Masters and patrons

The following paper is a summary of one chapter from the book by William A. Weimer, Learning to Manage in a Complex Organization , ISBN 9036512441, Twente University Press, P.O. Box 217, Enschede, The Netherlands. e-mail tup@utwente.nl.     

Examining Engineering Students in Developing Countries: the case for three-part questions

This paper presents a method for assessing the three major objectives in the teaching of vocational and technical courses. These objectives are identified as material assimilation, application to real practical problems and resourcefulness of the student. The method was developed and tested over a period of more than 10 years on the Applied Electricity course, taught to first year engineering students at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Analysis show that with the three-part-question method of examination the distribution of student scores is normal and the information deduced can be useful to both lecturer and student.     

Effect of time of day on perceived exertion at work rates above and below the ventilatory threshold

The effect of time of day on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) at various intensities of cycling exercise, both below and above the ventilatory threshold, was studied in 32 subjects, 18 to 35 years of age. The ventilatory threshold occurred at the same (p greater than .05) mean (+/- SD) work rate in the morning (110.6 +/- 27.0 watts) and in the afternoon (111.9 +/- 23.9 watts) and was perceived as equally strenuous (p greater than .05) in the morning (RPE = 13.8 +/- 2.4) and in the afternoon (RPE = 13.6 +/- 2.8). At intensities below the ventilatory threshold, RPE was the same (p greater than .05) in the morning and in the afternoon; above the ventilatory threshold, RPE was lower (p less than .05) in the morning. We conclude that, during incremental submaximal cycling exercise above the ventilatory threshold, a particular work rate is perceived as less strenuous in the morning than in the afternoon. About 20% of this difference in RPE is explained by lower ventilatory demands in the morning.