Facilitating Active Engagement of the University Student in a Large-Group Setting Using Group Work Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinsella, Gemma K.; Mahon, Catherine; Lillis, Seamus

2017-01-01

It is envisaged that small-group exercises as part of a large-group session would facilitate not only group work exercises (a valuable employability skill), but also peer learning. In this article, such a strategy to facilitate the active engagement of the student in a large-group setting was explored. The production of student-led resources was…

Prevalence of Exercise Addiction Symptomology and Disordered Eating in Australian Students Studying Nutrition and Dietetics.

PubMed

Rocks, Tetyana; Pelly, Fiona; Slater, Gary; Martin, Lisa Anne

2017-10-01

Previous research has reported the existence of disordered eating in students studying nutrition and dietetics. However, the occurrence of exercise addiction, previously linked to disordered eating, is poorly understood in this group. The main objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of self-reported symptoms of exercise addiction and the association with disordered eating in a sample of students studying nutrition and dietetics. A secondary objective was to compare the prevalence of exercise addiction to students enrolled in another health-related degree. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 165 undergraduate students. Participants were students of both sexes enrolled in nutrition and dietetics and occupational therapy degree programs at an Australian university in August 2013. Participants completed four validated questionnaires for assessment of exercise- and eating-related attitudes and behaviors measuring scores for exercise addiction, weekly volume of physical activity (PA), eating disorder symptoms, and cognitive restraint. Stretch stature and body mass were measured and body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Independent t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ 2 test were completed to compare groups of students based on sex, degree, or eating attitudes. Spearman's correlation was performed to explore associations between continuous variables (exercise addiction scores, PA volume, and scores for eating attitudes and cognitive restraint). Approximately 23% of nutrition and dietetics students were found to be at risk of exercise addiction (20% females and 35% males; P=0.205), while the majority demonstrated some symptoms of exercise addiction. A similar proportion of at risk individuals was found in the female occupational therapy group (19%; P=1.000). In females (nutrition and dietetics and occupational therapy combined), the exercise addiction scores were associated with three other outcome measures: PA volume (r s =0.41; P<0.001), eating attitudes scores (r s =0.24; P=0.008), and cognitive restraint (r s =0.32; P<0.001). Comparative analysis indicated that female students with high cognitive restraint had greater exercise addiction scores than those with low cognitive restraint (20.3 [4.8] compared to 17.8 [4.2]; P=0.003). Results suggest high prevalence of exercise addiction in this sample of undergraduate health-related degree students and its link to amount of PA and disordered eating in females. Future research should include larger samples of both sexes to build the existing understanding on these maladaptive behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise self-identity: interactions with social comparison and exercise behaviour.

PubMed

Verkooijen, Kirsten T; de Bruijn, Gert-Jan

2013-01-01

Possible interactions among exercise self-identity, social comparison and exercise behaviour were explored in a sample of 417 undergraduate students (mean age = 21.5, SD = 3.0; 73% female). Two models were examined using self-report data; (1) a mediation model which proposed an association between social comparison and exercise behaviour mediated by exercise self-identity and (2) a moderation model proposing an association between exercise behaviour and self-identity moderated by social comparison. Results of the mediation analyses revealed partial mediation of the social comparison--exercise behaviour relationship by self-identity in females. Results of the moderation analyses revealed in males a significant interaction of social comparison with exercise behaviour in the prediction of self-identity - the positive association between exercise behaviour and exercise self-identity showed only significant among male students who believed to exercise equally much or less than peers. Possible explanations and implications for exercise promotion are discussed.

An International Experience for Social Work Students: Self-Reflection through Poetry and Journal Writing Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furman, Rich; Coyne, Ann; Negi, Nalini Junko

2008-01-01

This descriptive article explores the uses of poetry and journaling exercises as means of helping students develop their self-reflective capacities within the context of international social work. First, self-reflection and its importance to social work practice and education is discussed. Second, the importance of self-reflection in international…

Computer Oriented Exercises on Attitudes and U.S. Gasoline Consumption, Attitude. Student Guide. Computer Technology Program Environmental Education Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.

This is the student guide in a set of five computer-oriented environmental/energy education units. Contents of this guide present: (1) the three gasoline consumption-reducing options for which attitudes are to be explored; (2) exercises; and (3) appendices including an energy attitudes survey. (MR)

Is This the Past? The Place of Role-Play Exercises in Undergraduate History Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beidatsch, Cedric; Broomhall, Susan

2010-01-01

Increasingly, academic teachers are exploring the learning opportunities offered by student-centred participatory classroom and web-supported exercises. Role-play and gaming activities have been highlighted as fora which provide development of a range of personal and social skill sets in students, as well as understanding of subject content. This…

Personal motivation, exercise, and smoking behaviors among young adults.

PubMed

Scioli, Erica Rose; Biller, Henry; Rossi, Joseph; Riebe, Deborah

2009-01-01

This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have higher rates of physical and emotional distress. Those participants who exercise and do not smoke are more likely to exhibit intrinsic factors for exercise. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 614) completed an Internet survey on exercise and smoking behavior as well as motivational factors for exercise. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that intrinsic motivational factors for exercise were significantly higher for the active nonsmokers than for the active smokers. Interventions promoting consistent exercise and smoking abstinence should continue to be directed toward young adults, focusing on fostering intrinsic motivational factors for exercise.

Personal Motivation, Exercise, and Smoking Behaviors among Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scioli, Erica Rose; Biller, Henry; Rossi, Joseph; Riebe, Deborah

2009-01-01

This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have…

Drama as a pedagogical tool for practicing death notification-experiences from Swedish medical students.

PubMed

Nordström, Anna; Fjellman-Wiklund, Anncristine; Grysell, Tomas

2011-09-28

One of the toughest tasks in any profession is the deliverance of death notification. Marathon Death is an exercise conducted during the fourth year of medical school in northern Sweden to prepare students for this responsibility. The exercise is designed to enable students to gain insight into the emotional and formal procedure of delivering death notifications. The exercise is inspired by Augusto Boal's work around Forum Theatre and is analyzed using video playback. The aim of the study was to explore reflections, attitudes and ideas toward training in delivering death notifications among medical students who participate in the Marathon Death exercise based on forum play. After participation in the Marathon Death exercise, students completed semi-structured interviews. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using the principles of qualitative content analysis including a deductive content analysis approach with a structured matrix based on Bloom's taxonomy domains. The Marathon Death exercise was perceived as emotionally loaded, realistic and valuable for the future professional role as a physician. The deliverance of a death notification to the next of kin that a loved one has died was perceived as difficult. The exercise conjured emotions such as positive expectations and sheer anxiety. Students perceived participation in the exercise as an important learning experience, discovering that they had the capacity to manage such a difficult situation. The feedback from the video playback of the exercise and the feedback from fellow students and teachers enhanced the learning experience. The exercise, Marathon Death, based on forum play with video playback is a useful pedagogical tool that enables students to practice delivering death notification. The ability to practice under realistic conditions contributes to reinforce students in preparation for their future professional role.

A New Measure of Home Exercise Benefits and Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thind, Herpreet; Fava, Joseph; Traficante, Regina; Bock, Beth C.

2016-01-01

Background: To increase physical activity among college students, new approaches are needed including the exploration of home-based exercise. However, research related to potential facilitators and barriers to exercising at home is limited. Purpose: The goal of this study was to develop a reliable and valid measure that can assess predictors of…

Exploring Examiner Judgement of Professional Competence in Rater Based Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naumann, Fiona L.; Marshall, Stephen; Shulruf, Boaz; Jones, Philip D.

2016-01-01

Exercise physiology courses have transitioned to competency based, forcing Universities to rethink assessment to ensure students are competent to practice. This study built on earlier research to explore rater cognition, capturing factors that contribute to assessor decision making about students' competency. The aims were to determine the source…

Advancing non-directive pregnancy options counseling skills: A pilot Study on the use of blended learning with an online module and simulation.

PubMed

Lupi, Carla; Ward-Peterson, Melissa; Chang, Winnie

2016-10-01

Limitations on didactic time pose barriers to teaching non-directive pregnancy options counseling. This study set out to explore the use of an online module to support trainee performance in a pregnancy options counseling standardized-patient exercise implemented among third-year medical students, and to examine the effect of clinical experience on student performance. An online module was developed. A convenience sample of forty-six student performances in a family medicine clerkship participated in a standardized patient exercise. Trained faculty rated performances. Students completed a self-assessment and provided feedback on the online module. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney-U tests were used to analyze data. Three coders qualitatively examined narrative student comments. Thirty-four students passed, 11 achieved a minimal pass, and one failed. The mean global rating from faculty was 2.8 (pass). Students with prior clinical experience significantly outperformed those without on the global rating scale with mean scores of 3.1 compared to 2.7, respectively (p=.044). All students agreed that the online module helped prepare them for the exercise. Qualitative analysis of students' feedback on the module revealed strengths in content and pedagogy. In their self-assessments, all but two students referred to content explicitly conveyed in the module. All students agreed that an online module supported their performance of non-directive pregnancy options counseling skills. Prior clinical experience was associated with improved performance. This module, along with the simulated exercise, can be implemented as a blended learning exercise without additional faculty teaching effort in standardized patient resource centers. Students agreed that an online module facilitates simulated performance of non-directive pregnancy options counseling skills. Future work should compare the impact of this approach to others, and explore the additional training needed to maintain and build on initial learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aggregated effects of combining daily milk consumption and aerobic exercise on short-term memory and sustained attention among female students.

PubMed

Leong, In-Tyng; Moghadam, Sedigheh; Hashim, Hairul A

2015-02-01

Regular aerobic exercise and milk consumption have been found to have positive effects on certain cognitive functions such as short-term memory and sustained attention. However, aggregated effects of combining these modalities have not been explored. This study examined the combined effects of milk supplementation and aerobic exercise on the short-term memory and sustained attention of female students aged 16 yr. (N = 81). The intervention involved serving of 250 ml of regular milk during school days and/or a 1-hr. aerobic exercise period twice per week for 6 weeks. The Digit Span Test and Digit Vigilance Test were used to measure short-term memory and sustained attention, respectively. The combination group (milk and exercise) and exercise group performed significantly better than did the milk and control groups in terms of short-term memory. No significant interaction or group differences were found for sustained attention. The results suggest benefits of regular exercise for students' short-term memory.

Qualitative analysis of medical student impressions of a narrative exercise in the third-year psychiatry clerkship.

PubMed

Garrison, David; Lyness, Jeffrey M; Frank, Julia B; Epstein, Ronald M

2011-01-01

Clinical clerkship directors and faculty undertake the challenge of teaching patient-centered communication to students who face the enormous doctor-centered task of learning diagnostic medicine. The authors examined students' written reactions to the narrative exercise, which, drawing from narrative medicine and narrative therapy, challenges students to be more patient-centered by writing a patient's life story and sharing it with that patient. During one-half of an academic year (2008-2009), the authors used qualitative methods to explore the range of medical student experiences with the narrative exercise in the psychiatry clerkship. During the study period, 46 medical students completed the exercise, and 44 (96%) submitted 367 comments for the research team to analyze. Four broad categories emerged: (1) communication, (2) insight, (3) hope, and (4) mixed or negative reactions. The most common theme was improved communication, which comprised the subcategories of enhanced active listening, opening up, and relationship building. Improved insights included student insights into their patients, as well as the facilitation of patient insights into themselves, especially regarding their own strengths and relationships. The exercise was well received by students: Only five comments were categorized as negative, and all of these related to difficulties selecting patients. Students reported many examples of improved patient-centered communication facilitated by the exercise. The narrative exercise may also promote a greater understanding of patients as complete human beings rather than diagnostic entities. The approach may be useful in educational settings beyond the psychiatry clerkship.

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities.

PubMed

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-10-01

To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in "assessment for learning." After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Most student groups scored well in the "overall assessment" of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern.

A Cochlear Implant Signal Processing Lab: Exploration of a Problem-Based Learning Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatti, P. T.; McClellan, J. H.

2011-01-01

This paper presents an introductory signal processing laboratory and examines this laboratory exercise in the context of problem-based learning (PBL). Centered in a real-world application, a cochlear implant, the exercise challenged students to demonstrate a working software-based signal processor. Partnering in groups of two or three, second-year…

Exploring Strategic Behavior in an Oligopoly Market Using Classroom Clickers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brouhle, Keith

2011-01-01

This article discusses an innovative technique to teach strategic behavior in oligopoly markets. In the classroom exercise, students play the role of a firm that maximizes its profit given the behavior of other firms in the industry. Using classroom clickers to communicate pricing decisions, students explore first-hand the strategic nature of…

Students' Perceptions of Their Connectedness in the Community College Basic Public Speaking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glaser, Hollis F.; Bingham, Shereen

2009-01-01

This study explores what classroom behaviors and activities in the basic speech course contribute to student connectedness. The results indicate that student encouragement, humor, honesty, interactive exercises and individual speeches, can help student bonding and motivation, and impacts their overall college experience.

Fit to Forgive: Effect of Mode of Exercise on Capacity to Override Grudges and Forgiveness

PubMed Central

Struthers, C. Ward; van Monsjou, Elizabeth; Ayoub, Mariam; Guilfoyle, Joshua R.

2017-01-01

Forgiveness is important for repairing relationships that have been damaged by transgressions. In this research we explored the notion that the mode of physical exercise that victims of transgressions engage in and their capacity to override grudges are important in the process of forgiveness. Two exploratory studies that varied in samples (community non-student adults, undergraduate students) and research methods (non-experimental, experimental) were used to test these predictions. Findings showed that, compared to anaerobic or no exercise, aerobic and flexibility exercise facilitated self-control over grudges and forgiveness (Studies 1 and 2), and self-control over grudges explained the relation between exercise and forgiveness (Study 2). Possible mechanisms for future research are discussed. PMID:28533758

Healthy Exercise Habits Are Associated With Lower Risk of Burnout and Higher Quality of Life Among U.S. Medical Students.

PubMed

Dyrbye, Liselotte N; Satele, Daniel; Shanafelt, Tait D

2017-07-01

Although burnout and low quality of life (QOL) are common among medical students, little remains known about personal fitness habits of medical students that may promote well-being. In 2012 the authors conducted a cross-sectional study of U.S. medical students to explore relationships between burnout, QOL, and compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exercise recommendations. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests, Fisher exact tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed. Among approximately 12,500 medical students invited to participate, 4,402 (35.2%) completed surveys. Most (2,738/4,367; 62.7%) engaged in aerobic exercise in accordance with CDC recommendations, while fewer (1,685/4,376; 38.5%) adhered to muscle strengthening recommendations. Burnout prevalence was lower among students who exercised aerobically consistent with CDC recommendations compared with those who exercised less (53.1% vs. 60.8%, P < .0001). Similarly, rates of burnout were also lower among students who strength trained consistent with CDC recommendations (51.8% vs. 58.6%, P < .0001). Overall QOL scores were higher for medical students adhering to CDC recommendations for aerobic exercise (7.2 vs. 6.6, P < .0001), strength training (7.2 vs. 6.8, P < .0001), or both aerobic and strength training (8.0 vs. 7.0, P < .0001). Compliance with CDC exercise guidelines remained independently associated with lower risk of burnout and higher QOL on multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, relationship status, children, and year in school. Students whose aerobic exercise and/or strength training habits are consistent with CDC guidelines appear less likely to experience burnout and to have higher QOL.

Effects of image-based and text-based active learning exercises on student examination performance in a musculoskeletal anatomy course.

PubMed

Gross, M Melissa; Wright, Mary C; Anderson, Olivia S

2017-09-01

Research on the benefits of visual learning has relied primarily on lecture-based pedagogy, but the potential benefits of combining active learning strategies with visual and verbal materials on learning anatomy has not yet been explored. In this study, the differential effects of text-based and image-based active learning exercises on examination performance were investigated in a functional anatomy course. Each class session was punctuated with an average of 12 text-based and image-based active learning exercises. Participation data from 231 students were compared with their examination performance on 262 questions associated with the in-class exercises. Students also rated the helpfulness and difficulty of the in-class exercises on a survey. Participation in the active learning exercises was positively correlated with examination performance (r = 0.63, P < 0.001). When controlling for other key demographics (gender, underrepresented minority status) and prior grade point average, participation in the image-based exercises was significantly correlated with performance on examination questions associated with image-based exercises (P < 0.001) and text-based exercises (P < 0.01), while participation in text-based exercises was not. Additionally, students reported that the active learning exercises were helpful for seeing images of key ideas (94%) and clarifying key course concepts (80%), and that the image-based exercises were significantly less demanding, less hard and required less effort than text-based exercises (P < 0.05). The findings confirm the positive effect of using images and active learning strategies on student learning, and suggest that integrating them may be especially beneficial for learning anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 10: 444-455. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

[Effects of the body fat mass and blood sugar and plasma resistin to slim exercise prescription for overweight and obesity students].

PubMed

Bai, Youping; Zhang, Jing; Jiang, Shuangshuang; Sun, Jun; Zheng, Chenfei; Wang, Ke; Qian, Jingjing; Nie, Liuwang

2013-07-01

To explore the influences of slim exercise prescription on body fat mass, blood sugar and plasma resistin for overweight and obesity students. Subjects were 9 males and 13 females for simple overweight and obesity students of freshman and junior. The function capacity (FC) were defined after examine of body shape, physical function and exercise capacity. The slim goals and exercise projects were determined according to different objects. The exercise intensity was 60%-70% of FC and 13-15 levels of RPE. Exercise with each time was 60 min, exercise frequency was 5 times perweek, energy metabolism was 500-600 kcal at a time. The relative indexes were detected after 8 weeks. Implementing programmes of slim exercise prescription for 8 weeks, before and after the experiment in the males and females group. The weight, BMI, percentage of body fat (FAT%), waist and hip circumference ratio (WHR), body surface area (BS), fat indexes, the density of body for overweight and obesity the male and female students were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Body fat mass (FM) and blood sugar were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Plasma resistin of the male students were significant different (P < 0.01), but the female students were significant different (P < 0.05). Analysis of Bivariate Correlation was Pearson Correlation, plasma resistin and BMI, WHR the male students had correlation, but the female had no correlation. The exercise prescription was safe and sure, and could improve weight, BMI, FAT%, FM, WHR, BS, fat indexes, the density of body, blood sugar, plasma resistin in obesity without the diet control.

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities

PubMed Central

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-01-01

Objectives: To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in “assessment for learning.” Materials and Methods: After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Most student groups scored well in the “overall assessment” of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Conclusion: Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern. PMID:28031611

A Laboratory Exercise for a College-Level, Introductory Neuroscience Course Demonstrating Effects of Housing Environment on Anxiety and Psychostimulant Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Pritchard, Laurel M.; Van Kempen, Tracey A.; Williams, Heather; Zimmerberg, Betty

2008-01-01

In this paper we describe a lab exercise developed for the Introduction to Neuroscience course at Williams College. One of a series of five labs, this exercise demonstrated several key principles of behavioral neuroscience. In this lab, students explored the effects of post-weaning housing environment on anxiety-like behavior and psychostimulant sensitivity in rodents. The exercise was intended to emphasize the importance and utility of animal models in neuroscience research and to give students hands-on experience with behavioral neuroscience research techniques. Students tested rats reared in social isolation or environmental enrichment for anxiety-like behaviors on the elevated plus maze, and for spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotor activity in the open field. They were then asked to analyze pooled class data and prepare a short lab report. Overall, student performance was excellent. This exercise emerged as a class favorite on course evaluations. Interestingly, the first time this exercise was conducted, the effects of environmental enrichment on anxiety-like behaviors and psychostimulant sensitivity were not consistent with those published in previous studies. Key methodological issues that may account for this discrepancy and contribute to successful implementation by other programs are discussed. PMID:23493884

Introductory Psychology: How Student Experiences Relate to Their Understanding of Psychological Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toomey, Thomas; Richardson, Deborah; Hammock, Georgina

2017-01-01

Many students who declare a psychology major are unaware that they are studying a scientific discipline, precipitating a need for exercises and experiences that help students understand the scientific nature of the discipline. The present study explores aspects of an introductory psychology class that may contribute to students' understanding of…

Teaching the process of molecular phylogeny and systematics: a multi-part inquiry-based exercise.

PubMed

Lents, Nathan H; Cifuentes, Oscar E; Carpi, Anthony

2010-01-01

Three approaches to molecular phylogenetics are demonstrated to biology students as they explore molecular data from Homo sapiens and four related primates. By analyzing DNA sequences, protein sequences, and chromosomal maps, students are repeatedly challenged to develop hypotheses regarding the ancestry of the five species. Although these exercises were designed to supplement and enhance classroom instruction on phylogeny, cladistics, and systematics in the context of a postsecondary majors-level introductory biology course, the activities themselves require very little prior student exposure to these topics. Thus, they are well suited for students in a wide range of educational levels, including a biology class at the secondary level. In implementing this exercise, we have observed measurable gains, both in student comprehension of molecular phylogeny and in their acceptance of modern evolutionary theory. By engaging students in modern phylogenetic activities, these students better understood how biologists are currently using molecular data to develop a more complete picture of the shared ancestry of all living things.

Exploring Group Communication and Productivity Improvement: Using an Experiential Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandeville, Mary Y.; Mandeville, David E.

Engineering students at Oklahoma State University used an experiential process (the ACME Basket Exercise) to develop an understanding of how quality and productivity can be improved. The exercise simulates a traditional production organization in the classroom and mirrors the efforts, the successes, and the frustrations of individuals and work…

Mola Scissors: An Exercise in Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Janet

1982-01-01

Describes a design exercise for college education majors. Five paper scissor shapes are used to illustrate the role of balance, variation, repetition, and unity in design. After comparing their own designs to Indian molas, students explore how color and shape affect design by elaborating their work with oil crayons. (AM)

Particle in a Disk: A Spectroscopic and Computational Laboratory Exercise Studying the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Corannulene

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, E. Ramsey; Sygula, Andrzej; Hammer, Nathan I.

2014-01-01

This laboratory exercise introduces undergraduate chemistry majors to the spectroscopic and theoretical study of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), corannulene. Students explore the spectroscopic properties of corannulene using UV-vis and Raman vibrational spectroscopies. They compare their experimental results to simulated vibrational…

Understanding Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments: The Role of Reflexivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Peter; Everington, Lucy; Kelm, Kathleen; Reid, Iain; Watkins, Francine

2017-01-01

It is important to develop understanding of what underpins the engagement of students in online learning environments. This article reports on a multiple case study that explored student engagement in a set of postgraduate degrees offered on a fully online basis. The study was based on a theorization of student engagement as the exercise of…

Guided Practice Software for Teaching DNA Replication to Senior High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Eric C.; McKinnon, Alan E.; Hickford, Jonathan G. H.; Abell, Walt A.

2008-01-01

The prototype of a guided practice application was developed to instruct year 13 biology students in the process of DNA replication. The application uses a high degree of interaction to engage the student in a guided exploration and problem solving exercise. An evaluation revealed that the students showed considerable enthusiasm and significant…

College Students' Conceptions of Context-Aware Ubiquitous Learning: A Phenomenographic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Pei-Shan; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Hwang, Gwo-Haur

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore students' conceptions of context-aware ubiquitous learning (u-learning). The students participated in a u-learning exercise using PDAs equipped with RFID readers. The data were collected from individual interviews with each of the students by a trained researcher, and the responses of the interviewees were…

Exploring the Contribution of Professional Staff to Student Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Australian and UK Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Carroll; Regan, Julie-Anne

2016-01-01

This paper reports on the second stage of a comparative study between two higher education institutions: one in Australia and the other in the United Kingdom, which explored the contributions of professional staff to student outcomes. The first stage acted as a scoping exercise to ascertain how the contributions of professional staff to student…

Gender Differences in the Associations among Body Mass Index, Weight Loss, Exercise, and Drinking among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Adam E.; Whiteman, Shawn; Piazza-Gardner, Anna K.; Jensen, Alexander C.

2013-01-01

Objective: To explore gender differences regarding weight management behaviors of college drinkers. Participants: Nationally representative sample of college students from the fall 2008 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment II ("N" = 26,062 students). Methods: Structural equation modeling was used…

Undergrad and Overweight: An Online Behavioral Weight Management Program for College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey-Berino, Jean; Pope, Lizzy; Gold, Beth Casey; Leonard, Heather; Belliveau, Cynthia

2012-01-01

Objective: Explore the feasibility of an online behavioral weight management program for college students. Methods: The program focused on behavioral strategies to modify eating and exercise behaviors of students interested in losing weight and/or developing a healthy lifestyle. Specific tools included weekly chat meetings with a facilitator,…

Cross-Disciplinary Thermoregulation and Sweat Analysis Laboratory Experiences for Undergraduate Chemistry and Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Gregory; Taylor, Nichole; Glen, Mary; Tomlin, Dona; Gaul, Catherine A.

2011-01-01

Cross-disciplinary (CD) learning experiences benefit student understanding of concepts and curriculum by offering opportunities to explore topics from the perspectives of alternate fields of study. This report involves a qualitative evaluation of CD health sciences undergraduate laboratory experiences in which concepts and students from two…

Every Feather Tells a Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chessin, Debby; Chessin, Laura

2006-01-01

For Mr. Kim's fifth-grade students, recess is not just for playing and getting exercise! One spring, he observed a small group of his students near their class bluebird box, examining various bird feathers found on the ground. Building on students' natural curiosity, Mr. Kim purchased some feathers for further exploration in the classroom. He was…

Process Development in the Teaching Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Leonard C.; Dana, Susanne M.

1998-06-01

Many experiences in high school and undergraduate laboratories are well-tested cookbook recipes that have already been designed to yield optimal results; the well-known synthesis of aspirin is such an example. In this project for advanced placement or second-year high school chemistry students, students mimic the process development in industrial laboratories by investigating the effect of varying conditions in the synthesis of aspirin. The class decides on criteria that should be explored (quantity of catalyst, temperature of reaction, etc.). The class is then divided into several teams with each team assigned a variable to study. Each team must submit a proposal describing how they will explore the variable before they start their study. After data on yield and purity has been gathered and evaluated, students discuss which method is most desirable, based on their agreed-upon criteria. This exercise provides an opportunity for students to review many topics from the course (rate of reaction, limiting reagents, Beer's Law) while participating in a cooperative exercise designed to imitate industrial process development.

Learning That's Out of This World

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

NASA's Ames Research Center developed a new curriculum to educate the space explorers of tomorrow. The Mars Virtual Exploration CD-ROM is exclusively licensed to Modern School Supplies, Inc., of Bloomfield, Connecticut. The CD-ROM allows students to imagine they are residents of a research team at an advanced facility divided into four different domes. Students experience how scientists approach planetary exploration through interactive exercises in ExoPaleontology, Meteorology, Exobiology, and Volcanology. Once the students have learned the facts and have consulted with the experts, they select a potential landing site. Using QuickTimeVR(TM) software, the students get a 360-degree view of the potential landing terrain. They are then able to virtually explore the four available sites and select the one they feel is best for conducting research. The Mars Virtual Exploration CD-ROM comes complete with a printable teacher's guide and student logbook.

Golf Ball Roll Distance: A Field Exercise to Explore Management Factors Affecting Putting Green Speed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Cale A.; Walker, Kristina S.

2007-01-01

Putting greens are the most important golf course use area and regularly draw comments regarding their appearance and playing condition. This field laboratory exercise taught students how to properly measure putting green speed, an important functional characteristic, using a Stimpmeter device that measures golf ball roll distance (BRD).…

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Schools without a Computer Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirci, Ali

2011-01-01

This article reports the results of a study that explored the applicability and effectiveness of a GIS-based exercise implemented by a teacher on a single computer in an ordinary classroom. The GIS-based exercise was implemented in two different environments with two different groups of students. The study reveals that implementing GIS exercises…

Students' Difficulties with Definitions in the Context of Proofs in Elementary Set Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaker, Hedieh; Berger, Margot

2016-01-01

In this paper we explore first-year students' difficulties with the use and interpretation of definitions of mathematical objects as they attempt proof construction exercises in the area of elementary set theory. The participants are students at a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa. In this study the activities and utterances of…

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words: Using Collage to Explore Students Beliefs and Feelings about Marketing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Scott R.; Wald, Karla A.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a simple creative exercise that utilizes collage as a tool for student expression of feelings and impressions as well as reflection and understanding of the question "What is marketing?" This engaging activity can enhance student learning and understanding of the marketing field by identifying and clarifying…

How Active Are Teens during Their Out-of-School Time? The View from Chicago. Chapin Hall Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goerge, Robert M.; Cusick, Gretchen Ruth; Guiltinan, Shannon

2009-01-01

This issue brief explores levels of physical activity among high school students in Chicago Public Schools, including participation in sports, informal exercise, and other activities. Latent class analysis was used to classify students' levels of physical activity, revealing low levels of activity among most high school students. Multilevel…

An Exercise in Field Archaeology for the Gifted: Fake Mound, Genuine Scholarship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, John R.

1992-01-01

At an archaeology camp program for gifted youngsters, students ages 11-16 built a mound with 5 archaeological levels, for future exploration. The "fake" mound ensured that student interest would be maintained, that students would learn about special problems and situations, and that irreplaceable bits of prehistory would not risk being damaged.…

Applying a Student Curriculum Discourse in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mndzebele, S. L.; Mckenna, S.

2013-01-01

Indications of poor quality in students' written work necessitated the need for deeper investigations aimed at designing and applying appropriate teaching/learning and assessment innovations in the course curriculum. The project-exercise engaged a conceptual-explorative approach through: reviews/investigations; educational diagnosis;…

Testing Alternative Hypotheses about Animal Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, William P.; Lang, Michael; Lawson, Anton E.

Research indicates that the effectiveness of instruction in the elementary classroom is enhanced when it incorporates materials that actively engage students in the generation of scientific explanations. To this end, this document describes an exercise that allows Kindergarten students to explore the basic principles of animal behavior in an…

"Group Intelligence": An Active Learning Exploration of Diversity in Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Christopher J.; Salaita, Meisa K.; Hughes, Catherine H.; Lynn, David G.; Fristoe, Adam; Fristoe, Ariel; Grover, Martha A.

2017-01-01

"Group Intelligence" is an active learning, inquiry-based activity that introduces prebiotic chemistry, emergent complexity, and diversity's importance to adaptability across scales. Students explore the molecular emergence of order and function through theatrical exercises and games. Through 20 min of audio instruction and a discussion…

Perceived Exercise Benefits and Barriers of Non-Exercising Female University Students in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Lovell, Geoff P; Ansari, Walid El; Parker, John K

2010-01-01

Many individuals do not engage in sufficient physical activity due to low perceived benefits and high perceived barriers to exercise. Given the increasing incidence of obesity and obesity related health disorders, this topic requires further exploration. We used the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale to assess perceived benefit and barrier intensities to exercise in 200 non-exercising female university students (mean age 19.3 years, SD = 1.06) in the UK. Although our participants were selected because they self reported themselves to be non-exercising, however they reported significantly higher perceived benefits from exercise than perceived barriers to exercise [t(199) = 6.18, p < 0.001], and their perceived benefit/barrier ratio was 1.33. The greatest perceived benefit from exercise was physical performance followed by the benefits of psychological outlook, preventive health, life enhancement, and then social interaction. Physical performance was rated significantly higher than all other benefits. Psychological outlook and preventive health were not rated significantly different, although both were significantly higher than life enhancement and social interaction. Life enhancement was also rated significantly higher than social interaction. The greatest perceived barrier to exercise was physical exertion, which was rated significantly higher than time expenditure, exercise milieu, and family discouragement barriers. Implications from this investigation for the design of physical activity programmes include the importance, for females, of a perception of high benefit/barrier ratio that could be conducive to participation in exercise. Applied interventions need to assist female students to ‘disengage’ from or overcome any perceived ‘unpleasantness’ of physical exertion during physical activity (decrease their perceived barriers), and to further highlight the multiple health and other benefits of regular exercising (increase their perceived benefits). PMID:20617003

Perceived exercise benefits and barriers of non-exercising female university students in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Lovell, Geoff P; El Ansari, Walid; Parker, John K

2010-03-01

Many individuals do not engage in sufficient physical activity due to low perceived benefits and high perceived barriers to exercise. Given the increasing incidence of obesity and obesity related health disorders, this topic requires further exploration. We used the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale to assess perceived benefit and barrier intensities to exercise in 200 non-exercising female university students (mean age 19.3 years, SD = 1.06) in the UK. Although our participants were selected because they self reported themselves to be non-exercising, however they reported significantly higher perceived benefits from exercise than perceived barriers to exercise [t(199) = 6.18, p < 0.001], and their perceived benefit/barrier ratio was 1.33. The greatest perceived benefit from exercise was physical performance followed by the benefits of psychological outlook, preventive health, life enhancement, and then social interaction. Physical performance was rated significantly higher than all other benefits. Psychological outlook and preventive health were not rated significantly different, although both were significantly higher than life enhancement and social interaction. Life enhancement was also rated significantly higher than social interaction. The greatest perceived barrier to exercise was physical exertion, which was rated significantly higher than time expenditure, exercise milieu, and family discouragement barriers. Implications from this investigation for the design of physical activity programmes include the importance, for females, of a perception of high benefit/barrier ratio that could be conducive to participation in exercise. Applied interventions need to assist female students to 'disengage' from or overcome any perceived 'unpleasantness' of physical exertion during physical activity (decrease their perceived barriers), and to further highlight the multiple health and other benefits of regular exercising (increase their perceived benefits).

Role Taking and Knowledge Building in a Blended University Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cesareni, Donatella; Cacciamani, Stefano; Fujita, Nobuko

2016-01-01

Role taking is an established approach for promoting social cognition. Playing a specific role within a group could lead students to exercise collective cognitive responsibility for collaborative knowledge building. Two studies explored the relationship of role taking to participation in a blended university course. Students participated in the…

Modeling Protein Domain Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, William P.; Jones, Carleton "Buck"; Hull, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

This simple but effective laboratory exercise helps students understand the concept of protein domain function. They use foam beads, Styrofoam craft balls, and pipe cleaners to explore how domains within protein active sites interact to form a functional protein. The activity allows students to gain content mastery and an understanding of the…

Ex(er)cising Student Voice in Pedagogy for Decolonizing: Exploring Complexities through Duoethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Brooke; McGregor, Heather E.

2013-01-01

Engaging in pedagogy for decolonizing as a theoretical approach to Indigenous education with adults raises questions and tensions, particularly when individual student experience and structures embedded within colonial relations of power trouble one another in unpredictable ways. In this article, the authors use duoethnography to explore…

Enhancing Listening with Captions and Transcripts: Exploring Learner Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danan, Martine

2016-01-01

Through an analysis of students' reactions to transcription exercises, this exploratory study examined some of the differences between two forms of written help enhancing listening passages--second language (L2) captions and transcripts. This primarily qualitative analysis highlighted the role that student proficiency levels may have played in…

Predicting the Stability of Hypervalent Molecules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Tracy A.; Finnocchio, Debbie; Kua, Jeremy

2007-01-01

An exercise is described which introduces students to using concepts in thermochemistry to predict relative stability of a hypervalent molecule. Students will compare the energies of formation for both fluoride and the hydride by calculations and they will also explore the issue of partial ionic character in polar covalent bonds.

