Improving moral reasoning among college students: a game-based learning approach

Considering a company’s limited time and resources, an effective training method that improves employees’ ability to make ethical decision is needed. Based on social cognitive theory, this study proposes that employing games in an ethics training program can help improve moral reasoning through actively engaging learners. The experimental design with an ethic board game as the experimental group and ethics instructions as the comparison group was conducted to examine the effectiveness of a game-based ethic training method on improving moral reasoning. Results show that using games in an ethics training program significantly decreases respondents’ importance rating on issues associated with lower stages of an individual’s cognitive moral development (CMD) and increases their importance rating on issues associated with the highest stage of CMD. In addition, a game-based ethics training program was found to produce significantly greater change on the importance rating towards issues associated with the middle stage of CMD than a non-game based ethics training program. These findings suggest that a game-based ethics training program could effectively develop moral reasoning, and shape moral views better than a non-game-based training program. Discussions and suggestions for future research were included to conclude this study.     

Engaging undergraduate students in a co-curricular digital badging platform

Digital badging continues to garner attention in the educational community. What remains to be seen is how badging will interact with traditional curricular elements. While concerns have been raised about using badges as extrinsic motivators in coursework, there are alternate areas of application for digital badging. Badges may actually serve to motivate and empower student learning and engagement outside of the formal curriculum. This action research was conducted to guide the implementation of a badging system at Maranatha Baptist University. It explores the concept of using digital badges as a platform for recognizing learning experiences in co-curricular education. More specifically, it seeks to determine how to best optimize a co-curricular digital badging system for maximum student engagement through a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. Student focus groups were used with a mixed-methods methodology of collecting data on potential student interest and involvement in a digital badging environment. The quantitative portion compares intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations for participating, while the qualitative section consists of a coded analysis of student discussion of co-curricular digital badging.     

Strength training: Isometric training at a range of joint angles versus dynamic training

Strength training with isometric contractions produces large but highly angle-specific adaptations. To contrast the contractile mode of isometric versus dynamic training, but diminish the strong angle specificity effect, we compared the strength gains produced by isometric training at four joint angles with conventional dynamic training. Thirty-three recreationally active healthy males aged 18?–?30 years completed 9 weeks of strength training of the quadriceps muscle group three times per week. An intra-individual design was adopted: one leg performed purely isometric training at each of four joint angles (isometrically trained leg); the other leg performed conventional dynamic training, lifting and lowering (dynamically trained leg). Both legs trained at similar relative loads for the same duration. The quadriceps strength of each leg was measured isometrically (at four angles) and isokinetically (at three velocities) pre and post training. After 9 weeks of training, the increase in isokinetic strength was similar in both legs (pooled data from three velocities: dynamically trained leg, 10.7%; isometrically trained leg, 10.5%). Isometric strength increases were significantly greater for the isometrically trained leg (pooled data from four angles: dynamically trained leg, 13.1%; isometrically trained leg, 18.0%). This may have been due to the greater absolute torque involved with isometric training or a residual angle specificity effect despite the isometric training being divided over four angles.     

Effect of Optimized and Standard Cycle Ergometry on VO2max in Trained Cyclists and Runners

Abstract

This study contrasted prepractice modeling with either the perceptual component (perceptual modeling) or the motor component (movement pattern) of a coincident-timing task to determine whether experiencing the modalities singly or in combination enhanced timing performance on initiation of active practice. The motor component was a 60-cm right-to-left arm movement coincident with the illumination of lights on a Bassin timer runway to displace a barrier as the final runway light was illuminated. Four groups were compared (n = 12 per group). A perceptual modeling group passively viewed stimulus runway lights prior to attempting the task. A motoric modeling group viewed a videotape prior to practice of a model performing the motor component of the skill with zero timing error. A perceptual modeling plus motoric modeling group experienced both modeling modalities prior to performance. Finally, a no modeling group simply initiated practice on the task without modeling. Results indicated that the groups experiencing perceptual modeling initiated practice with significantly less average timing error and variability. Thus, perceptual modeling appeared to be at least as important as motoric modeling as a source of prepractice information to make available to a learner to optimize coincident-timing skill acquisition.     

