Sample records for academic environment lay

  1. An Evaluation of Training for Lay Providers in the Use of Motivational Interviewing to Promote Academic Achievement among Urban Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simon, Patricia; Ward, Nadia L.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined training outcomes for lay service providers who participated in a motivational interviewing (MI) training program designed to help increase intrinsic motivation and academic achievement among urban, low-income minority youth. Seventeen lay academic advisors received 16 hours of workshop training in MI. Additionally, two 2-hour…

  2. An evaluation of training for lay providers in the use of Motivational Interviewing to promote academic achievement among urban youth

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Patricia; Ward, Nadia L.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined training outcomes for lay service providers who participated in a Motivational Interviewing (MI) training program designed to help increase intrinsic motivation and academic achievement among urban low-income and minority youth. Seventeen lay academic advisors received 16 hours of training in MI. Two, two-hour booster sessions plus five, two- hour weekly group supervision sessions were conducted with lay advisors over a period of seven months. One-hundred percent of lay advisors (n =17) participated in all training, booster sessions and assessments. Seventy-one percent of lay advisors (n=12) completed all group supervision sessions and submitted tapes for review. MI training was associated with increased knowledge of MI principles among lay service providers; increased proficiency in responding to simulated clients in an MI consistent style; increased use of MI adherent behaviors in sessions with real clients and maintenance of high motivation to use MI from pretest to posttest. Although lay advisors increased their knowledge of MI, further training is required for advisors to increase competence in delivering MI. Overall, Implications for using MI in the context of school-based settings is discussed. PMID:26356248

  3. An evaluation of training for lay providers in the use of Motivational Interviewing to promote academic achievement among urban youth.

    PubMed

    Simon, Patricia; Ward, Nadia L

    This study examined training outcomes for lay service providers who participated in a Motivational Interviewing (MI) training program designed to help increase intrinsic motivation and academic achievement among urban low-income and minority youth. Seventeen lay academic advisors received 16 hours of training in MI. Two, two-hour booster sessions plus five, two- hour weekly group supervision sessions were conducted with lay advisors over a period of seven months. One-hundred percent of lay advisors (n =17) participated in all training, booster sessions and assessments. Seventy-one percent of lay advisors (n=12) completed all group supervision sessions and submitted tapes for review. MI training was associated with increased knowledge of MI principles among lay service providers; increased proficiency in responding to simulated clients in an MI consistent style; increased use of MI adherent behaviors in sessions with real clients and maintenance of high motivation to use MI from pretest to posttest. Although lay advisors increased their knowledge of MI, further training is required for advisors to increase competence in delivering MI. Overall, Implications for using MI in the context of school-based settings is discussed.

  4. Perceptions of variability in facial emotion influence beliefs about the stability of psychological characteristics.

    PubMed

    Weisbuch, Max; Grunberg, Rebecca L; Slepian, Michael L; Ambady, Nalini

    2016-10-01

    Beliefs about the malleability versus stability of traits (incremental vs. entity lay theories) have a profound impact on social cognition and self-regulation, shaping phenomena that range from the fundamental attribution error and group-based stereotyping to academic motivation and achievement. Less is known about the causes than the effects of these lay theories, and in the current work the authors examine the perception of facial emotion as a causal influence on lay theories. Specifically, they hypothesized that (a) within-person variability in facial emotion signals within-person variability in traits and (b) social environments replete with within-person variability in facial emotion encourage perceivers to endorse incremental lay theories. Consistent with Hypothesis 1, Study 1 participants were more likely to attribute dynamic (vs. stable) traits to a person who exhibited several different facial emotions than to a person who exhibited a single facial emotion across multiple images. Hypothesis 2 suggests that social environments support incremental lay theories to the extent that they include many people who exhibit within-person variability in facial emotion. Consistent with Hypothesis 2, participants in Studies 2-4 were more likely to endorse incremental theories of personality, intelligence, and morality after exposure to multiple individuals exhibiting within-person variability in facial emotion than after exposure to multiple individuals exhibiting a single emotion several times. Perceptions of within-person variability in facial emotion-rather than perceptions of simple diversity in facial emotion-were responsible for these effects. Discussion focuses on how social ecologies shape lay theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. Contrasting academic and lay press print coverage of the 2013-2016 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak

    PubMed Central

    Kieh, Mark D.; Cho, Elim M.

    2017-01-01

    Under a traditional paradigm, only those with the expected background knowledge consume academic literature. The lay press, as well as government and non-government agencies, play a complementary role of extracting findings of high interest or importance and translating them for general viewing. The need for accurate reporting and public advising is paramount when attempting to tackle epidemic outbreaks through behavior change. Yet, public trust in media outlets is at a historic low. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model for media reporting on public health emergencies was established in 2005 and has subsequently been used to analyze media reporting on outbreaks of influenza and measles as well as smoking habits and medication compliance. However, no media analysis had yet been performed on the 2013–2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak. This study compared the EVD information relayed by lay press sources with general review articles in the academic literature through a mixed-methods analysis. These findings suggest that comprehensive review articles could not serve as a source to clarify and contextualize the uncertainties around the EVD outbreak, perhaps due to adherence to technical accuracy at the expense of clarity within the context of outbreak conditions. This finding does not imply inferiority of the academic literature, nor does it draw direct causation between confusion in review articles and public misunderstanding. Given the erosion of the barriers siloing academia, combined with the demands of today’s fast-paced media environment, contemporary researchers should realize that no study is outside the public forum and to therefore consider shifting the paradigm to take personal responsibility in the process of accurately translating their scientific words into public policy actions to best serve as a source of clarity. PMID:28640889

  6. Reporting of Randomized Trials in Common Cancers in the Lay Media.

    PubMed

    Ribnikar, Domen; Goldvaser, Hadar; Ocana, Alberto; Templeton, Arnoud J; Seruga, Bostjan; Amir, Eitan

    2018-01-01

    Limited data exist about the role of the lay media in the dissemination of results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in common cancers. Completed phase III RCTs evaluating new drugs in common cancers between January 2005 and October 2016 were identified from ClinicalTrials.gov. Lay media reporting was identified by searching LexisNexis Academic. Scientific reporting was defined as presentation at an academic conference or publication in full. Associations between reporting in the lay media before scientific reporting and study design and sponsorship were evaluated using logistic regression. Of 180 RCTs identified, 52% were reported in the lay media and in 27%, lay media reporting occurred before scientific reporting with an increasing trend over time (p = 0.009). Reporting in the lay media before scientific reporting was associated with positive results (OR: 2.10, p = 0.04), targeted therapy compared to chemotherapy (OR: 4.75, p = 0.006), immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy (OR: 7.60, p = 0.02), and prostate cancer compared to breast cancer (OR: 3.25, p = 0.02). Over a quarter of all RCTs in common cancers are reported in the lay media before they are reported scientifically with an increasing proportion over time. Positive trials, studies in prostate cancer, and trials of immunotherapy are associated with early reporting in the lay media. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Comparing Lay Community and Academic Survey Center Interviewers in Conducting Household Interviews in Latino Communities.

    PubMed

    Chan-Golston, Alec M; Friedlander, Scott; Glik, Deborah C; Prelip, Michael L; Belin, Thomas R; Brookmeyer, Ron; Santos, Robert; Chen, Jie; Ortega, Alexander N

    2016-01-01

    The employment of professional interviewers from academic survey centers to conduct surveys has been standard practice. Because one goal of community-engaged research is to provide professional skills to community residents, this paper considers whether employing locally trained lay interviewers from within the community may be as effective as employing interviewers from an academic survey center with regard to unit and item nonresponse rates and cost. To study a nutrition-focused intervention, 1035 in-person household interviews were conducted in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, 503 of which were completed by lay community interviewers. A chi-square test was used to assess differences in unit nonresponse rates between professional and community interviewers and Welch's t tests were used to assess differences in item nonresponse rates. A cost comparison analysis between the two interviewer groups was also conducted. Interviewers from the academic survey center had lower unit nonresponse rates than the lay community interviewers (16.2% vs. 23.3%; p < 0.01). However, the item nonresponse rates were lower for the community interviewers than the professional interviewers (1.4% vs. 3.3%; p < 0.01). Community interviewers cost approximately $415.38 per survey whereas professional interviewers cost approximately $537.29 per survey. With a lower cost per completed survey and lower item nonresponse rates, lay community interviewers are a viable alternative to professional interviewers for fieldwork in community-based research. Additional research is needed to assess other important aspects of data quality interviewer such as interviewer effects and response error.

  8. Science information in the media: an academic approach to improve its intrinsic quality.

    PubMed

    Bruno, Flavia; Vercellesi, Luisa

    2002-01-01

    The lay audience expresses a clear demand for scientific information, particularly when health and welfare are involved. For most people science is what they learn from the media. The need for good scientific journalism is pressing, to bridge the gap between the slow pace of science and the fast-moving and concise nature of successful mass communication. This academic postgraduate course was established by the Department of Pharmacological Sciences to train mediators to improve the quality of lay scientific dissemination. The programme focuses on teaching a method of selecting, analysing, understanding, mediating and diffusing scientific information to lay people. The course explores the theoretical and practical aspects of methods, techniques and channels of scientific communication. Case studies, practical exercises, and stages complement the theoretical curriculum. The teaching focus is on reducing the asymmetry between scientists and the public. The different backgrounds of students and the spread of topics are major challenges. Copyright 2002 Academic Press.

  9. Early Parenting Beliefs and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Im-Bolter, Nancie; Zadeh, Zohreh Yaghoub; Ling, Daphne

    2013-01-01

    Studies have demonstrated the association between parenting style and children's academic achievement, but the specific mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. The development of skills that lay the foundation for academic success might be found in early parent-child interactions that foster language competence. Early negative…

  10. Building a Definition of Irritability From Academic Definitions and Lay Descriptions.

    PubMed

    Barata, Paula C; Holtzman, Susan; Cunningham, Shannon; O'Connor, Brian P; Stewart, Donna E

    2016-04-08

    The current work builds a definition of irritability from both academic definitions and lay perspectives. In Study 1, a quantitative content analysis of academic definitions resulted in eight main content categories (i.e., behaviour, emotion or affect, cognition, physiological, qualifiers, irritant, stability or endurance, and other). In Study 2, a community sample of 39 adults participated in qualitative interviews. A deductive thematic analysis resulted in two main themes. The first main theme dealt with how participants positioned irritability in relation to other negative states. The second dealt with how participants constructed irritability as both a loss of control and as an experience that should be controlled. The discussion integrates the findings of both studies and provides a concise, but comprehensive definition.

  11. Laying the cornerstone: an employee-driven customer service program.

    PubMed

    Davis, Stephen M; Chinnis, Ann S; Dunmire, J Erin

    2006-01-01

    In the 21st-century healthcare environment, customer service remains critical to the fiscal viability of healthcare organizations. Continued competition for patients and diminishing reimbursements have necessitated the establishment of customer service programs to attract patients and retain outstanding employees. These programs should increase quality experiences for both internal customers (employees) and external customers (patients). This article describes a unique employee-driven customer service initiative titled Serving Together Achieving Results. Obstacles to implementing a customer service program in a multifaceted academic setting are highlighted, and the use of a novel tool, Q technique, to prioritize employee feedback is discussed.

  12. Lay Theories of Passion in the Academic Domain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schellenberg, Benjamin J. I.; Bailis, Daniel S.

    2017-01-01

    Our aim was to study students' beliefs about passion and its influence on academic performance and experiences, and determine whether these beliefs depend on harmonious or obsessive passion. In Study 1, participants estimated passion scores for the most successful, average and least successful students in university. In Study 2, participants…

  13. Laying the Foundation for Successful Non-Academic Writing: Professional Communication Principles in the K-5 Curricula of the McKinney Independent School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trevino, Marlea

    2009-01-01

    Traditionally, K-5 students' writing has had a primarily academic aim--to help students master concepts and express themselves. Even if students take a professional writing course later, they typically do not have the opportunity to practice--over the long period of time mastery requires--the non-academic writing skills they will be required to…

  14. The Development of Self-Regulation and Executive Function in Young Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McClelland, Megan M.; Tominey, Shauna L.

    2014-01-01

    Self-regulation lays the foundation for positive social relationships and academic success. In this article, we provide an overview of self-regulation and the key terms related to selfregulation, such as executive function. We discuss research on how self-regulation develops and connections between self-regulation and social and academic outcomes.…

  15. Academic Faith Integration: Introduction to a New Section within "Christian Higher Education"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaak, Paul

    2016-01-01

    The following article lays out the rationale and vision for a new section of "Christian Higher Education" focused on academic faith integration. The section editor provides a brief history of this central aspect of Christian higher education, including some of the opportunities, challenges, and critiques expressed within the scholarly…

  16. The Code Red Project: Engaging Communities in Health System Change in Hamilton, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLuca, Patrick F.; Buist, Steve; Johnston, Neil

    2012-01-01

    The communication of determinants of health and health outcomes normally executed through academic channels often fail to reach lay audiences. In April of 2010, the results of collaboration between academe and mass media were published in the Hamilton Spectator, one of Canada's 10 largest English-language daily newspapers as a 7-day series. The…

  17. Academic consumer researchers: a bridge between consumers and researchers.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Kathleen M; Jorm, Anthony F; Christensen, Helen

    2004-04-01

    To describe the contributions that consumers, and academic consumer researchers in particular, can make to mental health research. A literature survey and a systematic consideration of the potential advantages of consumer and academic consumer researcher involvement in health research. Consumer researchers may contribute to better health outcomes, but there are significant barriers to their participation in the research process. To date, discussion has focused on the role of nonacademic consumers in the health research process. There has been little recognition of the particular contributions that consumers with formal academic qualifications and research experience can offer. Academic consumer researchers (ACRs) offer many of the advantages associated with lay consumer participation, as well as some unique advantages. These advantages include acceptance by other researchers as equal partners in the research process; skills in research; access to research funding; training in disseminating research findings within the scientific community; potential to influence research funding and research policy; capacity to influence the research culture; and potential to facilitate the involvement of lay consumers in the research process. In recognition of the value of a critical mass of ACRs in mental health, a new ACR unit (the Depression and Anxiety Consumer Research Unit [CRU]) has been established at the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University. Academic consumer researchers have the potential to increase the relevance of mental health research to consumers, to bridge the gap between the academic and consumer communities and to contribute to the process of destigmatizing mental disorders.

  18. Exploring chiropractic students' experiences of the educational environment in healthcare professional training: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Palmgren, Per J; Laksov, Klara Bolander

    2015-08-05

    The educational environment has a significant impact on students' behavior, sense of well-being, and academic advancement. While various research methodologies have been used to explore the educational environment, there is a paucity of studies employing qualitative research methods. This study engages in an in-depth exploration of chiropractic students' experiences of the meaning of the educational environment. A qualitative approach was employed by interviewing 26 students in four focus group interviews at two different points in time. A conventional manifest and latent content analysis was chosen to investigate and interpret the experiences of the educational environment in an undergraduate chiropractic training institution in Sweden. The analysis resulted in five overarching themes: Personal growth; Being part of a community; A place of meaningfulness; Trust in a regulated system; and Scaffolding relationships. Early in the training, the meaning of the educational environment was experienced as part of a vocational community and the scaffolding of intra-institutional relationships. In later stages, the environment was experienced in terms of personal growth - balancing academic pressures and progress within the professional community - thus laying the foundations for autonomy and motivation. During the clinical training, the environment was experienced as where learning happens, thus creating a place of meaningfulness. Throughout the training, the formal and clinical environments were experienced as isolating, with little bridging between the two. A regulated system - conveying an operative organization with clear communication regarding what to expect - was experienced as important for an apt educational environment. We found that experiences of an educational environment are dynamic and change over time. When restructuring or evaluating curriculums, educational managers can consider the emerged themes as constituting facets relating to the educational environment, and thus possible learning conditions. Likewise, researchers can consider these aspects of the educational environment when: interpreting results from quantitative and qualitative inquiries, constructing and refining instruments, or conceptualizing and framing the educational environment phenomenon.

  19. Parental perceptions of the impacts the built environment has on young children׳s health: a qualitative examination and lay assessment amongst residents in four Scottish communities.

    PubMed

    Teedon, Paul; Gillespie, Morag; Lindsay, Kate; Baker, Keith

    2014-07-01

    The built environment is important for children׳s health and development. Qualitative research in four communities in Scotland explored with groups of parents of young children their lay perceptions of their local environment with specific reference to its impact upon their children׳s health. Valuing most strong supportive communities; good quality public spaces and social housing, parents׳ key concerns included anti-social behaviour, incivility and a range of locally-specific concerns. As knowledgeable key gatekeepers to children׳s use of home environments and public spaces, parent׳s qualitative lay input is important for the development of children׳s effective use of outdoor spaces and the built environment over the long term. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Natural selection and genetic variation for reproductive reaction norms in a wild bird population.

    PubMed

    Brommer, Jon E; Merilä, Juha; Sheldon, Ben C; Gustafsson, Lars

    2005-06-01

    Many morphological and life-history traits show phenotypic plasticity that can be described by reaction norms, but few studies have attempted individual-level analyses of reaction norms in the wild. We analyzed variation in individual reaction norms between laying date and three climatic variables (local temperature, local rainfall, and North Atlantic Oscillation) of 1126 female collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) with a restricted maximum likehood linear mixed model approach using random-effect best linear unbiased predictor estimates for the elevation (i.e., expected laying date in the average environment) and slope (i.e., adjustment in laying date as a function of environment) of females' reaction norms. Variation in laying date was best explained by local temperature, and individual females differed in both the elevation and the slope of their laying date-temperature reaction norms. As revealed by animal model analyses, there was weak evidence for additive genetic variance of elevation (h2 +/- SE = 0.09 +/- 0.09), whereas there was no evidence for heritability of slope (h2 +/- SE = 0.00 +/- 0.01). Selection analysis, using a female's lifetime production of fledglings or recruits as an estimate of her fitness, revealed significant selection for a lower phenotypic value and breeding value for elevation (i.e., earlier laying date at the average temperature). There was selection for steeper phenotypic values of slope (i.e., greater plasticity in the adjustment of laying date to temperature), but no significant selection on the breeding values of slope. Although these results suggest that phenotypic laying date is influenced by additive genetic factors, as well as by an interaction with the environment, selection on plasticity would not produce an evolutionary response.

  1. Urologists on a tightrope--do we have a net?

    PubMed

    Loughlin, Kevin R

    2003-12-01

    The purpose of this review is to analyze the current health care environment and its impact on urological practice. The medical and lay literature as it pertains to the socioeconomics of health care was reviewed. Analysis of the political and economic factors that influence the delivery of health care today reveals alarming realities. More than 40 million Americans remain uninsured, and with a retrenched economy that number is likely to increase. Neither government nor the private sector has been either willing or able to address the health care problem in a coherent or comprehensive way. As the population ages, the Medicare and Medicaid programs will become further stressed. Employers are increasingly unwilling to finance the health care expenses of their employees. Academic medical centers are facing unique exigencies that, if left uncorrected, will jeopardize the future training of physicians. In the current environment of a depressed economy, further proposed tax cuts and increased military spending it appears inevitable that the economic restraints on medical care will increase substantially in the foreseeable future.

  2. Educating American Protestant Religious Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Charles R.

    2015-01-01

    The voluntarism in Protestant theologies and practices has significantly shaped the education of lay and professional Protestant religious educators in networks of voluntary and academic training programs that through the years have emphasized the interdependence of pedagogical, religious/theological, and social science theories and practices.…

  3. Breast Feeding.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Children's Centre, Paris (France).

    This set of documents consists of English, French, and Spanish translations of four pamphlets on breast-feeding. The pamphlets provide information designed for lay persons, academics and professionals, health personnel and educators, and policy-makers. The contents cover health-related differences between breast and bottle milk; patterns of…

  4. 25 CFR 36.10 - Standard I-Philosophy and goals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... philosophy and goals shall be developed with the involvement of students, parents, lay citizens, school staff... Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR THE BASIC EDUCATION OF INDIAN CHILDREN AND NATIONAL CRITERIA FOR DORMITORY SITUATIONS Educational Management...

  5. Trustees--Power and Sanity in the 1980s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingram, Richard T.

    1980-01-01

    The role of college lay governing boards in the 1980s is addressed. Focus is on trustees' responsibilities with respect to litigation, government regulation, private gifts and tax reform, academic tenure, faculty unions, interinstitutional cooperation, deferred maintenance of college buildings, accreditation, and public image. (JMD)

  6. Changing Health Professions Education in West Virginia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlton, Bill; Weston, W. Donald

    1997-01-01

    Medical, nursing, pharmacy, and dental education in West Virginia's state universities has undergone substantial changes since 1991, becoming more responsive to community needs. A primary-care, community-based academic system now involves students, faculty, health professionals, and lay community members in identifying and serving needs in…

  7. The Organization of Citizen's Educational Beliefs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Day, Jo Ann Miller

    Responses to the 1976 Gallup education poll were analyzed to test the hypothesis that educational beliefs held by lay citizens are systematically structured and may be ordered along several dimensions representing functions of education: utilitarian concerns, socialization concerns, and concerns with academic and individual needs. Further, the…

  8. The Emotional Foundations of Social Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warren, Heather K.; Denham, Susanne A.; Bassett, Hideko H.

    2008-01-01

    The infant and toddler years are a watershed of development in the emotional domain. These skills lay the foundation for positive social interactions, and ultimately, academic and life success. This article describes the development of three skills that are central in creating successful relationships: expressing emotion, understanding emotion,…

  9. A Cross-sectional Study of Current Doctors' Performance in a Modified Version of a Medical School Admission Aptitude Test: The UKCAT.

    PubMed

    Blackmur, James P; Lone, Nazir I; Stone, Oliver D; Webb, David J; Dhaun, Neeraj

    2016-05-01

    The 2-hour long United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is used by many universities in the United Kingdom as part of their selection process for undergraduate medical and dentistry degrees. We aimed to compare the performance of senior doctors in primary and secondary care and across a range of specialties, in a modified version of the medical school entrance examination-the mUKCAT. Lay people were also included in the study. Despite its widespread use, this is the first study that examines the performance of senior clinicians in the UKCAT.The study used a prospective cross-sectional design. It used mock questions from the UKCAT website to generate an mUKCAT that was anticipated to take 15 minutes to complete. In all, 167 doctors at consultant, general practitioner (GP), or specialty trainee grade and 26 lay people took part.The overall mean mUKCAT score of all participants was 2486 (69.1%). Of the total cohort, 126 (65.3%) scored above our designated threshold of 2368 and were deemed to have passed the mUKCAT. Excluding lay people, 113 (67.7%) of the 167 doctors scored above that threshold. Medical specialty was associated with overall score (P = 0.003), with anesthetists/intensive care physicians scoring highest (n = 20, mean score 2660) and GPs scoring lowest (n = 38, mean score 2302). Academics outperformed nonacademics (mean score of academics, n = 44 vs nonacademics, n = 123: 2750 vs 2406; P < 0.001). Those clinicians in senior management positions scored lower than those in "standard" roles (mean score of senior management, n = 31 vs standard roles, n = 136: 2332 vs 2534, mean difference 202, 95% confidence interval 67-337, P = 0.004).In the situational judgement section, there was no evidence that specialty was associated with score (P = 0.15). Academics exhibited greater situational judgement than their nonacademic colleagues (academics vs nonacademics: 69.8 vs 63.6%; P = 0.01).The majority of senior clinicians passed our mUKCAT. Academics and anesthetists were found to be the best performers, with GPs and those in senior management positions performing the worst.

  10. A Cross-sectional Study of Current Doctors’ Performance in a Modified Version of a Medical School Admission Aptitude Test

    PubMed Central

    Blackmur, James P.; Lone, Nazir I.; Stone, Oliver D.; Webb, David J.; Dhaun, Neeraj

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The 2-hour long United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is used by many universities in the United Kingdom as part of their selection process for undergraduate medical and dentistry degrees. We aimed to compare the performance of senior doctors in primary and secondary care and across a range of specialties, in a modified version of the medical school entrance examination—the mUKCAT. Lay people were also included in the study. Despite its widespread use, this is the first study that examines the performance of senior clinicians in the UKCAT. The study used a prospective cross-sectional design. It used mock questions from the UKCAT website to generate an mUKCAT that was anticipated to take 15 minutes to complete. In all, 167 doctors at consultant, general practitioner (GP), or specialty trainee grade and 26 lay people took part. The overall mean mUKCAT score of all participants was 2486 (69.1%). Of the total cohort, 126 (65.3%) scored above our designated threshold of 2368 and were deemed to have passed the mUKCAT. Excluding lay people, 113 (67.7%) of the 167 doctors scored above that threshold. Medical specialty was associated with overall score (P = 0.003), with anesthetists/intensive care physicians scoring highest (n = 20, mean score 2660) and GPs scoring lowest (n = 38, mean score 2302). Academics outperformed nonacademics (mean score of academics, n = 44 vs nonacademics, n = 123: 2750 vs 2406; P < 0.001). Those clinicians in senior management positions scored lower than those in “standard” roles (mean score of senior management, n = 31 vs standard roles, n = 136: 2332 vs 2534, mean difference 202, 95% confidence interval 67–337, P = 0.004). In the situational judgement section, there was no evidence that specialty was associated with score (P = 0.15). Academics exhibited greater situational judgement than their nonacademic colleagues (academics vs nonacademics: 69.8 vs 63.6%; P = 0.01). The majority of senior clinicians passed our mUKCAT. Academics and anesthetists were found to be the best performers, with GPs and those in senior management positions performing the worst. PMID:27149449

  11. Smoking and Ill Health: Does Lay Epidemiology Explain the Failure of Smoking Cessation Programs Among Deprived Populations?

    PubMed Central

    Lawlor, Debbie A; Frankel, Stephen; Shaw, Mary; Ebrahim, Shah; Smith, George Davey

    2003-01-01

    The resistance of disadvantaged groups to anti-smoking advice is remarkable. In relation to the study of differing cultures, there is a long-standing academic tradition assuming that behavior that may otherwise be difficult to understand is indeed rational within particular cultural contexts. Persistent smoking among the most deprived members of society may represent a rational response to their life chances informed by a lay epidemiology. Health promotion initiatives designed to reduce smoking among members of these groups may continue to fail unless the general health and life chances of such individuals are first improved. PMID:12554581

  12. Economics in Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evensky, Jerry

    2004-01-01

    Academic departmentalization has limited the dimensionality and thus the richness of analysis in the social sciences. The author examines the case of a modern economics as an example. He reviews the ideas of Williamson (2000), who cites the limits of scope in the New Institutional Economics; Buchanan, who lays bare the ethical foundations of…

  13. Multiple Literacies, Curriculum, and Instruction in Early Childhood and Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larson, Joanne

    2006-01-01

    This article describes some implications of using a multiple literacies perspective in the construction and implementation of literacy curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment in early childhood and elementary classrooms. After briefly laying out a theoretical perspective in sections focusing on early literacy, academic learning, literacy beyond…

  14. Research Library Issues: A Bimonthly Report from ARL, CNI, and SPARC. RLI 269

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrett, G. Jaia, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    "Research Library Issues" ("RLI") is a bimonthly report from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). This issue includes the following articles: (1) Strategies for Opening Up Content: Laying the Groundwork for an Open…

  15. Library Functions, Scholarly Communication, and the Foundation of the Digital Library: Laying Claim to the Control Zone.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkinson, Ross

    1996-01-01

    Discussion of academic libraries and online systems focuses on core library services and a digital library which could serve as an alternative publishing mechanism for specialized scholarly communication. Highlights include adding value to sources of information; conflicts, including those with commercial publishers; and standardization and…

  16. A New Academic Compact: Revisioning the Relationship between Faculty and Their Institutions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMillin, Linda A., Ed.; Berberet, William G., Ed.

    The chapters of this collection highlight the Associated New American Colleges' Faculty Work Project as they examine the call for redefining faculty roles and institutional relationships. The goal of the Project has been to lay the conceptual groundwork for bringing educational practices into alignment with the institutional mission. In the first…

  17. Teachers Reflect on Homophobia in the Cypriot Education System: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shoshilou, Panayiota A.; Vasiliou, Elena

    2016-01-01

    A review of the academic and lay literature concerning Cyprus reveals that homophobia is prevalent throughout society. This research aimed to investigate homophobia through the narratives of educators. Twenty-three teachers were randomly selected out of the pool of volunteers in a training project. Aspects of homophobia previously reported in…

  18. Is Literacy Enough? Pathways to Academic Success for Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snow, Catherine E.; Porche, Michelle V.; Tabors, Patton O.; Harris, Stephanie R.

    2007-01-01

    Four literacy experts lay out the evidence in this compelling book, based on the well-known Home-School Study of Language and Literacy Development that inspired the landmark resource "Beginning Literacy with Language." Following a group of children living in low-income families from preschool through high school, the authors charted the students'…

  19. Laying the Groundwork: The Journey of an Urban High School District Implementing a College Readiness Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franco, Antonia O.

    2012-01-01

    National and state education reforms are centered on developing higher academic expectations and standards to ensure students transitions into postsecondary options, college and career ready. What does this national emphasis signify for urban school districts that are educating a significant proportion of first-generation students and that…

  20. A Community Prevention Approach to Peaceful Schools: Application of Wakanheza

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, Christina L.; Lee, Serita; Mattaini, Mark A.

    2009-01-01

    Schools have long recognized the importance of creating climates that are peaceful, laying the groundwork for good student academic learning. This article explores the work of a large urban school district as it applies a community violence prevention model developed by the local county public health department to create peaceful communities.…

  1. Lay Hold! Heave! Building Speed: Excitement and Satisfaction in Pushing the BGE Flywheel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-01

    future. Accessions has stirred up a significant review of how the Army runs the business of bringing in new lieutenants and leveraging their academic ...occasional plagiarism . Tablet personal computers (PCs) have been purchased for one ECCC small group, and the sec- ond pilot of use of the Tablet PC

  2. Automatic jargon identifier for scientists engaging with the public and science communication educators

    PubMed Central

    Chapnik, Noam; Yosef, Roy; Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet

    2017-01-01

    Scientists are required to communicate science and research not only to other experts in the field, but also to scientists and experts from other fields, as well as to the public and policymakers. One fundamental suggestion when communicating with non-experts is to avoid professional jargon. However, because they are trained to speak with highly specialized language, avoiding jargon is difficult for scientists, and there is no standard to guide scientists in adjusting their messages. In this research project, we present the development and validation of the data produced by an up-to-date, scientist-friendly program for identifying jargon in popular written texts, based on a corpus of over 90 million words published in the BBC site during the years 2012–2015. The validation of results by the jargon identifier, the De-jargonizer, involved three mini studies: (1) comparison and correlation with existing frequency word lists in the literature; (2) a comparison with previous research on spoken language jargon use in TED transcripts of non-science lectures, TED transcripts of science lectures and transcripts of academic science lectures; and (3) a test of 5,000 pairs of published research abstracts and lay reader summaries describing the same article from the journals PLOS Computational Biology and PLOS Genetics. Validation procedures showed that the data classification of the De-jargonizer significantly correlates with existing frequency word lists, replicates similar jargon differences in previous studies on scientific versus general lectures, and identifies significant differences in jargon use between abstracts and lay summaries. As expected, more jargon was found in the academic abstracts than lay summaries; however, the percentage of jargon in the lay summaries exceeded the amount recommended for the public to understand the text. Thus, the De-jargonizer can help scientists identify problematic jargon when communicating science to non-experts, and be implemented by science communication instructors when evaluating the effectiveness and jargon use of participants in science communication workshops and programs. PMID:28792945

  3. Automatic jargon identifier for scientists engaging with the public and science communication educators.

    PubMed

    Rakedzon, Tzipora; Segev, Elad; Chapnik, Noam; Yosef, Roy; Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet

    2017-01-01

    Scientists are required to communicate science and research not only to other experts in the field, but also to scientists and experts from other fields, as well as to the public and policymakers. One fundamental suggestion when communicating with non-experts is to avoid professional jargon. However, because they are trained to speak with highly specialized language, avoiding jargon is difficult for scientists, and there is no standard to guide scientists in adjusting their messages. In this research project, we present the development and validation of the data produced by an up-to-date, scientist-friendly program for identifying jargon in popular written texts, based on a corpus of over 90 million words published in the BBC site during the years 2012-2015. The validation of results by the jargon identifier, the De-jargonizer, involved three mini studies: (1) comparison and correlation with existing frequency word lists in the literature; (2) a comparison with previous research on spoken language jargon use in TED transcripts of non-science lectures, TED transcripts of science lectures and transcripts of academic science lectures; and (3) a test of 5,000 pairs of published research abstracts and lay reader summaries describing the same article from the journals PLOS Computational Biology and PLOS Genetics. Validation procedures showed that the data classification of the De-jargonizer significantly correlates with existing frequency word lists, replicates similar jargon differences in previous studies on scientific versus general lectures, and identifies significant differences in jargon use between abstracts and lay summaries. As expected, more jargon was found in the academic abstracts than lay summaries; however, the percentage of jargon in the lay summaries exceeded the amount recommended for the public to understand the text. Thus, the De-jargonizer can help scientists identify problematic jargon when communicating science to non-experts, and be implemented by science communication instructors when evaluating the effectiveness and jargon use of participants in science communication workshops and programs.

  4. Spotlight on Student Engagement, Motivation, and Achievement. No. 5 in the Harvard Education Letter Spotlight Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chauncey, Caroline T., Ed.; Walser, Nancy, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    Only when students feel engaged both socially and academically can schools and teachers lay the groundwork to motivate achievement. This volume, the fifth in the "Harvard Education Letter" Spotlight series, brings together fifteen seminal articles that examine research and practice on these complex and interrelated issues. Contributors include:…

  5. Leading for Equity: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Montgomery County Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Childress, Stacey M.; Doyle, Denis P.; Thomas, David A.

    2009-01-01

    "Leading for Equity" tells the compelling story of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools and its transformation--in less than a decade--into a system committed to breaking the links between race and class and academic achievement. In chapters organized around six core themes, the authors lay out the essential elements of MCPS's…

  6. Research Library Issues: A Bimonthly Report from ARL, CNI, and SPARC--A Special Issue on Strategies for Opening up Content. RLI 269

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrett, G. Jaia, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    "Research Library Issues" ("RLI") is a bimonthly report from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). This issue includes the following articles: (1) Strategies for Opening Up Content: Laying the Groundwork for an Open…

  7. Building Language Throughout the Year: The Preschool Early Literacy Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lybolt, John; Armstrong, Jennifer; Techmanski, Kristin Evans; Gottfred, Catherine

    2007-01-01

    For children from low-resource backgrounds, a literacy-rich preschool experience with a skilled and engaged teacher can offset risk factors and lay the groundwork for lifelong academic success. Now schools can ensure effective early literacy instruction with this field-tested, research-based curriculum for children 3 to 5 years of age. These 41…

  8. Maternal effects in the highly communal sociable weaver may exacerbate brood reduction and prepare offspring for a competitive social environment.

    PubMed

    van Dijk, René E; Eising, Corine M; Merrill, Richard M; Karadas, Filiz; Hatchwell, Ben; Spottiswoode, Claire N

    2013-02-01

    Maternal effects can influence offspring phenotype with short- and long-term consequences. Yet, how the social environment may influence egg composition is not well understood. Here, we investigate how laying order and social environment predict maternal effects in the sociable weaver, Philetairus socius, a species that lives in massive communal nests which may be occupied by only a few to 100+ individuals in a single nest. This range of social environments is associated with variation in a number of phenotypic and life-history traits. We investigate whether maternal effects are adjusted accordingly. We found no evidence for the prediction that females might benefit from modifying brood hierarchies through an increased deposition of androgens with laying order. Instead, females appear to exacerbate brood reduction by decreasing the costly production of yolk mass and antioxidants with laying order. Additionally, we found that this effect did not depend on colony size. Finally, in accordance with an expected increased intensity of environmental stress with increasing colony size, we found that yolk androgen concentration increased with colony size. This result suggests that females may enhance the competitive ability of offspring raised in larger colonies, possibly preparing the offspring for a competitive social environment.

  9. Review of rearing-related factors affecting the welfare of laying hens

    PubMed Central

    Janczak, Andrew M.; Riber, Anja B.

    2015-01-01

    Laying hens may face a number of welfare problems including: acute and chronic pain caused by beak trimming; exaggerated fearfulness that may cause stress and suffocation; difficulties in locating resources, resulting potentially in emaciation and dehydration; frustration and boredom, caused by an environment that is barren; feather pecking; cannibalism; foot lesions; and bone fractures. In Europe, a greater proportion of laying hens are housed in non-cage systems compared to the rest of the world. The extent of the different welfare problems may therefore vary between countries as the type of housing system influences the risk of suffering. More generally, many of these welfare problems are influenced by the rearing environment of the pullets. This article therefore focuses on welfare problems in laying hens that can be traced back to rearing. Factors that have been studied in relation to their effects on bird welfare include beak trimming, housing type, furnishing, enrichment, feeding, stocking density, flock size, sound and light levels, concentration of gasses, age at transfer from rearing to production facilities, similarity between rearing and production facilities, competence of staff, and interactions between bird strain and environment. The present review aims to summarize rearing-related risk factors of poor welfare in adult laying hens housed according to European Union legislation. It aims to identify gaps in current knowledge, and suggests strategies for improving bird welfare by improving rearing conditions. Two main conclusions of this work are that attempts should be made to use appropriate genetic material and that beak trimming should be limited where possible. In addition to this, the rearing system should provide constant access to appropriate substrates, perches, and mashed feed, and should be as similar as possible to the housing system used for the adult birds. Finally, young birds (pullets) should be moved to the production facilities before 16 weeks of age. The measures outlined in this review may be useful for improving the welfare of pullets and adult laying hens. PMID:26009752

  10. Gender-related academic and occupational interests and goals.

    PubMed

    Petersen, Jennifer; Hyde, Janet Shibley

    2014-01-01

    This chapter reviews the theories and empirical evidence concerning whether gender differences in academic and occupational goals and interests exist, and if so, why those differences may be present. Expectancy-value theory, stereotype threat, sociocultural theory, and the gender similarities hypothesis lay the theoretical framework for this chapter. Following a brief review of these theories, we describe the evidence for gender differences in academic ability and occupational interests and goals, using meta-analytic reviews wherever possible. Although there are few gender differences in academic ability, some gender differences in occupational goals and interests persist, particularly in science and mathematics. These gender differences may be due to parental or cultural expectations, changes in developmental trends, stereotypes and discrimination, or gendered-expectations to achieve work-family balance. Overall, the pathways to adult occupations are complex, involving many factors that affect occupational goals, interests, and self-concept.

  11. Early Life in a Barren Environment Adversely Affects Spatial Cognition in Laying Hens (Gallus gallus domesticus)

    PubMed Central

    Tahamtani, Fernanda M.; Nordgreen, Janicke; Nordquist, Rebecca E.; Janczak, Andrew M.

    2015-01-01

    Spatial cognition in vertebrates is adversely affected by a lack of environmental complexity during early life. However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have tested the effect of early exposure to varying degrees of environmental complexity on specific components of spatial cognition in chickens. There are two main rearing systems for laying hens in the EU: aviaries and cages. These two systems differ from one another in environmental complexity. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that rearing in a barren cage environment relative to a complex aviary environment causes long-lasting deficits in the ability to perform spatial tasks. For this purpose, 24 white Dekalb laying hens, half of which had been reared in an aviary system and the other half in a conventional cage system, were tested in a holeboard task. Birds from both treatment groups learnt the task; however, the cage-reared hens required more time to locate rewards and had poorer levels of working memory. The latter finding supports the hypothesis that rearing in a barren environment causes long-term impairment of short-term memory in chickens. PMID:26664932

  12. Redox Reactions between Mn(II) and Hexagonal Birnessite Change Its Layer Symmetry.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Huaiyan; Zhu, Mengqiang; Li, Wei; Elzinga, Evert J; Villalobos, Mario; Liu, Fan; Zhang, Jing; Feng, Xionghan; Sparks, Donald L

    2016-02-16

    Birnessite, a phyllomanganate and the most common type of Mn oxide, affects the fate and transport of numerous contaminants and nutrients in nature. Birnessite exhibits hexagonal (HexLayBir) or orthogonal (OrthLayBir) layer symmetry. The two types of birnessite contain contrasting content of layer vacancies and Mn(III), and accordingly have different sorption and oxidation abilities. OrthLayBir can transform to HexLayBir, but it is still vaguely understood if and how the reverse transformation occurs. Here, we show that HexLayBir (e.g., δ-MnO2 and acid birnessite) transforms to OrthLayBir after reaction with aqueous Mn(II) at low Mn(II)/Mn (in HexLayBir) molar ratios (5-24%) and pH ≥ 8. The transformation is promoted by higher pH values, as well as smaller particle size, and/or greater stacking disorder of HexLayBir. The transformation is ascribed to Mn(III) formation via the comproportionation reaction between Mn(II) adsorbed on vacant sites and the surrounding layer Mn(IV), and the subsequent migration of the Mn(III) into the vacancies with an ordered distribution in the birnessite layers. This study indicates that aqueous Mn(II) and pH are critical environmental factors controlling birnessite layer structure and reactivity in the environment.

  13. Laying a Foundation for Lifelong Learning: Case Studies of E-Assessment in Large 1st-Year Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicol, David

    2007-01-01

    Concerns about noncompletion and the quality of the 1st-year student experience have been linked to recent changes in higher education such as modularisation, increased class sizes, greater diversity in the student intake and reduced resources. Improving formative assessment and feedback processes is seen as one way of addressing academic failure,…

  14. Learning in Places: The Informal Education Reader. Counterpoints, Studies in the Postmodern Theory of Education Volume 249

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bekerman, Zvi, Ed.; Burbules, Nicholas C., Ed.; Silberman-Keller, Diana, Ed.

    2006-01-01

    "Learning in Places" is a concerted effort undertaken by an outstanding group of international researchers to create a resource book that can introduce academic, professional and lay readers to the field of informal learning/education and its potential to transform present educational thinking. The book presents a wealth of ideas from a wide…

  15. The High School Principal's Calendar: A Month-by-Month Planner for the School Year.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ricken, Robert; Simon, Richard; Terc, Michael

    This book has been developed for both new and experienced principals; it lays out everyday challenges and administrative necessities to help principals plan strategically for the academic year. This work provides a month-to-month guide to make the school year run smoothly from opening to closing. Chapters cover key tasks for each month beginning…

  16. Designing a community-based lay health advisor training curriculum to address cancer health disparities.

    PubMed

    Gwede, Clement K; Ashley, Atalie A; McGinnis, Kara; Montiel-Ishino, F Alejandro; Standifer, Maisha; Baldwin, Julie; Williams, Coni; Sneed, Kevin B; Wathington, Deanna; Dash-Pitts, Lolita; Green, B Lee

    2013-05-01

    Racial and ethnic minorities have disproportionately higher cancer incidence and mortality than their White counterparts. In response to this inequity in cancer prevention and care, community-based lay health advisors (LHAs) may be suited to deliver effective, culturally relevant, quality cancer education, prevention/screening, and early detection services for underserved populations. APPROACH AND STRATEGIES: Consistent with key tenets of community-based participatory research (CBPR), this project engaged community partners to develop and implement a unique LHA training curriculum to address cancer health disparities among medically underserved communities in a tricounty area. Seven phases of curriculum development went into designing a final seven-module LHA curriculum. In keeping with principles of CBPR and community engagement, academic-community partners and LHAs themselves were involved at all phases to ensure the needs of academic and community partners were mutually addressed in development and implementation of the LHA program. Community-based LHA programs for outreach, education, and promotion of cancer screening and early detection, are ideal for addressing cancer health disparities in access and quality care. When community-based LHAs are appropriately recruited, trained, and located in communities, they provide unique opportunities to link, bridge, and facilitate quality cancer education, services, and research.

  17. Effects of short light regimes and lower dietary protein content on the reproductive performance of White Roman geese in an environment-controlled house.

    PubMed

    Chang, Shen-Chang; Chiang, Hsin-I; Lin, Min-Jung; Jea, Yu-Shine; Chen, Lih-Ren; Fan, Yang-Kwang; Lee, Tzu-Tai

    2016-07-01

    The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of short light regimes and lower dietary protein content on the reproductive performance of White Roman geese in an environment- controlled house. Thirty-two ganders and 80 geese during the third laying period were allotted into 16 pens, randomly assigned into a split-plot design with two different lighting regimes: (1) short light regimes (SL) with 6.5h of light and 17.5h of dark (6.5L:17.5D), and (2) long light regimes (LL) with 19L:5D during the 6-wk prelaying period, followed by two different levels of protein diets (Low CP: 15% vs. High CP: 18%) for the laying period. The results showed that birds treated with the SL light regime had a heavier body weight compared to those treated with LL at the arrival of the peak period of egg production (6.19 vs. 5.87kg, P<0.05). Geese under LL had a longer laying period than those under SL treatment (277 vs. 175day, P<0.05), while the geese under SL treatment had a higher laying intensity (15.4% vs. 12.6%, P<0.05), fertility and hatchability than those under LL treatment. Our results suggest that the White Roman geese treated with 6-wk short light regime during the prelaying period and on the low CP diet during the laying period found conditions sufficient to sustain their regular reproduction performance, which would benefit geese farmers in the perspectives of energy saving and prolonged laying period. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Getting the Picture and Changing the Picture: Visual Methodologies and Educational Research in South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Claudia

    2008-01-01

    At the risk of seeming to make exaggerated claims for visual methodologies, what I set out to do is lay bare some of the key elements of working with the visual as a set of methodologies and practices. In particular, I address educational research in South Africa at a time when questions of the social responsibility of the academic researcher…

  19. Early Science Instruction and Academic Language Development Can Go Hand in Hand. The Promising Effects of a Low-Intensity Teacher-Focused Intervention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henrichs, Lotte F.; Leseman, Paul P. M.

