College cheating: Immaturity,lack of commitment,and the neutralizing attitude

Through the use of a 49-item questionnaire administered to 380 university students, we investigated student cheating on exams, quizzes, and homework assignments. More than half the students reported cheating during the academic year on at least one of the above. The purpose of this paper was to uncover fundamental factors underlying cheating behavior. Through the use of correlational and factor analysis, three primary factors were identified: student immaturity, lack of commitment to academics, and neutralization. We offer interpretations of these factors and suggestions for testing these and other factors in future research.     

Improving Campus Climate to Support Faculty Diversity and Retention: A Pilot Program for New Faculty

We report on a series of pilot programs that we developed and carried out to support the success and satisfaction of new faculty, particularly faculty of color. We hope that others committed to retaining and supporting underrepresented faculty can apply our learning from this pilot project, as a whole or in part.Fred P. Piercy, Ph.D. (University of Florida), M.Ed. (University of South Carolina), B.A. (Wake Forest University) is the Department Head of the Department of Human Development at Virginia Tech. His professional interests include family therapy education, HIV social science research and prevention, and family intervention for adolescent drug abusers. Valerie Giddings, Ph.D., M.S. (Virginia Tech), B.S. (Bennett College) is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Lifelong Learning at Winston-Salem State University. Her professional interests include anthropometry and apparel fit, cultural aesthetics for apparel, and diversity issues in higher education. Katherine R. Allen, Ph.D., M.A. (Syracuse University), B.S. (University of Connecticut) is a Professor in Human Development at Virginia Tech. Her interests include family diversity over the life course, adult sibling ties in transition, and persistence of women and minorities in IT majors. Benjamin Dixon, Ed.D. (University of Massachusetts), M.A.T. (Harvard University), B.Mus.Ed. (Howard University) is the Vice President for Multicultural Affairs at Virginia Tech. His interests include diversity, multicultural education, ethical pluralism, and equity and inclusion issues related to organizational management and development. Peggy S. Meszaros, Ph.D. (University of Maryland), M.S. (University of Kentucky), B.S. (Austin Peay State University) is the William E. Lavery Professor of Human Development and the Director of the Center for Information Technology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families at Virginia Tech. Her interests include positive youth development, leadership issues, female career transitions, and mother/daughter communication. Karen Joest, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech), M.S. (Chaminade University), B.S. (Indiana State University) is an Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies at the State University of New York, College at Oneonta. Her interests include adolescents exposed to domestic violence, use of qualitative research, and use of technology and feminist pedagogy     

History of abuse and neglect in patients with schizophrenia who have a history of violence

Objective

To determine the prevalence of five forms of abuse/neglect during childhood and adolescence in a group of schizophrenic patients with a history of violence.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients hospitalized in a highly secured psychiatric unit were included. Abuse and neglect during patients’ growth were evaluated with the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). History of substance abuse (consumption of cannabis, and/or alcohol, and/or heroin, and/or cocaine during the year that preceded the hospitalization), incarceration, and death of a close parent were also collected.

Results

We found that 46.4% of patients experienced at least 1 form of abuse and/or neglect during childhood and 21.4% of them had experienced more than 2 forms of abuse and/or neglect. The 2 most frequent forms of neglect and abuse were physical abuse (39.3%) and emotional neglect (17.9%). History of substance abuse was found for cannabis (57.1%), alcohol (57.1%), and cocaine and/or heroin (35.7%). We found that 42.8% of patients had 1 close relative who had died during their growth and that 41.6% of these deaths were violent.

Conclusion

It appears important to systematically search for and assess a history of abuse and neglect during growth in schizophrenic patients with a history of violence, in order to offer specific treatments for this group of patients.     

If You Build It,They Will Come (or Not): Going the Distance in Teacher Candidate Recruitment

There are persistent concerns in the literature related to recruitment and retention of highly qualified teacher candidates who are capable of achieving contemporary goals and meeting the professional expectations associated with the delivery of quality physical education programs in schools. The purpose of this article is to provide physical education teacher education faculty with recommendations for best practice in the area of teacher candidate recruitment by reviewing literature in the following areas: (a) identification of the characteristics of successful teachers as a basis for recruitment efforts, (b) fundamental principles of effective marketing and recruitment, (c) generational characteristics of college-bound students and the practical implications, and (d) recruitment of underrepresented populations. The recruitment tactics identified include actionable recommendations for faculty, departments/programs, universities, and community partners in teacher education.     

Reframing Service-Learning as Learning and Participation With Urban Youth

This article describes a critical service-learning project that resulted from an educational partnership among a national teachers' union, a local teachers' union, and a major research university. The partnership—funded by a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn and Serve program—focused on professional development opportunities for K–12 educators across subject areas throughout an urban school district. Teachers enrolled in a university-level graduate course where they learned about critical service-learning, engaged in community-based activities, developed partnerships with local organizations, and facilitated critical service-learning projects in local schools and communities. Here, we highlight one of the many projects that emerged from this partnership as we attempt to connect theory with practice by reframing service-learning as learning and participation. We ask: How can a reframing of service-learning as learning and participation impact how we understand the educative and social engagements of four urban youth?     

Effect of breaking up sedentary time with callisthenics on endothelial function

Periods of prolonged sitting impairs endothelial function in lower limb conduit arteries, which is attenuated with physical activity breaks. The effect of activity breaks on upper limb arteries has not been examined. This study assessed changes in brachial artery endothelial function following either a prolonged sitting period or breaking up this sedentary time by performing sets of callisthenics exercises. Ten healthy participants (6 men) completed 2 conditions in a counterbalanced order: (a) 1-h 26-min sitting, or (b) breaking up this period every 20 min by performing a set of 5 callisthenics exercises. Brachial artery endothelial function was assessed via ultrasound using the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) technique prior to and following each condition, while brachial shear rate (SR) was acquired after each set of callisthenics. There was no significant change in FMD over time (P = 0.09) or between conditions (P = 0.12). Compared to sitting, brachial SR increased following each set of callisthenics, with a significant difference after the third break (Sit: 33.94 ± 12.79 s^?1; Callisthenics: 57.16 ± 30.48 s^?1, P = 0.02). Alterations in SR in the upper limbs suggest callisthenics may be an effective intervention to break up sedentary time and attenuate the potentially deleterious effects of prolonged sitting on cardiovascular health.