Playing at Work: The Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender with Power Structures of Work and Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corrado, Marisa; Glasberg, Davita Silfen; Merenstein, Beth; Peele, Melanie R.

2000-01-01

Focuses on an exercise where students were assigned social roles based on gender, class, and race and then selected division of labor and reward structures in order to explore inequality in work and production. Offers a review of literature on the power structure of work and production and an evaluation of the exercise. (CMK)

Parental Monitoring Predicts Students' Prosocial and Impulsive Tendencies Relevant to Consequence-Based Reasoning in a Blended Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Tai, Kai-Hsin; Kuo, Yen-Chun

2016-01-01

Consequential reasoning relevant to moral development has not been effectively practised in elementary schools in Taiwan. The present study designed a "To Do or Not To Do" website for students to explore moral dilemma situations and exercise consequence-based moral reasoning. Effective data from 160 fifth-grade students were collected…

Students' Ability to Apply Their Knowledge in a Gaming Exercise: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuglseth, Anna Mette; Grønhaug, Kjell; Jörnsten, Kurt

2018-01-01

This paper reports on a study exploring master students' ability to apply their knowledge when solving an internal pricing problem in a supply chain. Analyses of 33 negotiation progress reports and 8 recordings of discussions demonstrate that most of the students were not able to apply relevant concepts and models to guide their handling of the…

A Study of the Effects of Brain Gym Exercises on the Achievement Scores of Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Ann Elizabeth

2009-01-01

This study explored whether an intervention involving Brain Gym exercises designed to increase academic achievement in the areas of math and reading/language arts would be successful. Three groups were used in the study: an initial treatment group, a delayed treatment group, and a control group. Each of the three groups was comprised of 20…

Effects of Image-Based and Text-Based Active Learning Exercises on Student Examination Performance in a Musculoskeletal Anatomy Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, M. Melissa; Wright, Mary C.; Anderson, Olivia S.

2017-01-01

Research on the benefits of visual learning has relied primarily on lecture-based pedagogy, but the potential benefits of combining active learning strategies with visual and verbal materials on learning anatomy has not yet been explored. In this study, the differential effects of text-based and image-based active learning exercises on examination…

Golden Matrix Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontaine, Anne; Hurley, Susan

2011-01-01

This student research project explores the properties of a family of matrices of zeros and ones that arises from the study of the diagonal lengths in a regular polygon. There is one family for each n greater than 2. A series of exercises guides the student to discover the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the matrices, which leads in turn to…

Tissue Regeneration in the Classroom!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassoun, Lama; Hable, Whitney; Payne-Ferreira, Tracie L.

2008-01-01

Hands-on biological exploration has been shown to have a great impact on learning. When students "do" something, they remember more details than when they sit through a lecture describing the same activity. In this article, the authors present an exercise that has the potential to get all levels of students into the lab for practical experience…

Performance, Feedback, and Revision: Metacognitive Approaches to Undergraduate Essay Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddell, Jessica

2015-01-01

This paper explores ways in which frequent feedback and clear assessment criteria can improve students' essay writing performance in a first-year English literature course. Students (n = 68) completed a series of three scaffolded exercises over the course of a semester, where they evaluated undergraduate essays using a predetermined assessment…

Teaching the Process of Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics: A Multi-Part Inquiry-Based Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lents, Nathan H.; Cifuentes, Oscar E.; Carpi, Anthony

2010-01-01

Three approaches to molecular phylogenetics are demonstrated to biology students as they explore molecular data from "Homo sapiens" and four related primates. By analyzing DNA sequences, protein sequences, and chromosomal maps, students are repeatedly challenged to develop hypotheses regarding the ancestry of the five species. Although…

Health Profiles of Allied Health Students Enrolled in a Faith-Based University.

PubMed

Krpalek, Dragana; Javaherian-Dysinger, Heather; Hewitt, Liane

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the health profiles of students at a faith-based university. Data were collected using a modified version of the Health Lifestyle Enhancement Profile (HELP) and HELP-Screener. Participants were 323 undergraduate and graduate allied health students, of whom 64% were female and 36% male, with ages ranging from 19 to 51 years. Associations between variables were explored and a two-step cluster analysis was applied to the data. Results showed that 34.1% of students perceived their health as excellent and 57.2% as good. It was also detected that high ratings of health were positively correlated with high ratings of happiness. Further, students who reported frequent exercise and a healthy diet scored more favorably across all measures of health in comparison to those who reported less frequent exercise and poorer dietary habits. Descriptive analysis revealed that 46.6% of students identified having at least one health problem, with back and neck pain being the most prevalent. Less than half of the study sample reported monitoring their health regularly, avoiding unhealthy foods, avoiding sedentary activities, and engaging in community activities. Considerations for future university-based interventions to support students' health at faith-based institutions are indicated.

Motivational predictors of physical education students' effort, exercise intentions, and leisure-time physical activity: a multilevel linear growth analysis.

PubMed

Taylor, Ian M; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Standage, Martyn; Spray, Christopher M

2010-02-01

Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000), the current study explored whether physical education (PE) students' psychological needs and their motivational regulations toward PE predicted mean differences and changes in effort in PE, exercise intentions, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) over the course of one UK school trimester. One hundred and seventy-eight students (69% male) aged between 11 and 16 years completed a multisection questionnaire at the beginning, middle, and end of a school trimester. Multilevel growth models revealed that students' perceived competence and self-determined regulations were the most consistent predictors of the outcome variables at the within- and between-person levels. The results of this work add to the extant SDT-based literature by examining change in PE students' motivational regulations and psychological needs, as well as underscoring the importance of disaggregating within- and between-student effects.

An Exploration on the Differences in Emotional Intelligence of First Year Students Examined across Disciplines within the School of Business in a Liberal Arts College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrish, Karen K.; Law, Mark D.

2009-01-01

In preparing the next generation of business professionals, educators need to take seriously the responsibility of empowering students with tools to assist them in their pursuits. One area of interest is Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence determines how students exercise self-control, zeal and persistence, and the ability to motivate…

A Volcano Exploration Project Pu`u `O`o (VEPP) Exercise: Is Kilauea in Volcanic Unrest? (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, S. Y.

2010-12-01

Volcanic activity captures the interest and imagination of students at all stages in their education. Analysis of real data collected on active volcanoes can further serve to engage students in higher-level inquiry into the complicated physical processes associated with volcanic eruptions. This exercise takes advantage of both student fascination with volcanoes and the recognized benefits of incorporating real, internet-accessible data to achieve its goals of enabling students to: 1) navigate a scientific website; 2) describe the physical events that produce volcano monitoring data; 3) identify patterns in geophysical time-series and distinguish anomalies preceding and synchronous with eruptive events; 4) compare and contrast geophysical time series and 5) integrate diverse data sets to assess the eruptive state of Kilauea volcano. All data come from the VEPP website (vepp.wr.usgs.gov) which provides background information on the historic activity and volcano monitoring methods as well as near-real time volcano monitoring data from the Pu`u `O`o eruptive vent on Kilauea Volcano. This exercise, designed for geology majors, has students initially work individually to acquire basic skills with volcano monitoring data interpretation and then together in a jigsaw activity to unravel the events leading up to and culminating in the July 2007 volcanic episode. Based on patterns established prior to the July 2007 event, students examine real-time volcano monitoring data to evaluate the present activity level of Kilauea volcano. This exercise will be used for the first time in an upper division Geologic Hazards class in fall 2010 and lessons learned including an exercise assessment will be presented.

The Science of Flames.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornia, Ray

1991-01-01

Describes an exercise using flames that allows students to explore the complexities of a seemingly simple phenomenon, the lighting of a candle. Contains a foldout that provides facts about natural gas flames and suggestions for classroom use. (ZWH)

Producing Websites for Assessment: A Case Study from a Level 1 Fieldwork Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

France, Derek; Ribchester, Chris

2004-01-01

BSc Single Subject Geography students at University College Chester enrol for a core module that involves the acquisition of fieldwork data, data analysis and project design. One of this module's assessment exercises requires students to 'write up' a field-based research project as a functioning website. This paper explores the practicalities of…

Development of a Laboratory Project to Determine Human ABO Genotypes--Limitations Lead to Further Student Explorations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salerno, Theresa A.

2009-01-01

A multiplex allele-specific PCR analysis was developed to identify six "common" genotypes: AA, AO, BB, BO, OO, and AB. This project included a pre-laboratory exercise that provided active learning experiences and developed critical thinking skills. This laboratory resulted in many successful analyses, which were verified by student knowledge of…

The Impact of Structured Writing and Developing Awareness of Learning Preferences on the Performance and Attitudes of Engineering Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahm, Kevin; Newell, James; Newell, Heidi; Harvey, Roberta

2009-01-01

This paper discusses efforts to develop metacognition in teams of engineering students by: first, exploring personal learning patterns, and second, ongoing biweekly journaling exercises. Thirty-three junior and senior engineering students (30 chemical engineer, one each from mechanical, civil and electrical) working on semester-long projects in…

The Exercise of Learner Autonomy in a Virtual EFL Course in Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedoya, Paula Andrea

2014-01-01

This case study explores how a group of graduate students manifest autonomy in an English as a Foreign Language virtual course at a Colombian university. Analysis of questionnaires, forums, and interviews showed that students manifested attitudes that led to autonomy such as motivation and commitment at the beginning of the course, but they also…

Student Friendly Technique to Demonstrate Coordination between Postural (Involuntary) and Voluntary Muscle Contractions.

PubMed

Colgan, Wes

2015-01-01

Electromyography is a very useful technique for a number of clinical and research applications in physiology and other life science applications. We have adapted this technique as a student exercise to explore important aspects of postural control. With minimal effort and some mathematical calculations this student friendly technique efficiently demonstrates the interaction of anticipatory, or feedforward, mechanisms and feedback correction from sensory input.

Promoting Self-Authorship of College Educators: Exploring the Impact of a Faculty Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunersel, Adalet Baris; Barnett, Pamela; Etienne, Mary

2013-01-01

While the literature on self-authorship has focused on the development of college students and young adults highlighting various developmental tasks associated with the ages 17 through 30 (e.g., Baxter Magolda, 2001, 2003, 2004), in this article, we explore the exercise and development of faculty members' self-authorship as educators, proposing…

Internet Activities Using Scientific Data. A Self-Guided Exploration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froseth, Stan; Poppe, Barbara

This guide is intended for the secondary school teacher (especially math or science) or the student who wants to access and learn about scientific data on the Internet. It is organized as a self-guided exploration. Nine exercises enable the user to access and analyze on-line information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…

The influence of taekwondo training on school-life adaptation and exercise value in the United States

PubMed Central

Cho, Ik Rae; Park, Hyo Joo; Lee, Taek Kyun

2018-01-01

Previous experience has shown that school-based taekwondo training in the United States (US) results in many beneficial effect sregarding school education and the physical health of the adolescent participants; of especial significance, the training plays an important role in terms of exercise value and school-life adaptation. To explore this overall effect, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 401 adolescents over the age of 10 years. The survey comprisesa total of 29 questions that consist of 17 exercise-value-related questions (general, moral, and status) and 12 questions that are related to school-life adaptation (adaptation to teachers, adaptation to academic activities, adaptation to rule compliance, and adaptation to school activities). The survey results show that taekwondo training affects school-life adaptation by helping to improve student morality and by bolstering the students compliance with school rules during their schooling. The exercise value of taekwondo training is considered a necessity for US adolescents due to the corresponding educational aspects; in particular, the training plays a very important role in the maintenance of amenable student-teacher and student-peer relationships. From the previously mentioned findings, and if taekwondo teachers train their students carefully with educational missions in mind, it is expected that taekwondo training will play a very important role in the cultivation of anappropriate education value among US adolescents. PMID:29740554

The influence of taekwondo training on school-life adaptation and exercise value in the United States.

PubMed

Cho, Ik Rae; Park, Hyo Joo; Lee, Taek Kyun

2018-04-01

Previous experience has shown that school-based taekwondo training in the United States (US) results in many beneficial effect sregarding school education and the physical health of the adolescent participants; of especial significance, the training plays an important role in terms of exercise value and school-life adaptation. To explore this overall effect, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 401 adolescents over the age of 10 years. The survey comprisesa total of 29 questions that consist of 17 exercise-value-related questions (general, moral, and status) and 12 questions that are related to school-life adaptation (adaptation to teachers, adaptation to academic activities, adaptation to rule compliance, and adaptation to school activities). The survey results show that taekwondo training affects school-life adaptation by helping to improve student morality and by bolstering the students compliance with school rules during their schooling. The exercise value of taekwondo training is considered a necessity for US adolescents due to the corresponding educational aspects; in particular, the training plays a very important role in the maintenance of amenable student-teacher and student-peer relationships. From the previously mentioned findings, and if taekwondo teachers train their students carefully with educational missions in mind, it is expected that taekwondo training will play a very important role in the cultivation of anappropriate education value among US adolescents.

Developing the critical thinking skills of astrobiology students through creative and scientific inquiry.

PubMed

Foster, Jamie S; Lemus, Judith D

2015-01-01

Scientific inquiry represents a multifaceted approach to explore and understand the natural world. Training students in the principles of scientific inquiry can help promote the scientific learning process as well as help students enhance their understanding of scientific research. Here, we report on the development and implementation of a learning module that introduces astrobiology students to the concepts of creative and scientific inquiry, as well as provide practical exercises to build critical thinking skills. The module contained three distinct components: (1) a creative inquiry activity designed to introduce concepts regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry; (2) guidelines to help astrobiology students formulate and self-assess questions regarding various scientific content and imagery; and (3) a practical exercise where students were allowed to watch a scientific presentation and practice their analytical skills. Pre- and post-course surveys were used to assess the students' perceptions regarding creative and scientific inquiry and whether this activity impacted their understanding of the scientific process. Survey results indicate that the exercise helped improve students' science skills by promoting awareness regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry and building their confidence in formulating and assessing scientific questions. Together, the module and survey results confirm the need to include such inquiry-based activities into the higher education classroom, thereby helping students hone their critical thinking and question asking skill set and facilitating their professional development in astrobiology.

Fiches pratiques: Avec un poeme; Tour de force; Amour et humour; Les mots de la peinture (Practical Ideas: With a Poem; Tour de Force; Love and Humor; The Words of Painting).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noe, Alfred; And Others

1989-01-01

Four French language classroom activities are suggested, including an exercise sensitizing students to the structure of poetry, a group of games centering on the Eiffel Tower, a series of activities exploring attitudes toward the Eiffel Tower, and a vocabulary and cultural awareness development exercise using the terminology of painting. (MSE)

Using Solar Dynamics Observatory Data in the Classroom to Do Real Science -- A Community College Astronomy Laboratory Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherrer, Deborah K.; Hildreth, S.; Lee, S.; Dave, T.; Scherrer, P. H.

2013-07-01

A partnership between Stanford University and Chabot Community College (Hayward, CA) has developed a series of laboratory exercises using SDO (AIA, HMI) data, targeted for community college students in an introductory astronomy lab class. The labs lead students to explore what SDO can do via online resources and videos. Students investigate their chosen solar events, generate their own online videos, prepare their own hypotheses relating to the events, and explore outcomes. Final assessment should be completed by the end of summer 2013. Should the labs prove valuable, they may be adapted for high school use.

Teaching Quantum Mechanics through Project-based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Gintaras

2013-04-01

Project/Problem-based learning (PBL) is an active area of research within the physics education research (PER) community, however, work done to date has focused on introductory courses. This talk will explore research on upper division quantum mechanics, a junior/senior level course at Creighton, which was taught using PBL pedagogy with no in-class lectures. The talk will explore: 1. student learning in light of the new pedagogy and embedded meta-cognitive self-monitoring and reflective exercises and 2. the effect of the PBL curriculum on student attitudes students’ epistemologies.

Emerging Themes on the Efficacy of Ballet Barre Work and Its Connection to Center Work: An Investigatory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinell, Nicole Antonette

2009-01-01

Research on the efficacy of traditional ballet barre exercises in relation to student learning and performance in technique class essentially is non-existent. This research explored how students described their experiences with barre work as well as how they saw these experiences as developing desired skills for moving in the center work.…

Pigment Synthesis for the Exploration of Binding Media Using a Lead-Free Alternative to Chrome Yellow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaquere-Parker, Anne C.; Hill, Patricia S.; Haaf, Michael P.; Parker, Cass D.; Doles, N. Allie; Yi, Amanda K.; Kaminski, Todd A.

2017-01-01

Generating enthusiasm among nonscience majors in a laboratory course is a difficult task. Often, students are asked to perform a precipitation reaction, only to collect and then safely dispose of the solid without detailing composition, properties, or uses. In an effort to keep the students engaged, this laboratory exercise presents an innovative…

How To Get Anger Out. Classroom Exercises for Positive Anger Release.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trotter, Jennie C.

Angry children need to learn positive expressions of anger, and adults need to accept the angry feelings while teaching children proper ways to express feelings. This guide for classroom use explains that there are good and bad ways to express anger. How students can communicate when angry is explored. It is important to remind students that they…

The Social Construction of Social Facts: Using the U.S. Census to Examine Race as a Scientific and Moral Category

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsley, Eleanor

2007-01-01

This article describes an exercise that explores how race categories and classifications are socially constructed scientifically. In an introductory sociology setting, students compare their perceptions of the size of minority populations with counts from the U.S. Census. In a series of debriefing sessions, students analyze both their perceptions…

A qualitative evaluation of an aerobic exercise program for young people with cerebral palsy in specialist schools.

PubMed

Cleary, Stacey L; Taylor, Nicholas F; Dodd, Karen J; Shields, Nora

2017-08-01

To explore the perceived effects of an aerobic exercise program delivered in specialist schools for young people with cerebral palsy with high support needs. In-depth interviews were completed with 8 students with cerebral palsy, 10 parents, 8 teachers and 7 physiotherapists. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and independently coded by two researchers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two themes emerged: one about program impact and the second about influential design features. Exercise was perceived as important, and participants indicated that the program had resulted in positive physical (e.g., improved ease of mobility, fitness and stamina) and psychosocial (e.g., happiness, social experience, challenge) impacts. The school setting, program staff and student attitudes were key features of the program. These data converge with those from a randomized controlled trial and attribute physical and psychosocial benefits to a specialist school-based exercise program for young people with cerebral palsy.

Cis and Trans Isomerization in Cyclic Alkenes: A Topic for Discovery Using the Results of Molecular Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrows, Susan E.; Eberlein, Thomas H.

2004-01-01

Activities in which students explore the fundamental reasons behind the unusual instability of the trans isomers in medium-sized cycloalkenes by using the results of molecular modeling are described. Exercises have been proposed to explore the structures of cycloheptene and cyclooctene by Hehre and others which would be helpful to disabuse…

Effect of a School-Based Intervention on Physical Activity and Quality of Life through Serial Mediation of Social Support and Exercise Motivation: The PESSOA Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quaresma, A. M.; Palmeira, A. L.; Martins, S. S.; Minderico, C. S.; Sardinha, L. B.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of social support and behavioral regulation of exercise on physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL), in a Portuguese school-based intervention. We hypothesized that serial mediation effects would be present leading to greater levels of PA and QoL. The sample comprised 1042 students (549…

The use of Metro-Apex in health administration and planning education and training.

PubMed

Washburn, A W; McGinty, R T

1977-01-01

Metro-Apex is a computerized gaming-simulation designed to give practitioners and students an understanding of the environment of health care delivery systems. The exercise allows participants to explore the interaction of health roles and the health system's interaction with the larger community system. Originally developed as an air pollution control exercise, it has evolved to be a game about communities and how they operate. In 1972, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare funded the Center for Multidisciplinary Educational Exercises (COMEX), of the University of Southern California to modify Metro-Apex for use with health service planners, health care administrators, and students in programs leading to these positions. The game runs in several rounds of from three to eight hours for groups of from 40 to 120 persons. Used in both educational and training settings, Metro-Apex is found to be a flexible addition to the health educator's tools.

Developing the Critical Thinking Skills of Astrobiology Students through Creative and Scientific Inquiry

PubMed Central

Lemus, Judith D.

2015-01-01

Abstract Scientific inquiry represents a multifaceted approach to explore and understand the natural world. Training students in the principles of scientific inquiry can help promote the scientific learning process as well as help students enhance their understanding of scientific research. Here, we report on the development and implementation of a learning module that introduces astrobiology students to the concepts of creative and scientific inquiry, as well as provide practical exercises to build critical thinking skills. The module contained three distinct components: (1) a creative inquiry activity designed to introduce concepts regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry; (2) guidelines to help astrobiology students formulate and self-assess questions regarding various scientific content and imagery; and (3) a practical exercise where students were allowed to watch a scientific presentation and practice their analytical skills. Pre- and post-course surveys were used to assess the students' perceptions regarding creative and scientific inquiry and whether this activity impacted their understanding of the scientific process. Survey results indicate that the exercise helped improve students' science skills by promoting awareness regarding the role of creativity in scientific inquiry and building their confidence in formulating and assessing scientific questions. Together, the module and survey results confirm the need to include such inquiry-based activities into the higher education classroom, thereby helping students hone their critical thinking and question asking skill set and facilitating their professional development in astrobiology. Key Words: Scientific inquiry—Critical thinking—Curriculum development—Astrobiology—Microbialites. Astrobiology 15, 89–99. PMID:25474292

Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills.

PubMed

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy.

Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills †

PubMed Central

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy. PMID:29904518

The Impact of an Interactive Statistics Module on Novices' Development of Scientific Process Skills and Attitudes in a First-Semester Research Foundations Course.

PubMed

Marsan, Lynnsay A; D'Arcy, Christina E; Olimpo, Jeffrey T

2016-12-01

Evidence suggests that incorporating quantitative reasoning exercises into existent curricular frameworks within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is essential for novices' development of conceptual understanding and process skills in these domains. Despite this being the case, such studies acknowledge that students often experience difficulty in applying mathematics in the context of scientific problems. To address this concern, the present study sought to explore the impact of active demonstrations and critical reading exercises on novices' comprehension of basic statistical concepts, including hypothesis testing, experimental design, and interpretation of research findings. Students first engaged in a highly interactive height activity that served to intuitively illustrate normal distribution, mean, standard deviation, and sample selection criteria. To enforce practical applications of standard deviation and p -value, student teams were subsequently assigned a figure from a peer-reviewed primary research article and instructed to evaluate the trustworthiness of the data. At the conclusion of this exercise, students presented their evaluations to the class for open discussion and commentary. Quantitative assessment of pre- and post-module survey data indicated a statistically significant increase both in students' scientific reasoning and process skills and in their self-reported confidence in understanding the statistical concepts presented in the module. Furthermore, data indicated that the majority of students (>85%) found the module both interesting and helpful in nature. Future studies will seek to develop additional, novel exercises within this area and to evaluate the impact of such modules across a variety of STEM and non-STEM contexts.

Exercise motives and positive body image in physically active college women and men: Exploring an expanded acceptance model of intuitive eating.

PubMed

Tylka, Tracy L; Homan, Kristin J

2015-09-01

The acceptance model of intuitive eating posits that body acceptance by others facilitates body appreciation and internal body orientation, which contribute to intuitive eating. Two domains of exercise motives (functional and appearance) may also be linked to these variables, and thus were integrated into the model. The model fit the data well for 406 physically active U.S. college students, although some pathways were stronger for women. Body acceptance by others directly contributed to higher functional exercise motives and indirectly contributed to lower appearance exercise motives through higher internal body orientation. Functional exercise motives positively, and appearance exercise motives inversely, contributed to body appreciation. Whereas body appreciation positively, and appearance exercise motives inversely, contributed to intuitive eating for women, only the latter association was evident for men. To benefit positive body image and intuitive eating, efforts should encourage body acceptance by others and emphasize functional and de-emphasize appearance exercise motives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using an FPLC to promote active learning of the principles of protein structure and purification.

PubMed

Robinson, Rebekah L; Neely, Amy E; Mojadedi, Wais; Threatt, Katie N; Davis, Nicole Y; Weiland, Mitch H

2017-01-02

The concepts of protein purification are often taught in undergraduate biology and biochemistry lectures and reinforced during laboratory exercises; however, very few reported activities allow students to directly gain experience using modern protein purification instruments, such as Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC). This laboratory exercise uses size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and ion exchange (IEX) chromatography to separate a mixture of four different proteins. Students use an SEC chromatogram and corresponding SDS-PAGE gel to understand how protein conformations change under different conditions (i.e. native and non-native). Students explore strategies to separate co-eluting proteins by IEX chromatography. Using either cation or anion exchange, one protein is bound to the column while the other is collected in the flow-through. In this exercise, undergraduate students gain hands-on experience with experimental design, buffer and sample preparation, and implementation of instrumentation that is commonly used by experienced researchers while learning and applying the fundamental concepts of protein structure, protein purification, and SDS-PAGE. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(1):60-68, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Educating dental students about diet-related behavior change: does experiential learning work?

PubMed

Taylor, George W; Stumpos, Madelyn L; Kerschbaum, Wendy; Inglehart, Marita Rohr

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore whether an experiential exercise in a nutrition class would a) increase dental students' motivation to change their own diet-related behavior, b) improve their understanding of theoretical concepts related to behavior change, and c) improve their attitudes towards educating their patients about diet-related behavior. Data were collected from 218 senior dental students in one dental school (2010: 106; 2011: 112) during their nutrition class. The students agreed at the beginning that it was important to change their own diet-related behavior. After one week, the majority agreed that they had changed how they felt and thought about the targeted behavior and what they actually did. After three weeks and at the end of the term, they rated the exercise as helpful for gaining a better understanding of health education theories. The majority indicated that the exercise had helped them understand the difficulty of diet-related behavior change and that it had increased their interest in helping patients change their diet-related behavior. In conclusion, this study suggests that experiential learning about diet-related behavior change is likely to affect students' own behavior positively and to result in increased understanding of behavior change theories and positive behavioral intentions concerning future health education efforts with patients.

Using Infiniscope Exploratory Activities in an Online Astronomy Lab Course for Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierman, Karen; Anbar, Ariel; Tamer, A. Joseph; Hunsley, Diana; Young, Patrick A.; Center for Education Through eXploration

2018-01-01

With the growth of online astronomy courses, it has become necessary to design different strategies for students to engage meaningfully with astronomy content. In contrast to some of the previously designed “cookbook”-style lab exercises, the strategy of these Infiniscope activities is to provide an experience where the students explore and discover the content for themselves. The Infiniscope project was created by ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate as part of the NASA Exploration Connection project. As part of this project, online activities on topics such as asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects, eclipses, and Kepler’s Laws were designed and created for middle school (grades 6-8) and informal education settings. This poster discusses adapting these activities to the undergraduate non-science major setting. In fall 2017, the Infiniscope activities, such as Small Worlds and Kepler’s Laws, will be incorporated into an Arizona State University online astronomy course, AST 113, which is the laboratory component for the Introduction to Solar System Astronomy course sequence. This course typically enrolls about 800-900 students per semester with a combination of students who are online only as well as those who also take in person classes. In this type of class, we cannot have any in-person required sessions and all content must be delivered online asynchronously. The use of the Infiniscope exploratory exercises will provide students with the ability to use NASA data in a hands-on manner to discover the solar system for themselves.

An Interactive Simulation Program for Exploring Computational Models of Auto-Associative Memory.

PubMed

Fink, Christian G

2017-01-01

While neuroscience students typically learn about activity-dependent plasticity early in their education, they often struggle to conceptually connect modification at the synaptic scale with network-level neuronal dynamics, not to mention with their own everyday experience of recalling a memory. We have developed an interactive simulation program (based on the Hopfield model of auto-associative memory) that enables the user to visualize the connections generated by any pattern of neural activity, as well as to simulate the network dynamics resulting from such connectivity. An accompanying set of student exercises introduces the concepts of pattern completion, pattern separation, and sparse versus distributed neural representations. Results from a conceptual assessment administered before and after students worked through these exercises indicate that the simulation program is a useful pedagogical tool for illustrating fundamental concepts of computational models of memory.

Medical students' professional identity development from being actors in an objective structured teaching exercise.

PubMed

De Grasset, Jehanne; Audetat, Marie-Claude; Bajwa, Nadia; Jastrow, Nicole; Richard-Lepouriel, Hélène; Nendaz, Mathieu; Junod Perron, Noelle

2018-04-22

Medical students develop professional identity through structured activities and impromptu interactions in various settings. We explored if contributing to an Objective Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE) influenced students' professional identity development. University clinical faculty members participated in a faculty development program on clinical supervision. Medical students who participated in OSTEs as simulated residents were interviewed in focus groups about what they learnt from the experience and how the experience influenced their vision of learning and teaching. Transcripts were analyzed using the Goldie's personality and social structure perspective model. Twenty-five medical students out of 32 students involved in OSTEs participated. On an institutional level, students developed a feeling of belonging to the institution. At an interactional level, students realized they could influence the teaching interaction by actively seeking or giving feedback. On the personal level, students realized that errors could become sources of learning and felt better prepared to receive faculty feedback. Taking part in OSTEs as a simulated resident has a positive impact on students' vision regarding the institution as a learning environment and their own role by actively seeking or giving feedback. OSTEs support their professional identity development regarding learning and teaching while sustaining faculty development.

Cross-disciplinary thermoregulation and sweat analysis laboratory experiences for undergraduate Chemistry and Exercise Science students.

PubMed

Mulligan, Gregory; Taylor, Nichole; Glen, Mary; Tomlin, Dona; Gaul, Catherine A

2011-06-01

Cross-disciplinary (CD) learning experiences benefit student understanding of concepts and curriculum by offering opportunities to explore topics from the perspectives of alternate fields of study. This report involves a qualitative evaluation of CD health sciences undergraduate laboratory experiences in which concepts and students from two distinct disciplines [chemistry (CHEM) and exercise physiology (EPHE)] combined to study exercise thermoregulation and sweat analysis. Twenty-eight senior BSc Kinesiology (EPHE) students and 42 senior BSc CHEM students participated as part of their mutually exclusive, respective courses. The effectiveness of this laboratory environment was evaluated qualitatively using written comments collected from all students as well as from formal focus groups conducted after the CD laboratory with a representative cohort from each class (n = 16 CHEM students and 9 EPHE students). An open coding strategy was used to analyze the data from written feedback and focus group transcripts. Coding topics were generated and used to develop five themes found to be consistent for both groups of students. These themes reflected the common student perceptions that the CD experience was valuable and that students enjoyed being able to apply academic concepts to practical situations as well as the opportunity to interact with students from another discipline of study. However, students also reported some challenges throughout this experience that stemmed from the combination of laboratory groups from different disciplines with limited modification to the design of the original, pre-CD, learning environments. The results indicate that this laboratory created an effective learning opportunity that fostered student interest and enthusiasm for learning. The findings also provide information that could inform subsequent design and implementation of similar CD experiences to enhance engagement of all students and improve instructor efficacy.

Digitized Educational Technology: A Learning Tool Using Remotely Sensed Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, Gloria Carter

1999-01-01

Digitized Educational software for different levels of instruction were developed and placed on the web (geocities). Students attending the Pre-Engineering Summer 1998 Camp at Dillard University explored the use of the software which included presentations, applications, and special exercises. Student comments were received and considered for adjustments. The second outreach program included students from Colton Junior High School and Natural Science Majors at Dillard University. The Natural Majors completed a second survey concerning reasons why students selected majors in the Sciences and Mathematics. Two student research assistants (DU) and faculty members/parents of Colton Junior High assisted.

Teaching Quantum Mechanics through Project-based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Gintaras; Ward, Kristina

2014-03-01

Project/Problem-based learning (PBL) is an active area of research within the physics education research (PER) community, however, work done to date has focused on introductory courses. This talk will explore research on upper division quantum mechanics, a junior/senior level course at Creighton University, which was taught using PBL pedagogy with no in-class lectures. Course time was primarily spent on lecture tutorials and projects, which included alpha decay of Uranium, neutrino oscillations, and FTIR spectroscopy of HCl. This talk will explore: 1. student learning in light of the new pedagogy and embedded meta-cognitive self-monitoring exercises, 2. the effect of the PBL curriculum on student attitudes, motivation, and students' epistemologies, and 3. the use of explicit written reflections within a physics course to probe student understanding.

Laboratory Sequence in Computational Methods for Introductory Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, Jason A.; Wiser, Dawn C.

2003-07-01

A four-exercise laboratory sequence for introductory chemistry integrating hands-on, student-centered experience with computer modeling has been designed and implemented. The progression builds from exploration of molecular shapes to intermolecular forces and the impact of those forces on chemical separations made with gas chromatography and distillation. The sequence ends with an exploration of molecular orbitals. The students use the computers as a tool; they build the molecules, submit the calculations, and interpret the results. Because of the construction of the sequence and its placement spanning the semester break, good laboratory notebook practices are reinforced and the continuity of course content and methods between semesters is emphasized. The inclusion of these techniques in the first year of chemistry has had a positive impact on student perceptions and student learning.

Why Drill Here? Teaching to Build Student Understanding of the Role Sediment Cores from Polar Regions play in Interpreting Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pound, K. S.; St. John, K.; Krissek, L. A.; Jones, M. H.; Leckie, R. M.; Pyle, E. J.

2008-12-01

That the ocean basins provide a record of past global climate changes through their sediment cores is often a surprise or novel idea for students. Equally surprising to many students is the fact that current research is being undertaken in remote polar regions, even though sedimentary records already exist from the low and mid latitude regions. Students are often also perplexed about how decisions are made regarding the selection of drill sites in the polar regions. Using an inquiry-based approach we are developing a series of simple exercises that are scaffolded to build student understanding around the question "Why Drill Here?" The exercises are based on IODP Expedition 302 (ACEX) in the Arctic, and on the Antarctic Geological Drilling (ANDRILL) program, which are used as case studies. The "Why Drill Here?" question is addressed at multiple levels so students can formulate a scientific rationale behind selection of sites for seafloor drilling in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Technological challenges and solutions to doing field-based science in polar regions are explored. Finally, a subset of research results are investigated and compared with the current scientific paradigm on Cenozoic climate evolution to demonstrate that science is an evolving process. These exercises can be adapted for use in a variety of Introductory Earth Science classes.

Can performance on summative evaluation of wax-added dental anatomy projects be better predicted from the combination of supervised and unsupervised practice than from supervised practice alone?

PubMed

Radjaeipour, G; Chambers, D W; Geissberger, M

2016-11-01

The study explored the effects of adding student-directed projects in pre-clinical dental anatomy laboratory on improving the predictability of students' eventual performance on summative evaluation exercises, given the presence of intervening faculty-controlled, in-class practice. All students from four consecutive classes (n = 555) completed wax-added home projects (HP), spending as much or as little time as desired and receiving no faculty feedback; followed by similar laboratory projects (LP) with time limits and feedback; and then summative practical projects (PP) in a timed format but without faculty feedback. Path analysis was used to assess if the student-directed HP had any effect over and above the laboratory projects. Average scores were HP = 0.785 (SD = 0.089); LP = 0.736 (SD = 0.092); and PP = 0.743 (SD = 0.108). Path analysis was applied to show the effects of including a student-controlled home practice exercise on summative exercise performance. HP contributed 57% direct effect and 37% mediated effect through the LP condition. Student-directed home practice provided a measureable improvement in ability to predict eventual performance in summative test cases over and above the predictive contribution of intervening faculty-controlled practice conditions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pencil-and-Paper Neural Networks: An Undergraduate Laboratory Exercise in Computational Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Crisp, Kevin M.; Sutter, Ellen N.; Westerberg, Jacob A.

