Structuring professional dialogue through protocols: a study among elementary English teachers in Taiwan

This study focuses on the integration of protocols into elementary school English teacher’s professional dialogue and discusses the influence of protocols on teacher’s teaching and learning. Based on the analysis of documents, observations, and interviews, this study concludes that the introduction of protocols to elementary school English teachers led them to discuss their classroom practice and gain professional learning in instructional strategies and student learning during the professional dialogue. However, English teacher’s lack of experience in using protocols led to interruptions during the professional dialogue. Suggestions for effective protocol-based professional dialogue are provided.

     

Self‐Compassion Among College Counseling Center Clients: An Examination of Clinical Norms and Group Differences

There has been growing interest in the mental health benefits of self‐compassion. This study was designed to establish norms on the Self‐Compassion Scale–Short Form, a popular measure of self‐compassion for individuals seeking counseling, and to examine group differences in self‐compassion based on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, previous counseling, and psychiatric medication use. Data for this study were collected through the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, a practice‐research network of more than 240 college and university counseling centers.     

Classroom instructional quality,exposure to mathematics instruction and mathematics achievement in fifth grade

This study examined the quality of teacher–child interactions and exposure to mathematics instruction as predictors of 5th grade student’s mathematics achievement. The sample was a subset of the children involved in the NICHD–SECC longitudinal study (N = 657). Results indicate that, even after controlling for student demographic characteristics, more exposure to mathematics instruction was related to increased fifth grade mathematics achievement for both calculations and applied problems assessments, but there was no main effect for improved instructional quality. Findings also indicate that, in classrooms where lower instructional quality was observed, greater exposure to mathematics instruction predicted improved mathematics achievement. Findings are discussed in terms of differing aspects of mathematics instruction and the possible compensatory role of exposure to instruction in classrooms of lower quality.     

Anatomy integration blueprint: A fourth‐year musculoskeletal anatomy elective model

Current undergraduate medical school curricular trends focus on both vertical integration of clinical knowledge into the traditionally basic science‐dedicated curricula and increasing basic science education in the clinical years. This latter type of integration is more difficult and less reported on than the former. Here, we present an outline of a course wherein the primary learning and teaching objective is to integrate basic science anatomy knowledge with clinical education. The course was developed through collaboration by a multi‐specialist course development team (composed of both basic scientists and physicians) and was founded in current adult learning theories. The course was designed to be widely applicable to multiple future specialties, using current published reports regarding the topics and clinical care areas relying heavily on anatomical knowledge regardless of specialist focus. To this end, the course focuses on the role of anatomy in the diagnosis and treatment of frequently encountered musculoskeletal conditions. Our iterative implementation and action research approach to this course development has yielded a curricular template for anatomy integration into clinical years. Key components for successful implementation of these types of courses, including content topic sequence, the faculty development team, learning approaches, and hidden curricula, were developed. We also report preliminary feedback from course stakeholders and lessons learned through the process. The purpose of this report is to enhance the current literature regarding basic science integration in the clinical years of medical school. Anat Sci Educ 7: 379–388. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.     

Spatial visualization ability and laparoscopic skills in novice learners: Evaluating stereoscopic versus monoscopic visualizations

Elevated spatial visualization ability (Vz) is thought to influence surgical skill acquisition and performance. Current research suggests that stereo visualization technology and its association with skill performance may confer perceptual advantages. This is of particular interest in laparoscopic skill training, where stereo visualization may confer learning advantages to novices of variant Vz. This study explored laparoscopic skill performance scores in novices with variable spatial ability utilizing stereoscopic and traditional monoscopic visualization paradigms. Utilizing the McGill Inanimate System for Teaching and Evaluating Laparoscopic Skills (MISTELS) scoring protocol it was hypothesized that individuals with high spatial visualization ability (HVz) would achieve higher overall and individual MISTELS task scores as compared to low spatial visualization ability (LVz) counterparts. Further, we also hypothesized that a difference would exist between HVz and LVz individual scores based on the viewing modality employed. No significant difference was observed between HVz and LVz individuals for MISTELS tasks scores, overall or individually under both viewing modalities, despite higher average MISTELS scores for HVz individuals. The lack of difference between scores obtained under the stereo modality suggested that the additional depth that is conferred by the stereoscopic visualization may act to enhance performance for individuals with LVz, potentially equilibrating their performance with their HVz peers. Further experimentation is required to better ascertain the effects of stereo visualization in individuals of high and low Vz, though it appears stereoscopic visualizations could serve as a prosthetic to enhance skill performance. Anat Sci Educ 7: 295–301. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

The Library as Publisher

This article describes a half-day preconference that focused on the library as publisher. It examined how the movement from print to online publication has impacted the roles of libraries and their ability to take on new roles as publishers. The session explored the benefits of libraries becoming publishers, and discussed Open Access, what it is and is not and its importance to libraries and scholarly communication. A detailed case study of the publishing operations of the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh was presented as an example of a successful library publishing program. The session provided an opportunity for participants to discover ways that libraries can be involved in publishing.     

Predicting ground reaction forces in running using micro-sensors and neural networks

Measurement of ground reaction force (GRF) in running provides a direct indication of the loads to which the body is subjected at each foot-ground contact, and can provide an objective explanation for performance outcomes. Traditionally, the collection of three orthogonal component GRF data in running requires an athlete to complete a series of return loops along a laboratory based runway, within which a force platform is embedded, in order to collect data from a discrete footfall. The major disadvantages associated with this GRF data collection methodology include the inability to assess multiple consecutive foot contacts and the fact that measurements are typically confined to the laboratory. The objective of this research was to investigate the potential for wearable instrumentation to be employed, in conjunction with artificial neural network (ANN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models, for the estimation of GRF in middle distance running. A modular wearable data acquisition system was developed to acquire in-shoe force (ISF) data. Matched data sets from wearable instrumentation (source data) and force plate (target data) records were collected from elite middle-distance runners under controlled laboratory conditions for the purposes of ANN and MLR model development (MD) and model validation (MV). In terms of statistical measures of prediction accuracy the MLR model was found to provide a superior level of accuracy for the prediction of the vertical and medio-lateral components of GRF and alternatively, the ANN model provided the most accurate predictions of the anterior-posterior component of GRF. The prediction accuracy of each component of GRF was found to be governed by the inherent signal variability, in which case the vertical and anterior-posterior components were more reliable and subsequently predicted significantly more accurately than the medio-lateral component. The emerging capability for obtaining continuous GRF records from wearable instrumentation has the potential to permit unprecedented quantification of training stress and competition demands in running.