PA),and to examine associations of these time-use compositions with cardiometabolic biomarkers.Methods:Accelerometer and cardiometabolic biomarker data from 2 Australian studies involving youths 7-13 years old were pooled(complete cases with accelerometry and adiposity marker data,n=782).A 9-component time-use composition was formed using compositional data analysis:time in shorter and longer bouts of sedentary behavior;time in shorter and longer bouts of light-,moderate-,or vigorous-intensity PA;and"other time"(i.e.,non-wear/sleep).Shorter and longer bouts of sedentary time were defined as<5 min and>5 min,respectively.Shorter bouts of light-,moderate-,and vigorous-intensity PA were defined as<1 min;longer bouts were defined as≥1 min.Regression models examined associations between overall time-use composition and cardiometabolic biomarkers.Then,associations were derived between ratios of longer activity patterns relative to shorter activity patterns,and of each intensity level relative to the other intensity levels and"other time",and cardiometabolic biomarkers.Results:Confounder-adjusted models showed that the overall time-use composition was associated with adiposity,blood pressure,lipids,and the summary score.Specifically,more time in longer bouts of light-intensity PA relative to shorter bouts of light-intensity PA was significantly associated with greater body mass index z-score(zBMI)(β=1.79;SE=0.68)and waist circumference(β=18.35,SE=4.78).When each activity intensity was considered relative to all higher intensities and"other time",more time in light-and vigorous-intensity PA,and less time in sedentary behavior and moderate-intensity PA,were associated with lower waist circumference.Conclusion:Accumulating PA,particularly light-intensity PA,in frequent short bursts may be more beneficial for limiting adiposity compared to accumulating the same amount of PA at these intensities in longer bouts.     

Academic Integrity in Electronic Universities of the New Millennium: a Practitioner's Perspective

Drawing upon its experience as a pioneer of open and distance learning in the management education field, the Open University Business School of the United Kingdom has now extended its system of student communication and support to include the use of computer‐mediated conferencing as a mass teaching tool. After outlining the method of supported open learning practiced by this Business School, the article describes the use of computer‐mediated conferencing in the graduate entry course to the MBA programme, a course that attracts some 1,500 managers each year from across Europe. The article then summarizes two years of student evaluation of their use of computer‐mediated conferencing as a learning support medium. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of student reactions to computer‐mediated conferencing for the future effective use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in management education.     

Are parental concerns about children's inactivity warranted, and are they associated with a supportive home environment?

This paper explores parental concern about children's activity levels and whether parents who are concerned about their child's activity provide a supportive environment. A sample of 615 parents of 5-6-year-old children and 947 parents of 10-12-year-old children completed a questionnaire. Just over 50% of parents reported they were concerned their child was not getting enough activity. Children of concerned parents were less active than those whose parents were not concerned. These findings suggest that parents who are concerned about their child's physical activity levels provided a less supportive environment for physical activity than parents who are not concerned. The challenge for public health will be to harness parental concerns and translate them into action.     

THE 'OTHER' AS THE VULNERABLE VOTER: A STUDY OF THE THIRD-PERSON EFFECT IN THE 1988 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

The tendency for individuals to perceive a greater impact ofmedia messages on others than on the self, Davison (1983) argues,has led to a number of policy decisions in which éliteshave exercised control of mass media messages in order to ‘protect’vulnerable others. The third-person effect has been well-documentedin experimental research with little attention to its theoreticalunderpinnings, or its antecedents or consequences. This articleargues that the third-person effect can be understood throughattribution theory, especially through the concepts of self-servingbias and effectance motivation. Second, it demonstrates thatthe third-person effect is influenced by certain social structuralfactors, media use patterns, and perceived harm of content.Finally, while perceptions of harm are related to perceptionsof influence, influence does not play a role in predicting supportfor external control of media content, while perceived harmhas a significant impact.     

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a computer‐assisted reading intervention

Background

A cost‐effective method to address reading delays is to use computer‐assisted learning, but these techniques are not always effective.

Methods

We evaluated a commercially available computer system that uses visual mnemonics, in a randomised controlled trial with 78 English‐speaking children (mean age 7 years) who their schools identified as needing reading support. School‐based individual tutorials usually took place 2–3 times/week. Only the experimental group received the intervention in the first 10 months; thereafter, both the experimental and control groups received the intervention for 6 months.

Results

After 10 months, the experimental group had significantly higher standardised scores than the waiting list control group of decoding, phonological awareness, naming speed, phonological short‐term memory and executive loaded working memory.

Conclusions

The computer‐assisted intervention was effective, and this suggests that this medium can be used for reading interventions with English‐speaking children. What is already known about this topic

• There are comparatively few randomised controlled trial evaluations of computer‐based reading interventions.
• Meta‐analyses report small positive effect sizes for such interventions with English‐speaking children.
• The use of visual mnemonics to improve reading has rarely been investigated.

What this paper adds

• The findings suggest that computer‐based interventions for English‐speaking, struggling readers can be effective.
• The effects extended beyond the targeted abilities, and a longer intervention was more effective than a shorter one.
• Apart from spelling, the mean reading and reading related standardised scores for children at the end of the intervention were above or just below 100.

Implications for theory, policy or practice

• Computer‐based interventions can be used to support English‐speaking, struggling readers, and their effects can go beyond targeted abilities.
• The use of visual mnemonics and the development of the intervention programme over a number of years could have contributed to this success.
• The role of visual mnemonics as a help for struggling readers deserves further investigation.

     

Rationalizing teacher roles in developing and assessing physical literacy in children

PROSPECTS - Physical literacy serves as the foundation for several skills or attributes needed for lifelong physical activity participation. Based on its connection to physical activity, physical...     

Research Active Programme: A pilot inclusive research curriculum in higher education

Participation of people with disabilities in producing and using research is critical for monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Research Active Programme (RAP) is a module designed to build research capacity of students with intellectual disabilities. RAP was implemented over 11 weeks in 2 Irish universities. The mixed methods programme evaluation was completed from the students' perspectives, attending to curriculum content, pedagogical approach, the research knowledge and skills acquired by students. Twenty-five students completed interviews before and after engaging in RAP. Focus groups and quizzes were held after sessions to assess learning outcomes. Content analysis was used to interpret student perspectives. RAP was an effective approach for supporting students with intellectual disabilities to develop introductory research knowledge and skills; however, across the cohort, there were differences in demonstrated learning. Student expectations with respect to overall curriculum design, learning outcomes and delivery were reviewed. Specifically, learning outcomes, module delivery and assessment strategies were critiqued. Overall, the RAP curriculum supported research skill development in students. This module prepared people with intellectual disabilities to engage more fully as research partners in monitoring the implementation of the CRPD.