2015-01-01

Although it has been more than 70 years since McCulloch and Pitts published their seminal work on artificial neural networks, such models remain primarily in the domain of computer science departments in undergraduate education. This is unfortunate, as simple network models offer undergraduate students a much-needed bridge between cellular neurobiology and processes governing thought and behavior. Here, we present a very simple laboratory exercise in which students constructed, trained and tested artificial neural networks by hand on paper. They explored a variety of concepts, including pattern recognition, pattern completion, noise elimination and stimulus ambiguity. Learning gains were evident in changes in the use of language when writing about information processing in the brain. PMID:26557791

The mathematics textbook at tertiary level as curriculum material - exploring the teacher's decision-making process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randahl, Mira

2016-08-01

This paper reports on a study about how the mathematics textbook was perceived and used by the teacher in the context of a calculus part of a basic mathematics course for first-year engineering students. The focus was on the teacher's choices and the use of definitions, examples and exercises in a sequence of lectures introducing the derivative concept. Data were collected during observations of lectures and an interview, and informal talks with the teacher. The introduction and the treatment of the derivative as proposed by the teacher during the lectures were analysed in relation to the results of the content text analysis of the textbook. The teacher's decisions were explored through the lens of intended learning goals for engineering students taking the mathematics course. The results showed that the sequence of concepts and the formal introduction of the derivative as proposed by the textbook were closely followed during the lectures. The examples and tasks offered to the students focused strongly on procedural knowledge. Although the textbook proposes both examples and exercises that promote conceptual knowledge, these opportunities were not fully utilized during the observed lectures. Possible reasons for the teacher's choices and decisions are discussed.

A Practical Approach to Vocabulary Reinforcement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieglitz, Ezra L.

1983-01-01

Techniques of semantic feature analysis are applied to exploration and reinforcement of vocabulary. Students are presented with categories of familiar items and asked to describe their characteristics. The method can be used to elicit sentences, reinforce existing vocabulary, and begin discussion. Sample exercises for several difficulty levels are…

Voices from Ethiopia: A Global Connection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honeyghan, Glasceta

2001-01-01

Presents a model for motivating seventh- and tenth-grade Ethiopian students to write poetry about their personal feelings and experiences. Describes four strategies for the poetry workshop: acrostic, lune, counting pattern, and one that explores feelings and personal emotion. Notes that all exercises encouraged children to express themselves on…

Educating Students about the Risks of Excessive Videogame Usage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasper, Deirdre; Welsh, Sarah; Chambliss, Catherine

The relationship between videogame usage, active exercise, television viewing, and measures of blood pressure is explored. Videogame participation, especially playing sports or action games, simulates involvement in aggressive situations. This may activate the fight or flight response in players. This response has been associated with blood…

Motivational Profiles and Their Associations with Achievement Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey J.; Fahlman, Mariane M.

2009-01-01

With the belief that theoretical integration in motivation may help us better understand motivational behavior, we designed this study to explore adolescents' motivational profiles and their associations with knowledge acquisition, leisure-time exercise behaviors, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Middle school students from a large urban inner-city…

Role Playing and Mind Mapping Issues on Nitrate Contamination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, W. L.

1996-01-01

Presents mind-mapping and role-playing exercises designed to guide students in the exploration, expression, and integration of varying viewpoints and opinions of a controversial topic (nitrate contamination of water supply); illustrate the importance of applying soil fertility principles to environmental and agronomic management; and encourage…

IAC-11.E1-7.-A1.8.5 The Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lloyd, Charles W.

2012-12-01

Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut is an international educational challenge focusing on fitness and nutrition as we encourage students to "train like an astronaut." Teams of students (aged 8-12) learn principles of healthy eating and exercise, compete for points by finishing training modules, and get excited about their future as "fit explorers." The 18 core exercises (targeting strength, endurance, coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and more) involve the same types of skills that astronauts learn in their training and use in spaceflight. This first-of-its-kind cooperative outreach program has allowed 11 space agencies and various partner institutions to work together to address quality health/fitness education, challenge students to be more physically active, increase awareness of the importance of lifelong health and fitness, teach students how fitness plays a vital role in human performance for exploration, and to inspire and motivate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The project was initiated in 2009 in response to a request by the International Space Life Sciences Working Group. USA, Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Colombia, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic and United Kingdom hosted teams for the pilot in the spring of 2010, and Japan held a modified version of the challenge. Several more agencies provided input into the preparations. Competing in 137 teams, more than 4000 students from over 40 cities worldwide participated in the first round of Mission X.

Effectiveness of a cloning and sequencing exercise on student learning with subsequent publication in the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank.

PubMed

Lau, Joann M; Robinson, David L

2009-01-01

With rapid advances in biotechnology and molecular biology, instructors are challenged to not only provide undergraduate students with hands-on experiences in these disciplines but also to engage them in the "real-world" scientific process. Two common topics covered in biotechnology or molecular biology courses are gene-cloning and bioinformatics, but to provide students with a continuous laboratory-based research experience in these techniques is difficult. To meet these challenges, we have partnered with Bio-Rad Laboratories in the development of the "Cloning and Sequencing Explorer Series," which combines wet-lab experiences (e.g., DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, ligation, transformation, and restriction digestion) with bioinformatics analysis (e.g., evaluation of DNA sequence quality, sequence editing, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool searches, contig construction, intron identification, and six-frame translation) to produce a sequence publishable in the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank. This 6- to 8-wk project-based exercise focuses on a pivotal gene of glycolysis (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), in which students isolate, sequence, and characterize the gene from a plant species or cultivar not yet published in GenBank. Student achievement was evaluated using pre-, mid-, and final-test assessments, as well as with a survey to assess student perceptions. Student confidence with basic laboratory techniques and knowledge of bioinformatics tools were significantly increased upon completion of this hands-on exercise.

The Impact of an Interactive Statistics Module on Novices’ Development of Scientific Process Skills and Attitudes in a First-Semester Research Foundations Course†

PubMed Central

Marsan, Lynnsay A.; D’Arcy, Christina E.; Olimpo, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

Evidence suggests that incorporating quantitative reasoning exercises into existent curricular frameworks within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is essential for novices’ development of conceptual understanding and process skills in these domains. Despite this being the case, such studies acknowledge that students often experience difficulty in applying mathematics in the context of scientific problems. To address this concern, the present study sought to explore the impact of active demonstrations and critical reading exercises on novices’ comprehension of basic statistical concepts, including hypothesis testing, experimental design, and interpretation of research findings. Students first engaged in a highly interactive height activity that served to intuitively illustrate normal distribution, mean, standard deviation, and sample selection criteria. To enforce practical applications of standard deviation and p-value, student teams were subsequently assigned a figure from a peer-reviewed primary research article and instructed to evaluate the trustworthiness of the data. At the conclusion of this exercise, students presented their evaluations to the class for open discussion and commentary. Quantitative assessment of pre- and post-module survey data indicated a statistically significant increase both in students’ scientific reasoning and process skills and in their self-reported confidence in understanding the statistical concepts presented in the module. Furthermore, data indicated that the majority of students (>85%) found the module both interesting and helpful in nature. Future studies will seek to develop additional, novel exercises within this area and to evaluate the impact of such modules across a variety of STEM and non-STEM contexts. PMID:28101271

[Effects of physical factors on neck or shoulder pain and low back pain of adolescents].

PubMed

Deng, Guoying; Zhang, Yongxing; Cai, Haifeng; Gu, Wentao; Cai, Yun; Xie, Lei; Liu, Bo; Li, Jipeng; Li, Siyu; Cheng, Dantong; Zhao, Qinghua

2014-11-25

To explore the incidence of self-reported neck or shoulder pain (NSP) and lower back pain (LBP) among Chinese adolescents in Shanghai and identify the influencing factors for the incidences of NSP and LBP. A total of 3 600 students were selected from 30 high schools randomly chosen from 237 regular full-time high schools registered in Shanghai. From each school, 40 students were selected from each of the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades for a total of 120 students per school. The questionnaire involved questions pertaining to demographic profiles, learning environment and exercise habits of each student. And it also contained questions regarding the amount of weight carried by each student while commuting to and from school, and it was also used to collect specific information related to the occurrence of NSP and LBP. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the potential risk factors for NSP and LBP. Among 3 600 questionnaires, a total of 2 842 valid ones were returned. The results revealed that the incidence of NSP and LBP in the Chinese adolescent population was 41.1% and 32.8% respectively. Both NSP and LBP were more common in girls than in boys, and 6.3% students reported at least one NSP- or LBP-induced absence from school. A relatively large portion of Chinese adolescents reported experiencing problems such as sedentary behavior (26.7% of the students continued to sit for more than 3 hours after school), a lack of exercise (29.3% exercised less than once each week and 38.2% of students reported that their exercise duration was less than half an hour each time) and overweight backpacks (53.0% complained that their backpack was too heavy). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that gender, grade, physical activity and learning environment were all significantly correlated with the occurrences of NSP and LBP. The incidences of NSP and LBP are relatively high among adolescents in Shanghai. And several factors, including sedentary behavior, personal exercise habits and backpack weight, influence the occurrences of NSP and LBP in adolesents.

Misremembering Past Affect Predicts Adolescents' Future Affective Experience During Exercise.

PubMed

Karnaze, Melissa M; Levine, Linda J; Schneider, Margaret

2017-09-01

Increasing physical activity among adolescents is a public health priority. Because people are motivated to engage in activities that make them feel good, this study examined predictors of adolescents' feelings during exercise. During the 1st semester of the school year, we assessed 6th-grade students' (N = 136) cognitive appraisals of the importance of exercise. Participants also reported their affect during a cardiovascular fitness test and recalled their affect during the fitness test later that semester. During the 2nd semester, the same participants rated their affect during a moderate-intensity exercise task. Affect reported during the moderate-intensity exercise task was predicted by cognitive appraisals of the importance of exercise and by misremembering affect during the fitness test as more positive than it actually was. This memory bias mediated the association between appraising exercise as important and experiencing a positive change in affect during the moderate-intensity exercise task. These findings highlight the roles of both cognitive appraisals and memory as factors that may influence affect during exercise. Future work should explore whether affect during exercise can be modified by targeting appraisals and memories related to exercise experiences.

Looking into the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mussett, Alan E.; Aftab Khan, M.; Button, Illustrated By Sue

2000-12-01

Looking Into the Earth comprehensively describes the principles and applications of both `global' and `exploration' geophysics on all scales. It forms an introduction to geophysics suitable for those who do not necessarily intend to become professional geophysicists, including geologists, civil engineers, environmental scientists, and field archaeologists. The book is organised into two parts: Part 1 describes the geophysical methods, while Part 2 illustrates their use in a number of extended case histories. Mathematical and physical principles are introduced at an elementary level, and then developed as necessary. Student questions and exercises are included at the end of each chapter. The book is aimed primarily at introductory and intermediate university students taking courses in geology, earth science, environmental science, and engineering. It will also form an excellent introductory textbook in geophysics departments, and will help practising geologists, archaeologists and engineers understand what geophysics can offer their work. Accessible to students with little background in maths and physics Covers both global and applied geophysics Well illustrated and contains many student exercises and case studies Written by experienced teachers of geophysics

The Ecology Controversy: Opposing Viewpoints. Critical Issues Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCuen, Gary E., Ed.; Bender, David L., Ed.

Ecological problems are explored in this book of sixteen student readings and exercises aimed at developing and applying critical thinking skills. The readings, mostly extracts from books and periodicals, are introduced by the editor and accompanied by questions. Chapter I, The Population Controversy, includes selections from Paul Ehrlich's The…

Vesicle Stability and Dynamics: An Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Bianco, Cristina; Torino, Domenica; Mansy, Sheref S.

2014-01-01

A laboratory exercise is described that helps students learn about lipid self-assembly by making vesicles under different solution conditions. Concepts covering the chemical properties of different lipids, the dynamics of lipids, and vesicle stability are explored. Further, the described protocol is easy and cheap to implement. One to two…

Between Writers: Exploring Literature from (Deep) Within.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Frederick K.

This paper provides a creative approach to developing literary understanding and writing ability in students in a college introduction to literature course. Eight assignments are described which pair literary works having some feature in common. A sample suggestion from the first group of exercises, concerned with characterization, is as follows:…

Emotional Connections in Higher Education Marketing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durkin, Mark; McKenna, Seamas; Cummins, Darryl

2012-01-01

Purpose: Through examination of a case study this paper aims to describe a brand re-positioning exercise and explore how an emotionally driven approach to branding can help create meaningful connections with potential undergraduate students and can positively influence choice. Design/methodology/approach: The paper's approach is a case study…

The Playground as Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa, Anne

2007-01-01

Recess gives children the freedom and the time to explore the natural world, socialize, and exercise. But in many school systems, recess time is shrinking to make time for test preparation. In support of recess, Anne Santa cites research showing that recess breaks can actually improve learning because student attentiveness improves after a break.…

Demystifying the Chinese Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford Univ., CA. Center for Research in International Studies.

The purpose of this unit is to demonstrate to students that the Chinese writing system, though different from the English alphabet system, is an equally plausible communication system. The exploration of Chinese writing is begun with an exercise designed to convey the importance of a written communication system, as well as the problems and…

Exploring Evolutionary Patterns in Genetic Sequence: A Computer Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shumate, Alice M.; Windsor, Aaron J.

2010-01-01

The increase in publications presenting molecular evolutionary analyses and the availability of comparative sequence data through resources such as NCBI's GenBank underscore the necessity of providing undergraduates with hands-on sequence analysis skills in an evolutionary context. This need is particularly acute given that students have been…

Academic Freedom: A Classroom Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helms, Ronald G.

1984-01-01

A 6-8 day secondary level social studies unit explores censorship in education through a variety of activities. Students participate in a preassessment poll measuring their opinions on academic freedom, answer a questionnaire entitled "What do you think?" concerning local school board and community powers, rank a list of possible teacher…

Using Rubrics to Assess Learning in Course-Integrated Library Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gariepy, Laura W.; Stout, Jennifer A.; Hodge, Megan L.

2016-01-01

Librarians face numerous challenges when designing effective, sustainable methods for assessing student learning outcomes in one-shot, course-integrated library instruction sessions. We explore the use of rubrics to programmatically assess authentic learning exercises completed in one-shot library sessions for a large, required sophomore-level…

Mandalas: A Simple Project to Explore Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holbrook, Robert L., Jr.; Comer, Debra R.

2017-01-01

Creativity is more important than ever in today's knowledge-based economy. Although many students doubt their own creativity, very few exercises are designed to help them access this ability. We believe that self-expression and self-reflection are important for understanding personal creative ability. Jung introduced the mandala to promote these…

Rhizomatic Explorations in Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smitka, Julie A. M.

2012-01-01

A visual and theatrical exercise anchored in the Grades 11 and 12 Ontario Curriculum for Media Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies was enacted and recorded as individual experiences of each participant. The event was re-mastered in a graphic representation that depicts the forces, pushes and pulls of curriculum and students' needs which educators…

What Can a Micronucleus Teach? Learning about Environmental Mutagenesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linde, Ana R.; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva

2009-01-01

The micronucleus test is widely employed in environmental health research. It can also be an excellent tool for learning important concepts in environmental health. In this article we present an inquiry-based laboratory exercise where students explore several theoretical and practical aspects of environmental mutagenesis employing the micronucleus…

Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Jeffrey R.

2006-01-01

This abstract covers a one hour presentation on Space Exploration. The audience is elementary students; therefore there are few words on the slides, mostly pictures of living and working in space. The presentation opens with a few slides describing a day in the life of a space explorer. It begins with a launch, discussions of day-night cycles, eating, exercising, housekeeping, EVA, relaxation, and sleeping. The next section of the presentation shows photos of astronauts performing experiments on the ISS. Yokomi Elementary School launched this fall with the most advanced educational technology tools available in schools today. The science and technology magnet school is equipped with interactive white boards, digital projectors, integrated sound systems and several computers for use by teachers and students. The only elementary school in Fresno Unified with a science focus also houses dedicated science classrooms equipped specifically for elementary students to experience hands-on science instruction in addition to the regular elementary curriculum.

Incorporating Personality Assessment into Counseling To Help College Students Adopt and Maintain Exercise Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckworth, Janet; Granello, Darcy Haag; Belmore, Jennifer

2002-01-01

The authors investigated the influence of several personality traits on exercise adherence and exercise self-efficacy for 168 undergraduate students. At all levels of exercise adherence, students with different personality traits had different amounts of exercise self-efficacy. Implications for college counselors working with students to improve…

Use of Geochemistry Data Collected by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Gusev Crater to Teach Geomorphic Zonation through Principal Components Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodrigue, Christine M.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a laboratory exercise used to teach principal components analysis (PCA) as a means of surface zonation. The lab was built around abundance data for 16 oxides and elements collected by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Gusev Crater between Sol 14 and Sol 470. Students used PCA to reduce 15 of these into 3 components, which,…

Promoting student case creation to enhance instruction of clinical reasoning skills: a pilot feasibility study.

PubMed

Chandrasekar, Hamsika; Gesundheit, Neil; Nevins, Andrew B; Pompei, Peter; Bruce, Janine; Merrell, Sylvia Bereknyei

2018-01-01

It is a common educational practice for medical students to engage in case-based learning (CBL) exercises by working through clinical cases that have been developed by faculty. While such faculty-developed exercises have educational strengths, there are at least two major drawbacks to learning by this method: the number and diversity of cases is often limited; and students decrease their engagement with CBL cases as they grow accustomed to the teaching method. We sought to explore whether student case creation can address both of these limitations. We also compared student case creation to traditional clinical reasoning sessions in regard to tutorial group effectiveness, perceived gains in clinical reasoning, and quality of student-faculty interaction. Ten first-year medical students participated in a feasibility study wherein they worked in small groups to develop their own patient case around a preassigned diagnosis. Faculty provided feedback on case quality afterwards. Students completed pre- and post-self-assessment surveys. Students and faculty also participated in separate focus groups to compare their case creation experience to traditional CBL sessions. Students reported high levels of team engagement and peer learning, as well as increased ownership over case content and understanding of clinical reasoning nuances. However, students also reported decreases in student-faculty interaction and the use of visual aids ( P < 0.05). The results of our feasibility study suggest that student-generated cases can be a valuable adjunct to traditional clinical reasoning instruction by increasing content ownership, encouraging student-directed learning, and providing opportunities to explore clinical nuances. However, these gains may reduce student-faculty interaction. Future studies may be able to identify an improved model of faculty participation, the ideal timing for incorporation of this method in a medical curriculum, and a more rigorous assessment of the impact of student case creation on the development of clinical reasoning skills.

Use of an iPad App to simulate pressure-volume loops and cardiovascular physiology.

PubMed

Leisman, Staci; Burkhoff, Daniel

2017-09-01

The purpose of this laboratory exercise is to model the changes in preload, afterload, and contractility on a simulated pressure-volume loop and to correlate those findings with common measurements of clinical cardiovascular physiology. Once students have modeled these changes on a healthy heart, the students are asked to look at a simulated case of cardiogenic shock. Effects on preload, contractility, and afterload are explored, as well as the hemodynamic effects of a number of student-suggested treatment strategies. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

In the field: exploring nature with Carolus Linnaeus.

PubMed

Hodacs, Hanna

2010-06-01

Teaching his students the art of observing nature outdoors was central to the Swedish naturalist Carolus (Carl) Linnaeus (1707-1778). These exercises came to influence both their progress and his work. The open-air classroom was a stage where Linnaeus could demonstrate his skills and mobilize support. It was also a testing, training and recruitment ground: the students' field observations helped Linnaeus to develop his new scientific nomenclature, and it was in the field that students could train their observational skills and progress from novices to naturalists. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Adventures in supercomputing: Scientific exploration in an era of change

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

Gentry, E.; Helland, B.; Summers, B.

1997-11-01

Students deserve the opportunity to explore the world of science surrounding them. Therefore it is important that scientific exploration and investigation be a part of each student`s educational career. The Department of Energy`s Adventures in Superconducting (AiS) takes students beyond mere scientific literacy to a rich embodiment of scientific exploration. AiS provides today`s science and math students with a greater opportunity to investigate science problems, propose solutions, explore different methods of solving the problem, organize their work into a technical paper, and present their results. Students learn at different rates in different ways. Science classes with students having varying learningmore » styles and levels of achievement have always been a challenge for teachers. The AiS {open_quotes}hands-on, minds-on{close_quotes} project-based method of teaching science meets the challenge of this diversity heads on! AiS uses the development of student chosen projects as the means of achieving a lifelong enthusiasm for scientific proficiency. One goal of AiS is to emulate the research that takes place in the everyday environment of scientists. Students work in teams and often collaborate with students nationwide. With the help of mentors from the academic and scientific community, students pose a problem in science, investigate possible solutions, design a mathematical and computational model for the problem, exercise the model to achieve results, and evaluate the implications of the results. The students then have the opportunity to present the project to their peers, teachers, and scientists. Using this inquiry-based technique, students learn more than science skills, they learn to reason and think -- going well beyond the National Science Education Standard. The teacher becomes a resource person actively working together with the students in their quest for scientific knowledge.« less

Tutoring math platform accessible for visually impaired people.

PubMed

Maćkowski, Michał Sebastian; Brzoza, Piotr Franciszek; Spinczyk, Dominik Roland

2018-04-01

There are many problems with teaching and assessing impaired students in higher education, especially in technical science, where the knowledge is represented mostly by structural information like: math formulae, charts, graphs, etc. Developing e-learning platform for distance education solves this problem only partially due to the lack of accessibility for the blind. The proposed method is based on the decomposition of the typical mathematical exercise into a sequence of elementary sub-exercises. This allows for interactive resolving of math exercises and assessment of the correctness of exercise solutions at every stage. The presented methods were prepared and evaluated by visually impaired people and students. The article presents the accessible interactive tutoring platform for math teaching and assessment, and experience in exploring it. The results of conducted research confirm good understanding of math formulae described according to elaborated rules. Regardless of the level of complexity of the math formulae the level of math formulae understanding is higher for alternative structural description. The proposed solution enables alternative descriptions of math formulae. Based on the research results, the tool for computer-aided interactive learning of mathematics adapted to the needs of the blind has been designed, implemented and deployed as a platform for on-site and online and distance learning. The designed solution can be very helpful in overcoming many barriers that occur while teaching impaired students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using memories to motivate future behaviour: an experimental exercise intervention.

PubMed

Biondolillo, Mathew J; Pillemer, David B

2015-01-01

This study tested a novel memory-based experimental intervention to increase exercise activity. Undergraduate students completed a two-part online survey ostensibly regarding college activity choices. At Time 1, they completed questionnaires that included assessments of exercise-related attitudes, motivation and self-reported behaviours. Next, they described a memory of a positive or negative experience that would increase their motivation to exercise; students in a control condition did not receive a memory prompt. Finally, they rated their intentions to exercise in the future. Eight days following Time 1, students received a Time 2 survey that included an assessment of their self-reported exercise during the prior week. Students in the positive memory condition reported higher levels of subsequent exercise than those in the control condition; students in the negative memory condition reported intermediate levels of exercise. Activating a positive motivational memory had a significant effect on students' self-reported exercise activity even after controlling for prior attitudes, motivation and exercise activity.

Promoting student case creation to enhance instruction of clinical reasoning skills: a pilot feasibility study

PubMed Central

Chandrasekar, Hamsika; Gesundheit, Neil; Nevins, Andrew B; Pompei, Peter; Bruce, Janine; Merrell, Sylvia Bereknyei

2018-01-01

Background It is a common educational practice for medical students to engage in case-based learning (CBL) exercises by working through clinical cases that have been developed by faculty. While such faculty-developed exercises have educational strengths, there are at least two major drawbacks to learning by this method: the number and diversity of cases is often limited; and students decrease their engagement with CBL cases as they grow accustomed to the teaching method. We sought to explore whether student case creation can address both of these limitations. We also compared student case creation to traditional clinical reasoning sessions in regard to tutorial group effectiveness, perceived gains in clinical reasoning, and quality of student–faculty interaction. Methods Ten first-year medical students participated in a feasibility study wherein they worked in small groups to develop their own patient case around a preassigned diagnosis. Faculty provided feedback on case quality afterwards. Students completed pre- and post-self-assessment surveys. Students and faculty also participated in separate focus groups to compare their case creation experience to traditional CBL sessions. Results Students reported high levels of team engagement and peer learning, as well as increased ownership over case content and understanding of clinical reasoning nuances. However, students also reported decreases in student–faculty interaction and the use of visual aids (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of our feasibility study suggest that student-generated cases can be a valuable adjunct to traditional clinical reasoning instruction by increasing content ownership, encouraging student-directed learning, and providing opportunities to explore clinical nuances. However, these gains may reduce student–faculty interaction. Future studies may be able to identify an improved model of faculty participation, the ideal timing for incorporation of this method in a medical curriculum, and a more rigorous assessment of the impact of student case creation on the development of clinical reasoning skills. PMID:29692641

Exploring volumetrically indexed cups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Dustin L.

2011-03-01

This article was inspired by a set of 12 cylindrical cups, which are volumetrically indexed; that is to say, the volume of cup n is equal to n times the volume of cup 1. Various sets of volumetrically indexed cylindrical cups are explored. I demonstrate how this children's toy is ripe for mathematical investigation, with connections to geometry, algebra and differential calculus. Students with an understanding of these topics should be able to complete the analysis and related exercises contained herein.

Using Virtual Astronomical Observatory Tools for Astronomy 101

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mighell, Kenneth J.; Garmany, K.; Larson, K.; Eastwood, K. D.

2009-01-01

The Virtual Observatory provides several tools that are useful for educators. With these tools, instructors can easily provide real data to students in an environment that engages student curiosity and builds student understanding. In this poster we demonstrate how the tools Aladin and TOPCAT can be used to enhance astronomy education. The Aladin Sky Atlas is a Virtual Observatory portal from the CDS that displays images, superimposes catalogs, and provides interactive access to data. For illustration, we show an exercise for non-science majors in a college-level astronomy course that introduces students to the HR diagram of star clusters. After launching the pre-loaded Aladin applet, students select their own stars, connecting visual cues of brightness and color to the conceptual meaning behind a quantitative HR diagram. TOPCAT can be linked with Aladin on the desktop to let students analyze their data, perform calculations, and create professional-quality graphs. The basic exercise can be easily expanded to address other learning objectives and provides a launching point for students to access, visualize, and explore multi-wavelength data as they continue in astronomy. As a second example, we show an exercise that uses TOPCAT to do three-dimensional plotting of the positions of open and globular cluster to illustrate galactic structure. Detailed information is available at the following website: http://www.noao.edu/staff/mighell/nvoss2008/ . This research was done at the 2008 U.S. National Virtual Observatory Summer School which was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 3 - 11, 2008 and was sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Physical activity and quality of life among university students: exploring self-efficacy, self-esteem, and affect as potential mediators.

PubMed

Joseph, Rodney P; Royse, Kathryn E; Benitez, Tanya J; Pekmezi, Dorothy W

2014-03-01

Physical activity (PA) has been shown to enhance quality of life (QOL) in older adults. Findings from these studies indicate that the relationship between PA and QOL is indirect and likely mediated by variables such as physical self-esteem, exercise self-efficacy, and affect. As PA varies greatly by age, the purpose of the current study is to extend this area of research to young adults and explore the complex relationship between PA and QOL in this target population. Data were collected via anonymous questionnaire from N = 590 undergraduate students. PA was assessed with the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire, and QOL was assessed by the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Path analysis was used to test the relationship between PA and QOL, with mediators of exercise self-efficacy, physical self-esteem, and affect. The PA model (RMSEA = .03, CFI = .99) accounted for 25 % of the variance in QOL. PA had positive direct effects on exercise self-efficacy (β = .28, P < .001), physical self-esteem (β = .10, P < .001), positive affect (β = .10, P < .05), and negative affect (β = .08, P < .05). Physical self-esteem was found to be the most powerful mediating variable on QOL (β = .30, P < .001), followed by positive affect (β = .27, P < .001) and negative affect (β = .14, P < .001). Physical self-esteem and, to a lesser extent, positive affect emerged as integral components in the link between PA and QOL. Findings suggest that health education programs designed to promote regular PA and increase physical self-esteem may be effective in improving QOL in young adults.

An Exploration Geophysics Course With an Environmental Focus for an Urban Minority Institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenyon, P. M.

2004-12-01

A hands-on exploration geophysics field course with an environmental focus has been developed with NSF support for use at the City College of New York in Manhattan. To maximize access for the students, no prerequisites beyond introductory earth science and physics are required. The course is taught for three hours on Saturday mornings. This has resulted in it attracting not only regular City College students, but also earth science teachers studying for alternate certification or Master's degrees. After a brief introduction to the nature of geophysics and to concepts in data processing, the course is taught in four three-week modules, one each on seismology, resistivity surveying, electromagnetic ground conductivity, and magnetic measurements. Each module contains one week of theory, a field experience, computer data analysis, and a final report. Field exercises are planned to emphasize teamwork and include realistic urban applications of the techniques. Student surveys done in conjunction with this course provide insights into the motivations and needs of the mostly minority students taking it. In general, these students come to the course already comfortable with teamwork and with working in the field. The questionnaires indicate that their greatest need is increased knowledge of the methods of geophysics and of the problems that can be attacked using it. Most of the students gave high ratings to the course, citing the fieldwork as the part that they most enjoyed. The results of these surveys will be presented, along with examples of the field exercises used. The computer analysis assignments written for this course will also be available.

Exercise behaviour and attitudes among fourth-year medical students at the University of British Columbia.

PubMed

Holtz, Kaila A; Kokotilo, Kristen J; Fitzgerald, Barbara E; Frank, Erica

2013-01-01

To describe the physical activity (PA) levels and counseling attitudes of Canadian undergraduate medical students. Online or paper survey. The University of British Columbia (UBC). Fourth-year medical students at UBC from 2007 to 2010. Physical activity levels, relationship between exercise behaviour and attitudes toward counseling, and student perception of training in the area of exercise prescription. A total of 546 out of 883 students participated in the survey (62% response rate). Sixty-four percent of students met the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 2011 recommendations for PA. Attitudes toward healthy living were related to PA levels, but the rate of counseling patients about exercise was not; however, students who engaged in more strenuous PA were more likely to perceive exercise counseling as being highly relevant to future clinical practice (P = .018). Overall, 69% of students perceived exercise counseling to be highly relevant to clinical practice, but 86% thought that their training in this area was less than extensive. Fourth-year UBC medical students engage in more strenuous PA than average age-matched Canadians, which affects their attitudes toward perceived future counseling practices. Encouraging more student participation in strenuous PA and encouraging academic training in the area of exercise counseling might be important next steps in preparing future physicians to effectively prescribe exercise to their patients.

Young Scientists Explore Butterflies and Moths. Book 4 Primary Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Linda

Designed to present interesting facts about science and to heighten the curiosity of primary age students, this book contains activities about the natural world and numerous black and white illustrations. The activities focus on butterflies and moths and their stages of development. The first section contains exercises on recognizing insect body…

Exploring Hydrogen Evolution and the Overpotential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, Yana A.; Roberts, Adrienne A.; McMillin, David R.

2015-01-01

The laboratory experiment described provides insight into the energetics of hydrogen evolution at an electrode as well as the intrinsic barrier that typically impedes reaction. In the course of the exercise, students find that Sn(s) is thermodynamically capable of combining with protons to form hydrogen, but that the direct reaction occurs at a…

Multigenerational Learning for Expanding the Educational Involvement of Bilinguals Experiencing Academic Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez-Álvarez, Patricia

2017-01-01

Focusing on two bilingual children experiencing learning difficulties, I explore the scientific representations these students generate in an afterschool programme where they have opportunities to exercise agency. In the programme, children use a digital camera to document science in their lives and engage in conversations about the products they…

Teaching Sustainable and Integrated Resource Management Using an Interactive Nexus Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bajzelj, Bojana; Fenner, Richard A.; Curmi, Elizabeth; Richards, Keith S.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to enhance and complement teaching about resource system feedbacks and environmental modelling. Students were given an interactive exercise based on a research model (ForeseerTM), developed by an inter-disciplinary research team, that explores the interconnectivity of water, energy and land resources. Two…

Literature and the Land: Reading and Writing for Environmental Literacy, 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rous, Emma Wood

Not only inspiring teachers to help students become environmentally literate, this book also provides the tools to make it happen in the literature classroom. Beginning with readings and exercises about perception, it explores a wealth of nature writing activities, the history of people's relationship with nature from mythological times to the…

Guji Guji Goes to College: Promoting Critical Literacy in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Jun-­min

2015-01-01

This study explores an activity designed to promote critical literacy in Taiwan. This activity had 23 college students perform different exercises all stressing the theme of self-identity as presented in a picture book and other learning sources. Data included classroom observations, reflection entries from the researcher­-instructor, classroom…

Molecular Orbitals of NO, NO[superscript+], and NO[superscript-]: A Computational Quantum Chemistry Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orenha, Renato P.; Galembeck, Sérgio E.

2014-01-01

This computational experiment presents qualitative molecular orbital (QMO) and computational quantum chemistry exercises of NO, NO[superscript+], and NO[superscript-]. Initially students explore several properties of the target molecules by Lewis diagrams and the QMO theory. Then, they compare qualitative conclusions with EHT and DFT calculations…

Exercise motivational regulations and exercise addiction: The mediating role of passion.

PubMed

Sicilia, Álvaro; Alcaraz-Ibáñez, Manuel; Lirola, María-Jesús; Burgueño, Rafael; Maher, Anthony

2018-05-23

Background and aims The study explored the mediating role of forms of passion in the relationship between motivational regulations in exercise and exercise addiction (EA). Methods A total of 485 university students (368 males and 117 females; M age  = 20.43, SD = 3.21) completed a questionnaire measuring the frequency and intensity of exercise, motivational regulations in exercise, passion for exercise, and EA. Controlling the effects of age, frequency, and intensity of practice, the relationships between the study variables were examined though a path analysis. Results Both self-determined and non-self-determined forms of motivation showed positive association with EA. The forms of motivation with greatest predictive power for EA were introjected and integrated regulations. Both forms of motivation had positive direct and indirect effects through obsessive passion (OP) on EA; however, integrated regulation also showed negative indirect effects through harmonious passion on EA. Conclusions Both forms of passion and, especially, OP, seem to affect how motivational regulations are associated with EA. These findings clarify the association found in previous studies between self-determined forms of motivation and EA.

Active Learning Techniques Applied to an Interdisciplinary Mineral Resources Course.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aird, H. M.

