Reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy for determining muscle oxygen saturation during exercise

Near-infrared spectroscopy is currently used to assess changes in the oxygen saturation of the muscle during exercise. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy in determining muscle oxygen saturation (StO2) in the vastus lateralis during cycling and the gastrocnemius during running for exercise intensities at lactate threshold and maximal effort. Test-retest reliability was determined from an intraclass correlation coefficient obtained from a one-way analysis of variance. Reliability of muscle StO2 for the gastrocnemius at lactate threshold was R = .87, and R = .88 at maximal effort. Reliability of muscle StO2 for the vastus lateralis at lactate threshold was R = .94 and R = .99 at maximal effort.     

How communication context impacts judgments of a potential peer mentor

Disclosure is a critical element of interpersonal relationships and individuals are often evaluated on what they share with others, whether in personal, professional, or learning contexts. Technology now allows for many different outlets for communicating with other people. We used experimental methods to explore the impact of communication medium (i.e. print diary, online diary, blog, or email) on psychosocial perceptions of a potential peer mentor. Female participants gave more positive mentor ratings on likeability, likeliness to disclose to the mentor, and perceived closeness than did males, but not on judgments of the mentor’s privacy. Participants judged the mentor to be more private when they viewed the print diary than in the online conditions and when reading the online diary than the blog (the least private condition). We also found that women were more likely to reciprocate disclosure when they viewed disclosures in the print condition than in the blog.     

Understanding gaps in research networks: using “spatial reasoning” as a window into the importance of networked educational research

This paper finds its origins in a multidisciplinary research group’s efforts to assemble a review of research in order to better appreciate how “spatial reasoning” is understood and investigated across academic disciplines. We first collaborated to create a historical map of the development of spatial reasoning across key disciplines over the last century. The map informed the structure of our citation search and oriented an examination of connection across disciplines. Next, we undertook a network analysis that was based on highly cited articles in a broad range of domains. Several connection gaps—that is, apparent blockages, one-way flows, and other limitations on communications among disciplines—were identified in our network analysis, and it was apparent that these connection gaps may be frustrating efforts to understand the conceptual complexity and the educational significance of spatial reasoning. While these gaps occur between the academic disciplines that we evaluated, we selected a few examples for closer analysis. To illustrate how this lack of flow can limit development of the field of mathematics education, we selected cases where it is evident that researchers in mathematics education are not incorporating the important work of mathematicians, psychologists, and neuroscientists—and vice versa. Ultimately, we argue, a more pronounced emphasis on transdisciplinary (versus multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary) research might be timely, and perhaps even necessary, in the evolution of educational research.     

How Should Colleges Treat Multiple Admissions Test Scores?

The percentage of students retaking college admissions tests is rising. Researchers and college admissions offices currently use a variety of methods for summarizing these multiple scores. Testing organizations such as ACT and the College Board, interested in validity evidence like correlations with first‐year grade point average (FYGPA), often use the most recent test score available. In contrast, institutions report using a variety of composite scoring methods for applicants with multiple test records, including averaging and taking the maximum subtest score across test occasions (“superscoring”). We compare four scoring methods on two criteria. First, we compare correlations between scores and FYGPA by scoring method. We find them similar (). Second, we compare the extent to which test scores differentially predict FYGPA by scoring method and number of retakes. We find that retakes account for additional variance beyond standardized achievement and positively predict FYGPA across all scoring methods. Superscoring minimizes this differential prediction—although it may seem that superscoring should inflate scores across retakes, this inflation is “true” in that it accounts for the positive effects of retaking for predicting FYGPA. Future research should identity factors related to retesting and consider how they should be used in college admissions.     

A scaffolding framework to support the construction of evidence-based arguments among middle school students

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach in which students in small groups engage in an authentic, ill-structured problem, and must (1) define, generate and pursue learning issues to understand the problem, (2) develop a possible solution, (3) provide evidence to support their solution, and (4) present their solution and the evidence that supports it (Barrows, How to design a problem-based curriculum for the preclinical years. Springer Publishing, New York, 1985). However, research has shown that novice problem-solvers and learners without deep content knowledge have difficulty developing strong evidence-based arguments (Krajcik et al., J Learn Sci 7:313–350, 1998a; Reiser, J Lear Sci 13(3):273–304, 2004). In this paper, we discuss the components of (e.g., claims and evidence) and processes of making (e.g., define problem and make claim) evidence-based arguments. Furthermore, we review various scaffolding models designed to help students perform various tasks associated with creating evidence-based arguments (e.g., link claims to evidence) and present guidelines for the development of computer-based scaffolds to help middle school students build evidence-based arguments.

Examining the hard,peer, and teacher scaffolding framework in inquiry-based technology-enhanced learning environments: impact on academic achievement and group performance

Educational technology research and development - The purpose of this study was to examine how students’ academic achievement and group performance related to their perceptions of the...     

Inquiry learning behaviors captured through screencasts in problem-based learning

This study examined the types of learning behaviors students demonstrated while performing inquiry tasks. It also explored the relationship between the learning behaviors and students’ domain knowledge. We observed fourteen students in five groups during a ninth-grade biology course. Three types of learning behaviors (inquiry, collaborative, and minimally productive behaviors) were identified and time on each type was measured. The results suggest that students demonstrated different patterns according to the types of learning behaviors. Correlation analysis revealed that learning outcomes had a strong positive correlation with the inquiry behaviors but a strong negative correlation with the minimally productive behaviors. The results suggest that attention should be paid to facilitate the more meaningful inquiry behaviors while reducing minimally productive behaviors.     

White Counseling Supervisees’ Experiences Working with Latino Youth: A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of White counseling students who facilitated a group intervention with Latino adolescents. A phenomenological approach revealed several challenges experienced by the counselors in working across race and culture. Two major themes that emerged from the analysis included counselors’ lack of cultural knowledge and the presence of White racial bias. These experiences engendered the counselors’ self-doubt regarding their abilities to work effectively across culture. Suggestions for training and supporting future professionals in work across race and ethnicity are included, with examples of supervisory responses to learner’s biased statements.     

Assessment of technical aspects of WISC-R administration

The present study evaluated the technical aspects of three WISC-R administrations of five psychology graduate students using the WISC-R Administration Observational Checklist (WAOC). The observations also were used as a means of evaluating interrater agreement on the WAOC. Based on a total of 15 observations of two raters, Cohen's x was calculated for 29 of the measures on the checklist. The x values for 24 of these measures were significant (p < .01). Overall scores on the WAOC indicated that students performed significantly better on the second than on the first observation. Their level of performance was maintained, but was not significantly improved, at the time of a third observation made during the second semester. Error patterns were similar to those found by Fantuzzo, Sisemore, and Spradlin (1983), using the Criteria for Competent WISC-R Administration (CCWA).     

School consultation from a social psychological perspective: A Review

This paper reviews various social psychological constructs that have been discussed previously in isolated articles in order to offer a theoretical framework within which to view resistance and related phenomena in school consultation. The discussion focuses on resistance, cognitive dissonance, reactance, attribution, influence/power, and modeling. The review summarizes contributions and applications made by other authors and provides additional applications from social psychological theory. Applications to school consultation are stressed. The need for empirical research in these areas is emphasized and directions for future research are offered.