Assessing the impact of the Graduate Certificate in Anatomical Sciences Instruction: A post‐degree survey

There are few graduate programs available for pursuing a doctorate in anatomy where students gain specific training in gross anatomy dissection and the responsibilities of a medical educator. In light of this fact, the University of Kentucky created a Graduate Certificate in Anatomical Sciences Instruction in 2006. This 12‐credit hour curriculum includes detailed training in gross anatomy and/or neuroscience courses, practicum experiences, a seminar class in pedagogical literature, and a course in educational strategies for the anatomical sciences. The award of certificate completion affirms that the candidate has demonstrated faculty‐supervised proficiency in anatomy dissection, instruction in anatomy topics, and teaching strategies for anatomy. Seventeen graduate students have earned the certificate since its inception; nine students accepted teaching positions in anatomy following their graduate training and currently nine certificate graduates have assistant (six) or associate (three) professor positions in academia. In 2016, an anonymous survey including Likert‐style and open‐ended questions was emailed to all certificate graduates. Graduates favorably responded (each question averaged 4.4 or greater out of 5) that the certificate increased their awareness of teaching‐faculty responsibilities, adequately prepared them for teaching‐related duties, and positively contributed toward their first employment. Graduates indicated that the lecturing and dissection experience, awareness of faculty responsibilities, and job preparation (e.g., teaching philosophy development) were the most helpful aspects of the certificate. These results indicate that the Graduate Certificate in Anatomical Sciences Instruction is viewed by its graduates and their employers as a valuable teaching credential that can be attained alongside a basic science degree. Anat Sci Educ 11: 516–524. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

排名前10的与预防运动和体育活动猝死相关的关键问题

参加有组织的体育运动和休闲活动存在发生严重伤病甚至死亡的内在风险。虽然造成体育运动或体育活动中猝死的原因有很多,但运动医学和循证标准治疗方面的进展已使临床医生得以更有效地预防、发现和治疗可能致死的伤患。随着研究与技术不断发展进步,当前的治疗标准正在不断发展以更好地改善患者的治疗效果。本文提出了10个与运动和体育活动中猝死的主要原因及其治疗手段有关的关键问题,未来开展的研究将提高运动员和休闲运动爱好者参与运动的安全度。当前证据表明,如采取正确的预防策略或最佳治疗方案,绝大多数的死亡案例是可以避免的。     

Learning about assessment: the impact of two courses for higher education staff

This interview-based study investigated the impact of two academic development courses about assessment. Participants learnt concepts and terminology that enabled them to better understand and communicate about assessment. The courses also stimulated critical thinking about assessment practices and conceptual change, with ‘assessment for learning’ emerging as significant with the qualities of a threshold concept. Certain learning activities stood out as transformational as they supported the examination of assessment from different perspectives and the integration of implicit with explicit knowledge, but only if participants had sufficient workplace experience that they could link to the formal knowledge taught in the courses.     

Changing views and perceptions: the impact of the Australian Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program on students

The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program has been delivered at 2 prisons in Victoria, Australia, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and Marngoneet Correctional Centre, since 2015. Selected university (outside) students and prisoners (inside) engage in a collaborative learning environment, studying Comparative Criminal Justice Systems. Students critique complex criminal justice material and undertake university standard assessments. The programme was evaluated through pre-test and post-test surveys and focus groups. This paper outlines this evaluation, including the similarities and differences between inside and outside students’ experience, their knowledge of the criminal justice system, the stereotypes and the values, and challenges of the Inside-Out programme. Student views of the criminal justice system and each other were challenged and changed, often in unexpected ways. The knowledge from this evaluation will contribute to the improvement of Inside-Out processes and outcomes, nationally and internationally.     

An investigation into breast support and sports bra use in female runners of the 2012 London Marathon

Abstract

Although it is acknowledged that appropriate breast support during exercise is important, no published literature has assessed breast support usage in a cohort of female marathon runners. This study aimed to identify sport bra use and perceived importance of sports bra use in female marathon runners. Bra satisfaction, incidence of bra related issues and factors that influence the appropriateness of sports bras were also investigated. A 4-part, 30-question survey was administered to 1397 female runners at the 2012 London marathon registration and via an online survey. In total 1285 surveys were completed. Sports bra use and its perceived importance was high, however was lower in moderate compared to vigorous activity, and lower in participants with smaller breasts. Seventy-five per cent of participants reported bra fit issues. The most common issues were chaffing and shoulder straps digging in, with a higher incidence of issues reported by participants with larger breasts. Use of professional bra fitting was low, and perceived knowledge of breast health was poor. Engagement with sports bra use is high although sports bra design could be improved to alleviate bra fit issues experienced by female runners. Educational initiatives are needed to ensure females are informed regarding the importance of breast support and appropriate bra fit during activity.     

