Advancing Diversity in STEM

Although progress has been made, greater efforts are needed to promote faculty diversity at the college and university levels, especially in STEM fields. Thus, it is important to elucidate best practices both for increasing awareness of diversity issues pertaining to higher education and for implementing change. This article focuses on the outcomes of a diversity workshop for college and university faculty hosted by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Division of Science and Research. More specifically, it elucidates how participation in the workshop translated into practice at the faculty participants’ home institutions.     

Neurocognitive predictors of reading outcomes for children with reading disabilities

This study reports on several specific neurocognitive process predictors of reading outcomes for a sample of 278 children with reading disabilities. Three categories of response (i.e., poor, average, and good) were formed via growth curve models of six reading outcomes. Two nested discriminant function analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictive capability of the following models: (a) an intervention and phonological processing model that included intervention group, phonological awareness, and rapid naming and (b) an additive cognitive neuropsychological model that included measures of memory, visual processes, and cognitive or intellectual functioning. Over and above the substantial explanatory power of the base model, the additive model improved classification of poor and good responders. Several of the cognitive and neuropsychological variables predicted degree of reading outcomes, even after controlling for type of intervention, phonological awareness, and rapid naming.     

A comparison of anthropometric and training characteristics of Ironman triathletes and Triple Iron ultra-triathletes

We examined differences in anthropometry and training between 64 Triple Iron ultra-triathletes competing over 11.4 km swimming, 540 km cycling, and 126.6 km running, and 71 Ironman triathletes competing over 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, and 42.2 km running. The association of anthropometry and training with race time was investigated using multiple linear regression analysis. The Triple Iron ultra-triathletes were smaller (P < 0.05), had shorter limbs (P < 0.05), a higher body mass index (P < 0.05), and larger limb circumferences (P < 0.01) than the Ironman triathletes. The Triple Iron ultra-triathletes trained for more hours (P < 0.01) and covered more kilometres (P < 0.01), but speed in running during training was slower compared with the Ironman triathletes (P < 0.01). For Triple Iron ultra-triathletes, percent body fat (P = 0.022), training volume per week (P < 0.0001), and weekly kilometres in both cycling (P < 0.0001) and running (P < 0.0001) were related to race time. For Ironman triathletes, percent body fat (P < 0.0001), circumference of upper arm (P = 0.006), and speed in cycling training (P = 0.012) were associated with total race time. We conclude that both Triple Iron ultra-triathletes and Ironman triathletes appeared to profit from low body fat. Triple Iron ultra-triathletes relied more on training volume in cycling and running, whereas speed in cycling training was related to race time in Ironman triathletes.     

A faster running speed is associated with a greater body weight loss in 100-km ultra-marathoners

In 219 recreational male runners, we investigated changes in body mass, total body water, haematocrit, plasma sodium concentration ([Na(+)]), and urine specific gravity as well as fluid intake during a 100-km ultra-marathon. The athletes lost 1.9 kg (s = 1.4) of body mass, equal to 2.5% (s = 1.8) of body mass (P < 0.001), 0.7 kg (s = 1.0) of predicted skeletal muscle mass (P < 0.001), 0.2 kg (s = 1.3) of predicted fat mass (P < 0.05), and 0.9 L (s = 1.6) of predicted total body water (P < 0.001). Haematocrit decreased (P < 0.001), urine specific gravity (P < 0.001), plasma volume (P < 0.05), and plasma [Na(+)] (P < 0.05) all increased. Change in body mass was related to running speed (r = -0.16, P < 0.05), change in plasma volume was associated with change in plasma [Na(+)] (r = -0.28, P < 0.0001), and change in body mass was related to both change in plasma [Na(+)] (r = -0.36) and change in plasma volume (r = 0.31) (P < 0.0001). The athletes consumed 0.65 L (s = 0.27) fluid per hour. Fluid intake was related to both running speed (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001) and change in body mass (r = 0.23, P = 0.0006), but not post-race plasma [Na(+)] or change in plasma [Na(+)] (P > 0.05). In conclusion, faster runners lost more body mass, runners lost more body mass when they drank less fluid, and faster runners drank more fluid than slower runners.     

Exploring the relationship between supplementary schools and ‘cohesive communities’

The number of supplementary schools in England serving minority communities continues to grow. They are popular with the parents of such communities because they often feel their children are disadvantaged in mainstream schools and not afforded the opportunities or the learning environment that is conducive to their children achieving their full potential. Simultaneously, over the past 10 years or so there has been an increasing political focus on local communities and issues of cohesion; both of which were high priorities for the last government. Schools were viewed as key to helping the government deliver these political agendas. The current coalition government also foregrounds the role and responsibilities of communities as part of its ‘Big Society’ concept. This paper explores the positioning of supplementary schools in relation to notions of ‘cohesive communities’. It draws on findings from a study commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families on supplementary schools, which aimed to establish their level and type of provision, impact, and to a lesser degree, their role in the community and the cohesion agenda.     

Assessing mentoring in organizations: an evaluation of commercial mentoring instruments

The purpose of this article is to inform readers about the types of instruments available for assessing and improving mentoring in organizations. Extensive review of the psychological, business and medical literature was conducted to identify commercially published, practitioner‐oriented instruments. All of the instruments that were identified – including the Alleman mentoring activities questionnaire, Mentoring in the moment, Mentoring skills assessment, and Principles of adult mentoring scale – are evaluated herein. Each instrument’s target audience, raters, subscales, response options, psychometric properties, and relative strengths and weaknesses are described. Although these instruments are reported to be used extensively, evidence of their validity is not always available. This review presents information that, in combination with first‐hand inspection of the instruments, should enable practitioners to differentiate between instruments that may be a fit for their needs from those that are not. Furthermore, it may introduce academic readers to instruments that are not covered in the scholarly literature in spite of their common use for non‐research purposes.     

Integrating technical editing students into a multidisciplinary engineering project

A three‐year experiment in integrating technical editing students into a multidisciplinary engineering design project developed several ways of helping students apply classroom learning to practical problems. Each year, the engineering students formed Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and the technical editing students provided editorial support, first as full members of IPTs, then as separate editorial support teams. Research from cooperative learning and teamwork indicates strategies and techniques for best integrating the technical editing students.