2015-12-01

An interdisciplinary active learning course was introduced at the University of Puget Sound entitled 'Mineral Resources and the Environment'. Various formative assessment and active learning techniques that have been effective in other courses were adapted and implemented to improve student learning, increase retention and broaden knowledge and understanding of course material. This was an elective course targeted towards upper-level undergraduate geology and environmental majors. The course provided an introduction to the mineral resources industry, discussing geological, environmental, societal and economic aspects, legislation and the processes involved in exploration, extraction, processing, reclamation/remediation and recycling of products. Lectures and associated weekly labs were linked in subject matter; relevant readings from the recent scientific literature were assigned and discussed in the second lecture of the week. Peer-based learning was facilitated through weekly reading assignments with peer-led discussions and through group research projects, in addition to in-class exercises such as debates. Writing and research skills were developed through student groups designing, carrying out and reporting on their own semester-long research projects around the lasting effects of the historical Ruston Smelter on the biology and water systems of Tacoma. The writing of their mini grant proposals and final project reports was carried out in stages to allow for feedback before the deadline. Speakers from industry were invited to share their specialist knowledge as guest lecturers, and students were encouraged to interact with them, with a view to employment opportunities. Formative assessment techniques included jigsaw exercises, gallery walks, placemat surveys, think pair share and take-home point summaries. Summative assessment included discussion leadership, exams, homeworks, group projects, in-class exercises, field trips, and pre-discussion reading exercises.An interdisciplinary active learning course was introduced at the University of Puget Sound entitled 'Mineral Resources and the Environment'. Various formative assessment and active learning techniques that have been effective in other courses were adapted and implemented to improve student learning, increase retention and broaden knowledge and understanding of course material. This was an elective course targeted towards upper-level undergraduate geology and environmental majors. The course provided an introduction to the mineral resources industry, discussing geological, environmental, societal and economic aspects, legislation and the processes involved in exploration, extraction, processing, reclamation/remediation and recycling of products. Lectures and associated weekly labs were linked in subject matter; relevant readings from the recent scientific literature were assigned and discussed in the second lecture of the week. Peer-based learning was facilitated through weekly reading assignments with peer-led discussions and through group research projects, in addition to in-class exercises such as debates. Writing and research skills were developed through student groups designing, carrying out and reporting on their own semester-long research projects around the lasting effects of the historical Ruston Smelter on the biology and water systems of Tacoma. The writing of their mini grant proposals and final project reports was carried out in stages to allow for feedback before the deadline. Speakers from industry were invited to share their specialist knowledge as guest lecturers, and students were encouraged to interact with them, with a view to employment opportunities. Formative assessment techniques included jigsaw exercises, gallery walks, placemat surveys, think pair share and take-home point summaries. Summative assessment included discussion leadership, exams, homeworks, group projects, in-class exercises, field trips, and pre-discussion reading exercises.

An Exercise Prescription Course to Improve Pharmacy Students' Confidence in Patient Counseling

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Objectives To create, implement, and evaluate an elective course on the foundational aspects of exercise prescription to increase pharmacy students' knowledge about exercise and confidence in offering exercise advice in pharmacy practice. Design A course was designed as an elective using the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for exercise prescription for healthy and clinical populations. Assessment Surveys of students who did and did not take the elective were conducted over 2 years to assess the impact of the course on students' confidence in knowledge and counseling. Students' confidence in counseling patients about exercise increased after taking the course and remained higher after 6 months. Conclusions This course increased pharmacy students' knowledge and confidence in incorporating exercise prescriptions in their advice to various patient populations. PMID:19960077

Effects of exercise dependence on psychological health of Chinese college students.

PubMed

Li, Menglong; Nie, Jingsong; Ren, Yujia

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise dependence on the psychological health of Chinese college students. A total of 1601 college students from three universities in Hunan, China, were selected as research subjects. Several measurement scales, including the Exercise Addiction Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Subjective Well-being Scale, were used to survey the psychological health problem of these students and to analyze the effects of exercise dependence on their psychological health. Exercise dependence, based on the structural equation model analysis, can positively influence state anxiety (P<0.05), depression (P<0.05), and subjective well-being (P<0.05) of Chinese students. By contrast, exercise dependence negatively influences students' self-satisfaction (P<0.05), social behavior (P<0.05), and vigor (P<0.05). Exercise dependence adversely affects the psychological health of college students. Further research using multi-dimensional exercise addiction scales should be conducted to identify all the negative effects of exercise addiction factors on psychological health.

SU-F-E-10: Student-Driven Exploration of Radiographic Material Properties, Phantom Construction, and Clinical Workflows Or: The Extraordinary Life of CANDY MAN

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

Mahon, RN; Riblett, MJ; Hugo, GD

Purpose: To develop a hands-on learning experience that explores the radiological and structural properties of everyday items and applies this knowledge to design a simple phantom for radiotherapy exercises. Methods: Students were asked to compile a list of readily available materials thought to have radiation attenuation properties similar to tissues within the human torso. Participants scanned samples of suggested materials and regions of interest (ROIs) were used to characterize bulk attenuation properties. Properties of each material were assessed via comparison to a Gammex Tissue characterization phantom and used to construct a list of inexpensive near-tissue-equivalent materials. Critical discussions focusing onmore » samples found to differ from student expectations were used to revise and narrow the comprehensive list. From their newly acquired knowledge, students designed and constructed a simple thoracic phantom for use in a simulated clinical workflow. Students were tasked with setting up the phantom and acquiring planning CT images for use in treatment planning and dose delivery. Results: Under engineer and physicist supervision, students were trained to use a CT simulator and acquired images for approximately 60 different foodstuffs, candies, and household items. Through peer discussion, students gained valuable insights and were made to review preconceptions about radiographic material properties. From a subset of imaged materials, a simple phantom was successfully designed and constructed to represent a human thorax. Students received hands-on experience with clinical treatment workflows by learning how to perform CT simulation, create a treatment plan for an embedded tumor, align the phantom for treatment, and deliver a treatment fraction. Conclusion: In this activity, students demonstrated their ability to reason through the radiographic material selection process, construct a simple phantom to specifications, and exercise their knowledge of clinical workflows. Furthermore, the enjoyable and inexpensive nature of this project proved to attract participant interest and drive creative exploration. Mahon and Riblett have nothing to disclose; Hugo has a research agreement with Phillips Medical systems, a license agreement with Varian Medical Systems, research grants from the National Institute of Health. Authors do not have any potential conflicts of interest to disclose.« less

Knowledge of students attending a high school in Pretoria, South Africa, on diet, nutrition and exercise.

PubMed

Letlape, S V; Mokwena, K; Oguntibeju, O O

2010-12-01

The objective of this study was to ascertain the knowledge of students on the composition of a healthy diet, daily nutritional requirements and the importance of regular exercise. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions to assess students 'knowledge on diet, nutrition and exercise was conducted. The study group were students of Tswaing High School in Pretoria, South Africa, who were in attendance on a particular day when the study was conducted and who consented to participate in the study Only 500 students of the school participated in the study Results showed that 77% of the students do not have adequate knowledge on diet, nutrition and exercise while 23% of the students showed satisfactory knowledge. Approximately 26% and 16% of the students reported that they participated in rigorous and moderate exercise respectively The study also showed that the majority of the students were however not engaged in physical activities. Students at Tswaing High School do not have adequate knowledge on nutrition, diet and exercise. Their views on what exercise entails were found not to be satisfactory. Programmes/ information or seminars that could assist to inform students on the importance of diet and exercise are therefore suggested.

Skylab: The Second Manned Mission. A Scientific Harvest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

This black and white video presentation covers the Skylab launch activities and docking with unmanned SL-1 workshop. Included are observations of student experiments (the Minchmog minnows and Arabella, the spider), observations of student experiments, exercise routines, and the enabling of the Earth Resources Experiments Package. Also shown is planet Earth documentation, manned operation of the Apollo Telescope Mount for observations of the Sun and beyond, outside EVA activity, testing of the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit, experiments to explore industrial uses of space, and the Skylab living routine.

3D Geo-Structures Visualization Education Project (3dgeostructuresvis.ucdavis.edu)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billen, M. I.

2014-12-01

Students of field-based geology must master a suite of challenging skills from recognizing rocks, to measuring orientations of features in the field, to finding oneself (and the outcrop) on a map and placing structural information on maps. Students must then synthesize this information to derive meaning from the observations and ultimately to determine the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the deformed structures and their kinematic history. Synthesizing this kind of information requires sophisticated visualizations skills in order to extrapolate observations into the subsurface or missing (eroded) material. The good news is that students can learn 3D visualization skills through practice, and virtual tools can help provide some of that practice. Here I present a suite of learning modules focused at developing students' ability to imagine (visualize) complex 3D structures and their exposure through digital topographic surfaces. Using the software 3DVisualizer, developed by KeckCAVES (keckcaves.org) we have developed visualizations of common geologic structures (e.g., syncline, dipping fold) in which the rock is represented by originally flat-lying layers of sediment, each with a different color, which have been subsequently deformed. The exercises build up in complexity, first focusing on understanding the structure in 3D (penetrative understanding), and then moving to the exposure of the structure at a topographic surface. Individual layers can be rendered as a transparent feature to explore how the layer extends above and below the topographic surface (e.g., to follow an eroded fold limb across a valley). The exercises are provided using either movies of the visualization (which can also be used for examples during lectures), or the data and software can be downloaded to allow for more self-driven exploration and learning. These virtual field models and exercises can be used as "practice runs" before going into the field, as make-up assignments, as a field experience in regions without good geologic outcrops, or for students with disabilities that prevent them from going into the field. These exercises and modules are available from 3dgeostructuresvis.ucdavis.edu. We plan to add several new structures to the site each year. This project was funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER grant to Billen.

Exercise: Benefits for Body and Mind. Student Workbook. Health Promotion for Adult Literacy Students: An Empowering Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson River Center for Program Development, Glenmont, NY.

This workbook was developed to help adult literacy students learn about exercise and physical fitness. It contains information sheets and student worksheets, coordinated with an audiotape that is available. Some of the topics covered in the workbook are the following: benefits of exercise; stress; aerobic versus anaerobic exercise; exercise…

Effect of an Exercise and Weight Control Curriculum: Views of Obesity among Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Laura A.; Fister, Carrie L.; Ramlo, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Awareness of effective weight management strategies is necessary to prepare exercise science students for future work with obesity. Exercise science faculty members developed a course related to exercise as a therapeutic tool and options available for weight loss. The purpose of the present study was to investigate student views of weight…

Dieting behaviours, obesity and predictors of dieting among female college students at Palestinian universities.

PubMed

Bayyari, W D; Henry, L J; Jones, C

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore dieting practices of female Palestinian college students. Participants ( = 410) were selected by cluster-sampling from 4 Palestinian universities. A regression model investigated dieting using: body mass index (BMI); body satisfaction; self-esteem; dress style; exercise; sociocultural factors; residence; strength of faith; perceived impact of weight on social interaction; and number of previous times dieting. Significant predictors of dieting were low body satisfaction, number of previous dieting times, perceived media pressure, regular exercising, BMI, and perceived impact of weight on social interaction, The model accounted for 45% of the variance in dieting. Body satisfaction was not significantly correlated with self-esteem or strength of faith, which indicates that "internalization of thinness" may be becoming evident among populations in certain developing countries, as in "Western" countries.

Predictors of physical activity and barriers to exercise in nursing and medical students.

PubMed

Blake, Holly; Stanulewicz, Natalia; Mcgill, Francesca

2017-04-01

To investigate physical activity levels of nursing and medicine students, examine predictors of physical activity level and examine the most influential benefits and barriers to exercise. Healthcare professionals have low levels of physical activity, which increases their health risk and may influence their health promotion practices with patients. We surveyed 361 nursing (n = 193) and medicine (n = 168) students studying at a UK medical school. Questionnaire survey, active over 12 months in 2014-2015. Measures included physical activity level, benefits and barriers to exercise, social support, perceived stress and self-efficacy for exercise. Many nursing and medicine students did not achieve recommended levels of physical activity (nursing 48%; medicine 38%). Perceived benefits of exercise were health related, with medicine students identifying additional benefits for stress relief. Most notable barriers to exercise were as follows: lack of time, facilities having inconvenient schedules and exercise not fitting around study or placement schedules. Nursing students were less active than medicine students; they perceived fewer benefits and more barriers to exercise and reported lower social support for exercise. Physical activity of nursing and medicine students was best predicted by self-efficacy and social support, explaining 35% of the variance. Physical activity should be promoted in nursing and medicine students. Interventions should aim to build self-efficacy for exercise and increase social support. Interventions should be developed that are targeted specifically to shift-working frontline care staff, to reduce schedule-related barriers to exercise and to increase accessibility to workplace health and well-being initiatives. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students.

PubMed

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L; Haag, Eric S

2016-12-01

This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III-Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section ( n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section ( n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies.

The "It's Not My Fault!" Exercise: Exploring the Causes and Consequences of Managers' Explanations for Poor Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paglis, Laura L.

2008-01-01

Experienced managers know that perceptions matter greatly when it comes to working effectively with employees. The task for organizational behavior (OB) instructors, especially in the undergraduate classroom, is to make the perceptions topic come alive for students who may not appreciate at first the application and significance of this subject…

Cactus: The Centres of a Triangle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyde, Hartley

2009-01-01

This is the first of two articles which describe how to use "JavaSketchPad" to explore the centres of a triangle. This introductory exercise is suggested in the GSP "Workshop Guide". Students can use "JavaSketchPad Interactive Geometry" (JSP) at home at no cost. They are likely to impress their parents with their enthusiasm for geometry and all…

"Physiology in the News": Using Press Releases to Enhance Lay Communication and Introduce Current Physiology Research to Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Kevin L.; Poteracki, James M.; Steury, Michael D.; Wehrwein, Erica A.

2015-01-01

Michigan State University's senior-level undergraduate physiology capstone laboratory uses a simple exercise termed "Physiology in the News," to help students explore the current research within the field of physiology while also learning to communicate science in lay terms. "Physiology in the News" is an activity that charges…

Teaching Critical Thinking without (Much) Writing: Multiple-Choice and Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassett, Molly H.

2016-01-01

In this essay, I explore an exam format that pairs multiple-choice questions with required rationales. In a space adjacent to each multiple-choice question, students explain why or how they arrived at the answer they selected. This exercise builds the critical thinking skill known as metacognition, thinking about thinking, into an exam that also…

Revisiting Cyberbullying in Schools Using the Quality Circle Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Simone; Smith, Peter K.; Blumberg, Herbert H.

2012-01-01

An earlier study reported the use of Quality Circles (QC) in a UK school in the context of understanding and reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Here, we report further work in the same school setting. The QC approach allows explorative analysis of problems in school settings, whereby students embark on a problem-solving exercise over a period of…

Simulating a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer: A LabView Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marty, Michael T.; Beussman, Douglas J.

2013-01-01

An in-depth understanding of all parameters that affect an instrumental analysis method, allowing students to explore how these instruments work so that they are not just a "black box," is key to being able to optimize the technique and obtain the best possible results. It is, however, impractical to provide such in depth coverage of…

Studying the Effects of Nuclear Weapons Using a Slide-Rule Computer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shastri, Ananda

2007-01-01

This paper describes the construction of a slide-rule computer that allows one to quickly determine magnitudes of several effects that result from the detonation of a nuclear device. Suggestions for exercises are also included that allow high school and college-level physics students to explore scenarios involving these effects. It is hoped that…

Exploring the Relationship between Endurance and Strength Training in Power Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohleva, Mariana

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research work is to track down the level of relation between strength and endurance in training exercises of handball athletes. The most successful ratio has been established during work with two groups of 10 players each, all of whom are university students. They were trained, respectively, according to the general training…

Scientia Paedagogica Experimentalis. International Journal of Experimental Research in Education. XVI, 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verbist, R., Ed.; And Others

1979-01-01

Seven papers on experimental research topics in education, written by educators of various nationalities, are compiled in this volume. The first paper, written in French with an English summary, explores the ability of the teacher to exercise an indirect influence over student behavior and the systematic training of certain teacher behaviors to…

Using SDO Data in the Classroom to Do Real Science -- A Community College Laboratory Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dave, T. A.; Hildreth, S.; Lee, S.; Scherrer, D. K.

2013-12-01

The incredible accessibility of extremely high spatial and temporal resolution data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory creates an opportunity for students to do almost real-time investigation in an Astronomy Lab. We are developing a short series of laboratory exercises using SDO data, targeted for Community College students in an introductory lab class, extendable to high school and university students. The labs initially lead students to explore what SDO can do, online, through existing SDO video clips taken on specific dates. Students then investigate solar events using the Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase (HEK), and make their own online movies of events, to discuss and share with classmates. Finally, students can investigate specific events and areas, selecting specific dates, locations, wavelength regions, and time cadences to create and gather their own SDO datasets for more detailed investigation. In exploring the Sun using actual data, students actually do real science. We are in the process of beta testing the sequence of labs, and are seeking interested community college, university, and high school astronomy lab teachers who might consider trying the labs themselves.

Earthquakes in Action: Incorporating Multimedia, Internet Resources, Large-scale Seismic Data, and 3-D Visualizations into Innovative Activities and Research Projects for Today's High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith-Konter, B.; Jacobs, A.; Lawrence, K.; Kilb, D.

2006-12-01

The most effective means of communicating science to today's "high-tech" students is through the use of visually attractive and animated lessons, hands-on activities, and interactive Internet-based exercises. To address these needs, we have developed Earthquakes in Action, a summer high school enrichment course offered through the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) Program at the University of California, San Diego. The summer course consists of classroom lectures, lab experiments, and a final research project designed to foster geophysical innovations, technological inquiries, and effective scientific communication (http://topex.ucsd.edu/cosmos/earthquakes). Course content includes lessons on plate tectonics, seismic wave behavior, seismometer construction, fault characteristics, California seismicity, global seismic hazards, earthquake stress triggering, tsunami generation, and geodetic measurements of the Earth's crust. Students are introduced to these topics through lectures-made-fun using a range of multimedia, including computer animations, videos, and interactive 3-D visualizations. These lessons are further enforced through both hands-on lab experiments and computer-based exercises. Lab experiments included building hand-held seismometers, simulating the frictional behavior of faults using bricks and sandpaper, simulating tsunami generation in a mini-wave pool, and using the Internet to collect global earthquake data on a daily basis and map earthquake locations using a large classroom map. Students also use Internet resources like Google Earth and UNAVCO/EarthScope's Jules Verne Voyager Jr. interactive mapping tool to study Earth Science on a global scale. All computer-based exercises and experiments developed for Earthquakes in Action have been distributed to teachers participating in the 2006 Earthquake Education Workshop, hosted by the Visualization Center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (http://siovizcenter.ucsd.edu/workshop). In addition to daily lecture and lab exercises, COSMOS students also conduct a mini-research project of their choice that uses data ranging from the 2004 Parkfield Earthquake, to Southern California seismicity, to global seismicity. Students collect seismic data from the Internet and evaluate earthquake locations, magnitudes, temporal sequence of seismic activity, active fault planes, and plate tectonic boundaries using research quality techniques. Students are given the opportunity to build 3-D visualizations of their research data sets and archive these at the SIO Visualization Center's online library, which is globally accessible to students, teachers, researchers, and the general public (http://www.siovizcenter.ucsd.edu/library.php). These student- generated visualizations have become a practical resource for not only students and teachers, but also geophysical researchers that use the visual objects as research tools to better explore and understand their data. Through Earthquakes in Action, we offer both the tools for scientific exploration and the thrills of scientific discovery, providing students with valuable knowledge, novel research experience, and a unique sense of scientific contribution.

Medical students' perceptions of the importance of exercise and their perceived competence in prescribing exercise to older people.

PubMed

Jadczak, Agathe Daria; Tam, Khai Loon; Yu, Solomon; Visvanathan, Renuka

2017-09-01

To determine the effects of a 4.5-week geriatric medicine course on fifth year medical students' perception of the importance of and their competence in prescribing exercise to older people. The modified Exercise and Physical Activity Competence Questionnaire was administered to 81 students before and after the course. Scores ranged from 0 to 6. One open-ended question about perceived barriers to exercise prescription was asked. Students' perceptions of the importance of designing an exercise prescription (P = 0.038), determining the training heart rate (P = 0.021), determining the body mass index (P > 0.001), referring an older person to an exercise program (P > 0.001) and identifying age-related limitations (P = 0.029) improved significantly after the course. Students' self-perceived competence improved significantly across all items (P > 0.001). Barriers to exercise prescription included lack of: knowledge (57%), patient compliance (39%) and time (33%). A geriatric medicine course contributes to improved senior medical students' perceptions of importance of and their competence in prescribing exercise to older people. © 2017 AJA Inc.

Exercise for falls prevention in older people: assessing the knowledge of exercise science students.

PubMed

Sturnieks, Daina L; Finch, Caroline F; Close, Jacqueline C T; Tiedemann, Anne; Lord, Stephen R; Pascoe, Deborah A

2010-01-01

Participation in appropriate exercise can help reduce the risk of falls and falls injury in older people. Delivery of population-level exercise interventions requires an expert workforce with skills in development and delivery of group exercise programs and prescription of individually targeted exercise. This study assessed the current knowledge of university exercise science students (as future exercise professionals) across different levels of study. A structured survey designed to assess knowledge in relation to falls in older people and exercise prescription for falls prevention was administered during second, third and fourth year lectures in seven Australian universities. Students' knowledge was assessed as the percent of correct responses. Overall, 566 students completed the survey and knowledge levels increased significantly with study year. Mean knowledge levels were significantly <70%, indicating limited knowledge. They were lowest for falls risk factor questions and highest for issue/cost related questions in second and third year students. Fourth year students had best knowledge about falls interventions and this was the only group and topic with a mean score >70%. In conclusion, knowledge about falls and exercise prescription for falls prevention in current students does not meet a desired competency level of 70% and is therefore insufficient to ensure an adequately equipped future workforce in this area. There is a clear need for the development and widespread delivery of an evidence-based "exercise for falls prevention" curriculum module for exercise professionals. Copyright (c) 2009 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting Active Learning: The Use of Computational Software Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Tom

The increased emphasis on active learning in essentially all disciplines is proving beneficial in terms of a student's depth of learning, retention, and completion of challenging courses. Formats labeled flipped, hybrid and blended facilitate face-to-face active learning. To be effective, students need to absorb a significant fraction of the course material prior to class, e.g., using online lectures and reading assignments. Getting students to assimilate and at least partially understand this material prior to class can be extremely difficult. As an aid to achieving this preparation as well as enhancing depth of understanding, we find the use of software programs such as Mathematica®or MatLab®, very helpful. We have written several Mathematica®applications and student exercises for use in a blended format two semester E&M course. Formats include tutorials, simulations, graded and non-graded quizzes, walk-through problems, exploration and interpretation exercises, and numerical solutions of complex problems. A good portion of this activity involves student-written code. We will discuss the efficacy of these applications, their role in promoting active learning, and the range of possible uses of this basic scheme in other classes.

Phonetics exercises using the Alvin experiment-control software.

PubMed

Hillenbrand, James M; Gayvert, Robert T; Clark, Michael J

2015-04-01

Exercises are described that were designed to provide practice in phonetic transcription for students taking an introductory phonetics course. The goal was to allow instructors to offload much of the drill that would otherwise need to be covered in class or handled with paper-and-pencil tasks using text rather than speech as input. The exercises were developed using Alvin, a general-purpose software package for experiment design and control. The simplest exercises help students learn sound-symbol associations. For example, a vowel-transcription exercise presents listeners with consonant-vowel-consonant syllables on each trial; students are asked to choose among buttons labeled with phonetic symbols for 12 vowels. Several word-transcription exercises are included in which students hear a word and are asked to enter a phonetic transcription. Immediate feedback is provided for all of the exercises. An explanation of the methods that are used to create exercises is provided. Although no formal evaluation was conducted, comments on course evaluations suggest that most students found the exercises to be useful. Exercises were developed for use in an introductory phonetics course. The exercises can be used in their current form, they can be modified to suit individual needs, or new exercises can be developed.

Using Fluid Inclusions to Bring Phase Diagrams to Life in a Guided Inquiry Instructional Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farver, J. R.; Onasch, C.

2011-12-01

A fundamental concept in mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry is the generation and interpretation of phase diagrams for various systems. We have developed an exercise to strengthen student's familiarity with and confidence in employing phase diagrams by using fluid inclusions. The activity follows the 5Es (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, Evaluation) guided inquiry instructional model in order to best facilitate student learning. The exercise follows an activity adapted from Brady (1992) wherein students collect data to generate the phase diagram for the Ice-Water-NaCl system. The engagement activity involves using a USGS-type fluid inclusion heating-cooling stage with a camera and projection system. We typically employ either a doubly-polished quartz sample or a cleaved section of fluorite and select a typical two phase (L + V) aqueous inclusion. Students first observe the inclusion at room temperature and pressure and are asked to predict what would happen if the sample is heated. Students then watch as the sample is heated to its homogenization temperature (Th) and are asked to explain what they see. The sample is then cooled until completely frozen and then slowly warmed until the first ice melting (at the eutectic, Te) and then until all ice melts (Tm). Again, students are asked to explain what they see and, if necessary, they are guided to remember the earlier phase diagram activity. The process is then repeated while students follow along the appropriate phase diagrams. In this fashion, students literally see the changes in phases present and their relative abundances as they move through the phase diagram. The engagement activity generates student interest in the exercise to insure minds-on as well as hands-on exploration. The exploration activities involve students observing and describing a wide range of fluid inclusion types (e.g., CO2, daughter crystals, multiple inclusion trails, etc) and hands-on collection of Th and Tm data for a selected sample. Using a fluorite sample (Denton Mine) yields excellent results and a meaningful extension activity. Each student collects Th and Tm data that are then combined and class histograms are generated and interpreted. At this point, a general explanation of fluid inclusions is provided to bring together the student's observations and to assess their understanding. The extension activity involves using the Th, Te, and Tm data obtained for primary inclusions to constrain the true trapping temperature (Tt). The isochore is calculated and plotted on a P-T plot. Using the geothermal gradient for the sample locale, students calculate the hydrostatic and lithostatic gradients for the region and plot these on the P-T diagram in order to constrain the possible range in Tt. Finally, based upon the salinity and Tt range, students determine what ore fluid type is represented (MVT). The evaluation includes observation of participation, answers to questions posed during the engagement activity, and a written report that includes answers to refining and open-ended questions as well as a reflection on their learning. This activity strengthens student's understanding of phase diagrams while introducing them to the importance of fluids in the crust.

Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut Pilot Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lloyd, Charles W.; Olivotto, C.; Boese, A.; Spiero, F.; Galoforo, G.; Niihori, M.

2011-01-01

Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut is an international educational challenge focusing on fitness and nutrition as we encourage students to "train like an astronaut." Teams of students (aged 8-12) learn principles of healthy eating and exercise, compete for points by finishing training modules, and get excited about their future as "fit explorers." The 18 core exercises (targeting strength, endurance, coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and more) involve the same types of skills that astronauts learn in their training and use in spaceflight. This first-of-its-kind cooperative outreach program has allowed 14 space agencies and various partner institutions to work together to address quality health/fitness education, challenge students to be more physically active, increase awareness of the importance of lifelong health and fitness, teach students how fitness plays a vital role in human performance for exploration, and inspire and motivate students to pursue careers in STEM fields. The project was initiated in 2009 in response to a request by the International Space Life Sciences Working Group. USA, Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Colombia, Spain, and United Kingdom hosted teams for the pilot this past spring, and Japan held a modified version of the challenge. Several more agencies provided input into the preparations. Competing on 131 teams, more than 3700 students from 40 cities worldwide participated in the first round of Mission X. OUTCOMES AND BEST PRACTICES Members of the Mission X core team will highlight the outcomes of this international educational outreach pilot project, show video highlights of the challenge, provide the working group s initial assessment of the project and discuss the future potential of the effort. The team will also discuss ideas and best practices for international partnership in education outreach efforts from various agency perspectives and experiences

Personal and Clinical Exercise-Related Attitudes and Behaviors of Freshmen U.S. Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Erica; Galuska, Deborah A.; Elon, Lisa K.; Wright, Elsa H.

2004-01-01

To determine personal and clinical exercise-related attitudes and behaviors of freshmen U.S. medical students, we surveyed 1,906 entering freshman medical students (response rate=87%; average age=24 years) in 17 U.S. medical schools. Students reported a median of 45 min/day of exercise, 80 min/week each of mild and moderate exercise, and 100…

Physical activity and quality of life among university students: exploring self-efficacy, self-esteem, and affect as potential mediators

PubMed Central

Joseph, Rodney P.; Royse, Kathryn E.; Benitez, Tanya J.; Pekmezi, Dorothy W.

2014-01-01

Purpose Physical activity (PA) has been shown to enhance quality of life (QOL) in older adults. Findings from these studies indicate that the relationship between PA and QOL is indirect and likely mediated by variables such as physical self-esteem, exercise self-efficacy, and affect. As PA varies greatly by age, the purpose of the current study is to extend this area of research to young adults and explore the complex relationship between PA and QOL in this target population. Methods Data were collected via anonymous questionnaire from N = 590 undergraduate students. PA was assessed with the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire, and QOL was assessed by the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Path analysis was used to test the relationship between PA and QOL, with mediators of exercise self-efficacy, physical self-esteem, and affect. Results The PA model (RMSEA = .03, CFI = .99) accounted for 25 % of the variance in QOL. PA had positive direct effects on exercise self-efficacy (β = .28, P < .001), physical self-esteem (β = .10, P < .001), positive affect (β = .10, P < .05), and negative affect (β = .08, P < .05). Physical self-esteem was found to be the most powerful mediating variable on QOL (β = .30, P < .001), followed by positive affect (β = .27, P < .001) and negative affect (β = .14, P < .001). Conclusion Physical self-esteem and, to a lesser extent, positive affect emerged as integral components in the link between PA and QOL. Findings suggest that health education programs designed to promote regular PA and increase physical self-esteem may be effective in improving QOL in young adults. PMID:23928820

The effect of individual factors on health behaviors among college students: the mediating effects of eHealth literacy.

PubMed

Hsu, WanChen; Chiang, ChiaHsun; Yang, ShuChing

2014-12-12

College students' health behavior is a topic that deserves attention. Individual factors and eHealth literacy may affect an individual's health behaviors. The integrative model of eHealth use (IMeHU) provides a parsimonious account of the connections among the digital divide, health care disparities, and the unequal distribution and use of communication technologies. However, few studies have explored the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors, and IMeHU has not been empirically investigated. This study examines the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors using IMeHU. The Health Behavior Scale is a 12-item instrument developed to measure college students' eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. The eHealth Literacy Scale is a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy. A nationally representative sample of 525 valid college students in Taiwan was surveyed. A questionnaire was administered to collect background information about participants' health status, degree of health concern, major, and the frequency with which they engaged in health-related discussions. This study used Amos 6.0 to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to identify the best measurement models for the eHealth Literacy Scale and the Health Behavior Scale. We then conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors. Additionally, causal steps approach was used to explore indirect (mediating) effects and Sobel tests were used to test the significance of the mediating effects. The study found that perceptions of better health status (t520=2.14-6.12, P<.001-.03) and greater concern for health (t520=2.58-6.95, P<.001-.003) influenced college students' development of 3 dimensions of eHealth literacy and adoption of healthy eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. Moreover, eHealth literacy played an intermediary role in the association between individual factors and health behaviors (Sobel test=2.09-2.72, P<.001-.03). Specifically, higher levels of critical eHealth literacy promoted students' health status and their practice of multiple positive health behaviors, including eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. Because this study showed that eHealth literacy mediates the association between individual factors and health behaviors, schools should aim to enhance students' eHealth literacy and promote their health behaviors to help them achieve high levels of critical eHealth literacy. Although some of the study's hypotheses were not supported in this study, the factors that influence health behaviors are complex and interdependent. Therefore, a follow-up study should be conducted to further explore how these factors influence one another.

Understanding Why Undergraduate Students Declare and Continue to Study an Exercise Science-Related Major.

PubMed

Vaartstra, Matthew B; Kercher, Vanessa M; Start, Amanda; Brown, Amber N; Peterson, Mark D; McGrath, Ryan

2017-01-01

Understanding factors that contribute to a student's selection of an exercise science-related major is important to student success, higher education and industry. This study sought to 1) better understand why undergraduate students study an exercise science-related major, 2) determine whether positive influences to study an exercise science-related major differ by academic classification, and 3) identify what student's aspirations are after graduation. Department administrators from four-year colleges and universities offering an exercise science-related major in the Northwest Region of the United States (i.e., Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington) were contacted. Cooperating department administrators were given self-reported questionnaires for students to complete using a snowball sampling method. A total of 388 participants completed the questionnaire. Interest in the subject and potential job opportunities were the most common reasons to study an exercise science-related major. Self-reported Holland's codes identified that realistic and social personalities were most prevalent among participants. Seniors rated a friend's influence and college advisors as stronger influences to study an exercise science-related major compared to freshmen. Pay in the field was a stronger influence for freshmen to study an exercise science-related major than for fifth-year seniors, whereas freshmen were less influenced by introductory courses to study an exercise-science related major than fifth-year seniors. The majority of undergraduate students studying an exercise science-related major planned on attending graduate school after completing their baccalaureate degree. These findings can be used to help guide undeclared students and better serve undergraduates enrolled in an exercise science-related major.

Influencing physiotherapy student attitudes toward exercise for adolescents with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Shields, Nora; Bruder, Andrea; Taylor, Nicholas; Angelo, Tom

2011-01-01

Negative attitudes of physiotherapists may prevent them from implementing exercise as an intervention among people with disabilities. The aim of this study was to examine whether physiotherapy student attitudes towards the barriers to exercise for adolescents with Down syndrome changed as a result of participating in a 10-week exercise programme. Data were collected as part of a randomised controlled trial. Twenty physiotherapy students (2 men, 18 women; mean age 19.5±1.3 years) volunteered to act as mentors. Each mentor was matched with an adolescent with Down syndrome from the same metropolitan suburb, who had been randomly allocated to either the intervention or the control group. The 10 adolescents and students in the intervention group all completed a 10-week, twice a week progressive resistance exercise training programme. The 10 adolescents and students in the control group continued with their usual activities. The students completed the 18-item Exercise Barriers Scale at baseline and after 10 weeks. There was a positive change in attitudes, significant at the p <0.05 level, favouring the intervention group on 9 of the 18 items on the Exercise Barriers Scale. After engagement in a 10-week exercise programme with an adolescent with Down syndrome, physiotherapy students identified fewer barriers that would prevent adolescents with Down syndrome from exercising. Results indicate that contact with adolescents with Down syndrome during clinical placement can positively influence attitudes towards exercise for people with Down syndrome among physiotherapy students.

Effects of smoking and aerobic exercise on male college students' metabolic syndrome risk factors.

PubMed

Kim, Jee-Youn; Yang, Yuhao; Sim, Young-Je

2018-04-01

[Purpose] The aim was to investigate the effects of university students' smoking and aerobic exercise on metabolic syndrome risk factors. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-three male students were randomly assigned to the following groups: exercise smoker (n=6), non-exercise smoker (n=6), exercise non-smoker (n=6), and non-exercise non-smoker (n=5). A basketball exercise program was conducted three times per week (70 minutes per session) for 8 weeks with exercise intensity set at 50-80% of heart rate reserve. After 8 weeks, the variables of risk factors for metabolic syndrome were obtained. [Results] Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly decreased in the exercise non-smoker group and significantly increased in the non-exercise smoker group. Waist circumference was significantly reduced in both exercise groups regardless of smoking and significantly increased in the non-exercise smoker group. Triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose showed no differences between the groups. [Conclusion] Obesity and smoking management should be conducted together for students as well as for those with metabolic syndrome risk factors. It is recommended that more students participate in such programs, and exercise programs should be further developed and diversified to prevent metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.