    2014-01-01

    Early science instruction is important in order to lay a firm basis for learning scientific concepts and scientific thinking. In addition, young children enjoy science. However, science plays only a minor role in the kindergarten curriculum. It has been reported that teachers feel they need to prioritize language and literacy practices over…

  20. Secondary Trauma and Job Burnout and Associated Factors among HIV Lay Counsellors in Nkangala District, South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peltzer, Karl; Matseke, Gladys; Louw, Julia

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate secondary trauma and job burnout and associated factors in a sample of 71 HIV lay counsellors in South Africa. Results indicate that 49.5% were not satisfied with their work environment and 51.4% were potentially secondary traumatic stress cases. In univariate analysis, seeing more HIV counselling and testing…

  1. Warmer springs lead to mistimed reproduction in great tits (Parus major)

    PubMed Central

    Visser, M. E.; Noordwijk, A. J. van; Tinbergen, J. M.; Lessells, C. M.

    1998-01-01

    In seasonal environments, the main selection pressure on the timing of reproduction (the ultimate factor) is synchrony between offspring requirements and food availability. However, reproduction is initiated much earlier than the time of maximum food requirement of the offspring. Individuals should therefore start reproduction in response to cues (the proximate factors), available in the environment of reproductive decision making, which predict the later environment of selection. With increasing spring temperatures over the past decades, vegetation phenology has advanced, with a concomitant advancement in the reproduction of some species at higher trophic levels. However, a mismatch between food abundance and offspring needs may occur if changes in the environment of decision making do not match those in the environment of selection. Date of egg laying in a great tit (Parus major) population has not advanced over a 23-year period, but selection for early laying has intensified. We believe that this is the first documented case of an adaptive response being hampered because a changing abiotic factor affects the environment in which a reproductive decision is made differently from the environment in which selection occurs.

  2. The Key Practice, Discuss and Debate Ideas: Conceptual Framework, Literature Review, and Provisional Learning Progressions for Argumentation. Research Report. ETS RR-15-33

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deane, Paul; Song, Yi

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we provide a comprehensive literature review on the development of key argumentation skills to lay a foundation for a framework of the key practice, discuss and debate ideas, which is centrally involved in the expectations for academic reading and writing. Specifically, the framework includes 5 phases of core activities and related…

  3. Collaboration between a US Academic Institution and International Ministry of Health to develop a culturally appropriate palliative care navigation curriculum.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Ritabelle; Riklon, Sheldon; Langidrik, Justina R; Williams, Shellie N; Kabua, Neiar

    2014-12-01

    Implementation lessons: (1) The development and testing of a culturally appropriate palliative care navigation curriculum for countries facing high cancer and non-communicable diseases burden requires collaboration with the local Ministry of Health. (2) Lay volunteers from non-governmental and faith-based organizations are potential candidates to provide patient navigation services. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Air Force Space Situational Awareness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-03-13

    knowledge sharing vital to innovation. CyberWorx deliberately reaches across specialties to bring diverse perspectives to a problem in a non -threatening...design sprint to lay out a fast, viable path forward for the AF to enable better experimentation and unity of efforts toward the future. Participants in...in industry and even in their personal lives. CyberWorx was asked to address the challenges of incorporating non - traditional (open source, academic

  5. Evocative gene-parenting correlations and academic performance at first grade: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Propper, Cathi B; Shanahan, Michael J; Russo, Rosemary; Mills-Koonce, W Roger

    2012-11-01

    Academic performance during the first years of school lays the groundwork for subsequent trajectories of academic success throughout childhood and adolescence. The current study tests a model according to which a gene-parenting correlation in the first 3 years of life is associated with subsequent psychosocial adjustment and then academic performance in the first grade (as indicated by teachers' assessment of academic behavior and two subscales of the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement, Third Edition). Drawing on multiple waves of data from the Durham Child Health and Development Study, we find that risk alleles for dopamine receptor genes (dopamine receptor D4 for girls, dopamine receptor D2 for boys) are associated with less sensitive parenting. For girls, parenting mediates the link between dopamine receptor D4 and all academic outcomes. There is some indication that parenting also influences girls' withdrawn behavior in the classroom, which in turn influences teachers' assessments of academic performance. For boys, some evidence suggests that parenting is associated with emotion regulation, which is associated with teachers' assessments of academic behavior and both subscales of the Woodcock-Johnson. Replications of this exploratory study are necessary, but these findings provide a first step in understanding how evocative correlations in the home may predict indicators of psychosocial adjustment that in turn influence performance and achievement at school.

  6. Egg morphology, laying behavior and record of the host plants of Ricania speculum (Walker, 1851), a new alien species for Europe (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae).

    PubMed

    Rossi, Elisabetta; Stroiński, Adam; Lucchi, Andrea

    2015-11-17

    The exotic planthopper, Ricania speculum (Ricaniidae) was recently detected in Liguria, in northern Italy, and recorded as a first alert for Europe. The first morphological description of eggs and laying behavior are given. Eggs are inserted into the woody tissue of a wide range of different host plants in such a unique manner among native and alien planthoppers of Italy that it can be used to describe the prevalence and diffusion of the species in new environments, though in the absence of juveniles and/or adults. In addition, the paper lists the host plants utilized for egg laying and describes the eggs.

  7. Learning Environments in Children's Museums: Aesthetics, Environmental Preference and Creativity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lackney, Jeffery A.

    This paper discusses environmental preference, particularly related to the design of children's museums. It explains that preference for an environment leads to motivation to interact with the environment, which leads to learning. It lays out several design principles: (1) involve children in the process of children's museum design in a way that…

  8. Failed landings after laying hen flight in a commercial aviary over two flock cycles.

    PubMed

    Campbell, D L M; Goodwin, S L; Makagon, M M; Swanson, J C; Siegford, J M

    2016-01-01

    Many egg producers are adopting alternative housing systems such as aviaries that provide hens a tiered cage and a litter-covered open floor area. This larger, more complex environment permits expression of behaviors not seen in space-limited cages, such as flight. Flight is an exercise important for strengthening bones; but domestic hens might display imperfect flight landings due to poor flight control. To assess the potential implications of open space, we evaluated the landing success of Lohmann white laying hens in a commercial aviary. Video recordings of hens were taken from 4 aviary sections at peak lay, mid lay and end lay across two flock cycles. Observations were made in each focal section of all flights throughout the day noting flight origin and landing location (outer perch or litter) and landing success or failure. In Flock 1, 9.1% of all flights failed and 21% failed in Flock 2. The number of flights decreased across the laying cycle for both flocks. Proportionally more failed landings were observed in the double row sections in Flock 2. Collisions with other hens were more common than slipping on the ground or colliding with aviary structures across sections and flocks. More hens slipped on the ground and collided with physical structures at peak lay for Flock 2 than at other time points. More collisions with other hens were seen at mid and end lay than at peak lay for Flock 2. Landings ending on perches failed more often than landings on litter. These results indicate potential for flight-related hen injuries in aviary systems resulting from failed landings, which may have implications for hen welfare and optimal system design and management.

  9. Academic career development in geriatric fellowship training.

    PubMed

    Medina-Walpole, Annette; Fonzi, Judith; Katz, Paul R

    2007-12-01

    Career development is rarely formalized in the curricula of geriatric fellowship programs, and the training of new generations of academic leaders is challenging in the 1 year of fellowship training. To effectively prepare fellows for academic leadership, the University of Rochester's Division of Geriatrics, in collaboration with the Warner School of Graduate Education, created a yearlong course to achieve excellence in teaching and career development during the 1-year geriatric fellowship. Nine interdisciplinary geriatric medicine, dentistry, and psychiatry fellows completed the course in its initial year (2005/06). As participants, fellows gained the knowledge and experience to successfully develop and implement educational initiatives in various formats. Fellows acquired teaching and leadership skills necessary to succeed as clinician-educators in an academic setting and to communicate effectively with patients, families, and colleagues. Fellows completed a series of individual and group education projects, including academic portfolio development, curriculum vitae revision, abstract submission and poster presentation at national meetings, lay lecture series development, and geriatric grand rounds presentation. One hundred percent of fellows reported that the course positively affected their career development, with six of nine fellows choosing academic careers. The course provided opportunities to teach and assess all six of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education core competencies. This academic career development course was intended to prepare geriatric fellows as the next generation of academic leaders as clinician-teacher-scholars. It could set a new standard for academic development during fellowship training and provide a model for national dissemination in other geriatric and subspecialty fellowship programs.

  10. [Current situation and problems in school study of acupuncture and moxibustion].

    PubMed

    Li, Chen; Liu, Weihong

    2015-05-01

    By taking the evaluations made by scholars such as Wang Yongyan, et al. on status of TCM academic research as the introduction, various influencing factors in acupuncture school development are separately discussed, and the overall trend and existential state are described in modern acupuncture academic area. By displaying the opinions of acupuncture schools in recent years, the relationship among specific therapy, school and schools is analyzed to explain the similarities and differences of school and schools as well as their respective characteristics. It is proposed that the obstacles that lay before acupuncture school researchers are not the rights and wrongs of school and schools, but the evaluation criterion and development patterns that is appropriate for acupuncture research and development.

  11. The "Secrets" of Chinese Students' Academic Success: Academic Resilience among Students from Highly Competitive Academic Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Haibin

    2017-01-01

    Given Chinese students often perform well academically despite the challenges of their competitive academic environments, it is important to explore what enables the academic resilience of these students. Moreover, because the extant resilience literature is biased towards Western accounts of resilience, it is crucial that non-Western perspectives…

  12. Petroleum pipeline explosions in sub-Saharan Africa: a comprehensive systematic review of the academic and lay literature.

    PubMed

    Carlson, Lucas C; Rogers, Tom T; Kamara, Thaim B; Rybarczyk, Megan M; Leow, Jeffrey J; Kirsch, Thomas D; Kushner, Adam L

    2015-05-01

    Experience indicates that the frequency and impact of petroleum pipeline fires and explosions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is presently under-represented in the academic literature. Using adapted PRISMA guidelines, the authors reviewed both PubMed and the LexisNexis Academic news database, which includes periodicals, news transcripts and online reports. Country-by-country searches were conducted for petroleum pipeline fires and explosions in SSA occurring between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2014. Initial search yielded 5730 articles from LexisNexis Academic and 3 from PubMed. On further review, a total of 28 separate petroleum pipeline-related incidents causing injuries and/or deaths were identified, 16 of which had not been previously reported in the academic literature. The events occurred in Nigeria (23), Kenya (2), Ghana (1), Sierra Leone (1), and Tanzania (1). A total of 1756 deaths were reported across all events. The most common cause of the original leak was intentional, either from theft or vandalism (13/20, 65%), or by militia activity (2/20, 10%). Fire disasters related to scavenging fuel from petroleum pipelines are common in SSA and cause significant morbidity and mortality. These events require better reporting tools and intervention strategies overall. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that non-academic sources can effectively supplement gaps in the academic literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  13. The family environment predicts long-term academic achievement and classroom behavior following traumatic brain injury in early childhood.

    PubMed

    Durber, Chelsea M; Yeates, Keith Owen; Taylor, H Gerry; Walz, Nicolay Chertkoff; Stancin, Terry; Wade, Shari L

    2017-07-01

    This study examined how the family environment predicts long-term academic and behavioral functioning in school following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early childhood. Using a concurrent cohort, prospective design, 15 children with severe TBI, 39 with moderate TBI, and 70 with orthopedic injury (OI) who were injured when they were 3-7 years of age were compared on tests of academic achievement and parent and teacher ratings of school performance and behavior on average 6.83 years postinjury. Soon after injury and at the longer term follow-up, families completed measures of parental psychological distress, family functioning, and quality of the home environment. Hierarchical linear regression analyses examined group differences in academic outcomes and their associations with measures of the early and later family environment. The severe TBI group, but not the moderate TBI group, performed worse than did the OI group on all achievement tests, parent ratings of academic performance, and teacher ratings of internalizing problems. Higher quality early and late home environments predicted stronger academic skills and better classroom behavior for children with both TBI and OI. The early family environment more consistently predicted academic achievement, whereas the later family environment more consistently predicted classroom functioning. The quality of the home environment predicted academic outcomes more strongly than did parental psychological distress or family functioning. TBI in early childhood has long-term consequences for academic achievement and school performance and behavior. Higher quality early and later home environments predict better school outcomes for both children with TBI and children with OI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Self-esteem, academic self-concept, and achievement: how the learning environment moderates the dynamics of self-concept.

    PubMed

    Trautwein, Ulrich; Lüdtke, Oliver; Köller, Olaf; Baumert, Jürgen

    2006-02-01

    The authors examine the directionality of effects between global self-esteem, domain-specific academic self-concepts, and academic achievement. Special emphasis is placed on learning environments as potential moderators of the direction of these effects. According to the meritocracy principle presented here, so-called bottom-up effects (i.e., self-esteem is influenced by academic self-concept) are more pronounced in meritocratic learning environments than in ego-protective learning environments. This hypothesis was examined using a three-wave cross-lagged panel design with a large sample of 7th graders from East and West Germany, a total of 5,648 students who were tested shortly after German reunification. Reciprocal effects were found between self-esteem, academic self-concept, and academic achievement. In conformance with the meritocracy principle, support for bottom-up effects was stronger in the meritocratic learning environment. Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. The use of adaptable automation: Effects of extended skill lay-off and changes in system reliability.

    PubMed

    Sauer, Juergen; Chavaillaz, Alain

    2017-01-01

    This experiment aimed to examine how skill lay-off and system reliability would affect operator behaviour in a simulated work environment under wide-range and large-choice adaptable automation comprising six different levels. Twenty-four participants were tested twice during a 2-hr testing session, with the second session taking place 8 months after the first. In the middle of the second testing session, system reliability changed. The results showed that after the retention interval trust increased and self-confidence decreased. Complacency was unaffected by the lay-off period. Diagnostic speed slowed down after the retention interval but diagnostic accuracy was maintained. No difference between experimental conditions was found for automation management behaviour (i.e. level of automation chosen and frequency of switching between levels). There were few effects of system reliability. Overall, the findings showed that subjective measures were more sensitive to the impact of skill lay-off than objective behavioural measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. The Effects of an Academic Environment Intervention on Science Identification among Women in STEM

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramsey, Laura R.; Betz, Diana E.; Sekaquaptewa, Denise

    2013-01-01

    Academic environments can feel unwelcoming for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Two studies examined academic environments of female undergraduates majoring in STEM fields at a university in the United States. In Study 1, we compared women in STEM who are in a welcoming environment to those in a traditional STEM…

  17. Cause or effect? The relationship between student perception of the medical school learning environment and academic performance on USMLE Step 1.

    PubMed

    Wayne, Sharon J; Fortner, Sally A; Kitzes, Judith A; Timm, Craig; Kalishman, Summers

    2013-05-01

    A school's learning environment is believed to influence academic performance yet few studies have evaluated this association controlling for prior academic ability, an important factor since students who do well in school tend to rate their school's environment more highly than students who are less academically strong. To evaluate the effect of student perception of the learning environment on their performance on a standardized licensing test while controlling for prior academic ability. We measured perception of the learning environment after the first year of medical school in 267 students from five consecutive classes and related that measure to performance on United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, taken approximately six months later. We controlled for prior academic performance by including Medical College Admission Test score and undergraduate grade point average in linear regression models. Three of the five learning environment subscales were statistically associated with Step 1 performance (p < 0.05): meaningful learning environment, emotional climate, and student-student interaction. A one-point increase in the rating of the subscales (scale of 1-4) was associated with increases of 6.8, 6.6, and 4.8 points on the Step 1 exam. Our findings provide some evidence for the widely held assumption that a positively perceived learning environment contributes to better academic performance.

  18. The media and intellectuals' response to medical publications: the antidepressants' case

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    During the last decade, there was a debate concerning the true efficacy of antidepressants. Several papers were published in scientific journals, but many articles were also published in the lay press and the internet both by medical scientists and academics from other disciplines or representatives of societies or initiatives. The current paper analyzes the articles authored by three representative opinion makers: one academic in medicine, one academic in philosophical studies, and a representative of an activists' group against the use of antidepressants. All three articles share similar gaps in knowledge and understanding of the scientific data and also are driven by an ‘existential-like’ ideology. In our opinion, these articles have misinterpreted the scientific data, and they as such may misinform or mislead the general public and policy makers, which could have a potential impact upon public health. It seems that this line of thought represents another aspect of the stigma attached to people suffering from mental illness. PMID:23587303

  19. The weaker sex? Exploring lay understandings of gender differences in life expectancy: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Emslie, Carol; Hunt, Kate

    2008-09-01

    Despite increasing interest in gender and health, 'lay' perceptions of gender differences in mortality have been neglected. Drawing on semi-structured interview data from 45 men and women in two age cohorts (born in the early 1950s and 1970s) in the UK, we investigated lay explanations for women's longer life expectancy. Our data suggest that respondents were aware of women's increased longevity, but found this difficult to explain. While many accounts were multifactorial, socio-cultural explanations were more common, more detailed and less tentative than biological explanations. Different socio-cultural explanations (i.e. gendered social roles, 'macho' constraints on men and gender differences in health-related behaviours) were linked by the perception that life expectancy would converge as men and women's lives became more similar. Health behaviours such as going to the doctor or drinking alcohol were often located within wider structural contexts. Female respondents were more likely to focus on women's reproductive and caring roles, while male respondents were more likely to focus on how men were disadvantaged by their 'provider' role. We locate these narratives within academic debates about conceptualising gender: e.g. 'gender as structure' versus 'gender as performance', 'gender as difference' versus 'gender as diversity'.

  20. Early Science Instruction and Academic Language Development Can Go Hand in Hand. The Promising Effects of a Low-Intensity Teacher-Focused Intervention

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henrichs, Lotte F.; Leseman, Paul P. M.

    2014-11-01

    Early science instruction is important in order to lay a firm basis for learning scientific concepts and scientific thinking. In addition, young children enjoy science. However, science plays only a minor role in the kindergarten curriculum. It has been reported that teachers feel they need to prioritize language and literacy practices over science. In this paper, we investigate whether science lessons might be integrated with learning the language functional for school: academic language. The occurrence of scientific reasoning and sophisticated vocabulary in brief science lessons with 5-year-olds is evaluated. The aim of the study was twofold: first, to explore the nature of kindergarten science discourse without any researcher directions (pre-intervention observation). Second, in a randomized control trial, we evaluated the effect on science discourse of a brief teacher training session focused on academic language awareness. The science lessons focussed on air pressure and mirror reflection. Analyses showed that teachers from the intervention group increased their use of scientific reasoning and of domain-specific academic words in their science discourse, compared to the control group. For the use of general academic words and for lexical diversity, the effect was task-specific: these dependent measures only increased during the air pressure task. Implications of the study include the need to increase teachers' awareness of possibilities to combine early science instruction and academic language learning.

  1. Effect of Blended Learning Environment Model on High School Students' Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kazu, Ibrahim Yasar; Demirkol, Mehmet

    2014-01-01

    This study analyzes the students' academic performance by comparing the blended learning environment and traditional learning environment. It has been observed whether there is a significant difference between the academic achievement grade dispersions and the male-female students' grades. The study has been carried out in Diyarbakir Anatolian…

  2. Trait procrastination among dental students in India and its influence on academic performance.

    PubMed

    Madhan, Balasubramanian; Kumar, Cholleti Sudheer; Naik, Eslavath Seena; Panda, Sujit; Gayathri, Haritheertham; Barik, Ashish Kumar

    2012-10-01

    Trait procrastination is believed to be highly prevalent among college students and detrimental to their educational performance. As the scenario among dental students is virtually unknown, this study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of trait procrastination among dental students and to analyze its influence on their academic performance. A total of 174 fourth-year dental students from three dental colleges in India voluntarily completed the Lay's Procrastination Scale-student version (LPS). The mean percentage marks scored in the subsequent final university examinations were used as a measure of academic performance. The descriptive statistics were computed to evaluate the prevalence of significant procrastination (LPS score ≥60). Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the influence of age and gender on procrastination severity, and the latter was again used to analyze the association between procrastination severity and academic performance. The results indicated that 27 percent (n=47) of the students exhibited a significant extent of trait procrastination; neither age nor gender affected its severity (p<0.05). Procrastination had a significant and negative impact on the academic performance of the student (beta=-0.150, p=0.039). These findings highlight the need for active measures to reduce the causes and consequences of procrastination in dental education.

  3. Benchmarking the Physical Therapist Academic Environment to Understand the Student Experience.

    PubMed

    Shields, Richard K; Dudley-Javoroski, Shauna; Sass, Kelly J; Becker, Marcie

    2018-04-19

    Identifying excellence in physical therapist academic environments is complicated by the lack of nationally available benchmarking data. The objective of this study was to compare a physical therapist academic environment to another health care profession (medicine) academic environment using the Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) survey. The design consisted of longitudinal benchmarking. Between 2009 and 2017, the GQ was administered to graduates of a physical therapist education program (Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa [PTRS]). Their ratings of the educational environment were compared to nationwide data for a peer health care profession (medicine) educational environment. Benchmarking to the GQ capitalizes on a large, psychometrically validated database of academic domains that may be broadly applicable to health care education. The GQ captures critical information about the student experience (eg, faculty professionalism, burnout, student mistreatment) that can be used to characterize the educational environment. This study hypothesized that the ratings provided by 9 consecutive cohorts of PTRS students (n = 316) would reveal educational environment differences from academic medical education. PTRS students reported significantly higher ratings of the educational emotional climate and student-faculty interactions than medical students. PTRS and medical students did not differ on ratings of empathy and tolerance for ambiguity. PTRS students reported significantly lower ratings of burnout than medical students. PTRS students descriptively reported observing greater faculty professionalism and experiencing less mistreatment than medical students. The generalizability of these findings to other physical therapist education environments has not been established. Selected elements of the GQ survey revealed differences in the educational environments experienced by physical therapist students and medical students. All physical therapist academic programs should adopt a universal method to benchmark the educational environment to understand the student experience.

  4. Alaska communities and forest environments: a problem analysis and research agenda.

    Treesearch

    Linda E. Kruger; Rhonda L. Mazza

    2006-01-01

    This problem analysis describes a variety of human-resource interaction issues and identifies related social science research and development needs that serve as the foundation for the Alaska Communities and Forest Environments Team within the Pacific Northwest Research Station. The document lays out a research agenda that focuses on understanding relations between...

  5. Evaluating Academic Workplaces: The Hyper-Expansive Environment Experienced by University Lecturers in Professional Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, Pete; Smith, Caroline; Ilhan Beyaztas, Dilek

    2015-01-01

    Academic developers need to understand the situated workplaces of the academic tribes they are supporting. This study proposes the use of the expansive--restrictive workplace learning environment continuum as a tool for evaluation of academic workplaces. The tool is critically appraised through its application to the analysis of workplace…

  6. Moving GIS Research Indoors: Spatiotemporal Analysis of Agricultural Animals

    PubMed Central

    Daigle, Courtney L.; Banerjee, Debasmit; Montgomery, Robert A.; Biswas, Subir; Siegford, Janice M.

    2014-01-01

    A proof of concept applying wildlife ecology techniques to animal welfare science in intensive agricultural environments was conducted using non-cage laying hens. Studies of wildlife ecology regularly use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess wild animal movement and behavior within environments with relatively unlimited space and finite resources. However, rather than depicting landscapes, a GIS could be developed in animal production environments to provide insight into animal behavior as an indicator of animal welfare. We developed a GIS-based approach for studying agricultural animal behavior in an environment with finite space and unlimited resources. Concurrent data from wireless body-worn location tracking sensor and video-recording systems, which depicted spatially-explicit behavior of hens (135 hens/room) in two identical indoor enclosures, were collected. The spatial configuration of specific hen behaviors, variation in home range patterns, and variation in home range overlap show that individual hens respond to the same environment differently. Such information could catalyze management practice adjustments (e.g., modifying feeder design and/or location). Genetically-similar hens exhibited diverse behavioral and spatial patterns via a proof of concept approach enabling detailed examinations of individual non-cage laying hen behavior and welfare. PMID:25098421

  7. Coaching: a new model for academic and career achievement

    PubMed Central

    Deiorio, Nicole M.; Carney, Patricia A.; Kahl, Leslie E.; Bonura, Erin M.; Juve, Amy Miller

    2016-01-01

    Background Individualized education is emerging as an innovative model for physician training. This requires faculty coaching to guide learners’ achievements in academic performance, competency development, and career progression. In addition, coaching can foster self-reflection and self-monitoring using a data-guided approach to support lifelong learning. Context Coaching differs from mentoring or advising, and its application in medical education is novel. Because of this, definitions of the concept and the constructs of coaching as applied to medical education are needed to accurately assess the coaching relationship and coaching processes. These can then be linked to learner outcomes to inform how coaching serves as a modifier of academic and competency achievement and career satisfaction. Innovation We developed definitions and constructs for academic coaching in medical education based on review of existing education and non-education coaching literature. These constructs focus on 1) establishing relationship principles, 2) conducting learner assessments, 3) developing and implementing an action plan, and 4) assessing results and revising plans accordingly. Implication Coaching is emerging as an important construct in the context of medical education. This article lays the vital groundwork needed for evaluation of coaching programs aimed at producing outstanding physicians. PMID:27914193

  8. Coaching: a new model for academic and career achievement.

    PubMed

    Deiorio, Nicole M; Carney, Patricia A; Kahl, Leslie E; Bonura, Erin M; Juve, Amy Miller

    2016-01-01

    Individualized education is emerging as an innovative model for physician training. This requires faculty coaching to guide learners' achievements in academic performance, competency development, and career progression. In addition, coaching can foster self-reflection and self-monitoring using a data-guided approach to support lifelong learning. Coaching differs from mentoring or advising, and its application in medical education is novel. Because of this, definitions of the concept and the constructs of coaching as applied to medical education are needed to accurately assess the coaching relationship and coaching processes. These can then be linked to learner outcomes to inform how coaching serves as a modifier of academic and competency achievement and career satisfaction. We developed definitions and constructs for academic coaching in medical education based on review of existing education and non-education coaching literature. These constructs focus on 1) establishing relationship principles, 2) conducting learner assessments, 3) developing and implementing an action plan, and 4) assessing results and revising plans accordingly. Coaching is emerging as an important construct in the context of medical education. This article lays the vital groundwork needed for evaluation of coaching programs aimed at producing outstanding physicians.

  9. Oviposition site choice under conflicting risks demonstrates that aquatic predators drive terrestrial egg-laying

    PubMed Central

    Touchon, Justin C.; Worley, Julie L.

    2015-01-01

    Laying eggs out of water was crucial to the transition to land and has evolved repeatedly in multiple animal phyla. However, testing hypotheses about this transition has been difficult because extant species only breed in one environment. The pantless treefrog, Dendropsophus ebraccatus, makes such tests possible because they lay both aquatic and arboreal eggs. Here, we test the oviposition site choices of D. ebraccatus under conflicting risks of arboreal egg desiccation and aquatic egg predation, thereby estimating the relative importance of each selective agent on reproduction. We also measured discrimination between habitats with and without predators and development of naturally laid aquatic and arboreal eggs. Aquatic embryos in nature developed faster than arboreal embryos, implying no cost to aquatic egg laying. In choice tests, D. ebraccatus avoided habitats with fish, showing that they can detect aquatic egg predators. Most importantly, D. ebraccatus laid most eggs in the water when faced with only desiccation risk, but switched to laying eggs arboreally when desiccation risk and aquatic predators were both present. This provides the first experimental evidence to our knowledge that aquatic predation risk influences non-aquatic oviposition and strongly supports the hypothesis that it was a driver of the evolution of terrestrial reproduction. PMID:25948689

  10. Rearing Laying Hens in Aviaries Reduces Fearfulness following Transfer to Furnished Cages

    PubMed Central

    Brantsæter, Margrethe; Tahamtani, Fernanda M.; Moe, Randi O.; Hansen, Tone B.; Orritt, Rachel; Nicol, Christine; Janczak, Andrew M.

    2016-01-01

    Appropriate rearing is essential for ensuring the welfare and productivity of laying hens. Early experience has the potential to affect the development of fearfulness. This study tested whether rearing in aviaries, as opposed to cages, reduces the fearfulness of laying hens after transfer to furnished cages. Fear responses were recorded as avoidance of a novel object in the home cage. Lohmann Selected Leghorns were reared in an aviary system or conventional rearing cages and then transported to furnished cages at 16 weeks, before the onset of lay. Observations of a selection of birds were conducted at 19 (N = 50 independent cages) and 21 (N = 48 independent cages) weeks of age. At 19 and 21 weeks, cage-reared birds showed higher levels of fearfulness indicated by spending more time away from the novel object compared to aviary-reared birds. These results suggest that rearing in an enriched aviary environment reduces fearfulness up to the fifth week after transfer to a new housing system, compared to rearing in cages. PMID:26955634

  11. Managing Online Presence in the E-Learning Environment: Technological Support for Academic Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Islam, Nurul; Beer, Martin; Slack, Frances

    2015-01-01

    Over the last two decades the use of E-learning technology increased to such an extent that the role of the traditional academic has been forced to change. Focusing on academics' views, this study examines their interactions in the E-learning environment and whether online learning applications have increased academic workload (Eynon, 2005;…

  12. "In my house": laying the foundation for youth HIV prevention in the Black church.

    PubMed

    Lightfoot, Alexandra F; Woods, Briana A; Jackson, Melvin; Riggins, Linda; Krieger, Kathleen; Brodie, Kimberly; Gray, Phyllis; Howard, Daniel L

    2012-01-01

    This article describes the process our community-academic partnership used to lay the groundwork for successful implementation of an adolescent-focused, evidence-based HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum in two Black churches. We highlight the challenges encountered and lessons learned in building a relationship with two churches, garnering the pastor's support, and implementing the curriculum within church youth groups. We engaged a Community Advisory Board (CAB) made up of youth, parents, and diverse faith leaders to ensure community relevance and guide project development, implementation, and evaluation. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach helped us to (1) engage diverse, intergenerational community members, (2) initiate a "culturally humble" process to build relationships with faith leaders, (3) remain responsive to stakeholder concerns, and (4) open the door to HIV prevention in the Black church. Finding effective and responsive ways to implement HIV/AIDS prevention in faith settings is facilitated by engaging diverse partners throughout the research process.

  13. Researching into Learning Resources in Colleges and Universities. The Practical Research Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Chris; Reading, Judy; Taylor, Paul

    This book examines issues and methods for conducting research into the educational resource environment in colleges and universities. That environment is defined as whatever is used to facilitate the learning process, including learning space, support staff, and teaching staff. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the series and lays out the process of…

  14. Teenagers and the Fragmenting Media Environment in Asia: An Australian Pilot Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sternberg, Jason; George, Christina; Green, Joshua

    2000-01-01

    Presents preliminary results from a survey of 15- to 17-year-old Australians, exploring television's place within a rapidly expanding multimedia environment. Finds strong evidence for arguing that Australian youth's media use is currently in a state of flux. Lays foundations for more comprehensive studies of youth media use in Australia that might…

  15. Linking academic social environments, ego-identity formation, ego virtues, and academic success.

    PubMed

    Good, Marie; Adams, Gerald R

    2008-01-01

    This study used Structural Equation Modeling to test an Eriksonian conceptual model linking academic social environments (relationships with faculty and fellow students), ego-identity formation, ego virtues, and academic success. Participants included 765 first-year students at a university in southern Ontario, Canada. Results indicated that supportive relationships with faculty was directly related to higher average grades and perceived academic ability, whereas positive relationships with fellow students was indirectly related to academic success through ego virtues. Positive ego-identity formation (identity achievement) was also indirectly related to academic success through ego virtues.

  16. Creating environments that foster academic integrity.

    PubMed

    Tippitt, Michelle Pixley; Ard, Nell; Kline, Juanita Reese; Tilghman, Joan; Chamberlain, Barbara; Meagher, P Gail

    2009-01-01

    A number of studies related to academic dishonesty within the nursing student population have been published; however, little has been written in the nursing literature regarding academic integrity and means of promoting this value. In addition to the many short-term solutions to prevent cheating and dissuade academic misconduct that are offered, solutions that promote long-term affective changes underlying the acquisition of academic integrity are needed. This article provides a context for discussions related to academic integrity, explores issues facing faculty when dealing with this challenge, and offers short-term and long-term strategies for creating environments that foster academic integrity.

  17. The Monsanto Papers: Poisoning the scientific well.

    PubMed

    McHenry, Leemon B

    2018-01-01

    Examination of de-classified Monsanto documents from litigation in order to expose the impact of the company's efforts to influence the reporting of scientific studies related to the safety of the herbicide, glyphosate. A set of 141 recently de-classified documents, made public during the course of pending toxic tort litigation, In Re Roundup Products Liability Litigation were examined. The documents reveal Monsanto-sponsored ghostwriting of articles published in toxicology journals and the lay media, interference in the peer review process, behind-the-scenes influence on retraction and the creation of a so-called academic website as a front for the defense of Monsanto products. The use of third-party academics in the corporate defense of glyhphosate reveals that this practice extends beyond the corruption of medicine and persists in spite of efforts to enforce transparency in industry manipulation.

  18. Shaping and Being Shaped by Environments for Learning Science. Continuities with the Space and Democratic Vision of a Century Ago

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cavicchi, Elizabeth

    2017-07-01

    Environments of learning often remain unnoticed and unacknowledged. This study follows a student and myself as we became aware of our local environment at MIT and welcomed that environment as a vibrant contributor to our learning. We met this environment in part through its educational heritage in two centennial anniversaries: John Dewey's 1916 work Democracy and Education and MIT's 1916 move from Boston to the Cambridge campus designed by architect William Welles Bosworth. Dewey argued that for learning to arise through constructive, active engagement among students, the environment must be structured to accommodate investigation. In designing an environment conducive to practical and inventive studies, Bosworth created organic classical forms harboring the illusion of symmetry, while actually departing from it. Students and I are made open to the effects of this environment through the research pedagogy of "critical exploration in the classroom," which informs my practice of listening and responding, and teaching while researching; it lays fertile grounds for the involvement of one student and myself with our environment. Through viewing the moon and sky by eye, telescope, airplane, and astrolabe, the student developed as an observer. She became connected with the larger universe, and critical of formalisms that encage mind and space. Applying Euclid's geometry to the architecture outdoors, the student noticed and questioned classical features in Bosworth's buildings. By encountering these buildings while accompanied by their current restorer, we came to see means by which their structure and design promote human interaction and environmental sustainability as intrinsic to education. The student responded creatively to Bosworth's buildings through photography, learning view-camera, and darkroom techniques. In Dewey's view, democracy entails rejecting dualisms endemic in academic culture since the Greek classical era. Dewey regarded experimental science, where learners are investigators, as a means of engaging the world without invoking dualism. Although Dewey's theory is seldom practiced, our investigations cohered with Deweyan practice. We experienced the environment with its centennial philosophy and architecture as educational agency supportive of investigation that continues to evolve across personal and collective history.

  19. Use of E-Books in an Academic and Research Environment: A Case Study from the Indian Institute of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anuradha, K. T.; Usha, H. S.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the use and usability of e-books from the perspectives of users in an academic and research environment. Design/methodology/approach: This study involved an e-mail questionnaire to survey researchers in the academic and research environment of the Indian Institute of Science regarding their use…

  20. Influence of Learning Environment on Students' Academic Achievement in Mathematics: A Case Study of Some Selected Secondary Schools in Yobe State-Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shamaki, Timothy Ado

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of learning environment on students' academic achievement in mathematics at senior secondary school level. Thus the study investigated some components of learning environment and their possible influence on students' academic achievement in mathematics. A sample of 337 randomly selected SS II…

  1. Crowdsourcing for translational research: analysis of biomarker expression using cancer microarrays

    PubMed Central

    Lawson, Jonathan; Robinson-Vyas, Rupesh J; McQuillan, Janette P; Paterson, Andy; Christie, Sarah; Kidza-Griffiths, Matthew; McDuffus, Leigh-Anne; Moutasim, Karwan A; Shaw, Emily C; Kiltie, Anne E; Howat, William J; Hanby, Andrew M; Thomas, Gareth J; Smittenaar, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Background: Academic pathology suffers from an acute and growing lack of workforce resource. This especially impacts on translational elements of clinical trials, which can require detailed analysis of thousands of tissue samples. We tested whether crowdsourcing – enlisting help from the public – is a sufficiently accurate method to score such samples. Methods: We developed a novel online interface to train and test lay participants on cancer detection and immunohistochemistry scoring in tissue microarrays. Lay participants initially performed cancer detection on lung cancer images stained for CD8, and we measured how extending a basic tutorial by annotated example images and feedback-based training affected cancer detection accuracy. We then applied this tutorial to additional cancer types and immunohistochemistry markers – bladder/ki67, lung/EGFR, and oesophageal/CD8 – to establish accuracy compared with experts. Using this optimised tutorial, we then tested lay participants' accuracy on immunohistochemistry scoring of lung/EGFR and bladder/p53 samples. Results: We observed that for cancer detection, annotated example images and feedback-based training both improved accuracy compared with a basic tutorial only. Using this optimised tutorial, we demonstrate highly accurate (>0.90 area under curve) detection of cancer in samples stained with nuclear, cytoplasmic and membrane cell markers. We also observed high Spearman correlations between lay participants and experts for immunohistochemistry scoring (0.91 (0.78, 0.96) and 0.97 (0.91, 0.99) for lung/EGFR and bladder/p53 samples, respectively). Conclusions: These results establish crowdsourcing as a promising method to screen large data sets for biomarkers in cancer pathology research across a range of cancers and immunohistochemical stains. PMID:27959886

  2. Does academic performance or personal growth share a stronger association with learning environment perception?

    PubMed

    Colbert-Getz, Jorie M; Tackett, Sean; Wright, Scott M; Shochet, Robert S

    2016-08-28

    This study was conducted to characterize the relative strength of associations of learning environment perception with academic performance and with personal growth. In 2012-2014 second and third year students at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine completed a learning environment survey and personal growth scale. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was employed to determine if the proportion of variance in learning environment scores accounted for by personal growth was significantly larger than the proportion accounted for by academic performance (course/clerkship grades). The proportion of variance in learning environment scores accounted for by personal growth was larger than the proportion accounted for by academic performance in year 2 [R(2)Δ of 0.09, F(1,175) = 14.99,  p < .001] and year 3 [R(2)Δ of 0.28, F(1,169) = 76.80, p < .001]. Learning environment scores shared a small amount of variance with academic performance in years 2 and 3.  The amount of variance between learning environment scores and personal growth was small in year 2 and large in year 3. Since supportive learning environments are essential for medical education, future work must determine if enhancing personal growth prior to and during the clerkship year will increase learning environment perception.

  3. Does academic performance or personal growth share a stronger association with learning environment perception?

    PubMed Central

    Tackett, Sean; Wright, Scott M.; Shochet, Robert S.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives This study was conducted to characterize the relative strength of associations of learning environment perception with academic performance and with personal growth. Methods In 2012-2014 second and third year students at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine completed a learning environment survey and personal growth scale. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was employed to determine if the proportion of variance in learning environment scores accounted for by personal growth was significantly larger than the proportion accounted for by academic performance (course/clerkship grades). Results The proportion of variance in learning environment scores accounted for by personal growth was larger than the proportion accounted for by academic performance in year 2 [R2Δ of 0.09, F(1,175) = 14.99,  p < .001] and year 3 [R2Δ of 0.28, F(1,169) = 76.80, p < .001]. Learning environment scores shared a small amount of variance with academic performance in years 2 and 3.  The amount of variance between learning environment scores and personal growth was small in year 2 and large in year 3. Conclusions Since supportive learning environments are essential for medical education, future work must determine if enhancing personal growth prior to and during the clerkship year will increase learning environment perception. PMID:27570912

  4. Academic Culture and Campus Culture of Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shen, Xi; Tian, Xianghong

    2012-01-01

    Academic culture of universities mainly consists of academic outlooks, academic spirits, academic ethics and academic environments. Campus culture in a university is characterized by individuality, academic feature, opening, leading, variety and creativity. The academic culture enhances the construction of campus culture. The campus culture…

  5. Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-10-01

    A guide specification and commentary have been prepared that lay out current state-of-the art thinking with respect to materials and : mixture selection, proportioning, and acceptance. These documents take into account the different environments, pra...

  6. Healthy Buildings, Healthy People - A Vision for the 21st Century

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Healthy Buildings, Healthy People lays out a blueprint by which agencies and individuals across the country, and around the world, can focus their efforts towards improvements in the indoor environment and health.

  7. Nursing Faculty and Academic Integrity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Cecilia E.

    2013-01-01

    Insufficient information exists regarding the process influencing faculty decisions, specifically in the area of maintaining academic integrity in an online environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences and decision-making process of nursing faculty related to maintaining academic integrity in an online environment. The…

  8. Predicting academic performance of dental students using perception of educational environment.

    PubMed

    Al-Ansari, Asim A; El Tantawi, Maha M A

    2015-03-01

    Greater emphasis on student-centered education means that students' perception of their educational environment is important. The ultimate proof of this importance is its effect on academic performance. The aim of this study was to assess the predictability of dental students' grades as indicator of academic performance through their perceptions of the educational environment. The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used to assess dental students' perceptions of their educational environment at the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in academic year 2012-13. Aggregate grades in courses were collected at the end of the semester and related to levels of perception of the five DREEM domains using regression analysis. The response rate was 87.1% among all students in Years 2-6. As the number of students perceiving excellence in learning increased, the number of students with A grades increased. Perception of an environment with problems in the atmosphere and social life increased the number of students with D and F grades. There was no relation between any of the DREEM domains and past academic performance as measured by GPA. This study concludes that these students' academic performance was affected by various aspects of perceiving the educational environment. Improved perception of learning increased the number of high achievers, whereas increased perception of problems in atmosphere and social life increased the number of low achievers and failing students.

  9. Unpacking socio-economic risks for reading and academic self-concept in primary school: Differential effects and the role of the preschool home learning environment.

    PubMed

    Crampton, Alexandria; Hall, James

    2017-09-01

    Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments. To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. n = 3,172 British children aged 3-10 years and their families. A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0-3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3-5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school. Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  10. Reactor physics teaching and research in the Swiss nuclear engineering master

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chawla, R.; Paul Scherrer Inst., CH-5232 Villigen PSI

    Since 2008, a Master of Science program in Nuclear Engineering (NE) has been running in Switzerland, thanks to the combined efforts of the country's key players in nuclear teaching and research, viz. the Swiss Federal Inst.s of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL) and at Zurich (ETHZ), the Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI) at Villigen and the Swiss Nuclear Utilities (Swissnuclear). The present paper, while outlining the academic program as a whole, lays emphasis on the reactor physics teaching and research training accorded to the students in the framework of the developed curriculum. (authors)

  11. High Tc superconducting bolometric and nonbolometric infrared (IR) detectors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lakeou, Samuel

    1994-01-01

    The original workplan for the first year of the project includes the following: establishment of a pilot superconductivity application laboratory at UDC to support the research component of the project; research on the source of electrical noise in High Tc superconducting films in order to optimize the film microstructure and lower the NEP; and lay the foundation of an academic support for exposing UDC students to the theory and application of High Tc superconductivity. Attached to this status report are abstracts and the course description for Introduction to Applications of Superconductivity.

  12. Training Lay Interventionists to Support Tobacco Cessation among Teachers in India.

    PubMed

    Aghi, Mira; Nagler, Eve; Lando, Harry; Pednekar, Mangesh; Gupta, Prakash; Sorensen, Glorian

    2016-01-01

    Despite the rapidly increasing burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries, tobacco control initiatives - especially cessation - receive little emphasis. This is true despite low-cost methods that have potential for widespread dissemination. The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study example of how lay interventionists may be trained and supported to facilitate tobacco use cessation, based on the successful Tobacco Free Teachers-Tobacco Free Society program (TFT-TFS) implemented in Bihar, India. This school-based program included multiple components, with lay interventionists having a crucial role. The lay interventionists included health educators and lead teachers, both of whom were selected based on formative research, underwent extensive training and received continuing support. We emphasized encouraging and supporting teachers to quit tobacco use and engaging both tobacco users and nonusers to create a supportive environment for cessation. We also stressed that neither the health educators nor lead teachers were being trained as counselors or as cessation experts. We focused on the importance of respecting teachers as individuals and identifying locally relevant methods of cessation. Although we cannot isolate the precise contribution of the lay interventionists to the successful TFT-TFS intervention, the abstinence findings in favor of the intervention at follow up are highly encouraging. Teachers have been neglected as lay interventionists for tobacco cessation despite the fact that they tend to be highly respected and credible. The approach used for TFT-TFS could be disseminable in multiple low- and middle-income country contexts through train-the-trainer programs targeted to teachers.

