“Picturing Them Right in Front of Me”: Guidelines for Implementing Video Communication in Online and Blended Learning

We provide actionable strategies that teachers can follow when implementing asynchronous video communication and feedback in their own courses. These strategies are based on our own research over many years in the use of asynchronous video in online teaching, as well as our review of the literature, and are provided to foster greater discussion on the pedagogical strategies surrounding the use of video in online teaching.     

Fluid and electrolyte needs for preparation and recovery from training and competition

For a person undertaking regular exercise, any fluid deficit that is incurred during one exercise session can potentially compromise the next exercise session if adequate fluid replacement does not occur. Fluid replacement after exercise can, therefore, frequently be thought of as hydration before the next exercise bout. The importance of ensuring euhydration before exercise and the potential benefits of temporary hyperhydration with sodium salts or glycerol solutions are also important issues. Post-exercise restoration of fluid balance after sweat-induced dehydration avoids the detrimental effects of a body water deficit on physiological function and subsequent exercise performance. For effective restoration of fluid balance, the consumption of a volume of fluid in excess of the sweat loss and replacement of electrolyte, particularly sodium, losses are essential. Intravenous fluid replacement after exercise has been investigated to a lesser extent and its role for fluid replacement in the dehydrated but otherwise well athlete remains equivocal.     

Computer experiences and attitudes of Japanese pharmacy students

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the computer experiences and attitudes of first- and fourth-year Japanese pharmacy students. An existing questionnaire that asked questions about computer hardware and software owned, reported level of expertise with software applications, attitudes and concerns about computers, and demographic information was translated into Japanese. After ensuring the accuracy of the translation, first- and fourth-year pharmacy students completed the survey. This study found that most of these Japanese pharmacy students did not frequently use computers. About one-quarter of the students owned a home computer. Slightly more than 10% of the students reported that they could use word processing programs. Their attitudes about computers were positive. Most stated that they should possess basic computer skills when graduating from pharmacy school. The students also indicated that they would rather learn from computers than attend lectures or read texts or journals. However, 63 first-year (32%) and 45 fourth-year (43.7%) students said that microcomputers were too complicated for them to use     

Curriculum,pedagogy, and the Cambridge Primary Review: a response to R.J. Campbell

Year after year, the interest in early learning of the state language by non-Estonian children has increased. In Estonia, the course has been directed that non-Estonian learners have to reach functional bilingualism by the time they leave basic school and thus to become competitive in labour and education markets in Estonia. The objective of the present study is to explain – based on the teachers’ assessments – meeting the objectives of the curriculum at the end of the kindergarten period and at the first stage of basic school by the children having participated in the early language immersion programme. The method of this study was a questionnaire. The results of this study showed that the children having been taught by the language immersion methods were well prepared for school, and their knowledge, linguistic skills and the capacity of self-expression were appropriate for their age in both languages.     

Reactions to a diagnosis of dyslexia among students entering further education: development of the 'resistance–accommodation' model

Research into the psychological consequences of receiving a diagnosis of dyslexia during adolescence is a newly emerging field. In this article, David Armstrong, senior lecturer in education at Edge Hill University, and Neil Humphrey, senior lecturer in the psychology of Education at the University of Manchester, report on a qualitative study which explored this issue with a group of 20 students with dyslexia in a large college of further education in the north-west of England. Drawing on the outcomes of individual interviews and focus groups, analysis of student responses led to the development of a provisional 'resistance–accommodation' model that seeks to explain the psycho-social processes involved in 'living with the label' of dyslexia, and how such processes might impact upon later outcomes. The 'resistance–accommodation' model and the data contained in this study are discussed in the light of wider aspects of psychological theory and research. The authors also take account of recent literature exploring how students with dyslexia assess self in relation to the label.     

Becoming an academic: international perspectives

Stress during doctoral study is common; however, its presence is of concern to students as it has a deleterious impact on well-being and performance, and to the university which has a duty of care to students and the desire to promote a supportive research environment. This article reports on the qualitative findings from an online survey that sought to identify students’ experiences related to stress during the early-stage doctoral study. All newly enrolled PhD students at the University of Otago (New Zealand) received invitations to participate and respond to two questions related to stress during the early-stage doctoral study. In total, 152 survey responses were acquired from 352 first-year PhD students (response rate 43.2%). Nine main areas of concern were identified from an inductive thematic analysis of participants’ responses. Key stressors were time pressure, uncertainty about doctoral processes, sense of belonging in scholarly communities, and financial pressures. Some findings are contrary to previous research with novel perceptions on the student–supervisor relationship, different financial issues, and transition stresses contrary to previous research; this may reflect the changed academic landscape of doctoral studies. Findings provide insight into potential support strategies to better support early-stage PhD students.     

Gender equity in televised sports: A comparative analysis of men's and women's NCAA division I basketball championship broadcasts, 1991–1995

This study compares the variety and frequency of camera shots and graphics in broadcasts of men's and women's NCAA Division I championship basketball games from 1991 to 1995. Hypotheses predict that broadcasts of women's games—in comparison to broadcasts of men's games—employ fewer camera shots and graphics, use camera shots and graphics of longer duration, and consume significantly less broadcast time. The data partially confirms the first two hypotheses but rejects the third.     

Executive function skills of 6–8 year olds: Brain and behavioral evidence and implications for school achievement

Academic and social success in school has been linked to children’s self-regulation. This study investigated the assessment of the executive function (EF) component of self-regulation using a low-cost, easily administered measure to determine whether scores obtained from the behavioral task would agree with those obtained using a laboratory-based neuropsychological measure of EF skills. The sample included 74 children (37 females; M = 86.2 months) who participated in two assessments of working memory and inhibitory control: Knock–Tap (NEPSY: Korkman, Kirk, & Kemp, 1998), and participated in event-related potential (ERP) testing that included the directional stroop test ( DST, Davidson, Cruess, Diamond, O’Craven, and Savoy (1999)). Three main findings emerged. First, children grouped as high vs. low performing on the NEPSY Knock–Tap Task were found to perform differently on the more difficult conditions of the DST (the Incongruent and Mixed Conditions), suggesting that the Knock–Tap Task as a low-cost and easy to administer assessment of EF skills may be one way for teachers to identify students with poor inhibitory control skills. Second, children’s performance on the DST was strongly related to their ERP responses, adding to evidence that differences in behavioral performance on the DST as a measure of EF skills reflect corresponding differences in brain processing. Finally, differences in brain processing on the DST task also were found when the children were grouped based on Knock–Tap performance. Simple screening procedures can enable teachers to identify children whose distractibility, inattentiveness, or poor attention spans may interfere with classroom learning.