Using Technology to Facilitate and Enhance Project-based Learning in Mathematical Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Gintaras

2011-04-01

Problem-based and project-based learning are two pedagogical techniques that have several clear advantages over traditional instructional methods: 1) both techniques are active and student centered, 2) students confront real-world and/or highly complex problems, and 3) such exercises model the way science and engineering are done professionally. This talk will present an experiment in project/problem-based learning in a mathematical physics course. The group project in the course involved modeling a zombie outbreak of the type seen in AMC's ``The Walking Dead.'' Students researched, devised, and solved their mathematical models for the spread of zombie-like infection. Students used technology in all stages; in fact, since analytical solutions to the models were often impossible, technology was a necessary and critical component of the challenge. This talk will explore the use of technology in general in problem and project-based learning and will detail some specific examples of how technology was used to enhance student learning in this course. A larger issue of how students use the Internet to learn will also be explored.

The Effects Of An Exercise Physiology Program on Physical Fitness Variables, Body Satisfaction, and Physiology Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Arlette C.; Rosenblatt, Evelyn S.; Kempner, Lani; Feldman, Brandon B.; Paolercio, Maria A.; Van Bemden, Angie L.

2002-01-01

Examined the effects of an exercise physiology program on high school students' physical fitness, body satisfaction, and physiology knowledge. Intervention students received exercise physiology theory and active aerobic and resistance exercise within their biology course. Data from student surveys and measurements indicated that the integrated…

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students†

PubMed Central

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H.; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L.; Haag, Eric S.

2016-01-01

This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III—Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section (n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section (n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies. PMID:28101262

Implementation of a Parameterization Framework for Cybersecurity Laboratories

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

designer of laboratory exercises with tools to parameterize labs for each student , and automate some aspects of the grading of laboratory exercises. A...is to provide the designer of laboratory exercises with tools to parameterize labs for each student , and automate some aspects of the grading of...support might assist the designer of laboratory exercises to achieve the following? 1. Verify that students performed lab exercises, with some

Rethinking how Undergraduate ``Hard Rock'' Petrology is Taught

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, M. R.

2010-12-01

A course in "hard rock" petrology forms a core component of undergraduate training in the geosciences. In most cases, the subjects of igneous and metamorphic petrology are combined in a single course and the course is traditionally structured so that the two subjects are covered in series. This approach enables students to focus on each subject separately, with knowledge of igneous rocks helping students to understand metamorphic rock protoliths. Student assessment shows, however, that this approach tends to compartmentalize learning and the two main subjects might just as well be taught in separate courses. In practical applications such as fieldwork, students must be able to access their understanding of igneous and metamorphic rocks virtually simultaneously. To better integrate student learning, I developed a spiral learning approach to teaching petrology (e.g., Bruner, 1990; Dyar et al., 2004) so that commonalities could be revisited several times over the course of a semester and, in so doing, students' grasp of the fundamental insights provided by igneous and metamorphic rocks could be scaffolded into greater understanding. The course initially focuses on the dynamics of the environments in which igneous and metamorphic rocks form: heat flow, fluid flow, and plate tectonics. Several subsequent weeks explore topics relevant to identifying and understanding igneous and metamorphic rocks in the field: crystal nucleation and growth, the roles of pressure and heat, and field classification. Laboratory exercises parallel this structure, also emphasizing observations that are valuable in the field: the relationship between minerals and rocks, textural observations, and general rock classification. The final portion of the course explores “hard rocks” in more detail with a greater emphasis on the interplay between chemistry and mineralogy. A variety of learner-centered activities in the course help students bridge the gap between novice and expert and include more explicit emphasis on visualization and on helping students become comfortable with interpreting data numerically and graphically. Pen tablet computers are used extensively in the laboratory for visualization, photomicrograph capture, and annotation. Cooperative learning activities developed for this course make use of learning methods such as pair share, round-robin, small group explorations case studies, and jigsaw exercises (sometimes as introduction to, sometimes as review of material), and Jeopardy-style review sessions. On an assessment questionnaire at the end of the semester students ranked the in-class cooperative learning activities as on par with lectures and homework exercises in facilitating their learning. Students reported satisfactory attainment of three major goals identified for the course even though they were not explicitly reminded of these goals at the time of assessment. References cited: Bruner, J., 1990. Acts of Meaning. Harvard University Press.; Dyar, M.D., Gunter, M.E., Davis, J.C., and Odell, M.R., 2004. Integration of new methods into teaching mineralogy; Huba, M.E. and Freed, J.E., 2000. Learner-centered Assessment on College Campus: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning. Allyn and Bacon.

Development and Evaluation of Internet-Based Hypermedia Chemistry Tutorials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tissue, Brian M.; Earp, Ronald L.; Yip, Ching-Wan; Anderson, Mark R.

1996-05-01

This progress report describes the development and student use of World-Wide-Web-based prelaboratory exercises in senior-level Instrumental Analysis during the 1995 Fall semester. The laboratory preparation exercises contained hypermedia tutorials and multiple-choice questions that were intended to familiarize the students with the experiments and instrumentation before their laboratory session. The overall goal of our work is to explore ways in which computer and network technology can be applied in education to improve the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of teaching. The course material can be accessed at http://www.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed/4114/Fall1995.html. The students were instructed to read their experimental procedure and to do the relevant laboratory preparation exercise. The individual tutorial documents were primarily text that provided basic theoretical and experimental descriptions of analytical and instrumental methods. The documents included hyperlinks to basic concepts, simple schematics, and color graphics of experimental set-ups or instrumentation. We chose the World-Wide Web (WWW) as the delivery platform for this project because of the ease of developing, distributing, and modifying hypermedia material in a client-server system. The disadvantage of the WWW is that network bandwidth limits the size and sophistication of the hypermedia material. To minimize internet transfer time, the individual documents were kept short and usually contained no more than 3 or 4 inline images. After reading the tutorial the students answered several multiple-choice questions. The figure shows one example of a multiple-choice question and the response page. Clicking on the "Submit answer" button calls a *.cgi file, which contains instructions in the PERL interpretive language, that generates the response page and saves the date, time, and student's answer to a file on the server. Usage and student perception of the on-line material was evaluated from server logs and student surveys. On-time completion of the assignments was 75%, but use of other on-line resources such as a question-and-answer page was minimal. Responses from student surveys indicated that the students had sufficient access to the internet. Approximately half of the students completed the prelaboratory exercises from one of several computers in the laboratory, and half worked from a workplace, university library, or home. Greater than 85% of all student usage from the laboratory computers occurred between 11 am and 4 pm. A mid-semester student survey indicated that the spectroscopy prelabs with three multiple-choice questions were better for increasing conceptual understanding rather than preparing the students for the actual lab work. An end-of-the-semester survey based on the electrochemistry assignments, which consisted of two multiple-choice questions and one clickable-map graphical exercise, produced a slightly higher rating for preparing students for the laboratory work. The differences between the spectroscopy and electrochemistry exercises prevent drawing any real conclusions from these two surveys, however, they do help guide the preparation of the content of future exercises. Next year's materials will contain three multiple-choice questions and one graphics-based exercise. The clickable-map graphics and at least one of the multiple-choice questions will be designed to test an understanding of the experimental procedure and instrument use to better prepare students for the actual laboratory work. Acknowledgment. We would like to thank Professor Gary Long for his assistance with the course, and the NSF for financial support through the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE-9455382) and a CAREER award (CHE-9502460). Literature Cited. Laurillard, D. Rethinking Teaching, a Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology; Routledge: London, 1993. Tissue, B. M.; Earp, R. L.; Yip, C.-W. Chem. Educator 1996, 1(1), S1430-4171(96)01010-2. Only available at http://journals.springer-ny.com/chedr.

Infusing Aging and Public Policy Content into Gerontology Courses: Collaborative Learning Methods To Teach about Social Security and Medicare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cianciolo, Patricia K.; Henderson, Tammy L.

2003-01-01

Describes modules on Social Security and Medicare for gerontology policy courses. Discusses collaborative exercises in which students explore Internet resources on Social Security and health care finance, identity major concerns about reforms, and enact scenarios about retirees with varying degrees of income and health care security. (Contains 33…

Using a Combination of Experimental and Computational Methods to Explore the Impact of Metal Identity and Ligand Field Strength on the Electronic Structure of Metal Ions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pernicone, Naomi C.; Geri, Jacob B.; York, John T.

2011-01-01

In this exercise, students apply a combination of techniques to investigate the impact of metal identity and ligand field strength on the spin states of three d[superscript 5] transition-metal complexes: Fe(acac)[subscript 3], K[subscript 3][Fe(CN)[subscript 6

Use of Tablet PCs to Enhance Instruction and Promote Group Collaboration in a Course to Prepare Future Mathematics Specialists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellington, Aimee J.; Wilson, Jill H.; Nugent, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

This article details the use of tablet PCs in a mathematics content course for future Mathematics Specialists. Instructors used tablet PCs instead of a traditional whiteboard to capture demonstration and discussion. Students were grouped for collaborative problem solving and exploration exercises. Each group was provided with a tablet PC for…

A Problem-Based Learning Approach to Civics Education: Exploring the Free Exercise Clause with Supreme Court Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pagnotti, John; Russell, William B., III

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to empower those interested in teaching students powerful and engaging social studies. Through the lens of Supreme Court simulations, this article provides educators with a viable, classroom-tested lesson plan to bring Problem-Based Learning into their classrooms. The specific aim of the lesson is to provide students…

Working in America, Part II. Materials for Using American Issues Forum in the American History Classroom, Topic V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of General Education Curriculum Development.

The module is the second in a series which examines American history in light of industrial development and expansion. Presented in field test condition to allow for feedback from students and teachers, the booklet explores organization of the labor force through presentation of 10 class exercises. The first section presents a background…

The study of medical students' attitudes toward exercise for health promotion in Phramongkutklao College of Medicine.

PubMed

Ing-Arahm, Rungsima; Suppuang, Arunya; Imjaijitt, Worarachanee

2010-11-01

Phramongkutklao College of Medicine is a military medical school and also a health promotion school. As a result, encouraging these medical students to have good attitude toward exercise is considered an important mission for the college. To study the attitudes of medical students at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine about exercise for health promotion. This survey research was carried out in 382 medical students in Academic Year 2008 using questionnaires including personal information, attitude testing and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis: percentage and mean and comparative analysis: t-test and F-test. The overall attitudes of medical students toward exercise were good. The attitudes of the medical cadets were better than those of the civilian medical students. The attitudes and also knowledge about exercise of the higher-year students were generally better than those of the lower-year ones. The attitudes of healthy medical students were higher than those of unhealthy ones. No significant difference in attitude was found between male and female students and between those with different Body Mass Indexes (BMI) and those with different in exercise duration and frequency. The overall medical students' attitudes toward exercise for health promotion in Phramongkutklao College of Medicine were good. The influencial factors were found to be status of medical students, stage of medical study and health status.

A Writing Exercise with the "OED."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkle-Young, Francis A.

2001-01-01

Describes a writing exercise with the "Oxford English Dictionary" that teaches students about research and attention to detail. Describes how the exercise, which involves the student in a set of serial tasks, makes students comfortable with the OED, teaches them how to extract full details of any word, and teaches students to take…

Replicating a self-affirmation intervention to address gender differences: Successes and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kost-Smith, Lauren E.; Pollock, Steven J.; Finkelstein, Noah D.; Cohen, Geoffrey L.; Ito, Tiffany A.; Miyake, Akira

2012-02-01

We previously reported on the success of a psychological intervention implemented to reduce gender differences in achievement in an introductory college physics course. In this prior study, we found that the gender gap on exams and the FMCE among students who completed two 15-minute self-affirmation writing exercises was significantly reduced compared to the gender gap among students who completed neutral writing exercises. In a follow-up study we replicated the self-affirmation intervention in a later semester of the same course, with the same instructor. In this paper, we report the details and preliminary results of the replication study, where we find similar patterns along exams and course grades, but do not observe these patterns along the FMCE. We begin to investigate the critical features of replicating educational interventions, finding that replicating educational interventions is challenging, complex, and involves potentially subtle factors, some of which we explore and others that require further research.

Student performance in computing education: an empirical analysis of online learning in programming education environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Belle Selene; Liitiäinen, Elia

2017-11-01

The benefits of using online exercises have been analysed in terms of distance learning, automatic assessment and self-regulated learning. In this study, we have not found a direct proportional relationship between student performance in the course exercises that use online technologies and the exam grades. We see that the average submission rate to these online exercises is not positively correlated with the exercise points. Yet, our results confirm that doing exercises along supports student learning and skill accumulation equipping them with the knowledge of programming. While the student performance in programming courses is affected by factors such as prior background in programming, cognitive skills and the quality of teaching, completing the course exercises via learning-by-doing is an indispensable part of teaching. Based on the student feedback from the course survey, the students are highly satisfied with using online technologies as part of learning.

Climate-Literacy Laboratory Exercises for Undergraduate Students in an Introductory Weather and Climate Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diem, J.; Elliott, W.; Criswell, B.; Morrow, C. A.

2012-12-01

A suite of NASA-sponsored, Web-based exercises are in development for an introductory weather and climate course at Georgia State University (GSU) to improve climate literacy among undergraduate students. An extremely small percentage of the students are STEM majors. The exercises make extensive use of NASA resources and are guided in part by the concepts in Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science. At least two thousand undergraduate students have completed a majority of the exercises over the past two years. Nine of the twelve exercises in the course are connected strongly to climate literacy. The topics of those nine exercises are as follows: (1) Solar Irradiance, (2) Stratospheric Ozone, (3) Tropospheric Air, (4) The Carbon Cycle, (5) Global Surface Temperature, (6) Glacial-Interglacial Cycles, (7) Temperature Changes during the Past Millennium, (8) Climate & Ecosystems, and (9) Current & Future Climate Change. Two of the exercises (Tropospheric Air and The Carbon Cycle) make use of carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements made by students themselves and by a stationary CO2 monitor at GSU. The three remaining exercises, The Hadley Cell, Atlanta Weather, and Air Pollution, are less connected to multiple climate-literacy concepts; nonetheless, they provide a more complete experience for the students in the understanding of climate processes, differences between weather and climate, and human impacts on the atmosphere. All exercises are based on an inquiry-based learning cycle (i.e. 7 Es) and require substantial amounts of engagement, applied thinking, and critical thinking by the students. Not only do students become knowledgeable about the essential principles of climate change, especially global warming, but extensive use of geographical-information software and hand-held measurement devices has provided students with training in geography and technology. Student attitudes towards the labs were gathered via an on-line, anonymous survey from hundreds of students in Geography 1112 during the Fall semester of 2010. Students liked the use of high-quality imagery and animations, using Google™ earth, using Microsoft® Excel for calculations and chart production, going outside to collect data, and working in groups. Students did not like the large number of questions in some of the labs, not receiving a "lecture" in the beginning lab exercise, and improperly working Web links. Students suggested having a small lecture at the beginning in addition to having the topics be presented in the lecture sessions before doing the lab exercises as way to improve the labs. Therefore, students desired a more traditional approach to instruction. Seven lab instructors, all of whom were graduate students in the Department of Geosciences, were interviewed by the project evaluator in April of 2011. The main findings were as follows: the instructors viewed themselves as facilitators of the student-centered exercises; the students are uncomfortable with an inquiry-based approach; and there is disconnection between the lecture and lab portions of the course. Future work involves major pedagogical renovations to the exercises, training the lab instructors in the leading of inquiry-based exercises, and assessing student learning of climate-change concepts using pre- and post-tests.

Possible Link between Medical Students' Motivation for Academic Work and Time Engaged in Physical Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aung, Myo Nyein; Somboonwong, Juraiporn; Jaroonvanichkul, Vorapol; Wannakrairot, Pongsak

2016-01-01

Physical exercise results in an active well-being. It is likely that students' engagement in physical exercise keeps them motivated to perform academic endeavors. This study aimed to assess the relation of time engaged in physical exercise with medical students' motivation for academic work. Prospectively, 296 second-year medical students…

Brief report: Exploring the benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme among high school students with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Gobbi, Erica; Greguol, Márcia; Carraro, Attilio

2018-01-29

The purpose of this study was to explore possible benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme (PTPE) in comparison with school physical education (SPE) in high school students with intellectual disability. Nineteen students with intellectual disabilities (15 boys, mean age 17.4 ± 1.7 years) were monitored during three PTPE and three SPE classes. A factorial RM-ANOVA was used to test differences on objective measured physical activity (PA), enjoyment and exertion during the two conditions, considering participants' weight condition as independent factor. During PTPE, participants reported higher light intensity PA, enjoyment and exertion than during SPE. Participants with overweight showed less inactive time and higher light intensity PA during PTPE than during SPE. The peer-tutored programme was beneficial for adolescents with intellectual disability, particularly for those in overweight condition. The higher enjoyment found during PTPE may encourage exercise participation of students with intellectual disability. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fundamentals of Structural Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollard, David D.; Fletcher, Raymond C.

2005-09-01

Fundamentals of Structural Geology provides a new framework for the investigation of geological structures by integrating field mapping and mechanical analysis. Assuming a basic knowledge of physical geology, introductory calculus and physics, it emphasizes the observational data, modern mapping technology, principles of continuum mechanics, and the mathematical and computational skills, necessary to quantitatively map, describe, model, and explain deformation in Earth's lithosphere. By starting from the fundamental conservation laws of mass and momentum, the constitutive laws of material behavior, and the kinematic relationships for strain and rate of deformation, the authors demonstrate the relevance of solid and fluid mechanics to structural geology. This book offers a modern quantitative approach to structural geology for advanced students and researchers in structural geology and tectonics. It is supported by a website hosting images from the book, additional colour images, student exercises and MATLAB scripts. Solutions to the exercises are available to instructors. The book integrates field mapping using modern technology with the analysis of structures based on a complete mechanics MATLAB is used to visualize physical fields and analytical results and MATLAB scripts can be downloaded from the website to recreate textbook graphics and enable students to explore their choice of parameters and boundary conditions The supplementary website hosts color images of outcrop photographs used in the text, supplementary color images, and images of textbook figures for classroom presentations The textbook website also includes student exercises designed to instill the fundamental relationships, and to encourage the visualization of the evolution of geological structures; solutions are available to instructors

Exercise promotes positive impression formation towards both men and women.

PubMed

Kanarek, Robin B; Mathes, Wendy Foulds; D'Anci, Kristen E

2012-06-01

Exercise is endorsed for its physiological and psychological benefits, and has been proposed to have positive effects on impression formation. To test this proposal, 62 female and 44 male college students read one of three brief descriptions of either a fictitious male or female "target" student. The descriptions varied only in exercise level: no exercise; moderate exercise and intensive exercise. Participants then rated the fictitious student on 38 personality traits. Ratings of characteristics that are associated with exercise (e.g. athletic; energetic) increased, while ratings associated with the lack of exercise (e.g. lazy; weak) decreased as a function of the reported level of exercise. Exercise level also positively influenced ratings of characteristics not related to exercise. These data show that even minimal information about exercise is an important component of first impressions in both men and women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Physique Anxiety, Obligation to Exercise, and Exercise Choices among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Hui-Wen; Bushman, Barbara A.; Woodard, Rebecca J.

2008-01-01

Objective: The authors examined relationships among social physique anxiety, obligation to exercise, and exercise choices. Participants and Methods: College students (N = 337; 200 women, 137 men) volunteered to complete 3 questionnaires: the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ), and Physical Activity…

Exposing college students to exercise: the training interventions and genetics of exercise response (TIGER) study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study is an exercise program designed to introduce sedentary college students to regular physical activity and to identify genetic factors that influence response to exercise. A multiracial/ethnic cohort (N = 1,567; 39% male), age ...

VEPP Exercise: Volcanic Activity and Monitoring of Pu`u `O`o, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, L. A.

2010-12-01

A 10-week project will be tested during the Fall semester 2010, for a Volcanic Hazards elective course, for undergraduate Geology students of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. This exercise was developed during the Volcanoes Exploration Project: Pu`u `O`o (VEPP) Workshop, held on the Big Island of Hawaii in July 2010. For the exercise the students will form groups (of 2-4 students), and each group will be assigned a monitoring technique or method, among the following: seismic (RSAM data), deformation (GPS and tilt data), observations (webcam and lava flow maps), gas and thermal monitoring. The project is designed for Geology undergraduates who have a background in introductory geology, types of volcanoes and eruptions, magmatic processes, characteristics of lava flows, and other related topics. It is divided in seven tasks, starting with an introduction and demonstration of the VEPP website and the VALVE3 software, which is used to access monitoring data from the current eruption of Pu`u `O`o, Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. The students will also familiarize themselves with the history of Kilauea volcano and its current eruption. At least weekly the groups will acquire data (mostly near-real-time) from the different monitoring techniques, in the form of time series, maps, videos, and images, in order to identify trends in the data. The groups will meet biweekly in the computer laboratory to work together in the analysis and interpretation of the data, with the support of the instructor. They will give reports on the progress of the exercise, and will get feedback from the instructor and from the other expert groups. All groups of experts will relate their findings to the recent and current activity of Kilauea volcano, and the importance of their specific type of monitoring. The activity will culminate with a written report and an oral presentation. The last task of the project consists of a wrap-up volcano monitoring exercise, in which the students will participate in a 1-hr discussion and will report on what they think will happen at Kilauea in the near future. Students will be evaluated based on group participation, progress reports and discussions, the written and oral reports, and the final wrap-up exercise. This project can be modified to be based on any 10-week period in the eruption, for which data can be accessed through the VEPP web site. It can also include data from other volcanoes, if data are available from volcano observatories and/or government agencies.

Adding an Extra Dimension to What Students See through the Light Microscope: A Lab Exercise Demonstrating Critical Analysis for Microscopy Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrill, Ashley

2011-01-01

This article describes an undergraduate lab exercise that demonstrates the importance of students thinking critically about what they see through a microscope. The students are given growth data from tip-growing organisms that suggest the cells grow in a pulsatile manner. The students then critique this data in several exercises that incorporate…

Template-based education toolkit for mobile platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golagani, Santosh Chandana; Esfahanian, Moosa; Akopian, David

2012-02-01

Nowadays mobile phones are the most widely used portable devices which evolve very fast adding new features and improving user experiences. The latest generation of hand-held devices called smartphones is equipped with superior memory, cameras and rich multimedia features, empowering people to use their mobile phones not only as a communication tool but also for entertainment purposes. With many young students showing interest in learning mobile application development one should introduce novel learning methods which may adapt to fast technology changes and introduce students to application development. Mobile phones become a common device, and engineering community incorporates phones in various solutions. Overcoming the limitations of conventional undergraduate electrical engineering (EE) education this paper explores the concept of template-based based education in mobile phone programming. The concept is based on developing small exercise templates which students can manipulate and revise for quick hands-on introduction to the application development and integration. Android platform is used as a popular open source environment for application development. The exercises relate to image processing topics typically studied by many students. The goal is to enable conventional course enhancements by incorporating in them short hands-on learning modules.

Advanced Integration Matrix Education Outreach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul Heather L.

2004-01-01

The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) will design a ground-based test facility for developing revolutionary integrated systems for joint human-robotic missions in order to study and solve systems-level integration issues for exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This paper describes development plans for educational outreach activities related to technological and operational integration scenarios similar to the challenges that will be encountered through this project. The education outreach activities will provide hands-on, interactive exercises to allow students of all levels to experience design and operational challenges similar to what NASA deals with everyday in performing the integration of complex missions. These experiences will relate to and impact students everyday lives by demonstrating how their interests in science and engineering can develop into future careers, and reinforcing the concepts of teamwork and conflict resolution. Allowing students to experience and contribute to real-world development, research, and scientific studies of ground-based simulations for complex exploration missions will stimulate interest in the space program, and bring NASA's challenges to the student level. By enhancing existing educational programs and developing innovative activities and presentations, AIM will support NASA s endeavor to "inspire the next generation of explorers.. .as only NASA can."

Light: A Spectrum of Utility, the 2014-2015 Society of Physics Students Science Outreach Catalyst Kit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellers, Mark; Louis-Jean, Kearns; Society of Physics Students Collaboration; National Institute of Standards; Technology Collaboration

2015-03-01

The Science Outreach Catalyst Kit (SOCK) is a set of activities and demonstrations designed to bolster the outreach programs of undergraduate Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapters, creating the framework for a lasting outreach program. Targeted for students ranging from kindergarten to high school, the SOCK allows students to actively engage in hands-on activities that teach them scientific skills and allow them to exercise their natural curiosity. The 2014-2015 SOCK united themes from the 2014 International Year of Crystallography and the 2015 International Year of Light to explore how light is used as a tool every day. This presentation will discuss the contents of the SOCK, which contains a large assortment of materials, such as diffraction glasses, polarizers, ultraviolet flashlights, etc. and describe the research and development of the activities. Each activity explores a different light phenomenon, such as diffraction, polarization, reflection, or fluorescence. These activities will promote critical thinking and analysis of data. This work was supported by the Society of Physics Students summer intern program and by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Physical Education Students' Ownership, Empowerment, and Satisfaction With PE and Physical Activity.

PubMed

Moore, E Whitney G; Fry, Mary D

2017-12-01

Individuals experiencing a highly caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving exercise climate have reported greater ownership in exercise class and empowerment to exercise in general. This study examined the relationship between ownership and empowerment in exercise, with 2 context-specific outcomes, satisfaction with physical education (PE) and physical activity, respectively. Given the mission of PE to foster individuals' lifelong physical activity habit, the perceptions of high school students were collected for this study. Ownership in exercise was hypothesized to be significantly, positively correlated with students reporting satisfaction in PE more than their satisfaction in physical activity, whereas empowerment in exercise was hypothesized to be more strongly, positively correlated with students' physical activity satisfaction. A second purpose of this study was to test the measurement quality of the updated Empowerment in Exercise Scale (EES; now 13 items). High school students (N = 502, 43% female) in a Midwestern U.S. school district completed a survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the internal measurement structure of the EES (λ = .62-.91; McDonald's omega = .89) across student gender (strong invariance). Additionally, the structural equation modeling analysis revealed only 1 parameter moderated by the students' gender (latent mean of ownership). The hypotheses were supported, such that ownership in exercise was more strongly correlated with PE satisfaction (r = .87) and empowerment in exercise had a stronger correlation with physical activity satisfaction (r = .92). These results support the beneficial effect a satisfying experience in PE can have on students' satisfaction with physical activity outside of school.

The use of poetry writing in nurse education: An evaluation.

PubMed

Jack, Kirsten

2015-09-01

Arts based approaches have been used in health education in various ways e.g. to develop emotional awareness, reduce anxiety and stress and assess communication skills. This evaluation aimed to explore the use of poetry writing as a way for undergraduate nursing students to consider their feelings about important practice issues. 42 first year undergraduate nursing students were asked to write a poem which focussed on an important nursing issue e.g. compassion, communication or the therapeutic role of the nurse. They were then asked to read the poem aloud to a small group and discuss its meaning. 60% (n=24) of students reported that the exercise had increased understanding of their chosen subject, 75% (n=30) stated that they had learned something about themselves and 65% (n=26) of students stated that they had enjoyed the poetry writing exercise. Qualitative comments suggested that the use of poetry enabled greater understanding of others' experiences, promoted open and honest reflection on feelings and supported the development of confidence. There is a need for teaching methods which engage and develop students' imagination, if they are going to be adequately prepared for the demands of nursing practice. Poetry writing and discussion supports the development of confidence, therapeutic communication skills and the ability to think creatively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Pilot Study of Using Jazz Warm Up Exercises in Primary School Choir in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jason Chi Wai; Lee, Han Wai

2013-01-01

This pilot study is to examine whether it is valuable to implement jazz choral practice in Hong Kong primary school setting. The findings can serve as a reference to explore the possibilities of promoting jazz education in Asian countries or in China. The participants were 70 public primary school students from grade 2 to 5 in Hong Kong. All…

Borders and Identity: A Resource Guide for Teachers = Identidad y Fronteras: Una Guia para Maestros.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belauus, Betty; Botein, Emily; Cadaval, Olivia

The materials in this resource guide include a four-part video, a poster-size cultural map with additional exercises, and the five sections of this guide. The unit, presented in English and Spanish, intends to introduce students to the peoples and cultures of the U.S.-Mexico border, to explore the concept of borders in their own communities, to…

The Mathematics Textbook at Tertiary Level as Curriculum Material--Exploring the Teacher's Decision-Making Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randahl, Mira

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a study about how the mathematics textbook was perceived and used by the teacher in the context of a calculus part of a basic mathematics course for first-year engineering students. The focus was on the teacher's choices and the use of definitions, examples and exercises in a sequence of lectures introducing the derivative…

Teaching and Learning with Individually Unique Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joerding, Wayne

2010-01-01

In this article, the author describes the pedagogical benefits of giving students individually unique homework exercises from an exercise template. Evidence from a test of this approach shows statistically significant improvements in subsequent exam performance by students receiving unique problems compared with students who received traditional…

A pharmacy practice laboratory exercise to apply biochemistry concepts.

PubMed

Harrold, Marc W; McFalls, Marsha A

2010-10-11

To develop exercises that allow pharmacy students to apply foundational knowledge discussed in a first-professional year (P1) biochemistry course to specific disease states and patient scenarios. A pharmacy practice laboratory exercise was developed to accompany a lecture sequence pertaining to purine biosynthesis and degradation. The assignment required students to fill a prescription, provide patient counseling tips, and answer questions pertaining to the disease state, the underlying biochemical problem, and the prescribed medication. Students were graded on the accuracy with which they filled the prescription, provided patient counseling, and answered the questions provided. Overall, students displayed mastery in all of these areas. Additionally, students completed a course survey on which they rated this exercise favorably, noting that it helped them to integrate basic science concepts and pharmacy practice. A laboratory exercise provided an opportunity for P1 students to apply foundational pharmacy knowledge to a patient case and can serve as a template for the design of additional exercises.

Laboratory exercises to teach clinically relevant chemistry of antibiotics.

PubMed

El Sayed, Khalid A; Chelette, Candace T

2014-03-12

To design, implement, and evaluate student performance on clinically relevant chemical and spectral laboratory exercises on antibiotics. In the first of 2 exercises, second-year pharmacy students enrolled in an integrated laboratory sequence course studied the aqueous stability of ß-lactam antibiotics using a spectral visual approach. In a second exercise, students studied the tendency of tetracycline, rifamycins, and fluoroquinolones to form insoluble chelate complexes (turbidity) with polyvalent metals. On a survey to assess achievement of class learning objectives, students agreed the laboratory activities helped them better retain important information concerning antibiotic stability and interactions. A significant improvement was observed in performance on examination questions related to the laboratory topics for 2012 and 2013 students compared to 2011 students who did not complete the laboratory. A 1-year follow-up examination question administered in a separate course showed >75% of the students were able to identify rifamycins-food interactions compared with <25% of students who had not completed the laboratory exercises. The use of spectral visual approaches allowed students to investigate antibiotic stability and interactions, thus reinforcing the clinical relevance of medicinal chemistry. Students' performance on questions at the 1-year follow-up suggested increased retention of the concepts learned as a result of completing the exercises.

A pilot data collecting exercise on stress and nursing students.

PubMed

Por, Jitna

This article discusses the lessons learned from a small pilot study exploring the link between the working environment and occupational stress among groups of nursing students. A comparative descriptive design was adopted to examine, describe and compare the two variables (sources and frequency) in three groups of nursing students. The sample comprised 90 students from one large inner-city school of nursing in London. The Expanded Nursing Stress Scale questionnaires were used to collect the data. The main findings suggest that the adult, child and mental health branch students were similar with respect to overall frequency of occupational stress. Areas of commonality and variability in the sources of stress perceived by the three groups of students were identified. A pilot study is a crucial element of a good study design. Areas of concern, lessons learned and suggested refinements were identified.

Using a Web-based simulation as a problem-based learning experience: perceived and actual performance of undergraduate public health students.

PubMed

Spinello, Elio F; Fischbach, Ronald

2008-01-01

This study investigated the use of a Web-based community health simulation as a problem-based learning (PBL) experience for undergraduate students majoring in public health. The study sought to determine whether students who participated in the online simulation achieved differences in academic and attitudinal outcomes compared with students who participated in a traditional PBL exercise. Using a nonexperimental comparative design, 21 undergraduate students enrolled in a health-behavior course were each randomly assigned to one of four workgroups. Each workgroup was randomly assigned the semester-long simulation project or the traditional PBL exercise. Survey instruments were used to measure students' attitudes toward the course, their perceptions of the learning community, and perceptions of their own cognitive learning. Content analysis of final essay exams and group reports was used to identify differences in academic outcomes and students' level of conceptual understanding of health-behavior theory. Findings indicated that students participating in the simulation produced higher mean final exam scores compared with students participating in the traditional PBL (p=0.03). Students in the simulation group also outperformed students in the traditional group with respect to their understanding of health-behavior theory (p=0.04). Students in the simulation group, however, rated their own level of cognitive learning lower than did students in the traditional group (p=0.03). By bridging time and distance constraints of the traditional classroom setting, an online simulation may be an effective PBL approach for public health students. Recommendations include further research using a larger sample to explore students' perceptions of learning when participating in simulated real-world activities. Additional research focusing on possible differences between actual and perceived learning relative to PBL methods and student workgroup dynamics is also recommended.

Understanding Why Undergraduate Students Declare and Continue to Study an Exercise Science-Related Major

PubMed Central

VAARTSTRA, MATTHEW B.; KERCHER, VANESSA M.; START, AMANDA; BROWN, AMBER N.; PETERSON, MARK D.; MCGRATH, RYAN

2017-01-01

Understanding factors that contribute to a student’s selection of an exercise science-related major is important to student success, higher education and industry. This study sought to 1) better understand why undergraduate students study an exercise science-related major, 2) determine whether positive influences to study an exercise science-related major differ by academic classification, and 3) identify what student’s aspirations are after graduation. Department administrators from four-year colleges and universities offering an exercise science-related major in the Northwest Region of the United States (i.e., Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington) were contacted. Cooperating department administrators were given self-reported questionnaires for students to complete using a snowball sampling method. A total of 388 participants completed the questionnaire. Interest in the subject and potential job opportunities were the most common reasons to study an exercise science-related major. Self-reported Holland’s codes identified that realistic and social personalities were most prevalent among participants. Seniors rated a friend’s influence and college advisors as stronger influences to study an exercise science-related major compared to freshmen. Pay in the field was a stronger influence for freshmen to study an exercise science-related major than for fifth-year seniors, whereas freshmen were less influenced by introductory courses to study an exercise-science related major than fifth-year seniors. The majority of undergraduate students studying an exercise science-related major planned on attending graduate school after completing their baccalaureate degree. These findings can be used to help guide undeclared students and better serve undergraduates enrolled in an exercise science-related major. PMID:28966716

Health status, physical activity, and orthorexia nervosa: A comparison between exercise science students and business students.

