Cooperative development of locally oriented achievement tests in chemistry

The authors describe a cooperative effort to produce reliable tests with high content validity for the schools involved.     

Reliability of power output measurements during repeated treadmill sprinting in rugby players

The non-motorized treadmill system initially reported by Lakomy in 1984 has been used extensively to assess sprinting performance. However, there has been limited research into the reliability of power output measurement using such systems. The aim of this study was to design a system and protocol capable of measuring treadmill sprinting performance in rugby players and to assess the reliability of this system for measuring power output. Twenty-seven rugby players, all of whom were familiar with treadmill sprinting, performed three maximal 6 s sprints with 2 min recovery between sprints, on two occasions 1 week apart. Both tests were performed on a non-motorized Woodway tramp treadmill, interfaced to a data acquisition system. There were no significant differences ( P > 0.05) between power output for repeated trials on the same day (between trials) or for repeated trials on different days (between days). Limits of agreement for maximum average power (the average of 100 readings per second) were 4 - 98 and 30 - 157 W for between trials and between days, respectively. When reported as ratio limits of agreement, these were 1.07 (*/ 1 1.12) and 1.03 (*/ 1 1.16), respectively. The limits of agreement for maximum instantaneous power (the highest of 100 readings per second) were 51 - 464 and 105 - 588 W for between trials and between days, respectively. When reported as ratio limits of agreement, these were 1.02 (*/ 1 1.20) and 1.04 (*/ 1 1.21) for between trials and between days, respectively. The coefficients of variation for all measures of power output were less than 9.3%. Hence, the treadmill system and protocol developed in this study provide a reliable measure of power output for rugby players.     

The Variability of Practice Hypothesis: Further Tests and Methodological Discussion

Abstract

In the present study experimental subjects practiced variations in movement distance and/or movement time during training trials on a closed timing task. Control subjects trained with single distance-time combinations. During transfer trials all subjects attempted (without knowledge of results) a distance-time combination that was different (except in the case of one control condition) from any performed during training. The results revealed that the timing accuracy of the two experimental conditions that practiced a variety of times was significantly poorer than that of most of the other conditions during the training phase. However, transfer analyses revealed several significant differences between the performance of variable-trained and constant-trained conditions, in all cases favoring the former. It was concluded that the transfer benefits of variable practice are (a) not due to the particular movement component selected for variation during training, and (b) to some extent always determined by the similarity of training and transfer conditions experienced by constant-practice subjects.     

英国剑桥大学的管理及运行机制

剑桥大学作为世界著名大学,其管理和运行机制有独到之处。对其办学体制、招生情况、财政状况、管理体制等方面进行系统的分析,总结其成功经验,对中国高校的经营和管理有一定借鉴意义。     

Cross-modality contrast: Exteroceptive context habituation enhances taste neophobia and conditioned taste aversions

The relationship between absolute and relative stimulus novelty was examined within the context of the conditioned taste aversion paradigm in which the relative novelty of the conditioned interoceptive stimulus was manipulated by differential exteroceptive context habituation. Rats received similar isolation histories but either 5 or 30 days of habituation to the test environment prior to treatment. One group was administered lithium chloride following saccharin consumption, a second group was administered isotonic saline following saccharin consumption, and a third group was administered saline after water consumption. The animals habituated for 30 days exhibited greater conditioned avoidance and greater neophobic avoidance of saccharin than did animals habituated for only 5 days. The results are interpreted in terms of a cross-modality stimulus contrast effect which implicates context habituation as an important parameter of both taste neophobia and taste aversion learning.     

The Impact of Perceived Stress and Psychosocial Factors on Missed Class and Work in College Students

An understanding of how missed class and work are influenced by psychosocial factors is important. The authors collected data from 303 college students through self‐report questionnaires. Moderation analysis indicated that with higher perceived stress, students were more likely to miss class if they were less satisfied with social support and less likely to miss work if they engaged in avoidant coping strategies. College counselors can provide students with skills to enhance academic performance and engagement in academic life.     

Students with special needs and 1:1 computing: a teacher's perspective

To better understand the growing trend of 1:1 learning, researchers conducted an evaluation of a laptop initiative in 18 North Carolina high schools. The goal of the study was to provide information about the value of the initiative to enhance student learning, as well as to identify challenges to the successful implementation of 1:1 programs, strategies for meeting those challenges, and services and supports needed to enable successful programs throughout the state. This paper focuses on ways in which the initiative enhanced the learning experiences of students with disabilities in areas such as communication, reading ability, assessment, organisation and confidence. Data sources include teacher, student and administrator focus groups, which enable scholars to gain an array of insight regarding technology initiatives and students with special needs. Implications for educators and administrators are discussed.     

RECRUITING HEALTH INFORMATION FACULTY: THE EFFECTS OF MONETARY RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES

This paper addresses recruitment of Health Information faculty for community and technical colleges, an issue of crucial importance because many faculty hired during the enrollment boom of the 1960s are retiring. The design for this research was a factorial experiment, involving a two-way analysis of variance. The participants (N?=?194) were medical coding professionals. The participants role-played as applicants for community and technical college health information faculty positions by rating jobs described in simulated recruitment advertisements. Offering a salary incentive and a signing bonus increased applicant attraction to community and technical college faculty positions. Implications for faculty recruitment are discussed.