Towards online student-directed communities of inquiry

This paper opens by summarising the case for student-directed learning in online higher education as a means of bringing about the development and use of higher-level cognitive and interpersonal abilities such as critical and creative thinking. The writers refine their conceptualisations of student-direction, different to, but flowing from student-centred learning, by scrutinising a progressive series of face-to-face examples offering some autonomy in learning. Nine features are identified as essential in a student-directed programme. They review Garrison’s recent account of learning-centred Communities of Inquiry (CoI), identifying aspects of the teacher/instructor’s role that would need to be altered for student-directed online communities. Guidelines are suggested for creating a student-directed CoI including programme design addressing the development, and use, of generic abilities. Finally, the writers provide an example programme structure incorporating preparation of learners for the responsibilities expected of them and the changing role of the tutor in an online student-directed CoI.     

Effects of balance training on postural sway, leg extensor strength, and jumping height in adolescents

Deficits in strength of the lower extremities and postural control have been associated with a high risk of sustaining sport-related injuries. Such injuries often occur during physical education (PE) classes and mostly affect the lower extremities. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of balance training on postural sway, leg extensor strength, and jumping height in adolescents. Twenty high school students participated in this study and were assigned to either an intervention (n = 10) or control group (n = 10). The intervention group participated in a 4-week balance-training program integrated in their physical education lessons. Pre- and posttests included the measurements of postural sway on a balance platform, jumping height on a force platform, and maximal isometric leg extension force on a leg-press. Balance training resulted in significantly improved postural control, increased jumping height, and enhanced rate of force development of the leg extensors. Physiological adaptations rather than learning effects seem to be responsible for the observed findings. These results could have an impact on improving the performance level in various sports and on reducing the injury prevalence of the lower extremities.     

Tuning in to teacher–talk: a second language learner struggles to comprehend

This article presents findings from a 9–month ethnographic study of cross–cultural learning for the purpose of helping teachers better understand classroom conditions and behaviors that support and hinder students’ comprehension of teachers’ spoken language. Data from a close, observational study of an 8–year–old learning to get along in a new language environment illustrate conditions that caused her to tune out and those that supported her attempts to comprehend. Because spoken language often sounds like an incomprehensible string of sounds to a new language learner, this article suggests that incomprehensibility as well as students’ discomfort and sense of vulnerability can be greatly reduced when teachers scaffold their use of language in specific ways.     

Unnecessary Requests: Examining Patrons’ Reliance on Interlibrary Loan for Electronically Owned Items at an Academic Library

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library analyzed 4,567 interlibrary loan borrowing requests for articles and other non-returnables. From 2017–2018, nearly 44% of requests were for items that the library owned electronically. Patrons could have accessed the full-text immediately but submitted interlibrary loan requests instead. This prevalence raises questions about user behavior and deficiencies in discovery tools.     

Great Business Training is Just Enough,Just in Time,and Just for Me

Retrenchment practices in the 1980s represented a new challenge to institutions of higher education. The literature encompassing higher education within the past 10 years has revealed limited information concerning retrenchment policies in public community colleges in Texas. This study investigated the presence or absence of retrenchment policies and their relation to fluctuations in enrollment and state funding. All 49 public community‐junior college districts in the state of Texas were included in the study. Twenty (41%) of these community colleges had a retrenchment policy. This study indicated that administrative decisions regarding the development and adoption of retrenchment policies are based on state revenue declines as opposed to enrollment fluctuations.     

BMI group-related differences in physical fitness and physical activity in preschool-age children: a cross-sectional analysis

In the Ballabeina study, we investigated age- and BMI-group-related differences in aerobic fitness (20 m shuttle run), agility (obstacle course), dynamic (balance beam) and static balance (balance platform), and physical activity (PA, accelerometers) in 613 children (M age = 5.1 years, SD = 0.6). Normal weight (NW) children performed better than overweight (OW) children in aerobic fitness, agility, and dynamic balance (all p <.001), while OWchildren had a better static balance (p < .001). BMI-group-related differences in aerobic fitness and agility were larger in older children (p for interaction with age = .01) in favor of the NW children. PA did not differ between NW and OW (p > or = .1), but did differ between NW and obese children (p < .05). BMI-group-related differences in physical fitness can already be present in preschool-age children.