PubMed

Malmborg, Julia; Bremander, Ann; Olsson, M Charlotte; Bergman, Stefan

2017-02-01

Orthorexia nervosa is described as an exaggerated fixation on healthy food. It is unclear whether students in health-oriented academic programs, highly focused on physical exercise, are more prone to develop orthorexia nervosa than students in other educational areas. The aim was to compare health status, physical activity, and frequency of orthorexia nervosa between university students enrolled in an exercise science program (n = 118) or a business program (n = 89). The students completed the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and ORTO-15, which defines orthorexia nervosa as a sensitive and obsessive behavior towards healthy nutrition. The SF-36 showed that exercise science students scored worse than business students regarding bodily pain (72.8 vs. 82.5; p = 0.001), but better regarding general health (83.1 vs. 77.1; p = 0.006). Of 188 students, 144 (76.6%) had an ORTO-15 score indicating orthorexia nervosa, with a higher proportion in exercise science students than in business students (84.5% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.002). Orthorexia nervosa in combination with a high level of physical activity was most often seen in men in exercise science studies and less often in women in business studies (45.1% vs. 8.3%; p < 0.000). A high degree of self-reporting of pain and orthorexia nervosa in exercise science students may cause problems in the future, since they are expected to coach others in healthy living. Our findings may be valuable in the development of health-oriented academic programs and within student healthcare services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The "Finding Physics" Project: Recognizing and Exploring Physics Outside the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Judith; Perkins, James

2016-11-01

Students in introductory physics classes often have difficulty recognizing the relevance of physics concepts outside the confines of the physics classroom, lab, and textbook. Even though textbooks and instructors often provide examples of physics applications from a wide array of areas, students have difficulty relating physics to their own lives. Encouraging students to apply physics to their own surroundings helps them develop the critical analysis skills of a scientifically literate and competent citizen. Fink, in his book Creating Significant Learning Experiences, emphasizes the importance of constructing opportunities to help students connect what they learn in their academic courses with past and current life experiences and link them to possible future life experiences. Several excellent papers in this journal have presented labs and activities that address this concern by encouraging teachers to bring real-world examples into the classroom or to take students into the field for data collection and observation. Alternatively, Smith suggests a writing exercise in which his students identify and explain an event in terms of their understanding of physics. In this paper we present a multiphase exercise that challenges students to find their own examples of physics from outside the classroom and analyze them using the conceptual understanding and quantitative skills which they are developing in the classroom. The ultimate goal of the "Finding Physics" project is to improve students' learning through enhancing their recognition that, to quote one participant's end-of-course survey, "Physics is everywhere!"

Exposing College Students to Exercise: The Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sailors, Mary H.; Jackson, Andrew S.; McFarlin, Brian K.; Turpin, Ian; Ellis, Kenneth J.; Foreyt, John P.; Hoelscher, Deanna M.; Bray, Molly S.

2010-01-01

Objective: The Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study is an exercise program designed to introduce sedentary college students to regular physical activity and to identify genetic factors that influence response to exercise. Participants: A multiracial/ethnic cohort (N = 1,567; 39% male), age 18 to 35 years,…

State of laboratory manual instruction in California community college introductory (non-majors) biology laboratory instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priest, Michelle

College students must complete a life science course prior to graduation for a bachelor's degree. Generally, the course has lecture and laboratory components. It is in the laboratory where there are exceptional opportunities for exploration, challenge and application of the material learned. Optimally, this would utilize the best of inquiry based approaches. Most community colleges are using a home-grown or self written laboratory manual for the direction of work in the laboratory period. Little was known about the motivation, development and adaptation of use. It was also not known about the future of the laboratory manuals in light of the recent learning reform in California Community Colleges, Student Learning Outcomes. Extensive interviews were conducted with laboratory manual authors to determine the motivation, process of development, who was involved and learning framework used in the creation of the manuals. It was further asked of manual authors their ideas about the future of the manual, the development of staff and faculty and finally, the role Student Learning Outcomes would play in the manual. Science faculty currently teaching the non-majors biology laboratories for at least two semesters were surveyed on-line about actual practice of the manual, assessment, manual flexibility, faculty training and incorporation of Student Learning Outcomes. Finally, an evaluation of the laboratory manual was done using an established Laboratory Task Analysis Instrument. Laboratory manuals were evaluated on a variety of categories to determine the level of inquiry instruction done by students in the laboratory section. The results were that the development of homegrown laboratory manuals was done by community colleges in the Los Angeles and Orange Counties in an effort to minimize the cost of the manual to the students, to utilize all the exercises in a particular lab and to effectively utilize the materials already owned by the department. Further, schools wanted to utilize the current faculty research expertise and knowledge. Unfortunately, laboratory manual authors had no real learning framework in the development of the manual. Based on the LAI, most manuals focused on the lowest levels of inquiry based instruction. Most manuals focused exercises on cell and molecular topics. The manuals had little student exploration, creation or design in the laboratory exercise and no option for repeating the exercise. There was a clear desire of faculty and authors to improve the laboratory experience and manual. Authors and faculty wished to include more inquiry and utilize the best of Student Learning Outcome (SLO) methodologies. Authors and the laboratory manuals have a major disconnect in that authors have clear desires inquiry based learning for the manual but do not effectively implement the inquiry based learning for various reasons. The manuals themselves, laboratory manuals themselves are not robust inquiry based learning models to maximize student learning. Authors and faculty are disconnected in that authors know what they want their manuals to do...but do not effectively communicate that to faculty. Finally, schools are in a "wait and see" approach as to when to integrate the latest learning theory mandated by the Chancellors Office -- Student Learning Outcomes.

Can an Inquiry Approach Improve College Student Learning in a Teaching Laboratory?

PubMed Central

Cogan, John G.

2009-01-01

We present an inquiry-based, hands-on laboratory exercise on enzyme activity for an introductory college biology course for science majors. We measure student performance on a series of objective and subjective questions before and after completion of this exercise; we also measure performance of a similar cohort of students before and after completion of an existing, standard, “direct” exercise over the same topics. Although student performance on these questions increased significantly after completion of the inquiry exercise, it did not increase after completion of the control, standard exercise. Pressure to “cover” many complex topics as preparation for high-stakes examinations such as the Medical College Admissions Test may account for persistence of highly efficient, yet dubiously effective “cookbook” laboratory exercises in many science classes. PMID:19255136

Consumer Behavior Classroom Exercises that Really Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmel, Allan J.

1999-01-01

Describes five in-class exercises for use in consumer behavior classes that encourage student involvement in group and class discussions, promote student interest in course material, and stimulate critical thinking. Explains that the exercises can be adapted for other related courses and are equally successful with students of varying abilities.…

Aerobic exercise, ball sports, dancing, and weight lifting as moderators of the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms: an exploratory cross-sectional study with swiss university students.

PubMed

Gerber, Markus; Brand, Serge; Elliot, Catherine; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Pühse, Uwe

2014-12-01

This exploratory study was designed to compare four types of exercise activities in Swiss university students. A sample of 201 medical students (136 women, 65 men; M age = 23.2 yr., SD = 2.4) and 250 exercise and health sciences students (144 women, 106 men; M age = 22.3 yr., SD = 2.2) participated in the study. They completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Depression Scale, and the Office in Motion Questionnaire. Interaction effects between stress and exercise activities were analysed using hierarchical regression analyses, after controlling for age, sex, and academic discipline. Frequent participation in ball sports and dancing were associated with decreased depressive symptoms among students with elevated perceived stress, whereas no such relationship existed among their peers with lower perceived stress. No stress-moderating effect was found for aerobic exercise. Weight lifting was only associated with lower depressive symptoms among students with low perceived stress. The present findings suggest that, among Swiss university students, certain exercises may have better potential to moderate the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms than others. Future research could analyze whether personalized exercise programs created to satisfy participants' individual needs are more beneficial for stress management.

Laboratory Exercises to Teach Clinically Relevant Chemistry of Antibiotics

PubMed Central

Chelette, Candace T.

2014-01-01

Objectives. To design, implement, and evaluate student performance on clinically relevant chemical and spectral laboratory exercises on antibiotics. Design. In the first of 2 exercises, second-year pharmacy students enrolled in an integrated laboratory sequence course studied the aqueous stability of ß-lactam antibiotics using a spectral visual approach. In a second exercise, students studied the tendency of tetracycline, rifamycins, and fluoroquinolones to form insoluble chelate complexes (turbidity) with polyvalent metals. Assessment. On a survey to assess achievement of class learning objectives, students agreed the laboratory activities helped them better retain important information concerning antibiotic stability and interactions. A significant improvement was observed in performance on examination questions related to the laboratory topics for 2012 and 2013 students compared to 2011 students who did not complete the laboratory. A 1-year follow-up examination question administered in a separate course showed >75% of the students were able to identify rifamycins-food interactions compared with <25% of students who had not completed the laboratory exercises. Conclusion. The use of spectral visual approaches allowed students to investigate antibiotic stability and interactions, thus reinforcing the clinical relevance of medicinal chemistry. Students’ performance on questions at the 1-year follow-up suggested increased retention of the concepts learned as a result of completing the exercises. PMID:24672070

Nursing Students in a Global Learning Environment: Creative Teaching Methods on Culture, Emotion, and Communication.

PubMed

Wilhelm, Dalit; Zlotnick, Cheryl

2014-07-01

Two tools were created to help international students to better understand culture by becoming more astute observers of nonverbal behaviors, particularly behaviors depicting emotions among Norwegian students. The two tools were a trilingual list of words illustrating emotions and an exercise with images to practice verbalizing their observations of emotional expression. Students compared the subdued behaviors of Norwegians to the Israelis' very vivid behaviors. The intense emotional expression of Israelis influenced their interpretations. By making comparisons and through the experiences with Israelis, they learned more about culture and their own emotional expression. Creative strategies can contribute to students understanding and reflection of patients in a different culture. Encouraging students to grasp the nuances of emotional expression is part of understanding a different culture. Students, like faculty, learn that self-exploration is an evolving process that requires checking out one's assumptions and interpretations. © The Author(s) 2013.

Individual and environmental factors related to stage of change in exercise behavior: a cross-sectional study of female Japanese undergraduate students.

PubMed

Yasunaga, Akitomo; Kawano, Yukari; Kamahori, Yumiko; Noguchi, Kyoko

2014-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between the level of exercise behavior and individual and environmental factors related to exercise behavior among female Japanese undergraduate students. The participants were 2482 female Japanese undergraduate students. Participants' level of exercise behavior was measured by the stage of change to exercise in the transtheoretical model. Individual and environmental factors related to exercise behavior were assessed using body mass index, self-efficacy, social support, perceived positive and negative aspects of exercise, perceived neighborhood environment, attitude toward physical education lessons in childhood and puberty, and depression. Scores for self-efficacy, social support, positive aspects of exercise, and perceived neighborhood environment were significantly higher among women who were more active compared with those who were inactive. On the other hand, scores for negative aspects of exercise and depression were greater among inactive women compared with those who were insufficiently active and/or active. In addition, past attitude toward exercise in primary school, junior high school, and high school was associated with current level of exercise behavior. This cross-sectional study confirmed that psychosocial and environmental factors were closely associated with level of exercise behavior among female Japanese undergraduate students.

Students' Perception of Self-Efficacy Following Medicinal Chemistry Skills Laboratory Exercises.

PubMed

Alsharif, Naser Z; Roche, Victoria F; Qi, Yongyue

2016-06-25

Objective. To analyze student perceptions of self-efficacy in meeting medicinal chemistry course related educational outcomes and skills following a medicinal chemistry skills laboratory. Methods. Four activities were implemented in a pharmacy skills laboratory (PSL) for second-year pharmacy students. Students (n=121) worked individually on exercises for three of the four activities. Pre/post-laboratory surveys on self-efficacy were administered. The McNemar test was performed to evaluate students' self-efficacy above 70% related to course outcomes before and after the exercises in each activity. An independent t test was conducted to compare the mean of students' responses on meeting course outcomes based on the 70% anchor for the perspective confidence on meeting course outcomes. Results. The post-PSL scores on all self-efficacy questions improved. The majority of students reported skill development in all exercises. Students and clinical faculty qualitative responses indicated they felt exercises were effective. Conclusion. A PSL can serve as a valuable opportunity to address course related educational outcomes and specific skill development and can help students assess their self-efficacy in meeting them.

A Hands-on Exercise in Building Darcy Tubes to Improve Student Understanding of Groundwater Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. A.

2012-12-01

Teaching undergraduate students about sustainability typically includes discussions of water resources and the flow of groundwater in aquifers. Understanding the flow of groundwater is a fundamental step for students, but one that can easily get mired in equations (e.g., Darcy's Law). In an effort to transform Darcy's Law, which describes flow of fluid through a porous medium, from an abstract concept to a hands-on experiment, I had undergraduate students build working "Darcy tubes" and calculate hydraulic conductivity during a three-hour lab period. At the beginning of the lab period, I presented the students with the materials: three pairs of plastic soda bottles with straight sides, glass tubing, pantyhose (for screens), rubber hosing, sieved sand in three grain sizes (1-2 mm, 0.5-1.0 mm, and 0.25-0.5 mm), and various types of tape and adhesive. After we discussed the basic design of a Darcy tube (inlet and outlet, with two piezometers), the students went to work. Real-time problem-solving was an integral (and exciting) part of the exercise. Within two hours, they had built three Darcy tubes, each filled with a different sand size. The students determined the cross-sectional area of each tube (A) and the distance between the two piezometers (L). We then ran the experiments, using tinted water so that we could more easily tell when the sand in the tubes was saturated. We measured discharge (Q) through the tube and marked the height of the water in each piezometer to calculate difference in hydraulic head (Δh). With the data we had collected, the students were able to calculate hydraulic conductivity (K) using a simple form of Darcy's Law: Q = -KA (Δh/L). Despite the simplicity of the Darcy tubes, the students' K values were reasonable for the sediment types that we used. Student comments on the Darcy tube exercise were overwhelmingly positive. The Darcy tubes could be used in a subsequent lab period for exploration of more advanced concepts, such as breakthrough of contaminants (add water of a different color and collect outflow samples at timed intervals).; One of the Darcy tubes built by undergraduate students.

Innovative curriculum for second-year Harvard-MIT medical students: practicing communication skills with volunteer patients giving immediate feedback

PubMed Central

Ali, Nadaa B; Pelletier, Stephen R; Shields, Helen M

2017-01-01

Purpose Medical students are expected to develop excellent communication skills. The purpose of our study was to create an innovative communication skills exercise using real volunteer patients and physician co-teachers for students to practice communication skills while receiving immediate feedback. Method This is a mixed methods study where second-year medical students participated in the communication skills exercise with real patients and physician co-teachers giving immediate feedback. Clinical scenarios reflected the patients’ actual experiences. Students acted out roles as physicians. Physicians co-taught with the patients and gave immediate feedback to students. Students completed an anonymous written survey at the end of the exercise. Qualitative and quantitative responses were recorded. Student feedback from the 2014 surveys was used to modify the teaching designs to increase active role play opportunities by having only two students in each group and doubling the number of stations with real patients. Results Students rated the overall exercise and the utility of patient volunteers in learning how to communicate on a Likert scale of 1–5, where in this medical school traditionally 1 is excellent and 5 is poor. In 2014, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.47 (SD 0.621). In 2015, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.03 (SD 0.62). In 2016, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.27 (SD 0.52). ANOVA analysis (p=0.002) and Bonferroni corrections indicate a statistically significant difference between combined mean scores of the exercise in 2014 and 2015 (p=0.001). No difference was shown between 2014 and 2016 or 2015 and 2016. Conclusions Medical students rated practicing communication skills with real patient volunteers and physician co-teachers giving immediate feedback in their preclinical years very highly. Student feedback indicated that they preferred active roles and increased opportunities to practice their communication skills. PMID:28579871

Innovative curriculum for second-year Harvard-MIT medical students: practicing communication skills with volunteer patients giving immediate feedback.

PubMed

Ali, Nadaa B; Pelletier, Stephen R; Shields, Helen M

2017-01-01

Medical students are expected to develop excellent communication skills. The purpose of our study was to create an innovative communication skills exercise using real volunteer patients and physician co-teachers for students to practice communication skills while receiving immediate feedback. This is a mixed methods study where second-year medical students participated in the communication skills exercise with real patients and physician co-teachers giving immediate feedback. Clinical scenarios reflected the patients' actual experiences. Students acted out roles as physicians. Physicians co-taught with the patients and gave immediate feedback to students. Students completed an anonymous written survey at the end of the exercise. Qualitative and quantitative responses were recorded. Student feedback from the 2014 surveys was used to modify the teaching designs to increase active role play opportunities by having only two students in each group and doubling the number of stations with real patients. Students rated the overall exercise and the utility of patient volunteers in learning how to communicate on a Likert scale of 1-5, where in this medical school traditionally 1 is excellent and 5 is poor. In 2014, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.47 (SD 0.621). In 2015, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.03 (SD 0.62). In 2016, the exercises were rated with a mean score of 1.27 (SD 0.52). ANOVA analysis ( p =0.002) and Bonferroni corrections indicate a statistically significant difference between combined mean scores of the exercise in 2014 and 2015 ( p =0.001). No difference was shown between 2014 and 2016 or 2015 and 2016. Medical students rated practicing communication skills with real patient volunteers and physician co-teachers giving immediate feedback in their preclinical years very highly. Student feedback indicated that they preferred active roles and increased opportunities to practice their communication skills.

Physical activity participation and constraints among athletic training students.

PubMed

Stanek, Justin; Rogers, Katherine; Anderson, Jordan

2015-02-01

Researchers have examined the physical activity (PA) habits of certified athletic trainers; however, none have looked specifically at athletic training students. To assess PA participation and constraints to participation among athletic training students. Cross-sectional study. Entry-level athletic training education programs (undergraduate and graduate) across the United States. Participants were 1125 entry-level athletic training students. Self-reported PA participation, including a calculated PA index based on a typical week. Leisure constraints and demographic data were also collected. Only 22.8% (252/1105) of athletic training students were meeting the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for PA through moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. Although 52.3% (580/1105) were meeting the recommendations through vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 60.5% (681/1125) were meeting the recommendations based on the combined total of moderate or vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise. In addition, 57.2% (643/1125) of respondents met the recommendations for resistance exercise. Exercise habits of athletic training students appear to be better than the national average and similar to those of practicing athletic trainers. Students reported structural constraints such as lack of time due to work or studies as the most significant barrier to exercise participation. Athletic training students experienced similar constraints to PA participation as practicing athletic trainers, and these constraints appeared to influence their exercise participation during their entry-level education. Athletic training students may benefit from a greater emphasis on work-life balance during their entry-level education to promote better health and fitness habits.

Conceptualizing ¬the Abstractions of Earthquakes Through an Instructional Sequence Using SeisMac and the Rapid Earthquake Viewer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taber, J.; Hubenthal, M.; Wysession, M.

2007-12-01

Newsworthy earthquakes provide an engaging hook for students in Earth science classes, particularly when discussing their effects on people and the landscape. However, engaging students in an analysis of earthquakes that extends beyond death and damage, is frequently hampered by the abstraction of recorded ground motion data in the form of raw seismograms and the inability of most students to personally relate to ground accelerations. To overcome these challenges, an educational sequence has been developed using two software tools: SeisMac by Daniel Griscom, and the Rapid Earthquake Viewer (REV) developed by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with IRIS and DLESE. This sequence presents a unique opportunity for Earth Science teachers to "create" foundational experiences for students as they construction a framework of understanding of abstract concepts. The first activity is designed to introduce the concept of a three-component seismogram and to directly address the very abstract nature of seismograms through a kinesthetic experience. Students first learn to take the pulse of their classroom through a guided exploration of SeisMac, which displays the output of the laptop's built-in Sudden Motion Sensor (a 3-component accelerometer). This exploration allows students to view a 3-component seismogram as they move or tap the laptop and encourages them to propose and carry out experiments to explain the meaning of the 3-component seismogram. Once completed students are then asked to apply this new knowledge to a real 3-component seismogram printed from REV. Next the activity guides students through the process of identifying P and S waves and using SeisMac to connect the physical motion of the laptop to the "wiggles" they see on the SeisMac display and then comparing those to the "wiggles" they see on their seismogram. At this point students are more fully prepared to engage in an S-P location exercise such as those included in many state standards because they have a physical sense of what the wiggles indicate. As a result students are better positioned to identify S and P arrivals within the complexity of real data available through REV rather than using the canned or artificial data normally associated with a location exercise. REV provides easy access to recent and noteworthy earthquake data via a simple Web interface. Earthquake locations and near-real time ground motion data are accessed via the IRIS Data Management System, and data are automatically processed and selected so that only events with "good" data are presented within REV. Once students have completed the learning sequence using SeisMac, they will be better able to relate the trace of a seismogram to the physical motion of the ground. This can then lead to better understanding of more advanced exercises including detecting the core and finding the Moho. Building on an understanding of the basics of a seismogram, SeisMac can next be used to help student further understand earthquakes by provide a kinesthetic experience to model how hard the Earth shakes during earthquakes. Through another guided exploration students discover that the SeisMac display is calibrated in units of acceleration and can be related to the Modified Mercalli scale. They then compare shaking during an earthquake via video clips and ground shaking maps from the USGS "Did you feel it" Web site to the shaking of personal objects and the laptop.

Assessing a traditional case-based application exercise and a student question creation exercise on student performance and perceptions.

PubMed

Tatachar, Amulya; Kominski, Carol

2017-07-01

To compare the impact of a traditional case-based application exercise with a student question creation exercise on a) student exam performance, b) student perceptions of enjoyment, competence, understanding, effort, interest in continuing participation, and interest in the subject. Subjects were 84 second-year pharmacy students in a pharmacotherapy course. The research focus was active learning involving the topic of chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder. Student teams were randomly assigned to either case-based or student question creation exercises using PeerWise. Student performance was assessed by a pre- and posttest and on block and final exams. After completion, an online survey assessed student perceptions of both exercises. Statistically significant differences were revealed in favor of the student question creation group on enjoyment and interest in the subject matter. No statistically differences were found between the traditional case-based group and the student question creation group on gain score from pre-test to posttest. The student question creation group performed slightly better than the case-based application group on two of the five questions on the block exam but none of these differences reached statistical significance. Students randomly assigned to groups that created and reviewed questions exhibited slightly improved summative exam performance and reported significantly more positive perceptions than students engaging in a more traditional case-based learning activity. Student question creation has demonstrated potential as a useful learning activity. Despite inherent difficulties in designing studies involving educational research in a controlled environment, students who have submitted, created, rated, and answered peers' questions have overall performed well. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between dietary intake and energy availability, eating attitudes and cognitive restraint in students enrolled in undergraduate nutrition degrees.

PubMed

Rocks, Tetyana; Pelly, Fiona; Slater, Gary; Martin, Lisa Anne

2016-12-01

The aim of this research was to explore the relationship of total energy and macronutrient intake, energy balance and energy availability to eating attitudes and cognitive restraint in students enrolled in undergraduate nutrition degrees. Energy and micronutrient intake was assessed in 63 students (n = 50 nutrition, and n = 13 occupation therapy degrees; n = 51 females, n = 12 males) using three 24-h dietary recalls. Energy requirements were calculated based on measured resting metabolic rate, estimated exercise energy expenditure, and dietary induced thermogenesis. Body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Eating attitudes and cognitive restraint were measured using previously validated tools. Eighteen percent of nutrition students were classified as having low energy availability (<30 kcal kgFFM -1 d -1 ) and 38% were in negative energy balance. Eating attitudes and cognitive restraint were not associated with total energy or macronutrient intake. However, female nutrition students with high cognitive restraint had greater exercise energy expenditure and thus lower energy availability than those with low cognitive restraint (371 (302) kcal d -1 compared to 145 (206) kcal d -1 , P < 0.01, and 35 (7) kcal d -1 compared to 41 (10) kcal d -1 of fat free mass, P = 0.005). Additionally, in females, disordered eating attitudes and cognitive restraint negatively correlated with energy availability (r s  = -0.37, P = 0.02 and r s  = -0.51, P < 0.01 respectively). There were no differences in outcomes between nutrition and non-nutrition students. The current study suggests that those students with disordered eating attitudes and cognitive restraint may be controlling their energy balance through exercise, as opposed to restricting food intake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Tornado Data for Classroom Exercises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohler, Fred

Exercises were developed using tornado statistics to provide students with a better understanding of the spatial and temporal characteristics of these phenomena in the United States. Four categories of exercises were considered beginning with the simplest and progressing to the more complex. The first set of exercises required students to…

Teaching Leaders to Lead Themselves: An Emerging Leader Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chavez, Carolyn I.; Gomez, Claudia; Valenzuela, Marcus; Perera, Yasanthi B.

2017-01-01

This article describes an exercise that allows students to experience and understand the importance of perception in leader emergence. Based on implicit leadership theories, this exercise asks students to provide one another with anonymous feedback about what extent they exhibit various trait-based leader behaviors. This exercise, which can be…

Bloomington Writing Assessment 1977; Student Exercise, Teacher Directions, Scoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloomington Public Schools, MN.

This booklet contains the 14 exercises that are used in the Bloomington, Minnesota, school system's writing assessment program. Depending on their applicability, the exercises may be used to assess the writing performance of fourth-, eighth-, or eleventh-grade students. Thirteen of the exercises are from the National Assessment of Educational…

Almost a Game: Enabling Restrictions in Sentence Variety Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunley, Tom C.

2003-01-01

A sentence variety exercise, used to help student writers consciously consider and control the lengths and types of sentences in their essays, is discussed. Students revised paragraphs according to the method and reflected on whether they found the exercise useful in improving their writing. Reactions were mixed, although most students were able…

It Takes One to Know One: A Class Exercise in Mental Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Theresa

2014-01-01

An active learning class exercise is presented that gives students the personal experience of the decision-making limitations of mental models. This innovative exercise was shown to increase student learning through greater understanding of the concept and higher retention of knowledge. The results suggest that student critical thinking skills…

The Relationship between Attitude toward Physical Education and Leisure-Time Exercise in High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Min-hau; Phillips, D. Allen

2002-01-01

Investigated the relationship between U.S. and Taiwanese high school students' attitudes toward physical education and leisure time exercise, noting the influence of nationality and gender. Student surveys indicated significant relationships between attitudes toward physical education and leisure time exercise, regardless of nationality or gender.…

Alternation of Generations and Experimental Design: A Guided-Inquiry Lab Exploring the Nature of the "her1" Developmental Mutant of "Ceratopteris richardii" (C-Fern)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiro, Mark D.; Knisely, Karin I.

2008-01-01

Inquiry-based labs have been shown to greatly increase student participation and learning within the biological sciences. One challenge is to develop effective lab exercises within the constraints of large introductory labs. We have designed a lab for first-year biology majors to address two primary goals: to provide effective learning of the…

Do as I say: contradicting beliefs and attitudes towards sports concussion in Australia.

PubMed

Pearce, Alan J; Young, Janet A; Parrington, Lucy; Aimers, Nicole

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to explore beliefs and attitudes of students studying exercise science in Australia towards sports concussion. A secondary objective explored differences between gender and previous experience of concussion. A total of 312 participants (m = 217; f = 95) responded to a series of statements ranging across a number of areas including personal attitudes and beliefs towards concussion: if they would risk playing with a concussion; their views on elite/professional athletes who continue to play after a concussion; and attitudes towards rehabilitation. Overall, attitudes revealed that it was not safe to play with a concussion, and it was believed that those who have had repeated concussions would be likely to suffer problems later in life. However, responses also indicated that they would risk playing with a concussion, and admired elite athletes who continued to play. When controlling for gender and previous concussions, males and those who sustained a previous concussion/s were more likely to continue playing. Conversely, females were more likely to complete rehabilitation prior to returning to sport. This study demonstrates in an Australian student cohort studying for a career in exercise and sports science, disparity between beliefs and attitudes regarding sports concussion.

An exploration of student nurses' thoughts and experiences of using a video-recording to assess their performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during a mock objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).

PubMed

Paul, Fiona

2010-09-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an essential skill taught within undergraduate nursing programmes. At the author's institution, students must pass the CPR objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) before progressing to second year. However, some students have difficulties developing competence in CPR and evidence suggests that resuscitation skills may only be retained for several months. This has implications for practice as nurses are required to be competent in CPR. Therefore, further opportunities for students to develop these skills are necessary. An action research project was conducted with six students who were assessed by an examiner at a video-recorded mock OSCE. Students self-assessed their skills using the video and a checklist. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to compare checklist scores, and explore students' thoughts and experiences of the OSCE. The findings indicate that students may need to repeat this exercise by comparing their previous and current performances to develop both their self-assessment and CPR skills. Although there were some differences between the examiner's and student's checklist scores, all students reported the benefits of participating in this project, e.g. discussion and identification of knowledge and skills deficits, thus emphasising the benefits of formative assessments to prepare students for summative assessments and ultimately clinical practice. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the Effectiveness of the Smoking Prevention Program "I Do Not Smoke, I Exercise" in Elementary and Secondary School Settings.

PubMed

Kolovelonis, Athanasios; Goudas, Marios; Theodorakis, Yannis

2016-11-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the smoking prevention program "I do not smoke, I exercise" implemented with elementary and secondary school students. "I do not smoke, I exercise" is a theory-based smoking prevention program that promotes exercise as an alternative of smoking. The program consists of eight sessions implemented weekly. Participants were 338 Greek students (135 elementary and 203 secondary students) who were pre- and posttested in smoking, program, and exercise-related measures. The results showed that the program had significant effects on elementary students' attitudes toward smoking, intention to smoke, subjective norms, attitudes toward the application of the program, and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking. For secondary students, significant effects were found on students' perceived behavioral control and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking, while very few students reported a smoking experience before and after the intervention. Therefore the program "I do not smoke, I exercise" may have positive effects on variables related with smoking behavior. Differences in the program's impact on elementary and secondary students were identified. All these are discussed with reference to the need of implementing smoking prevention programs in schools contexts. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Water in the Solar System: The Development of Science Education Curriculum Focused on Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edgar, L. A.; Anderson, R. B.; Gaither, T. A.; Milazzo, M. P.; Vaughan, R. G.; Rubino-Hare, L.; Clark, J.; Ryan, S.

2017-12-01

"Water in the Solar System" is an out-of-school time (OST) science education activity for middle school students that was developed as part of the Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) project. The PLANETS project was selected in support of the NASA Science Mission Directorate's Science Education Cooperative Agreement Notice, with the goal of developing and disseminating OST curriculum and related professional development modules that integrate planetary science, technology, and engineering. "Water in the Solar System" is a science activity that addresses the abundance and availability of water in the solar system. The activity consists of three exercises based on the following guiding questions: 1) How much water is there on the Earth? 2) Where can you find water in the solar system? and 3) What properties affect whether or not water can be used by astronauts? The three exercises involve a scaling relationship demonstration about the abundance of useable water on Earth, a card game to explore where water is found in the solar system, and a hands-on exercise to investigate pH and salinity. Through these activities students learn that although there is a lot of water on Earth, most of it is not in a form that is accessible for humans to use. They also learn that most water in the solar system is actually farther from the sun, and that properties such as salinity and pH affect whether water can be used by humans. In addition to content for students, the activity includes background information for educators, and links to in-depth descriptions of the science content. "Water in the Solar System" was developed through collaboration between subject matter experts at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, and curriculum and professional development experts in the Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Northern Arizona University. Here we describe our process of curriculum development, education objectives of "Water in the Solar System" and lessons learned.

Assessment of Physical Activity, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Stages of Change in College Students Using a Street-Based Survey Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leenders, Nicole Y. J. M.; Silver, Lorraine Wallace; White, Susan L.; Buckworth, Janet; Sherman, W. Michael

2002-01-01

Used a street-based survey to assess college students' physical activity level, exercise self-efficacy, and stages of change for exercise behavior. A large proportion of respondents were not regularly active. Exercise self-efficacy was an important variable in exercise behavior. The low cost, ease of data collection, and short turnaround for…

Development of Handcraft Exercise Courses that Bring Out Student's Creativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senda, Shinkoh; Yamamoto, Koji; Fukumori, Tutom; Matsuura, Hideo; Sato, Kazuo

We have developed a new type of handcraft exercise program that aims to stimulate student's creativity on the way of design and fabrication of the subject machines. Conventional handicraft exercise program used to aim at letting students learn procedures of machining operation in accordance with a designated manual. Students having experienced our conventional exercise did not fully satisfied at those programs because of the lack in a room for their idea and creativity. Authors, a group of both technical and academic staffs, have developed and started the new type of program since 2003 at the Creation Plaza in Nagoya University. Developed program is classified into grades according to the difference in technical contents required for students.

Effectively using urban landscapes to teach biodiversity and echohydrology for introductory environmental science classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pondell, C.; van Doorn, A.; MacAvoy, S. E.

2017-12-01

Urban environments offer students interesting opportunities to explore and examine how human modified landscapes influence biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and water quality. Students demanding applied field experiences from their undergraduate environmental science (ENVS) programs can be well served in urban settings. Here, we present strategies for integrating urban areas into the undergraduate field experience. Urban locations provide an opportunity for a different type of local "field-work" than would otherwise be available. In the intro level undergraduate ENVS class, we use our campus, the surrounding neighborhood and city as well as a nearby National Park for field exercises. Here we share lesson plans for field activities that can be completed with incoming undergraduate students, and show how these activities help students gain quantitative and investigative competency.

Incentive structure in team-based learning: graded versus ungraded Group Application exercises.

PubMed

Deardorff, Adam S; Moore, Jeremy A; McCormick, Colleen; Koles, Paul G; Borges, Nicole J

2014-04-21

Previous studies on team-based learning (TBL) in medical education demonstrated improved learner engagement, learner satisfaction, and academic performance; however, a paucity of information exists on modifications of the incentive structure of "traditional" TBL practices. The current study investigates the impact of modification to conventional Group Application exercises by examining student preference and student perceptions of TBL outcomes when Group Application exercises are excluded from TBL grades. During the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years, 175 students (95.6% response rate) completed a 22-item multiple choice survey followed by 3 open response questions at the end of their second year of medical school. These students had participated in a TBL supplemented preclinical curriculum with graded Group Application exercises during year one and ungraded Group Application exercises during year two of medical school. Chi-square analyses showed significant differences between grading categories for general assessment of TBL, participation and communication, intra-team discussion, inter-team discussion, student perceptions of their own effort and development of teamwork skills. Furthermore, 83.8% of students polled prefer ungraded Group Application exercises with only 7.2% preferring graded and 9.0% indicating no preference. The use of ungraded Group Application exercises appears to be a successful modification of TBL, making it more "student-friendly" while maintaining the goals of active learning and development of teamwork skills.

