Finger Counting: Continuous Daily Diagnoses

Monitoring reading behaviour is a major aspect of the work of teachers of reading. Clearly, in order to plan a sensible reading programme, teachers need information about children’s reading performance and needs. This article describes the use of a finger counting system as one way for teachers to continually monitor children’s reading behaviour and development.     

Setting up a presence on the World Wide Web

There is considerable pressure on most professional and society publishers to create a presence on the World Wide Web, from their members and customers alike. This paper describes the planning that went into the establishment of CAB INTERNATIONAL’S Home Page, focusing on the strategic issues and detailed preparation rather than the physical tasks involved. Although it is technically straightforward to set up a Home Page, many publishers are faced with difficult decisions about how to use the features of the World Wide Web to best advantage and how to develop a real presence in terms of both promotion and publishing activities.     

The Effect on Reasoning,Reading and Number Performance of Computer‐presented Critical Thinking Activities in Five‐year‐old Children

Summary The performance of 64 five‐year‐old children on Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices, the Break‐through to Literacy Reading Scheme, and a test of mathematics was noted, and the children were designated as high or low initial performance on each by division at the medians. They were then randomly divided within sexes into two groups. A treatment group worked, over a 13 week period, through 32 computer presented problem‐solving activities while a control group did alternative activities. All the children were then re‐tested. The results showed a significantly greater improvement between the pre‐ and post‐test for the treatment group than for the control group on Raven's Matrices for both high and low initial performance. For reading the low initial attainment treatment subjects improved significantly more than the control. In mathematics there was no significant effect of the treatment. The results were discussed in terms of the skills underlying reading and number work.     

A Cure for Intellectual Cripples

A central problem in higher education is how to best develop in students interdisciplinary thinking and application skills necessary to work and engage effectively in the twenty-first century. Traditional university structures make addressing this problem especially challenging. Using as a model courses with diverse perspectives on water taught by teams of interdisciplinary faculty, we explore one successful approach. We highlight the importance of institutional infrastructure and pedagogical strategies that nurtured our approach and allowed it to work.     

Teaching and learning birth: "help all to know"

This guest editorial explores the idea that our worldview, regardless of education, influences our childbirth practices, sometimes interfering with achieving the goals of our discipline. Over time, we have lost our ability to support women through the process of childbirth so that they emerge as strong, healthy women. The high road ahead is to teach everyone, including ourselves, that we need to provide optimal, evidence-based care. Pursuing this path will take courage and commitment.     

Determining Intensity Levels of Selected Wii Fit Activities in College Aged Individuals

The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity of Nintendo Wii Fit games using indirect calorimetry. Twenty-five college students completed Wii Fit activity sessions at two difficulty levels within aerobics, strength, and yoga categories. Resting metabolic rate and exercise oxygen uptake were measured, and metabolic equivalents were calculated. Measured metabolic equivalents and calculated metabolic equivalents ranged from 2.30 ± .42 and 2.44 ± .38 for Yoga to 5.73 ± 1.36 and 6.04 ± 1.09 for aerobics, respectively. All selected Wii Fit activity intensities were significantly higher than resting, p < .001; aerobic and strength activities met the moderate intensity threshold (three metabolic equivalents, p < .001), while yoga activities did not (p < .005). Aerobic and yoga activities of medium difficulty were more intense than the corresponding easy-rated activities (p < .005). There were no statistical differences between measured and calculated metabolic equivalents. Wii Fit has potential as an effective tool for helping college-aged individuals increase their physical activity.     

Cross-Validation of the Revised Motivation for Physical Activity Measure in Active Women

Abstract

The five different training methods used in this study consisted of various proportions of swimming and of weight training exercises. Sixty subjects were divided into five equated groups. Each group was exposed to a different treatment over a period of six weeks. Tests of swimming speed were administered at the beginning of the experiment, and at the end of each week. All five treatments resulted in significant swimming improvements, but none of the treatments were significantly more effective than the other treatments.     

Trends in International Research Presented Through the Research Consortium of the American Alliance for Health,Physical Education,Recreation and Dance (1965–2008)

The extent of international research on the Research Consortium's program between 1965 and 2008 was documented. A total of 9,132 abstracts were reviewed, and 657 (7.19%) had an international component. Inclusion of international research ranged from a low of 1.97% in 1983 to a high of 14.24% in 2007. There was a decrease in the amount of international research presented between 1965 and 1983, after which there was an increase through 2008. Most growth was from increased contributions coming from researchers in Southeast Asia. In terms of general research topics, eight areas increased over the 44-year history reviewed, and five areas decreased. Seven recommendations are advanced for expanding the place and role of international research within the Research Consortium.