  13. Timing of the calcium intake and effect of calcium deficiency on behaviour and egg laying in captive great tits, Parus major.

    PubMed

    Graveland, J; Berends, A E

    1997-01-01

    The calcium demand of egg-laying birds is much higher than in other vertebrates during reproduction. We showed elsewhere that a low level of calcium availability can greatly affect the eggshell quality and reproduction of free-living passerines. However, there are few data on calcium demand and calcium intake in relation to egg laying and behaviour and egg-laying performance under conditions of calcium shortage in nondomesticated birds. We examined these aspects in an experiment with captive great tits, Parus major, on a diet deficient in calcium, with or without snail shells as an additional calcium source. More than 90% of the calcium intake for egg production took place during the egg-laying period. Females ingested about 1.7 times as much calcium as they deposited in eggshells. Removing the snail shells after the first egg resulted in eggshell defects and interruptions of laying after 1-3 d. Females without snail shells doubled their searching effort and started to burrow in the soil and to eat sand, small stones, and their own eggs. Most calcium was consumed in the evening, probably to supplement the calcium available from the medullary bone with an additional calcium source in the gut during eggshell formation. The results demonstrated that eggshell formation requires accurate timing of the calcium intake and that obtaining sufficient calcium is time-consuming, even in calcium-rich environments. These factors pertaining to calcium intake greatly affect the ability of birds to collect sufficient calcium for eggshell formation in calcium-poor areas.

  14. Task-focused behavior mediates the associations between supportive interpersonal environments and students' academic performance.

    PubMed

    Kiuru, Noona; Pakarinen, Eija; Vasalampi, Kati; Silinskas, Gintautas; Aunola, Kaisa; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Metsäpelto, Riitta-Leena; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

    2014-04-01

    In the longitudinal study presented here, we tested the theoretical assumption that children's task-focused behavior in learning situations mediates the associations between supportive interpersonal environments and academic performance. The sample consisted of 2,137 Finnish-speaking children. Data on supportive interpersonal environments (characterized by authoritative parenting, positive teacher affect toward the child, and peer acceptance) were gathered in Grade 1. The children's task-focused behavior was measured in Grades 2 and 3, and academic performance was measured in Grades 1 and 4. The results supported our assumption by showing that all three supportive environments were positively associated with children's subsequent academic performance via increased task-focused behavior in learning situations. These findings suggest that students' academic performance can be promoted by increasing the support they receive from peers, parents, and teachers because such increased support leads to better task focus in learning tasks.

  15. Effects of Blackboard on EFL Academic Writing and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fageeh, Abdulaziz; Mekheimer, Mohamed Amin A.

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to recognize the pedagogical effects of Blackboard as a computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment for teaching academic writing and improving students' attitudes toward academic writing. Learners' interactions in the CMC environment of Blackboard were analyzed via a controlled descriptive design to examine how students…

  16. The Physical Activity Environment and Academic Achievement in Massachusetts Schoolchildren

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amin, Sarah A.; Wright, Catherine M.; Boulos, Rebecca; Chomitz, Virginia R.; Chui, Kenneth; Economos, Christina D.; Sacheck, Jennifer M.

    2017-01-01

    Background: A supportive school-based physical activity environment (PAE) is integral to children's physical activity behaviors, but less understood is its association with academic achievement. We aimed to assess the association between PAE and academic performance and whether a stronger relationship exists in lower-income schools (LIS) compared…

  17. [Academic misconduct of graduates and the credit education].

    PubMed

    Bi, Xiaoyan; Tang, Xiaoya; Fan, Xuegong

    2011-10-01

    Nowadays the phenomenon of academic misconduct (such as plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, etc.) is very frequent. The reasons for academic misconduct are involved in the problems in graduate education system, social environment and students themselves. Therefore, colleges and universities should place great emphasis on constructing a healthy school environment and academic atmosphere for failure tolerance with the help of high-tech modern means. It also needs to improve the academic supervision and evaluation system, strengthen the punishments for academic misconduct and enhance the mentor's exemplary role in education. The eventual goal for our education is to obtain innovative talents who are integrity, respect science and truth, and are good samples for academic performances.

  18. Using a digital storytelling assignment to teach public health advocacy.

    PubMed

    de Castro, A B; Levesque, Salem

    2018-03-01

    The need and expectation for advocacy is central to public health nursing practice. Advocacy efforts that effectively call attention to population health threats and promote the well-being of communities rely on strategies that deliver influential messaging. The digital story is a lay method to capture meaningful, impactful stories that can be used to advocate for public health concerns. Readily available, user-friendly digital technologies allow engagement in digital media production to create digital stories. This paper describes how digital story making can be utilized as an academic assignment to teach public health advocacy within an undergraduate nursing curriculum. Providing nursing students this artistic outlet can facilitate meeting academic learning goals, while also equipping them with creative skills that can be applied in future professional practice. Nursing educators can take advantage of institutional resources and campus culture to support the use of novel digital media assignments that facilitate application of advocacy concepts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Public ideas and values concerning the commercialization of organ donation in four European countries.

    PubMed

    Schweda, Mark; Schicktanz, Silke

    2009-03-01

    Against the background of the increasing academic and political debate on financial incentives for organ donation, we conducted a qualitative investigation on the conditions under which European citizens would actually consider or refuse financial incentives for organ donation. Our paper combines an analysis of data that were collected in eight Focus Group discussions on transplantation medicine with lay people and patients from four European countries (Cyprus, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden) with a critical re-assessment of the dichotomy between gift and commodity in the recent political and academic discourse. We find that the distinction between living and post mortem donation on the one hand, and between different models of financial incentives on the other, plays a crucial role for the participants' values and ideas about organ donation. We discuss the significance of our results with particular respect to the central role of reciprocity and draw conclusions for the bioethical and biopolitical debate.

  20. Factors Related to Resilience of Academically Gifted Students in the Chinese Cultural and Educational Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Xinjie; Cheung, Hoi Yan; Fan, Xitao; Wu, Joseph

    2018-01-01

    This study examined variables in three domains (personal, parent support, and peer support) for their relationships with the resilience of academically gifted students in the Chinese cultural and educational environment. The participants were 484 academically gifted students in two highly competitive secondary schools (so-called "key"…

  1. Critical Interactions Shaping Early Academic Career Development in Two Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hemmings, Brian; Hill, Doug; Sharp, John G.

    2013-01-01

    This study was aimed at identifying the critical interactions within work environments that support the development of early career academics as researchers in institutions with lower order research profiles, that is, environments that differ from research-intensive universities. Ten early career academics, five from Australia and five from the…

  2. Recommendations to University Managers for Facilitating Engagement of Academics with Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heinrich, Eva

    2013-01-01

    Research on community-based approaches to academic development has shown the importance of a collegial and supportive environment for teaching and learning about teaching. To investigate the environment in which academics work and teach, the research behind this article has defined a new concept, called "teaching groups". Teaching groups…

  3. Violence, Bullying and Academic Achievement: A Study of 15-Year-Old Adolescents and Their School Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strom, Ida Frugard; Thoresen, Siri; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Dyb, Grete

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: This study investigated academic achievement among adolescents exposed to violence, sexual abuse and bullying. Moreover, we sought to determine the individual and contextual influence of the adolescents' school environment in terms of bullying, classmate relationships and teacher support on academic achievement. Finally, we wished to…

  4. The case for establishing a board of review for resolving environmental issues: The science court in Canada.

    PubMed

    Giesy, John P; Solomon, Keith R; Kacew, Sam; Mackay, Donald; Stobo, Gerald; Kennedy, Steven

    2016-07-01

    Technology and scientific advancements are accelerating changes in society at a pace that is challenging the abilities of government regulatory agencies and legal courts to understand the benefits and costs of these changes to humans, wildlife, and their environments. The social, economic, and political facets of concern, such as the potential effects of chemicals, complicate the preparation of regulatory standards and practices intended to safeguard the public. Court judges and attorneys and, in some cases, lay juries are tasked with interpreting the data and implications underlying these new advancements, often without the technical background necessary to understand complex subjects and subsequently make informed decisions. Here, we describe the scientific-quasi-judicial process adopted in Canada under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which could serve as a model for resolving conflicts between regulatory agencies and the regulated community. An example and process and lessons learned from the first Board of Review, which was for decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5; CAS# 541-02-06), are provided. Notable among these lessons are: 1) the need to apply state-of-the-science insights into the regulatory process, 2) to encourage agencies to continuously review and update their assessment processes, criteria, and models, and 3) provide these processes in guidance documents that are transparent and available to all stakeholders and generally foster closer cooperation between regulators, the academic community, industry, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:572-579. © 2015 SETAC. © 2015 SETAC.

  5. Academic integrity in the online learning environment for health sciences students.

    PubMed

    Azulay Chertok, Ilana R; Barnes, Emily R; Gilleland, Diana

    2014-10-01

    The online learning environment not only affords accessibility to education for health sciences students, but also poses challenges to academic integrity. Technological advances contribute to new modes of academic dishonesty, although there may be a lack of clarity regarding behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty in the online learning environment. To evaluate an educational intervention aimed at increasing knowledge and improving attitudes about academic integrity in the online learning environment among health sciences students. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using a survey of online learning knowledge and attitudes with strong reliability that was developed based on a modified version of a previously developed information technology attitudes rating tool with an added knowledge section based on the academic integrity statement. Blended-learning courses in a university health sciences center. 355 health sciences students from various disciplines, including nursing, pre-medical, and exercise physiology students, 161 in the control group and 194 in the intervention group. The survey of online learning knowledge and attitudes (SOLKA) was used in a pre-post test study to evaluate the differences in scores between the control group who received the standard course introduction and the intervention group who received an enhanced educational intervention about academic integrity during the course introduction. Post-intervention attitude scores were significantly improved compared to baseline scores for the control and intervention groups, indicating a positive relationship with exposure to the information, with a greater improvement among intervention group participants (p<0.001). There was a significant improvement in the mean post-intervention knowledge score of the intervention group compared to the control group (p=0.001). Recommendations are provided for instructors in promoting academic integrity in the online environment. Emphasis should be made about the importance of academic integrity in the online learning environment in preparation for professional behavior in the technologically advancing health sciences arena. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Furnished Cage System and Hen Well-Being: Comparative Effects of Furnished and Battery Cages on Egg Production and Physiological Parameters of White Leghorn Hens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Laboratory animal well-being can be improved by housing the animals in a species-special “natural” or “near to natural” environment. This study was to examine if housing environment, furnished cages vs. battery cages, causes a similar impact on well-being in laying hens. One hundred seventy-two, on...

  7. The learning environment as a mediating variable between self-directed learning readiness and academic performance of a sample of saudi nursing and medical emergency students.

    PubMed

    Alotaibi, Khaled N

    2016-01-01

    There has been some ground-breaking research on self-directed learning (SDL) in nursing education which reveals the superiority of SDL to traditional learning methods in terms of students' academic performance and the development of positive attitudes toward the learning process on the part of both students and teachers. The relationship between students' self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) and students' academic performance, and the mediating role of students' perceptions of the learning environment needs further investigation. In this study, it is proposed that students' perceptions of their learning environment could enhance their SDLR and thus boost their academic performance (in terms of their GPA). A descriptive design was used to examine the relationships between the domains of SDLR, which are self-management, desire to learn and self-control and students' perceptions of the learning environment (SPLE) and students' GPA. A survey involving 342 [Corrected] Saudi students from nursing and emergency medical services undergraduate programs in King Saud University was used for this research. The results showed that SDLR level positively influenced students' academic performance positively, and that students' perceptions of their learning environment played a significant role in determining their level of SDLR and academic performance. It is recommended that nursing and emergency medical services educators provide a supportive learning environment in terms of good teaching, clear goals and standards, appropriate assessment, appropriate workload, and emphasis on independence to encourage students to engage in the process of SDL which can, in turn, enhance their academic performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Students' Perceptions of Computer-Based Learning Environments, Their Attitude towards Business Statistics, and Their Academic Achievement: Implications from a UK University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, ThuyUyen H.; Charity, Ian; Robson, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates students' perceptions of computer-based learning environments, their attitude towards business statistics, and their academic achievement in higher education. Guided by learning environments concepts and attitudinal theory, a theoretical model was proposed with two instruments, one for measuring the learning environment and…

  9. Different Fit Perceptions in an Academic Environment: Attitudinal and Behavioral Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Yixuan; Yao, Xiang; Chen, Kun; Wang, Yi

    2013-01-01

    This study examines whether students perceive three different types of fit in an academic environment (i.e., interest-major [I-M] fit, demands-abilities [D-A] fit, and needs-supplies [N-S] fit) and whether these factors predict important academic and well-being criteria using a Chinese student sample. Results from confirmatory factor analyses…

  10. Academic health centers: their future in a changing economic environment.

    PubMed

    Nash, D B

    1985-10-01

    In order to survive, academic health centers will have to learn new ways of coping with the changing health environment. Explored here are the trends affecting academic health centers and speculation on how to meet the challenges presented. The author outlines a new dimension to the classical tripod of teaching, research, and patient care.

  11. A Case Study into the Writing of Chinese Postgraduate Students in a UK Academic Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lan, Feng

    2015-01-01

    This case study explores the problematic issues in academic writing of three Chinese postgraduate students studying in UK academic environment. It aims to attempt to identify mismatches in lecturer and postgraduate student expectations and to understand the reasoning behind these mismatches from the students' perspective. This study was carried…

  12. [An assessment of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) in Chilean university students].

    PubMed

    Ortega B, Javiera; Pérez V, Cristhian; Ortiz M, Liliana; Fasce H, Eduardo; McColl C, Peter; Torres A, Graciela; Wright, Ana; Márquez U, Carolina; Parra P, Paula

    2015-05-01

    The entry to a University requires an adaptation process that not all students solve with the same kind of success. Even though students social adaptation and emotional skills are essential, the educational environmental that they perceive has a significant influence in their academic life. To describe the changes in the perception about academic environment that medical students experience during the first three years of undergraduate career. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) scale was applied to 525 first to third year medical students and an exploratory factorial analysis was made. Four factors were identified: Academic Perception: academic quality that students attribute to the process in which they take part, as well as to the assessment that they do of their learning outcomes (coefficient ± = 0.85); Academic Experience: refers to positive emotions that students experience during the career such as confidence, pleasure and energy (coefficient ± = 0.76); Atmosphere Perception, comfort and calm that students experiment during their academic activities (coefficient ± = 0.79); Teachers Perception: the perception that students have of teachers about their interest and disposition towards students (coefficient ± = 0.50). The assessment of academic environment quality is inversely associated with the lapse that the students have spent in their undergraduate careers.

  13. A Survey on Turkish nursing students' perception of clinical learning environment and its association with academic motivation and clinical decision making.

    PubMed

    Aktaş, Yeşim Yaman; Karabulut, Neziha

    2016-01-01

    Nursing education is a process that includes theoretical and practical learning and requires the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and skill. Nursing students need a good clinical practice environment in order to apply their knowledge and skills due to the fact that the clinical practice settings play an important role in the nursing profession. This study was carried out in an effort to explore nursing students' perception of the clinical learning environment and its association with academic motivation and clinical decision making. A descriptive survey design was used. This study was conducted in Giresun University in Turkey. Participants were second-, third- and fourth-year undergraduate students (n=222) in the Bachelor of Nursing Science Degree in the academic spring term of 2014-2015. The data was collected using the 'Clinical Learning Environment Scale', the 'Academic Motivation, and the 'The Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Scale'. Of the respondents in this study, 45% of the students were second class, 30.6% of the students were third class and 24.3% of the students were fourth class. There was a statistically significant positive correlation found between the clinical learning environment and the nursing students' academic motivation (r=0.182, p<.05). However, there was no correlation between the clinical learning environment and clinical decision making (r=0.082, p>.05). One of the prerequisites for the training of qualified students is to provide nursing students with a qualified clinical environment. It was found that nursing students' academic motivation increased as the quality of their clinical learning environment improved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Offering a Framework for Value Co-Creation in Virtual Academic Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ranjbarfard, Mina; Heidari Sureshjani, Mahboobeh

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: This research aims to convert the traditional teacher-student models, in which teachers determine the learning resources, into a flexible structure and an active learning environment so that students can participate in the educational processes and value co-creation in virtual academic learning environments (VALEs).…

  15. Partners in projects: preparing for public involvement in health and social care research.

    PubMed

    Parkes, Jacqueline H; Pyer, Michelle; Wray, Paula; Taylor, Jane

    2014-09-01

    In recent years, several UK and, international funders of health and social care related research have adopted the policy of requiring explicit evidence of the 'public' voice in all aspects of project design. For many academic researchers engaged within research, evaluations or audit projects, this formal requirement to actively engage members of the public will present them with both benefits and challenges to securing knowledgeable, skilled, and confident lay representation onto project teams. This could potentially lead to the exploitation of those individuals who are available, appropriately informed, and adequately prepared for such activities. Currently, much of the preparation of patients or members of the public for research involvement tends to be aligned to specific projects; however, with the call for greater active and meaningful involvement of lay representatives in future national and international funding applications, there is clearly a growing need to 'train' sufficient numbers of confident and competent representatives to meet this growing demand. This paper describes the development of a specifically designed research awareness training programme and underpinning theoretical model, which has been specifically designed to support active and meaningful lay involvement in research, evaluations and audit projects. Developed over a four year period, the course is a culmination of learning extracted from a series of four completed research projects, which have incorporated an element of public and patient involvement (PPI) training in their overall design. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Academic Radiology in the New Healthcare Delivery Environment

    PubMed Central

    Qayyum, Aliya; Yu, John-Paul J.; Kansagra, Akash P.; von Fischer, Nathaniel; Costa, Daniel; Heller, Matthew; Kantartzis, Stamatis; Plowman, R. Scooter; Itri, Jason

    2014-01-01

    Ongoing concerns over the rising cost of health care are driving large-scale changes in the way that health care is practiced and reimbursed in the United States. To effectively implement and thrive within this new health care delivery environment, academic medical institutions will need to modify financial and business models and adapt institutional cultures. In this paper, we review the expected features of the new health care environment from the perspective of academic radiology departments. Our review will include background on Accountable Care Organizations, identify challenges associated with the new managed care model, and outline key strategies—including expanding the use of existing information technology infrastructure, promoting continued medical innovation, balancing academic research with clinical care, and exploring new roles for radiologists in efficient patient management—that will ensure continued success for academic radiology. PMID:24200477

  17. Policy to Foster Civility and Support a Healthy Academic Work Environment.

    PubMed

    Clark, Cynthia M; Ritter, Katy

    2018-06-01

    Incivility in academic workplaces can have detrimental effects on individuals, teams, departments, and the campus community at large. Alternately, healthy academic workplaces generate heightened levels of employee satisfaction, engagement, and morale. This article describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive, legally defensible policy related to workplace civility and the establishment of a healthy academic work environment. A detailed policy exemplar is included to provide a structure for fostering a healthy academic work environment, a fair, consistent, confidential procedure for defining and addressing workplace incivility, a mechanism for reporting and subsequent investigation of uncivil acts if indicated, and ways to foster civility and respectful workplace behavior. The authors detail a step-by-step procedure and an incremental approach to address workplace incivility and reward policy adherence. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(6):325-331.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  18. Relationship between learning environment characteristics and academic engagement.

    PubMed

    Opdenakker, Marie-Christine; Minnaert, Alexander

    2011-08-01

    The relationship between learning environment characteristics and academic engagement of 777 Grade 6 children located in 41 learning environments was explored. Questionnaires were used to tap learning environment perceptions of children, their academic engagement, and their ethnic-cultural background. The basis of the learning environment questionnaire was the International System for Teacher Observation and Feedback (ISTOF). Factor analysis indicated three factors: the teacher as a helpful and good instructor (having good instructional skills, clear instruction), the teacher as promoter of active learning and differentiation, and the teacher as manager and organizer of classroom activities. Multilevel analysis indicated that about 12% of the differences in engagement between children was related to the learning environment. All the mentioned learning environment characteristics mattered, but the teacher as a helpful, good instructor was most important followed by the teacher as promoter of active learning and differentiation.

  19. Stirling laboratory research engine survey report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderson, J. W.; Hoehn, F. W.

    1979-01-01

    As one step in expanding the knowledge relative to and accelerating the development of Stirling engines, NASA, through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), is sponsoring a program which will lead to a versatile Stirling Laboratory Research Engine (SLRE). An objective of this program is to lay the groundwork for a commercial version of this engine. It is important to consider, at an early stage in the engine's development, the needs of the potential users so that the SLRE can support the requirements of educators and researchers in academic, industrial, and government laboratories. For this reason, a survey was performed, the results of which are described.

  20. Organizational change tactics: the evidence base in the literature.

    PubMed

    Packard, Thomas; Shih, Amber

    2014-01-01

    Planned organizational change processes can be used to address the many challenges facing human service organizations (HSOs) and improve organizational outcomes. There is massive literature on organizational change, ranging from popular management books to academic research on specific aspects of change. Regarding HSOs, there is a growing literature, including increasing attention to implementation science and evidence-based practices. However, research which offers generalizable, evidence-based guidelines for implementing change is not common. The purpose of the authors was to assess the evidence base in this organizational change literature to lay the groundwork for more systematic knowledge development in this important field.

  1. Digital Course Materials: A Case Study of the Apple iPad in the Academic Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cameron, Andrea H.; Bush, Michael H.

    2011-01-01

    The newness of the iPad device creates a phenomenon unique and unstudied in the academic environment. By merging the innovations of electronic text, e-reader, and multi-modal functionality, the iPad tablet device can act as an e-reader providing digital course materials as well as a range of other supplementary academic applications. This…

  2. That's My Story and I'm Sticking to It: Promoting Academic Integrity in the Online Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibbons, Amy; Mize, Charles D.; Rogers, Keri L.

    Academic dishonesty is a concern at any educational level. However, many faculty members feel uncomfortable with delivering courses in the online environment due to a concern that students may find it easier to participate in academic dishonesty than they would in a traditional classroom. This paper looks at factors that are considered to…

  3. Strategy for Addressing the Retail Sector under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act's Regulatory Framework

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Retail Strategy lays out a cohesive and effective plan to address the unique challenges the retail sector has with complying with the hazardous waste regulations while reducing burden and protecting human health and the environment.

  4. Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) guide specification for highway concrete pavements : commentary.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-10-01

    A guide specification and commentary have been prepared that lay out current state-of-the art thinking with respect to materials and : mixture selection, proportioning, and acceptance. These documents take into account the different environments, pra...

  5. Context-Dependent Plastic Response during Egg-Laying in a Widespread Newt Species

    PubMed Central

    Tóth, Zoltán

    2015-01-01

    Previous research on predator-induced phenotypic plasticity mostly focused on responses in morphology, developmental time and/or behaviour during early life stages, but the potential significance of anticipatory parental responses has been investigated less often. In this study I examined behavioural and maternal responses of gravid female smooth newts, Lissotriton vulgaris, in the presence of chemical cues originating from invertebrate predators, Acilius sulcatus water beetles and Aeshna cyanea dragonfly larvae. More specifically, I tested the extent of oviposition preference, plasticity in egg-wrapping behaviour and plasticity in egg size when females had the possibility to lay eggs at oviposition sites with and without predator cues during overnight trials. I found that individuals did not avoid laying eggs in the environment with predator cues; however, individuals that deposited eggs into both environments adjusted the size of the laid eggs to the perceived environment. Females deposited larger eggs earlier in the season but egg size decreased with time in the absence of predator cues, whereas individuals laid eggs of average size throughout the investigated reproductive period when such cues were present. Also, egg size was found to be positively related to hatching success. Individuals did not adjust their wrapping behaviour to the presence of predator cues, but females differed in the extent of egg-wrapping between ponds. Females’ body mass and tail depth were also different between ponds, whereas their body size was positively associated with egg size. According to these results, female smooth newts have the potential to exhibit activational plasticity and invest differently into eggs depending on temporal and environmental factors. Such an anticipatory response may contribute to the success of this caudate species under a wide range of predator regimes at its natural breeding habitats. PMID:26291328

  6. Academic Orientation, Academic Achievement, and Noctcaelador: Does Interest in Night-Sky Watching Correlate with Students' Approach to the Academic Environment?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, William E.; Daughtry, Don

    2007-01-01

    This study explored the relationship between academic orientation, academic achievement, and interest in night-sky watching (noctcaelador). Participants included 117 students enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes who completed the Survey of Academic Orientations (SAO; Davidson, Beck, & Silver, 1999), Noctcaelador Inventory (NI; Kelly,…

  7. 77 FR 36277 - Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-18

    ... requirements in high and maximum biocontainment, scientists working in this environment and FDA staff who will...] Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment Environments... Containment Environments (U24).'' In this FOA, FDA announces its intention to accept and consider a single...

  8. Omnivores Going Astray: A Review and New Synthesis of Abnormal Behavior in Pigs and Laying Hens

    PubMed Central

    Brunberg, Emma I.; Rodenburg, T. Bas; Rydhmer, Lotta; Kjaer, Joergen B.; Jensen, Per; Keeling, Linda J.

    2016-01-01

    Pigs and poultry are by far the most omnivorous of the domesticated farm animals and it is in their nature to be highly explorative. In the barren production environments, this motivation to explore can be expressed as abnormal oral manipulation directed toward pen mates. Tail biting (TB) in pigs and feather pecking (FP) in laying hens are examples of unwanted behaviors that are detrimental to the welfare of the animals. The aim of this review is to draw these two seemingly similar abnormalities together in a common framework, in order to seek underlying mechanisms and principles. Both TB and FP are affected by the physical and social environment, but not all individuals in a group express these behaviors and individual genetic and neurobiological characteristics play an important role. By synthesizing what is known about environmental and individual influences, we suggest a novel possible mechanism, common for pigs and poultry, involving the brain–gut–microbiota axis. PMID:27500137

  9. South Asian participation in clinical trials: the views of lay people and health professionals.

    PubMed

    Hussain-Gambles, Mah; Atkin, Karl; Leese, Brenda

    2006-07-01

    There is little UK-based empirical research on South Asian participation in clinical trials. The predominantly US literature rarely engages with mainstream debates about ethnicity, diversity and difference. This study was prompted by a lack of knowledge about how South Asian people perceive trial involvement and the risks and benefits involved. Face to face interviews were conducted with 25 health professionals (consultants, GPs, nursing staff, academics, non-medically trained trial co-ordinators, LREC and MREC members) and 60 South Asian lay people (20 Indians, 20 Pakistanis and 20 Bangladeshis) who had not taken part in a trial. The study took place in the Leeds and Bradford areas of England. It was found that lay South Asian attitudes towards clinical trial participation focused on similarities rather than differences with the general UK population, suggesting that the relevance of ethnicity should be kept in perspective. There was no evidence of antipathy amongst South Asians to the concept of clinical trials, and awareness was a correlate of social class, education and younger age. Lay factors that might affect South Asian participation in clinical trials included: age; language, social class; feeling of not belonging/mistrust; culture and religion. Approachable patients (of the same gender, social class and fluent in English) tended to be 'cherry picked' to clinical trials. This practice was justified because of a lack of time, resources and inadequate support. South Asian patients might be systematically excluded from trials due to the increased cost and time associated with their inclusion, particularly in relation to the language barrier. Under-representation might also be due to passive exclusion associated with cultural stereotypes. The paper concludes by applying the theoretical framework of institutional racism as a means of making sense of policy and practice. At the same time, caution is advocated against using ethnicity as the only form of discrimination facing minority ethnic populations.

  10. The acceptability, feasibility and impact of a lay health counsellor delivered health promoting schools programme in India: a case study evaluation

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Studies in resource-limited settings have shown that there are constraints to the use of teachers, peers or health professionals to deliver school health promotion interventions. School health programmes delivered by trained lay health counsellors could offer a cost-effective alternative. This paper presents a case study of a multi-component school health promotion intervention in India that was delivered by lay school health counsellors, who possessed neither formal educational nor health provider qualifications. Methods The intervention was based on the WHO’s Health Promoting Schools framework, and included health screening camps; an anonymous letter box for student questions and complaints; classroom-based life skills training; and, individual psycho-social and academic counselling for students. The intervention was delivered by a lay school health counsellor who had attained a minimum of a high school education. The counsellor was trained over four weeks and received structured supervision from health professionals working for the implementing NGO. The evaluation design was a mixed methods case study. Quantitative process indicators were collected to assess the extent to which the programme was delivered as planned (feasibility), the uptake of services (acceptability), and the number of students who received corrective health treatment (evidence of impact). Semi-structured interviews were conducted over two years with 108 stakeholders, and were analysed to identify barriers and facilitators for the programme (feasibility), evaluate acceptability, and gather evidence of positive or negative effects of the programme. Results Feasibility was established by the high reported coverage of all the targeted activities by the school health counsellor. Acceptability was indicated by a growing number of submissions to the students’ anonymous letter-box; more students self-referring for counselling services over time; and, the perceived need for the programme, as expressed by principals, parents and students. A minority of teachers complained that there was inadequate information sharing about the programme and mentioned reservations about the capacities of the lay health counsellor. Preliminary evidence of the positive effects of the programme included the correction of vision problems detected in health screening camps, and qualitative evidence of changes in health-related knowledge and behaviour of students. Conclusion A task-shifting approach of delegating school health promotion activities to lay school health counsellors rather than education or health professionals shows promise of effectiveness as a scalable model for promoting the health and well being of school based adolescents in resource constrained settings. PMID:22630607

  11. The acceptability, feasibility and impact of a lay health counsellor delivered health promoting schools programme in India: a case study evaluation.

    PubMed

    Rajaraman, Divya; Travasso, Sandra; Chatterjee, Achira; Bhat, Bhargav; Andrew, Gracy; Parab, Suraj; Patel, Vikram

    2012-05-25

    Studies in resource-limited settings have shown that there are constraints to the use of teachers, peers or health professionals to deliver school health promotion interventions. School health programmes delivered by trained lay health counsellors could offer a cost-effective alternative. This paper presents a case study of a multi-component school health promotion intervention in India that was delivered by lay school health counsellors, who possessed neither formal educational nor health provider qualifications. The intervention was based on the WHO's Health Promoting Schools framework, and included health screening camps; an anonymous letter box for student questions and complaints; classroom-based life skills training; and, individual psycho-social and academic counselling for students. The intervention was delivered by a lay school health counsellor who had attained a minimum of a high school education. The counsellor was trained over four weeks and received structured supervision from health professionals working for the implementing NGO. The evaluation design was a mixed methods case study. Quantitative process indicators were collected to assess the extent to which the programme was delivered as planned (feasibility), the uptake of services (acceptability), and the number of students who received corrective health treatment (evidence of impact). Semi-structured interviews were conducted over two years with 108 stakeholders, and were analysed to identify barriers and facilitators for the programme (feasibility), evaluate acceptability, and gather evidence of positive or negative effects of the programme. Feasibility was established by the high reported coverage of all the targeted activities by the school health counsellor. Acceptability was indicated by a growing number of submissions to the students' anonymous letter-box; more students self-referring for counselling services over time; and, the perceived need for the programme, as expressed by principals, parents and students. A minority of teachers complained that there was inadequate information sharing about the programme and mentioned reservations about the capacities of the lay health counsellor. Preliminary evidence of the positive effects of the programme included the correction of vision problems detected in health screening camps, and qualitative evidence of changes in health-related knowledge and behaviour of students. A task-shifting approach of delegating school health promotion activities to lay school health counsellors rather than education or health professionals shows promise of effectiveness as a scalable model for promoting the health and well being of school based adolescents in resource constrained settings.

  12. Academic Optimism and Organizational Climate: An Elementary School Effectiveness Test of Two Measures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeves, Jonathan Bart

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the relationship of two climate constructs in academic optimism and organizational climate as each relates to school effectiveness. Academic optimism is an academic environment comprised of three dimensions: academic emphasis, collective efficacy, and faculty trust (Hoy, Tarter, & Hoy, 2006). The Organizational Climate…

  13. 40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

  14. 40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

  15. 40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

  16. 40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

  17. 40 CFR 262.216 - Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... generated at an eligible academic entity. 262.216 Section 262.216 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.216 Non-laboratory hazardous waste generated at an eligible academic entity. An eligible academic entity that generates hazardous waste outside of a...

  18. Perceived health and work-environment related problems and associated subjective production loss in an academic population.

    PubMed

    Lohela-Karlsson, Malin; Nybergh, Lotta; Jensen, Irene

    2018-02-14

    The aim was to investigate the prevalence of health problems and work environment problems and how these are associated with subjective production loss among women and men at an academic workplace. An additional aim was to investigate whether there were differences between women and men according to age group, years at current workplace, academic rank or managerial position. A questionnaire was sent in 2011 to all employees at a Swedish university (n = 5144). Only researchers and teachers were included in the study (n = 3207). Spearman correlations were performed to investigate differences in health and work environment problems. Employees who reported having experienced work environment or health problems in the previous seven days (n = 1475) were included in the analyses in order to investigate differences in subjective production loss. This was done using Student's t-test, One-way Anova and generalized linear models. The response rate was 63% (n = 2022). A total of 819 academic staff (40% of the population) reported experiencing either health problems, work environment problems or both during the previous seven days. The prevalence of health problems only or a combination of work environment and health problems was higher among women than men (p-value ˂0.05). This was especially the case for younger women, those in lower academic positions and those who had worked for fewer years at their current workplace. No difference was found for work environment problems. The majority of the employees who reported problems said that these problems affected their ability to perform at work (84-99%). The average production loss varied between 31 and 42% depending on the type of problem. Production loss due to health-related and work-environment related problems was highest among junior researchers and managers. No significant difference between men and women was found in the level of production loss. Subjective production loss in academia can be associated with health and work- environment problems. These losses appear similar for women and men even though younger female academics, women in lower academic ranks and those with fewer years of employment in their current workplace report a higher prevalence of health problems and combined work-environment and health problems than men.

  19. Possible Biases of Researchers' Attitudes Toward Video Games: Publication Trends Analysis of the Medical Literature (1980-2013).

    PubMed

    Segev, Aviv; Rovner, Mitchell; Appel, David Ian; Abrams, Aaron W; Rotem, Michal; Bloch, Yuval

    2016-07-18

    The study of video games is expanding, and so is the debate regarding their possible positive and deleterious effects. As controversies continue, several researchers have expressed their concerns about substantial biases existing in the field, which might lead to the creation of a skewed picture, both in the professional and in the lay literature. However, no study has tried to examine this issue quantitatively. The objective of our study was to examine possible systematic biases in the literature, by analyzing the publication trends of the medical and life sciences literature regarding video games. We performed a complete and systematic PubMed search up to December 31, 2013. We assessed all 1927 articles deemed relevant for their attitude toward video games according to the focus, hypothesis, and authors' interpretation of the study results, using a 3-category outcome (positive, negative, and neutral). We assessed the prevalence of different attitudes for possible association with year of publication, location of researchers, academic discipline, methodological research, and centrality of the publishing journals. The attitude toward video games presented in publications varied by year of publication, location, academic discipline, and methodological research applied (P<.001 for all). Moreover, representation of different attitudes differed according to centrality of the journals, as measured by their impact factor (P<.001). The results suggest that context, whether scientific or social, is related to researchers' attitudes toward video games. Readers, both lay and professional, should weigh these contextual variables when interpreting studies' results, in light of the possible bias they carry. The results also support a need for a more balanced, open-minded approach toward video games, as it is likely that this complex phenomenon carries novel opportunities as well as new hazards.

  20. Possible Biases of Researchers’ Attitudes Toward Video Games: Publication Trends Analysis of the Medical Literature (1980–2013)

    PubMed Central

    Rovner, Mitchell; Appel, David Ian; Abrams, Aaron W; Rotem, Michal; Bloch, Yuval

    2016-01-01

    Background The study of video games is expanding, and so is the debate regarding their possible positive and deleterious effects. As controversies continue, several researchers have expressed their concerns about substantial biases existing in the field, which might lead to the creation of a skewed picture, both in the professional and in the lay literature. However, no study has tried to examine this issue quantitatively. Objective The objective of our study was to examine possible systematic biases in the literature, by analyzing the publication trends of the medical and life sciences literature regarding video games. Methods We performed a complete and systematic PubMed search up to December 31, 2013. We assessed all 1927 articles deemed relevant for their attitude toward video games according to the focus, hypothesis, and authors’ interpretation of the study results, using a 3-category outcome (positive, negative, and neutral). We assessed the prevalence of different attitudes for possible association with year of publication, location of researchers, academic discipline, methodological research, and centrality of the publishing journals. Results The attitude toward video games presented in publications varied by year of publication, location, academic discipline, and methodological research applied (P<.001 for all). Moreover, representation of different attitudes differed according to centrality of the journals, as measured by their impact factor (P<.001). Conclusions The results suggest that context, whether scientific or social, is related to researchers’ attitudes toward video games. Readers, both lay and professional, should weigh these contextual variables when interpreting studies’ results, in light of the possible bias they carry. The results also support a need for a more balanced, open-minded approach toward video games, as it is likely that this complex phenomenon carries novel opportunities as well as new hazards. PMID:27430187

  1. Challenges of using Hospital Information Systems by nurses: comparing academic and non-academic hospitals.

    PubMed

    Ahmadian, Leila; Dorosti, Nafise; Khajouei, Reza; Gohari, Sadrieh Hajesmaeel

    2017-06-01

    Hospital Information Systems (HIS) are used for easy access to information, improvement of documentation and reducing errors. Nonetheless, using these systems is faced with some barriers and obstacles. This study identifies the challenges and the obstacles of using these systems in the academic and non-academic hospitals in Kerman. This is a cross-sectional study which was carried out in 2015. The statistical population in this study consisted of the nurses who had been working in the academic and non-academic hospitals in Kerman. A questionnaire consisting of two sections was used. The first section consisted of the demographic information of the participants and the second section comprised 34 questions about the challenges of HIS use. Data were analyzed by the descriptive and statistical analysis (t-test, and ANOVA) using SPSS 19 software. The most common and important challenges in the academic hospitals were about human environment factors, particularly "negative attitude of society toward using HIS". In the non-academic hospitals, the most common and important challenges were related to human factors, and among them, "no incentive to use system" was the main factor. The results of the t-test method revealed that there was a significant relationship between gender and the mean score of challenges related to the organizational environment category in the academic hospitals and between familiarity with HIS and mean score of human environment factors (p<0.05). The results of the ANOVA test also revealed that the educational degree and work experience in the healthcare environment (years) in the academic hospitals have a significant relationship with the mean score related to the hardware challenges, as well, experience with HIS has a significant relationship, with the mean score related to the human challenges (p<0.05). The most important challenges in using the information systems are the factors related to the human environment and the human factors. The results of this study can bring a good perspective to the policy makers and the managers regarding obstacles of using HISs from the nurses' perspective, so that they can solve their problems and can successfully implement these systems.

  2. EFFECTS OF CHLORINATION ON THE PERSISTENCE OF PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    In the past decade, the identification of pharmaceuticals in surface (Jones et al. 2001; Ternes 1998), ground (Sacher et al. 2001) and drinking (Heberer 2002) waters has attracted the attention of both the scientific and lay communities. Although the concentrations of these comp...

  3. Novel and transgenic food crops: overview of scientific versus public perception.

    PubMed

    Ruibal-Mendieta, N L; Lints, F A

    1998-09-01

    Recombinant DNA technology offers opportunities to develop new products in many different fields, including agriculture and the agro-food area. Transgenic plants with improved agronomic traits currently grow in field trials and a few varieties have already reached the European market. By and large, new technologies raise both concerns and expectations and modern biotechnology is no exception. Indeed, a voluntary moratorium on experiments involving recombinant DNA molecules was called for in 1974. At the present time, although a majority of academic and industrial scientists agree that transgenic food crops pose no risk for the environment or human health, some others believe that certain applications of modern plant biotechnology are hazardous. In particular, deliberate releases of genetically modified plants are regarded as risky. There is also a disparity between expert and lay perception of r-DNA technology applications to food crops, which makes public information a difficult task. This paper aims at exposing these conflicting points of view on the agricultural applications of modern biotechnology. We also propose some recommendations pertaining to public information in Europe. It appears that consensus conferences might be a good approach to stimulate public information and public debate in Europe, although this approach has to be adapted to the cultural context of each country.

  4. Among Friends: The Role of Academic-Preparedness Diversity in Individual Performance within a Small-Group STEM Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Micari, Marina; Van Winkle, Zachary; Pazos, Pilar

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we investigate the relationship between academic-preparedness diversity within small learning groups and individual academic performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university courses. We further examine whether academic-preparedness diversity impacts academically more- and less-prepared students…

  5. Academic Practice in Transition: Hidden Stories of Academic Identities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Churchman, Deborah; King, Sharron

    2009-01-01

    Academic work is becoming increasingly restrictive and controlled as tertiary institutions move towards a more corporate managerialistic mode of operating. This paper uses a narrative lens to explore the ways in which academic staff make sense of this new environment. In particular, it compares academic staff's stories of their worklife with the…

  6. Family Matters: Promoting the Academic Adaptation of Latino Youth in New and Established Destination.

    PubMed

    Spees, Lisa; Perreira, Krista M; Fuligni, Andrew

    2017-03-01

    As primary agents of socialization, families and schools can powerfully shape the academic adaptation of youth. Using data from the SIAA studies, we compare the family and school environments of Latino high school seniors living in a new destination, North Carolina, with those living in an established destination, Los Angeles. We then evaluate how family and school environments influence their educational aspirations, expectations, and performance. We find that parents' achievement expectations promote Latino youths' academic success while perceived future family obligations inhibit them. Additionally, we find that schools remain essential in promoting Latino immigrant youths' achievement by providing a supportive and safe learning environment. Discrimination in schools and the broader community is associated with lower educational expectations and aspirations but not lower academic performance.

  7. Unpacking Socio-Economic Risks for Reading and Academic Self-Concept in Primary School: Differential Effects and the Role of the Preschool Home Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crampton, Alexandria; Hall, James

    2017-01-01

    Background: Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments. Aims: To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and…

  8. The Interplay between Subjective Abilities and Subjective Demands and Its Relationship with Academic Success. An Application of the Person-Environment Fit Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohndick, Carla; Rosman, Tom; Kohlmeyer, Susanne; Buhl, Heike M.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we draw on person-environment fit theory to analyze whether academic success is best explained by individual abilities subjectively "exceeding" situational demands or by abilities "matching" the demands. Moreover, we disentangled effects of perceived abilities and subjective person-environment (P-E) fit on…

  9. Professional Reward in the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Role.

    PubMed

    Stutz-Tanenbaum, Patricia; Greene, David; Hanson, Debra J; Koski, Jeanette

    The purpose of this national survey was to explore perceptions of professional reward among occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) academic fieldwork coordinators (AFWCs). Agreement was found in ranking the value of six role factors: (1) fieldwork data management, (2) fieldwork site management, (3) fieldwork teaching and consultation, (4) departmental and institutional compliance, (5) scholarship and accreditation, and (6) laying groundwork for students in fieldwork. Both levels of AFWC indicated teaching and consultation had the highest value and data management the least. OT AFWCs placed significantly higher value on publishing articles and lower value on educating fieldwork educators about role delineation than OTA AFWCs. Five themes emerged regarding professional reward: (1) intrinsic reward, (2) collaboration, (3) development of the profession, (4) feeling appreciated, and (5) student success. AFWCs value activities involving personal interaction, promoting professional development, and facilitating student success. Results have implications for AFWC collaboration, workload distribution, and scholarship. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  10. The Changing Fiscal Environment for Academic Veterinary Medicine.

    PubMed

    Zimmel, Dana N; Lloyd, James W

    2015-01-01

    The fiscal environment for academic veterinary medicine has changed substantially over the past 50 years. Understanding the flux of state and federal government support and the implications for student debt, academic programs, and scholarly work is critical for planning for the future. The recent precipitous decline in public funding highlights the urgent need to develop and maintain an economically sustainable model that can adapt to the changing landscape and serve societal needs.

  11. Recognizing Speech under a Processing Load: Dissociating Energetic from Informational Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mattys, Sven L.; Brooks, Joanna; Cooke, Martin

    2009-01-01

    Effects of perceptual and cognitive loads on spoken-word recognition have so far largely escaped investigation. This study lays the foundations of a psycholinguistic approach to speech recognition in adverse conditions that draws upon the distinction between energetic masking, i.e., listening environments leading to signal degradation, and…

  12. The Lay Assessment of Subclinical Depression in Daily Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehl, Matthias R.

    2006-01-01

    This study examined how laypersons assess subclinical depression in others on the basis of information about their daily lives. For 2 days, 96 participants were tracked with the Electronically Activated Recorder, a naturalistic observation method that samples ambient sounds from participants' momentary environments. Judges rated participants'…

  13. The Technical Communicator as Corporate Spokesperson: A Public Relations Primer.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Troester, Rod; Warburton, Terrence L.