Knowledge of cardiovascular disease in Turkish undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Badir, Aysel; Tekkas, Kader; Topcu, Serpil

2015-10-01

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. However, there is not enough data exploring student nurses' understanding, knowledge, and awareness of cardiovascular disease. To investigate knowledge of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors among undergraduate nursing students, with an emphasis on understanding of cardiovascular disease as the primary cause of mortality and morbidity, both in Turkey and worldwide. This cross-sectional survey assessed 1138 nursing students enrolled in nursing schools in Istanbul, Turkey. Data were collected using the Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Knowledge Level (CARRF-KL) scale and questions from the Individual Characteristics Form about students' gender, age, level of education, and family cardiovascular health history, as well as smoking and exercise habits. Respondents demonstrated a high level of knowledge about cardiovascular disease, with years of education (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and high school type (p < 0.05) all significantly associated with CARRF-KL scores. However, more than half of the students were not aware that cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of mortality and morbidity in Turkey and worldwide. The majority of the respondents' body mass index (87%) and waist circumference values (females: 90.3%, males: 94.7%) were in the normal range and most were non-smokers (83.7%). However, more than half of the students did not exercise regularly and had inadequate dietary habits. Although students were knowledgeable about cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors, there were significant gaps in their knowledge; these should be addressed through improved nursing curricula. While students were generally healthy, they could improve their practice of health-promoting behaviors. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Students' Perceptions of Teaching Methods That Bridge Theory to Practice in Dental Hygiene Education.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Denise M; Smallidge, Dianne; Boyd, Linda D; Giblin, Lori

2015-10-01

Health care education requires students to connect classroom learning with patient care. The purpose of this study was to explore dental hygiene students' perceptions of teaching tools, activities and teaching methods useful in closing the gap between theory and practice as students transition from classroom learning into the clinical phase of their training. This was an exploratory qualitative study design examining retrospective data from journal postings of a convenience sample of dental hygiene students (n=85). Open-ended questions related to patient care were given to junior and senior students to respond in a reflective journaling activity. A systematic approach was used to establish themes. Junior students predicted hands-on experiences (51%), critical thinking exercises (42%) and visual aids (27%) would be the most supportive in helping them connect theory to practice. Senior students identified critical thinking exercises (44%) and visual aids (44%) as the most beneficial in connecting classroom learning to patient care. Seniors also identified barriers preventing them from connecting theory to patient care. Barriers most often cited were not being able to see firsthand what is in the text (56%) and being unsure that what was seen during clinical practice was the same as what was taught (28%). Students recognized the benefits of critical thinking and problem solving skills after having experienced patient care and were most concerned with performance abilities prior to patient care experiences. This information will be useful in developing curricula to enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

A Qualitative Approach to Women's Perspectives on Exercise in Iran.

PubMed

Kalani, Zohreh; Pourmovahed, Zahra; Farajkhoda, Tahmineh; Bagheri, Imane

2018-04-01

It is believed that women of all ages do less physical activities compared to men. The development of interventional projects for increasing the women's participation in physical activity needs the recognition of resources and exploration of women's perspectives on exercise in their lives in the Iranian culture and context. This qualitative study was conducted in an urban area of Iran on 46 women attending healthcare centers, volunteer health care providers, university students, sportswomen and one of the officials of the provincial women's sports. This study was done from April 2015 to June 2016. Four focus group discussions and one in depth semi-structured interview was conducted. A qualitative conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Four categories were developed as follows: 'preferences', 'planning', 'motivators' and 'inhibitors'. Preferences had three distinct subcategories: preferences to do exercise in specific settings, specific exercise and group exercise. The family role, exercise as one part of daily routines, and exercise as a habit were subcategories of planning. Motivators were physical, emotional and social benefits; physician advice and encouragement; being alarmed; and championship. The inhibitors of doing exercise were various: gender issues, economical and costs issues, geographical access, making excuses, cultural infrastructures, shortage of sports experts, fears, concerns and misconceptions, inappropriate facilities and inadequate administrative cooperation and official barriers. The findings showed that the women were sensitive to and interested in doing exercise. However, barriers to exercise were multiple and complex. Nursing interventions are required to increase the individuals' awareness of misconceptions and also develop strategic programs for improving exercise among women.

Medical students as health coaches: Implementation of a student-initiated Lifestyle Medicine curriculum.

PubMed

Polak, Rani; Finkelstein, Adi; Axelrod, Tom; Dacey, Marie; Cohen, Matan; Muscato, Dennis; Shariv, Avi; Constantini, Naama W; Brezis, Mayer

2017-11-10

By 2020, the World Health Organization predicts that two-thirds of all diseases worldwide will be the result of lifestyle choices. Physicians often do not counsel patients about healthy behaviors, and lack of training has been identified as one of the barriers. Between 2010 and 2014, Hebrew University developed and implemented a 58-h Lifestyle Medicine curriculum spanning five of the 6 years of medical school. Content includes nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, and behavior change, as well as health coaching practice with friends/relatives (preclinical years) and patients (clinical years). This report describes this development and diffusion process, and it also presents findings related to the level of acceptance of this student-initiated Lifestyle Medicine (LM) curriculum. Students completed an online semi-structured questionnaire after the first coaching session (coaching questionnaire) and the last coaching session (follow-up questionnaire). Nine hundred and twenty-three students completed the coaching questionnaire (296 practices were with patients, 627 with friends /relatives); and 784 students completed the follow-up questionnaire (208 practices were with patients, 576 with friends /relatives). They reported overall that health coaching domains included smoking cessation (263 students), nutrition (79), and exercise (117); 464 students reported on combined topics. Students consistently described a high acceptance of the curriculum and their active role in coaching. Further, most students reported that they were eager to address their own health behaviors. We described the development and acceptance of a student-initiated comprehensive LM curriculum. Students perceived LM as an important component of physicians' professional role and were ready to explore it both as coaches and in their personal lives. Thus, medical school deans might consider developing similar initiatives in order to position medical schools as key players within a preventive strategy in healthcare policy.

Supporting students' strategic competence: a case of a sixth-grade mathematics classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, İ. Elif Yetkin; Pape, Stephen J.

2012-06-01

Mathematics education research has documented several classroom practices that might influence student self-regulation. We know little, however, about the ways these classroom practices could be structured in real classroom settings. In this exploratory case study, we purposefully selected a sixth-grade mathematics teacher who had participated in a professional development program focussed on NCTM standards and SRL in the mathematics classroom for extensive classroom observation. The purpose was to explore how and to what extend she structured classroom practices to support strategic competence in her students. Four features of classroom practices were found as evidence for how strategic competence was potentially supported in this classroom: (a) allowing autonomy and shared responsibility during the early stages of learning, (b) focusing on student understanding, (c) creating contexts for students to learn about strategic learning and to exercise strategic behaviour, and (d) helping students to personalise strategies by recognising their ideas and strategic behaviours.

A case study: using social tagging to engage students in learning Medical Subject Headings*

PubMed Central

Bresnahan, Megan; Flynn, David B.; Harzbecker, Joseph; Blanchard, Mary; Ginn, David

2009-01-01

In exploring new ways of teaching students how to use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), librarians at Boston University's Alumni Medical Library (AML) integrated social tagging into their instruction. These activities were incorporated into the two-credit graduate course, “GMS MS 640: Introduction to Biomedical Information,” required for all students in the graduate medical science program. Hands-on assignments and in-class exercises enabled librarians to present MeSH and the concept of a controlled vocabulary in a familiar and relevant context for the course's Generation Y student population and provided students the opportunity to actively participate in creating their education. At the conclusion of these activities, students were surveyed regarding the clarity of the presentation of the MeSH vocabulary. Analysis of survey responses indicated that 46% found the concept of MeSH to be the clearest concept presented in the in-class intervention. PMID:19404497

Effect of a training model in local anesthesia teaching.

PubMed

Brand, Henk S; Baart, Jacques A; Maas, N Eline; Bachet, Irmke

2010-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the preclinical use of a training model in local anesthesia teaching on the subsequent clinical administration of a local anesthetic. Sixty-five dental students gave their first injection to a fellow dental student: twenty-two students after previous experience on a training model and forty-three without this training. After the injection, the opinions of both the student who performed the injection and the recipient were explored by questionnaires. Use of a training model did not affect the self-reported opinion of the students who performed the injection. However, the recipients of the injection considered students who exercised on the training model significantly more confident and calm, and reported a near-significant decrease in level of pain during insertion of the needle and feeling of a tingling lip. These results suggest that use of preclinical training models in local anesthesia teaching may have beneficial effects.

A Teachable Moment in Earth Deformation: An Undergraduate Strain Module Incorporating GPS Measurement of the August 24, 2014 M6.0 South Napa Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resor, P. G.; Cronin, V. S.; Hammond, W. C.; Pratt-Sitaula, B.; Olds, S. E.

2014-12-01

The August 24, 2014 M 6.0 South Napa Earthquake was the largest earthquake to occur in the San Francisco Bay Area, home to more than 7 million people, in almost 25 years. The event occurred within an area of dense GPS instrumentation including continuous stations from the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory, Bay Area Regional Deformation Network and other networks. Coseismic displacements of up to 3 cm were rapidly estimated within one day after the event, providing a map of Earth shape change at over one hundred stations around the epicenter. The earthquake thus presets as an excellent "teachable moment" to introduce students to basic geoscience concepts, modern geophysical methods, and the state of knowledge in earthquake science. We have developed an example exercise that uses GPS-derived interseismic velocities and coseismic offsets to explore deformation in the vicinity of the earthquake rupture. This exercise builds on the UNAVCO education resource "Infinitesimal Strain Analysis Using GPS Data" (http://www.unavco.org/education/resources/educational-resources/lesson/majors-gps-strain/majors-gps-strain.html), a module designed to introduce undergraduate geoscience majors to concepts of crustal deformation using GPS velocity data. In the module students build their intuition about infinitesimal strain through manipulation of physical models, apply this intuition to interpret maps of GPS velocity vectors, and ultimately calculate the instantaneous deformation rate of triangles on the Earth's surface defined by three GPS sites. The South Napa data sets provide an example with clear societal relevance that can be used to explore the basic concepts of deformation, but may also be extended to explore topics such as strain accumulation, release, and transfer associated with the earthquake cycle. The UNAVCO module could be similarly extended to create additional exercises in response to future events with clear geodetic signals.

Physical Activity Participation and Constraints Among Athletic Training Students

PubMed Central

Stanek, Justin; Rogers, Katherine; Anderson, Jordan

2015-01-01

Context: Researchers have examined the physical activity (PA) habits of certified athletic trainers; however, none have looked specifically at athletic training students. Objective: To assess PA participation and constraints to participation among athletic training students. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Entry-level athletic training education programs (undergraduate and graduate) across the United States. Patients or Other Participants: Participants were 1125 entry-level athletic training students. Main Outcome Measure(s): Self-reported PA participation, including a calculated PA index based on a typical week. Leisure constraints and demographic data were also collected. Results: Only 22.8% (252/1105) of athletic training students were meeting the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for PA through moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. Although 52.3% (580/1105) were meeting the recommendations through vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 60.5% (681/1125) were meeting the recommendations based on the combined total of moderate or vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise. In addition, 57.2% (643/1125) of respondents met the recommendations for resistance exercise. Exercise habits of athletic training students appear to be better than the national average and similar to those of practicing athletic trainers. Students reported structural constraints such as lack of time due to work or studies as the most significant barrier to exercise participation. Conclusions: Athletic training students experienced similar constraints to PA participation as practicing athletic trainers, and these constraints appeared to influence their exercise participation during their entry-level education. Athletic training students may benefit from a greater emphasis on work-life balance during their entry-level education to promote better health and fitness habits. PMID:25689560

The Relationship between Meditation and/or Exercise and Three Measures of Self-Actualization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Lynn L.; Robinson, Sharon E.

1993-01-01

Investigated relationship between regular meditation and/or physical exercise and dimensions of self-actualization (inner-directedness, living in present, lowered anxiety) of 103 graduate counseling students. Students who meditated or who meditated and exercised had significantly greater inner-directedness than did those who only exercised or who…

Investigation of Intensity Levels during Video Classroom Exercise Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell, Thad; Ratliffe, Tom

2014-01-01

Classroom Exercises for the Body and Brain was developed in the state of Georgia by the HealthMPowers organization to help classroom teachers provide structured physical activity for their elementary students in their classrooms. These brief video exercises were designed for students to participate at their desks as exercise breaks, as energy…

Introductory Bioinformatics Exercises Utilizing Hemoglobin and Chymotrypsin to Reinforce the Protein Sequence-Structure-Function Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inlow, Jennifer K.; Miller, Paige; Pittman, Bethany

2007-01-01

We describe two bioinformatics exercises intended for use in a computer laboratory setting in an upper-level undergraduate biochemistry course. To introduce students to bioinformatics, the exercises incorporate several commonly used bioinformatics tools, including BLAST, that are freely available online. The exercises build upon the students'…

Influence of Age, Sex, and Race on College Students' Exercise Motivation of Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egli, Trevor; Bland, Helen W.; Melton, Bridget F.; Czech, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

Objective: The authors examined differences in exercise motivation between age, sex, and race for college students. Participants: Students from 156 sections of physical activity classes at a midsize university were recruited (n = 2,199; 1,081 men, 1,118 women) in 2005-2006 and volunteered to complete the Exercise Motivation Inventory. Methods:…

Evaluating a College-Prep Laboratory Exercise for Teenaged Homeschool Students in a University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hercules, Daniel A.; Parrish, Cameron A.; Whitehead, Daniel C.

2016-01-01

We devised a half-day laboratory exercise for a group of 10th grade homeschooled students enrolled in an honors-level high school general chemistry course organized by a collective of homeschooling families associated with local Christian churches. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the students met the learning objectives of the exercise. The…

The Effect of Timed Relaxation on Keyboarding Achievement. Research Bulletin No. 46-B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Doris B.

Research has shown that relaxation exercises produce physical changes in students. After relaxation exercises, students appear calmer, have reduced levels of anxiety, and are more responsive to instruction. In order to determine if relaxation exercises would improve the rate at which students learn keyboarding, a study was conducted in a South…

The Dating Game: An Exercise Illustrating the Concepts of Homogamy, Heterogamy, Hyperogamy, and Hypogamy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Eileen; Foley, Lara

1999-01-01

Describes the "Dating Game," an exercise for use in marriage and family courses that enables students to learn about the theories of mate selection by simulating random mating. States that the dating game helps make mate selection concepts relevant to the students' lives. Discusses the students' reaction to the exercise. (CMK)

The Toxics Geography Exercise: Students Use Inquiry to Uncover Uses and Limits of Data in Policy Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, L. Donald; Schmidt, Diane L.

2011-01-01

The Toxics Geography Exercise was developed as an application-oriented exercise to develop skills in critical analysis in groups of undergraduate students from widely diverse academic backgrounds. Students use publicly available data on industrial activities, history of toxic material disposal, basic chemistry, regulatory approaches of federal and…

Building an Understanding of Democratization in a Developing Nation: A Success Story in Botswana.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gary, Lee P., Jr.

This document is an exercise for teachers who are seeking to increase student understanding of the rise and expansion of democracy in new or emerging nations. The exercise complements the National Education Goals for Student Achievement and Citizenship. By design, the exercise challenges students to plan and to conduct (based on the timeless…

Cross-Cultural Validation of Stages of Exercise Change Scale among Chinese College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keating, Xiaofen D.; Guan, Jianmin; Huang, Yong; Deng, Mingying; Wu, Yifeng; Qu, Shuhua

2005-01-01

The purpose of the study was to test the cross-cultural concurrent validity of the stages of exercise change scale (SECS) in Chinese college students. The original SECS was translated into Chinese (C-SECS). Students from four Chinese universities (N = 1843) participated in the study. The leisure-time exercise (LTE) questionnaire was used to…

RBSPICE in the Classroom: Building a ballistic galvanometer using common household products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, J. D.; Manweiler, J. W.; Lanzerotti, L. J.; Zwiener, H.

2016-12-01

"RBSPICE in the Classroom: Changing Magnetic Fields and Electrical Currents" is a hands-on exercise for middle school and high school science classrooms. Students build a ballistic galvanometer using inexpensive common items that can be purchased at any craft store, and make qualitative observations of changing magnetic fields and the electrical currents they create. The goal of this work is to provide teachers new materials to use in their classrooms as tools for teaching students about electricity and magnetism. The experiment relates our Earth as a planet to the role the Magnetosphere plays in protecting us from Space Weather. The experiments show the ways in which Van Allen Probes play an important part in exploring those relationships using such instruments as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE). The exercise is a vehicle for discussing electromagnetic induction, the behavior of the Earth's magnetosphere coupled with storm-time conditions that produce the Earth's ring current, and the mission objectives of the Van Allen Probes RBSPICE instrument.

Factors affecting dance exercise performance in students at a special needs school.

PubMed

Ito, Yukiko; Hiramoto, Izumi; Kodama, Hideya

2017-09-01

In Japan, dance exercise has been introduced as a compulsory element of health and physical education, but there is a considerable discrepancy in the levels of performance among students with intellectual disability (ID) at special needs schools. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the factors affecting the performance of dance exercise in students with ID. A 4 month dance exercise program was implemented for junior high school students at a special needs school, and the performance of 32 students at 22 sessions was assessed quantitatively according to calorie use during exercise and performance proficiency score. The measures were compared according to gender, age, body mass index, diagnosis, and development quotient (DQ) score. Performance in many students improved with repetition and reached the highest attainment level at around the third month. Male gender and older age had a significant positive impact on calorie use, whereas diagnosis of Down syndrome and higher DQ score had a significant positive impact on proficiency score. Four students with poor performance were all female students with autism. This study provides some possible explanations for differences in the levels of dance performance among students with ID. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

The Relative Contribution of Dietary Habits, Leisure-Time Exercise, Exercise Attitude, and Body Mass Index to Self-Rated Health among College Students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hsieh, Huey-Hong; Chang, Chia-Ming; Liu, Li-Wei; Huang, Hsiu-Chin

2018-05-11

Background : Self-rated health (SRH) is consistent with objective health status and can serve as a global measure of health status in the general population. The purpose of this study is to find the connections of dietary habits, leisure-time exercise, exercise attitude, and body mass index (BMI) to SRH among college students. Methods : The "dietary⁻exercise attitude and SRH" questionnaire was developed to investigate college students in Taiwan through the Internet. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the relationship among them. Results : The reliability and validity were confirmed using PLS-SEM. The results found exercise habits, dietary habits, and BMI explained 26.5% of SRH. Poor dietary habits and being overweight led to bad health status (negative path coefficients to SRH). Additionally, the study found that positive exercise attitude had a positive relationship with exercise habits. Conclusions : Based on the results, college students should be well-informed of the potential threat of poor dietary habits and being overweight to health and should improve their attitude with respect to exercise so as to prevent overweight-related diseases.

The Relative Contribution of Dietary Habits, Leisure-Time Exercise, Exercise Attitude, and Body Mass Index to Self-Rated Health among College Students in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Huey-Hong; Chang, Chia-Ming; Liu, Li-Wei; Huang, Hsiu-Chin

2018-01-01

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) is consistent with objective health status and can serve as a global measure of health status in the general population. The purpose of this study is to find the connections of dietary habits, leisure-time exercise, exercise attitude, and body mass index (BMI) to SRH among college students. Methods: The “dietary–exercise attitude and SRH” questionnaire was developed to investigate college students in Taiwan through the Internet. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the relationship among them. Results: The reliability and validity were confirmed using PLS-SEM. The results found exercise habits, dietary habits, and BMI explained 26.5% of SRH. Poor dietary habits and being overweight led to bad health status (negative path coefficients to SRH). Additionally, the study found that positive exercise attitude had a positive relationship with exercise habits. Conclusions: Based on the results, college students should be well-informed of the potential threat of poor dietary habits and being overweight to health and should improve their attitude with respect to exercise so as to prevent overweight-related diseases. PMID:29751682

Some Exercises Reflecting Green Chemistry Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Yu-Min; Wang, Yong-Cheng; Geng, Zhi-Yuan

2004-01-01

Some exercises to introduce students to the concept of green chemistry are given. By doing these exercises, students develop an appreciation for the role of green chemistry on feedstock substitution, milder reaction conditions, reduced environmental exposure, and resource conservation.

Taxation and Welfare: A Revision Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boden, Andrew

1992-01-01

Offers a revision exercise intended to remind students of some economic terminology associated with taxation and welfare. Provides a set of definitions for which students are to supply matching terms. Includes an answer list and suggests related exercises. (SG)

Effects of yogic exercise on nonspecific neck pain in university students.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Dol

2018-05-01

To assess the effects of yogic exercise on nonspecific neck pain in university students. This study is a pretest-posttest design with a non-equivalent control group. Thirty-eight university students were selected by convenience sampling, with 18 assigned to an exercise group and 20 assigned to a control group. The yoga group participated in one-hour sessions of yogic exercise two days a week for eight weeks. The exercise comprised eight stages: relaxation, flexion of neck, extension of neck, right lateral flexion of neck, left lateral flexion of neck, right rotation of neck, left rotation of neck, and relaxation. Neck pain intensity was measured using a 100 mm visual analogue scale. The yoga group showed significantly decreased neck pain scores compared with those of the control group. These findings indicate that yogic exercises could reduce neck pain in university students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incorporating Student Activities into Climate Change Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steele, H.; Kelly, K.; Klein, D.; Cadavid, A. C.

2013-12-01

Under a NASA grant, Mathematical and Geospatial Pathways to Climate Change Education, students at California State University, Northridge integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, satellite data technologies, and climate modelling into the study of global climate change under a Pathway for studying the Mathematics of Climate Change (PMCC). The PMCC, which is an interdisciplinary option within the BS in Applied Mathematical Sciences, consists of courses offered by the departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Geography and is designed to prepare students for careers and Ph.D. programs in technical fields relevant to global climate change. Under this option students are exposed to the science, mathematics, and applications of climate change science through a variety of methods including hands-on experience with computer modeling and image processing software. In the Geography component of the program, ESRI's ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine mapping, spatial analysis and image processing software were used to explore NASA satellite data to examine the earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere in areas that are affected by climate change or affect climate. These technology tools were incorporated into climate change and remote sensing courses to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of climate change through hands-on application of image processing techniques to NASA data. Several sets of exercises were developed with specific learning objectives in mind. These were (1) to increase student understanding of climate change and climate change processes; (2) to develop student skills in understanding, downloading and processing satellite data; (3) to teach remote sensing technology and GIS through applications to climate change; (4) to expose students to climate data and methods they can apply to solve real world problems and incorporate in future research projects. In the Math and Physics components of the course, students learned about atmospheric circulation with applications of the Lorenz model, explored the land-sea breeze problem with the Dynamics and Thermodynamics Circulation Model (DTDM), and developed simple radiative transfer models. Class projects explored the effects of varying the content of CO2 and CH4 in the atmosphere, as well as the properties of paleoclimates in atmospheric simulations using EdGCM. Initial assessment of student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with these activities, particularly about climate change, was measured. Pre- and post-course surveys provided student perspectives about the courses and their learning about remote sensing and climate change concepts. Student performance on the tutorials and course projects evaluated students' ability to learn and apply their knowledge about climate change and skills with remote sensing to assigned problems or proposed projects of their choice. Survey and performance data illustrated that the exercises were successful in meeting their intended learning objectives as well as opportunities for further refinement and expansion.

Mindfulness Meditation Versus Physical Exercise in the Management of Depression Among Nursing Students.

PubMed

Alsaraireh, Faris Abdelkarim; Aloush, Sami Mohammad

2017-10-01

Depression among nursing students is an ongoing problem. Several psychotherapies have been suggested as alternatives to antidepressants in the management of depression. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation versus physical exercise in the management of depression among nursing students. A sample of 181 soon-to-graduate nursing students participated in the study and were assigned at random to one of two therapies: physical exercise (n = 90) or mindfulness meditation (n = 91). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was completed by the participants in both groups prior to the therapies and after completion. The findings indicated that both therapies were effective in the management of depression. However, mindfulness meditation is more effective than physical exercise. Mindfulness meditation is recommended over physical exercise in the management of depression among undergraduate nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(10):599-604.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise among American college students relative to stages of change and gender.

PubMed

Ersöz, Gözde; Eklund, Robert C

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise among university students in terms of gender and stage of change. Data were collected from American college students (N = 257; M age ± SD = 23.02 ± 4.05) in Spring 2013. Behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise were assessed, along with stage of change. Exercisers in the maintenance stage of change displayed significantly more self-determined motivation to exercise and a greater tendency to experience flow than those in preparation and action stages. Significant correlations were observed among behavioral regulations and flow state. Nonsignificant differences were observed for gender on behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise. The results suggest that promotion of self-determined motivation and dispositional flow in exercisers may improve the quality of their experiences, as well as to foster their exercise behavior.

Osteoporosis Knowledge among Future Healthcare Practitioners: Findings from a Malaysian Public University

PubMed Central

Elnaem, Mohamed Hassan; Jamshed, Shazia Qasim; Elkalmi, Ramadan Mohamed; Baharuddin, Muhammad Farhan; Johari, Muhammad Afif; Aziz, Nur Ashikin Binti Ab; Sabri, Siti Farhanah Binti Ahmad; Ismail, Nur Akmal Binti

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Students in relevant health-care academic programs are the future professionals who should play an active role in increasing community awareness regarding chronic diseases such as osteoporosis. This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge of osteoporosis, one of the growing health-care burdens in Malaysia, among students belong to three different health occupations programs in a Malaysian University. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted to assess the level of knowledge on osteoporosis and to explore the potential association between the study program and osteoporosis-related knowledge among medicine, pharmacy, and allied health sciences students in a Malaysian University. A total of 348 students were approached. The data were collected using validated revised Osteoporosis Knowledge Test questionnaire. Results: The results showed variability in knowledge score between students belonging to different study programs. allied health sciences students have the highest overall total score (median = 20) and nutrition score (median = 16), but for exercise score, both students in allied health sciences and medicine programs shared a similar median score (median = 11.5). More than half of the respondents showed adequate knowledge on osteoporosis. The students from allied health sciences exhibited more knowledge on osteoporosis compared to students in other study programs. Among the Kulliyyah of Pharmacy respondents, the majority did not manage to answer correctly on the whole scale. This was evident by total percentage of 69.91% of the respondents scored below than median score. Conclusion: There is a considerable gap of knowledge regarding osteoporosis among students in various health occupations academic programs. Pharmacy students particularly need focused learning related to exercise and nutrition in preventing osteoporosis during their academic program. PMID:28717334

Osteoporosis Knowledge among Future Healthcare Practitioners: Findings from a Malaysian Public University.

PubMed

Elnaem, Mohamed Hassan; Jamshed, Shazia Qasim; Elkalmi, Ramadan Mohamed; Baharuddin, Muhammad Farhan; Johari, Muhammad Afif; Aziz, Nur Ashikin Binti Ab; Sabri, Siti Farhanah Binti Ahmad; Ismail, Nur Akmal Binti

2017-01-01

Students in relevant health-care academic programs are the future professionals who should play an active role in increasing community awareness regarding chronic diseases such as osteoporosis. This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge of osteoporosis, one of the growing health-care burdens in Malaysia, among students belong to three different health occupations programs in a Malaysian University. A cross-sectional study design was conducted to assess the level of knowledge on osteoporosis and to explore the potential association between the study program and osteoporosis-related knowledge among medicine, pharmacy, and allied health sciences students in a Malaysian University. A total of 348 students were approached. The data were collected using validated revised Osteoporosis Knowledge Test questionnaire. The results showed variability in knowledge score between students belonging to different study programs. allied health sciences students have the highest overall total score (median = 20) and nutrition score (median = 16), but for exercise score, both students in allied health sciences and medicine programs shared a similar median score (median = 11.5). More than half of the respondents showed adequate knowledge on osteoporosis. The students from allied health sciences exhibited more knowledge on osteoporosis compared to students in other study programs. Among the Kulliyyah of Pharmacy respondents, the majority did not manage to answer correctly on the whole scale. This was evident by total percentage of 69.91% of the respondents scored below than median score. There is a considerable gap of knowledge regarding osteoporosis among students in various health occupations academic programs. Pharmacy students particularly need focused learning related to exercise and nutrition in preventing osteoporosis during their academic program.

How do you define body image? Exploring conceptual gaps in understandings of body image at an exercise facility.

PubMed

Bailey, K Alysse; Gammage, Kimberley L; van Ingen, Cathy

2017-12-01

The definition of body image has evolved within research; however, less is known about the layperson's understanding of the construct. This study explored how members and student trainees of an exercise facility (designed for older adults, people with physical disability, and those with cardiac complications) defined body image. Nineteen participants completed a one-on-one interview, and seven of those participants took part in six additional focus group meetings. The following main themes were found: stereotypical assumptions about body image (e.g., it is solely a person's weight or merely a woman's issue), body image continua for positive and negative body image, degree of complexity of body image dimensions, broad considerations of body image (e.g., it is self-esteem), and limited knowledge about body image. These findings suggest a need for knowledge translation between researchers and the general public which informs future body image program design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using social cognitive theory to explain discretionary, "leisure-time" physical exercise among high school students.

PubMed

Winters, Eric R; Petosa, Rick L; Charlton, Thomas E

2003-06-01

To examine whether knowledge of high school students' actions of self-regulation, and perceptions of self-efficacy to overcome exercise barriers, social situation, and outcome expectation will predict non-school related moderate and vigorous physical exercise. High school students enrolled in introductory Physical Education courses completed questionnaires that targeted selected Social Cognitive Theory variables. They also self-reported their typical "leisure-time" exercise participation using a standardized questionnaire. Bivariate correlation statistic and hierarchical regression were conducted on reports of moderate and vigorous exercise frequency. Each predictor variable was significantly associated with measures of moderate and vigorous exercise frequency. All predictor variables were significant in the final regression model used to explain vigorous exercise. After controlling for the effects of gender, the psychosocial variables explained 29% of variance in vigorous exercise frequency. Three of four predictor variables were significant in the final regression equation used to explain moderate exercise. The final regression equation accounted for 11% of variance in moderate exercise frequency. Professionals who attempt to increase the prevalence of physical exercise through educational methods should focus on the psychosocial variables utilized in this study.

Utilizing visual art to enhance the clinical observation skills of medical students.

PubMed

Jasani, Sona K; Saks, Norma S

2013-07-01

Clinical observation is fundamental in practicing medicine, but these skills are rarely taught. Currently no evidence-based exercises/courses exist for medical student training in observation skills. The goal was to develop and teach a visual arts-based exercise for medical students, and to evaluate its usefulness in enhancing observation skills in clinical diagnosis. A pre- and posttest and evaluation survey were developed for a three-hour exercise presented to medical students just before starting clerkships. Students were provided with questions to guide discussion of both representational and non-representational works of art. Quantitative analysis revealed that the mean number of observations between pre- and posttests was not significantly different (n=70: 8.63 vs. 9.13, p=0.22). Qualitative analysis of written responses identified four themes: (1) use of subjective terminology, (2) scope of interpretations, (3) speculative thinking, and (4) use of visual analogies. Evaluative comments indicated that students felt the exercise enhanced both mindfulness and skills. Using visual art images with guided questions can train medical students in observation skills. This exercise can be replicated without specially trained personnel or art museum partnerships.

Student Attitudes towards Laboratory Exercises in Medical Biochemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronholm, Tomas; Hoog, Jan-Olov; Martenson, Dick

2000-01-01

Examines student attitudes towards biochemical experiments and their effect on student learning. Finds that biochemical experiments in the medical curriculum are valuable, but efforts should be directed more towards the development of students' attitudes and approaches to the exercise. (Author/CCM)

The Influence of Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Motives among UK-Based University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Simon; Reeves, Matthew; Ryrie, Angus

2015-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that the majority of the adult population fails to achieve the recommended target of 30-minutes moderate intensity exercise, days a week. This includes university students who often have the time to engage in physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine exercise motives for a UK-based student population. The…

Sounds for Study: Speech and Language Therapy Students' Use and Perception of Exercise Podcasts for Phonetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Rachael-Anne

2010-01-01

Currently little is known about how students use podcasts of exercise material (as opposed to lecture material), and whether they perceive such podcasts to be beneficial. This study aimed to assess how exercise podcasts for phonetics are used and perceived by second year speech and language therapy students. Eleven podcasts of graded phonetics…

Effect of Certified Personal Trainer Services on Stage of Exercise Behavior and Exercise Mediators in Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Donald V.; Bryant, Jennifer

2008-01-01

Objective: The authors examined the effect of certified personal trainer services on exercise behavior by using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change. Participants: Female college students (n = 449) completed surveys during the first week (T1) and last week (T2) of the fall semester. Methods: Students receiving personal trainer services…

Preparing to Lead: A Leadership Philosophy Exercise for Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyran, Kristi Lewis

2017-01-01

This article introduces a leadership philosophy exercise where students reflect on their values and prepare a statement of what they intend to do as a leader in their careers. This exercise has the potential to add value to leadership classes or seminars where personal leadership is the focus. By using the leadership philosophy exercise, I argue…

Simulating How a Virus Spreads through a Population: An Introduction to Acid-Base Chemistry in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarret, Ronald M.

2001-04-01

The traditional lab exercise that achieves separation of a mixture of 4-aminoacetophenone and benzoic acid by chemically active extraction has been expanded to include two exercises. First, students provide input on condition selections. This is based on the pooling of data from student observations of the solubility-miscibility behavior of 4-aminoacetophenone, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, and various solvents and aqueous solutions. Second, students participate in an exercise that uses materials from the extraction experiment to simulate how a virus spreads through a population. The additional mini-exercises promote student participation and reinforce the concepts of the extraction lab.

Limnology. Student Fieldbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Michael

This student fieldbook provides exercises for a three-week course in limnology. Exercises emphasize applications of knowledge in chemistry, physics, and biology to understand the natural operation of freshwater systems. Fourteen field exercises include: (1) testing for water quality; (2) determination of water temperature, turbidity, dissolved…

Ecological Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Common, Michael; Stagl, Sigrid

2005-10-01

Taking as its starting point the interdependence of the economy and the natural environment, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to the emerging field of ecological economics. The authors, who have written extensively on the economics of sustainability, build on insights from both mainstream economics and ecological sciences. Part I explores the interdependence of the modern economy and its environment, while Part II focuses mainly on the economy and on economics. Part III looks at how national governments set policy targets and the instruments used to pursue those targets. Part IV examines international trade and institutions, and two major global threats to sustainability - climate change and biodiversity loss. Assuming no prior knowledge of economics, this textbook is well suited for use on interdisciplinary environmental science and management courses. It has extensive student-friendly features including discussion questions and exercises, keyword highlighting, real-world illustrations, further reading and website addresses. A comprehensive introduction to a developing field which will interest students from science, economics and management backgrounds A global approach to the problems of sustainability and sustainable development, issues which are increasingly prominent in political debate and policy making Filled with student-friendly features including focus areas for each chapter, keyword highlighting, real-world illustrations, discussion questions and exercises, further reading and website addresses

Body painting to promote self-active learning of hand anatomy for preclinical medical students.

PubMed

Jariyapong, Pitchanee; Punsawad, Chuchard; Bunratsami, Suchirat; Kongthong, Paranyu

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use the body painting method to teach hand anatomy to a group of preclinical medical students. Students reviewed hand anatomy using the traditional method and body painting exercise. Feedback and retention of the anatomy-related information were examined by a questionnaire and multiple-choice questions, respectively, immediately and 1 month after the painting exercise. Students agreed that the exercise was advantageous and helped facilitate self-active learning after in-class anatomy lessons. While there was no significant difference in knowledge retention between the control and experimental groups, the students appreciated the exercise in which they applied body paint to the human body to learn anatomy. The body painting was an efficient tool for aiding the interactive learning of medical students and increasing the understanding of gross anatomy.

Health perceptions, self and body image, physical activity and nutrition among undergraduate students in Israel.

