Preservice teachers engaged in reflective classroom research

Abstract

During an eight‐week field experience six preservice teachers, under the supervision of their mentor professor, designed and facilitated an integrated inquiry unit for a fifth‐grade class. As a part of their field experience, the preservice teachers investigated their effectiveness in implementing the inquiry approach to teaching based on the children's learning responses. Reflecting on their own teaching behaviors through reflective classroom research challenged the preservice teachers to explore images of teaching that were often less than ideal but always informative.     

Applying spaced practice in the schools to teach math vocabulary

Spaced practice, or the distribution of practice opportunities across time, is a well‐known and effective practice for improving retention. However, spaced practice is not effectively implemented in schools, perhapsl as a result of a lack of educationally relevant research in the area. We conducted an educationally relevant investigation of the spaced practice. Using a quasi‐experimental between‐subjects design, we taught 62 third‐ and fourth‐grade students eight math vocabulary words under two patterns of spaced practice (fixed interval and expanded interval) and massed practice. Results showed a benefit of spaced practice over massed practice, but no difference between fixed interval and expanded interval spaced practice. The findings suggest that spaced practice may be implemented to improve the retention of math vocabulary words; however, more research is needed to provide guidelines to support educators in implementing spaced practice in schools.     

The modulation of corticospinal excitability and inhibition following acute resistance exercise in males and females

Objective: The acute responses to resistance training (RT) between males and females are poorly understood, especially from a neural perspective. Therefore, we aimed to compare the corticospinal and intracortical responses during fatigue and recovery following RT.

Methods: Twenty-two participants (12M, 10F) completed one-session of RT (3?×?12 repetition maximum) unilateral leg extensions with 60?s recovery. Single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation measured changes in the motor-evoked potential (MEP), corticospinal silent period (CSP), CSP/MEP ratio, and intracortical facilitation/inhibition (ICF, SICI). The maximal compound wave (M_MAX) measured peripheral excitability of the rectus femoris (RF) and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) neuromuscular function of the leg extensors. Measures were taken immediately post, 30?min, 1 and 6?h post-training.

Results: A significantly greater increase in MEP/M_MAX ratio (p?=?.005) was observed for females immediately post-training compared to males. While no sex differences in MEP/M_MAX ratio was observed at 30?min and 1?h post-training, a greater MEP/M_MAX ratio for males was observed at 30?min (p?p?=?.003). CSP trended to decrease for males compared to females immediately post-training (d?=?1.93). MVIC was decreased post-training for males; 14.22% and females; 14.16% (P?MAX reduced at 30?min for both groups (P?P?>?.05).

Conclusion: The net output of corticospinal excitability is similar between males and females during fatigue. However, the mechanism in which this is modulated (increased MEP, decreased CSP) appears to be sex-specific.