Markers of isometric training intensity and reductions in resting blood pressure

Abstract

In this study, we examined the correlations between selected markers of isometric training intensity and subsequent reductions in resting blood pressure. Thirteen participants performed a discontinuous incremental isometric exercise test to volitional exhaustion at which point mean torque for the final 2-min stage (2min-torque_peak) and peak heart rate peak (HR_peak) were identified. Also, during 4 weeks of training (3 sessions per week, comprising 4 × 2 min bilateral leg isometric exercise at 95% HR_peak), heart rate (HR_train), torque (Torque_train), and changes in EMG amplitude (ΔEMG_amp) and frequency (ΔEMG_freq) were determined. The markers of training intensity were: Torque_train relative to the 2min-torque_peak (%2min-torque_peak), EMG relative to EMG_peak (%EMG_peak), HR_train ΔEMG_amp, ΔEMG_freq, and %MVC. Mean systolic (?4.9 mmHg) and arterial blood pressure (?2.7mmHg) reductions correlated with %2min-torque_peak (r = ?0.65, P = 0.02 and r = ?0.59, P = 0.03), ΔEMG_amp (r = 0.66, P = 0.01 and r = 0.59, P = 0.03), ΔEMG_freq (r = ?0.67, P = 0.01 and r = ?0.64, P = 0.02), and %EMG_peak (systolic blood pressure only; r = ?0.63, P = 0.02). These markers best reflect the association between isometric training intensity and reduction in resting blood pressure observed after bilateral leg isometric exercise training.     

The Role of Gender-related Information and Self-Endorsement of Traits in Preadolescents' Inferences and Judgments

The major purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a target child's gender typicality on different aspects of preadolescents' inferences and judgments. The secondary purpose of the study was to investigate the relation between children's self-endorsement of traits and their inferences and judgments. Fifth and sixth graders were shown a video film, portraying a child playing either a gender-appropriate game with members of the same sex or a gender-inappropriate game with members of the other sex. In addition, subjects completed an adapted version of the BSRI and were categorized into sex-typed, androgynous, and undifferentiated subjects. Subjects made a number of different types of judgments and inferences about the target, including inferences about traits, popularity, choice of gift and name, and willingness to engage in activities with the target. All types of inferences and judgments were affected by the variations in the targets' gender-related behaviors, whereas self-endorsement of traits was not related to the inferences and judgments. The results suggest that the gender typicality of the target behavior is salient to preadolescents, regardless of their sex-role orientation.     

The humanities in English primary schools: struggling to survive

ABSTRACT

This article surveys the state of the humanities in English primary schools drawing on evidence from serving head teachers, current literature and policy documents. The findings suggest that whilst the humanities are highly valued in schools, there are serious challenges which threaten the ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum. It is suggested that a greater focus on spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) education and engagement with subject associations and alternative learning environments can help to rectify this imbalance. Such an approach recognises looming social, cultural and environmental threats, which have the potential to support children’s psychological health and well-being.     

Measuring Graph Comprehension,Critique, and Construction in Science

Interpreting and creating graphs plays a critical role in scientific practice. The K-12 Next Generation Science Standards call for students to use graphs for scientific modeling, reasoning, and communication. To measure progress on this dimension, we need valid and reliable measures of graph understanding in science. In this research, we designed items to measure graph comprehension, critique, and construction and developed scoring rubrics based on the knowledge integration (KI) framework. We administered the items to over 460 middle school students. We found that the items formed a coherent scale and had good reliability using both item response theory and classical test theory. The KI scoring rubric showed that most students had difficulty linking graphs features to science concepts, especially when asked to critique or construct graphs. In addition, students with limited access to computers as well as those who speak a language other than English at home have less integrated understanding than others. These findings point to the need to increase the integration of graphing into science instruction. The results suggest directions for further research leading to comprehensive assessments of graph understanding.