AI Armageddon and the Three Laws of Robotics

After 50 years, the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics capture the imagination of the general public while, at the same time, engendering a great deal of fear and skepticism. Isaac Asimov recognized this deep-seated misconception of technology and created the Three Laws of Robotics. The first part of this paper examines the underlying fear of intelligent robots, revisits Asimov’s response, and reports on some current opinions on the use of the Three Laws by practitioners. Finally, an argument against robotic rebellion is made along with a call for personal responsibility and suggestions for implementing safety constraints in intelligent robots.     

Making mobile knowledges. The educational cruises of the Revue Générale des Sciences Pures et Appliquées, 1897-1914

Over the past few years there has been an increasing acknowledgment that all knowledge is "sited knowledge." While place, mobility, and travel have become central issues in the history (and geography) of science, much of the discussion has nevertheless revolved around "formal scientific knowledge." This essay focuses on a specific type of popular "mobile" scientific knowledge making that emerged in the last decades of the nineteenth century: the educational cruise. In particular, it considers a series of voyages d'etude organized by the French scientific periodical Revue Générale des Sciences Pures et Appliquées between 1897 and 1914 that were open to the general public. It examines both the ways and the spaces in which knowledge was produced and the type of knowledge that was produced.     

The effects of an unanticipated side-cut on lower extremity kinematics and ground reaction forces during a drop landing

Unanticipated direction to cut after landing may alter the lower extremity landing biomechanics when performing landing motions. These alterations may potentially increase the risk of ACL injury. The purpose of this study was to determine if an unanticipated side-cut affects lower extremity landing biomechanics in females. Eighteen recreational female athletes participated in two blocks of testing: the first block of testing consisted of three acceptable trials of anticipated dominant limb and non-dominant limb 45-degree diagonal cutting after landing, which were performed in a counterbalanced order. The second block of testing consisted of three acceptable trials of unanticipated dominant limb and non-dominant limb diagonal cutting after landing. Data analysis mainly focused on the dominant limb landing biomechanics. Unanticipated side-cut landing, compared (paired t-test, p < 0.05) to the anticipated landings, resulted in less hip abduction and tibial internal rotation angle at initial contact (IC) and a lower maximum ankle inversion angle and a greater maximum knee abduction angle, and knee and hip displacement. Also, greater posterior GRF and a longer time to peak medial GRF were exhibited. These outcomes indicate that athletes may adapt their landing mechanics to land unsafely when encountering an unanticipated event.     

Concurrent Validity of Actigraph-Determined Sedentary Time Against the Activpal Under Free-Living Conditions in a Sample of Bus Drivers

This study explored the validity of ActiGraph-determined sedentary time (<50 cpm, <100 cpm, <150 cpm, <200 cpm, <250 cpm) compared with the activPAL in a free-living sample of bus drivers. Twenty-eight participants were recruited between November 2013 and February 2014. Participants wore an activPAL3 and ActiGraph GT3X+ concurrently for 7 days and completed a daily diary. Time spent sedentary during waking hours on workdays, non-workdays, during working-hours, and non-working hours were compared between instruments. During working hours, all ActiGraph cut-points significantly underestimated sedentary time (p < 0.05), whereas during non-working hours the <50 cpm cut-point demonstrated the closest agreement (ActiGraph sedentary time: 250 ± 75 minutes versus activPAL sedentary time: 236 ± 65 minutes). Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed that on workdays and non-workdays the ActiGraph cut-points exhibited relatively low sensitivity (all <0.62) and specificity (all <0.49) values. The use of the ActiGraph to measure sedentary time in this understudied, highly sedentary and at risk occupational group is not recommended.     

The Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters Program's Relationship with Mother and School Outcomes

Research Findings: This study investigated the relationship of the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program to mothers' involvement in education at home and school, student school readiness in kindergarten, and student academic outcomes at 3rd grade. HIPPY serves a mostly minority, low-income family population and employs home visitors that are mostly female and Spanish speaking. Using a within-group analysis, we found that HIPPY mothers increased educational activities in their home with their children after 1 year of home-based intervention. The majority (84.8%) of HIPPY kindergartners were rated as “ready for school” by their kindergarten teachers according to a within-group analysis. In addition, between-group analyses showed that HIPPY kindergartners had higher attendance rates, higher prekindergarten enrollment, and higher promotion to 1st grade compared to other kindergartners in the school district. HIPPY 3rd graders scored significantly higher on a state-mandated math achievement test than their matched peers. Practice or Policy: The results suggest that HIPPY had a positive relationship with families and schools through improved parent involvement and student school outcomes.     