    2001-01-01

    Examines the changing role of the technical communication professional in the rapidly evolving environment of organizational life. Presents five principles that serve as an initial step in laying a foundation for the preparation of technical communicators for the challenges and opportunities awaiting in contemporary organizations and the…

  14. Pre-pubertal exposure to mechanical loading in White Leghorn pullets

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Osteoporosis, a progressive decrease in mineralized structural bone, causes 20 to 35% of all mortalities in caged White Leghorn hens. Previous research has focused on manipulating the egg laying environment to improve skeletal health with little research on the pullet. The objective of the current s...

  15. Predicting Student Persistence in Adult Basic Education Using Interaction Effects among Academic Self-Efficacy and Students Participation and Academic Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bujack, Lynette K.

    2012-01-01

    Academic self-efficacy is associated with academic success; the more positive or stronger the individual's academic self-efficacy, the more likely the individual will be successful in an academic environment. Prior research by Bandura (1989, 1993, 1997) suggested that self-efficacy influences not only activity choice but also the degrees to…

  16. What Counts When it Comes to School Enjoyment and Aspiration in the Middle Grades.

    PubMed

    Smith, Megan L; Mann, Michael J; Georgieva, Zornitsa; Curtis, Reagan; Schimmel, Christine J

    2016-01-01

    Young adolescents, and the middle level educators who work with them, face many exciting but demanding challenges during this key period of development. According to stage-environment fit theory, the degree to which middle grades students perceive a good fit between their school environment and their needs impacts their academic and life outcomes. The authors endeavored to build on middle level research by studying the extent to which students' needs are supported by school environment factors and how this "fit" relates to two academic outcome variables: school enjoyment and aspiration. The sample consisted of middle grades students ( N = 1,027) between the ages of 10 and 14. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted. After controlling for age, ethnicity, and gender, four subscales (Social Skills Needs, Mental Health Needs, Academic and Career Needs, and School Support) were entered as potential predictors. Both models were significant and accounted for ~20% of the variance. This study suggests that middle level educators, counselors, and administrators may benefit from considering ways to enhance the match between students' and the middle grades' learning environment, especially by considering non-academic factors as a way to provide indirect, but powerful, support for academic and life success.

  17. Designing the Framework Conditions for Assuring Academic Standards: Lessons Learned about Professional, Market, and Government Regulation of Academic Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dill, David D.; Beerkens, Maarja

    2013-01-01

    The new demands of mass systems of higher education and the emerging environment of global academic competition are altering the traditional institutions for assuring academic standards in universities. As a consequence many nations are experimenting with new instruments for academic quality assurance. Contemporary government control of academic…

  18. The Relationships among Academic Attitudes, Psychological Attitudes, and the First-Semester Academic Achievement of First-Year College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Amy L.; Weigand, Matthew J.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the relationships among academic and psychological attitudes and academic achievement of first-year students. The College Resilience Scale, the Academic Motivation Scale, the College Self-Efficacy Inventory, and the University Environment Scale were administered to 164 first-year undergraduate students enrolled at a large RU/VH…

  19. Perceptions of Neutrality through a Post-Colonial Lens: Institutional Positioning in Canadian Academic Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wuetherick, Brad; Ewert-Bauer, Tereigh

    2012-01-01

    The question of whether neutrality is possible in academic development invites us to explore the particular place of academic development in our institutions and how academic development is positioned in our particular national and institutional environments. This paper, which reports on a small pilot study of how Canadian academic development is…

  20. Investigating the Effects of the Classroom Learning Environment on Students' Motivation in Social Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knight, Stephanie L.; Waxman, Hersholt C.

    1990-01-01

    Investigates the relationship between social studies classroom environment and student motivation. Correlates several environmental variables with three motivational constructs (academic motivation, academic self-concept, and social self-concept) among 157 sixth grade, predominantly Hispanic students. Finds student satisfaction significantly…

  1. Science Laboratory Environment and Academic Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aladejana, Francisca; Aderibigbe, Oluyemisi

    2007-12-01

    The study determined how students assess the various components of their science laboratory environment. It also identified how the laboratory environment affects students' learning outcomes. The modified ex-post facto design was used. A sample of 328 randomly selected students was taken from a population of all Senior Secondary School chemistry students in a state in Nigeria. The research instrument, Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) designed and validated by Fraser et al. (Sci Educ 77:1-24, 1993) was administered on the selected students. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Product Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that students could assess the five components (Student cohesiveness, Open-endedness, Integration, Rule clarity, and Material Environment) of the laboratory environment. Student cohesiveness has the highest assessment while material environment has the least. The results also showed that the five components of the science laboratory environment are positively correlated with students' academic performance. The findings are discussed with a view to improving the quality of the laboratory environment, subsequent academic performance in science and ultimately the enrolment and retaining of learners in science.

  2. Medical education and social environment.

    PubMed

    Rasool, Ahsan; Qayum, Iftikhar; Ahmad, Ashfaq; Farooq, Umer; Shah, Awais Ali; Waqas, Muhammad; Rasool, Maleeha; Hameed, Sania; Kanwal, Rana; Azmat, Muneeba; Marwat, Saleem; Afridit, Faheem

    2014-01-01

    A positive learning environment and quality of course content have an imperative role in academic achievement of students. This study aims to assess students' point of view about the quality of education and social environment of a public sector medical college in Pakistan. Relative scarcity of data from students' perspective merited this study. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken at Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan, including 300 medical students from all five years of the MBBS course. Systematic random sampling was used with a kth interval of 4 for each class. Self-administered questionnaire was used and contained items related to academics, learning environment, learning resources, teaching methodologies and student-friendly activities. The data were analysed using SPSS-16. There were 265 respondents (88.3%) to the questionnaire with males accounting for 58.9% (n=156). In general students showed satisfaction with quality of content being taught; however there was discontent towards various academic and non- academic facilities provided to the students. Only 44.10% and 31.50% students reported provision of academic related facilities and interactive sessions as up to mark respectively; 83% students reported that undergraduate medical research was in need of improvement; 55.5% and 60.2% reported that facilities in hostel and recreational facilities needed improvement respectively; and 52.8% students stated presence of a healthy, student friendly, encouraging environment was not up to mark. Although course content and teaching methodologies are generally satisfactory, a healthy, student friendly, encouraging environment is vet to be created to help students foster their abilities completely.

  3. Healthy and Safe School Environment, Part II, Physical School Environment: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Sherry Everett; Axelrad, Robert; Wattigney, Wendy A.

    2007-01-01

    Background: As society continues to focus on the importance of academic achievement, the physical environment of schools should be addressed as 1 of the critical factors that influence academic outcomes. The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 provides, for the first time, a comprehensive look at the extent to which schools have…

  4. The Relation between Academic Procrastination of University Students and Their Assignment and Exam Performances: The Situation in Distance and Face-to-Face Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yilmaz, M. Betul

    2017-01-01

    The relation between assignment and exam performances of the university students and their academic procrastination behaviors in distance and face-to-face learning environments was investigated in this study. Empirical research carried out both in face-to-face and online environments have generally shown a negative correlation between academic…

  5. Respectful Interactions: Learning with International Students in the English-Speaking Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Janette; Viete, Rosemary

    2009-01-01

    International students entering postgraduate courses in Australian universities encounter numerous challenges in their new environments. Many relate to the academic literacy and pedagogical practices in the English-speaking academic environment, which international students time and again have reported assume local linguistic and cultural…

  6. Exploring the Impacts of Social Networking Sites on Academic Relations in the University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rambe, Patient

    2011-01-01

    Social networking sites (SNS) affordances for persistent interaction, collective generation of knowledge, and formation of peer-based clusters for knowledge sharing render them useful for developing constructivist knowledge environments. However, notwithstanding their academic value, these environments are not necessarily insulated from the…

  7. Learning environment and emotional well-being: A qualitative study of undergraduate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Tharani, Ambreen; Husain, Yusra; Warwick, Ian

    2017-12-01

    Students can experience multiple stressors during their academic life which have an impact on their emotional health and academic progress. This study sought to explore students' understanding of and factors affecting their emotional well-being in an undergraduate nursing programme at a private nursing institution in Karachi, Pakistan. In this qualitative study, data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews using a self-designed guide from 16 participants in total, drawn from various years of the selected undergraduate programme. Participants noted that the quality of the 'learning environment' was a key influence on their emotional well-being. They highlighted faculty role and teaching approaches, academic expectations and availability of learning resources as important factors that affected their emotional well-being as well as their academic performance. Institutional support was also deemed important. Factors associated with a 'hidden curriculum' were found to be a threat to students' emerging sense of professionalism. Suggestions are given as to how the learning environment in the nursing programme under study can be improved to take into account students' emotional well-being. Emphasis needs to be laid on developing supportive faculty role to provide conducive learning environment and professional development of students. Efforts to develop stress-free academic environment with supportive institutional policies need to be considered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Academic Staff Workloads and Job Satisfaction: Expectations and Values in Academe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Houston, Don; Meyer, Luanna H.; Paewai, Shelley

    2006-01-01

    University academic staff do complex work in an increasingly demanding environment. Traditionally, universities have defined the role of academic staff according to the three domains of teaching, research, and service, with primary emphasis placed upon the teaching and research aspects and secondary emphasis upon service or administration. Recent…

  9. Academic Entrepreneurship and Traditional Academic Duties: Synergy or Rivalry?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Silva, Muthu

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the influence of academic entrepreneurship on traditional academic duties carried out in a resource-constrained environment, particularly focusing on whether there is synergy or rivalry between these two activities. Using qualitative evidence, we discover that there are funding, resource, knowledge and skill and networking…

  10. Asian American women in science, engineering, and mathematics: Background contextual and college environment influences on self-efficacy and academic achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogt, Kristen E.

    2005-07-01

    The purpose of this research study was to examine, for undergraduate women of various Asian American ethnic backgrounds, the influence of background contextual and college environment factors on their sense of academic self-efficacy and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Social cognitive career theory and its critiques provided a theoretical foundation for relationships from past performance, socioeconomic status, acculturation, and college environment variables (compositional diversity, racial climate, gendered climate, academic peer support), to academic self-efficacy and achievement. Data were collected through an online survey. Instrumentation included the scales of Language, Identity, and Behavioral Acculturation; Gender Discrimination; Faculty and Classroom Behavior; Interactions with Peers; and Academic Milestones Self-efficacy. The participants were 228 Asian American undergraduate women in STEM at a large public, doctoral research extensive university on the east coast; the response rate was 51%. In three MANOVAs for nine social cognitive career variables, four ethnic groups (East, South, Southeast, and Multi-ethnic Asian American) significantly differed only on socioeconomic status. In path analysis, the initial model was not a good fit and was rejected. The model was respecified through statistical and theoretical evaluation, tested in exploratory analysis, and considered a good fit. The respecified model explained 36% of semester GPA (achievement) and 28% of academic self-efficacy. The academic achievement of Asian American women in STEM was related to past performance, background contextual factors, academic self-efficacy, academic peer support, and gendered climate. The strongest direct influence on achievement was academic self-efficacy followed by past performance. The total effect of Asian acculturation on achievement was negative and the total effect of American acculturation on achievement was not significant; academic self-efficacy mediated these complex relationships. The total effects of racial and gendered compositional diversity and racial climate on both academic self-efficacy and achievement were not significant. Students in majors with more female peers reported less academic peer support. In this study, when culturally specific variables embellished social cognitive career theory, the theory exhibited cultural validity for undergraduate Asian American women in STEM. The nature of the relationships among culturally specific variables and college environment variables, however, requires further study.

  11. 40 CFR 262.204 - How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How an eligible academic entity... Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.204 How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart. (a) An eligible academic entity...

  12. 40 CFR 262.204 - How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How an eligible academic entity... Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.204 How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart. (a) An eligible academic entity...

  13. 40 CFR 262.204 - How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How an eligible academic entity... Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.204 How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart. (a) An eligible academic entity...

  14. 40 CFR 262.204 - How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false How an eligible academic entity... Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.204 How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart. (a) An eligible academic entity...

  15. 40 CFR 262.204 - How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How an eligible academic entity... Unwanted Material for Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities § 262.204 How an eligible academic entity indicates it will withdraw from the requirements of this subpart. (a) An eligible academic entity...

  16. Ultrasonic Al₂O₃ Ceramic Thermometry in High-Temperature Oxidation Environment.

    PubMed

    Wei, Yanlong; Gao, Yubin; Xiao, Zhaoqian; Wang, Gao; Tian, Miao; Liang, Haijian

    2016-11-11

    In this study, an ultrasonic temperature measurement system was designed with Al₂O₃ high-temperature ceramic as an acoustic waveguide sensor and preliminarily tested in a high-temperature oxidation environment. The test results indicated that the system can indeed work stably in high-temperature environments. The relationship between the temperature and delay time of 26 °C-1600 °C ceramic materials was also determined in order to fully elucidate the high-temperature oxidation of the proposed waveguide sensor and to lay a foundation for the further application of this system in temperatures as high as 2000 °C.

  17. Depression among Indian university students and its association with perceived university academic environment, living arrangements and personal issues.

    PubMed

    Deb, Sibnath; Banu, Parveen R; Thomas, Shinto; Vardhan, R Vishnu; Rao, P Tirupathi; Khawaja, Nigar

    2016-10-01

    The aim of the study is to ascertain the level of depression among university students across gender, academic stream, semesters, perception of family environment and relationship with parents, academic performance, and family income. In addition, the study examines the association between students' perceived university academic environment, living arrangements, personal issues, and depression. Seven hypotheses were formulated for verification. A total of 717 students were recruited following the multistage cluster sampling method, and data were collected by a specially designed structured questionnaire, academic achievement record and a standardized University Students Depression Inventory. Findings disclosed that 37.7%, 13.1%, and 2.4% of the students were suffering from moderate, severe, and extremely severe depression. A significant difference was found across semester, that is, semester II students reported a higher level of depression than semester III students. So far as academic stream is concerned, students from humanities and social science were found to be suffering from more depression compared to students from science and management streams. The study further disclosed that the students who reported positive views about the university academic environment and living arrangements had lower level of depression compared to their counterparts. Personal resilience's such as being able to sharing personal problems with others and doing regular exercise were found to be associated with positive mental health. The findings of the study emphasize the need for immediate mental health support services for about 15.6% of the students who were either suffering from severe or extremely severe depression at the University. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. SPARC: Creating Innovative Models and Environments for Scholarly Research and Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joseph, Heather

    2008-01-01

    The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), a strategic initiative founded by the Association of Research Libraries, is a catalyst for promoting a scholarly communication environment that is more open, financially tenable, and supportive of the current research and information needs of academe. Established in response to…

  19. Student Perceptions of E-Learning Environments, Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Covington, Keisha Casan Danielle

    2012-01-01

    Student perceptions of e-learning are potential causes of student dropout in online education. The social cognitive theoretical view was used to investigate the relationship between perceived e-learning environments, self-regulated learning (SRL), and academic performance in online education. This mixed methods study used a quantitative…

  20. Learning Environment, Learning Process, Academic Outcomes and Career Success of University Graduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vermeulen, Lyanda; Schmidt, Henk G.

    2008-01-01

    This study expands on literature covering models on educational productivity, student integration and effectiveness of instruction. An expansion of the literature concerning the impact of higher education on workplace performance is also covered. Relationships were examined between the quality of the academic learning environment, the process of…

  1. Occupational Well-Being among University Faculty: A Job Demands-Resources Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mudrak, Jiri; Zabrodska, Katerina; Kveton, Petr; Jelinek, Martin; Blatny, Marek; Solcova, Iva; Machovcova, Katerina

    2018-01-01

    The effects of changing academic environments on faculty well-being have attracted considerable research attention. However, few studies have examined the multifaceted relationships between the academic work environment and the multiple dimensions of faculty well-being using a comprehensive theoretical framework. To address this gap, this study…

  2. The Academic Trajectories of Children of Immigrants and Their School Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Wen-Jui

    2008-01-01

    Data from approximately 14,000 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey--Kindergarten Cohort were analyzed to examine the associations between children's immigrant status and their academic trajectories from kindergarten to 3rd grade, with particular attention to the effects of school environments. Growth curve modeling results…

  3. Examining Person--Environment Fit and Academic Major Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milsom, Amy; Coughlin, Julie

    2017-01-01

    Decisions regarding college majors have the potential to affect a person's overall academic performance and long-term career success. With Holland's (1997) trait-and-factor theory serving as a foundation, the authors examined relationships between person-environment fit, college major satisfaction, and grade point average of undergraduate students…

  4. Students' Perceptions of the Academic Environment and Approaches to Studying in British Postgraduate Business Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Haoda; Richardson, John T. E.

    2016-01-01

    Recent research on student learning in higher education has identified clear associations between variations in students' perceptions of the academic environment and variations in their study behaviour. This study investigated a general theoretical model linking students' demographic characteristics, perceptions and study behaviour with measures…

  5. Effect of Hypertextual Reading on Academic Success and Comprehension Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Durukan, Erhan

    2014-01-01

    As computer technology developed, hypertexts emerged as an influential environment for developing language skills. This study aims to evaluate a text prepared in a hypertextual environment and its effects on academic success and comprehension skills. In this study, "preliminary test final test control group experimental pattern" was used…

  6. Academic Risk-Taking in an Online Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Linda Eleanor

    2012-01-01

    Within Higher Education, the social nature of learning may no longer equate to in-person interactions. Technology provides various interaction options and changes the learning environment. The challenge for instructors of courses in the area of teacher education is to understand the nature of academic risk-taking associated with blended learning…

  7. Mitigating the Effects of the Space Radiation Environment: A Novel Approach of Using Graded-Z Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Atwell, William; Rojdev, Kristina; Aghara, Sukesh; Sriprisan, Sirikul

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we present a novel space radiation shielding approach using various material lay-ups, called "Graded-Z" shielding, which could optimize cost, weight, and safety while mitigating the radiation exposures from the trapped radiation and solar proton environments, as well as the galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) environment, to humans and electronics. In addition, a validation and verification (V&V) was performed using two different high energy particle transport/dose codes (MCNPX & HZETRN). Inherently, we know that materials having high-hydrogen content are very good space radiation shielding materials. Graded-Z material lay-ups are very good trapped electron mitigators for medium earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary earth orbit (GEO). In addition, secondary particles, namely neutrons, are produced as the primary particles penetrate a spacecraft, which can have deleterious effects to both humans and electronics. The use of "dopants," such as beryllium, boron, and lithium, impregnated in other shielding materials provides a means of absorbing the secondary neutrons. Several examples of optimized Graded-Z shielding layups that include the use of composite materials are presented and discussed in detail. This parametric shielding study is an extension of some earlier pioneering work we (William Atwell and Kristina Rojdev) performed in 20041 and 20092.

  8. Protective factors at school: reciprocal effects among adolescents' perceptions of the school environment, engagement in learning, and hope.

    PubMed

    Van Ryzin, Mark J

    2011-12-01

    Although some research suggests that schools can be a source of protective factors for students, the processes by which school environments impact students' behavior, performance and adjustment over time are not clear. Guided by both self-determination theory and hope theory, this article evaluated reciprocal effects among adolescent perceptions of the school environment, engagement in learning, hope, and academic achievement. Using a sample of 423 students (M age 15.72 years; 46.7% female; 77.6% white; 30.9% eligible for FRPL) from five small secondary schools in the upper Midwest, students' perceptions of the school environment were linked to engagement in learning, which, in turn, was linked to change in academic achievement and hope over the span of 1 year. Evidence was found for reciprocal links between earlier levels of engagement and hope and later perceptions of the environment. These results suggest that the school environment represents a potential leverage point for educational reform, and interventions that target students' perceptions of autonomy, teacher/peer support, and goal orientation may be able to promote engagement, hope, and academic achievement. In addition, such changes may create a positive feedback loop in which change in academic performance and adjustment accelerate over time.

  9. Community-Academic Partnership to Implement a Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Education Program in Puerto Rico.

    PubMed

    Colón-López, Vivian; González, Daisy; Vélez, Camille; Fernández-Espada, Natalie; Feldman-Soler, Alana; Ayala-Escobar, Kelly; Ayala-Marín, Alelí M; Soto-Salgado, Marievelisse; Calo, William A; Pattatucci-Aragón, Angela; Rivera-Díaz, Marinilda; Fernández, María E

    2017-12-01

    To describe how a community-academic partnership between Taller Salud Inc., a community-based organization, and the Puerto Rico Community Cancer Control Outreach Program of the University of Puerto Rico was crucial in the adaptation and implementation of Cultivando La Salud (CLS), an evidencebased educational outreach program designed to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women living in Puerto Rico. This collaboration facilitated the review and adaptation of the CLS intervention to improve cultural appropriateness, relevance, and acceptability for Puerto Rican women. A total of 25 interviewers and 12 Lay Health Workers (LHWs) were recruited and trained to deliver the program. The interviewers recruited women who were non-adherent to recommended screening guidelines for both breast and cervical cancer. LHWs then provided one-on-one education using the adapted CLS materials. A total of 444 women were recruited and 48% of them were educated through this collaborative effort. Our main accomplishment was establishing the academic-community partnership to implement the CLS program. Nevertheless, in order to promote better collaborations with our community partners, it is important to carefully delineate and establish clear roles and shared responsibilities for each partner for the successful execution of research activities, taking into consideration the community's needs.

  10. The effects of housing environment on liver health of laying hens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Fatty liver is a common energy metabolic disorder in caged hens. Considering that the egg industry is shifting from conventional cages to alternative housing systems such as enriched cages, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of type of housing, including access to perches, on f...

  11. SERDP/Office of Naval Research Workshop on Acoustic Detection and Classification of UXO in the Underwater Environment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-09-01

    of combat operations A maritime wreck An artificial reef The Navy considers munitions located in waters between high and low tides terrestrial...e.g., operational areas, beach assess). UXO are cleared to provide for civilian safety (e.g., fisheries, diving , cable and pipeline laying

  12. Experiential Learning: A New Research Path to the Study of Journalism Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandon, Wanda

    2002-01-01

    Examines the learning environment of journalism education. Considers historical perspectives of journalism education before laying the groundwork for a new research area. Suggests that the experiential learning approach offers a way of assessing the quality of learning and of breaking new paths into the study of journalism education. (SG)

  13. Financing Higher Education in a Global Economy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Richard E.; Meyerson, Joel W.

    This book presents papers from a national symposium conducted by the Forum for College Financing, offering a perspective on how higher education institutions will finance their operations in the future and the challenges that lay ahead. A paper by Richard Anderson and Joe Meyerson, "A Changing National Environment," introduces the other papers in…

  14. Background information: a selected bibliography of books on energy and nuclear power

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    An annotated bibliography of 75 books on energy and nuclear power topics lists selections under the categories of Energy, Nuclear energy, Radiation, Environment, Reference, Proliferation, International, Fiction, and From the Critics. The selections, ranging from philosophical discussions to practical proposals, are generally aimed at the lay reader. (DCK)

  15. Making It Happen: Interaction in the Second Language Classroom, From Theory to Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richard-Amato, Patricia A.

    A discussion linking theory and practice in second language instruction focuses on ways of providing opportunities for meaningful interaction in language classrooms. The first part lays a theoretical foundation, looking at: the variety and evolution of instructional approaches from grammar-based to communicative; the classroom as environment for…

  16. What constitutes meaningful engagement for patients and families as partners on research teams?

    PubMed

    Black, Agnes; Strain, Kimberly; Wallsworth, Christine; Charlton, Sara-Grey; Chang, Wilma; McNamee, Kate; Hamilton, Clayon

    2018-01-01

    Objective There is growing emphasis on health care organizations to ensure that lay people are meaningfully engaged as partners on research teams. Our aim was to explore the perspectives of patients, family members and informal caregivers who have been involved on health care research teams in Canada and elicit their recommendations for meaningful engagement. Methods We conducted a qualitative study guided by thematic analysis of transcripts of focus groups and interviews of 19 experienced patient research partners in Canada. Results We identified four main themes: research environment, expectations, support and value, which highlight participants' combined perspectives on important factors to ensure their engagement in research is meaningful. Conclusions Our findings add to the evolving evidence base on the perspectives of lay people involved in health care research and their recommendations for research leaders on meaningful engagement. Our study suggests that research leaders should provide a welcoming research environment, outline appropriate expectations for patient research partners on research teams, support patient research partners' engagement in projects and recognize the value patient research partners bring to health research.

  17. Distribution, Numbers, and Diversity of ESBL-Producing E. coli in the Poultry Farm Environment

    PubMed Central

    Blaak, Hetty; van Hoek, Angela H. A. M.; Hamidjaja, Raditijo A.; van der Plaats, Rozemarijn Q. J.; Kerkhof-de Heer, Lianne; de Roda Husman, Ana Maria; Schets, Franciska M.

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to discern the contribution of poultry farms to the contamination of the environment with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and therewith, potentially to the spread of these bacteria to humans and other animals. ESBL-producing E. coli were detected at all investigated laying hen farms (n = 5) and broiler farms (n = 3) in 65% (46/71) and 81% (57/70) of poultry faeces samples, respectively. They were detected in rinse water and run-off water (21/26; 81%), other farm animals (11/14; 79%), dust (21/35; 60%), surface water adjacent to farms (20/35; 57%), soil (48/87; 55%), on flies (11/73; 15%), and in barn air (2/33; 6%). The highest prevalence and concentrations in the outdoor environment were observed in soil of free-range areas at laying hen farms (100% of samples positive, geometric mean concentration 2.4×104 cfu/kg), and surface waters adjacent to broiler farms during, or shortly after, cleaning between production rounds (91% of samples positive, geometric mean concentration 1.9×102 cfu/l). The diversity of ESBL-producing E. coli variants with respect to sequence type, phylogenetic group, ESBL-genotype and antibiotic resistance profile was high, especially on broiler farms where on average 16 different variants were detected, and the average Simpson’s Indices of diversity (SID; 1–D) were 0.93 and 0.94 among flock and environmental isolates respectively. At laying hen farms on average nine variants were detected, with SIDs of 0.63 (flock isolates) and 0.77 (environmental isolates). Sixty percent of environmental isolates were identical to flock isolates at the same farm. The highest proportions of ‘flock variants’ were observed in dust (94%), run-off gullies (82%), and barn air (67%), followed by surface water (57%), soil (56%), flies (50%) and other farm animals (35%).The introduction of ESBL-producing E. coli from poultry farms to the environment may pose a health risk if these bacteria reach places where people may become exposed. PMID:26270644

  18. Public Presentations of Professional Change in Academic Research Library Strategic Plans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bracke, Paul J.

    2012-01-01

    Academic librarianship is a profession in the midst of change. Embedded within multiple social spheres, academic librarians are adapting to changes in higher education, the sociotechnical environment of information, and the system of professions. This research investigates the ways in which academic librarians publicly present the ways in which…

  19. Understanding Today's Students: Entry-Level Science Student Involvement in Academic Dishonesty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Lynda P.; Nelson, Rodney K.; Tichenor, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Academic dishonesty and its implications to learning within and outside of the academic arena are of historical concern to college faculty. Faculty generally associate actions and attitudes displayed in the academic environment as indicators of behavior throughout the student's life. As technology and societal changes occur, student…

  20. Academic Boards: Less Intellectual and More Academic Capital in Higher Education Governance?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowlands, Julie

    2013-01-01

    A historically informed analysis of the academic board or senate in Australian universities, and in the wider higher education environment, particularly the UK, indicates that the role and function of academic boards has fundamentally changed in the past 30 years. Within the context of universities being repositioned to serve global knowledge…

  1. Resilience Does Not Predict Academic Performance in Gross Anatomy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elizondo-Omana, Rodrigo Enrique; Garcia-Rodriguez, Maria de los Angeles; Hinojosa-Amaya, Jose Miguel; Villarreal-Silva, Eliud Enrique; Avilan, Rosa Ivette Guzman; Cruz, Juan Jose Bazaldua; Guzman-Lopez, Santos

    2010-01-01

    Few studies have evaluated resilience in an academic environment as it relates to academic success or failure. This work sought to assess resilience in regular and remedial students of gross anatomy during the first and second semesters of medical school and to correlate this personal trait with academic performance. Two groups of students were…

  2. Big fish in a big pond: a study of academic self concept in first year medical students.

    PubMed

    Jackman, Kirsty; Wilson, Ian G; Seaton, Marjorie; Craven, Rhonda G

    2011-07-27

    Big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) research has demonstrated that students in high-ability environments have lower academic self-concepts than equally able students in low-ability settings. Research has shown low academic self-concepts to be associated with negative educational outcomes. Social comparison processes have been implicated as fundamental to the BFLPE. Twenty first-year students in an Australian medical school completed a survey that included academic self-concept and social comparison measures, before and after their first written assessments. Focus groups were also conducted with a separate group of students to explore students' perceptions of competence, the medical school environment, and social comparison processes. The quantitative study did not reveal any changes in academic self-concept or self-evaluation. The qualitative study suggested that the attributions that students used when discussing performance were those that have been demonstrated to negatively affect self-concept. Students reported that the environment was slightly competitive and they used social comparison to evaluate their performance. Although the BFLPE was not evident in the quantitative study, results from the qualitative study suggest that the BFLPE might be operating In that students were using attributions that are associated with lower self-concepts, the environment was slightly competitive, and social comparisons were used for evaluation.

  3. Birth order, family environments, academic and affective outcomes.

    PubMed

    Marjoribanks, Kevin

    2003-06-01

    Relations were examined among birth order, family social status, family learning environments, and a set of affective and academic outcomes. Data were collected as part of an Australian longitudinal study (4,171 females and 3,718 males). Analysis suggested that birth order continued to have small but significant associations with adolescents' self-concept and educational aspirations and with young adults' educational attainment, after taking into account differences in family social status and family learning environments.

  4. Project Portfolio Management for Academic Libraries: A Gentle Introduction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinopal, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    In highly dynamic, service-oriented environments like academic libraries, much staff time is spent on initiatives to implement new products and services to meet users' evolving needs. Yet even in an environment where a sound project management process is applied, if we're not properly planning, managing, and controlling the organization's work in…

  5. Faculty Perspectives in Saudi Arabia Pertaining to Attributes of Successful Universities and Future Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kutbi, Ibrahim; Hashim, Khairuddin

    2017-01-01

    Universities face the challenge of being relevant. This study investigates respondents' perspectives pertaining to attributes of successful universities and future learning environments. Data were collected using a specially designed survey during the 2016 academic year. The sample size was 518 King Abdulaziz University (KAU) academics. The…

  6. A Faculty-Based Mentorship Circle: Positioning New Faculty for Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waddell, Janice; Martin, Jennifer; Schwind, Jasna K.; Lapum, Jennifer L.

    2016-01-01

    Multiple and competing priorities within a dynamic and changing academic environment can pose significant challenges for new faculty. Mentorship has been identified as an important strategy to help socialize new faculty to their roles and the expectations of the academic environment. It also helps them learn new skills that will position them to…

  7. Creating a Positive Classroom Environment to Meet the Needs of the Foster Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LaCour, Misty; McGlawn, Penny; Dees, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Foster children often struggle socially, emotionally, and academically in the school setting leading to school failure. By establishing a positive classroom environment, teachers can provide for the needs of the foster child while encouraging academic achievement. This study seeks to determine teacher best practices for meeting the needs of foster…

  8. Relations between Student Perceptions of Their School Environment and Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gietz, Carmen; McIntosh, Kent

    2014-01-01

    This study examined student perceptions of their school environment (specifically, safety and inclusion in the school, experiences being bullied, and clear expectations for behaviour) and their relation with academic achievement at the school level. Participants were students in 969 elementary schools and 73 middle schools who took part in a…

  9. Optimistic, Defensive-Pessimistic, Impulsive and Self-Handicapping Strategies in University Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eronen, Sanna; Nurmi, Jari-Erik; Salmela-Aro, Katariina

    1998-01-01

    A person-oriented approach was used to study the types of achievement strategy students apply in university environments and how these are associated with academic achievement, related satisfaction, and personal well-being. Results with 254 undergraduates over 2 years found academic achievement associated with 4 types of achievement strategy, each…

  10. The Roles of Autonomy Support and Harmonious and Obsessive Passions in Educational Persistence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonneville-Roussy, Arielle; Vallerand, Robert J.; Bouffard, Therese

    2013-01-01

    This research aims at examining the role of autonomy support and passion in the persistence of students involved in higher education. In academic settings, autonomy-supportive environments consider students as self-determined individuals who are capable of making choices. In contrast, controlling academic environments impose pressure on students…

  11. Creating High Challenge/High Support Academic Environments through Constructive Alignment: Student Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larkin, Helen; Richardson, Ben

    2013-01-01

    Higher education needs to provide challenging yet supportive learning environments catering for students with diverse academic needs. There is also an emphasis on using student-driven outcome measures to determine teaching effectiveness. How can these measures be used to reflect upon and evaluate teaching initiatives? Using an undergraduate…

  12. Impact of Physical Environment on Academic Achievement of High School Youth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burkhalter, Bettye B.

    1983-01-01

    To study the relationship of the physical environment to high school students' academic achievement, 60 students participated in an experiential career exploration program at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center while 108 students participated in a traditional careers program. Tests indicated the former group improved more in career choice…

  13. Evaluating Technology to Prevent Academic Integrity Violations in Online Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Victoria

    2018-01-01

    Protection of academic integrity in online environments can be challenging. Understanding how the technology works and concerns about each of the methods for monitoring online interactions can assist in the selection of the best proctoring tools. Depending on the content, the type of assessment and the comfort level with the technology, a…

  14. Emerging Trends in Science Education in a Dynamic Academic Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Avwiri, H. E.

    2016-01-01

    Emerging Trends in Science Education in a Dynamic Academic Environment highlights the changes that have occurred in science education particularly in institutions of higher learning in southern Nigeria. Impelled by the fact that most Nigerian Universities and Colleges of Education still adhere to the practices and teaching methodologies of the…

  15. Blended Learning Environments: Using Social Networking Sites to Enhance the First Year Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Joshua

    2010-01-01

    This study explores blending virtual and physical learning environments to enhance the experience of first year by immersing students into university culture through social and academic interaction between peers. It reports on the progress made from 2008 to 2009 using an existing academic platform, the first year design elective course…

  16. Incremental Validity of Thinking Styles in Predicting Academic Achievements: An Experimental Study in Hypermedia Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fan, Weiqiao; Zhang, Li-Fang; Watkins, David

    2010-01-01

    The study examined the incremental validity of thinking styles in predicting academic achievement after controlling for personality and achievement motivation in the hypermedia-based learning environment. Seventy-two Chinese college students from Shanghai, the People's Republic of China, took part in this instructional experiment. The…

  17. Egg-laying environment modulates offspring responses to predation risk in an amphibian.

    PubMed

    Tóth, Zoltán; Hettyey, Attila

    2018-05-01

    Predator-induced plasticity has been in the focus of evolutionary ecological research in the last decades, but the consequences of temporal variation in the presence of cues predicting offspring environment have remained controversial. This is partly due to the fact that the role of early environmental effects has scarcely been scrutinized in this context while also controlling for potential maternal effects. In this study, we investigated how past environmental conditions, that is different combinations of risky or safe adult (prenatal) and oviposition (early post-natal) environments, affected offspring's plastic responses in hatching time and locomotor activity to predation risk during development in the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris). We found that females did not adjust their reproductive investment to the perceived level of risk in the adult environment, and this prenatal environment had generally negligible effect on offspring phenotype. However, when predator cues were absent during oviposition, larvae raised in the presence of predator cues delayed their hatching and exhibited a decreased activity compared to control larvae developing without predator cues, which responses are advantageous when predators pose a threat to hatched larvae. In the presence of predator cues during oviposition, the difference in hatching time persisted, but the difference in general locomotor activity disappeared between risk-exposed and control larvae. Our findings provide clear experimental evidence that fine-scale temporal variation in a predictive cue during and after egg-laying interactively affects offspring phenotype, and highlight the importance of the early post-natal environment, which may exert a substantial influence on progeny's phenotype also under natural conditions. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  18. Power, potential, and pitfalls in global health academic partnerships: review and reflections on an approach in Nepal

    PubMed Central

    Citrin, David; Mehanni, Stephen; Acharya, Bibhav; Wong, Lena; Nirola, Isha; Sherchan, Rekha; Gauchan, Bikash; Karki, Khem Bahadur; Singh, Dipendra Raman; Shamasunder, Sriram; Le, Phuoc; Schwarz, Dan; Schwarz, Ryan; Dangal, Binod; Dhungana, Santosh Kumar; Maru, Sheela; Mahar, Ramesh; Thapa, Poshan; Raut, Anant; Adhikari, Mukesh; Basnett, Indira; Kaluanee, Shankar Prasad; Deukmedjian, Grace; Halliday, Scott; Maru, Duncan

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: Global health academic partnerships are centered around a core tension: they often mirror or reproduce the very cross-national inequities they seek to alleviate. On the one hand, they risk worsening power dynamics that perpetuate health disparities; on the other, they form an essential response to the need for healthcare resources to reach marginalized populations across the globe. Objectives: This study characterizes the broader landscape of global health academic partnerships, including challenges to developing ethical, equitable, and sustainable models. It then lays out guiding principles of the specific partnership approach, and considers how lessons learned might be applied in other resource-limited settings. Methods: The experience of a partnership between the Ministry of Health in Nepal, the non-profit healthcare provider Possible, and the Health Equity Action and Leadership Initiative at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine was reviewed. The quality and effectiveness of the partnership was assessed using the Tropical Health and Education Trust Principles of Partnership framework. Results: Various strategies can be taken by partnerships to better align the perspectives of patients and public sector providers with those of expatriate physicians. Actions can also be taken to bring greater equity to the wealth and power gaps inherent within global health academic partnerships. Conclusions: This study provides recommendations gleaned from the analysis, with an aim towards both future refinement of the partnership and broader applications of its lessons and principles. It specifically highlights the importance of targeted engagements with academic medical centers and the need for efficient organizational work-flow practices. It considers how to both prioritize national and host institution goals, and meet the career development needs of global health clinicians. PMID:28914185

  19. Academic Failure and Child-to-Parent Violence: Family Protective Factors.

    PubMed

    Ibabe, Izaskun

    2016-01-01

    A reduction in academic achievement over the course of adolescence has been observed. School failure is characterized by difficulties to teaching school goals. A variety of other behavioral problems are often associated with school failure. Child-to-parent violence has been associated with different school problems. The main objective of current study was to examine the contribution of family variables (parental education level, family cohesion, and positive family discipline) on academic failure and child-to-parent violence of adolescents from a community sample. Moreover, a goal was to explore if academic failure was a valid predictor of child-to-parent violence. To this end, it has been developed a comprehensive statistical model through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Participants were 584 children from eight secondary schools in the Basque Country (Spain) and aged between 12 and 18. Among other scales Conflict Tactics Scale and Family Environment Scale were administrated for measuring child-to-parent violence and family cohesion environment, respectively. The structural model revealed that parental education level is a relevant protective factor against academic failure. Positive family discipline (inductive discipline, supervision, and penalty) show a significant association with child-to-parent violence and academic failure. Disciplinary practices could be more efficient to prevent child-to-parent violence or school failure if children perceive a positive environment in their home. However, these findings could be explained by inverse causality, because some parents respond to child-to-parent violence or academic failure with disciplinary strategies. School failure had indirect effects on child-to-parent violence through family cohesion. For all that, education policies should focus on parental education courses for disadvantaged families in order to generate appropriate learning environments at home and to foster improvement of parent-child relationships.

  20. Academic Failure and Child-to-Parent Violence: Family Protective Factors

    PubMed Central

    Ibabe, Izaskun

    2016-01-01

    A reduction in academic achievement over the course of adolescence has been observed. School failure is characterized by difficulties to teaching school goals. A variety of other behavioral problems are often associated with school failure. Child-to-parent violence has been associated with different school problems. The main objective of current study was to examine the contribution of family variables (parental education level, family cohesion, and positive family discipline) on academic failure and child-to-parent violence of adolescents from a community sample. Moreover, a goal was to explore if academic failure was a valid predictor of child-to-parent violence. To this end, it has been developed a comprehensive statistical model through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Participants were 584 children from eight secondary schools in the Basque Country (Spain) and aged between 12 and 18. Among other scales Conflict Tactics Scale and Family Environment Scale were administrated for measuring child-to-parent violence and family cohesion environment, respectively. The structural model revealed that parental education level is a relevant protective factor against academic failure. Positive family discipline (inductive discipline, supervision, and penalty) show a significant association with child-to-parent violence and academic failure. Disciplinary practices could be more efficient to prevent child-to-parent violence or school failure if children perceive a positive environment in their home. However, these findings could be explained by inverse causality, because some parents respond to child-to-parent violence or academic failure with disciplinary strategies. School failure had indirect effects on child-to-parent violence through family cohesion. For all that, education policies should focus on parental education courses for disadvantaged families in order to generate appropriate learning environments at home and to foster improvement of parent-child relationships. PMID:27774076

  1. Sex-biased hatching order and adaptive population divergence in a passerine bird.

    PubMed

    Badyaev, Alexander V; Hill, Geoffrey E; Beck, Michelle L; Dervan, Anne A; Duckworth, Renee A; McGraw, Kevin J; Nolan, Paul M; Whittingham, Linda A

    2002-01-11

    Most species of birds can lay only one egg per day until a clutch is complete, and the order in which eggs are laid often has strong and sex-specific effects on offspring growth and survival. In two recently established populations of the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) in Montana and Alabama, breeding females simultaneously adjusted the sex and growth of offspring in relation to their position in the laying order, thereby reducing the mortality of sons and daughters by 10 to 20% in both environments. We show experimentally that the reduction in mortality is produced by persistent and sex-specific maternal effects on the growth and morphology of offspring. These strong parental effects may have facilitated the rapid adaptive divergence among populations of house finches.

  2. Assessment of environment impacts of egg production chain using life cycle assessment.

    PubMed

    Ghasempour, Atena; Ahmadi, Ebrahim

    2016-12-01

    In this study we have to deal with the assessment of environment impacts of laying hen in the Alborz province, Iran. This assessment was carried out for one kg of egg during a period of 420 days for 1000 chickens. Then due to significant consumption of diet during period of question, three main products including corn, soybean and wheat which are consist of 80 percent of the combination of laying chicken diet, also collected the information about their production and it has been evaluated the indicators of their environment individually and eventually, the results has been considered as a title for inputs of poultry. Data for production of inputs were taken from EcoInvent 2.0 database, and SimaPro software was used for analysis. Ten classification impacts including Abiotic Depletion potential, Acidification potential, Eutrophication potential, Global Warming potential for time horizon 100 years, Ozone Depletion potential, Human Toxicity potential, Freshwater and Marine Aquatic Eco-toxicity potential, Terrestrial Eco-toxicity potential, and Photochemical Oxidation potential were selected based on the CML 2 baseline 2000 V2/world, 1990/characterization method. Due to the results, for each kilograms of egg, 30/09 MJ and also the value of greenhouse gas emissions is 4/07 Kg CO 2 eq was calculated. According to the obtained results, the production of diet has made the most negative charge of environment among the inputs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Phenotypic plasticity in clutch size regulation among populations of a potential invasive fruit fly from environments that vary in host heterogeneity and isolation.

    PubMed

    Aluja, M; Birke, A; Díaz-Fleischer, F; Rull, J

    2018-05-21

    Phenotypic plasticity is thought to evolve in response to environmental unpredictability and can shield genotypes from selection. However, selection can also act on plastic traits. Egg-laying behaviour, including clutch size regulation, is a plastic behavioural trait among tephritid fruit flies. We compared plasticity in clutch size regulation among females of Anastrepha ludens populations stemming from environments that differed in the degree of predictability in egg-laying opportunities. Clutch size regulation in response to hosts of different sizes was compared among flies from (a) a wild, highly isolated population, (b) a wild population that switches seasonally from a small wild host fruit that varies greatly in abundance to an abundant large-sized commercial host, and (c) a laboratory population. Flies from all three populations adjusted clutch number and size according to host size. However, flies from the heterogeneous wild environment were more plastic in adjusting clutch size than flies from agricultural settings that also laid fewer eggs; yet both populations were more plastic in adjusting clutch size in line with host size when compared with laboratory females. When wild and orchard females encountered the largest host, clutch size was extremely variable and egg regulation did not follow the same trend. Heterogeneity in host availability in space and time appears to be as important as seasonal variation in host size in maintaining plastic clutch size regulation behaviour. In stable environments, there was a clear reduction in the plasticity of these traits.

  4. Academic Perspectives and Experiences of Knowledge Translation: A Qualitative Study of Public Health Researchers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collie, Alex; Zardo, Pauline; McKenzie, Donna Margaret; Ellis, Niki

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the views and experiences of knowledge translation of 14 Australian public health academics. Capacity to engage in knowledge translation is influenced by factors within the academic context and the interaction of the academic and policy environments. Early and mid-career researchers reported a different set of experiences and…

  5. An Empirical Analysis of an Alternative Configuration of the Academic Motivation Scale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Kenneth J.; Davy, Jeanette A.; Rosenberg, Donald L.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine an alternative configuration of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), a psychometric instrument used as a measure of academic motivation in various academic environments. The analyses utilised data from a convenience sample of 2354 business students, broken into two random subsamples of 1177 cases.…

  6. Superordinate Precision: An Examination of Academic Writing among Bilingual Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Jessica A.; Hoffmeister, Robert J.

