Racial stereotypes revisited

Fifty-one black and 66 white college students were administered the Katz and Braly Checklist (1933) and instructed to select five adjectives that best described first themselves, second, black Americans, and third, white Americans. They then rated each adjective on a favorability scale from 1 to 5. Changes in the content of stereotypes were determined by calculating the 10 most frequently checked adjectives for black and for white Americans and comparing that with data from Katz and Braly (1933), Bayton (1941) and Maykovich (1972). Currently, black Americans are described as musical, loyal to family ties, very religious, progressive, ambitious, and quick-tempered. White Americans are described as intelligent, materialistic, ambitious, industrious, conventional, and conservative. The content of the white stereotype remained more stable over the years than the black stereotype. The white stereotype has slowly decreased in favorability over the years while the black stereotype has increased. Black and white students rated themselves more favorably than they rated the other or their own race.     

Anatomy education in Namibia: balancing facility design and curriculum development

The anatomy curriculum at Namibia's first, and currently only, medical school is clinically oriented, outcome-based, and includes all of the components of modern anatomical sciences i.e., histology, embryology, neuroanatomy, gross, and clinical anatomy. The design of the facilities and the equipment incorporated into these facilities were directed toward simplification of work flow and ease of use by faculty, staff, and students. From the onset, the integration of state of the art technology was pursued to facilitate teaching and promote a student-centered pedagogical approach to dissections. The program, as realized, is comprised of three 16-week semesters with seven hours of contact time per week, namely three hours of lectures and four hours of dissection laboratory and microscopy time. Set outcomes were established, each revolving around clinical cases with integrated medical imaging. The design of the facility itself was not constrained by a legacy structure, allowing the School of Medicine, in collaboration with architects and contractors, to design the building from scratch. A design was implemented that allows for the sequential processing of cadaveric material in a unidirectional flow from reception, to preparation, embalming, storage, dissection, and maceration. Importantly, the odor of formaldehyde typically associated with anatomy facilities was eliminated outside of the dissection areas and minimized within via a high-performance ventilation system. By holistically incorporating an integrated curriculum, facility design, and teaching at an early stage, the authors believe they have created a system that might serve as a model for new anatomy programs.     

Aligning Physical Activity Measures With the International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health Framework for Childhood Disability

ABSTRACT

The introduction of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health has placed emphasis on framing health behavior as a multidimensional construct. In relation to childhood physical activity, this encompasses dimensions of functional performance, activity attendance, and subjective perceptions of involvement and enjoyment within activity settings. Current literature, however, primarily investigates physical activity in terms of performance and activity levels. The resulting misalignment of theory and measurement practice challenges the development of a comprehensive understanding of childhood physical activity behavior. For children with disabilities, who may have nuanced experiences in activity, there may be greater necessity to examine additional dimensions of physical activity (e.g., participation). In an effort to support meaningful interpretations of physical activity behavior measures among children with disabilities, the purposes of this article are to (a) conceptualize childhood physical activity within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, and (b) provide guidance on aligning measurement tools with physical activity dimensions.     

Enhancing Teachers' Knowledge and Use of Inquiry Through Environmental Science Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Pathways to STEMM Professions for Students From Noncollege Homes

In this article we use data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth to examine the influence of parent education on pathways to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) professions. Building on a general model of factors related to STEMM education and employment, we employ a two-group structural equation model to examine the factors that predict enrollment in a postsecondary STEMM program and employment as a STEMM professional. The results of this analysis indicate that most of the variables in the two models function in a similar manner, but the levels of parental encouragement, help, and direction vary significantly between college-educated and non-college-educated families. The children of non-college-educated parents were less likely to take algebra in Grade 8, take calculus in high school, and take calculus in college than were the children of college-educated parents. Young adults that grew up in noncollege families were less likely to enter postsecondary education; more likely to begin postsecondary education at a community college; less likely to earn a baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degree; and less likely to become a STEMM professional. The analysis reveals a clear pattern of cumulative advantage and cumulative disadvantage, and the final section of this article discusses the need for educational and public policy leaders to develop strategies and programs to address the substantial differential associated with parent education.     

Cultural identity central to Native American persistence in science

Cultural Studies of Science Education - Native Americans are the least represented population in science fields. In recent years, undergraduate and graduate level summer research programs that...