Linguistic Minority Students in Higher Education: Using,Resisting, and Negotiating Multiple Labels

Linguistic minority students have been both under-researched and underserved in the context of research on minority students’ access to and retention in higher education. The labels ascribed to them have typically failed to capture the complexity of their identities. Additionally, much of the literature in higher education on minority students’ access and retention has focused on structural barriers rather than on how students negotiate these barriers. By bringing linguistic minority students into the forefront of this conversation, we show how four linguistic minority female students draw on their community cultural wealth and different forms of capital (Yosso, 2005 Yosso, T. J. 2005. Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(1): 69–91. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) to access and navigate college while experiencing differing advantages and disadvantages based on institutional labeling. By employing critical race theory and its conceptualization of capital, we illustrate how students use, resist, and negotiate labels in attempts to access resources and services at a four-year institution. We conclude by calling for more research on this population as well as additive university practices and policies that reflect the richness of linguistic minority student identities.     

Competing philosophies in the classroom: a challenge to Hong Kong teachers

The present paper examines the experiences of teachers in teaching children with special needs in mainstream schools and how they see and evaluate the feasibility of the new integration initiatives in Hong Kong. The data are based on individual and focus group interviews with general class teachers, resource class teachers and principals of mainstream schools admitting students with special needs. Teachers reported difficulties and problems in maintaining classroom discipline and ambivalence in meeting the competing demands between students with and without special needs. The structural constraints of implementing a rigidly defined curriculum and being accountable for good academic results regardless of student competence pose formidable obstacles in achieving the goals of integrated education. There is a conflict at the systemic level between the philosophy of academic excellence defined by grades on the one hand and the philosophy of equality and inclusion on the other. Improving parent participation, having an ample supply of funds, the provision of necessary equipment and facilities, the availability of pre‐ and in‐service training to teachers, and additional manpower in counselling are the most urgently needed resources in facilitating teachers to engage in teaching students with special needs alongside others.     

Is Something Better Than Nothing? An Evaluation of Early Childhood Programs in Cambodia

This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of home-based, community-based, and state-run early childhood programs across Cambodia. A total of 880 five-year-olds (55% girls) from 6 rural provinces in Cambodia attending State Preschools, Community Preschools, Home-Based Programs, or no programs were assessed twice using the Cambodian Developmental Assessment Test. Controlling for baseline differences, children who participated in any early childhood programs performed significantly better in posttest than those of children who did not participate in any programs. Children in State Preschools scored significantly higher than those in either Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs; scores did not differ as a function of attending Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs. The results indicate that some preschool experience is better than none at all.     

Individualized Care in Practice: Communication Strategies of Nursing Aides and Residents in Nursing Homes

Individualizing care in nursing homes can be difficult and complex. The purpose of this study is to characterize the meaning of and experiences with individualized care from the perspectives of both nursing aides and nursing-home residents. Eight focus groups of nursing aides (N =17) and residents (N=15) from two nursing homes generated four dialectical themes related to communication strategies: (a) getting to know versus maintaining a protective distance, (b) mutual respect versus disrespect, (c) avoiding versus addressing conflict, and (d) equity versus perceived favoritism. These findings suggest dialectics in how interpersonal communication affects individualized care from the perspectives of both nursing aides and residents.     

One year of anatomy teaching and learning in the outbreak: Has the Covid-19 pandemic marked the end of a century-old practice? A systematic review

At the end of 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic spread caused restrictions in business and social spheres. Higher education was also severely affected: universities and medical schools moved online to distance learning and laboratory facilities closed. Questions arise about the long-term effects of this pandemic on anatomical education. In this systematic review, the authors investigated whether or not anatomical educators were able to deliver anatomical knowledge during this pandemic. They also discuss the challenges that anatomical education has faced over the last year. The search strategy was conducted between July 2020 and July 2021. Two hundred and one records were identified, and a total of 79 studies were finally included. How best to deliver anatomy to students remains a moot point. In the last years, the advent of new technologies has raised the question of the possible overcoming of dissection as the main instrument in anatomical education. The Covid-19 pandemic further sharpened the debate. Remote learning enhanced the use of technologies other than cadaveric dissection to teach anatomy. Moreover, from the analyzed records it appears that both from students' perspective as well as teachers' there is a clear tear between those who endorse dissection and those who believe it could be easily overcome or at least integrated by virtual reality and online learning. The authors strongly believe that the best anatomy teaching practice requires the careful adaptation of resources and methods. Nevertheless, they support cadaveric dissection and hope that it will not be replaced entirely as a result of this pandemic.