    2018-01-01

    Academic English is an essential literacy skill area for success in post-secondary education and in many work environments. Despite its importance, academic English is understudied with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Nascent research in this area suggests that academic English, alongside American Sign Language (ASL) fluency, may play an…

  7. Using Non-Finites in English Academic Writing by Chinese EFL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Bingjun

    2014-01-01

    Frequent use of non-finites is an important feature of English academic writing (Chafe & Danielewicz, 1987), but teachers and students in the Chinese environment are not aware of it. To investigate the problems that can be found in academic writings by Chinese students is significant in two aspects: academic writing by Chinese EFL students…

  8. Strategies for Managing and Leading an Academic Staff in Multiple Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Rebecca

    2011-01-01

    Faculty are a critical component to the success of the academic branch campus. In an environment where academic quality is constantly in question, the management and leadership of the academic staff are important, particularly when that staff is spread across multiple geographic locations. In this chapter, the author begins by describing the broad…

  9. An ecological study of food desert prevalence and 4th grade academic achievement in new york state school districts.

    PubMed

    Frndak, Seth E

    2014-12-02

    This ecological study examines the relationship between food desert prevalence and academic achievement at the school district level. Sample included 232 suburban and urban school districts in New York State. Multiple open-source databases were merged to obtain: 4(th) grade science, English and math scores, school district demographic composition (NYS Report Card), regional socioeconomic indicators (American Community Survey), school district quality (US Common Core of Data), and food desert data (USDA Food Desert Atlas). Multiple regression models assessed the percentage of variation in achievement scores explained by food desert variables, after controlling for additional predictors. The proportion of individuals living in food deserts significantly explained 4th grade achievement scores, after accounting for additional predictors. School districts with higher proportions of individuals living in food desert regions demonstrated lower 4th grade achievement across science, English and math. Food deserts appear to be related to academic achievement at the school district level among urban and suburban regions. Further research is needed to better understand how food access is associated with academic achievement at the individual level. Significance for public healthThe prevalence of food deserts in the United States is of national concern. As poor nutrition in United States children continues to spark debate, food deserts are being evaluated as potential sources of low fruit and vegetable intake and high obesity rates. Cognitive development and IQ have been linked to nutrition patterns, suggesting that children in food desert regions may have a disadvantage academically. This research evaluates if an ecological relationship between food desert prevalence and academic achievement at the school district level can be demonstrated. Results suggest that food desert prevalence may relate to poor academic performance at the school district level. Significant variation in academic achievement among urban and suburban school districts is explained by food desert prevalence, above additional predictors. This research lays the groundwork for future studies at the individual level, with possible implications for community interventions in school districts containing food desert regions.

  10. Entrepreneurship in the academic radiology environment.

    PubMed

    Itri, Jason N; Ballard, David H; Kantartzis, Stamatis; Sullivan, Joseph C; Weisman, Jeffery A; Durand, Daniel J; Ali, Sayed; Kansagra, Akash P

    2015-01-01

    Innovation and entrepreneurship in health care can help solve the current health care crisis by creating products and services that improve quality and convenience while reducing costs. To effectively drive innovation and entrepreneurship within the current health care delivery environment, academic institutions will need to provide education, promote networking across disciplines, align incentives, and adapt institutional cultures. This article provides a general review of entrepreneurship and commercialization from the perspective of academic radiology departments, drawing on information sources in several disciplines including radiology, medicine, law, and business. Our review will discuss the role of universities in supporting academic entrepreneurship, identify drivers of entrepreneurship, detail opportunities for academic radiologists, and outline key strategies that foster greater involvement of radiologists in entrepreneurial efforts and encourage leadership to embrace and support entrepreneurship. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. The Marketing Concept in an Academic Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rešetová, Kvetoslava

    2013-01-01

    Universities, as subjects of the academic environment, are institutions with the priority of education and research. The task of the marketing concept in the academic field is to communicate with all important target groups to support a stronger position and their perception of the school. The aim of the intervention is to increase the prestige, improve awareness, support positive attitudes, and present successful results in all areas of activity. This means creation and protection of a positive image, which enables higher interest of all target groups and secures better awareness about it.

  12. Women physicians: choosing a career in academic medicine.

    PubMed

    Borges, Nicole J; Navarro, Anita M; Grover, Amelia C

    2012-01-01

    Despite recent efforts to understand the complex process of physician career development, the medical education community has a poor understanding of why, how, and when women physicians embark on careers in academic medicine. In 2010, the authors phone-interviewed women physicians in academic medicine regarding why, how, and when they chose academic medicine careers. Project investigators first individually and then collectively analyzed transcripts to identify themes in the data. Through analyzing the transcripts of the 53 interviews, the investigators identified five themes related to why women choose careers in academic medicine: fit, aspects of the academic health center environment, people, exposure, and clinical medicine. They identified five themes related to how women make the decision to enter academic medicine: change in specialty, dissatisfaction with former career, emotionality, parental influence, and decision-making styles. The authors also identified four themes regarding when women decide to enter academic medicine: as a practicing physician, fellow, resident, or medical student. Choosing a career in academic medicine is greatly influenced by the environment in which one trains and by people-be they faculty, mentors, role models, or family. An interest in teaching is a primary reason women choose a career in academic medicine. Many women physicians entering academic medicine chose to do so after or during fellowship, which is when they became more aware of academic medicine as a possible career. For many women, choosing academic medicine was not necessarily an active, planned decision; rather, it was serendipitous or circumstantial.

  13. Diet, Obesity, and Political Involvement

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    The views expressed are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board. Abstract: This essay is an opinion article addressed to the busy practitioner. It provides information on nutrition, diet, nutritional science, and obesity to serve as a reference in teaching his patients on these issues. It is composed by a gastroenterologist who has been engaged in clinical gastroenterology and nutrition, research, and teaching in an academic medical center for 35 years. It also relates the information to conclusions on reasonable involvement of the national government in these topics. Finally, its audience might include the interested, well-educated, lay public. Hence, excessive scientific parlance and referencing have been avoided. PMID:26106846

  14. Using Promotores Programs to Improve Latino Health Outcomes: Implementation Challenges for Community-based Nonprofit Organizations

    PubMed Central

    Twombly, Eric C.; Holtz, Kristen D.; Stringer, Kimberly

    2012-01-01

    Promotores are community lay health workers, who provide outreach and services to Latinos. Little research on the promotores programs exists and the focus of this article is to identify the challenges faced by community-based nonprofits when implementing promotores programs. To explore this type of program telephone interviews were conducted with ten promotores academic experts and nonprofit executives. The results suggest that implementation challenges fall into three major categories: the lack of standardized information on promotores programs, labor issues, and organizational costs. Future recommendations are made which highlight promotores recruitment and retention strategies, and the development of a clearinghouse of programmatic implementation information for community-based nonprofits. PMID:23188929

  15. Moving Toward Interdisciplinary Dialogue in Mentoring Scholarship: An Introduction to the Special Issue.

    PubMed

    Eby, Lillian T; Allen, Tammy D

    2008-04-01

    The study of mentoring spans a wide range of disciplines including psychology, organizational behavior, education, and social work, among others. However, until recently there has been little interdisciplinary dialogue among mentoring scholars. In this Special Issue we attempt to lay the groundwork for interdisciplinary research on mentoring by examining this phenomenon through the lens of youth mentoring, academic mentoring, and workplace mentoring. In this introduction we outline the aims of this Special Issue, provide a common definition of mentoring to guide the reader through the articles that follow, summarize the knowledge gained from the included articles, and offer insight into what we believe are important next steps for developing a multidisciplinary perspective on mentoring.

  16. Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Academic and/or Professional Success

    PubMed Central

    Cain, Jeff; Smith, Kelly M.

    2006-01-01

    The concept of “emotional intelligence” has been extensively popularized in the lay press and corporate world as individuals purport the potential ability of emotional intelligence to predict various markers of success. Emotional intelligence (EI) most commonly incorporates concepts of emotional expression and regulation, self-awareness, and empathy. The concept has been criticized by some for its loose definition and parallels to personality traits. Additionally, several limitations to the instruments used to measure emotional intelligence have been identified. This review examines the foundations of the definitions of emotional intelligence as well as existing educational research involving emotional intelligence, both within the health professions and externally. Recommendations for future research and research potential are discussed. PMID:17136189

  17. Skating through development.

    PubMed

    Ontiveros, Alejandra Elder; Blengini, Cecilia S; López-Tello, Jorge

    2018-06-13

    Oviparity is an ancestral reproductive strategy in which females lay fertilized eggs to the environment. During development, the offspring rely solely on the resources provided by the yolk sac to favour growth and maturation. This type of nutrition is also known as "lecithotrophy." This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  18. Why Students Leave Engineering and Built Environment Programmes When They Are Academically Eligible to Continue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmed, Nazeema; Kloot, Bruce; Collier-Reed, Brandon I.

    2015-01-01

    The retention of students to graduation is a concern for most higher education institutions. This article seeks to understand why engineering and built environment students fail to continue their degree programmes despite being academically eligible to do so. The sample comprised 275 students registered between 2006 and 2011 in a faculty of…

  19. Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties and Academic Achievement in Immigrant Adolescents in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rousseau, Cécile; Mustafa, Sally; Beauregard, Caroline

    2015-01-01

    The literature emphasizes that the school environment is a key factor for the mental health and academic achievement of immigrant and refugee children. However, few studies examined the role of school environment and peer relationships for these youth attending a special education class. The aim of this paper is to study the association between…

  20. The Inadequacy of Academic Environment Contributes to Inadequate Teaching and Learning Phenomena

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quasim, Shahla; Arif, Muhammad Shahbaz

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at the inadequacy of academic environment as an indicator contributing to the inadequate teaching and learning situation in Pakistan. The main focus is to look into the low proficiency of students in the subject of English at secondary school level. A comprehensive questionnaire was designed from the literature concerned and The…

  1. Teacher Perceptions about Academic Achievement of Students with Special Needs in Coteaching Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Belinda L.

    2012-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind Act has put renewed focus on placing high school students with special needs in their least restrictive environment. Coteaching classrooms have become the most common method of meeting this legislative requirement. However, there is little research on the use of coteaching as an appropriate academic placement for students…

  2. Institutional Level Identity Control Strategies in the Distance Education Environment: A Survey of Administrative Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amigud, Alexander

    2013-01-01

    Physical separation of students and instructors creates the gap of anonymity and limited control over the remote learning environment. The ability of academic institutions to authenticate students and validate authorship of academic work at various points during a course is necessary for preserving not only perceived credibility but also public…

  3. Does Racism Exist in the Online Classroom Learning Environment? Perceptions of Online Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopson, Anna C.

    2014-01-01

    In U.S. history, racism has existed in traditional brick-and-mortar academic institutions for hundreds of years. With the increase of online learning--a strategic and effective form of education for many academic institutions of higher education--the question being asked is, Does racism exist in the online classroom learning environment? This…

  4. Relationships among Individual Task Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulated Learning Strategy Use and Academic Performance in a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Kimberly; Narayan, Anupama

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates relationships between self-efficacy, self-regulated learning strategy use and academic performance. Participants were 96 undergraduate students working on projects with three subtasks (idea generation task, methodical task and data collection) in a blended learning environment. Task self-efficacy was measured with…

  5. Telecommuting Academics within an Open Distance Education Environment of South Africa: More Content, Productive, and Healthy?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tustin, Deon Harold

    2014-01-01

    Outside an academic setting, telecommuting has become fairly popular in recent years. However, research on telecommuting practices within a higher education environment is fairly sparse, especially within the higher distance education sphere. Drawing on existing literature on telecommuting and the outcome of a valuation study on the success of an…

  6. Student Input, Student Involvement, and College Environment Factors Impacting the Choice of Academic Major.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coperthwaite, Corby A.; Knight, William E.

    This study investigated the ability of student inputs, student involvements, and college environments to predict seven groups of academic majors. The research was conducted using a sample of college sophomores extracted from High School and Beyond 1982 follow-up cohort, N=43,614 (weighted). Among the findings of the hierarchical discriminant…

  7. Fathers' and Mothers' Home Learning Environments and Children's Early Academic Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Tricia D.; Froyen, Laura C.; Skibbe, Lori E.; Bowles, Ryan P.; Decker, Kalli B.

    2016-01-01

    The home learning environment (HLE) that children experience early on is highly predictive of their later academic competencies; however, the bulk of this work is operationalized from mothers' perspectives. This study investigates the HLE provided by both mothers and fathers to their preschoolers (n = 767), with consideration for how parents'…

  8. Open and Anonymous Peer Review in a Digital Online Environment Compared in Academic Writing Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Razi, Salim

    2016-01-01

    This study compares the impact of "open" and "anonymous" peer feedback as an adjunct to teacher-mediated feedback in a digital online environment utilising data gathered on an academic writing course at a Turkish university. Students were divided into two groups with similar writing proficiencies. Students peer reviewed papers…

  9. Institutional Approach to Establishment of a Structural Model of the Russian Academic Environment Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dudin, Mikhail N.; Ivashchenko, Natalia P.; Frolova, ?vgenia ?.; Abashidze, Aslan H.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the present article is to generalize and unify the approaches to improvement of the institutional environment that ensures optimal functioning and sustainable development of the Russian academic sphere. The following conclusions and results have been obtained through presentation of the materials in the article: (1) Improvement of…

  10. Study of the Effect of Education and Academic Environment on Emotional Intelligence on Accounting Students in Iran

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salehi, Mahdi; Zadeh, Mohammadreza Abbas; Ghaderi, Alireza; Tabasi, Alaleh Zhian

    2016-01-01

    The current study aims to investigate the relation between education and academic environment on emotional intelligence of accounting students in state and non-state universities in Iran. In order to collecting data Bar-on emotional intelligence test and SCL 90 questionnaire administrated among 476 students in different subjects including…

  11. The Relationship between Classroom Environment and EFL Learners' Academic Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daemi, Masoumeh Naghsh; Tahriri, Abdorreza; Zafarghandi, Amir Mahdavi

    2017-01-01

    The present study sought to examine the relationship between classroom environment and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' academic self-efficacy. To this end, a sample of 200 advanced EFL learners (146 females and 54 males) completed the "What is Happening In This Class?" (WIHIC) which consists of seven scales including…

  12. Architecture Students' Perceptions of Their Learning Environment and Their Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oluwatayo, Adedapo Adewunmi; Aderonmu, Peter A.; Aduwo, Egidario B.

    2015-01-01

    Scholars have agreed that the way in which students perceive their learning environments influences their academic performance. Empirical studies that focus on architecture students, however, have been very scarce. This is the gap that an attempt is filled in this study. A questionnaire survey of 273 students in a school of architecture in Nigeria…

  13. A humanistic environment for dental schools: what are dental students experiencing?

    PubMed

    Quick, Karin K

    2014-12-01

    A Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standard now requires that dental schools commit to establishing a "humanistic culture and learning environment" for all members of the academic environment. The aim of this study was to identify students' perceptions of factors that affect the dental school environment and to test differences in their experiences in terms of gender and year. This picture of the existing environment was meant to serve as a first step toward creating and supporting a more humanistic academic environment. A mixed-methods approach was used for data collection during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years at one U.S. dental school. Four focus groups were first conducted to explore challenges and conflicts faced by students during their dental education. A written survey informed by the focus group results was then used to obtain quantitative data. The survey response rate was 47 percent (N=188). Faculty inconsistency, cheating, and belittlement/disrespect were experienced by many of the responding dental students during their education, similar to what has been documented in medicine. These students also reported experiencing both constructive communication (90 percent) and destructive communication (up to 32 percent). The female students reported more gender discrimination and sexual harassment than their male peers, and the clinical students reported more experience with belittlement and destructive communication than the preclinical students. The results suggest that greater effort should be directed toward creating a more humanistic environment in dental schools. Based on the issues identified, steps academic institutions can take to improve these environments and student skills are outlined.

  14. Does human perception of wetland aesthetics and healthiness relate to ecological functioning?

    PubMed

    Cottet, Marylise; Piégay, Hervé; Bornette, Gudrun

    2013-10-15

    Wetland management usually aims at preserving or restoring desirable ecological characteristics or functions. It is now well-recognized that some social criteria should also be included. Involving lay-people in wetland preservation or restoration projects may mean broadening project objectives to fit various and potentially competing requirements that relate to ecology, aesthetics, recreation, etc. In addition, perceived value depends both upon expertise and objectives, both of which vary from one stakeholder population to another. Perceived value and ecological functioning have to be reconciled in order to make a project successful. Understanding the perceptions of lay-people as well as their opinions about ecological value is a critical part of the development of sustainable management plans. Characterizing the environment in a way that adequately describes ecological function while also being consistent with lay perception may help reach such objectives. This goal has been addressed in a case study relating to wetlands of the Ain River (France). A photo-questionnaire presenting a sample of photographs of riverine wetlands distributed along the Ain River was submitted to 403 lay-people and self-identified experts. Two objectives were defined: (1) to identify the different parameters, whether visual or ecological, influencing the perception regarding the value of these ecosystems; (2) to compare the perceptions of self-identified experts and lay-people. Four criteria appear to strongly influence peoples' perceptions of ecological and aesthetical values: water transparency and colour, the presence and appearance of aquatic vegetation, the presence of sediments, and finally, trophic status. In our study, we observed only a few differences in perception. The differences primarily related to the value assigned to oligotrophic wetlands but even here, the differences between lay and expert populations were minimal. These results support the idea that it is possible to implement an integrated and participative management program for ecosystems. Our approach can provide a shared view of environmental value facilitating the work of managers in defining comprehensive goals for wetland preservation or restoration projects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Fear of humans and its relationships with productivity in laying hens at commercial farms.

    PubMed

    Barnett, J L; Hemsworth, P H; Newman, E A

    1992-09-01

    1. The relationship between the behavioural responses of laying hens to humans and productivity was determined at 16 commercial sheds from 14 farms. 2. A number of behaviour variables were moderately to highly correlated with production variables; for example, the proportion of birds that moved away from an approaching experimenter in an unfamiliar environment ('shute test') was negatively correlated with peak hen day production, (PKHDP). 3. Behavioural responses to humans accounted for between 23 and 63% of the variation in a number of production variables, including PKHDP and the duration of a high level of production. 4. Inclusion of farm factor variables increased the amount of variation accounted for by the behaviour variables. For example, adding the variable 'time/day spent in the shed by stockpeople' to the behaviour variables 'the proportion of birds that moved away from an approaching human' in the shute test and 'the number of times birds in cages adopted an erect posture' in response to an approaching human increased the variation accounted for in PKHDP from 53 to 61%. 5. The results suggest that fear of humans may be a factor that limits the productivity of commercial laying hens.

  16. Effect of diet change on the behavior of chicks of an egg-laying strain.

    PubMed

    Dixon, Greg; Green, Laura E; Nicol, Christine J

    2006-01-01

    Injurious pecking has serious welfare consequences in flocks of hens kept for egg laying, especially when loose-housed. Frequent diet change is a significant risk for injurious pecking; how the mechanics of diet change influence pecking behavior is unknown. This study investigated the effect of diet change on the behavior of chicks from a laying strain. The study included a 3-week familiarity phase: 18 chick pairs received unflavored feed (Experiment 1); 18 pairs received orange oil-flavored (Experiment 2). All chicks participated in a dietary preference test (P); a diet change (DC); or a control group (C), 6 scenarios. All P chicks preferred unflavored feed. In Experiment 1, DC involved change from unflavored to orange-flavored; Experiment 2, orange- flavored to unflavored. Compared with controls, Experiment 2 DC chicks exhibited few behavioral differences; Experiment 1 DC chicks exhibited increased behavioral event rates on Days 1 and 7. They pecked significantly longer at their environment; by Day 7, they showed significantly more beak activity. There was little evidence of dietary neophobia. Change from more preferred to less preferred feed led to increased activity and redirected pecking behavior.

  17. The nature and impact of changes in home learning environment on development of language and academic skills in preschool children.

    PubMed

    Son, Seung-Hee; Morrison, Frederick J

    2010-09-01

    In this study, we examined changes in the early home learning environment as children approached school entry and whether these changes predicted the development of children's language and academic skills. Findings from a national sample of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,018) revealed an overall improvement in the home learning environment from 36 to 54 months of children's age, with 30.6% of parents of preschoolers displaying significant improvement in the home environment (i.e., changes greater than 1 SD) and with only 0.6% showing a decrease. More important, the degree of change uniquely contributed to the children's language but not to their academic skills. Home changes were more likely to be observed from mothers with more education and work hours and with fewer symptoms of depression.

  18. ["Better late than never". Studying procrastination among students].

    PubMed

    Gerhát, Réka; Balázs, Katalin; Szemán-Nagy, Anita

    The purpose of the study is to investigate dispositional procrastination, procrastination types, and an operative measurement of this behavior in academic environment. Procrastination is a common and problematic phenomenon that explains the need for a comprehensive and complex approach of this behavior. The main focus of the study was to investigate the incidence and incidence of the different types of procrastination. Furthermore, we aimed to test the correspondence between dispositional procrastination and the operative measurement. The sample consisted of 131 participants. Lay's Procrastination Scale was used to measure dispositional procrastination and the Types of procrastination questionnaire was applied to assess the frequency of its different types. Furthermore an operative measurement was gained by assigning a deadline for returning the paper and pensil form of the questionnaire. Participants received a message informing them that the deadline had been extended by three more days on the last night before the deadline. Based on the empirical results 63% of the participants can be classified as procrastinator. In regards of the different types of procrastination, "perfectionist" and "crisis-maker" types were the most frequent. A positive correlation was found between dispositional procrastination and the operative measurement of procrastination. The results proved the common presence of procrastination, as well as the close connection between its dispositional and operative measure. Besides, they raise attention to the perfectionist and crisis-maker types of procrastination.

  19. Career cartography: a conceptualization of career development to advance health and policy.

    PubMed

    Feetham, Suzanne; Doering, Jennifer J

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptualization of career development that emphasizes the interdependence between research, practice, and policy. Career cartography applies three decades of career development experience to lay out a systematic, comprehensive, and iterative approach for planning and communicating the outcomes of science at any career stage. To inform practice and policy, nurse researchers must be clear on the intended destination and trajectory of the science, and be skilled in communicating that science and vision to diverse stakeholders. Career cartography builds on the science of cartography, is developed within the context of public and health policy, and is composed of several components, including a destination statement, career mapping, a supportive career cartography team, and use of communication and dissemination strategies. The successful utilization of career cartography may accelerate advancement of individual careers, scientific impact, and the discipline as a whole by guiding nurse researchers to be deliberative in career planning and to communicate successfully the outcomes of research across a wide variety of stakeholders. Career cartography provides a framework for planning a nurse researcher's program of research and scholarship to advance science, policy, and health of the public. Career cartography guides nurse researchers to realize their full potential to advance the health of the public and inform public and health policy in academic and practice environments. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  20. Sports Involvement and Academic Achievement: A Study of Malaysian University Athletes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chuan, Chun Cheng; Yusof, Aminuddin; Shah, Parilah Mohd

    2013-01-01

    Factors that influence the academic achievement of Malaysian university athletes were investigated using 156 field hockey players from several universities. The relationship between team subculture, parental influence, the learning environment, support systems, financial aid, training factors, academic assistance, socialization, and stress level…

  1. Gendered Habitus and Gender Differences in Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edgerton, Jason; Peter, Tracey; Roberts, Lance

    2014-01-01

    Bourdieu's theory of cultural and social reproduction posits that students' habitus--learned behavioural and perceptual dispositions rooted in family upbringing--is a formative influence on how they react to their educational environments, affecting academic practices and academic achievement. Although originally conceived as a "class"…

  2. Financing Academic Departments of Psychiatry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liptzin, Benjamin; Meyer, Roger E.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The authors describe the many financial challenges facing academic departments of psychiatry and the resulting opportunities that may arise. Method: The authors review the history of financial challenges, the current economic situation, and what may lie ahead for academic departments of psychiatry. Results: The current environment has…

  3. Academic-Centered Peer Interactions and Retention in Undergraduate Mathematics Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Callahan, Kadian M.

    2009-01-01

    Peer interactions are a critical component of students' academic success and retention in undergraduate programs. Scholars argue that peer interactions influence students' cognitive development, identity development, self-confidence and self-efficacy, and social and academic integration into the university environment (Pascarella & Terenzini,…

  4. A Generational Divide in the Academic Profession: A Mixed Quantitative and Qualitative Approach to the Polish Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwiek, Marek

    2017-01-01

    In a recently changing Polish academic environment--following the large-scale higher education reforms of 2009-2012--different academic generations have to cope with different challenges. Polish academics have been strongly divided generationally, not only in terms of what they think and how they work but also in terms of what is academically…

  5. Conditions That Promote the Academic Performance of College Students in a Remedial Mathematics Course: Academic Competence, Academic Resilience, and the Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foshee, Cecile Mary

    2013-01-01

    Researchers have postulated that math academic achievement increases student success in college (Lee, 2012; Silverman & Seidman, 2011; Vigdor, 2013), yet 80% of universities and 98% of community colleges require many of their first-year students to be placed in remedial courses (Bettinger & Long, 2009). Many high school graduates are…

  6. U.S. academic medical centers under the managed health care environment.

    PubMed

    Guo, K

    1999-06-01

    This research investigates the impact of managed health care on academic medical centers in the United States. Academic medical centers hold a unique position in the U.S. health care system through their missions of conducting cutting-edge biomedical research, pursuing clinical and technological innovations, providing state-of-the-art medical care and producing highly qualified health professionals. However, policies to control costs through the use of managed care and limiting resources are detrimental to academic medical centers and impede the advancement of medical science. To survive the threats of managed care in the health care environment, academic medical centers must rely on their upper level managers to derive successful strategies. The methods used in this study include qualitative approaches in the form of key informants and case studies. In addition, a survey questionnaire was sent to 108 CEOs in all the academic medical centers in the U.S. The findings revealed that managers who perform the liaison, monitor, entrepreneur and resource allocator roles are crucial to ensure the survival of academic medical centers, so that academic medical centers can continue their missions to serve the general public and promote their well-being.

  7. Automated Tape Laying Machine for Composite Structures.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    The invention comprises an automated tape laying machine, for laying tape on a composite structure. The tape laying machine has a tape laying head...neatly cut. The automated tape laying device utilizes narrow width tape to increase machine flexibility and reduce wastage.

  8. Big Fish in a Big Pond: a study of academic self concept in first year medical students

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) research has demonstrated that students in high-ability environments have lower academic self-concepts than equally able students in low-ability settings. Research has shown low academic self-concepts to be associated with negative educational outcomes. Social comparison processes have been implicated as fundamental to the BFLPE. Methods Twenty first-year students in an Australian medical school completed a survey that included academic self-concept and social comparison measures, before and after their first written assessments. Focus groups were also conducted with a separate group of students to explore students' perceptions of competence, the medical school environment, and social comparison processes. Results The quantitative study did not reveal any changes in academic self-concept or self-evaluation. The qualitative study suggested that the attributions that students used when discussing performance were those that have been demonstrated to negatively affect self-concept. Students reported that the environment was slightly competitive and they used social comparison to evaluate their performance. Conclusions Although the BFLPE was not evident in the quantitative study, results from the qualitative study suggest that the BFLPE might be operating In that students were using attributions that are associated with lower self-concepts, the environment was slightly competitive, and social comparisons were used for evaluation. PMID:21794166

  9. The remote, the mouse, and the no. 2 pencil: the household media environment and academic achievement among third grade students.

    PubMed

    Borzekowski, Dina L G; Robinson, Thomas N

    2005-07-01

    Media can influence aspects of a child's physical, social, and cognitive development; however, the associations between a child's household media environment, media use, and academic achievement have yet to be determined. To examine relationships among a child's household media environment, media use, and academic achievement. During a single academic year, data were collected through classroom surveys and telephone interviews from an ethnically diverse sample of third grade students and their parents from 6 northern California public elementary schools. The majority of our analyses derive from spring 2000 data, including academic achievement assessed through the mathematics, reading, and language arts sections of the Stanford Achievement Test. We fit linear regression models to determine the associations between variations in household media and performance on the standardized tests, adjusting for demographic and media use variables. The household media environment is significantly associated with students' performance on the standardized tests. It was found that having a bedroom television set was significantly and negatively associated with students' test scores, while home computer access and use were positively associated with the scores. Regression models significantly predicted up to 24% of the variation in the scores. Absence of a bedroom television combined with access to a home computer was consistently associated with the highest standardized test scores. This study adds to the growing literature reporting that having a bedroom television set may be detrimental to young elementary school children. It also suggests that having and using a home computer may be associated with better academic achievement.

  10. Women Physicians: Choosing a Career in Academic Medicine

    PubMed Central

    Borges, Nicole J.; Navarro, Anita M.; Grover, Amelia C.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose Despite recent efforts to understand the complex process of physician career development, the medical education community has a poor understanding of why, how, and when women physicians embark on a career in academic medicine. Method In 2010, the authors phone-interviewed women physicians in academic medicine regarding why, how, and when they chose an academic medicine career. Project investigators first individually and then collectively analyzed transcripts to identify themes in the data. Results Through analyzing the transcripts of the 53 interviews, the investigators identified five themes related to why women choose careers in academic medicine: fit, aspects of the academic health center environment, people, exposure, and clincial medicine. They identified five themes related to how women make the decision to enter academic medicine: change in specialty, dissatisfaction with former career, emotionality, parental influence, and decision-making styles. The authors also identified four themes regarding when women decide to enter academic medicine: as a practicing phyisican, fellow, resident, or medical student. Conclusions Choosing a career in academic medicine is greatly influenced by the environment in which one trains and by people—be they faculty, mentors, role models, or family. An interest in teaching is a primary reason women choose a career in academic medicine. Many women physicians entering acadmic medicine chose this after or during fellowship, which is when they became more aware of academic medicine as a possible career. For many women, choosing academic medicine was not necessarily an active, planned decision; rather it was serendipitous or circumstantial. PMID:22104052

  11. Perceptions by medical students of their educational environment for obstetrics and gynaecology in metropolitan and rural teaching sites.

    PubMed

    Carmody, Dianne F; Jacques, Angela; Denz-Penhey, Harriet; Puddey, Ian; Newnham, John P

    2009-12-01

    Medical student education in Western Australia is expanding to secondary level metropolitan hospitals and rural sites to accommodate workforce demands and increasing medical student numbers. To determine if students' perceptions of the teaching environment for obstetrics and gynaecology differ between tertiary, secondary level metropolitan hospitals and rural sites, and to determine if students' perceptions of their learning environment are associated with improved academic performance. An evaluation was conducted of medical students' perceptions of their learning environment during an obstetrics and gynaecology program at a variety of sites across metropolitan and rural Western Australia. The evaluation was based on the Dundee Ready Education Environmental Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. There were no significant differences in students' perceptions of their learning environment between the tertiary hospital, combined programs involving a tertiary and secondary metropolitan hospital, rural sites with a population of more than 25,000 and rural sites with a population less than 25,000 people. Perceptions were similar in male and female students. The overall mean score for all perceptions of the learning environment in obstetrics and gynaecology were in the range considered to be favorable. Higher scores of perceptions of the learning environment were associated positively with the measures of academic achievement in the clinical, but not written, examination. Medical students' perceptions of their learning environment in obstetrics and gynaecology were not influenced by the geographical site of delivery or their gender but were positively related to higher academic achievement. Providing appropriate academic and clinical support systems have been put in place the education of medical students can be extended outside major hospitals and into outer metropolitan and rural communities without any apparent reduction in perceptions of the quality of their learning environment.

  12. Psychiatry Departments Under Constrained Funding Mechanisms or What Is a Chairperson to Do?

    PubMed

    Magen, Jed; Rapaport, Mark Hyman

    2016-12-01

    The authors surveyed academic departments of psychiatry to examine what effect decreases in funding levels may be having. An internet survey of all departments of psychiatry was conducted at US medical schools. The response rate was 43 of 120 programs. Both large more research intensive and smaller more clinical departments responded. Majorities of departments reported that funding decreases negatively impacted faculty recruitment, research, faculty retention, and teaching programs. Approximately, one-third reported laying-off non-tenured faculty members and almost half, staff members. Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding was also a challenge. Departments reported responding by attempting to develop alternative funding sources. Few departments in the sample were doing significant fund raising. Academic departments find themselves stressed financially and are constricting some functions that are thought important. They are, in general, not able to replace lost funding. The research enterprise appears to be disproportionately affected and results in problems recruiting faculty. GME programs thus far seem less affected. Overall, funding issues appear to be causing serious issues that will have long-term consequences.

  13. Cervical Cancer Control for Hispanic Women in Texas: Effective Strategies from Research and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Fernandez, Maria E.; Savas, Lara S.; Lipizzi, Erica; Smith, Jennifer S.; Vernon, Sally W.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Hispanic women in Texas have among the highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the country. Increasing regular Papanicolaou test screening and HPV vaccination are crucial to reduce the burden of cervical cancer among Hispanics. This paper presents lessons learned from community-based cervical cancer control programs in Texas and highlights effective intervention programs, methods and strategies. Methods We reviewed and summarized cervical cancer control efforts targeting Hispanic women in Texas, focusing on interventions developed by researchers at the University of Texas, School of Public Health. We identified commonalities across programs, highlighted effective methods, and summarized lessons learned to help guide future intervention efforts. Results Community-academic partnerships were fundamental in all steps of program development and implementation. Programs reviewed addressed psychosocial, cultural, and access barriers to cervical cancer control among low-income Hispanic women. Intervention approaches included lay health worker (LHW) and navigation models and used print media, interactive tailored media, photonovellas, client reminders, one-on-one and group education sessions. Conclusions Small media materials combined with LHW and navigation approaches were effective in delivering Pap test screening and HPV vaccination messages and in linking women to services. Common theoretical methods included in these approaches were modeling, verbal persuasion, and facilitating access. Adaptation of programs to an urban environment revealed that intensive navigation was needed to link women with multiple access barriers to health services. Collectively, this review reveals 1) the importance of using a systematic approach for planning and adapting cervical cancer control programs; 2) advantages of collaborative academic-community partnerships to develop feasible interventions with broad reach; 3) the use of small media and LHW approaches and the need for tailored phone navigation in urban settings; and 4) coordination and technical assistance of community-based efforts as a way to maximize resources. PMID:24398135

  14. Association between home visiting interventions and First Nations families’ health and social outcomes in Manitoba, Canada: protocol for a study of linked population-based administrative data

    PubMed Central

    Brownell, Marni D; Nickel, Nathan C; Enns, Jennifer E; Chartier, Mariette; Campbell, Rhonda; Phillips-Beck, Wanda; Chateau, Dan; Burland, Elaine; Santos, Rob; Katz, Alan

    2017-01-01

    Introduction First Nations people are descendants of Canada’s original inhabitants. In consequence of historical and ongoing structural injustices, many First Nations families struggle with challenging living conditions, including high rates of poverty, poor housing conditions, mental illness and social isolation. These risk factors impede caregivers’ abilities to meet their children’s basic physical and psychosocial needs. Home visiting programmes were developed to support child developmental health in families facing parenting challenges. However, whether home visiting is an effective intervention for First Nations families has not been examined. We are evaluating two home visiting programmes in Manitoba, Canada, to determine whether they promote nurturing family environments for First Nations children. Methods and analysis This research builds on new and established relationships among academic researchers, government decision-makers and First Nations stakeholders. We will link health, education and social services data from the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository to data from two home visiting programmes in Manitoba. Logistic regression modelling will be used to assess whether programme participation is associated with improved child developmental health, better connections between families and social services, reduced instances of child maltreatment and being taken into out-of-home care by child welfare and reduced inequities for First Nations families. Non-participating individuals with similar sociodemographic characteristics will serve as comparators. We will use an interrupted time series approach to test for differences in outcomes before and after programme implementation and a propensity score analysis to compare differences between participants and non-participants. Ethics and dissemination Approvals were granted by the Health Information Research Governance Committee of the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba and the University of Manitoba Health Research Ethics Board. Our integrated knowledge translation approach will involve disseminating findings through government and community briefings, developing lay summaries and infographics, presenting at academic conferences and publishing in scientific journals. PMID:29018072

  15. Resource Use and Medicare Costs During Lay Navigation for Geriatric Patients With Cancer.

    PubMed

    Rocque, Gabrielle B; Pisu, Maria; Jackson, Bradford E; Kvale, Elizabeth A; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Martin, Michelle Y; Meneses, Karen; Li, Yufeng; Taylor, Richard A; Acemgil, Aras; Williams, Courtney P; Lisovicz, Nedra; Fouad, Mona; Kenzik, Kelly M; Partridge, Edward E

    2017-06-01

    Lay navigators in the Patient Care Connect Program support patients with cancer from diagnosis through survivorship to end of life. They empower patients to engage in their health care and navigate them through the increasingly complex health care system. Navigation programs can improve access to care, enhance coordination of care, and overcome barriers to timely, high-quality health care. However, few data exist regarding the financial implications of implementing a lay navigation program. To examine the influence of lay navigation on health care spending and resource use among geriatric patients with cancer within The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Cancer Community Network. This observational study from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2015, used propensity score-matched regression analysis to compare quarterly changes in the mean total Medicare costs and resource use between navigated patients and nonnavigated, matched comparison patients. The setting was The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Cancer Community Network, which includes 2 academic and 10 community cancer centers across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Participants were Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who received care at participating institutions from 2012 through 2015. The primary exposure was contact with a patient navigator. Navigated patients were matched to nonnavigated patients on age, race, sex, cancer acuity (high vs low), comorbidity score, and preenrollment characteristics (costs, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and chemotherapy in the preenrollment quarter). Total costs to Medicare, components of cost, and resource use (emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit admissions). In total, 12 428 patients (mean (SD) age at cancer diagnosis, 75 (7) years; 52.0% female) were propensity score matched, including 6214 patients in the navigated group and 6214 patients in the matched nonnavigated comparison group. Compared with the matched comparison group, the mean total costs declined by $781.29 more per quarter per navigated patient (β = -781.29, SE = 45.77, P < .001), for an estimated $19 million decline per year across the network. Inpatient and outpatient costs had the largest between-group quarterly declines, at $294 and $275, respectively, per patient. Emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit admissions decreased by 6.0%, 7.9%, and 10.6%, respectively, per quarter in navigated patients compared with matched comparison patients (P < .001). Costs to Medicare and health care use from 2012 through 2015 declined significantly for navigated patients compared with matched comparison patients. Lay navigation programs should be expanded as health systems transition to value-based health care.

  16. Technology and Transformation in Academic Libraries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Ward

    Academic library computing systems, which are among the most complex found in academic environments, now include external systems, such as online commercial search services and nationwide networks, and local systems that control and support internal operations. As librarians have realized the benefit of using computer systems to perform…

  17. Students as Spectators: Their Academic and Social Integration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clopton, Aaron

    2009-01-01

    There is extensive research literature addressing the impact that the college experience has on students, linking the campus environment to their persistence and graduation, satisfaction, sense of community, academic and social integration, and academic performance. Researchers have yet to fully address the connection between students identifying…

  18. Understanding the Organizational Context of Academic Program Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dee, Jay R.; Heineman, William A.

    2016-01-01

    This chapter provides a conceptual model that academic leaders can use to navigate the complex, and often contentious, organizational terrain of academic program development. The model includes concepts related to the institution's external environment, as well as internal organizational structures, cultures, and politics. Drawing from the…

  19. Comparison of Students' Perceptions of Their Teaching-Learning Environments in Three Professional Academic Disciplines: A Valuable Tool for Quality Enhancement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haarala-Muhonen, Anne; Ruohoniemi, Mirja; Katajavuori, Nina; Lindblom-Ylanne, Sari

    2011-01-01

    The present study explored differences in students' perceptions of their teaching-learning environments in three professional academic disciplines at the University of Helsinki, using a modified version of the Experiences of Teaching & Learning Questionnaire. A total of 426 first-year students from the Faculties of Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary…

  20. Pathways to the Professoriate: The Role of Self, Others, and Environment in Shaping Academic Career Aspirations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindholm, Jennifer A.

    2004-01-01

    The findings reported here are part of a larger study that examined how faculty view the linkages between themselves and their institutional work environments; how they create a sense of personal space and belonging within their academic units and the larger university; and how their self-perceptions of organizational fit affect their professional…

  1. Testing Two Path Models to Explore Relationships between Students' Experiences of the Teaching-Learning Environment, Approaches to Learning and Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karagiannopoulou, Evangelia; Milienos, Fotios S.

    2015-01-01

    The study explores the relationships between students' experiences of the teaching-learning environment and their approaches to learning, and the effects of these variables on academic achievement. Two three-stage models were tested with structural equation modelling techniques. The "Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students"…

  2. Information Professional or IT Professional?: The Knowledge and Skills Required by Academic Librarians in the Digital Library Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raju, Jaya

    2017-01-01

    As library and information science (LIS) becomes an increasingly technology-driven profession, particularly in the academic library environment, questions arise as to the extent of information technology (IT) knowledge and skills that LIS professionals require. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain what IT knowledge and skills are needed by…

  3. College Seniors' Plans for Graduate School: Do Deep Approaches Learning and Holland Academic Environments Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rocconi, Louis M.; Ribera, Amy K.; Nelson Laird, Thomas F.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the extent to which college seniors' plans for graduate school are related to their tendency to engage in deep approaches to learning (DAL) and their academic environments (majors) as classified by Holland type. Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, we analyzed responses from over 116,000 seniors attending…

  4. Social Support and Success in Higher Education: The Influence of On-Campus Support on African American and Latino College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Christina N.

    2013-01-01

    This study focuses on how personal support from the college environment influences the academic performance of African American and Latino college students attending selective colleges. Under-represented students at selective colleges continue to face challenges to their academic success, and support from the college environment is a key factor in…

  5. An Academic Integrity Approach to Learning and Assessment Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamilton, Margaret; Richardson, Joan

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, we discuss the role of the educator in terms of designing a learning environment for the student which encourages the student to develop their own academic integrity. In such an environment, there is no need for the student to resort to plagiarism, as the learning and assessment tasks are not conducive to cheating, being unique and…

  6. The Effect of Integrating Movement into the Learning Environment of Kindergarten Children on Their Academic Achievements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shoval, Ella; Sharir, Tal; Arnon, Michal; Tenenbaum, Gershon

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to test the notion that integrating movement into the learning environment contributes to the academic achievements of kindergarten students. One hundred and sixty 4-6 year-old kindergarten students participated in the study for 145 days, which included pre- and post-intervention tests in language, mathematics, and…

  7. Effectiveness of Blended Cooperative Learning Environment in Biology Teaching: Classroom Community Sense, Academic Achievement and Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yapici, I. Ümit

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Blended Cooperative Learning Environment (BCLE) in biology teaching on students' classroom community sense, their academic achievement and on their levels of satisfaction. In the study, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together. The study was carried out with 30 students in…

  8. A Study of the Relationship between Academic Achievement Motivation and Home Environment among Standard Eight Pupils

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muola, J. M.

