What motivates enrolment in programming MOOCs?

Learners who enrol in massive open online courses (MOOCs) have different backgrounds and tend to have different motivations than learners in traditional courses. Based on value-expectancy theory, an instrument was developed to measure motivation for enrolling in a programming MOOC. A study with 1229 adult participants in Estonian-language programming course “About Programming” was conducted to validate the instrument. Results of confirmatory factor analysis validated the 7-factor scale named factors influencing enrolment in MOOC (FIEM). FIEM comprises three factors of expectancies, three factors of values and one factor of social influence. The highest and lowest rated motivational factors influencing enrolment in programming MOOC are discussed in the paper. Interest in and expectations for the course, personal suitability of distance learning and suitability for family and work are the highest-rated motivational factors for those who enrol in MOOC. Usefulness related to own children, social influence and usefulness to related to certification were the lowest rated. The results of this study can be useful for designers of programming MOOCs and the developed scale might be used in future studies.     

Carnosine in health and disease

Abstract

Carnosine was originally discovered in skeletal muscle, where it exists in larger amounts than in other tissues. The majority of research into the physiological roles of carnosine have been conducted on skeletal muscle. Given this and the potential for muscle carnosine content to be increased with supplementation, there is now a large body of research examining the ergogenic effects (or otherwise) of carnosine. More recent research, however, points towards a potential for carnosine to exert a wider range of physiological effects in other tissues, including the brain, heart, pancreas, kidney and cancer cells. Taken together, this is suggestive of a potential for carnosine to have therapeutic benefits in health and disease, although this is by no means without complication. Herein, we will provide a review of the current literature relating to the potential therapeutic effects of carnosine in health and disease.     

A New Approach to Quality Assurance for Higher Education

This article describes the Engineering Professors' Conference (EPC) approach to quality assurance for Higher Education Institutions, which is currently the only formalized alternative to British Standard 5750 'Quality Systems'. The EPC approach is based on principles of quality assurance and Total Quality Management which have been developed in industry. These ideas are briefly outlined, and an opinion expressed on the interpretation and application of BSS7S0 for HE. The EPC model is explained, illustrated with example elements taken from the EPC Specification and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. A top-down approach to the development of an institutional quality system is described, based on a quality policy statement. Areas of activity which have an important impact on the quality of education are identified, emphasising the quality assurance requirements of academic departments. Supporting and administrative quality system requirements are also described, as these also play an important role in the quality of education. Formal quality procedures and documentation in key areas are proposed.     

Social support and recovery from sport injury: elite skiers share their experiences.

Research suggests that social support can be an important coping resource for athletes recovering from sport injury. Few studies have investigated this claim, however. To address this gap in the literature, 10 elite downhill skiers who had recovered from serious sport injuries were interviewed about the sources of stress associated with injury and the role of social support in recovery from sport injury. This paper presents the social supportfindings that emergedfrom this research'. Content analyses of the social support data revealed that the skiers needed various types of emotional, informational, and tangible support from the occurrence of injury through the return to full activity. Members of the treatment team, the ski team, and the skiers' home support net works provided social support throughout these phases. In general, the skiers were satisfied with the support received, indicating that it reduced distress and kept them motivated throughout recovery. The findings from this research have implications for the design of sport injury interventions.     

Alternative technologies and social studies textbooks

In order to determine the potential of alternative technologies in social studies education, we must understand the goals of such education, the capabilities of the technologies, and teachers’ and students’ responses to new technologies. The author suggests that the new technologies can contribute to the goals of learning about the past, learning about democratic life and institutions, and making students knowledgeable as consumers and producers of information. One major obstacle is a lack of time and money for teachers to experiment with the technologies. Stephen T. Kerr is professor of education in the College of Education at the University of Washington. His research focuses on the application of new technologies in schools and other educational environments, and particularly on the ways in which technology affects the social structure (roles and expectations, instructional patterns, organization) of those institutions. He has done work on human-computer interaction, as well as on how new communication technologies have changed the educational system of the former USSR.