Community College Faculty Competencies

Much has been written about the characteristics of effective college teachers. However, skill sets have not yet been defined with any level of specificity. Also, instructors at community colleges have unique working conditions and challenges that influence how they teach. This paper illustrates the use of three studies conducted to build and validate a framework for defining the competencies of effective community college faculty. The project's culmination was a set of skills used to redesign one university's master's in education (MAEd) program in two-year college teaching. Although participants in all three studies identified subject matter expertise as an important competency, they emphasized several other skill sets as being important for meaningful student learning. Those skills are related to the use of authentic activities and multiple instructional delivery models, multiple ways of assessing student learning, and skills that are necessary outside the classroom in their teaching roles. Participants also emphasized interpersonal and affective components of effective teaching.     

Using educational technology to develop early literacy skills in Sub-Saharan Africa

The research explores the impact of interactive, multimedia literacy software (ABRA) on the reading skills of early elementary students in Kenya. Twelve grade two English teachers and their students from six schools were randomly divided in half: an experimental group (N?=?180) where ABRA was part of their English Language instruction and a control group (N?=?174) where regular instruction was used. After the pre-test student data were collected, a three-day initial training and planning session were held for the experimental teachers on how to use ABRA to teach literacy. Every week each experimental class was bussed to a computer lab with full access to ABRA for one 90-min lesson. Teacher support included the alignment of ABRA lesson plans with the Kenyan English Language norms, weekly web conferences with the trainer, as well as technical and pedagogical help from staff at the lab site. After the 13-week intervention, significant and substantial gains in reading comprehension were found for ABRA students as measured by GRADE, a standardized test of literacy. In addition, ABRA students outperformed their peers in control classes on the core end-of-year subject exams including English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.     

The hiring of academic administrators since the 1972Higher Education Guidelines

With the announcement of the 1972Higher Education Guidelines, colleges and universities were mandated to expand recruitment activities beyond the usual network approach. The intent of theGuidelines was to broaden the search process with the ultimate goal of placing more candidates from underrepresented populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if any change occurred in hiring practices and, particularly, if any change occurred in the hiring of candidates from underrepresented populations for select academic administrative positions in four-year colleges and universities as advertised in theChronicle of Higher Education during the period from 1972 to 1976. It was found that changes in recruitment had taken place but that changes in hiring appeared not to have occurred.     

Problem- Versus Case-based Approaches in Teaching Medical Students about Eating Disorders: A controlled comparison

Fourth-year medical students were allocated randomly to either problem-based learning (PBL) or case-based learning (CBL) tutorials on the topic of eating disorders during their 6-week psychiatry attachment. All students were evaluated in terms of their tutorial performance and the factual knowledge they had acquired. In turn, students evaluated the performance of the tutors in both the PBL and the CBL process. No significant differences were found between the student groups with respect to their performance or acquired knowledge. Furthermore, there were no significant differences when comparing the PBL format with the CBL format with regard to group functioning or oral interaction between students. Finally, student ratings for tutor performance on feedback, group management skills and personal qualities showed no differences. Implications for education are discussed.     

如何成为思考型教练员

为扮演好各种角色,不同级别的教练员都必须掌握和使用越来越复杂的专业化知识。因此,世界上许多国家都提供大型的综合项目,来帮助教练员实现这一目标,教练员教育得到迅猛发展,教练员教育国际委员会应运而生。然而,在教练员看来,与正式的教育相比,他们在训练指导实践中所获得的知识更有利于其职业发展。研究显示,美国高校的教练员用于教练员培训机构的平均时间为每年25h,     

Effect of asthma and six-months high-intensity interval training on heart rate variability during exercise in adolescents

ABSTRACT

Little is known regarding the influence of asthma and exercise, and their interaction, on heart rate variability (HRV) in adolescents.

Thirty-one adolescents with asthma (13.7±0.9 years; 21.9±3.9 kg·m^?2; 19 boys, 12 girls) and thirty-three healthy adolescents (13.8±0.9 years; 20.3±3.2 kg·m^?2; 16 boys, 17 girls) completed an incremental ramp test and three heavy-intensity constant-work-rate cycle tests. Thirteen adolescents (7 boys, 6 girls; 6 asthma, 7 control) completed six-months high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and were compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Standard time-domain, frequency-domain and non-linear indices of HRV were derived at baseline, three- and six-months.

Asthma did not influence HRV at baseline or following HIIT. Total power, low frequency and normalised low frequency power, and sympathovagal balance increased at three-months in HIIT, subsequently declining towards baseline at six-months. Normalised high frequency power was reduced at three-months in both groups, which was sustained at six-months. No effects of HIIT were observed in the time-domain nor in the non-linear indices.

HRV was not influenced by asthma, potentially because such derangements are a function of disease progression, severity or duration. HIIT may be associated with a short-term shift towards greater sympathetic predominance during exercise, perhaps caused by physiological overload and fatigue.     

Public library facility closure: An investigation of reasons for closure and effects on geographic market areas

Through a nationwide survey of potential public library closures from 1999–2003 (the most recent federal dataset at the time of the study), the researchers assessed the reasons for public library closure, actions taken to alleviate possible loss of library services and resources, and the potential effects on users from the librarians' perspective. Geographic information systems (GIS) was used to analyze the demographics and socioeconomics of the geographic market areas around permanently closed library facilities and compared with national averages from the 2000 U.S. Census. The study found a variety of factors lead to closure; however, a lack of use, a sudden reduction in funding, and the opening of another library facility were the most common closure reasons. The actions taken by the community or library system to alleviate the loss of library services and resources depended on the circumstances of each closure. The geographic market areas around permanently closed facilities tended to include poorer and less educated patrons, and more renters than homeowners when compared to the national average from the 2000 U.S. Census. The study presents a methodology using GIS to describe libraries' geographic market areas and illustrates the need for further exploration into reasons for public library closures and the effects of facility site location, relocation, and permanent closure on potential users.