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between academic achievement motivation and home environment among standard eight pupils. The study was carried out on 235 standard eight Kenyan pupils from six urban and rural primary schools randomly selected from Machakos district. Their age ranged between 13 and 17 years. Two…

  9. Autonomy Supported, Learner-Controlled or System-Controlled Learning in Hypermedia Environments and the Influence of Academic Self-Regulation Style

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorissen, Chantal J. J.; Kester, Liesbeth; Brand-Gruwel, Saskia; Martens, Rob

    2015-01-01

    This study focuses on learning in three different hypermedia environments that either support autonomous learning, learner-controlled learning or system-controlled learning and explores the mediating role of academic self-regulation style (ASRS; i.e. a macro level of motivation) on learning. This research was performed to gain more insight in the…

  10. Adolescents' Perception of the Psychological Security of School Environment, Emotional Development and Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Gombe Metropolis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musa, Alice K. J.; Meshak, Bibi; Sagir, Jummai Ibrahim

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine adolescents' perceptions of the psychological security of their schools environments and their relationship with their emotional development and academic performance in secondary schools in Gombe Metropolis. A sample of 239 (107 males and 133 females) secondary school students selected via stratified…

  11. The weaker sex? Exploring lay understandings of gender differences in life expectancy: A qualitative study☆

    PubMed Central

    Emslie, Carol; Hunt, Kate

    2008-01-01

    Despite increasing interest in gender and health, ‘lay’ perceptions of gender differences in mortality have been neglected. Drawing on semi-structured interview data from 45 men and women in two age cohorts (born in the early 1950s and 1970s) in the UK, we investigated lay explanations for women's longer life expectancy. Our data suggest that respondents were aware of women's increased longevity, but found this difficult to explain. While many accounts were multifactorial, socio-cultural explanations were more common, more detailed and less tentative than biological explanations. Different socio-cultural explanations (i.e. gendered social roles, ‘macho’ constraints on men and gender differences in health-related behaviours) were linked by the perception that life expectancy would converge as men and women's lives became more similar. Health behaviours such as going to the doctor or drinking alcohol were often located within wider structural contexts. Female respondents were more likely to focus on women's reproductive and caring roles, while male respondents were more likely to focus on how men were disadvantaged by their ‘provider’ role. We locate these narratives within academic debates about conceptualising gender: e.g. ‘gender as structure’ versus ‘gender as performance’, ‘gender as difference’ versus ‘gender as diversity’. PMID:18558455

  12. Designing a Community-Based Lay Health Advisor Training Curriculum to Address Cancer Health Disparities

    PubMed Central

    Gwede, Clement K.; Ashley, Atalie A.; McGinnis, Kara; Montiel-Ishino, F. Alejandro; Standifer, Maisha; Baldwin, Julie; Williams, Coni; Sneed, Kevin B.; Wathington, Deanna; Dash-Pitts, Lolita; Green, B. Lee

    2012-01-01

    Introduction Racial and ethnic minorities have disproportionately higher cancer incidence and mortality than their White counterparts. In response to this inequity in cancer prevention and care, community-based lay health advisors (LHAs) may be suited to deliver effective, culturally relevant, quality cancer education, prevention/screening, and early detection services for underserved populations. Approach and Strategies Consistent with key tenets of community-based participatory research (CBPR), this project engaged community partners to develop and implement a unique LHA training curriculum to address cancer health disparities among medically underserved communities in a tricounty area. Seven phases of curriculum development went into designing a final seven-module LHA curriculum. In keeping with principles of CBPR and community engagement, academic–community partners and LHAs themselves were involved at all phases to ensure the needs of academic and community partners were mutually addressed in development and implementation of the LHA program. Discussion and Conclusions Community-based LHA programs for outreach, education, and promotion of cancer screening and early detection, are ideal for addressing cancer health disparities in access and quality care. When community-based LHAs are appropriately recruited, trained, and located in communities, they provide unique opportunities to link, bridge, and facilitate quality cancer education, services, and research. PMID:22982709

  13. A review of hair product use on breast cancer risk in African American women.

    PubMed

    Stiel, Laura; Adkins-Jackson, Paris B; Clark, Phyllis; Mitchell, Eudora; Montgomery, Susanne

    2016-03-01

    The incidence rate of breast cancer for African American women has recently converged with that of non-Hispanic White women in the United States, although African Americans have a higher mortality rate due to this disease. Although most research exploring health disparities associated with this phenomenon has focused on differences between women based on biology and behavior, both the academic and lay communities have begun to explore the potential role of environmental exposure to estrogen and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This study reviews the current state of the science associating one such means of exposure, hair products containing EDCs, with breast cancer risk in African American women. We found a growing body of evidence linking: (1) environmental estrogen and EDC exposures to breast cancer risk, (2) the presence of such chemicals in personal care products, including hair products, and (3) the use of certain hair products with potential breast cancer risk in African Americans. At the same time, there is also increasing concern in the lay community about this risk. These results indicate the need for additional research, and the opportunity to benefit from strategic partnerships in community-collaborative approaches in order to better understand the potential "cost of beauty." © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. ‘Much clearer with pictures’: using community-based participatory research to design and test a Picture Option Grid for underserved patients with breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Durand, Marie-Anne; Alam, Shama; Grande, Stuart W; Elwyn, Glyn

    2016-01-01

    Objective Women of low socioeconomic status (SES) diagnosed with early stage breast cancer experience decision-making, treatment and outcome disparities. Evidence suggests that decision aids can benefit underserved patients, when tailored to their needs. Our aim was to develop and test the usability, acceptability and accessibility of a pictorial encounter decision aid targeted at women of low SES diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Design Community-based participatory research (CBPR) using think-aloud protocols (phases 1 and 2) and semistructured interviews (phase 3). Setting Underserved community settings (eg, knitting groups, bingo halls, senior centres) and breast clinics. Participants In phase 1, we recruited a convenience sample of clinicians and academics. In phase 2, we targeted women over 40 years of age, of low SES, regardless of breast cancer history, and in phase 3, women of low SES, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Intervention The pictorial encounter decision aid was derived from an evidence-based table comparing treatment options for breast cancer (http://www.optiongrid.org). Outcome measures We assessed the usability, acceptability and accessibility of the pictorial decision aid prototypes using the think-aloud protocol and semistructured interviews. Results After initial testing of the first prototype with 18 academics and health professionals, new versions were developed and tested with 53 lay individuals in community settings. Usability was high. In response to feedback indicating that the use of cartoon characters was considered insensitive, a picture-only version was developed and tested with 23 lay people in phase 2, and 10 target users in phase 3. Conclusions and relevance Using CBPR methods and iterative user testing cycles improved usability and accessibility, and led to the development of the Picture Option Grid, entirely guided by multiple stakeholder feedback. All women of low SES recently diagnosed with early stage breast cancer found the Picture Option Grid usable, acceptable and accessible. PMID:26839014

  15. Assessing the Impact of Academic Placement on Academic Achievement among 5th Graders with Disabilities: A Causal-Comparative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivera, Roana Kasandra

    2017-01-01

    Since the mid '70s, school districts have been trying to place students with disabilities in the least restricted environment. As governments strive to create a more inclusive society, an inclusive academic setting for students with disabilities has become a priority. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of academic setting on…

  16. Perception of Gifted Students on Compulsory Subjects in Their Academic Performance a Case of Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bundotich, Sarah; Kimaiyo, Lilian

    2015-01-01

    Academic performance is a function of many interrelated variables including inherent study efforts, modes of teaching, school environment and students ability. Many gifted students may face myriads of academic problems, which may however, be masked by their academic prowess, yet research into this realm is limited in Kenya. The objectives of the…

  17. The Impact of Perceived Barriers, Academic Anxiety, and Resource Management Strategies on Achievement in First-Year Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heller, Monica L.; Cassady, Jerrell C.

    2017-01-01

    The current study explored the impact of internal and external barriers (e.g., academic anxiety, employment) that place subgroups of college students at risk for academic failure in the first year. The mitigating potential of academic resource management strategies (e.g., time-study environment) was also examined. In a sample of 885 first-semester…

  18. Team Teaching with Academic Core Curricula Teachers: Using Aviation Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berentsen, Lowell W.

    2006-01-01

    Technology education teachers today have at their disposal the skills, opportunity, experience, ingenuity, expertise, equipment, and environment to greatly improve students' ability to learn and apply the knowledge they have gained in their academic programs. When a technology education teacher joins forces with an academic core teacher, the…

  19. Academic Freedom: A Global Comparative Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marginson, Simon

    2014-01-01

    Academic freedom is best understood not as an abstract universal principle or an ideal state of being but as concrete university practices nested in specific relational environments. As such, practices of academic freedom vary across the world, according to variations in political cultures, educational cultures and state-university relations. The…

  20. Family Environment, Educational Aspirations, and Academic Achievement in Two Cultural Settings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seginer, Rachel; Vermulst, Ad

    2002-01-01

    Tested a four-step model involving family background parental support and demandingness, educational aspirations, and academic achievement. Data came from Israeli eighth graders within two cultural settings: transition to modernity (Arabs) and Western (Jews). Family background directly and indirectly affected academic achievement among Arabs but…

  1. Moral Reasoning, Academic Dishonesty, and Business Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bélanger, Charles H.; Leonard, Valorie M.; LeBrasseur, Rolland

    2012-01-01

    This study links moral reasoning, academic dishonesty, and business students. Undergraduate business students (N = 1357) from eight Ontario (Canada) universities responded to a survey to express their perceptions and expectations of their academic environment and the variables that can help them to understand what is morally right and what is…

  2. Using Learning Analytics for Preserving Academic Integrity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amigud, Alexander; Arnedo-Moreno, Joan; Daradoumis, Thanasis; Guerrero-Roldan, Ana-Elena

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the results of integrating learning analytics into the assessment process to enhance academic integrity in the e-learning environment. The goal of this research is to evaluate the computational-based approach to academic integrity. The machine-learning based framework learns students' patterns of language use from data,…

  3. Internationalization as a Response to Globalization: Radical Shifts in University Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stromquist, Nelly P.

    2007-01-01

    This case study probes recent developments in a number of academic and non-academic aspects of a private research university in response to current globalization trends. Under the name of internationalization, university administrators and external firms are emerging as powerful decision-makers shaping academic content and even academic…

  4. Changes in Academic Entrepreneurship among Japanese University Bioscientists, 1980-2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kameo, Nahoko

    2014-01-01

    The dissertation examines how Japanese university scientists in the biosciences responded to legal and institutional changes in academic entrepreneurship. Beginning in the 1990s, the Japanese government initiated a series of policy initiatives that attempted to imitate the U.S. academic environment's approach to promoting entrepreneurship. Using…

  5. Building Next Generation Video Game Collections in Academic Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laskowski, Mary; Ward, David

    2009-01-01

    Most academic libraries do not yet have gaming collections, let alone gaming services and facilities that support the unique and growing teaching and research needs of campus environments. Academic libraries in particular need to start thinking about developing the next generation of gaming collections and services. This article examines the…

  6. Using Cultural Identity to Improve Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klos, Maureen L.

    2006-01-01

    Many South-African learners, bringing their particular cultural identity to the higher education environment, find it challenging to achieve the academic literacy required for successful mastery of their studies. Though they want to realize academic success, a cultural chasm may exist between their cultural roots and their academic identity. This…

  7. Corporate-Academic Partnerships: Creating a Win-Win in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deeter-Schmelz, Dawn Reneé

    2015-01-01

    For instructors seeking ways to provide sales students with experiential learning projects designed to develop and enhance skills in an authentic environment, corporate-academic partnerships offer a viable option. The author describes a unique and innovative corporate-academic integrated project, including course content, role plays, and corporate…

  8. Close Early Learning Gaps with Rigorous DAP

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Christopher P.; Mowry, Brian

    2015-01-01

    Rigorous DAP (developmentally appropriate practices) is a set of 11 principles of instruction intended to help close early childhood learning gaps. Academically rigorous learning environments create the conditions for children to learn at high levels. While academic rigor focuses on one dimension of education--academic--DAP considers the whole…

  9. Looking at the Male Librarian Stereotype.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickinson, Thad E.

    2002-01-01

    Discussion of library profession stereotypes focuses on academic male librarians. Topics include the position of the early academic librarians and the environment in which they worked; the beginnings of reference service; women in academic libraries; men in a feminized profession; and current images of male librarians in motion pictures and…

  10. The social and learning environments experienced by underrepresented minority medical students: a narrative review.

    PubMed

    Orom, Heather; Semalulu, Teresa; Underwood, Willie

    2013-11-01

    To review the literature on the social and learning environments experienced by underrepresented minority (URM) medical students to determine what type of interventions are needed to eliminate potential barriers to enrolling and retaining URM students. The authors searched MEDLINE, PubMed, Ovid HealthStar, and Web of Science, and the reference lists of included studies, published between January 1, 1980, and September 15, 2012. Studies of the learning and social environments and of students' satisfaction, experiences with discrimination or unfair practices, and academic performance or progress, as well as assessments of programs or interventions to improve URM students' academic performance, were eligible for inclusion. The authors identified 28 studies (27 unique data sets) meeting the inclusion criteria. The results of the included studies indicated that URM students experienced less supportive social and less positive learning environments, were subjected to discrimination and racial harassment, and were more likely to see their race as having a negative impact on their medical school experiences than non-URM students. Academic performance on standardized exams was worse, progress less timely, and attrition higher for URM students as well. For URM students, an adverse climate may be decreasing the attractiveness of careers in medicine, impairing their academic performance, and increasing attrition. Improvements to the social and learning environments experienced by URM students are needed to make medicine a more inclusive profession. The current environment of health care reform creates an opportunity for institutions to implement strategies to achieve this goal.

  11. Key Elements of Clinical Physician Leadership at an Academic Medical Center

    PubMed Central

    Dine, C. Jessica; Kahn, Jeremy M; Abella, Benjamin S; Asch, David A; Shea, Judy A

    2011-01-01

    Background A considerable body of literature in the management sciences has defined leadership and how leadership skills can be attained. There is considerably less literature about leadership within medical settings. Physicians-in-training are frequently placed in leadership positions ranging from running a clinical team or overseeing a resuscitation effort. However, physicians-in-training rarely receive such training. The objective of this study was to discover characteristics associated with effective physician leadership at an academic medical center for future development of such training. Methods We conducted focus groups with medical professionals (attending physicians, residents, and nurses) at an academic medical center. The focus group discussion script was designed to elicit participants' perceptions of qualities necessary for physician leadership. The lead question asked participants to imagine a scenario in which they either acted as or observed a physician leader. Two independent reviewers reviewed transcripts to identify key domains of physician leadership. Results Although the context was not specified, the focus group participants discussed leadership in the context of a clinical team. They identified 4 important themes: management of the team, establishing a vision, communication, and personal attributes. Conclusions Physician leadership exists in clinical settings. This study highlights the elements essential to that leadership. Understanding the physician attributes and behaviors that result in effective leadership and teamwork can lay the groundwork for more formal leadership education for physicians-in-training. PMID:22379520

  12. Critical Thinking as Reflected in the Sudanese and Jordanian Secondary School Certificate English Language Examinations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharif, Khalid Sharif Mohammed; Siddiek, Ahmed Gumaa

    2017-01-01

    This study emerges from the need of English Language Teachers in Sudan and Jordan to lay appropriate assessment strategies to meet the anticipated educational objectives among the learners of English. It is also hoped to improve language assessment in similar educational environments in the Arab world. We intended to find out the level of…

  13. "Place" as an integrating concept in natural resource politics: propositions for a social science research agenda.

    Treesearch

    Antony S. Cheng; Linda E. Kruger; Steven E. Daniels

    2003-01-01

    This article lays out six propositions centering on a relationship between peopleplace connections and strategic behavior in natural resource politics. The first two propositions suggest a strong and direct connection between self-identity, place, and how individuals perceive and value the environment. The third, fourth, and fifth propositions tie together social group...

  14. Laying the Foundation for Competency Education: A Policy Guide for the Next Generation Educator Workforce

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pace, Lillian; Worthen, Maria

    2014-01-01

    This paper provides a vision and set of policy recommendations to help federal, state, and local leaders develop the workforce necessary to support teaching and learning in a competency-based K-12 education system. Part One, Pre-service and Credentialing for K-12 Competency-Based Learning Environments, provides policymakers with a framework and…

  15. Beliefs about emotional residue: the idea that emotions leave a trace in the physical environment.

    PubMed

    Savani, Krishna; Kumar, Satishchandra; Naidu, N V R; Dweck, Carol S

    2011-10-01

    Drawing upon the literatures on beliefs about magical contagion and property transmission, we examined people's belief in a novel mechanism of human-to-human contagion, emotional residue. This is the lay belief that people's emotions leave traces in the physical environment, which can later influence others or be sensed by others. Studies 1-4 demonstrated that Indians are more likely than Americans to endorse a lay theory of emotions as substances that move in and out of the body, and to claim that they can sense emotional residue. However, when the belief in emotional residue is measured implicitly, both Indians and American believe to a similar extent that emotional residue influences the moods and behaviors of those who come into contact with it (Studies 5-7). Both Indians and Americans also believe that closer relationships and a larger number of people yield more detectable residue (Study 8). Finally, Study 9 demonstrated that beliefs about emotional residue can influence people's behaviors. Together, these finding suggest that emotional residue is likely to be an intuitive concept, one that people in different cultures acquire even without explicit instruction. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

  16. Analysis of Transportation Options for Commercial Spent Fuel in the U.S.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kalinina, Elena; Busch, Ingrid Karin

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S.more » Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) high and associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) highand associated transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF)...« less

  17. Student perceptions of stress, coping, relationships, and academic civility: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Clark, Cynthia M; Nguyen, Danh T; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina

    2014-01-01

    Academic incivility can increase student stress, jeopardize learning, damage relationships, and negatively impact the academic environment. This 3-year longitudinal study measured a cohort of prelicensure nursing students' progressive perceptions of stress, coping, student-student and faculty-student relationships, and levels of academic civility. While civility scores remained mild to moderately high overall, there was a slightly declining trend over the 3-year period. Perceived stressors and coping strategies and ways to improve academic civility are identified and discussed.

  18. The Effectiveness of Self-Regulated Learning Scaffolds on Academic Performance in Computer-Based Learning Environments: A Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Lanqin

    2016-01-01

    This meta-analysis examined research on the effects of self-regulated learning scaffolds on academic performance in computer-based learning environments from 2004 to 2015. A total of 29 articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis with a total sample size of 2,648 students. Moderator analyses were performed using a…

  19. The Impact of Control Belief and Learning Disorientation on Cognitive Load: The Mediating Effect of Academic Emotions in Two Types of Hypermedia Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunawan; Xiong, Junmei

    2017-01-01

    The present study tested the influence of control belief, learning disorientation, and academic emotions on cognitive load in two types of concept-map structures within hypermedia learning environment. Four hundred and eighty-five students were randomly assigned to two groups: 245 students in the hierarchical group and 240 students in the…

  20. Prediction of Student Performance in Academic and Military Learning Environment: Use of Multiple Linear Regression Predictive Model and Hypothesis Testing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khan, Wasi Z.; Al Zubaidy, Sarim

    2017-01-01

    The variance in students' academic performance in a civilian institute and in a military technological institute could be linked to the environment of the competition available to the students. The magnitude of talent, domain of skills and volume of efforts students put are identical in both type of institutes. The significant factor is the…

  1. Effect of Insecurity of School Environment on the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Imo State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ojukwu, M. O.

    2017-01-01

    The major aim of this study was to investigate the effect of insecurity of school environment on the academic performance of secondary school students in Imo state, Nigeria. A total of 1000 made up of 500 each of male and female students responded to a self-structured validated questionnaire designed for the study. Two research questions and two…

  2. Use of Digital Resources in an Academic Environment: A Qualitative Study of Students' Perceptions, Experiences, and Digital Literacy Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matusiak, Krystyna K.

    2010-01-01

    The use of information resources for teaching and learning in an academic environment is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The development of digital technologies and the growth of the Internet have changed the format as well as the dissemination methods of scholarly resources. Digital libraries have been created as part of the transition from…

  3. The Impact of Interactive Environment and Metacognitive Support on Academic Achievement and Transactional Distance in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yilmaz, Ramazan; Keser, Hafize

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to reveal the impact of the interactive environment and metacognitive support (MS) in online learning on academic achievement and transactional distance (TD). The study is designed as 2 × 2 factorial design, and both qualitative and quantitative research techniques are used. The study was carried out on 127…

  4. Transitional and Transformational Spaces: Mentoring Young Academics through Writing Centres

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archer, Arlene; Parker, Shabnam

    2016-01-01

    The effectiveness of writing centre interventions on student writing in higher education has been well-documented in academic literacies studies. This paper changes the focus of investigation from student to consultant and, consequently, explores the way in which an academic writing centre can function as a mentoring environment for young…

  5. Seeking Full Citizenship: A Defense of Tenure Faculty Status for Librarians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coker, Catherine; vanDuinkerken, Wyoma; Bales, Stephen

    2010-01-01

    Tenure status for library faculty in the academic environment is coming under increasing attack from administration, faculty members in other departments, and non-academics. This is due to incorrect perceptions about what academic librarians do and how they serve their profession. This paper describes the many challenges faculty librarians face in…

  6. Testing the Psychometric Features of the Academic Intellectual Leadership Scale in a University Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uslu, Baris

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to develop a scale for measuring the level of academics' intellectual leadership, test the scale by examining the influence of their personal and institutional characteristics, and then investigate the relationship of academic intellectual leadership (AIL) to communication, climate, and managerial flexibility…

  7. Essays on Academic Achievement and Student Behavior in Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moussa, Wael Soheil

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation examines the student academic achievement through various mechanisms, put in place by the public school district, classroom student behavior, and negative external shocks to the students' living environment. I examine the impacts of various treatments on student short and long run academic outcomes such as math and English test…

  8. Responding to University Policies and Initiatives: The Role of Reflexivity in the Mid-Career Academic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brew, Angela; Boud, David; Lucas, Lisa; Crawford, Karin

    2017-01-01

    How do academics make sense of university policies and strategic initiatives and act on them? Interviews were conducted with 27 mid-career academics in different disciplines, different research-intensive university environments and two countries (England and Australia). Data were analysed iteratively utilising a critical realist perspective,…

  9. The Effective Academic: A Handbook for Enhanced Academic Practice. The Times Higher Education Supplement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketteridge, Steve, Ed.; Marshall, Stephanie, Ed.; Fry, Heather, Ed.

    This handbook provides guidance about controlling and directing an academic career by suggesting systematic approaches to key areas of responsibility and activity. It explores management and leadership in higher education, developing and promoting research and teaching, and coping with the changing university environment. The chapters of part 1,…

  10. Changing roles of academic societies due to globalization.

    PubMed

    Ehara, Shigeru; Aoki, Shigeki; Honda, Hiroshi

    2016-10-01

    Because of the globalization of environment around the academic society, the expected roles have changed significantly. In this short communication, we present the current situation in our international activities of the Japan Radiological Society, particularly in the academic activities and clinical practice. Establishing and reinforcing international network is one process of their promotion.

  11. FAST-Future Academic Scholars in Teaching: A High-Engagement Development Program for Future STEM Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vergara, Claudia E.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Campa, Henry, III; Cheruvelil, Kendra S.; Ebert-May, Diane; Fata-Hartley, Cori; Johnston, Kevin

    2014-01-01

    Doctoral granting institutions prepare future faculty members for academic positions at institutions of higher education across the nation. Growing concerns about whether these institutions are adequately preparing students to meet the demands of a changing academic environment have prompted several reform efforts. We describe a professional…

  12. Reflections of Academic Experiences from Formerly Incarcerated African American Males

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeffers, Adam R.

    2017-01-01

    This research examines academic experiences of African American males (ages 18-25) who attended urban schools in southern California. The participants were incarcerated for at least one year prior to being housed in a pre-release program where they reflected on their academic experiences and perceptions of the school environment. The participants'…

  13. Academic and Social Support Critical to Success in Academically Rigorous Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Melissa

    2010-01-01

    To ensure that more American students attend college and are prepared to participate in a global economy, secondary schools have increased academic rigor and raised standards. By emphasizing vertical alignment of courses from preschool through college, secondary schools can help close the expectation gap that exists between high school and college…

  14. Staying True to the Core: Designing the Future Academic Library Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Steven J.

    2014-01-01

    In 2014, the practice of user experience design in academic libraries continues to evolve. It is typically applied in the context of interactions with digital interfaces. Some academic librarians are applying user experience approaches more broadly to design both environments and services with human-centered strategies. As the competition for the…

  15. Careers in Academe: The Academic Labour Market as an Eco-System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baruch, Yehuda

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to explore the contrast between stable and dynamic labour markets in academe in light of career theories that were originally developed for business environments. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual design, offering the eco-system as a framework. Findings: It evaluates their relevance and applicability to dynamic and…

  16. Higher Education Leaders' Transformative Learning and Leadership Experiences Responding to Student Drug Abuse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Battin, James Vernon

    2017-01-01

    Today's academic and social environment creates uncertainties, new roles, frequent changes, and challenging situations for student affairs academic leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore how student affairs academic leaders described their recent challenging experiences in addressing student drug abuse in higher education. The…

  17. A Cultural Hybridization Perspective: Emerging Academic Subculture among International Students from East Asia in U.S.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Jian

    2016-01-01

    This research examines the emerging academic subculture of international students from East Asia in U.S. academics from the cultural hybridization perspective. In a knowledge-based economy, international education plays a pivotal role in the global educational environment. Advocacy of international student mobility is essential; international…

  18. Tutoring Styles That Encourage Learner Satisfaction, Academic Engagement, and Achievement in an Online Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chae, Soo Eun; Shin, Jae-Han

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed to find which tutoring styles significantly predict learners' satisfaction with an e-learning service, academic involvement, and academic achievement. The tutoring styles included subject expert, facilitator, guider, and administrator. In this study, 818 Korean sixth-grade students (ages 11-12 years), enrolled in the…

  19. The Construction of the Chinese Academic System: Its History and Present Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yan, Guangcai

    2009-01-01

    The rise and development of China's academic system is a process that started from "passively accepting Western Learning" to today's "catching up with Western Learning and even exceeding it". In the last century, China experienced a turbulent and unstable social environment in which academics and politics have always been…

  20. Examining the Academic Counseling Courses as a Support Service in Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cekerol, Kamil; Bozkaya, Mujgan

    2010-01-01

    Academic counseling courses, in which learner support is provided in a face-to-face environment, maintain their importance and continuity since the beginning of the distance education system in Anadolu University. Academic counseling courses, which are carried out by getting support from various universities, are conducted by bringing the…

  1. Tribal, Proletarian and Entrepreneurial Career Stories: Junior Academics as a Case in Point

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ylijoki, Oili-Helena; Henriksson, Lea

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the career-building of junior academics in the current higher education environment, which is characterised by short-term employment conditions. The paper is based on focus group discussions with Finnish early career academics working in the social sciences. Drawing upon a narrative approach, five career stories are…

  2. Fools, Facilitators and Flexians: Academic Identities in Marketised Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Katherine

    2012-01-01

    Employing the interdisciplinary field of health inequalities as a case study, this paper draws on interviews to explore subjective accounts of academic identities. It finds widespread acceptance that academia is a market place in which research-active careers require academics to function as entrepreneurs marketing ideas to funders. Beyond this,…

  3. Academic Synergy in the Age of Technology--A New Instructional Paradigm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Yulong; Runyon, L. R.

    2004-01-01

    In this article, the authors show how effective use of new technology can increase academic productivity and enhance educational quality in higher learning institutions. The authors sought to develop an instructional model that integrates information technology with faculty resources to enhance teaching and learning in the academic environment.…

  4. Evaluating the Influence of University Organizational Characteristics and Attributes on Technology Commercialization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goble, Lisa A.

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation project seeks to make a contribution to the growing body of literature on academic technology commercialization and the entrepreneurial efforts of faculty and students at US research universities. The academic environment across the United States has seen an increased emphasis on moving the results of academic research into the…

  5. Awakening the Academy: A Time for New Leadership.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilms, Wellford W.; Zell, Deone M.

    As the higher education environment becomes more turbulent, administrators and academic leaders are caught between opposing forces that demand change and at the same time resist it. This book provides some guidance for academic leaders based on the study of three significant academic units at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and…

  6. Contending medical ideologies and state formation: the nineteenth-century origins of medical pluralism in contemporary Colombia.

    PubMed

    Sowell, David

    2003-01-01

    This article addresses the encounter between contending medical ideologies in nineteenth-century Colombia. The first era of medical pluralism, in colonial Latin America, developed from the imposition of Hispanic medicine on existing indigenous medical systems through an imperial structure. This produced a "colonial medical spectrum" incorporating various medical ideologies that came under attack by practitioners of scientific medicine in the 1800s. As scientific physicians gained privileged access to state resources, they undertook partially successful campaigns to deny Hispanic, homeopathic, and other medical systems the right to be practiced. As the state authorized scientific medicine, other practices became "popularized," thereby laying the foundation for the medical pluralism of contemporary Colombia that juxtaposes "academic" and "traditional" medicines.

  7. Structure-Based Virtual Screening of Commercially Available Compound Libraries.

    PubMed

    Kireev, Dmitri

    2016-01-01

    Virtual screening (VS) is an efficient hit-finding tool. Its distinctive strength is that it allows one to screen compound libraries that are not available in the lab. Moreover, structure-based (SB) VS also enables an understanding of how the hit compounds bind the protein target, thus laying ground work for the rational hit-to-lead progression. SBVS requires a very limited experimental effort and is particularly well suited for academic labs and small biotech companies that, unlike pharmaceutical companies, do not have physical access to quality small-molecule libraries. Here, we describe SBVS of commercial compound libraries for Mer kinase inhibitors. The screening protocol relies on the docking algorithm Glide complemented by a post-docking filter based on structural protein-ligand interaction fingerprints (SPLIF).

  8. Mobile Robotic Telepresence Solutions for the Education of Hospitalized Children.

    PubMed

    Soares, Neelkamal; Kay, Jeffrey C; Craven, Geoff

    2017-01-01

    Hospitalization affects children's school attendance, resulting in poor academic and sociodevelopmental outcomes. The increasing ubiquity of mobile and tablet technology in educational and healthcare environments, and the growth of the mobile robotic telepresence (MRT) industry, offer opportunities for the use of MRT to connect hospitalized children to their school environments. This article describes an approach at one rural healthcare center in collaboration with local school districts with the aim of describing strategies and limitations of MRT use. Future research is needed on MRT implementation, from user experiences to operational strategies, and outcome metrics need to be developed to measure academic and socioemotional outcomes. By partnering with educational systems and using this technology, hospital information technology personnel can help hospitalized children engage with their school environments to maintain connections with peers and access academic instruction.

  9. Competitive marketing strategies. A challenge for academic practices.

    PubMed

    Sinioris, M E

    1985-01-01

    A special challenge has been presented to academic medical practices by the new healthcare environment. While increased competition for patients and resources affects all medical groups, it is the academic practices who are responsible for training the physicians of tomorrow. Not only must they sharpen their students' awareness of the new environment and teach them to incorporate effective management strategies into their practices, but they must set an example in effective management as well. The basic concepts of competitive marketing strategy, along with helpful exhibits, are presented here, and strategies for effectively maximizing position are discussed from the viewpoints of product mix, process market, and financing.

  10. Nurture Net of Nature: Re-Evaluating the Role of Shared Environments in Academic Achievement and Verbal Intelligence

    PubMed Central

    Daw, Jonathan; Guo, Guang; Harris, Kathie Mullan

    2016-01-01

    Prominent authors in the behavioral genetics tradition have long argued that shared environments do not meaningfully shape intelligence and academic achievement. However, we argue that these conclusions are erroneous due to large violations of the additivity assumption underlying behavioral genetics methods – that sources of genetic and shared and nonshared environmental variance are independent and non-interactive. This is compounded in some cases by the theoretical equation of the effective and objective environments, where the former is defined by whether siblings are made more or less similar, and the latter by whether siblings are equally subject to the environmental characteristic in question. Using monozygotic twin fixed effects models, which compare outcomes among genetically identical pairs, we show that many characteristics of objectively shared environments significantly moderate the effects of nonshared environments on adolescent academic achievement and verbal intelligence, violating the additivity assumption of behavioral genetic methods. Importantly, these effects would be categorized as nonshared environmental influences in standard twin models despite their roots in shared environments. These findings should encourage caution among those who claim that the frequently trivial variance attributed to shared environments in behavioral genetic models means that families, schools, and neighborhoods do not meaningfully influence these outcomes. PMID:26004471

  11. Nurture net of nature: Re-evaluating the role of shared environments in academic achievement and verbal intelligence.

    PubMed

    Daw, Jonathan; Guo, Guang; Harris, Kathie Mullan

    2015-07-01

    Prominent authors in the behavioral genetics tradition have long argued that shared environments do not meaningfully shape intelligence and academic achievement. However, we argue that these conclusions are erroneous due to large violations of the additivity assumption underlying behavioral genetics methods - that sources of genetic and shared and nonshared environmental variance are independent and non-interactive. This is compounded in some cases by the theoretical equation of the effective and objective environments, where the former is defined by whether siblings are made more or less similar, and the latter by whether siblings are equally subject to the environmental characteristic in question. Using monozygotic twin fixed effects models, which compare outcomes among genetically identical pairs, we show that many characteristics of objectively shared environments significantly moderate the effects of nonshared environments on adolescent academic achievement and verbal intelligence, violating the additivity assumption of behavioral genetic methods. Importantly, these effects would be categorized as nonshared environmental influences in standard twin models despite their roots in shared environments. These findings should encourage caution among those who claim that the frequently trivial variance attributed to shared environments in behavioral genetic models means that families, schools, and neighborhoods do not meaningfully influence these outcomes. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. Relation of perceptions of educational environment with mindfulness among Chinese medical students: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Wu, Daxing; Zhao, Xiaohua; Chen, Junxiang; Xia, Jie; Li, Mulei; Nie, Xueqing; Zhong, Xue

    2016-01-01

    Perceived educational environment influences academic outcomes, such as academic achievement, students' behaviors, well-being, socio-emotional adjustment and explicit self-esteem. Mindfulness is a set of skills that are beneficial to physical and mental health. Recently, it has been increasingly discussed about its usefulness in education, but little research has explored whether mindfulness can predict perceptions of educational environment. The aim of this study was to explore Chinese medical students' perceptions of learning environment and their relationship with mindfulness. Medical students at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (N=431) completed the Chinese version of Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM-C) and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS-C). One year later, a subgroup of the cohort (N=231) completed the DREEM-C again. Independent-samples t-test, variance analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) were conducted. DREEM-C total and subscales scores were net positive, but with room for improvement. Perceptions differed in relation to gender, academic year, and age. KIMS-C scores correlated with DREEM-C scores. The predictive effect persisted 1 year later. Medical students had net-positive perceptions about their learning environment. Higher mindfulness scores were associated with greater satisfaction with the environment and this association showed persistence.

  13. Relation of perceptions of educational environment with mindfulness among Chinese medical students: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xin; Wu, Daxing; Zhao, Xiaohua; Chen, Junxiang; Xia, Jie; Li, Mulei; Nie, Xueqing; Zhong, Xue

    2016-01-01

    Background Perceived educational environment influences academic outcomes, such as academic achievement, students' behaviors, well-being, socio-emotional adjustment and explicit self-esteem. Mindfulness is a set of skills that are beneficial to physical and mental health. Recently, it has been increasingly discussed about its usefulness in education, but little research has explored whether mindfulness can predict perceptions of educational environment. The aim of this study was to explore Chinese medical students' perceptions of learning environment and their relationship with mindfulness. Methods Medical students at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (N=431) completed the Chinese version of Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM-C) and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS-C). One year later, a subgroup of the cohort (N=231) completed the DREEM-C again. Independent-samples t-test, variance analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) were conducted. Results DREEM-C total and subscales scores were net positive, but with room for improvement. Perceptions differed in relation to gender, academic year, and age. KIMS-C scores correlated with DREEM-C scores. The predictive effect persisted 1 year later. Conclusions Medical students had net-positive perceptions about their learning environment. Higher mindfulness scores were associated with greater satisfaction with the environment and this association showed persistence.

  14. Strategic planning in a complex academic environment: lessons from one academic health center.

    PubMed

    Levinson, Wendy; Axler, Helena

    2007-08-01

    Leaders in academic health centers (AHCs) must create a vision for their academic unit embedded in a complex environment. A formal strategic planning process can be valuable to help shape a clear vision taking advantage of potential collaborations and to develop specific achievable long- and short-term goals. The authors describe the steps in a formal strategic planning process and illustrate it with the example of the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine beginning in 2004. The process included the active participation of over 300 faculty members, trainees, and stakeholders of the department and resulted in broad-based support and leadership for the resulting plan. The authors describe the steps, which include getting started, committing to planning principles, establishing the work plan, understanding the environment, pulling it all together, shaping the vision, testing strategic directions, building effective implementation, and promoting the plan. Articulation of vision, mission, and values informed the plan's development, as well as 10 key principles integral to the plan. Challenges and lessons learned are also described. The final strategic plan is an active core activity of the department, guiding decisions and resource allocation and facilitating measurement of success or shortcomings. The process the authors describe is applicable to multiple academic units, including divisions/sections, departments, or thematic programs in AHCs.

  15. TRI University Challenge

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Details about the TRI University Challenge, in which EPA is looking to academic institutions to help build a diverse portfolio of practical and replicable projects that benefit communities, the environment, academic institutions, and the TRI Program.

  16. The status of academic integrity amongst nursing students at a nursing education institution in the Western Cape.

    PubMed

    Theart, Cecilia J; Smit, Ilze

    2012-06-20

    Honesty is regarded as a basic ethical value in all educational programmes, and academic integrity is of undisputed importance in educational environments. The literature reviewed revealed that academic dishonesty is wide-ranging and also encountered in the nursing education environment. This phenomenon is of concern to the nursing fraternity because of the proven positive correlation between unethical academic practices and future unethical professional behaviour. Limited research data regarding academic dishonesty at nursing education institutions in South Africa and this correlation motivated the present study. The purpose was to examine the status of academic integrity amongst nursing students at a nursing education institution in the Western Cape. Formulated objectives guided investigation of several variables which impact upon academic integrity, for example the incidence of and student perceptions around academic dishonesty. A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used, with a self-reported questionnaire (based on literature review and study objectives) designed to obtain information about academic dishonesty. Provision was also made for qualitative input from the respondents by including three open-ended questions. It was found that academic dishonesty was a reality at the nursing education institution where this study was done. Cheating associated with plagiarism and assignments was identified as the main problem area. An unacceptably high level of dishonesty in completion of practical records was also an area of concern. The main recommendations are development and implementation of a code of honour and implementation of comprehensive academic integrity policies at the nursing education institution, with practical measures aimed at combating cheating in tests and examinations.

  17. How Can Students' Academic Performance in Statistics Be Improved? Testing the Influence of Social and Temporal-Self Comparison Feedback in a Web-Based Training Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delaval, Marine; Michinov, Nicolas; Le Bohec, Olivier; Le Hénaff, Benjamin

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine how social or temporal-self comparison feedback, delivered in real-time in a web-based training environment, could influence the academic performance of students in a statistics examination. First-year psychology students were given the opportunity to train for a statistics examination during a semester by…

  18. A Study of Home Environment, Academic Achievement and Teaching Aptitude on Training Success of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers of India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rani, Sunita; Siddiqui, M. A.

    2015-01-01

    The primary intend of the study was to explore the relationship of Arts, Science and Commerce stream and training success and the influence of Home Environment, Academic Achievement and Teaching Aptitude on training success of ETE trainees. The study analyzed the numerical data from a survey of 380 teacher trainees of three DIETs of Delhi, India.…

  19. A Case Study on the Elements of School Culture and the Potential Effect on Student Achievement at the Rural Middle School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elizondo, Jodi L.

    2016-01-01

    Schools exist for the sole purpose of academic achievement, and within every school exists a unique culture that every student navigates and absorbs. It is reasonable to assume a student's environment and the expectations set forth in that environment may have an effect on their academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the…

  20. Academic emotions from a social-cognitive perspective: antecedents and domain specificity of students' affect in the context of Latin instruction.

    PubMed

    Goetz, Thomas; Pekrun, Reinhard; Hall, Nathan; Haag, Ludwig

    2006-06-01

    This study concentrates on two assumptions of a social-cognitive model outlining the development of academic emotions (emotions directly linked to learning, classroom instruction, and achievement), namely on their antecedents and domain-specific organization. Our sample consisted of 200 students from Grades 7 to 10. Proposed relationships concerning the antecedents of academic emotions were tested in the context of Latin language instruction. Correlational analyses substantiated our assumptions concerning the relationships between academic emotions, students' cognitions, and aspects of the social environment. The mediating mechanisms proposed in the model were also confirmed using linear structural equation modelling. Subjective control- and value-related cognitions were found to mediate the relationship between aspects of the social environment and students' emotional experience. Our results further suggest that academic emotions are largely organized along domain-specific lines, with the degree of domain specificity varying according to the emotion in question. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

  1. Energy Conservation in New Building Design: An Impact Assessment of ASHRAE Standard 90-75. Conservation and Environment Buildings Programs. Conservation Number 43B.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Federal Energy Administration, Washington, DC.

    The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), has developed a document governing energy usage in all types of new construction: ASHRAE Standard 90-75: Energy Conservation in New Building Design (ASHRAE 90). To lay the foundation for an evaluation of ASHRAE 90, the Federal Energy Administration (FEA)…

  2. Materials for High-Temperature Hydrogen Fluorine Environments.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-03-04

    an top and partially an the side. Top and bottom layers seeme d to be separating. 0.0 0.0 Top laye and portion of side became derk gray. Bonding of...burned away within 2 min. +1.3 to +3.0 40.13 to 40.33 Specimen had film built up on it which seeme flaky; specimen had a big crack. 40.96 to 40.1 to

  3. Room environment influence on eggshell bacterial levels of non-washed and washed eggs from caged and cage-free laying hens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The bacteria levels of non-washed and washed eggs obtained from caged and cage-free hens housed in either wire slats or shaving-covered pens were determined. On eight days (from 22 to 52 wk), 20 eggs were collected from each pen. Ten eggs/pen were washed with a commercial egg washing solution, whi...

  4. Too Important to Ignore: A Post-Intentional Phenomenological Investigation of Teaching Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers about Infants and Toddlers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearson, Jolene A.

    2016-01-01

    A watershed of knowledge about how very young children learn and develop has been revealed through the science of child development. The science of child development has demonstrated that immediately from birth, babies need supportive relationships and responsive environments in order to build strong brain circuits and lay the foundations for both…

  5. The Nature and Process of Science and Applications to Geography Education: A US Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillette, Brandon

    2015-01-01

    Place-name geography, as it is sometimes called, is merely the tip of the iceberg in a field that aims to understand people and places and their interactions with the environment. Geography is also the study of spatial distributions and interpreting what they mean. This review lays out the definition of the nature of science as it relates to…

  6. Exploring public perception of non-native species from a visions of nature perspective.

    PubMed

    Verbrugge, Laura N H; Van den Born, Riyan J G; Lenders, H J Rob

    2013-12-01

    Not much is known about lay public perceptions of non-native species and their underlying values. Public awareness and engagement, however, are important aspects in invasive species management. In this study, we examined the relations between the lay public's visions of nature, their knowledge about non-native species, and their perceptions of non-native species and invasive species management with a survey administered in the Netherlands. Within this framework, we identified three measures for perception of non-native species: perceived risk, control and engagement. In general, respondents scored moderate values for perceived risk and personal engagement. However, in case of potential ecological or human health risks, control measures were supported. Respondents' images of the human-nature relationship proved to be relevant in engagement in problems caused by invasive species and in recognizing the need for control, while images of nature appeared to be most important in perceiving risks to the environment. We also found that eradication of non-native species was predominantly opposed for species with a high cuddliness factor such as mammals and bird species. We conclude that lay public perceptions of non-native species have to be put in a wider context of visions of nature, and we discuss the implications for public support for invasive species management.

  7. The weathering effect in natural environment on hybrid kenaf/glass fiber unsaturated polyester composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rozyanty, A. R.; Mohammed, M. M.; Musa, L.; Shahnaz, S. B. S.; Zuliahani, A.

    2017-04-01

    Kenaf and glass fiber hybrid composite was prepared by using hand lay-up process. The effect of weather on mechanical properties of kenaf/glass fiber hybrid composites was studied. The hybrid composite samples were exposed to natural weather. Tensile test was performed for samples at different weathering exposure time. Tensile strength of kenaf/glass fiber hybrid composite was 70.9 MPa and tensile modulus was at 30 GPa before expose to environment weather. Unfortunately, mechanical properties of hybrid composite decreased as exposure time increase due to the moisture absorption which further promotes weakness in interfacial bonding.

  8. Strength training in community settings: impact of lay leaders on program access and sustainability for rural older adults.

    PubMed

    Washburn, Lisa T; Cornell, Carol E; Phillips, Martha; Felix, Holly; Traywick, LaVona

    2014-09-01

    The effect of volunteer lay leaders on availability and sustainability of strength-training programs for older adults has not been well explored. We describe implementation of the StrongWomen strength training program by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and report on the relationship between delivery approach (agent-led, lay-led, or combination of agent- and lay-led) and program access and sustainability. All state Extension agents (n = 66) were surveyed on program implementation, continuance, and use of lay leaders. Program records were used to identify the number of trained lay leaders. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between delivery approach and group availability. Counties using lay leaders had twice as many groups as counties using only agents. There was a significant, positive relationship between the number of lay leaders and the number of groups. Counties using lay leaders were 8.3 times more likely to have continuing groups compared with counties not using lay leaders. Program continuance was significantly and positively associated with lay leader use. Lay delivery expanded access to strength training programs and increased the likelihood that programs would continue. This approach can be used to increase access to and sustainability of strength training programs, particularly in resource-constrained areas.

