The relationship between student interest and teacher's use of behavior alteration techniques

Two hundred and nine college students completed surveys that pertained to their perceptions of teacher behaviors (BATs) and their level of interest. Interest was measured using the Frymier, Shulman, and Houser (1996) Learner Empowerment Scale. Not only do the results indicate that pro‐social teacher behaviors are related to increased levels of student interest, but results show that different teacher behaviors are differentially related to the separate dimensions of interest. This supports earlier assertions by Weber, Martin and Patterson (2001) that interest is a multifaceted construct providing teachers with different avenues to influence their students’ affective responses.     

Flirting Competence: An Experimental Study on Appropriate and Effective Opening Lines

An experiment was conducted to examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of five flirtatious opening lines enacted by a male participant to initiate conversation with a female participant. Video messages were constructed to represent the following opening lines: direct introductions, direct compliments, humor attempts, cute–flippant lines, and third-party introductions. Participants were 642 college students who viewed one of these five videos and reported on the appropriateness and effectiveness of an opening line after controlling for perceptions of actor physical attractiveness. Results indicated that participants rated the third-party introduction and direct introduction opening lines as the most appropriate, whereas the third-party introduction was perceived as the most effective. Direct compliments, humor attempts, and cute–flippant lines were rated as equally inappropriate and ineffective.     

Electronic Graphic Organizers for Learning Science Vocabulary and Concepts: The Effects of Online Synchronous Discussion

This study investigated the content learning of fourth graders (N?=?92) randomly assigned to complete electronic Frayer Models on life science vocabulary by themselves or while engaging in synchronous online discussions with a partner. The use of the graphic organizers was interspersed with other science activities. After seven weeks, all students significantly improved their science content knowledge (d ≈ 0.60), but the two treatment groups did not demonstrate significantly different performance after controlling for pretest abilities. Path analysis revealed the rubric scores on students' organizers were more strongly predictive of the posttest science benchmark in the online discussion group than the independent group, suggesting that collaboratively completing Frayer Models may help bolster the relationship between reading and science.     

Preliminary development of a measure of sibling relational maintenance behaviors: Scale development and initial findings

Two studies were conducted to examine the use of relational maintenance behaviors in the sibling relationship. In the first study, the specific relational maintenance behaviors used by siblings were identified. A principal components factor analysis of 70 previously generated behaviors used by 363 participants revealed six factors: confirmation, humor, social support, family visits, escape, and verbal aggression. In the second study, the link between the six relational maintenance behaviors used by siblings and the relational outcomes of liking, commitment, and trust was explored. Results indicate the confirmation, humor, social support, and family visits relational maintenance behaviors are correlated positively with liking, commitment, and trust, but the verbal aggression relational maintenance behavior failed to correlate with liking, commitment, or trust.     

A Comparative Study of Physique and Performance Measures Resulting from a Short-Term Physical Fitness Course

Abstract

Cardiorespiratory and anthropometric assessments were made on 95 randomly selected young college males enrolled in three physical fitness sections and one tennis course, each lasting eight weeks. Laboratory and field measures were utilized to report and evaluate changes in functional fitness and physique variables, including nine selected fat and girth measurements, height and weight, timed vital capacity, Harvard Step Test, grip strength, mile run time, and vertical jump. Analysis of the data yielded the following conclusions: (a) Eight weeks of physical fitness training can produce significant improvements in physique and circulorespiratory characteristics; (b) A skill-oriented tennis class demonstrates no significant physical improvements; (c) Body weight can be increased while body fat is lost; (d) Vital capacity has little value in reflecting levels of physical performance; (e) Specificity of a physical fitness program will influence its outcome.     

Graphite into diamonds: Using teams to strengthen intracollegial interaction

In an information-processing organization, it is essential that lines of communications stay open and fluid, and that can best be accomplished through cooperative teamwork. In science, when graphite is subjected to extreme heat and pressure, it is converted into a diamond. When pressure is applied to a collegiate bureaucracy through retraining key personnel, it can be transformed into a team promoting unity and interaction. Strategies for developing teams are discussed.Mark D. Weber earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in Zoology, from the University of South Florida, his Master of Arts degree, with a major in Secondary Science Education, from Oral Roberts University, and his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Oklahoma State University. After a career in which he provided orthopedic services to physicians and medical facilities, he taught in private schools and Tulsa Junior College before joining Oral Roberts University where he is Assistant Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medicine.Thomas A. Karman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, with majors in History and Political Science, from Albion College, his Master of Arts, with a major in East Asia Regional Studies, from Harvard University, and his Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Toledo. After serving The Defiance College as a faculty member and administrator, he joined Oklahoma State University, where he is Professor and Head of the department of Educational Administration and Higher Education.