Validation of clay modeling as a learning tool for the periventricular structures of the human brain

Visualizing anatomical structures and functional processes in three dimensions (3D) are important skills for medical students. However, contemplating 3D structures mentally and interpreting biomedical images can be challenging. This study examines the impact of a new pedagogical approach to teaching neuroanatomy, specifically how building a 3D‐model from oil‐based modeling clay affects learners’ understanding of periventricular structures of the brain among undergraduate medical students in Colombia. Students were provided with an instructional video before building the models of the structures, and thereafter took a computer‐based quiz. They then brought their clay models to class where they answered questions about the structures via interactive response cards. Their knowledge of periventricular structures was assessed with a paper‐based quiz. Afterward, a focus group was conducted and a survey was distributed to understand students’ perceptions of the activity, as well as the impact of the intervention on their understanding of anatomical structures in 3D. Quiz scores of students that constructed the models were significantly higher than those taught the material in a more traditional manner (P < 0.05). Moreover, the modeling activity reduced time spent studying the topic and increased understanding of spatial relationships between structures in the brain. The results demonstrated a significant difference between genders in their self‐perception of their ability to contemplate and rotate structures mentally (P < 0.05). The study demonstrated that the construction of 3D clay models in combination with autonomous learning activities was a valuable and efficient learning tool in the anatomy course, and that additional models could be designed to promote deeper learning of other neuroanatomy topics. Anat Sci Educ 11: 137–145. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

Teachers’ perceptions of the inclusion of marginalised groups

This paper is based on the concept of inclusion as a process of recognising and minimising the barriers to learning and participation of all children, with teachers as the key players in implementing inclusion in practice. There are two key questions: (1) How do teachers rank different groups of marginalised children? (2) How do teachers see their own role, the role of the marginalised and other children, and their parents in the inclusion process? The groups included in the research were children with special needs, migrants from former Yugoslavia, Roma/Gypsies and children from poor families. In the latter group, it also looked at their counterparts, the children of wealthy parents. Research carried out on a representative sample of primary school teachers in Slovenia showed that children with special needs are among all surveyed groups of children those seen as the most helpless. For these children, teachers are also most likely to lower learning and discipline standards, while at the same time feeling the least qualified to teach them and seeing them also as having the lowest abilities. In the teachers’ opinion, parents of other children have the greatest reservations when their child associates with a Roma/Gypsy child, and teachers also put the least trust in Roma/Gypsy parents.     

Going Out of Business

The author of The Business of Serials reflects on motivations for the creation of this column and offers some observations and encouragement for others to be a new voice in contributing ideas and viewpoints on the profession of librarianship for today and tomorrow. The column ends with this entry.     

Intimidated by a Number

Bibliographic and citation products are a mature market with limited potential for new sales and new revenue streams. Commercial vendors appear to have responded by reformatting and reconfiguring their existing products to quantitatively track and integrate reputational rankings with research activities and outputs. By repurposing and customizing the foundational data found in citation and bibliographic products, new sales are possible that tap into the massive growth in research expenditure and budgets outside of libraries. Librarians are encouraged to apply numeric literacy skills to ensure that context and meaning are applied to the data derived from these products so as to avoid misrepresentation, intimidation, and tyranny of numbers.     

Emeritus professors: Correlates of professional activity in retirement

The major purpose of this study was to investigate correlates of professional activity of professors in retirement. The investigation focused on a number of variables related to the nature of academic work, including professional role orientation, professional affiliations and contacts, material supports, department, and the state of knowledge in various fields. Sixty-four University of Iowa emeritus professors who continued to reside in the Iowa City area during the entire year, and thus had opportunity to maintain University contacts and use University facilities, were interviewed. The most striking finding was the high degree of consistency between level of professional activity during the preretirement career and level of professional activity in retirement. Significant correlates of professional activity in retirement included rated importance of research or other creative work, strength of ties to colleagues and professional organizations outside the University, contacts with former students, and departmental membership in the older, traditional professions.This article is based in part on the author's Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the Department of Higher Education at The University of Iowa and was partially supported by a 1978 Research Award in gerontology from the Multidisciplinary Gerontology Center of The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and The University of Northern Iowa. The author wishes to acknowledge the valuable suggestions made by Professors H. Bradley Sagen, Department of Higher Education, and Hallowell Pope, Department of Sociology, throughout the study.     

Estimation performance and strategy use of Mexican 5th and 8th grade student sample

What computational estimation skills and strategies do Mexican students possess? Does the theoretical model based on interviews with a select United States sample accurately describe the Mexican sample? These were questions studied based on interviews with 8 eighth graders (those scoring in the top 5%) out of a sample of 177 eighth graders from twelve different Mexican schools representing a range of social and economic backgrounds. Preliminary screening data collected by administering a computational estimation test revealed that estimation was very difficult for the Mexican students (mean 4.0, range of 0 to 18 on the 38-item open-ended test). The interviews revealed that the Mexican students as a whole did employ the three general cognitive processes outlined in the theoretical model, namely reformulation, translation, and compensation. The most common strategy employed was the front-end technique. Similarly, a frequent strategy used to “estimate” was mentally applying a paper/pencil algorithm. In contrast to data collected under similar conditions in Japan and the United States, rounding was a strategy only occasionally used in the interviews. The use of benchmarks (key reference points used as bounds in forming an estimate) as a strategy for estimating problems involving percent was common and may reflect students' “out-of-school” experience with mathematical applications. Consistent with parallel investigations with Japanese and United States students, these Mexican strudents rarely reflected on their estimates through their own initiative and rarely recognized unreasonable estimates.     

An existential model for counselling women

Historically, theories of personality and therapy have tended to be biased against women Feminist ideology appears to be inadequate as a replacement for more traditional theoretical frameworks. Alternatively, the existential theory of Frankl (1969, 1975) appears particularly promising as a model for therapy with women. Data in support of this position were reported.University of WinipegUniversity of AlbertaPaper presented at Ninth International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling. Thessaloniki, Greece, April 1980. The opening paragraphs also introduced an earlier paper by the authors at the CRIAW Conference, Edmonton, November 1979.     

Evaluating teaching effectiveness: where we are and where we should be

Although many studies have examined techniques used to evaluate faculty performance, the literature has generally provided mixed results regarding the proper ways to measure teaching effectiveness. This paper provides the results of a survey of 1300 administrators and faculty of AACSB International accredited institutions. Respondents were asked what they believe is currently being used, and what should be used, to evaluate overall faculty performance and teaching effectiveness. Differences in responses are evaluated across school types, respondent positions, and respondent years of experience. The findings of this study provide a ‘benchmark’ of measures administrators can use to evaluate faculty performance.     

节日快乐

农历新年（春节）是我们中国人最重要的节日,也是每个小朋友都喜欢的节日,因为可以穿新衣服,拿红包,和家人欢聚一堂。而在新加坡、马来西亚等国家,信奉伊斯兰教的穆斯林是怎样过他们最重要的节日--开斋节的呢？我们来了解一下吧。