Evaluation of an innovative hands‐on anatomy‐centered ultrasound curriculum to supplement graduate gross anatomy education

Ultrasound (US) can enhance anatomy education, yet is incorporated into few non‐medical anatomy programs. This study is the first to evaluate the impact of US training in gross anatomy for non‐medical students in the United States. All 32 master's students enrolled in gross anatomy with the anatomy‐centered ultrasound (ACUS) curriculum were recruited. Mean Likert ratings on pre‐ and post‐course surveys (100% response rates) were compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the ACUS curriculum in developing US confidence, and gauge its impact on views of US. Post‐course, students reported significantly higher (P < 0.001) mean confidence ratings in five US skills (pre‐course versus post‐course mean): obtaining scans (3.13 ±1.04 versus 4.03 ±0.78), optimizing images (2.78 ±1.07 versus 3.75 ±0.92), recognizing artifacts (2.94 ±0.95 versus 3.97 ±0.69), distinguishing tissue types (2.88 ±0.98 versus 4.09 ±0.69), and identifying structures (2.97 ±0.86 versus 4.03 ±0.59), demonstrating the success of the ACUS curriculum in students with limited prior experience. Views on the value of US to anatomy education and to students' future careers remained positive after the course. End‐of‐semester quiz performance (91% response rate) provided data on educational outcomes. The average score was 79%, with a 90% average on questions about distinguishing tissues/artifacts, demonstrating positive learning outcomes and retention. The anatomy‐centered ultrasound curriculum significantly increased confidence with and knowledge of US among non‐medical anatomy students with limited prior training. Non‐medical students greatly value the contributions that US makes to anatomy education and to their future careers. It is feasible to enhance anatomy education outside of medical training by incorporating US. Anat Sci Educ 10: 348–362. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.     

Articulation and Transfer for Career and Technical Students: Best Practices for Dealing with Real and Perceived Barriers to Baccalaureate Degree Attainment for Applied Science Students

ABSTRACT

Community colleges produce large numbers of high quality graduates from career and technical programs. These programs are often of high academic rigor and quality. However, most universities view these Applied Associates of Science (AAS) as being terminal associate's degrees that are not appropriate for transfer. Regional accrediting standards are often cited as the reason for this differentiation. The reality is that institutional policies often simply dismiss AAS courses by their prefix to simplify the process. This study and presentation will explore the reality of what is allowed by accrediting bodies in transferring AAS courses and best practices for facilitating the maximum allowable course transfer.     

Children Develop Initial Orthographic Knowledge During Storybook Reading

We examined whether young children acquire orthographic knowledge during structured adult-led storybook reading even though minimal viewing time is devoted to print. Sixty-two kindergarten children were read 12 storybook “chapters” while their eye movements were tracked. Results indicated that the children quickly acquired initial mental graphemic representations of target nonwords. This learning occurred even though they focused on the target nonwords approximately one fourth of the total time while viewing the pages. Their ability to acquire the initial orthographic representations of the target nonwords and their viewing time was affected by the linguistic statistical regularities of the words. The results provide evidence of orthographic learning during structured storybook reading and for the use of implicit linguistic statistical regularities for learning new orthographic word forms in the early stages of reading development.     

The force–time profile of elite front crawl swimmers

Abstract

In this study, we used recently developed technology to determine the force–time profile of elite swimmers, which enabled coaches to make informed decisions on technique modifications. Eight elite male swimmers with a FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) rank of 900+ completed five passive (streamline tow) and five net force (arms and leg swimming) trials. Three 50-Hz cameras were used to video each trial and were synchronized to the kinetic data output from a force-platform, upon which a motorized towing device was mounted. Passive and net force trials were completed at the participant's maximal front crawl swimming velocity. For the constant tow velocity, the net force profile was presented as a force–time graph, and the limitation of a constant velocity assumption was acknowledged. This allowed minimum and maximum net forces and arm symmetry to be identified. At a mean velocity of 1.92 ± 0.06 m · s^?1, the mean passive drag for the swimmers was 80.3 ± 4.0 N, and the mean net force was 262.4 ± 33.4 N. The mean location in the stroke cycle for minimum and maximum net force production was at 45% (insweep phase) and 75% (upsweep phase) of the stroke, respectively. This force–time profile also identified any stroke asymmetry.     

