Providing Access to Engagement in Learning: The Potential of Universal Design for Learning in Museum Design

Following passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), many museums improved the accessibility of their facilities. Even so, individuals with disabilities still lag behind in participation and engagement in museum experiences. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides an alternate model for the design of museum programs and exhibit spaces, one that is more aligned to progressive concepts of disability, providing not only physical access but also access to engagement in learning. In this article we argue that UDL has the potential to substantially improve the design of informal learning environments. Through two illustrative examples, we describe how the UDL design guidelines can be used to improve the probability that engagement will occur as individuals interact with exhibits, programs, and people in museums.     

Prediction of habitual physical activity level and weight status from fundamental movement skill level

Abstract

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) have been assessed in children in order to investigate the issues of the low proportion of children who meet physical activity (PA) guidelines and rising levels of obesity. The aim of this research was to identify whether previous or current FMS level is a better predictor of PA levels and weight status in children. In January 2012 (year 1), 281 children were recruited from one primary school in the West Midlands, UK. Children performed eight FMS three times, which were videoed and assessed using a subjective checklist. Sprint speed and jump height were measured objectively. Height and mass were measured to calculate the body mass index to determine the weight status. Skinfold calliper readings were used to calculate body fat percentage. One year later, in January 2013, all these tests were repeated on the same children, with the additional collection of PA data via the use of pedometers. Following multiple linear regression, it was identified that prior mastery in FMS was a better predictor of current PA, whereas current FMS was a better predictor of current weight status. Overall, FMS mastery is needed in childhood to be able to participate in PA and maintain a healthy weight status.     

Fine motor skills and executive function both contribute to kindergarten achievement

This study examined the contribution of executive function (EF) and multiple aspects of fine motor skills to achievement on 6 standardized assessments in a sample of middle-socioeconomic status kindergarteners. Three- and 4-year-olds' (n=213) fine and gross motor skills were assessed in a home visit before kindergarten, EF was measured at fall of kindergarten, and Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Academic Achievement were administered at fall and spring. Correlations indicated that EF and fine motor skills appeared distinct. Further, controlling for background variables, higher levels of both EF and fine motor skills, specifically design copy, predicted higher achievement on multiple subtests at kindergarten entry, as well as improvement from fall to spring. Implications for research on school readiness are discussed.     

Emeritus Colleges: Enriching Academic Communities by Extending Academic Life

The emeritus college, a recent higher education innovation, provides retired professors with a means to stay intellectually engaged and continue to contribute professionally in retirement. The emeritus college can also help institutions maintain a steady flow of professional talent by making retirement more attractive for senior academics. This article introduces the emeritus college concept; discusses its implementation at four universities; assesses its benefits for individuals, institutions, and the community; and offers guidelines for institutions wishing to implement their own emeritus college. The emeritus college can provide a bridge from an academic career to a fulfilling retirement while also helping to enrich academic communities.     

Exploring opportunities available and perceived barriers to physical activity engagement in children and young people with Down syndrome

Primary objective: The aim of this study was to explore physical activity (PA) amongst children and young people with Down syndrome (DS). Method and procedures: The youth physical activity promotion model (YPAP) was used to inform semi-structured interviews to explore PA of children and young people with DS. Participants were three males and five females, aged between 6 and 21?years (16.38?+?5.04?years (mean?+?SD)) who had been diagnosed with the condition DS. Dyadic interviews were conducted with the participant and their parent(s). The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and inductive and deductive analyses of the data were completed. Main outcomes and results: The results were structured around the YPAP Model’s key themes included: enabling factors (seasonal variation, transport, type of activity and independence); predisposing factors (enjoyment, social interaction, dislikes of PA, following instructions, and understanding of PA); reinforcing factors (support and opportunities, parents, and care providers); and barriers to PA engagement (ear problems). Conclusion: The children and young people with DS in the study typically only engaged in fun, unstructured activities. Key facilitators for PA participation were social interactions and parental support. Increasing the level of independence for people with DS within adolescence may have beneficial effects for PA participation in later life.     

