ENGAGING ELEMENTARY PRESERVICE TEACHERS WITH ACTIVE LEARNING TEACHING METHODOLOGIES

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of active learning on preservice teachers' dignity, energy, self-management, community, and awareness (DESCA) abilities, attitudes toward teaching, and attitudes toward science. Third year preservice teachers (n = 77) from two different classes were involved in the study. One intact class was assigned as the experimental group, whereas the other intact class was assigned as the comparison group. The comparison group students received the instruction by traditional teaching, and the experimental group received instruction through an active learning paradigm. DESCA abilities and attitudes were measured before and after instruction. Results revealed that there was a significant difference favoring the active learning instruction on preservice teachers' DESCA scores; however, there was no significant difference on preservice teachers' attitudes toward teaching and science.     

Correlates of peer victimization and achievement: An exploratory model

This study investigates peer victimization and achievement. Adolescents aged 12–15 years were drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, which is a stratified random sample of 22,831 households in Canada. Teachers', children's, and parents' reports were combined in a latent variable path analysis, χ²(51) = 348.54, p < .000. The model converged in six iterations resulting in a Comparative Fit Index = .90, and a standardized residual mean error of .05. The model shows that adolescents who are victimized by their peers are at risk of experiencing poor school achievement if they exhibit disruptive behaviors, receive little support from their teachers, and experience non‐nurturing, rejecting behaviors from their parents. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

What do students consider useful about student ratings?

Although measures of student ratings of instruction have been developed and examined empirically, students' attitudes about the utility of these ratings have yet to be meaningfully quantified. Using survey responses from 1229 students at a major Canadian university, we developed a psychometrically sound measure of the usefulness of student ratings. A principal components analysis with oblique rotation was conducted and three factors (Instructor characteristics, Course characteristics and Instructor's relative ranking) were obtained that explained 64% of the variance in six iterations. The usefulness of these three types of ratings information differs according to several student and course characteristics. The present results provide evidence for both reliability and validity of the instrument as an indicator of the utility of teaching evaluation for students.     

Family Concerns Surrounding Kindergarten Transition: A Comparison of Students in Special and General Education

Kindergarten transition is considered an important developmental milestone for children and families. Children with disabilities may be especially vulnerable during transition and may lack academic and behavioral readiness skills essential for kindergarten. Family concerns surrounding children’s transition were explored in 132 students (n = 29 special education; n = 103 general education) preparing to enter kindergarten. Caregivers responded to a survey on family experiences and involvement in transition and reported on the degree to which they were concerned about kindergarten transition. Caregivers of special education students reported significantly more concerns surrounding their child’s behavior, communication, academic readiness, and overall readiness for kindergarten than did caregivers of general education students. Implications for supporting children and families during transition are discussed.     

The effect of sex and localised fatigue on triceps surae musculoarticular stiffness

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of fatigue on musculoarticular stiffness (MAS) of the ankle joint across sexes. Methods: Twenty-seven males and 26 females participated in the study. After baseline assessment of MAS and related variables, localised fatigue was induced in triceps surae using the standing heel-rise test during which the subjects were instructed to lift and drop the heel at a frequency of 0.5?Hz. When subjects were unable to continue due to exhaustion the test was terminated and another MAS test was performed soon after. Results: Significant higher triceps surae MAS was found in men compared to women (p?p??1 and from 14.5 to 13.9?KN?m^?1 in men and women, respectively. Percentage changes revealed, however, that in relative terms the changes in all the variables evaluated were similar (p?>?.01) between sexes, with MAS less than 5%. Conclusion: Despite the sex-related differences at baseline, fatigue seems to affect biomechanical properties of the ankle joint similarly in men and women.     