Quantifying stroke coordination during the breathing action in front-crawl swimming using an instantaneous net drag force profile

Abstract

This study used both an instantaneous net drag force profile and a symmetry timing to evaluate the effect of the breathing action on stroke coordination. Twenty elite swimmers completed a total of six randomised front-crawl towing trials: (i) three breathing trials and (ii) three non-breathing trials. The net drag force was measured using an assisted towing device mounted upon a Kistler force platform, and this equipment towed the swimmer at a constant speed. The net drag force profile was used to create a stroke symmetry index for each swimming trial. Analysis using the symmetry indices identified that the majority of participants demonstrated an asymmetrical instantaneous net drag force stroke profile in both the breathing and non-breathing conditions, despite no significant differences in the time from finger-tip entry to finger-tip exit. Within the breathing condition, the faster swimmers compared to the slower swimmers demonstrated a lesser percentage of overlap between stroke phases on their breathing stroke side. During the non-breathing condition, the faster participants compared to the slower swimmers recorded a reduction in the percentage of overlap between stroke phases and less duration in the underwater stroke on their breathing stroke side. This study identified that the majority of participants demonstrated an asymmetrical net drag force profile within both conditions; however, asymmetry was less prevalent when examining with only the timing symmetry index.     

Predicting second language writing proficiency: the roles of cohesion and linguistic sophistication

This study addresses research gaps in predicting second language (L2) writing proficiency using linguistic features. Key to this analysis is the inclusion of linguistic measures at the surface, textbase and situation model level that assess text cohesion and linguistic sophistication. The results of this study demonstrate that five variables (lexical diversity, word frequency, word meaningfulness, aspect repetition and word familiarity) can be used to significantly predict L2 writing proficiency. The results demonstrate that L2 writers categorised as highly proficient do not produce essays that are more cohesive, but instead produce texts that are more linguistically sophisticated. These findings have important implications for L2 writing development and L2 writing pedagogy.     

Metalinguistic contributions to reading and spelling in second and third grade students

Minimal research has been conducted on the simultaneous influence of multiple metalinguistic, linguistic, and processing skills that may impact literacy development in children who are in the process of learning to read and write. In this study, we assessed the phonemic awareness, morphological awareness, orthographic awareness, receptive vocabulary, and rapid naming abilities of second and third grade students (N?=?56) and determined how these abilities predicted the children??s reading and spelling skills. Regression analyses revealed that morphological awareness was the sole unique contributor to spelling and, together with orthographic awareness, uniquely contributed to word recognition. Morphological awareness also was significantly related to reading comprehension. The results add to a growing literature base providing evidence that early literacy development is influenced by morphological awareness, an ability that has received considerably less educational attention. Additionally, the findings point to the importance of tapping into multiple sources of metalinguistic knowledge when providing instruction in reading and spelling.     

Online training of TPACK skills of higher education scholars: a cross-institutional impact study

Higher education institutions should provide adequate training for teachers in order to increase their awareness of the complex interplay between technology, pedagogy and the cognitive knowledge in their disciplines. However, research has shown that providing effective staff development from teacher educators to support these teachers’ skills is not straightforward. An online teacher training programme created and implemented by a team of 14 teacher educators in a cross-institutional programme in the Netherlands was followed by 67 teachers. Data were gathered using a TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge) instrument in a pre-post test design. Furthermore, (perceived) learning satisfaction was measured in order to determine whether the design was appropriate. The results indicate that the teachers’ TPACK skills increased substantially. Furthermore, most participants were positive about the design and implementation of the online professionalisation programme. Nonetheless, not all teachers were able to effectively learn in this context, requiring further fine-tuning and research.     

Developing online problem‐based resources for the professional development of teachers of children with visual impairment

This article presents a summary of the results from phase 1 of a two‐phase research project. Drawing on the principles of problem‐based learning (PBL), the aims of phase 1 were to design, develop and evaluate a set of flexible online teaching resources for use within a virtual learning environment. Participants in the project (n = 10) were volunteers from students registered on a two‐year distance education programme of study for specialist teachers of children with visual impairment. Two case scenarios were developed for the project, each of which was based around a fictitious support service for teachers of children with visual impairment. Following a campus‐based study day, the participants were assigned to one of two ‘PBL Activity Groups’ and completed a series of tasks within each case scenario. Participation in the project was supported by members of the Project Team over a period of one semester, following which participants were asked to provide feedback through an online questionnaire. A summary of the feedback is presented, and key findings discussed. The results suggest that, with appropriate resources, adequate preparatory training and effective tutor support, online PBL can be an effective method for supplementing the continuing professional development of specialist teachers studying through distance education.