A Developmental Framework for Enhancing Resiliency in Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse

Roughly one third of children subjected to abusive environments grow into healthy and capable adults, demonstrating remarkable resiliency, despite risks for developing maladaptive self-structures and destructive behaviors (Werner, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 59:72–81 1989; Kendall-Tackett et al., Psychological Bulletin 113:164–180 1993). This paper suggests that, for adults with developmental arrests due to childhood traumas, it may be beneficial to approach enhancing resilience through interventions meant to foster resiliency factors in adolescents and children, tailored appropriately for an adult. Connections to current and effective interventions are reviewed as well as an invitation to the international community for additional perspectives.     

Judges' Use of Examinee Performance Data in an Angoff Standard‐Setting Exercise for a Medical Licensing Examination: An Experimental Study

Although the Angoff procedure is among the most widely used standard setting procedures for tests comprising multiple‐choice items, research has shown that subject matter experts have considerable difficulty accurately making the required judgments in the absence of examinee performance data. Some authors have viewed the need to provide performance data as a fatal flaw for the procedure; others have considered it appropriate for experts to integrate performance data into their judgments but have been concerned that experts may rely too heavily on the data. There have, however, been relatively few studies examining how experts use the data. This article reports on two studies that examine how experts modify their judgments after reviewing data. In both studies, data for some items were accurate and data for other items had been manipulated. Judges in both studies substantially modified their judgments whether the data were accurate or not.     

Plato and the Police: Dogs,Guardians, and Why Accountability is the Wrong Answer

Attention to significant commonalities between the position of teachers and police officers, we suggest, illuminates problematic aspects of their position within a democracy. Demographically, both the teaching force and the police force are disproportionately white, yet the commonalities extend beyond race. We suspect too little attention has been paid to other social categorizations, namely social class and gender. Toward this end, we explore the significant commonalities between the position of teachers and police officers and suggest that aspects of their position within a democracy make accountability a problematic tactic for addressing systematic failures. In this article we turn to Plato's discussion of the guardians for his ideal Republic because Plato squarely faces a problem that still dogs us: How are those persons given the right to uphold order to be prevented from turning on the polis they are meant to protect? The answer we offer rests on a theorization of a middle position and on a democratically situated ethical response to the other.     

COPING IN BASKETBALL: DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO ABILITY AND GENDER

The strategies used to cope with performance problems were investigated in 206 basketball players. A total of 127 males and 79 female players, recruited from teams representing different levels of basketball ability, were administered the Ways of Coping with Sport questionnaire (Madden, 1987; Kirkby & McDonald, 1989). A 2x2 muUivariate analysis of variance showed that players of higher ability could be differentiated from those of lower abiltiy by their use of four scales of the questionnaire: General Problem‐focused Coping; Emphasizing the Positive; Detachment; Increased Effort and Resolve. Females could be differentiated from males by their increased tendency to use Seeking Social Support. Separate analysis by ANOVA revealed a gender x ability interaction in the use of General Emotionality coping processes. The findings indicated that the relationship between ability, gender, and coping is more complex than previously thought.     

Elite universities,fields of study and top salaries: Which degree will make you rich?

This article assesses the chances of entering the top 5% of earners for a British cohort currently in their 40s. We assess the difference made by a university degree from an elite (Russell Group) or non‐elite university, and from different undergraduate fields of study. Our study uses rich longitudinal data from the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). This allows us to control for an unusually large range of potential confounding factors, including childhood socio‐economic circumstances, cognitive scores, secondary schooling and prior qualifications. We find that large raw differences in the chances of achieving a top salary are strongly attenuated by our controls, but substantial differences between degree subject areas remain. The large gap between men and women in the chance of gaining a top salary is not explained by the type of degree achieved, and we found no evidence of gender differences in the gains from institutional prestige or particular fields of study.