Aerobic Capacity in Black Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Our purpose was to determine the aerobic capacities (VO₂max) of a group of black female adolescents (age = 11.4 ? 15.8 years) randomly chosen from a single urban school. Of 91 girls selected, 64 performed an incremental treadmill running test to volitional exhaustion and achieved VO₂max as determined from expired gas measures. Other measures included height (m), weight (kg), and calf and triceps skinfolds (for % fat estimates). Girls were also asked whether they had achieved menarche. VO₂max averaged 37.3 ± 6.2 ml·kg^?1 ·min^?1 and was significantly correlated (r[62]) with height (?.32, p < .01), body mass index (?.63, p < .001), and % fat (?.65, p < .001) but not with age (?.16, p > .10). Postmenarchal girls were significantly taller and older than premenarchal girls. Contrary to previous studies, the girls' VO₂max values were not related to biological age. Our subjects' aerobic capacity values averaged 14% less than those of nonblack U.S. female adolescents previously reported in the literature. This difference in VO₂max was primarily a function of body weight. Study implications support the possibility that overweight in adult black women may originate prior to or during early adolescence. Future longitudinal studies should be designed to investigate the effects of aerobic fitness on cardiovascular risk factor reduction in black adolescent girls.     

The Validity of the Tritrac-R3D Activity Monitor for the Assessment of Physical Activity in Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the Tritrac-R3D Activity Monitor, a new instrument designed to improve assessments of physical activity. Comparisons were made with a heart rate monitor and with a Caltrac Activity Monitor. Thirty-five children (ages 9–11 years) were monitored on 3 different school days with all 3 instruments. The Tritrac was moderately correlated with the heart rate monitor (r =.58) and highly correlated with the Caltrac monitor (r =.88). By taking advantage of the minute-by-minute timing capability of the Tritrac and the heart rate monitors, it was discovered, that the correlations between these instruments were highest during free play situations (lunch/recess, recess, after school) and were lower when activity was more limited (class time) or structured (physical education). The ability of the Tritrac to assess activity on a minute-by-minute basis may greatly enhance its overall utility.     

Teaching within a Curricular Zone of Safety: School Culture and the Situated Nature of Student Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to continue the theoretical delineation of the nature of pedagogical content knowledge. Two student teachers were observed teaching an elementary games and high school sport unit and interviewed in depth about their lessons, biography, pedagogical content knowledge, and aspects of the school culture. Data were analyzed by constant comparison and analytic induction. Trustworthiness was established through member checks and triangulation. In the high school, both student teachers tried to use extending and refining tasks, as they had in the elementary school. But, when confronted with aspects of the high school culture, both retreated to a curricular zone of safety relying on application tasks. This zone, the defining aspect of their pedagogical content knowledge of teaching sports, emerged from and was constituted by the relations among goals, capabilities, teaching, inadequate pedagogical content knowledge, and aspects of the school culture. It is argued that situated and cultural orientations contribute to psychological orientations currently used to delineate pedagogical content knowledge. A curricular zone of safety is offered as a concept that helped account for the emergence and persistence of particular ways of knowing content.     

Physiological Effects of Deep Water Running following a Land-Based Training Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in knowledge representation and problem solutions in expert and novice youth baseball players. Ninety-four players in two age divisions, 7–8 years of age and 9–10 years of age, were assigned to three levels of expertise: high; average; and low skilled. Each subject participated in an interview session to elicit knowledge representation and solutions to five different defensive game situations. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for content, solution to the problem, errors in problem solution, and qualitative trends. The frequency of advanced solutions to each of the five situations were analyzed in separate chi-square tests for age and expertise. Differences among the levels of expertise were found for the accuracy of solutions to three complex situations. Age was significant for only one situation. Patterns of knowledge content accessed during advanced and less advanced responses indicated both experts and novices were in a beginning stage of developing baseball knowledge structures. Errors in problem solutions indicated children had difficulty monitoring critical conditions and making correct inferences. Players' and teammates' ability to execute baseball skills seemed to influence the content and structure of tactical knowledge accessed during problem solution.     

The use of computers in K-12 schools in turkey

Through the determined efforts of MONE, more than one third of the existing 5,851 schools have at least one computer lab. It is clear that the number of computers in schools in Turkey will continue to increase.