In the quest for knowledge: Traveling the back roads of Iowa

Summary Three factors have contributed to the level of technology integration achieved at this school. First, administrative support for technology is very evident. Though neither the principal nor the superintendent perceived themselves as possessing a high level of technological literacy, they both had a vision of technology use by both teachers and students. This translated into a strong technology plan as well as support for innovative uses of technology     

Look to the East to Gain a New Perspective, Understand Cultural Differences, and Appreciate Cultural Diversity

Childrearing and educational practices accurately reflect cultural values. Cross-cultural experiences highlight some ways attitudes about early childhood, parenting, and teaching are influenced by cultural experiences and expectations. The author's experiences in China illustrate interesting ways these programs are very different from their American counterparts. Some of the differences revolve around practices such as residential programs for young children, the nature of classroom interactions, and contrasting approaches to teaching the arts. Identifying and understanding the reasons for some of those differences can sensitize readers to broader issues of cultural pluralism and help teachers celebrate cultural diversity as they work with families from varied backgrounds.     

College student performance on the general ability measure for adults and the wechsler intelligence scale for adults‐third edition

This study examined the concurrent validity of the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA¹; Naglieri & Bardos, 1997) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale‐Third Edition (WAIS‐III; Wechsler, 1997). Sixty college students were administered both instruments in counterbalanced order. A comparison of the mean scores on the GAMA and WAIS‐III indicated that the sample obtained similar GAMA and WAIS‐III PIQ scores. In contrast, the sample's mean GAMA IQ score was significantly lower than the sample's mean FSIQ and VIQ scores. Although the GAMA IQ score was positively correlated with all WAIS‐III IQ and Index scores, this new instrument was more clearly associated with visual‐spatial reasoning, as defined by the WAIS‐III PIQ. The GAMA's accuracy in predicting performance on the WAIS‐III FSIQ and PIQ also was examined, with the GAMA underestimating WAIS‐III FSIQ and PIQ scores for participants falling within the Superior and Very Superior range of intellectual functioning. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Validation of Stanford-Binet intelligence scale: Fourth edition abbreviated batteries with college students

This study investigated the relationship between the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition (SB:IV) abbreviated batteries and the complete battery among a group of college students to determine the suitability of SB:IV short forms in educational planning and counseling contexts when an ability estimate is needed. A sample of 38 college students was administered the full battery SB:1V, and scores for four abbreviated batteries were extracted from the complete battery according to instructions in the test manual. The four abbreviated batteries were SF2 (Vocabulary and Pattern Analysis), SF4 (SF2 plus Bead Memory and Quantitative), SF6a (SF4 plus Memory for Sentences and Comprehension), and SF6b (SF4 plus Memory for Digits and Comprehension). Analyses revealed that all short-form SASs were significantly lower than the Composite SAS derived from the complete battery. Correlations between the complete and short forms were all highly significant. Approximately one third of the sample showed discrepancies of at least three standard errors of measurement between the short-form and complete-battery Composite SAS. These findings suggest a lack of comparability between short-form and complete-battery SASs on the SB:IV. Further implications for the validity of these abbreviated batteries and future areas of research are discussed.     

Relationships between children's birthdates and classification as handicapped: Do they exist?

For years researchers have debated the effect of school entrance age on student achievement and adjustment, and some researchers have attributed many school learning problems to students entering school too early. This study investigated the relationship between students' month of birth and learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, and speech and language delays in 1,951 identified students with these disabilities. Analysis did not find that the late-birthdate children were identified as having disabilities more often, as was suggested in earlier studies. The implications of this finding for school entry practices are presented.     

Walking for health in pregnancy: assessment by indirect calorimetry and accelerometry

The purpose of this study was to examine RT3 accelerometer activity counts and activity energy expenditure of 36 pregnant women at 20 and 32 weeks' gestation during treadmill walking and free-living conditions. During treadmill walking, oxygen consumption was collected, and activity energy expenditure was estimated for a 30-min walk at a self-selected walking pace. The number of min it would take a pregnant woman to meet exercise recommendations (i.e., kcal/week) were calculated. Preliminary activity count cut points at a self-selected walking pace were then estimated and applied in interpreting free-living data. For the treadmill walking condition, the self-selected walking pace significantly decreased from 20 to 32 weeks' gestation. Additionally, few women (< 12% each day) met physical activity guidelines in the free-living condition. Encouraging pregnant women to walk for 30-40 min per day at a self-selected walking pace may be an appropriate public health recommendation.     

A health education outreach partnership between an academic medical library and public library: lessons learned before and during a pandemic

Background:Public libraries serve as community centers for accessing free, trustworthy health information. As such, they provide an ideal setting to teach the local community about health and health literacy, particularly during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2018, an outreach partnership between an academic medical library and public library has developed, delivered, and continuously evaluated a health education program targeting public library users.Case Presentation:Health education activities were integrated into three existing public library programs: adult workshops, child and family programming, and circulating family activity kits. Prior to COVID-19, events were held at the public library, which then pivoted online during the pandemic. An interprofessional team approach combined the expertise of academic medical and public librarians, medical school faculty and staff, and medical students in developing the educational programs. Twelve in-person and five virtual programs were offered, and five circulating health education family kits were launched. Activities were assessed using program evaluation surveys of the adult and children''s programs and circulation statistics of the kits.Conclusions:This case report showcases the lessons learned from implementing a longitudinal outreach partnership between an academic medical library and public library before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The interprofessional team approach and flexibility in program design and delivery in both the in-person and virtual environments proved critical to the success of the partnership. This partnership could serve as a model for other libraries interested in pursuing interprofessional collaborations in educating local communities on healthy behavior and health information–seeking practices.