Assimilation Effects in Coincident Timing Responses

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate ways in which gender-related perceptions and actions influenced students' construction of realities in curriculum-in-action in secondary school physical education. The participants were junior and senior secondary school students in a midwestern city in the United States. Data collection methods included observations and interviews. Data were analyzed with inductive analytical procedures. The findings of the study revealed that a majority of the female and male students reproduced traditionally dominant forms of femininity and masculinity. Female students patterned their behavior consistent with feminine ideology in selecting and participating in class activities, and male students chose and participated in class activities along masculine conceptions. The results were interpreted with reproduction and resistance theories. While femininity and masculinity cultures were reproduced through students' choice of activities and participation patterns, these cultures were resisted through students' construction of oppositional behavior.     

Effects of Proximity on the Choice to Be Physically Active or Sedentary

The link between physical activity and weight loss has precipitated interest in interventions to foster adherence to exercise. It has been suggested that treatment effects, when significant, should be analyzed to determine theory-based mediators. This research assessed possible mediation of changes in Physical Self-Concept, Exercise Self-Efficacy, Total Mood Disturbance, and Body Areas Satisfaction scores on the relationship between exercise session attendance and participation by obese women in a 6-month treatment based on tenets of social cognitive theory (n = 73) or a control condition (n = 64). Participation in the treatment was associated with significantly greater exercise session attendance and significantly greater improvements in Physical Self-Concept, Exercise Barriers Self-Efficacy, and Body Areas Satisfaction. Overall, changes in the assessed psychological factors demonstrated significant mediation of the association between group membership and exercise session attendance, R² = .23, with only change in Physical Self-Concept scores providing a significant unique contribution. Extensions of this research across different sample types, and with longer durations, were suggested to refine theory and, ultimately, improve exercise adherence treatments.     

New Frontiers in Visual Search: An Exploratory Study in Live Tennis Situations

This study compares the motor skills and physical fitness of school-age children (6-12 years) with visual impairments (VI; n = 60) and sighted children (n = 60). The relationships between the performance parameters and the children's body composition are investigated as well as the role of the severity of the impairment. The degree of VI did not differentially affect the outcomes. Compared to their sighted peers, the children with VI scored lower on the locomotor and object control skills as assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2, and the physical fitness (Eurofit) parameters of plate tapping, the standing broad jump, the modified 5 × 10-m shuttle run, and 20-m multistage shuttle run (20-MST). Their body mass and body fat indexes were inversely correlated with the standing broad jump and the 20-MST, but positively correlated with handgrip strength. Moreover, significant inverse correlations were found between their locomotor and object control skills on the one hand and plate tapping and the 5 × 10-m shuttle run on the other hand. Given the relatively high proportion (25%) of overweight/obese children within the VI sample, educators are recommended to promote health-related activities and help enhance motor skills in this population.     

The effect of boot stiffness on field and laboratory flexural behavior of alpine ski boots

The aim of this work was to study the effect of boot stiffness on the field and laboratory flexural behavior of alpine ski boots. Ski boots have a direct influence on performance, safety, and comfort of alpine skiers. Despite their technological evolution during a number of years, the parameters used in the evaluation of boot stiffness are not yet standardized and still require a shared engineering approach to achieve common quantitative definitions to be used either in boot classification or in boot selection for the different users. This work reports the boot flexion angles between shell and cuff and between cuff and tibia, collected during slalom tests on three boots with different nominal Flex Index. The laboratory data collected on the same boots under conventional cyclic bending tests are reported and compared with the field data for the development of a new test method more representative of the field behavior. As a result, clear definitions of Flex Index and of boot stiffness are introduced: boot stiffness had a clear effect on both the field and the laboratory flexural behavior of boots.