  9. Improving resident well-being and clinical learning environment through academic initiatives.

    PubMed

    Lee, Nathaniel; Appelbaum, Nital; Amendola, Michael; Dodson, Kelley; Kaplan, Brian

    2017-07-01

    Organizational effects on job satisfaction, burnout, work-life balance, and perceived support have not been studied in the context of the clinical learning environment. We evaluated the relationship between academic resources and resident well-being, the clinical learning environment, and in-service examination performance of surgical residents. Residents of general surgery and surgical specialty programs were recruited from March 2016 through June 2016 across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions. Program directors were asked to allow distribution of a paper survey or to forward an electronic survey link onto residents. Five dichotomous questions were asked regarding access to academic resources. Validated measures were obtained assessing resident well-being and perceived clinical learning environment. Data were analyzed through t-tests and chi-squared test of independence. We received 276 respondents across 50 programs. Residents perceiving adequate support to succeed had less burnout (P = 0.008), better resilience (P = 0.009), better job satisfaction (P < 0.001), less work/life strain (P = 0.001), better workplace climate (P < 0.001), better organizational support (P < 0.001), and were more likely to have high performance on the in-service examination (P = 0.001). Specific resources including educational stipends, review questions, in-service board prep, and support for poor performers correlated with improved well-being and perceived clinical learning environment. Provision of academic resources has implications beyond in-service examination performance, correlating with improved resident well-being and perceptions of the clinical learning environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Academically at-risk students' perceptions of a constructivist high school biology pedagogy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sweeney, Heidi

    Successful completion of the Living Environment, one state's high school biology course, is a state graduation requirement. The academically at-risk students enrolled in one suburban public high school had been disproportionately unsuccessful at achieving a passing grade in this course. In response, a constructivist biology curriculum was created to address the needs of at-risk students in a heterogeneous ability classroom. There is a gap in current research on students' perceptions of their learning experiences; consequently, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to obtain at-risk students' perceptions of a constructivist-based curriculum and to clarify what aspects of the Living Environment course assisted in their success. Eight academically at-risk students who successfully passed the Living Environment course were surveyed to seek their perceptions of the curricular and pedagogical change. These data were analyzed using the typological method with the inclusion of both inductive and predetermined categories. The students stated a preference for group work and active engagement. They also found that the binder system introduced in the course kept them better organized and helped them increase academic performance. Students perceived that effort was required but was rewarding. Findings derived from this study may contribute to social change by assisting teachers in tailoring curriculum and pedagogical decisions. This study provided a voice for the academically at-risk student and, in doing so, may contribute to social change by providing insight to teachers and administrators that can help students succeed academically, increase graduation rates, and enhance employment opportunities.

  11. Collaboration in academic medicine: reflections on gender and advancement.

    PubMed

    Carr, Phyllis L; Pololi, Linda; Knight, Sharon; Conrad, Peter

    2009-10-01

    Collaboration in academic medicine is encouraged, yet no one has studied the environment in which faculty collaborate. The authors investigated how faculty experienced collaboration and the institutional atmosphere for collaboration. In 2007, as part of a qualitative study of faculty in five disparate U.S. medical schools, the authors interviewed 96 medical faculty at different career stages and in diverse specialties, with an oversampling of women, minorities, and generalists, regarding their perceptions and experiences of collaboration in academic medicine. Data analysis was inductive and driven by the grounded theory tradition. Female faculty expressed enthusiasm about the potential and process of collaboration; male faculty were more likely to focus on outcomes. Senior faculty experienced a more collaborative environment than early career faculty, who faced numerous barriers to collaboration: the hierarchy of medical academe, advancement criteria, and the lack of infrastructure supportive of collaboration. Research faculty appreciated shared ideas, knowledge, resources, and the increased productivity that could result from collaboration, but they were acutely aware that advancement requires an independent body of work, which was a major deterrent to collaboration among early career faculty. Academic medicine faculty have differing views on the impact and benefits of collaboration. Early career faculty face concerning obstacles to collaboration. Female faculty seemed more appreciative of the process of collaboration, which may be of importance for transitioning to a more collaborative academic environment. A reevaluation of effective benchmarks for promotion of faculty is warranted to address the often exclusive reliance on individualistic achievement.

  12. Administrative skills for academic physicians.

    PubMed

    Aluise, J J; Scmitz, C C; Bland, C J; McArtor, R E

    1989-01-01

    To function effectively within the multifaceted environment of the academic medical center, academic physicians need to heighten their understanding of the economics of the health care system, and further develop their leadership and managerial skills. A literature base on organizational development and management education now exists that addresses the unique nature of the professional organization, including academic medical centers. This article describes an administration development curriculum for academic physicians. Competency statements, instructional strategies and references provide the academic physician with guidelines for expanding their professional expertise to include organizational and management skills. The continuing success of the academic medical center as a responsive health care system may depend upon the degree to which academic physicians gain sophistication in self-management and organizational administration.

  13. The Relationships among Taiwanese Adolescents' Perceived Classroom Environment, Academic Coping, and Burnout

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shih, Shu-Shen

    2015-01-01

    Although academic pressures are regarded as a primary source of stress among students in Asian countries, there has been paucity of research on the effects of classroom settings providing structure and peer support on Asian adolescents' use of coping strategies and academic burnout. The present study was intended to address this issue. Three…

  14. Third and Fifth Grade Latino Males' Academic Performance in the Title 1 Elementary School Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells Petrov, Gena L.

    2017-01-01

    The three-article dissertation is an exposition that analyzes the academic performance of third and fifth grade Latino male students by considering Learned Helplessness in relation to academic deficiency. Article 1 is comprised of a literature review relating to the elements of Learned Helplessness, inclusive of the Reformulated Theory of Learned…

  15. Academic and Athletic Motivation as Predictors of Academic Performance of Division I College Student-Athletes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Christina Michelle

    2012-01-01

    Division I intercollegiate student-athletes represent a unique population of college students on college campuses today because they face competing demands between the student and athlete roles. Without the proper environment and motivation for academic performance, some Division I student-athletes are unable to obtain a college degree and leave…

  16. The Changing Academic Ecology of Sociology: Learning to Live with More Frogs in the Pond

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Robert A.

    2008-01-01

    Sociology exists in a dynamic academic environment that influences how students view and evaluate the discipline. This essay explores the changing academic context of sociology through the author's experience as a professor and department chair over a span of four decades. Increased co-curricular programming, changing student goals, and more…

  17. Transforming Leaders into Stewards of Teaching Excellence: Building and Sustaining an Academic Culture through Leadership Immersion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Candice; Bassell, Kellie; Fillmore, Laura; Stephenson, Winsome

    2018-01-01

    Nursing must transform education and practice to meet the changing healthcare environment; yet, steps to desired change remain unknown. Academic leaders are well-positioned to initiate change and transform the academic landscape. However, many advance to leadership positions with minimal orientation to the role. Moreover, leaders in academic…

  18. Open Access in China and Its Effect on Academic Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Dehua; Luo, Aijing; Liu, Haixia

    2013-01-01

    OA is to become the future of academic library exchanges in China. With the government's support and promotion of OA, more and more Chinese academic libraries have been committed to participating in OA. The rapid development of OA not only has changed the model of traditional scholarly communication and brought a free communication environment of…

  19. The Experience of Transitioning Two Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome in Academically Focused High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dixon, Roselyn M.; Tanner, Kathleen

    2013-01-01

    Adolescents with Asperger syndrome (AS) are increasingly being placed in academically focused high schools. These students, although academically able, may not be coping with the wider classroom and social demands of transition to, and within, the high school environment. Schools are keen to enroll these students. However, there appears to be a…

  20. Modeling Children's Academic Development at School--Part I: Contrasting Quantitative Approaches to the Analysis of Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorpe, Pamela K.

    Many educational questions of research interest focus on individual differences in attitudes and behaviors related to academic achievement, changes in such attitudes and behaviors over time, and the types of academic environments that facilitate or prevent development of achievement attitudes and behaviors at school. This paper, the first in a…

  1. Connections, Productivity and Funding: An Examination of Factors Influencing Scientists' Perspectives on the Market Orientation of Academic Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ronning, Emily Anne

    2012-01-01

    This study examines scientists' perceptions of the environment in which they do their work. Specifically, this study examines how academic and professional factors such as research productivity, funding levels for science, connections to industry, type of academic appointment, and funding sources influence scientists' perceptions of the…

  2. How Does Studying Abroad Change Chinese Students' Choices of Reading Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Jie

    2016-01-01

    This study explores how a change of learning environment from China to the United Kingdom affects Chinese international master's students' use of strategies in academic reading. Think aloud was used at two time points in one academic year among 15 participants. To capture the complexity of the academic reading, reading strategies were categorized…

  3. The Relationship between Self-Regulated Learning Strategies and Student Academic Performance in Flipped Instructional Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Long, Janna B.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies and student academic performance. Academic performance was measured by final grade (out of 100 points) in courses that were part of the study, and self-regulated learning strategies were assessed by the Motivated Strategies for Learning…

  4. Retardation in Intellectual Development of Lower-Class Puerto Rican Children in New York City. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Alexander

    To study the home environment of the Puerto Rican as it relates to the children's academic achievement, 45 working class families were interviewed and these variables were investigated: achievement, classroom behavior inventory in relation to academic achievement, the effect of bilinguality on academic achievement, the influence of examiner…

  5. The Summer Premedical Program for Matriculating Medical Students: A Student-Led Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Awad, Ayman M.; AlAmodi, Abdulhadi A.; Shareef, Mohammad A.; Alsheikh, Ammar J.; Mahmod, Asim I.; Daghistany, Asem O.; Hijazi, Mohammed M.; Abu-Zaid, Ahmed; Alsadoon, Mohamed; Shabllout, Mohamed; Rasool, Abduljabar; Yaqinuddin, Ahmed

    2014-01-01

    The freshman academic year is one of the most difficult years that a medical student experiences in his/her academic life at a medical school. Freshmen are frequently faced with several challenges, such as adaptation to a new academic environment and its associated different methods of teaching, learning, skills, and assessment. The aim of this…

  6. Scholarly Use of E-Books in a Virtual Academic Environment: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmad, Pervaiz; Brogan, Mark

    2012-01-01

    From a fledgling technology with no proven business models, electronic books (e-books) have grown in importance usurping traditional formats as an acquisitions budget line in many academic library contexts. Business models include purchase, subscription, and pay per use. In academic and research libraries, web based e-book delivery is the dominant…

  7. Promoting Writing for Research: The "Writing Retreat" Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, R. J.

    2012-01-01

    Research papers take a long time to write and in an academic environment where the "publish or perish" clause applies, writing retreats are a way of creating time and space to write academic articles in a concentrated period of time. This article examines ways in which academics can write more articles for publication. In particular it…

  8. Whose interests do lay people represent? Towards an understanding of the role of lay people as members of committees

    PubMed Central

    Hogg, Christine; Williamson, Charlotte

    2008-01-01

    Increasingly, lay people are appointed as members to health service committees. The term ‘lay’ is used loosely and the reasons for involving lay people are seldom clearly defined. This paper argues that the different roles that lay people play need to be explicitly defined in order for their contributions to be realized. Although lay members of health service committees are generally assumed to be working for patients’ interests, our observations lead us to think that some lay people tend to support professionals’ or managers’ interests rather than patients’ interests as patients would define them. We suggest that lay people fall into three broad categories: supporters of dominant (professional) interests, supporters of challenging (managerial) interests and supporters of repressed (patient) interests. These alignments should be taken into account in appointments to health service bodies. Further research is needed on the alignments and roles of lay members. PMID:11286594

  9. An evaluation of community college student perceptions of the science laboratory and attitudes towards science in an introductory biology course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, Nakia Rae

    The science laboratory is an integral component of science education. However, the academic value of student participation in the laboratory is not clearly understood. One way to discern student perceptions of the science laboratory is by exploring their views of the classroom environment. The classroom environment is one determinant that can directly influence student learning and affective outcomes. Therefore, this study sought to examine community college students' perceptions of the laboratory classroom environment and their attitudes toward science. Quantitative methods using two survey instruments, the Science Laboratory Environment Instrument (SLEI) and the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TORSA) were administered to measure laboratory perceptions and attitudes, respectively. A determination of differences among males and females as well as three academic streams were examined. Findings indicated that overall community college students had positive views of the laboratory environment regardless of gender of academic major. However, the results indicated that the opportunity to pursue open-ended activities in the laboratory was not prevalent. Additionally, females viewed the laboratory material environment more favorably than their male classmates did. Students' attitudes toward science ranged from favorable to undecided and no significant gender differences were present. However, there were significantly statistical differences between the attitudes of nonscience majors compared to both allied health and STEM majors. Nonscience majors had less positive attitudes toward scientific inquiry, adoption of scientific attitudes, and enjoyment of science lessons. Results also indicated that collectively, students' experiences in the laboratory were positive predicators of their attitudes toward science. However, no laboratory environment scale was a significant independent predictor of student attitudes. .A students' academic streams was the only significant independent predictor of attitudes toward science, albeit negatively. The results from this study indicated that there is a need to increase the opportunity for inquiry in the science laboratory. The data also suggest that although all academic streams may have similar views of the laboratory experiences, more needs to be implemented to improve the scientific attitudes of nonscience majors enrolled in a course for science majors.

  10. The Specification of an Integrated Computer-Aided Ship Design Process in an Academic Environment.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-06-01

    complicated. The intuition .-nd ex:perience of a good designer are qualities that cannot yet ;e programmed into even the most capable computer. Comitters...between themselves. These application routines, while very capable in their own right, lack the qualities which would make them more usable in the...academic environment. These qualities include thorough documentation, both substantive derivations and descriptive user’s guides, user friendliness and

  11. Impact of the lay-off length on +Gz tolerance.

    PubMed

    Mikuliszyn, Romuald; Kowalski, Wieslaw; Kowalczuk, Krzysztof

    2002-07-01

    There are many factors affecting pilots' +Gz-tolerance. Recently, attention of the aviation community has been focused on lay-off and it's impact on +Gz-tolerance. Pilots of the Polish Air Force (PAF) have dealt with that problem for several years now. The aim of the study was to provide insight on how lay-off periods with different duration impact +Gz-tolerance. 95 male jet pilots from the PAF participated in the study. Every one had at least two weeks lay-off period (non-medical reasons). Subjects were divided into four groups according to the length of lay-off period (2-4 weeks; 5-13 weeks; 14-26 weeks; 27-154 weeks), All pilots were subjected to a centrifuge exposure in GOR (0.1 G/s) or ROR (1.0 G/s) profiles, depending on the pre-lay-off exposure. Post-lay-off exposures were carried out directly after lay-off. 18 jet pilots without any lay-off constituted the control group. The difference between pre- and post-lay-off G-tolerance limit (-0,93 +/- 0,53) was statistically significant (p<0.01) only for one group, where lay-off period ranged between two and four weeks. No statistically significant differences were found where influence of other factors like total and yearly flight hours, heart rate gain (AHR) or physical activity measured as maximal oxygen intake were considered. 2-4 weeks of lay-off period decreases +Gz tolerance is statistically significant manner. Subsequent increase of lay-off period does not result in mean tolerance changes for group, however in certain individuals critical decrement of +Gz tolerance occurs. Total and last year flying hours, physical fitness does not modify impact of lay-off period on +Gz tolerance.

  12. The Link between Harsh Home Environments and Negative Academic Trajectories is Exacerbated by Victimization in the Elementary School Peer Group

    PubMed Central

    Schwartz, David; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a prospective investigation focusing on the moderating role of peer victimization on associations between harsh home environments in the preschool years and academic trajectories during elementary school. The participants were 388 children (198 boys, 190 girls) who we recruited as part of an ongoing multisite longitudinal investigation. Preschool home environment was assessed with structured interviews and questionnaires completed by parents. Peer victimization was assessed with a peer nomination inventory that was administered when the average age of the participants was approximately 8.5 years. Grade point averages (GPA) were obtained from reviews of school records, conducted for seven consecutive years. Indicators of restrictive punitive discipline and exposure to violence were associated with within-subject declines in academic functioning over seven years. However, these effects were exacerbated for those children who had also experienced victimization in the peer group during the intervening years. PMID:22506975

  13. Clinical pharmacy academic career transitions: Viewpoints from the field Part 2: Understanding and balancing the distribution of effort.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Angela; Blackmer, Allison; Jeffres, Meghan; Glode, Ashley; Mahyari, Nila; Thompson, Megan

    2018-02-01

    The six authors of this commentary series, who have recently transitioned into or within an academic career, discuss challenging aspects of an academic career change. The authors represent faculty members teaching within a large, state-funded, research-intensive School of Pharmacy located within a large academic health center. The authors have various backgrounds and represent individuals making transitions at various points in their careers (from residency into academia, from a non-academic environment into academia, and from one academic environment to another). This is Part 2 of a three-part commentary series that focuses on understanding and balancing the distribution of effort. Parts 1 and 3 of this commentary series explore feedback, evaluation and advancement; and learning when and how to say yes, respectively. While the entire series is intended to be read in continuity, faculty, or those interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy academia, can refer to Part 2 as a reference to aid in understanding and balancing the different components and the distribution of effort associated with a position in academic pharmacy, specifically. Schools of Pharmacy may utilize this as a tool for new faculty members during orientation in order to help ensure faculty success. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. 48 CFR 1352.271-86 - Lay days.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Lay days. 1352.271-86... SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 1352.271-86 Lay days. As prescribed in 48 CFR 1371.117, insert the following clause: Lay Days (APR 2010) (a) A lay day is defined as an...

  15. 48 CFR 1252.217-75 - Lay days.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Lay days. 1252.217-75... SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 1252.217-75 Lay days. As prescribed at (TAR) 48 CFR 1217.7001(c) and (e), insert the following clause: Lay Days (OCT 1994) (a) Lay day...

  16. Effect of feeding low-fiber fraction of air-classified sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) meal on laying hen productive performance and egg yolk cholesterol.

    PubMed

    Laudadio, V; Ceci, E; Lastella, N M B; Tufarelli, V

    2014-11-01

    The present study was designed to determine the effect on laying performance and egg quality resulting from total substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with low-fiber sunflower meal (SFM; Helianthus annus L.) meal in diet of hens. ISA Brown layers, 28 wk of age, were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments and fed for 10 wk. The hens were kept in a free-range environment and fed 2 wheat middling-based diets consisting of a control diet, which contained SBM (153 g/kg of diet), and a test diet containing low-fiber SFM (160 g/kg of diet) as the main protein source. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times. Low-fiber SFM was obtained by a combination of sieving and air classification processes. Feed consumption was recorded daily and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were collected weekly to evaluate egg components and quality. The total substitution of SBM with low-fiber SFM had no adverse effect on growth performance of laying hens. Egg production and none of egg quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color (P < 0.05) and percentage of large-size eggs (P < 0.05) that were improved in hens fed the low-fiber SFM diet. Including low-fiber SFM decreased serum and egg yolk total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.001), and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. Our results suggest that the replacement of conventional soybean with low-fiber sunflower meal may be a valid alternative in diets for laying hens to improve egg quality and to develop low-cholesterol eggs. ©2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  17. Egg-laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs.

    PubMed

    Ackerman, Joshua T; Eagles-Smith, Collin A; Herzog, Mark P; Yee, Julie L; Hartman, C Alex

    2016-06-01

    Bird eggs are commonly used in contaminant monitoring programs and toxicological risk assessments, but intraclutch variation and sampling methodology could influence interpretability. The authors examined the influence of egg-laying sequence on egg mercury concentrations and burdens in American avocets, black-necked stilts, and Forster's terns. The average decline in mercury concentrations between the first and last eggs laid was 33% for stilts, 22% for terns, and 11% for avocets, and most of this decline occurred between the first and second eggs laid (24% for stilts, 18% for terns, and 9% for avocets). Trends in egg size with egg-laying order were inconsistent among species, and overall differences in egg volume, mass, length, and width were <3%. The authors summarized the literature, and among 17 species studied, mercury concentrations generally declined by 16% between the first and second eggs laid. Despite the strong effect of egg-laying sequence, most of the variance in egg mercury concentrations still occurred among clutches (75-91%) rather than within clutches (9%-25%). Using simulations, the authors determined that accurate estimation of a population's mean egg mercury concentration using only a single random egg from a subset of nests would require sampling >60 nests to represent a large population (10% accuracy) or ≥14 nests to represent a small colony that contained <100 nests (20% accuracy). Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1458-1469. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

  18. Novel centrifugal technology for measuring sperm concentration in the home.

    PubMed

    Schaff, Ulrich Y; Fredriksen, Laura L; Epperson, Jon G; Quebral, Tiffany R; Naab, Sara; Sarno, Mark J; Eisenberg, Michael L; Sommer, Greg J

    2017-02-01

    To evaluate the analytical performance and usability of the Trak Male Fertility Testing System, a semiquantitative (categorical) device recently US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared for measuring sperm concentration in the home by untrained users. A three-site clinical trial comparing self-reported lay user results versus reference results obtained by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA). Simulated home use environments at fertility centers and urologist offices. A total of 239 untrained users. None. Sperm concentration results reported from self-testing lay users and laboratory reference method by CASA were evaluated semiquantitatively against the device's clinical cutoffs of 15 M/mL (current World Health Organization cutoff) and 55 M/mL (associated with faster time to pregnancy). Additional reported metrics include assay linearity, precision, limit of detection, and ease-of-use ratings from lay users. Lay users achieved an accuracy (versus the reference) of 93.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 84.1%-97.4%) for results categorized as ≤15 M/mL, 82.4% (95% CI 73.3%-88.9%) for results categorized as 15-55 M/mL, and 95.5% (95% CI 88.9%-98.2%) for results categorized as >55 M/mL. When measured quantitatively, Trak results had a strong linear correlation with CASA measurements (r = 0.99). The precision and limit of detection studies show that the device has adequate reproducibility and detection range for home use. Subjects generally rated the device as easy to use. The Trak System is an accurate tool for semiquantitatively measuring sperm concentration in the home. The system may enable screening and longitudinal assessment of sperm concentration at home. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02475395. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Research, Development and Demonstration of Bio-Mass Boiler for Food Industry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fisher, Steve; Knapp, David

    2012-07-01

    Frito-Lay is working to reduce carbon emissions from their manufacturing plants. As part of this effort, they invested in a biomass-fired boiler at the Topeka, Kansas, plant. Frito-Lay partnered with Burns & McDonnell Engineering, Inc. and CPL Systems, Inc., to design and construct a steam producing boiler using carbon neutral fuels such as wood wastes (e.g. tree bark), shipping pallets, and used rubber vehicle tires. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) joined with Frito-Lay, Burns & McDonnell, and CPL to analyze the reductions in carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions that result from use of biomass-fired boilers in the food manufacturingmore » environment. DOE support provided for the data collection and analysis, and reporting necessary to evaluate boiler efficiencies and reductions in CO 2 emissions. The Frito-Lay biomass-fired boiler has resulted in significant reductions in CO 2 emissions from the Topeka production facility. The use of natural gas has been reduced by 400 to 420 million standard cubic feet per year with corresponding reductions of 24,000 to 25,000 tons of CO 2. The boiler does require auxiliary functions, however, that are unnecessary for a gas-fired boiler. These include heavy motors and fans for moving fuel and firing the boiler, trucks and equipment for delivering the fuel and moving at the boiler plant, and chippers for preparing the fuel prior to delivery. Each of these operations requires the combustion of fossil fuels or electricity and has associated CO 2 emissions. Even after accounting for each of these auxiliary processes, however, the biomass-fired boiler results in net emission reductions of 22,500 to 23,500 tons of CO 2 per year.« less

  20. Academic English Teaching for Postgraduates Based on Self-Regulated Learning Environment: A Case Study of Academic Reading Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhao, Wei

    2016-01-01

    This study selects postgraduate students in the first grade as the participants, based on their needs analysis, classroom presentations and performance of assignments completion, through the methodology of case study, the results show that students at the university level even the graduate levels still struggle with academic English. Thus, this…

  1. The Mediating Effects of Student Engagement on the Relationships between Academic Disciplines and Learning Outcomes: An Extension of Holland's Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pike, Gary R.; Smart, John C.; Ethington, Corinna A.

    2012-01-01

    This research examined the relationships among students' academic majors, levels of engagement, and learning outcomes within the context of Holland's person-environment theory of vocational and educational behavior. The study focused on the role of student engagement as a mediating agent in the relationships between academic majors and student…

  2. Changing Landscapes, Shifting Identities in Higher Education: Narratives of Academics in the UK

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trahar, Sheila

    2011-01-01

    Students and academics have always used different sources of knowledge to generate and to interpret academic and social behaviours, but it is asserted that the increasingly diverse environments of 21st century higher education lead to greater levels of complexity in learning, teaching and assessment and to a consequent shift in the ways in which…

  3. Mentoring for Business Engagement as Continuing Professional Development of University Academic Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helyer, Ruth; Lee, Dionne

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports an innovative continuing professional development (CPD) project for academic staff in a UK university. The aim of the project is to develop academics' skills in relating to the business environment. The project has a number of strands, but the principal focus of this paper is upon a mentoring initiative. Much CPD in universities…

  4. The Effects of Using Diorama on 7th Grade Students' Academic Achievement and Science Learning Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslan Efe, Hulya

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the effects of using diorama on 7th grade students' academic achievement and science learning skills in "human being and environment relation" unit. The participants were 49 (E:25, C:24) 7th grade students studying during 2015-16 academic year in Diyarbakir, Turkey. An achievement test and "science…

  5. Teachers on Perceived Traits and Academic Achievements of Regular Pupils and Pupils with Special Needs in Mainstream Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lesar, Irena; Cuk, Ivan; Pecek, Mojca

    2014-01-01

    When looking for answers to the question of academic (non)achievement of regular pupils and pupils with special needs, it is necessary to take into account the extraordinary complexity of factors, ranging from psychological across instructional to home environment variables. The academic achievement is not only a reflection of the pupil's…

  6. College Students and Academic Performance: A Case of Taking Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansfield, Phylis M.; Pinto, Mary Beth; Parente, Diane H.; Wortman, Thomas I.

    2004-01-01

    College students face a myriad of pressures and challenges in the academic environment as they seek to maintain optimal performance or even to remain in the academic program. In 2002, it was reported that more than 30% of first-year students did not return for their second year of college (Smith), and only 40% are reported to actually compete…

  7. College Students and Academic Performance: A Case of Taking Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mansfield, Phylis M.; Pinto, Mary Beth; Parente, Diane H.; Wortman, Thomas I.

    2009-01-01

    College students face a myriad of pressures and challenges in the academic environment as they seek to maintain optimal performance or even to remain in the academic program. In 2002, it was reported that more than 30% of first-year students did not return for their second year of college (Smith), and only 40% are reported to actually compete…

  8. Predicting Academic Achievement from Cumulative Home Risk: The Mediating Roles of Effortful Control, Academic Relationships, and School Avoidance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn

    2012-01-01

    Components of the home environment are associated with children's academic functioning. The accumulation of risks in the home are expected to prove more detrimental to achievement than any one risk alone, but the processes accounting for this relation are unclear. Using an index of cumulative home risk (CHR) inclusive of protective factors, as…

  9. Use of a Web-Based Academic Alert System for Identification of Underachieving Students at an Urban Research Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donnelly, John E.

    2010-01-01

    Early alert strategies are an increasingly common way to address students' ongoing needs for greater academic and social engagement by enabling a positive campus environment and appropriate academic support; Kuh et al. find these to be necessary engagement conditions. Young and Fry show the benefits of student metacognition, or awareness of…

  10. Strategic Planning Effectiveness in Jordanian Universities: Faculty Members' and Academic Administrators' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Omari, Aieman Ahmad; Salameh, Kayed M.

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to explore the faculty and academic administrators' perception of strategic planning effectiveness (SPE) in a reform environment, measuring the impact of university type, gender, and job role. A total of 338 faculty members and 183 academic administrators who enrolled during the first semester of the 2007-08 term at a public and a…

  11. Stressors, Stress and Coping in Dual-Demand Environments: The Case of Working "Back to Schoolers"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kariv, Dafna; Heiman, Tali

    2005-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to explore the coping behaviours of Israeli continuing education students who combine work and academic studies. Multi-level analyses revealed that: (1) perceived academic stress is determined by academic load and perceived work stress by workload; (2) coping strategies are related to an array of perceived…

  12. Developing professional identity in nursing academics: the role of communities of practice.

    PubMed

    Andrew, Nicola; Ferguson, Dorothy; Wilkie, George; Corcoran, Terry; Simpson, Liz

    2009-08-01

    This paper analyses the current standing of nursing within the wider United Kingdom (UK) higher education (HE) environment and considers the development of academic identity within the sector, introducing a technology mediated approach to professional learning and development. A community of practice (CoP) is a way of learning based on collaboration among peers. Individuals come together virtually or physically, with a common purpose, defined by knowledge rather than task [Wenger, E., 1998. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity, sixth ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge]. In 2008, a small team of academics at Glasgow Caledonian University, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health created and implemented iCoP, a project undertaken to pilot an international CoP, where novices and expert academics collaborated to debate and discuss the complex transition from clinician to academic. Although not intended as a conventional research project, the developmental journey and emerging online discussion provide an insight into the collective thoughts and opinions of a multi-national group of novice academics. The article also highlights the key challenges, problems and limitations of working in an international online arena with professionals who traditionally work and thrive in a face to face, real time environment.

  13. Postsynaptic ERG potassium channels limit muscle excitability to allow distinct egg-laying behavior states in C. elegans

    PubMed Central

    Collins, Kevin M.; Koelle, Michael R.

    2013-01-01

    C. elegans regulates egg laying by alternating between an inactive phase and a serotonin-triggered active phase. We found that the conserved ERG potassium channel UNC-103 enables this two-state behavior by limiting excitability of the egg-laying muscles. Using both high-speed video recording and calcium imaging of egg-laying muscles in behaving animals, we found that the muscles appear to be excited at a particular phase of each locomotor body bend. During the inactive phase, this rhythmic excitation infrequently evokes calcium transients or contraction of the egg-laying muscles. During the serotonin-triggered active phase, however, these muscles are more excitable and each body bend is accompanied by a calcium transient that drives twitching or full contraction of the egg-laying muscles. We found that ERG null mutants lay eggs too frequently, and that ERG function is necessary and sufficient in the egg-laying muscles to limit egg laying. ERG K+ channels localize to postsynaptic sites in the egg-laying muscle, and mutants lacking ERG have more frequent calcium transients and contractions of the egg-laying muscles even during the inactive phase. Thus ERG channels set postsynaptic excitability at a threshold so that further adjustments of excitability by serotonin generate two distinct behavioral states. PMID:23303953

  14. 48 CFR 3052.217-94 - Lay days (USCG).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Lay days (USCG). 3052.217... CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 3052.217-94 Lay days (USCG). As prescribed in USCG guidance at (HSAR) 48 CFR 3017.9000(a) and (b), insert the following clause: Lay Days (DEC 2003) (a) Lay day time...

  15. The cultural production of Bioterapia: psychic healing and the natural medicine movement in Slovakia.

    PubMed

    Rubens, D; Gyurkovics, D; Hornacek, K

    1995-11-01

    Despite powerful opposition, natural medicine (NM) has achieved a toe-hold in the state-run biomedical system in the Slovak Republic. The physician-leader of the NM movement hopes to leverage his ministerial post as NM 'supreme expert' and his interlocking NM clinical and research facilities to achieve a complex, unified health care system under control of medical doctors. This health care model simultaneously reinforces biomedical hegemony and decenters classical medicine by substituting a bioenergetical paradigm. NM includes, among other diagnostic and healing modalities, acupuncture, herbal therapies, bee therapy, reflexology, iridology. However, its paradigmatic form is bioterapia, the focus of this paper. Bioterapia is a form of psychic healing or therapeutic touch. According to its practitioners, it is based on bioenergetic and information-processing principles. Conceptually, bioterapia unifies psyche, soma and energy dimensions of the human body and situates the human organism in an extended transpersonal social, physical and cosmological environment. Bioterapia is a scientized and medicalized reconstruction of a folk healing tradition whose appropriation simultaneously secularized and re-sacralized this tradition by re-locating its practice from lay healers to medical doctors, from the religious domain to the venerated scientific domain, from deviant science to normal science. The reconfiguration into bioterapia as part of the creation of an academic secular parapsychology in the former Soviet Bloc in the late 1960s, illustrates the use of the privileged discourse of science for a cultural production that seems to have both supported and subverted the regime.

  16. Active Ottumwa: Adapting Evidence-Based Recommendations to Promote Physical Activity in a Micropolitan New Destination Community

    PubMed Central

    Baquero, Barbara; Ashida, Sato; Daniel-Ulloa, Jason; Laroche, Helena H.; Haines, Heidi; Bucklin, Rebecca; Maldonado, Adriana; Coronado Garcia, Mayra; Berto, Sandy; Sewell, Dan; Janz, Kathleen; Gates, Claudia; Parker, Edith A.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Evidence-based interventions have been developed and tested to promote physical activity, but fewer studies have focused on identifying effective intervention strategies for mid-size rural communities, especially new immigrant destinations. We report here on the design and implementation of Active Ottumwa, a community-wide intervention using a lay health advisor approach to increase physical activity in a micropolitan new destination community in the rural state of Iowa. Methods: The Active Ottumwa study is part of a community-academic partnership in Ottumwa, IA. Evidence-based strategies recommended by the Community Guide for Preventive Services guided study implementation and included behavioral and social, campaign and informational, and environmental and policy approaches. Evaluation methods for this study are multi-faceted and include a cross-sectional community survey, longitudinal cohort assessment, observational data, key informant interviews, and project records. Results: We are currently in our second year of intervention implementation, with 45 lay health advisors (termed physical activity leaders here) trained to carry out behavioral and social intervention approaches, including walking groups, tai chi, and yoga. We have completed a communication and informational campaign utilizing five channels. Our longitudinal cohort has been recruited, with baseline and 12-month data collection completed. Conclusions: This study will assess the effectiveness and impact of a community-wide intervention to support physical activity. PMID:29734709

  17. Active Ottumwa: Adapting Evidence-Based Recommendations to Promote Physical Activity in a Micropolitan New Destination Community.

    PubMed

    Baquero, Barbara; Kava, Christine M; Ashida, Sato; Daniel-Ulloa, Jason; Laroche, Helena H; Haines, Heidi; Bucklin, Rebecca; Maldonado, Adriana; Coronado Garcia, Mayra; Berto, Sandy; Sewell, Dan; Novak, Nicole; Janz, Kathleen; Gates, Claudia; Parker, Edith A

    2018-05-04

    Background : Evidence-based interventions have been developed and tested to promote physical activity, but fewer studies have focused on identifying effective intervention strategies for mid-size rural communities, especially new immigrant destinations. We report here on the design and implementation of Active Ottumwa, a community-wide intervention using a lay health advisor approach to increase physical activity in a micropolitan new destination community in the rural state of Iowa. Methods : The Active Ottumwa study is part of a community-academic partnership in Ottumwa, IA. Evidence-based strategies recommended by the Community Guide for Preventive Services guided study implementation and included behavioral and social, campaign and informational, and environmental and policy approaches. Evaluation methods for this study are multi-faceted and include a cross-sectional community survey, longitudinal cohort assessment, observational data, key informant interviews, and project records. Results : We are currently in our second year of intervention implementation, with 45 lay health advisors (termed physical activity leaders here) trained to carry out behavioral and social intervention approaches, including walking groups, tai chi, and yoga. We have completed a communication and informational campaign utilizing five channels. Our longitudinal cohort has been recruited, with baseline and 12-month data collection completed. Conclusions : This study will assess the effectiveness and impact of a community-wide intervention to support physical activity.

  18. The scholarly productivity and work environments of academic pharmacists.

    PubMed

    Desselle, Shane P; Andrews, Brienna; Lui, Julia; Raja, G Leela

    2017-09-08

    Productive faculty are key to generating new knowledge and advancing pharmacy practice. The work environments of academic pharmacists are critical to their vitality, commitment, and longevity. To (1) identify correlates of faculty scholarly productivity and teaching effectiveness, considering personal and environmental characteristics; (2) determine the relationship between a faculty's perception of organizational citizenship behaviors they witness with the organizational culture of their employing college/school of pharmacy; and (3) describe the relationship between organizational climate, job satisfaction, and commitment of academic pharmacists. A self-administered survey was disseminated to a random sample of U.S. academic pharmacists acquired from AACP list-servs. The survey measured perceptions of their organization's culture, the organizational citizenship behaviors they witness at their institution, their job satisfaction, teaching load and productivity, and scholarly productivity based upon peer-reviewed scholarly papers accepted. Both bivariate and multivariate (regression) procedures were employed to identify factors most responsible for explaining academic pharmacist's work environment. Responses were received from 177 of 600 survey recipients. Faculty reported having had accepted 10.9 ± 13.6 papers in peer-reviewed journals during the previous 5 years, with most of those in journals with relatively low Impact Factor scores. Faculty productivity was related to type of academic institution employed, teaching effectiveness, job satisfaction, and other factors. Organizational citizenship behaviors and organizational culture was seen similarly by faculty of varied ranks and experience levels. Commitment to remain at the current college/school of pharmacy was highly associated with culture, climate, and job satisfaction conditions. The results provided evidence for a strong connection or nexus between teaching and research effectiveness. Organizational culture of academic pharmacy programs is highly important for faculty vitality and commitment. The findings should be helpful for academic leaders in devising programs for mentoring, development, and retention of faculty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Rightsizing Projects for Non-Research-Intensive Schools of Nursing via Academic-Clinical Partnerships.

    PubMed

    Kooken, Wendy Carter; Eckhardt, Ann L; McNutt-Dungan, Marianne; Woods, Jonathan

    Most academic-clinical partnerships are described as formal agreements between schools of nursing at research-intensive universities and large teaching hospitals. This article demonstrates less formal versions of academic-clinical partnerships established between a small, private liberal arts university school of nursing and 2 regional clinical agencies. In both exemplars, students, faculty, and staff contributed to evidence-based practice projects. Schools of nursing in non-research-intensive environments can develop right-size academic-clinical partnerships that are beneficial for all parties involved.

  20. Participant-Observation and Pile Sorting: Methods for Eliciting Local Understandings and Valuations of Plants as a First Step towards Informed Community Participation in Environment and Health Initiatives in Hawai'i

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gollin, Lisa X.; McMillen, Heather; Wilcox, Bruce

    2004-01-01

    Semistructured interviews were conducted to explore local, lay perceptions and valuations of native and nonnative flora in order to better understand and anticipate community perceptions of, and potential participation in revegetation or eradication conservation efforts in multiethnic communities of Oahu, Hawai'i. The authors detail the…

  1. Foraging ants trade off further for faster: use of natural bridges and trunk trail permanency in carpenter ants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loreto, Raquel G.; Hart, Adam G.; Pereira, Thairine M.; Freitas, Mayara L. R.; Hughes, David P.; Elliot, Simon L.

    2013-10-01

    Trail-making ants lay pheromones on the substrate to define paths between foraging areas and the nest. Combined with the chemistry of these pheromone trails and the physics of evaporation, trail-laying and trail-following behaviours provide ant colonies with the quickest routes to food. In relatively uniform environments, such as that provided in many laboratory studies of trail-making ants, the quickest route is also often the shortest route. Here, we show that carpenter ants ( Camponotus rufipes), in natural conditions, are able to make use of apparent obstacles in their environment to assist in finding the fastest routes to food. These ants make extensive use of fallen branches, twigs and lianas as bridges to build their trails. These bridges make trails significantly longer than their straight line equivalents across the forest floor, but we estimate that ants spend less than half the time to reach the same point, due to increased carriage speed across the bridges. We also found that these trails, mainly composed of bridges, are maintained for months, so they can be characterized as trunk trails. We suggest that pheromone-based foraging trail networks in field conditions are likely to be structured by a range of potentially complex factors but that even then, speed remains the most important consideration.

  2. An Analysis of Publication Productivity During Residency for 1506 Neurosurgical Residents and 117 Residency Departments in North America.

    PubMed

    Khan, Nickalus R; Saad, Hassan; Oravec, Chesney S; Norrdahl, Sebastian P; Fraser, Brittany; Wallace, David; Lillard, Jock C; Motiwala, Mustafa; Nguyen, Vincent N; Lee, Siang Liao; Jones, Anna V; Ajmera, Sonia; Kalakoti, Piyush; Dave, Pooja; Moore, Kenneth A; Akinduro, Olutomi; Nyenwe, Emmanuel; Vaughn, Brandy; Michael, L Madison; Klimo, Paul

    2018-05-30

    Bibliometrics is defined as the study of statistical and mathematical methods used to quantitatively analyze scientific literature. The application of bibliometrics in neurosurgery continues to evolve. To calculate a number of publication productivity measures for almost all neurosurgical residents and departments within North America. These measures were correlated with survey results on the educational environment within residency programs. During May to June 2017, data were collected from departmental websites and Scopus to compose a bibliometric database of neurosurgical residents and residency programs. Data related to authorship value and study content were collected on all articles published by residents. A survey of residency program research and educational environment was administered to program directors and coordinators; results were compared with resident academic productivity. The median number of publications in residency was 3; median h-index and Resident index were 1 and 0.17 during residency, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in academic productivity among male neurosurgical residents compared with females. The majority of articles published were tier 1 clinical articles. Residency program research support was significantly associated with increased resident productivity (P < .001). Scholarly activity requirements were not associated with increased resident academic productivity. This study represents the most comprehensive bibliometric assessment of neurosurgical resident academic productivity during training to date. New benchmarks for individual and department academic productivity are provided. A supportive research environment for neurosurgical residents is associated with increased academic productivity, but a scholarly activity requirement was, surprisingly, not shown to have a positive effect.

  3. Soil nitrogen balance assessment and its application for sustainable agriculture and environment.

    PubMed

    Roy, Rabindra Nath; Misra, Ram Vimal

    2005-12-01

    Soil nitrogen balance assessment (SNBA) serves as an effective tool for estimating the magnitude of nitrogen loss/gain of the agro-eco systems and to appraise their sustainability. SNBA brings forth awareness of soil fertility problems, besides providing information relating to the resultant release of nitrogen into the environment consequent to agricultural practices. Quantitative information relating to nitrogen escape into the environment through such exercises can be gainfully utilized for identification of causative factors, enhancing fertilizer use efficiency and formulating programmes aimed at plugging N leakages. An overview of nitrogen balance approaches and methodologies is presented. A deeper understanding and insight into the agro-eco systems provided by the SNBA exercises can lay the basis for the formulation of effective agronomic interventions and policies aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and a benign environment.

  4. Soil nitrogen balance assessment and its application for sustainable agriculture and environment.

    PubMed

    Roy, Rabindra Nath; Misra, Ram Vimal

    2005-09-01

    Soil nitrogen balance assessment (SNBA) serves as an effective tool for estimating the magnitude of nitrogen loss/gain of the agro-eco systems and to appraise their sustainability. SNBA brings forth awareness of soil fertility problems, besides providing information relating to the resultant release of nitrogen into the environment consequent to agricultural practices. Quantitative information relating to nitrogen escape into the environment through such exercises can be gainfully utilized for identification of causative factors, enhancing fertilizer use efficiency and formulating programmes aimed at plugging N leakages. An overview of nitrogen balance approaches and methodologies is presented. A deeper understanding and insight into the agro-eco systems provided by the SNBA exercises can lay the basis for the formulation of effective agronomic interventions and policies aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and a benign environment.

  5. Perspectives on User Satisfaction Surveys.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cullen, Rowena

    2001-01-01

    Discusses academic libraries, digital environments, increasing competition, the relationship between service quality and user satisfaction, and user surveys. Describes the SERVQUAL model that measures service quality and user satisfaction in academic libraries; considers gaps between user expectations and managers' perceptions of user…

  6. Academic Aspirations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Durant, Linda

    2013-01-01

    As colleges and universities become even more complex organizations, advancement professionals need to have the skills, experience, and academic credentials to succeed in this ever-changing environment. Advancement leaders need competencies that extend beyond fundraising, alumni relations, and communications and marketing. The author encourages…

  7. Evaluating Academic Achievement of African-American Male Students in Relationship to African-American Male Teachers in Guilford County, North Carolina Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniels, Byron L.

    2010-01-01

    The home and the public school classroom have been key environments in the African American community and have been instrumental in developing identity and encouraging academic progress. Despite this, the dropout rates of African American males in secondary grades have increased, while academic achievement scores of African American males in the…

  8. Faculty and Student Perceptions of Academic Cheating and the Influence of Achievement Motivation with Online and Face-to-Face Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Royer, Sheree Christine

    2013-01-01

    There are many components contributing to academically dishonest behaviors and with improvements in technology, methods for cheating have expanded to web-based classrooms. This study focuses on academically dishonest behaviors in online and face-to-face (F2F) course formats in an attempt to better understand the impact of cheating in these two…

  9. Career transition and dental school faculty development program.

    PubMed

    Hicks, Jeffery L; Hendricson, William D; Partida, Mary N; Rugh, John D; Littlefield, John H; Jacks, Mary E

    2013-11-01

    Academic dentistry, as a career track, is not attracting sufficient numbers of new recruits to maintain a corps of skilled dental educators. The Faculty Development Program (FDP) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School received federal funds to institute a 7-component program to enhance faculty recruitment and retention and provide training in skills associated with success in academics including:(1) a Teaching Excellence and Academic Skills (TExAS)Fellowship, (2) training in research methodology,evidence-based practice research, and information management, (3) an annual dental hygiene faculty development workshop for dental hygiene faculty, (4) a Teaching Honors Program and Academic Dental Careers Fellowship to cultivate students' interest in educational careers, (5) an Interprofessional Primary Care Rotation,(6) advanced education support toward a master's degree in public health, and (7) a key focus of the entire FDP, an annual Career Transition Workshop to facilitate movement from the practice arena to the educational arm of the profession.The Career Transition Workshop is a cap stone for the FDP; its goal is to build a bridge from practice to academic environment. It will provide guidance for private practice, public health, and military dentists and hygienists considering a career transition into academic dentistry. Topics will be addressed including: academic culture, preparation for the academic environment,academic responsibilities, terms of employment,compensation and benefits, career planning, and job search / interviewing. Instructors for the workshop will include dental school faculty who have transitioned from the practice, military, and public health sectors into dental education.Objectives of the Overall Faculty Development Program:• Provide training in teaching and research skills,career planning, and leadership in order to address faculty shortages in dental schools and under representation of minority faculty.• Provide resident and faculty training in cultural and linguistic competency.• Develop and conduct a collaborative inter professional education project with a Pediatric Medicine department, a nursing school, and other health professions' education programs.• Provide faculty and residents with financial support to pursue a master's degree in public health; and • Provide support and assistance for dental practitioners desiring to explore a transition into the educational environment.

