Cerebral activity prior to motion task performance: an electroencephalographic study

Cerebral activity, as reflected by power in the alpha waveband (8-13 Hz), was examined prior to the performance of three tasks with different effort and accuracy requirements. The study aimed to further investigate changes in activity observed in an earlier study in which expert karate performers exhibited significant increases in alpha band power during preparation for a training task. In contrast to the earlier research, the high effort task produced a significant decrease in 'alpha' power prior to performance. 'Alpha' power prior to the high accuracy task showed significant differences mediated by the outcome. Successful performance was preceded by higher levels of 'alpha' power than unsuccessful attempts. The reported use of a cognitive strategy on the first task produced a significant difference in activity, lower alpha power being associated with the use of such a technique.     

Clinical Medical Librarian Licensure: Pros versus Cons

In hospitals and clinics, anyone who “touches” a patient has a license authorizing them to do so—from the phlebotomist to the cardiologist, from the genetic counselor to the social worker, and so on, except for the clinical medical librarian. This column discusses the intent versus the realities of occupational licensure for clinical medical librarians and provides recommendations for next steps.     

Activity and Behavioral Development in Stunted and Nonstunted Children and Response to Nutritional Supplementation

It is frequently assumed that undernutrition in young children leads to poor development through reduced activity. 3 groups of 26 1-year-old stunted children were studied: nutritional supplementation, supplementation with psychosocial stimulation, and controls. 26 nonstunted comparison children were also studied. Activity levels were measured by extensive observations in the homes, and development using 4 subscales of the Griffith's Mental Development Scales. Initially, stunted children were less active than nonstunted ones ( p < .01), but after 6 months they caught up regardless of treatment. The mental ages of the stunted children were lower than those of the nonstunted children initially, and improved with either treatment. Initially, activity levels made a significant contribution to the variance in the locomotor subscale only, but not 6 months later. Activity did not predict change in development over 6 or 12 months, nor did change in activity over 6 months predict change in development over 12 months.     

Comparative studies of the preference for free vs response-produced reinforcers

Neither domesticated hooded rats nor wild black rats responded appreciably for water on a CRF schedule when free water was available. However, four out of five crows showed substantial responding for food in the presence of identical free food. Previous reports also indicate that type of reinforcer and species are variables which significantly influence this phenomenon. Nevertheless, the overall findings seem to be amenable to an explanation based upon incentive-motivation theory.     

Skating start propulsion: three-dimensional kinematic analysis of elite male and female ice hockey players

The forward skating start is a fundamental skill for male and female ice hockey players. However, performance differences by athlete’s sex cannot be fully explained by physiological variables; hence, other factors such as skating technique warrant examination. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the body movement kinematics of ice hockey skating starts between elite male and female ice hockey participants. Male (n = 9) and female (n = 10) elite ice hockey players performed five forward skating start accelerations. An 18-camera motion capture system placed on the arena ice surface captured full-body kinematics during the first seven skating start steps within 15 meters. Males’ maximum skating speeds were greater than females. Skating technique sex differences were noted: in particular, females presented ~10° lower hip abduction throughout skating stance as well as ~10° greater knee extension at initial ice stance contact, conspicuously followed by a brief cessation in knee extension at the moment of ice contact, not evident in male skaters. Further study is warranted to explain why these skating technique differences exist in relation to factors such as differences in training, equipment, performance level, and anthropometrics.     

International assessment: A Rasch model and teachers' evaluation of TIMSS science achievement items

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a comparative assessment of the achievement of students in many countries. In the present study, a rigorous independent evaluation was conducted of a representative sample of TIMSS science test items because item quality influences the validity of the scores used to inform educational policy in those countries. The items had been administered internationally to 16,009 students in their eighth year of formal schooling. The evaluation had three components. First, the Rasch model, which emphasizes high quality items, was used to evaluate the items psychometrically. Second, readability and vocabulary analyses were used to evaluate the wording of the items to ensure they were comprehensible to the students. And third, item development guidelines were used by a focus group of science teachers to evaluate the items in light of the TIMSS assessment framework, which specified the format, content, and cognitive domains of the items. The evaluation components indicated that the majority of the items were of high quality, thereby contributing to the validity of TIMSS scores. These items had good psychometric characteristics, readability, vocabulary, and compliance with the assessment framework. Overall, the items tended to be difficult: constructed response items assessing reasoning or application were the most difficult, and multiple choice items assessing knowledge or application were less difficult. The teachers revised some of the sampled items to improve their clarity of content, conciseness of wording, and fit with format specifications. For TIMSS, the findings imply that some of the non‐sampled items may need revision, too. For researchers and teachers, the findings imply that the TIMSS science items and the Rasch model are valuable resources for assessing the achievement of students. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 1321–1344, 2012     

Teaching thinking: the case for principles

Abstract

This paper reviews the situation with regard to the teaching of thinking skills as part of the taught curriculum. The case is made for direct teaching of cognitive skills both to meet the particular learning difficulties of children with special educational needs and also to enhance the learning and thinking of all children. The dangers of ‘recipe’ approaches to teaching this aspect of the curriculum are discussed and a ‘principles’ approach is advocated. Some principles are then described which may be used to underpin the designing of problem‐solving activities, through which thinking skills can be taught across the curriculum.     

Nonscience majors learning science: A theoretical model of motivation

A theoretical model of nonscience majors' motivation to learn science was tested by surveying 369 students in a large‐enrollment college science course that satisfies a core curriculum requirement. Based on a social‐cognitive framework, motivation to learn science was conceptualized as having both cognitive and affective influences that foster science achievement. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The students' motivation, as measured by the Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), had a strong direct influence on their achievement, as measured by their science grade point average. The students' motivation was influenced by their belief in the relevance of science to their careers. This belief was slightly stronger in women than men. Essays by the students and interviews with them provided insight into their motivation. The model suggests that instructors should strategically connect science concepts to the careers of nonscience majors through such means as case studies to increase motivation and achievement. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1088–1107, 2007