  10. School environmental conditions and links to academic performance and absenteeism in urban, mid-Atlantic public schools.

    PubMed

    Berman, J D; McCormack, M C; Koehler, K A; Connolly, F; Clemons-Erby, D; Davis, M F; Gummerson, C; Leaf, P J; Jones, T D; Curriero, F C

    2018-06-01

    School facility conditions, environment, and perceptions of safety and learning have been investigated for their impact on child development. However, it is important to consider how the environment separately influences academic performance and attendance after controlling for school and community factors. Using results from the Maryland School Assessment, we considered outcomes of school-level proficiency in reading and math plus attendance and chronic absences, defined as missing 20 or more days, for grades 3-5 and 6-8 at 158 urban schools. Characteristics of the environment included school facility conditions, density of nearby roads, and an index industrial air pollution. Perceptions of school safety, learning, and institutional environment were acquired from a School Climate Survey. Also considered were neighborhood factors at the community statistical area, including demographics, crime, and poverty based on school location. Poisson regression adjusted for over-dispersion was used to model academic achievement and multiple linear models were used for attendance. Each 10-unit change in facility condition index, denoting worse quality buildings, was associated with a decrease in reading (1.0% (95% CI: 0.1-1.9%) and math scores (0.21% (95% CI: 0.20-0.40), while chronic absences increased by 0.75% (95% CI: 0.30-1.39). Each log increase the EPA's Risk Screening Environmental Indicator (RSEI) value for industrial hazards, resulted in a marginally significant trend of increasing absenteeism (p < 0.06), but no association was observed with academic achievement. All results were robust to school-level measures of racial composition, free and reduced meals eligibility, and community poverty and crime. These findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of the community and school environment, including building conditions and neighborhood toxic substance risk, on academic achievement and attendance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. Undergraduate Drinking and Academic Performance: A Prospective Investigation With Objective Measures*

    PubMed Central

    Thombs, Dennis L.; Olds, R. Scott; Bondy, Susan J.; Winchell, Janice; Baliunas, Dolly; Rehm, Jürgen

    2009-01-01

    Objective: Findings from previous prospective research suggest the association between alcohol use and undergraduate academic performance is negligible. This study was designed to address weaknesses of the past research by relying on objective measures of both drinking and academic performance. Method: A prospective study was conducted with repeated measures of exposure to alcohol linked to institutional academic records. Alcohol data were collected in residence halls at a nonselective, midwestern, public university in the United States. A total of 659 first- and second-year undergraduate students were tracked over the course of 15-week semesters. Results: A statistically significant negative association with semester academic performance was found for different alcohol indicators: frequency of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) above .08, mean BrAC, standard deviation, and maximum BrAC recorded. These associations remained statistically significant when controlled for sociodemographic variables and individual level confounders, but the effect sizes were relatively small with a contribution to explained variance of less than 1%. When additionally adjusted for residence hall building, all alcohol indicators no longer reached statistical significance (p ≥ .05). Conclusions: Consistent with past prospective research, the magnitude of the association between undergraduate alcohol use and academic performance is small when the effects of high school academic aptitude and performance are accounted for in multivariable analyses. This is the first study to find that living environment may have a robust effect on the academic achievement of undergraduates. Future research should examine more closely the relation between residence and academic performance and the role that alcohol use may play in creating residential environments. PMID:19737503

  12. A partnered approach for structured observation to assess the environment of a neighborhood with high diabetes rates.

    PubMed

    Kleinman, Lawrence C; Lutz, David; Plumb, Ellen J; Barkley, Pearl; Nazario, Hector R; Ramos, Michelle A; Horowitz, Carol R

    2011-01-01

    The Communities IMPACT Diabetes Center uses partnered methods to address diabetes-related conditions among African Americans and Latinos in East Harlem, New York. To describe a novel, partnered approach that integrates simultaneous structured observation by community and academic partners with "on-the-spot" resolution of differences to collect baseline data regarding the built and food environments in a two census tract area of East Harlem and present select findings. We designed an environmental assessment to explore characteristics of the environment related to walking and eating. We paired community and academic partners to assess each block, resolve any differences, and report results. Nearly one year later, we surveyed the data collectors and analyzed responses using standard qualitative methods. Key themes included connection to and characteristics of the community; interactions with partners; surprises and learning, and aspects of data collection. All but the first were common to academic and community partners. Relationships between partners were generally amiable. Both community-"I think it was very helpful, we made sure neither of us made mistakes, and helped each other when we could"-and academic-"I really enjoyed it . . . I learned a lot about the areas I surveyed"-partners were complimentary. Community partners' strengths included local knowledge of the community, whereas academic partners' focus on adherence to the specifications was critical. Structured observation identified many sidewalks in disrepair or obstructed, few benches, and highly variable times allocated for pedestrians to cross at cross walks. The partnered data collection was both successful and formative, building additional relationships and further capacity for ongoing partnership. Community partners saw their community in a new way, seeing, "little things that are important but people don't pay attention to." Structured observations added to our understanding of how an environment may contribute to diabetes.

  13. Machiavellian Ways to Academic Cheating: A Mediational and Interactional Model

    PubMed Central

    Barbaranelli, Claudio; Farnese, Maria L.; Tramontano, Carlo; Fida, Roberta; Ghezzi, Valerio; Paciello, Marinella; Long, Philip

    2018-01-01

    Academic cheating has become a pervasive practice from primary schools to university. This study aims at investigating this phenomenon through a nomological network which integrates different theoretical frameworks and models, such as trait and social-cognitive theories and models regarding the approaches to learning and contextual/normative environment. Results on a sample of more than 200 Italian university students show that the Amoral Manipulation facet of Machiavellianism, Academic Moral Disengagement, Deep Approach to Learning, and Normative Academic Cheating are significantly associated with Individual Academic Cheating. Moreover, results show a significant latent interaction effect between Normative Academic Cheating and Amoral Manipulation Machiavellianism: “amoral Machiavellians” students are more prone to resort to Academic Cheating in contexts where Academic Cheating is adopted as a practice by their peers, while this effect is not significant in contexts where Academic Cheating is not normative. Results also show that Academic Moral Disengagement and Deep Approach to learning partially mediate the relationship between Amoral Manipulation and Academic Cheating. Practical implications of these results are discussed. PMID:29867663

  14. Lay involvement in the analysis of qualitative data in health services research: a descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Garfield, S; Jheeta, S; Husson, F; Jacklin, A; Bischler, A; Norton, C; Franklin, B D

    2016-01-01

    There is a consensus that patients and the public should be involved in research in a meaningful way. However, to date, lay people have been mostly involved in developing research ideas and commenting on patient information.We previously published a paper describing our experience with lay partners conducting observations in a study of how patients in hospital are involved with their medicines. In a later part of the same study, lay partners were also involved in analysing interviews that a researcher had conducted with patients, carers and healthcare professionals about patient and carer involvement with medicines in hospital. We therefore wanted to build on our previous paper and report on our experiences with lay partners helping to conduct data analysis. We therefore interviewed the lay members and researchers involved in the analysis to find out their views.Both lay members and researchers reported that lay partners added value to the study by bringing their own perspectives and identifying further areas for the researcher to look for in the interviews. In this way researchers and lay partners were able to work together to produce a richer analysis than would have been possible from either alone. Background It is recognised that involving lay people in research in a meaningful rather than tokenistic way is both important and challenging. In this paper, we contribute to this debate by describing our experiences of lay involvement in data analysis. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with the lay partners and researchers involved in qualitative data analysis in a wider study of inpatient involvement in medication safety. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using open thematic analysis. Results We interviewed three lay partners and the three researchers involved. These interviews demonstrated that the lay members added value to the analysis by bringing their own perspectives; these were systematically integrated into the analysis by the lead researcher to create a synergistic output. Some challenges arose, including difficulties in recruiting a diverse range of members of the public to carry out the role; however there were generally fewer challenges in data analysis than there had been with our previous experience of lay partners' involvement in data collection. Conclusions Lay members can add value to health services research by being involved in qualitative data analysis.

  15. Secured Advanced Federated Environment (SAFE): A NASA Solution for Secure Cross-Organization Collaboration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chow, Edward; Spence, Matthew Chew; Pell, Barney; Stewart, Helen; Korsmeyer, David; Liu, Joseph; Chang, Hsin-Ping; Viernes, Conan; Gogorth, Andre

    2003-01-01

    This paper discusses the challenges and security issues inherent in building complex cross-organizational collaborative projects and software systems within NASA. By applying the design principles of compartmentalization, organizational hierarchy and inter-organizational federation, the Secured Advanced Federated Environment (SAFE) is laying the foundation for a collaborative virtual infrastructure for the NASA community. A key element of SAFE is the Micro Security Domain (MSD) concept, which balances the need to collaborate and the need to enforce enterprise and local security rules. With the SAFE approach, security is an integral component of enterprise software and network design, not an afterthought.

  16. Biotechnology and Open University Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grobstein, Clifford

    1985-01-01

    Discusses whether biotechnology commercial application will significantly inhibit the free flow of information traditional in academic environments. Background factors, crux of the concern, assessment, and current options are given. Although little evidence that industry-university collaboration has impaired academic molecular genetics exists,…

  17. Academic Capitalism and the Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kleinman, Ilene

    2010-01-01

    Profit-generating entrepreneurial initiatives have become increasingly important as community colleges look for alternative revenue to support escalating costs in an environment characterized by funding constraints. Academic capitalism was used as the conceptual framework to determine whether community colleges have become increasingly market…

  18. Without Racism: Indian Students could Be both Indian and Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ambler, Marjane

    1997-01-01

    Emphasizes the integral role of tribal colleges in providing a safe environment for Native American students to obtain both academic and cultural education. Documents instances of racism that previously have acted as barriers to Indian students' academic success. (YKH)

  19. A survival strategy for an academic psychiatry department in a managed care environment.

    PubMed

    Harris, E S; Neufeld, J; Hales, R E; Hilty, D

    2001-12-01

    The changing economics of medical practice have had a profound effect on the educational, research, and service missions of academic departments of psychiatry across the country. The authors describe the development of a managed behavioral health care organization in their parent academic health system as a survival strategy for allowing their department to function in a managed care environment. They present a series of lessons learned in this effort to adapt to a highly volatile managed behavioral health care market: know how you fit into your market as well as your institution, form cooperative alliances within and outside of your institution, provide incentives to manage risk, focus on core competencies, innovate in your areas of strength, and collect data.

  20. Suicide Prevention in College Students: A Collaborative Approach.

    PubMed

    Fernández Rodríguez, María Del C; Huertas, Ivonne Bayron

    2013-01-01

    Described by Durkheim (1966) as the crudest expression of the social phenomena, suicide is of interest to clinicians, academics and researchers. Within the academic context, this issue has to be addressed and prevented. We are interested in sharing the process of participative action that led to the creation of a Suicide Prevention Program (SPP) for college students. Based on knowledge that was generated through a collaborative effort among all sectors of the academic community, we developed a prevention campaign that is culturally sensitive to our university's environment. This campaign is directed towards overcoming the stigma of seeking help and is characterized by promoting a sense of wellbeing in a holistic manner, paying attention not only to the individual, but also to elements of their sociocultural environment.

  1. Balancing entrepreneurship and business practices for e-collaboration: responsible information sharing in academic research.

    PubMed

    Porter, Mark W; Porter, Mark William; Milley, David; Oliveti, Kristyn; Ladd, Allen; O'Hara, Ryan J; Desai, Bimal R; White, Peter S

    2008-11-06

    Flexible, highly accessible collaboration tools can inherently conflict with controls placed on information sharing by offices charged with privacy protection, compliance, and maintenance of the general business environment. Our implementation of a commercial enterprise wiki within the academic research environment addresses concerns of all involved through the development of a robust user training program, a suite of software customizations that enhance security elements, a robust auditing program, allowance for inter-institutional wiki collaboration, and wiki-specific governance.

  2. Lay perspectives on lay health worker roles, boundaries and participation within three UK community-based health promotion projects.

    PubMed

    South, J; Kinsella, K; Meah, A

    2012-08-01

    This paper examines lay interpretations of lay health worker roles within three UK community-based health promotion projects. It argues that understanding lay health worker roles requires critical analysis of the complex interrelationships between professionals, lay workers and the communities receiving a programme. Findings are presented that are drawn from a qualitative study of lay engagement in public health programme delivery where a key objective was to examine the perspectives of community members with the experience of receiving services delivered by lay health workers. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 46 programme recipients from three case study projects; a breastfeeding peer support service, a walking for health scheme and a neighbourhood health project. The results show how participants interpreted the function and responsibilities of lay health workers and how those roles provided personalized support and facilitated engagement in group activities. Further insights into community participation processes are provided revealing the potential for active engagement in both formal and informal roles. The paper concludes that social relationships are core to understanding lay health worker programmes and therefore analysis needs to take account of the capacity for community members to move within a spectrum of participation defined by increasing responsibility for others.

  3. Perceiving land-degrading activities from the lay perspective in northern China.

    PubMed

    Lee, Harry F; Zhang, David D

    2005-11-01

    Investigation into local peoples' perceptions can produce useful information that could be incorporated into the decision-making process to help resolve environmental problems. Within the arena of land degradation, a number of studies have also been conducted to explore local peoples' views of the problem. However, the perceptions of land-degrading practices of the general public have so far not been actively solicited. This study aimed to contribute to this area of research by adopting the psychometric scaling technique to empirically explore the lay public's ecological risk perceptions of land-degrading activities in Minqin County in Gansu Province, northern China. The primary data were collected via a questionnaire survey (n=1,138) administered between 14 and 31 December 2002. The major findings of the survey were: (1) Respondents perceived the ecological risks posed by different land-degrading activities to be different. (2) There was a considerable incongruence in the way in which mining of groundwater was conceived by experts and laymen, respectively. (3) Respondents were pretty unsure of expert knowledge. (4) Respondents' ecological risk perceptions were significantly affected by their personal attributes. As far as the policy implications of these findings are concerned, this study accentuates that we must be aware of, and involved in, the environmental perceptions of the lay public in order to succeed in guiding any human-environment tensions along more sustainable trajectories and navigating the transition to sustainability.

  4. An RFID-Based Smart Nest Box: An Experimental Study of Laying Performance and Behavior of Individual Hens

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yu-Xian

    2018-01-01

    This study designed a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform to create the core of a smart nest box. At the sensing level, we have deployed RFID-based sensors and egg detection sensors. A low-frequency RFID reader is installed in the bottom of the nest box and a foot ring RFID tag is worn on the leg of individual hens. The RFID-based sensors detect when a hen enters or exits the nest box. The egg-detection sensors are implemented with a resistance strain gauge pressure sensor, which weights the egg in the egg-collection tube. Thus, the smart nest box makes it possible to analyze the laying performance and behavior of individual hens. An evaluative experiment was performed using an enriched cage, a smart nest box, web camera, and monitoring console. The hens were allowed 14 days to become accustomed to the experimental environment before monitoring began. The proposed IoT platform makes it possible to analyze the egg yield of individual hens in real time, thereby enabling the replacement of hens with egg yield below a pre-defined level in order to meet the overall target egg yield rate. The results of this experiment demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed RFID-based smart nest box in monitoring the egg yield and laying behavior of individual hens. PMID:29538334

  5. An RFID-Based Smart Nest Box: An Experimental Study of Laying Performance and Behavior of Individual Hens.

    PubMed

    Chien, Ying-Ren; Chen, Yu-Xian

    2018-03-14

    This study designed a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform to create the core of a smart nest box. At the sensing level, we have deployed RFID-based sensors and egg detection sensors. A low-frequency RFID reader is installed in the bottom of the nest box and a foot ring RFID tag is worn on the leg of individual hens. The RFID-based sensors detect when a hen enters or exits the nest box. The egg-detection sensors are implemented with a resistance strain gauge pressure sensor, which weights the egg in the egg-collection tube. Thus, the smart nest box makes it possible to analyze the laying performance and behavior of individual hens. An evaluative experiment was performed using an enriched cage, a smart nest box, web camera, and monitoring console. The hens were allowed 14 days to become accustomed to the experimental environment before monitoring began. The proposed IoT platform makes it possible to analyze the egg yield of individual hens in real time, thereby enabling the replacement of hens with egg yield below a pre-defined level in order to meet the overall target egg yield rate. The results of this experiment demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed RFID-based smart nest box in monitoring the egg yield and laying behavior of individual hens.

  6. Energetic Physiology Mediates Individual Optimization of Breeding Phenology in a Migratory Arctic Seabird.

    PubMed

    Hennin, Holly L; Bêty, Jöel; Legagneux, Pierre; Gilchrist, H Grant; Williams, Tony D; Love, Oliver P

    2016-10-01

    The influence of variation in individual state on key reproductive decisions impacting fitness is well appreciated in evolutionary ecology. Rowe et al. (1994) developed a condition-dependent individual optimization model predicting that three key factors impact the ability of migratory female birds to individually optimize breeding phenology to maximize fitness in seasonal environments: arrival condition, arrival date, and ability to gain in condition on the breeding grounds. While empirical studies have confirmed that greater arrival body mass and earlier arrival dates result in earlier laying, no study has assessed whether individual variation in energetic management of condition gain effects this key fitness-related decision. Using an 8-year data set from over 350 prebreeding female Arctic common eiders (Somateria mollissima), we tested this component of the model by examining whether individual variation in two physiological traits influencing energetic management (plasma triglycerides: physiological fattening rate; baseline corticosterone: energetic demand) predicted individual variation in breeding phenology after controlling for arrival date and body mass. As predicted by the optimization model, individuals with higher fattening rates and lower energetic demand had the earliest breeding phenology (shortest delays between arrival and laying; earliest laying dates). Our results are the first to empirically determine that individual flexibility in prebreeding energetic management influences key fitness-related reproductive decisions, suggesting that individuals have the capacity to optimally manage reproductive investment.

  7. Should I lay or should I wait? Egg-laying in the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch.

    PubMed

    Clotuche, Gwendoline; Turlure, Camille; Mailleux, Anne-Catherine; Detrain, Claire; Hance, Thierry

    2013-01-01

    Optimality theory predicts that females tend to maximize their offspring survival by choosing the egg-laying site. In this context, the use of conspecific cues allows a more reliable assessment of the habitat quality. To test this hypothesis, Tetranychus urticae Koch is an appropriate biological model as it is a phytophagous mite living in group, protected against external aggression by a common web. Experiments were conducted to determine the respective influence of substrate (living substrate: bean leaf vs. non-living substrate: glass plate), silk and presence of conspecific eggs on the egg-laying behavior of T. urticae females. On both living and non-living substrates, the presence of silk positively influenced the probability of a female to lay an egg, but had no influence on the number of eggs deposited. The egg-laying behavior was mainly determined by the nature of the substrate with mites laying fewer eggs on a non-living substrate than on a living one. The presence of a conspecific egg had no impact on either the probability of laying an egg or on the oviposition rate. This study showed a high variability among females in their fecundity and egg-laying performance. The physiology of females (individual fecundity), the egg-laying substrate and to a lesser extent the presence of silk impacted on the decision of spider mites to lay eggs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. A Study of Selected Problems in Armor Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-11-01

    of external environmental cond~tions on the internal environment of a buttoned-up tank. Another effort was a study of problems in escape and...Test site configuration: Study II ......... ... IV-16 FIG. IVT4. Mean time to lay on target .... ........ .... IV-20 TABLES Chapter III Table III-I...L., and Ton, W. H. Study of the Psychological (and Associated Physiological) Effjcts on a Tank Crew Resulting From Being Buttoned Up, ARI Research

  9. Procrastinating Behavior in Computer-Based Learning Environments to Predict Performance: A Case Study in Moodle

    PubMed Central

    Cerezo, Rebeca; Esteban, María; Sánchez-Santillán, Miguel; Núñez, José C.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Research about student performance has traditionally considered academic procrastination as a behavior that has negative effects on academic achievement. Although there is much evidence for this in class-based environments, there is a lack of research on Computer-Based Learning Environments (CBLEs). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate student behavior in a blended learning program and specifically procrastination behavior in relation to performance through Data Mining techniques. Materials and Methods: A sample of 140 undergraduate students participated in a blended learning experience implemented in a Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Developmental Learning Environment) Management System. Relevant interaction variables were selected for the study, taking into account student achievement and analyzing data by means of association rules, a mining technique. The association rules were arrived at and filtered through two selection criteria: 1, rules must have an accuracy over 0.8 and 2, they must be present in both sub-samples. Results: The findings of our study highlight the influence of time management in online learning environments, particularly on academic achievement, as there is an association between procrastination variables and student performance. Conclusion: Negative impact of procrastination in learning outcomes has been observed again but in virtual learning environments where practical implications, prevention of, and intervention in, are different from class-based learning. These aspects are discussed to help resolve student difficulties at various ages. PMID:28883801

  10. Procrastinating Behavior in Computer-Based Learning Environments to Predict Performance: A Case Study in Moodle.

    PubMed

    Cerezo, Rebeca; Esteban, María; Sánchez-Santillán, Miguel; Núñez, José C

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Research about student performance has traditionally considered academic procrastination as a behavior that has negative effects on academic achievement. Although there is much evidence for this in class-based environments, there is a lack of research on Computer-Based Learning Environments (CBLEs) . Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate student behavior in a blended learning program and specifically procrastination behavior in relation to performance through Data Mining techniques. Materials and Methods: A sample of 140 undergraduate students participated in a blended learning experience implemented in a Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Developmental Learning Environment) Management System. Relevant interaction variables were selected for the study, taking into account student achievement and analyzing data by means of association rules, a mining technique. The association rules were arrived at and filtered through two selection criteria: 1, rules must have an accuracy over 0.8 and 2, they must be present in both sub-samples. Results: The findings of our study highlight the influence of time management in online learning environments, particularly on academic achievement, as there is an association between procrastination variables and student performance. Conclusion: Negative impact of procrastination in learning outcomes has been observed again but in virtual learning environments where practical implications, prevention of, and intervention in, are different from class-based learning. These aspects are discussed to help resolve student difficulties at various ages.

  11. Students' Achievement Goals in Relation to Academic Motivation, Competence Expectancy, and Classroom Environment Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sungur, Semra; Senler, Burcu

    2010-01-01

    The present study aimed at investigating elementary students' academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, and amotivation), achievement goals (mastery approach goals, mastery avoidance goals, performance approach goals, performance avoidance goals), competence expectancies, and…

  12. Managing Academic Libraries with Fewer Resources.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggs, Donald E.

    1992-01-01

    A discussion of academic library management during retrenchment looks at a variety of issues, including staffing needs in the labor-intensive library environment, acquisitions budgeting, interlibrary cooperation (ownership vs. access to resources), entrepreneurship and strategic planning for problem solving, and use of total quality management…

  13. The University of South Carolina: College and University Computing Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CAUSE/EFFECT, 1987

    1987-01-01

    Both academic and administrative computing as well as network and communications services for the university are provided and supported by the Computer Services Division. Academic services, administrative services, systems engineering and database administration, communications, networking services, operations, and library technologies are…

  14. Men (and Women) in Academic Radiology: How Can We Reduce the Gender Discrepancy?

    PubMed

    Grimm, Lars J; Ngo, Jennifer; Pisano, Etta D; Yoon, Sora

    2016-04-01

    There is a chronic gender imbalance in academic radiology departments, which could limit our field's ability to foster creative, productive, and innovative environments. We recently reviewed 51 major academic radiology faculty rosters and discovered that 34% of academic radiologists are women, but only 25% of vice chairs and section chiefs and 9% of department chairs are women. Active intervention is needed to correct this imbalance, which should start with awareness of the issue, exposing medical students to radiology early in their training, and implementing better mentorship programs for female radiologists.

  15. A Review of Education and Training for Officers (RETO). Volume 2. Career Progression.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-06-30

    any control over the academic disciplines being pursued by scholarship students resulted in a few ROTC graduates with disciplines of no reasonable...direct application to the military environment. Providing scholarship winners a list of academic majors from which to choose and thereafter channel their... academic endeavors, would provide a better link between precommissioning education and known Army requirements. (2) introducing a "pay-back" option

  16. Ten-year experience in managing a capitated ophthalmology carve-out by an academic eye center.

    PubMed

    Olson, R J

    1997-01-01

    A 10-year experience of managing a capitated opthalmology carve-out by an academic health unit is presented. Lessons learned regarding pricing, utilization, and managing this contract are discussed. Handling the cost of education and remaining competitive is presented as a not-insurmountable hurdle. Academic health units can compete in today's environment; however, the learning curve is steep and the problems many.

  17. Psychosocial Environment and Student Self-Handicapping in Secondary School Mathematics Classes: A Cross-National Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Adams, Joan E.; Ferguson, Janet M.

    2002-01-01

    Presents an investigation of the relationship between classroom environment and self-handicapping in Australian, Canadian, and British secondary schools. Explores student perceptions of classroom environment, self-handicapping, and academic efficacy. Reports that classroom environment scales accounted for variance in self-handicapping beyond what…

  18. Corporate knowledge repository: Adopting academic LMS into corporate environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakar, Muhamad Shahbani Abu; Jalil, Dzulkafli

    2017-10-01

    The growth of Knowledge Economy has transformed human capital to be the vital asset in business organization of the 21st century. Arguably, due to its white-collar nature, knowledge-based industry is more favorable than traditional manufacturing business. However, over dependency on human capital can also be a major challenge as any workers will inevitably leave the company or retire. This situation will possibly create knowledge gap that may impact business continuity of the enterprise. Knowledge retention in the corporate environment has been of many research interests. Learning Management System (LMS) refers to the system that provides the delivery, assessment and management tools for an organization to handle its knowledge repository. By using the aspirations of a proven LMS implemented in an academic environment, this paper proposes LMS model that can be used to enable peer-to-peer knowledge capture and sharing in the knowledge-based organization. Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), referred to an ERP solution in the internet cloud environment was chosen as the domain knowledge. The complexity of the Cloud ERP business and its knowledge make it very vulnerable to the knowledge retention problem. This paper discusses how the company's essential knowledge can be retained using the LMS system derived from academic environment into the corporate model.

  19. Promoting integrity in the workplace: a priority for all academic health professionals.

    PubMed

    Cleary, Michelle; Walter, Garry; Horsfall, Jan; Jackson, Debra

    2013-10-01

    The performance-driven culture of universities challenges faculty to meet workplace expectations. In this paper, we draw on the literature to identify key aspects of, and requirements for, promoting integrity in the academic workplace. Integrity is a crucial personal characteristic that can exert a powerful influence in any setting. Any threat to integrity in the workplace can result in a toxic and corrupt environment that may be deleterious to faculty and students. Such an environment can act to prevent faculty from speaking up about ethical issues or workplace concerns, which can result in failure to identify areas for improvement, continuation of suboptimal practices, and problematic professional relationships. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to present an overview of the concept of integrity in the academic workforce and to discuss some of the issues and dimensions, in the hope of creating greater awareness. This is essential if health professional faculties are to recruit and retain staff and create optimal working environments conducive to facilitating high quality outcomes.

  20. Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms?

    PubMed

    Sakiz, Gonul; Pape, Stephen J; Hoy, Anita Woolfolk

    2012-04-01

    The purpose of the present study was to explore the importance of perceived teacher affective support in relation to sense of belonging, academic enjoyment, academic hopelessness, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in middle school mathematics classrooms. A self-report survey was administered to 317 seventh- and eighth-grade students in 5 public middle schools. Structural equation modeling indicated significant associations between perceived teacher affective support and middle school students' motivational, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The structural model explained a significant proportion of variance in students' sense of belonging (42%), academic enjoyment (43%), self-efficacy beliefs (43%), academic hopelessness (18%), and academic effort (32%) in mathematics classrooms. In addition to providing the basis for a concise new measure of perceived teacher affective support, these findings point to the importance of students' perceptions of the affective climate within learning environments for promoting academic enjoyment, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in mathematics. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Issues central to a useful image understanding environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beveridge, J. Ross; Draper, Bruce A.; Hanson, Allen R.; Riseman, Edward M.

    1992-04-01

    A recent DARPA initiative has sparked interested in software environments for computer vision. The goal is a single environment to support both basic research and technology transfer. This paper lays out six fundamental attributes such a system must possess: (1) support for both C and Lisp, (2) extensibility, (3) data sharing, (4) data query facilities tailored to vision, (5) graphics, and (6) code sharing. The first three attributes fundamentally constrain the system design. Support for both C and Lisp demands some form of database or data-store for passing data between languages. Extensibility demands that system support facilities, such as spatial retrieval of data, be readily extended to new user-defined datatypes. Finally, data sharing demands that data saved by one user, including data of a user-defined type, must be readable by another user.

  2. 25 CFR 11.205 - Are there standards for the appearance of attorneys and lay counselors?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... lay counselors? 11.205 Section 11.205 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAW...; Administration § 11.205 Are there standards for the appearance of attorneys and lay counselors? (a) No defendant... professional attorneys and lay counselors. ...

  3. 48 CFR 1371.117 - Lay days.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Lay days. 1371.117 Section... REGULATIONS ACQUISITIONS INVOLVING SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND SHIP REPAIR Provisions and Clauses 1371.117 Lay days. Insert clause 1352.271-86, Lay Days, in all solicitations and contracts for ship repair. ...

  4. A novel framework for intelligent surveillance system based on abnormal human activity detection in academic environments.

    PubMed

    Al-Nawashi, Malek; Al-Hazaimeh, Obaida M; Saraee, Mohamad

    2017-01-01

    Abnormal activity detection plays a crucial role in surveillance applications, and a surveillance system that can perform robustly in an academic environment has become an urgent need. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for an automatic real-time video-based surveillance system which can simultaneously perform the tracking, semantic scene learning, and abnormality detection in an academic environment. To develop our system, we have divided the work into three phases: preprocessing phase, abnormal human activity detection phase, and content-based image retrieval phase. For motion object detection, we used the temporal-differencing algorithm and then located the motions region using the Gaussian function. Furthermore, the shape model based on OMEGA equation was used as a filter for the detected objects (i.e., human and non-human). For object activities analysis, we evaluated and analyzed the human activities of the detected objects. We classified the human activities into two groups: normal activities and abnormal activities based on the support vector machine. The machine then provides an automatic warning in case of abnormal human activities. It also embeds a method to retrieve the detected object from the database for object recognition and identification using content-based image retrieval. Finally, a software-based simulation using MATLAB was performed and the results of the conducted experiments showed an excellent surveillance system that can simultaneously perform the tracking, semantic scene learning, and abnormality detection in an academic environment with no human intervention.

  5. Lay Consultations in Heart Failure Symptom Evaluation.

    PubMed

    Reeder, Katherine M; Sims, Jessica L; Ercole, Patrick M; Shetty, Shivan S; Wallendorf, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Lay consultations can facilitate or impede healthcare. However, little is known about how lay consultations for symptom evaluation affect treatment decision-making. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of lay consultations in symptom evaluation prior to hospitalization among patients with heart failure. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, along with logistic regression were used to characterize lay consultations in this sample. A large proportion of patients engaged in lay consultations for symptom evaluation and decision-making before hospitalization. Lay consultants provided attributions and advice and helped make the decision to seek medical care. Men consulted more often with their spouse than women, while women more often consulted with adult children. Findings have implications for optimizing heart failure self-management interventions, improving outcomes, and reducing hospital readmissions.

  6. A measurement system of high-temperature oxidation environment with ultrasonic Ir0.6Rth0.4 alloy thermometry.

    PubMed

    Wei, Yanlong; Wang, Gao; Gao, Yubin; Liu, Zhengguang; Xu, Lin; Tian, Miao; Yuan, Dongfang; Ren, Haiping; Zhou, Hanchang; Yang, Lu; Shi, Xueshun; Xiao, Zhaoqian

    2018-04-03

    Iridium-rhodium is generally applied as a thermocouple material, with max operating temperature about 2150 °C. In this study, a ultrasonic temperature measurement system was designed by using Iridium-rhodium (60%Ir-40%Rh) alloy as an acoustic waveguide sensor material, and the system was preliminarily tested in a high-temperature oxidation environment. The result of ultrasonic temperature measurement shows that this system can indeed work stably in high-temperature oxidation environments. The relationship between temperature and delay time of ultrasonic thermometry up to 2200 °C was illustrated. Iridium-rhodium materials were also investigated in order to fully elucidate the proposed waveguide sensor's performance in a high-temperature oxidation environment. This system lays a foundation for further application of high-temperature measurement. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Scrum-Based Learning Environment: Fostering Self-Regulated Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linden, Tanya

    2018-01-01

    Academics teaching software development courses are experimenting with teaching methods aiming to improve students' learning experience and learning outcomes. Since Agile software development is gaining popularity in industry due to positive effects on managing projects, academics implement similar Agile approaches in student-centered learning…

  8. University Architecture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Brian

    This book explores how universities relate their built environment to academic discourse, asserting that the character of universities is often a charming dialogue between order and disarray. It contains numerous photographs and building plans for example campuses throughout the world. In part 1, "The Campus," chapters are: (1) "Academic Mission…

  9. The Evolution of Academic Library Architecture: A Summary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toombs, Kenneth E.

    1992-01-01

    Reviews the history of architectural developments in academic libraries. Highlights include natural lighting and the invention of the incandescent bulb; compact shelving; open versus closed stacks; modular construction methods; central air conditioning and controlled environments; interior arrangements; access to handicapped users and staff; and…

  10. Choosing Our Futures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoffle, Carla J.; Renaud, Robert; Veldof, Jerilyn R.

    2015-01-01

    Nearly all academic librarians agree that academic libraries have to change in order to respond successfully to the new realities of the higher education environment, rapidly developing information and telecommunications technologies, and the crisis in scholarly communications. But there is little agreement on what must change, how the changes…

  11. A Gaming Frame of Mind: Digital Contexts and Academic Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrams, Sandra S.

    2009-01-01

    When considering the interdisciplinary nature of education, researchers need to acknowledge students' traditional and multimodal literacies and learning environments. Technological changes have brought about new learning spaces and what students learn through their video gaming experiences seems to have important academic implications and…

  12. Genetic architecture underlying convergent evolution of egg-laying behavior in a seed-feeding beetle.

    PubMed

    Fox, Charles W; Wagner, James D; Cline, Sara; Thomas, Frances Ann; Messina, Frank J

    2009-05-01

    Independent populations subjected to similar environments often exhibit convergent evolution. An unresolved question is the frequency with which such convergence reflects parallel genetic mechanisms. We examined the convergent evolution of egg-laying behavior in the seed-feeding beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Females avoid ovipositing on seeds bearing conspecific eggs, but the degree of host discrimination varies among geographic populations. In a previous experiment, replicate lines switched from a small host to a large one evolved reduced discrimination after 40 generations. We used line crosses to determine the genetic architecture underlying this rapid response. The most parsimonious genetic models included dominance and/or epistasis for all crosses. The genetic architecture underlying reduced discrimination in two lines was not significantly different from the architecture underlying differences between geographic populations, but the architecture underlying the divergence of a third line differed from all others. We conclude that convergence of this complex trait may in some cases involve parallel genetic mechanisms.

  13. Arrested embryonic development: a review of strategies to delay hatching in egg-laying reptiles

    PubMed Central

    Rafferty, Anthony R.; Reina, Richard D.

    2012-01-01

    Arrested embryonic development involves the downregulation or cessation of active cell division and metabolic activity, and the capability of an animal to arrest embryonic development results in temporal plasticity of the duration of embryonic period. Arrested embryonic development is an important reproductive strategy for egg-laying animals that provide no parental care after oviposition. In this review, we discuss each type of embryonic developmental arrest used by oviparous reptiles. Environmental pressures that might have directed the evolution of arrest are addressed and we present previously undiscussed environmentally dependent physiological processes that may occur in the egg to bring about arrest. Areas for future research are proposed to clarify how ecology affects the phenotype of developing embryos. We hypothesize that oviparous reptilian mothers are capable of providing their embryos with a level of phenotypic adaptation to local environmental conditions by incorporating maternal factors into the internal environment of the egg that result in different levels of developmental sensitivity to environmental conditions after they are laid. PMID:22438503

  14. Association between home visiting interventions and First Nations families' health and social outcomes in Manitoba, Canada: protocol for a study of linked population-based administrative data.

    PubMed

    Brownell, Marni D; Nickel, Nathan C; Enns, Jennifer E; Chartier, Mariette; Campbell, Rhonda; Phillips-Beck, Wanda; Chateau, Dan; Burland, Elaine; Santos, Rob; Katz, Alan

    2017-10-10

    First Nations people are descendants of Canada's original inhabitants. In consequence of historical and ongoing structural injustices, many First Nations families struggle with challenging living conditions, including high rates of poverty, poor housing conditions, mental illness and social isolation. These risk factors impede caregivers' abilities to meet their children's basic physical and psychosocial needs. Home visiting programmes were developed to support child developmental health in families facing parenting challenges. However, whether home visiting is an effective intervention for First Nations families has not been examined. We are evaluating two home visiting programmes in Manitoba, Canada, to determine whether they promote nurturing family environments for First Nations children. This research builds on new and established relationships among academic researchers, government decision-makers and First Nations stakeholders. We will link health, education and social services data from the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository to data from two home visiting programmes in Manitoba. Logistic regression modelling will be used to assess whether programme participation is associated with improved child developmental health, better connections between families and social services, reduced instances of child maltreatment and being taken into out-of-home care by child welfare and reduced inequities for First Nations families. Non-participating individuals with similar sociodemographic characteristics will serve as comparators. We will use an interrupted time series approach to test for differences in outcomes before and after programme implementation and a propensity score analysis to compare differences between participants and non-participants. Approvals were granted by the Health Information Research Governance Committee of the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba and the University of Manitoba Health Research Ethics Board. Our integrated knowledge translation approach will involve disseminating findings through government and community briefings, developing lay summaries and infographics, presenting at academic conferences and publishing in scientific journals. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  15. Among friends: the role of academic-preparedness diversity in individual performance within a small-group STEM learning environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Micari, Marina; Van Winkle, Zachary; Pazos, Pilar

    2016-08-01

    In this study, we investigate the relationship between academic-preparedness diversity within small learning groups and individual academic performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university courses. We further examine whether academic-preparedness diversity impacts academically more- and less-prepared students differently. We use data from 5367 university students nested within 1141 science, engineering, and mathematics learning groups and use a regression analysis to estimate the effect of group diversity, measured in two ways, on course performance. Our results indicate that academic-preparedness diversity is generally associated with positive learning outcomes, that academically less-prepared students derive greater benefit, and that less-prepared students fare best when they are not alone in a group of highly prepared students. Implications for teaching and small-group facilitation are addressed.

  16. [Academic performance in first year medical students: an explanatory multivariate model].

    PubMed

    Urrutia Aguilar, María Esther; Ortiz León, Silvia; Fouilloux Morales, Claudia; Ponce Rosas, Efrén Raúl; Guevara Guzmán, Rosalinda

    2014-12-01

    Current education is focused in intellectual, affective, and ethical aspects, thus acknowledging their significance in students´ metacognition. Nowadays, it is known that an adequate and motivating environment together with a positive attitude towards studies is fundamental to induce learning. Medical students are under multiple stressful, academic, personal, and vocational situations. To identify psychosocial, vocational, and academic variables of 2010-2011 first year medical students at UNAM that may help predict their academic performance. Academic surveys of psychological and vocational factors were applied; an academic follow-up was carried out to obtain a multivariate model. The data were analyzed considering descriptive, comparative, correlative, and predictive statistics. The main variables that affect students´ academic performance are related to previous knowledge and to psychological variables. The results show the significance of implementing institutional programs to support students throughout their college adaptation.

  17. Academics and Citizens Working Together

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bogen, D., Jr.

    2017-12-01

    Traditionally Academics and citizens have contributed to each other lives but friction has always existed between the two. When there is a hostile relationship between community members and Academics, the collection of data suffers, which in returns hurts the potential solutions to community problems. Combining Community Based Participatory Research and the BISCO Community Organizing Model, {Listens, Identify, Research, offer solution}, these frictions can be limited, creating better working environments, and producing better data. Helping create and participating in workgroups, including NGO's, Academics and Citizens leaders, have produce better working environments. Using these methods within the work groups I observed, relationships being form between Academics and Citizens. Some of the relationships were both public and private. The workgroups that created space for professional and personal stories telling produced the most relationships. Listening and understand each other, before research have proven to be successful in producing trust between Academics and Citizens. When Academics and Citizens developed trust between themselves, each party respects the other limitation. Knowing each limitation is perhaps the most key element in working together, which eliminates over promises and culture hindrance within the community. It's amazing like getting the answers to the test before you take it. The project becomes richer in design, when there is trust in the process before it begins. Working together to eliminating potential road blocks ahead of time, enhance the project chances to produce, richer data.Academics cannot produce good data if citizens withhold information and citizens cannot solve their social ills if they do not have good data, in short we need each other.

  18. How Urban Youth Perceive Relationships Among School Environments, Social Networks, Self-Concept, and Substance Use.

    PubMed

    Dudovitz, Rebecca N; Perez-Aguilar, Giselle; Kim, Grace; Wong, Mitchell D; Chung, Paul J

    2017-03-01

    Studies suggest adolescent substance use aligns with academic and behavioral self-concept (whether teens think of themselves as good or bad students and as rule followers or rule breakers) as well as peer and adult social networks. Schools are an important context in which self-concept and social networks develop, but it remains unclear how school environments might be leveraged to promote healthy development and prevent substance use. We sought to describe how youth perceive the relationships among school environments, adolescent self-concept, social networks, and substance use. Semistructured interviews with 32 low-income minority youth (aged 17-22 years) who participated in a prior study, explored self-concept development, school environments, social networks, and substance use decisions. Recruitment was stratified by whether, during high school, they had healthy or unhealthy self-concept profiles and had engaged in or abstained from substance use. Youth described feeling labeled by peers and teachers and how these labels became incorporated into their self-concept. Teachers who made students feel noticed (eg, by learning students' names) and had high academic expectations reinforced healthy self-concepts. Academic tracking, extracurricular activities, and school norms determined potential friendship networks, grouping students either with well-behaving or misbehaving peers. Youth described peer groups, combined with their self-concept, shaping their substance use decisions. Affirming healthy aspects of their self-concept at key risk behavior decision points helped youth avoid substance use in the face of peer pressure. Youth narratives suggest school environments shape adolescent self-concept and adult and peer social networks, all of which impact substance use. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Students' perception of the learning environment and its relation to their study year and performance in Sudan.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Yasar; Taha, Mohamed H; Al-Neel, Salma; Gaffar, Abdelrahim M

    2018-05-24

    To evaluate students' perceptions of the learning environment and to assess any differences in perception related to students' performance and their year of study. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed of 638 students from the second, sixth and tenth semesters at the Faculty of Medicine at Gezira University, Sudan. This study employed the Arabic-translated Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure. The main predictor variables were the study year and academic performance. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance with a post hoc Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test were used for data analysis. The overall score for this study was 122/200 (SD=16.6), indicating a positive perception of the learning environment. The overall mean score was 109.94/200 (SD=21.2) for Semester 2 students, 122.9/200 (SD=20.29) for Semester 6 students, and 116.53 (SD=20.12) for Semester 10 students, reflecting a significant difference in students' perceptions in different years of study (F (2,2422) = 3.21, p=0.04). There was also a significant difference between the mean overall scores with respect to academic performance. High-achieving students' mean DREEM score was 126 (SD=24.4); while low-achieving students' mean DREEM score was 102 (SD=26.25) (F (2,2453) = 3.53, p=0.029). High achievers' perceptions of the learning environment are significantly better than those of low achievers. A significant difference was observed between students in different years of study. The differences in students' academic performance should be further investigated, targeting specific domains. A large-scale study is required to differentiate between the weakness and the strength of each academic level.

  20. The relationship between environment, efficacy beliefs, and academic achievement of low-income African American children in special education.

    PubMed

    Bean, Kristen F; Sidora-Arcoleo, Kimberly

    2012-01-01

    African American students are overrepresented in special education. Ecological systems theory, social cognitive theory, and a literature review demonstrate that children's environments, particularly school, and self-efficacy impact the educational outcomes of African American children. Interventions have aimed to improve children's environmental resources and efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of environment, efficacy beliefs, and the Nurse-Family Partnership intervention on the educational achievements of African American children in special education. A secondary data analysis of 126 African American children in special education found that self-efficacy and the number of hours spent in special education were associated with their academic achievement.

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