PubMed

Korn, Liat; Gonen, Ester; Shaked, Yael; Golan, Moria

2013-01-01

This study examines health perceptions, self and body image, physical exercise and nutrition among undergraduate students. A structured, self-reported questionnaire was administered to more than 1500 students at a large academic institute in Israel. The study population was heterogenic in both gender and fields of academic study. High correlations between health perceptions, appropriate nutrition, and positive self and body image were found. The relationships between these variables differed between the subpopulation in the sample and the different genders. Engagement in physical exercise contributed to positive body image and positive health perceptions more than engagement in healthy nutrition. Nutrition students reported higher frequencies of positive health perceptions, positive self and body image and higher engagement in physical exercise in comparison to all other students in the sample. This study suggests, as have many before, that successful health promotion policy should reflect a collectivist rather than an individualist ethos by providing health prerequisites through a public policy of health-promotion, where the academic settings support a healthy lifestyle policy, by increasing availability of a healthy, nutritious and varied menu in the cafeterias, and offering students various activities that enhance healthy eating and exercise. IMPLICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTION: This study examined health perceptions, self-image, physical exercise and nutrition among undergraduate students and found high correlations between these topics. Nutrition students reported higher frequencies of positive health perceptions, and positive self and body image and engaged more in physical exercise when compared with all other students in the sample.

Self-Regulation of Physical Education Teacher Education Students' Attitudes towards Exercise and Diet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Carol; Prusak, Keven

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in self-regulation of attitudes towards engaging in exercise and eating a healthy diet between physical education teacher education (PETE) students and general education (GE) students, and between male students and female students. Participants were university students (n = 194) at a university…

Comparing the Performance of Distance Learning and Traditional Students in a Business Simulation Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotey, Bernice; Anderson, Philip H.

2005-01-01

The performance of distant students in a simulation exercise for a Small Business Management (SBM) course was compared with that of internal students and the demographic and psychological variables associated with the performance of each student group were examined. Distant students matched or exceeded the performance of internal students in…

The Effect of Music on Exercise Intensity among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Woodman, Ashley C.; Breviglia, Emily; Mori, Yumiko; Golden, Rebecca; Maina, John; Wisniewski, Hannah

2018-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for obesity, commonly have sleep disorders, and exhibit stereotypic behaviors that disrupt their learning. Vigorous levels of exercise have been shown to ameliorate these issues in children with ASD, but little research exists to provide techniques for motivating children with ASD to engage in exercise. The present study examined the effect of music on exercise intensity in a group of 13 elementary school students with ASD. Data were collected across six days during structured (e.g., verbal and physical prompts) and unstructured (e.g., minimal prompting) exercise periods. During these exercise periods, three music conditions were randomized: no music, slow-tempo music, and fast-tempo music. Exercise intensity, measured in Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks by triaxial accelerometers, was greatest during the structured exercise periods and during the slow music condition. Student characteristics moderated the impact of music condition on exercise intensity, such that students with high levels of adaptive behavior or lower levels of maladaptive behavior displayed greater exercise intensity during the fast music condition. PMID:29495354

Is My Exercise Partner Similar Enough? Partner Characteristics as a Moderator of the Köhler Effect in Exergames.

PubMed

Forlenza, Samuel T; Kerr, Norbert L; Irwin, Brandon C; Feltz, Deborah L

2012-12-01

Recent research has shown the Köhler motivation gain effect (working at a task with a more capable partner where one's performance is indispensable to the group) leads to greater effort in partnered exercise videogame play. The purpose of this article was to examine potential moderators of the Köhler effect by exploring dissimilarities in one's partner's appearance, namely, having an older partner (compared with a same-age partner) and having a heavier-weight partner (compared with a same-weight partner). One hundred fifty-three male and female college students completed a series of plank exercises using the "EyeToy: Kinetic™" for the PlayStation(®) 2 (Sony, Tokyo, Japan). Participants first completed the exercises individually and, after a rest, completed the same exercises with a virtually present partner. Exercise persistence, subjective effort, self-efficacy beliefs, enjoyment, and intentions to exercise were recorded and analyzed. A significant Köhler motivation gain was observed in all partner conditions (compared with individual controls) such that participants with a partner held the plank exercises longer (P<0.001) and reported higher subjective effort (P<0.01). These results were unmoderated by partner's age and weight, with one exception: Males tended to persist longer when paired with an obese partner (P=0.08). These results suggest that differences in age and weight do not attenuate the Köhler effect in exergames and may even strengthen it.

Is a Basketball Free-Throw Sequence Nonrandom? A Group Exercise for Undergraduate Statistics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adolph, Stephen C.

2007-01-01

I describe a group exercise that I give to my undergraduate biostatistics class. The exercise involves analyzing a series of 200 consecutive basketball free-throw attempts to determine whether there is any evidence for sequential dependence in the probability of making a free-throw. The students are given the exercise before they have learned the…

Relation between contemplative exercises and an enriched psychology students' experience in a neuroscience course

PubMed Central

Levit Binnun, Nava; Tarrasch, Ricardo

2014-01-01

This article examines the relation of contemplative exercises with enhancement of students' experience during neuroscience studies. Short contemplative exercises inspired by the Buddhist tradition of self-inquiry were introduced in an undergraduate neuroscience course for psychology students. At the start of the class, all students were asked to participate in short “personal brain investigations” relevant to the topic presented. These investigations were aimed at bringing stable awareness to a specific perceptual, emotional, attentional, or cognitive process and observing it in a non-judgmental, non-personal way. In addition, students could choose to participate, for bonus credit, in a longer exercise designed to expand upon the weekly class activity. In the exercise, students continued their “personal brain investigations” for 10 min a day, 4 days a week. They wrote “lab reports” on their daily observations, obtained feedback from the teacher, and at the end of the year reviewed their reports and reflected upon their experiences during the semester. Out of 265 students, 102 students completed the bonus track and their final reflections were analyzed using qualitative methodology. In addition, 91 of the students answered a survey at the end of the course, 43 students participated in a quiz 1 year after course graduation, and the final grades of all students were collected and analyzed. Overall, students reported satisfaction from the exercises and felt they contributed to their learning experience. In the 1-year follow-up, the bonus-track students were significantly more likely than their peers to remember class material. The qualitative analysis of bonus-track students' reports revealed that the bonus-track process elicited positive feelings, helped students connect with class material and provided them with personal insights. In addition, students acquired contemplative skills, such as increased awareness and attention, non-judgmental attitudes, and better stress-management abilities. We provide examples of “personal brain investigations” and discuss limitations of introducing a contemplative approach. PMID:25477833

Formulation of multiple choice questions as a revision exercise at the end of a teaching module in biochemistry.

PubMed

Bobby, Zachariah; Radhika, M R; Nandeesha, H; Balasubramanian, A; Prerna, Singh; Archana, Nimesh; Thippeswamy, D N

2012-01-01

The graduate medical students often get less opportunity for clarifying their doubts and to reinforce their concepts after lecture classes. Assessment of the effect of MCQ preparation by graduate medical students as a revision exercise on the topic "Mineral metabolism." At the end of regular teaching module on the topic "Mineral metabolism," graduate medical students were asked to prepare the stems of 15 MCQs based on the four discriminators given for each. They were told that one of the discriminators could be the answer for the MCQ and the remaining three could be the distracters. They were further guided in their task by providing few key word(s) in the stem of the expected MCQ. In the first phase of the exercise, the students attempted the MCQ preparation individually without peer consultation. In the second phase, the students participated in small group discussion to formulate the best MCQs of the group. The effects on low, medium, and high achievers were evaluated by pre and post-tests with the same set of MCQs. Both the individual endeavor in Phase 1 and small group discussion in Phase 2 for the formulation of MCQs significantly contributed to the gain from the exercise. The gains from the individual task and from small group discussion were equal among the different categories of students. Both phases of the exercise were equally beneficial for the low, medium, and high achievers. The high and medium achievers retained the gain from the exercise even after 1 week of the exercise whereas the low achievers could not retain the gain completely. Formulation of MCQs is an effective and useful unconventional revision exercise in Biochemistry for graduate medical students. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development and evaluation of a simulation exercise to prepare midwifery students for neonatal resuscitation.

PubMed

Carolan-Olah, Mary; Kruger, Gina; Brown, Vera; Lawton, Felicity; Mazzarino, Melissa

2016-01-01

Simulation provides opportunities for midwifery students to enhance their performance in emergency situations. Neonatal resuscitation is one such emergency and its management is a major concern for midwifery students. This project aimed to develop and evaluate a simulation exercise, for neonatal resuscitation, for 3rd year midwifery students. A quantitative survey design was employed using questions from two previously validated questionnaires: (1.) Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning and (2.) the Clinical Teamwork Scale (CTS). Australian university. 40 final year midwifery students were invited to participate and 36 agreed to take part in the project. In pre-simulation questionnaires, students reported low levels of confidence in initiating care of an infant requiring resuscitation. Most anticipated that the simulation exercise would be useful to better prepare them respond to a neonatal emergency. Post-simulation questionnaires reported an increase in student confidence, with 30 of 36 students agreeing/ strongly agreeing that their confidence levels had improved. Nonetheless, an unexpected number of students reported a lack of familiarity with the equipment. The single simulation exercise evaluated in this project resulted in improved student confidence and greater knowledge and skills in neonatal resuscitation. However, deficits in handling emergency equipment, and in understanding the role of the student midwife/midwife in neonatal resuscitation, were also noted. For the future, the development and evaluation of a programme of simulation exercises, over a longer period, is warranted. This approach may reduce stress and better address student learning needs. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impact of the "Planning to be Active" leisure time physical exercise program on rural high school students.

PubMed

Hortz, Brian; Petosa, Rick

2006-10-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a Social Cognitive Theory-based intervention designed to increase the frequency of leisure time planned moderate and vigorous physical exercise among rural high school students attending physical education class. Students in treatment and comparison groups were exposed to an activity-based physical education curricula. The treatment group received eight behavioral skill-building lessons integrated into the existing curriculum. The Social Cognitive Theory-based educational treatment increased levels of moderate physical exercise occurring outside the classroom. This study demonstrated an impact on adolescent leisure time moderate physical exercise using classroom instruction. The intervention was most effective with students who were previously sedentary. The curricular approaches used to promote regular moderate exercise may be useful for sedentary adolescents.

Matters of taste: bridging molecular physiology and the humanities.

PubMed

Rangachari, P K; Rangachari, Usha

2015-12-01

Taste perception was the focus of an undergraduate course in the health sciences that bridged the sciences and humanities. A problem-based learning approach was used to study the biological issues, whereas the cultural transmutations of these molecular mechanisms were explored using a variety of resources (novels, cookbooks, and films). Multiple evaluation procedures were used: problem summaries and problem-solving exercises (tripartite problem-solving exercise) for the problem-based learning component and group tasks and individual exercises for the cultural issues. Self-selected groups chose specific tasks from a prescribed list of options (setting up a journal in molecular gastronomy, developing an electronic tongue, designing a restaurant for synesthetes, organizing a farmers' market, marketing a culinary tour, framing hedonic scales, exploring changing tastes through works of art or recipe books, and crafting beers for space travel). Individual tasks were selected from a menu of options (book reviews, film reviews, conversations, creative writing, and oral exams). A few guest lecturers (wine making, cultural anthropology, film analysis, and nutritional epidemiology) added more flavor. The course was rated highly for its learning value (8.5 ± 1.2, n = 62) and helped students relate biological mechanisms to cultural issues (9.0 ± 0.9, n = 62). Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

A Qualitative Approach to Women’s Perspectives on Exercise in Iran

PubMed Central

Kalani, Zohreh; Pourmovahed, Zahra; Farajkhoda, Tahmineh; Bagheri, Imane

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: It is believed that women of all ages do less physical activities compared to men. The development of interventional projects for increasing the women’s participation in physical activity needs the recognition of resources and exploration of women’s perspectives on exercise in their lives in the Iranian culture and context. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in an urban area of Iran on 46 women attending healthcare centers, volunteer health care providers, university students, sportswomen and one of the officials of the provincial women’s sports. This study was done from April 2015 to June 2016. Four focus group discussions and one in depth semi-structured interview was conducted. A qualitative conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Results: Four categories were developed as follows: ‘preferences’, ‘planning’, ‘motivators’ and ‘inhibitors’. Preferences had three distinct subcategories: preferences to do exercise in specific settings, specific exercise and group exercise. The family role, exercise as one part of daily routines, and exercise as a habit were subcategories of planning. Motivators were physical, emotional and social benefits; physician advice and encouragement; being alarmed; and championship. The inhibitors of doing exercise were various: gender issues, economical and costs issues, geographical access, making excuses, cultural infrastructures, shortage of sports experts, fears, concerns and misconceptions, inappropriate facilities and inadequate administrative cooperation and official barriers. Conclusion: The findings showed that the women were sensitive to and interested in doing exercise. However, barriers to exercise were multiple and complex. Nursing interventions are required to increase the individuals’ awareness of misconceptions and also develop strategic programs for improving exercise among women. PMID:29607344

Old Wine into New Bottles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crandall, G. Douglas

1997-01-01

Discusses how traditional lab exercises can be converted into investigative exercises. Describes an exercise on seed germination that has students design their own experiments based on their initial results. Involves students in the scientific process and allows them to experience the joys and disappointments of experimental work. (JRH)

Students’ Perception of Self-Efficacy Following Medicinal Chemistry Skills Laboratory Exercises

PubMed Central

Roche, Victoria F.; Qi, Yongyue

2016-01-01

Objective. To analyze student perceptions of self-efficacy in meeting medicinal chemistry course related educational outcomes and skills following a medicinal chemistry skills laboratory. Methods. Four activities were implemented in a pharmacy skills laboratory (PSL) for second-year pharmacy students. Students (n=121) worked individually on exercises for three of the four activities. Pre/post-laboratory surveys on self-efficacy were administered. The McNemar test was performed to evaluate students’ self-efficacy above 70% related to course outcomes before and after the exercises in each activity. An independent t test was conducted to compare the mean of students’ responses on meeting course outcomes based on the 70% anchor for the perspective confidence on meeting course outcomes. Results. The post-PSL scores on all self-efficacy questions improved. The majority of students reported skill development in all exercises. Students and clinical faculty qualitative responses indicated they felt exercises were effective. Conclusion. A PSL can serve as a valuable opportunity to address course related educational outcomes and specific skill development and can help students assess their self-efficacy in meeting them. PMID:27402979

Using Fossil Shark Teeth to Illustrate Evolution and Introduce Basic Geologic Concepts in a High School Biology Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agnew, J. G.; Nunn, J. A.

2007-12-01

Shell Foundation sponsors a program at Louisiana State University called Shell Undergraduate Recruitment and Geoscience Education (SURGE). The purpose of SURGE is to help local high school science teachers incorporate geology into their classrooms by providing resources and training. As part of this program, a workshop for high school biology teachers was held at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge on June 3-5, 2007. We had the teachers do a series of activities on fossil shark teeth to illustrate evolution and introduce basic earth science concepts such as geologic time, superposition, and faunal succession and provided the teachers with lesson plans and materials. As an example, one of our exercises explores the evolution of the megatoothed shark lineage leading to Carcharocles megalodon, the largest predatory shark in history with teeth up to 17 cm long. Megatoothed shark teeth make excellent evolutionary subjects because they have a good fossil record and show continuous transitions in morphology from the Eocene to Pliocene. Our activity follows the learning cycle model. We take advantage of the curiosity of sharks shared by most people, and allow students to explore the variations among different shark teeth and explain the causes of those variations. The objectives of this exercise are to have the students: 1) sort fossil shark teeth into biologically reasonable species; 2) form hypotheses about evolutionary relationships among fossil shark teeth; and 3) describe and interpret evolutionary trends in the fossil Megatoothed lineage. To do the activity, students are divided into groups of 2-3 and given a shuffled set of 72 shark tooth cards with different images of megatoothed shark teeth. They are instructed to group the shark tooth cards into separate species of sharks. After sorting the cards, students are asked to consider the evolutionary relationships among their species and arrange their species chronologically according to the species first appearance in the fossil record. This is followed by a group discussion of each group's predictions. Next students are given photographs of teeth from different megatoothed sharks, and a geologic time scale with the sharks stratigraphic ranges. Students are asked to describe evolutionary trends in the fossil megatoothed lineage and formulate several hypotheses to explain the observed evolutionary trends. The exercise is concluded with a discussion of the environmental and biotic events occurring between the Eocene and Miocene epochs that may have caused the evolutionary changes in the megatoothed shark's teeth.

Teaching emergency medical services management skills using a computer simulation exercise.

PubMed

Hubble, Michael W; Richards, Michael E; Wilfong, Denise

2011-02-01

Simulation exercises have long been used to teach management skills in business schools. However, this pedagogical approach has not been reported in emergency medical services (EMS) management education. We sought to develop, deploy, and evaluate a computerized simulation exercise for teaching EMS management skills. Using historical data, a computer simulation model of a regional EMS system was developed. After validation, the simulation was used in an EMS management course. Using historical operational and financial data of the EMS system under study, students designed an EMS system and prepared a budget based on their design. The design of each group was entered into the model that simulated the performance of the EMS system. Students were evaluated on operational and financial performance of their system design and budget accuracy and then surveyed about their experiences with the exercise. The model accurately simulated the performance of the real-world EMS system on which it was based. The exercise helped students identify operational inefficiencies in their system designs and highlighted budget inaccuracies. Most students rated the exercise as moderately or very realistic in ambulance deployment scheduling, budgeting, personnel cost calculations, demand forecasting, system design, and revenue projections. All students indicated the exercise was helpful in gaining a top management perspective, and 89% stated the exercise was helpful in bridging the gap between theory and reality. Preliminary experience with a computer simulator to teach EMS management skills was well received by students in a baccalaureate paramedic program and seems to be a valuable teaching tool. Copyright © 2011 Society for Simulation in Healthcare

Exercise motivation of college students in online, face-to-face, and blended basic studies physical activity and wellness course delivery formats.

PubMed

Sidman, Cara Lynn; Fiala, Kelly Ann; D'Abundo, Michelle Lee

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess exercise motivation among college students self-selected into 4 online (OL) and face-to-face (F2F) basic studies' physical activity and wellness course delivery formats. Out of 1,037 enrolled students during the Spring 2009 semester, 602 responded online to demographic questions and to the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire, which assessed exercise motivation on 5 subscales. There were no significant differences (p > .05) in exercise motivation for students across course delivery formats, but there was a significant difference in age and employment status between the completely OL and F2F course formats. Health and physical educators can utilize these findings to better understand that physical activity and wellness students are not necessarily trying to avoid physical activity when selecting the OL course format, but are more likely trying to balance work and school responsibilities and need greater flexibility in time and location.

Body painting to promote self-active learning of hand anatomy for preclinical medical students.

PubMed

Jariyapong, Pitchanee; Punsawad, Chuchard; Bunratsami, Suchirat; Kongthong, Paranyu

2016-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to use the body painting method to teach hand anatomy to a group of preclinical medical students. Methods Students reviewed hand anatomy using the traditional method and body painting exercise. Feedback and retention of the anatomy-related information were examined by a questionnaire and multiple-choice questions, respectively, immediately and 1 month after the painting exercise. Results Students agreed that the exercise was advantageous and helped facilitate self-active learning after in-class anatomy lessons. While there was no significant difference in knowledge retention between the control and experimental groups, the students appreciated the exercise in which they applied body paint to the human body to learn anatomy. Conclusion The body painting was an efficient tool for aiding the interactive learning of medical students and increasing the understanding of gross anatomy.

Insights on WWW-based geoscience teaching: Climbing the first year learning cliff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamberson, Michelle N.; Johnson, Mark; Bevier, Mary Lou; Russell, J. Kelly

1997-06-01

In early 1995, The University of British Columbia Department of Geological Sciences (now Earth and Ocean Sciences) initiated a project that explored the effectiveness of the World Wide Web as a teaching and learning medium. Four decisions made at the onset of the project have guided the department's educational technology plan: (1) over 90% of funding recieved from educational technology grants was committed towards personnel; (2) materials developed are modular in design; (3) a data-base approach was taken to resource development; and (4) a strong commitment to student involvement in courseware development. The project comprised development of a web site for an existing core course: Geology 202, Introduction to Petrology. The web site is a gateway to course information, content, resources, exercises, and several searchable data-bases (images, petrologic definitions, and minerals in thin section). Material was developed on either an IBM or UNIX machine, ported to a UNIX platform, and is accessed using the Netscape browser. The resources consist primarily of HTML files or CGI scripts with associated text, images, sound, digital movies, and animations. Students access the web site from the departmental student computer facility, from home or a computer station in the petrology laboratory. Results of a survey of the Geol 202 students indicate that they found the majority of the resources useful, and the site is being expanded. The Geology 202 project had a "trickle-up" effect throughout the department: prior to this project, there was minimal use of Internet resources in lower-level geology courses. By the end of the 1996-1997 academic year, we anticipate that at least 17 Earth and Ocean Science courses will have a WWW site for one or all of the following uses: (1) presenting basic information; (2) accessing lecture images; (3) providing a jumping-off point for exploring related WWW sites; (4) conducting on-line exercises; and/or (5) providing a communications forum for students and faculty via a Hypernews group. Url http://www.science.ubc.ca/

The influence of unstable modified wall squat exercises on the posture of female university students

PubMed Central

Lee, Yoonmi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of unstable modified wall squat exercises on the posture of female university students. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 30 female university students who were equally and randomly allocated to an unstable modified wall squat exercises group the experimental group and a stable modified wall squat exercises group the control group. [Methods] Both groups performed their respective exercises for 30 minutes three times per week over a six-week period. Using BackMapper, trunk inclination, trunk imbalance, pelvic position, pelvic torsion, pelvic rotation, and position of the scapulae were evaluated. [Results] The unstable modified wall squat exercises group obtained significant results for trunk inclination, trunk imbalance, pelvic position, pelvic torsion, position of the scapulae, while the stable modified wall squat exercises group obtained significant results for trunk imbalance and pelvic position. [Conclusion] Unstable modified wall squat exercises may be applied as a method to correct the posture of average adults. PMID:26356770

Development and implementation of a longitudinal students as teachers program: participant satisfaction and implications for medical student teaching and learning.

PubMed

Yeung, Celine; Friesen, Farah; Farr, Sarah; Law, Marcus; Albert, Lori

2017-01-31

Teaching is a key component of medical practice, but medical students receive little formal training to develop their teaching skills. A longitudinal Students as Teachers (SAT) program was created at the University of Toronto to provide medical students with opportunities to acquire an understanding of educational pedagogy and practice teaching early in their medical training. This program was 7-months in duration and consisted of monthly educational modules, practical teaching sessions, feedback, and reflective exercises. A mixed methods study design was used to evaluate initial outcomes of the SAT program by obtaining the perspectives of 18 second-year medical students. Participants filled out questionnaires at the beginning and end of the 7-month program to indicate their skill level and confidence in teaching. Differences between pre- and post-intervention scores were further explored in a group interview of 5 participants. Participants expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the SAT program structure and found the educational modules and practical teaching sessions to be particularly beneficial to their learning. Over the course of the program, there were significant increases in students' confidence in teaching, and self-perceived teaching capacity and communication skills. Furthermore, participants discussed improvements in their effectiveness as learners. Teaching is a skill that requires ongoing practice. Our results suggest that a longitudinal program consisting of theoretical modules, practical teaching sessions, feedback, and reflective exercises for medical students may improve teaching and communication skills, and equip them with improved learning strategies. This program also provides students with insight into the experience of teaching while holding other academic and clinical responsibilities.

Exploring the potential for internet-based interventions for treatment of overweight and obesity in college students.

PubMed

Schwartz, Jennifer; Richardson, Chris G

2015-12-01

To assess the use of internet-enabled technology for seeking health information and resources in overweight/obese college students. College students (N = 706) in Vancouver, Canada surveyed in April 2012. An online survey assessed socio-demographics, health behaviors, and use of internet-enabled technology. Eating habits, dieting and/or exercising to lose weight, and weight satisfaction differed by weight status (all p < 0.05). Of overweight/obese participants, 48% reported they would use online student health resources. When seeking general health information, 91% would use websites; 45% would use online videos; and 75% trusted information from government or health organizations. Overweight/obesity is prevalent among college students. The majority of overweight/obese students reported trying to lose weight and would use the internet for health information, especially if a website is associated with a health organization. The internet is a cost-effective channel for screening coupled with the delivery of tailored, evidence-based interventions for college students. © The Author(s) 2014.

Into the pressure cooker: Student stress in college preparatory high schools.

PubMed

Feld, Lauren D; Shusterman, Anna

2015-06-01

The goals of this study were to (1) measure psychological, physiological, and behavioral indicators of stress, (2) assess the relationship between stress and student attitudes, and (3) explore coping behaviors in response to stress, among a sample of students in two academically high-achieving environments. Three hundred thirty-three students in grades 9 through 12 from two college-preparatory high schools completed a cross-sectional online survey that included the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, School Attitude Assessment Questionnaire-Revised, and assessments for stress-related indicators, including eating, sleeping and exercise, and strategies they utilized for coping with stress. Students reported a high prevalence of physical and psychological correlates of stress, and related unhealthy behaviors such as widespread and chronic sleep deprivation and rushed meals. The results suggest areas to focus attention for identifying and addressing maladaptive responses to stress among high-achieving student populations. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Physical Activity, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Stages of Change in College Students Using a Street-Based Survey Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leenders, Nicole Y. J. M.; Silver, Lorraine Wallace; White, Susan L.; Buckworth, Janet; Sherman, W. Michael

2002-01-01

This study assessed the level of physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and stages of change for exercise behavior among college students at a large midwestern university using a street-based survey method. The 50% response rate produced 925 student responses comprising 95% as young ([less than or equal to]24 years of age), 53% female, and 79%…

Volcanic Hazard Education through Virtual Field studies of Vesuvius and Laki Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, S.; Sigurdsson, H.

2011-12-01

Volcanic eruptions pose significant hazards to human populations and have the potential to cause significant economic impacts as shown by the recent ash-producing eruptions in Iceland. Demonstrating both the local and global impact of eruptions is important for developing an appreciation of the scale of hazards associated with volcanic activity. In order to address this need, Web-based virtual field exercises at Vesuvius volcano in Italy and Laki volcano in Iceland have been developed as curriculum enhancements for undergraduate geology classes. The exercises are built upon previous research by the authors dealing with the 79 AD explosive eruption of Vesuvius and the 1783 lava flow eruption of Laki. Quicktime virtual reality images (QTVR), video clips, user-controlled Flash animations and interactive measurement tools are used to allow students to explore archeological and geological sites, collect field data in an electronic field notebook, and construct hypotheses about the impacts of the eruptions on the local and global environment. The QTVR images provide 360o views of key sites where students can observe volcanic deposits and formations in the context of a defined field area. Video sequences from recent explosive and effusive eruptions of Carribean and Hawaiian volcanoes are used to illustrate specific styles of eruptive activity, such as ash fallout, pyroclastic flows and surges, lava flows and their effects on the surrounding environment. The exercises use an inquiry-based approach to build critical relationships between volcanic processes and the deposits that they produce in the geologic record. A primary objective of the exercises is to simulate the role of a field volcanologist who collects information from the field and reconstructs the sequence of eruptive processes based on specific features of the deposits. Testing of the Vesuvius and Laki exercises in undergraduate classes from a broad spectrum of educational institutions shows a preference for the web-based interactive tools compared with traditional paper-based laboratory exercises. The exercises are freely accessible for undergraduate classes such as introductory geology, geologic hazards, or volcanology. Accompany materials, such as lecture-based Powerpoint presentations about Vesuvius and Laki, are also being developed for instructors to better integrate the web-based exercises into their existing curriculum.

Laboratory Exercises in Online Information Assurance Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhagyavati

2006-01-01

Information assurance courses delivered in an online environment pose challenges to the development of meaningful hands-on exercises for students. This article presents techniques on furnishing laboratory exercises to online students and presents examples of assignments drawn from the author's experiences in teaching online courses for over three…

Health Perceptions, Self and Body Image, Physical Activity and Nutrition among Undergraduate Students in Israel

PubMed Central

Korn, Liat; Gonen, Ester; Shaked, Yael; Golan, Moria

2013-01-01

Purpose This study examines health perceptions, self and body image, physical exercise and nutrition among undergraduate students. Methods A structured, self-reported questionnaire was administered to more than 1500 students at a large academic institute in Israel. The study population was heterogenic in both gender and fields of academic study. Results High correlations between health perceptions, appropriate nutrition, and positive self and body image were found. The relationships between these variables differed between the subpopulation in the sample and the different genders. Engagement in physical exercise contributed to positive body image and positive health perceptions more than engagement in healthy nutrition. Nutrition students reported higher frequencies of positive health perceptions, positive self and body image and higher engagement in physical exercise in comparison to all other students in the sample. Conclusions This study suggests, as have many before, that successful health promotion policy should reflect a collectivist rather than an individualist ethos by providing health prerequisites through a public policy of health-promotion, where the academic settings support a healthy lifestyle policy, by increasing availability of a healthy, nutritious and varied menu in the cafeterias, and offering students various activities that enhance healthy eating and exercise. Implications and contribution This study examined health perceptions, self-image, physical exercise and nutrition among undergraduate students and found high correlations between these topics. Nutrition students reported higher frequencies of positive health perceptions, and positive self and body image and engaged more in physical exercise when compared with all other students in the sample. PMID:23516503

A Coursework Support System for Offering Challenges and Assistance by Analyzing Students' Web Portfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Liang-Yi; Chen, Gwo-Dong

2009-01-01

Students can practice skills and acquire knowledge by doing coursework. However, in conventional coursework activities, each student is assigned the same exercises, without considering learners' diversity. Moreover, students typically have difficulty in receiving assistance for completing their exercises after class. Therefore, some students…

Innovation in values based public health nursing student selection: A qualitative evaluation of candidate and selection panel member perspectives.

PubMed

McGraw, Caroline; Abbott, Stephen; Brook, Judy

2018-02-19

Values based recruitment emerges from the premise that a high degree of value congruence, or the extent to which an individual's values are similar to those of the health organization in which they work, leads to organizational effectiveness. The aim of this evaluation was to explore how candidates and selection panel members experienced and perceived innovative methods of values based public health nursing student selection. The evaluation was framed by a qualitative exploratory design involving semi-structured interviews and a group exercise. Data were thematically analyzed. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with selection panel members. Twenty-two successful candidates took part in a group exercise. The use of photo elicitation interviews and situational judgment questions in the context of selection to a university-run public health nursing educational program was explored. While candidates were ambivalent about the use of photo elicitation interviews, with some misunderstanding the task, selection panel members saw the benefits for improving candidate expression and reducing gaming and deception. Situational interview questions were endorsed by candidates and selection panel members due to their fidelity to real-life problems and the ability of panel members to discern value congruence from candidates' responses. Both techniques offered innovative solutions to candidate selection for entry to the public health nursing education program. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Student construction of small molecule models using Spartan Model to explore polarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dale, Glenn Lamar

2006-12-01

This study compared the attitudes and the gains of knowledge concerning Lewis structures and polarity of molecules. The students performed a lab exercise in which they drew Lewis structures, constructed models of the molecules, determined the geometry of the molecules, and determined the polarity of the molecules. The control group students constructed models using physical ball-and-stick models. The treatment group students used Spartan Model to construct models. Students from a university and a community college participated in this study. Four lab classes at each school made up the treatment group. Five lab classes at the university and three lab classes at the community college made up the control group. The treatment group classes were selected based on available computer resources. All students in the study were given the Lab Pre Test, Lab Post Test, and the Lecture Post Test to assess the student's ability to answer questions pertaining to Lewis structures and polarity of molecules. An Attitudinal Survey assessed the attitudes of the students who participated in the study. Student interviews were performed to assess the student's attitudes towards the lab exercise. The interviews investigated attitudes about the modeling exercise, Lewis structures, and polarity of molecules. There were no significant differences in the performance of the treatment group when compared to the control group on the performance assessment instruments at the university or the community college. The treatment group students at the university had a more positive attitude about the lab activity. They believed that the lab activity helped them better understand the concepts of Lewis structure and molecular polarity. At the community college, the control group students had a more positive attitude about the lab activity. The students involved in the study believed that the lab activity helped them to understand the concepts of molecular geometry and polarity. The interviews of the treatment group students indicated that they strongly believed that the lab activity helped them better understand the concept of Lewis structures and of molecular polarity. As reflected in the interviews of the treatment group and the control group, the lab activity did not help the students be able to look at a Lewis structure and build a mental image of the molecule. The students believed the electrostatic potential plots generated by Spartan Model were very insightful into the concept of polarity. It gave them a visual representation of a difficult topic.

[Association between time spent on physical exercise, sleep, homework and suspected myopia among students].

PubMed

Xu, S J; Wan, Y H; Xu, Z H; Zhang, H; Xu, L; Wang, B; Tao, F B

2016-02-01

To investigate the prevalence of suspected myopia among students and to examine the relationship between time spent on physical exercise, sleep, homework and suspected myopia. A total of 8 030 primary and secondary school students from 4(th) to 12(th) grades were selected from the National Student Constitution and Health Survey (NSCHS) in Anhui province in 2014. Time spent on exercise, sleep and homework per day were collected using a self-administrated questionnaire. Visual acuity was examined using the Standard Logarithmic Visual Acuity Chart. The overall prevalence of suspected myopia was 69.03%. Prevalence rates of suspected myopia appeared higher in girls, in urban students, with the highest in the 16 to 18 year-old groups. RESULTS from the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the amount of time spent on physical exercise, sleep and homework per day were all significantly associated with suspected myopia. Suspected myopia was associated with longer time on physical exercise among students aged 8 to 12 years (OR=0.80, 95%CI: 0.64-0.99), and longer sleep time among students in the age groups of 13 to 15 years and 16 to 18 years (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.94;OR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.21-0.68, respectively). Longer time spent on homework significantly increased the risk of suspected myopia among students in the age groups of 8 to 12 years and 13 to 15 years (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.11-1.79; OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.36-2.23, respectively). Suspected myopia appeared common among students. Comprehensive intervention programs focusing on sufficient physical exercise and sleep but less homework might help to prevent myopia among students at different ages.

Effect of an exercise and weight control curriculum: views of obesity among exercise science students.

PubMed

Richardson, Laura A; Fister, Carrie L; Ramlo, Susan E

2015-06-01

Awareness of effective weight management strategies is necessary to prepare exercise science students for future work with obesity. Exercise science faculty members developed a course related to exercise as a therapeutic tool and options available for weight loss. The purpose of the present study was to investigate student views of weight management and obesity, which can be a difficult task using traditional methods such as Likert scale surveys. To investigate student views relative to the course content, Q methodology, which is a mixed-method research approach, was used at the beginning and end of the course. Students completed a Q sort, ranking 44 statements related to obesity in accordance to their own points of view. The pretest/posttest design enabled an opportunity to determine if course goals were accomplished and if student perceptions related to obesity were transformed. Factor analysis of precourse sorts revealed that students possessed a naïve singular view of weight-related concepts. Analysis of sorts at course completion resulted in a two-factor solution revealing changes in perspective; some students took on a health professional type of view, whereas others demonstrated antifat views. In conclusion, the findings revealed key variables that should be addressed in curricula involving therapeutic obesity interventions. An improved curriculum based on these results should better encourage students to develop a broad comprehension of multifactorial causes and treatment for weight management and obesity. Implementing the use of Q methodology may serve as a valuable asset to measure and evaluate subjectivity of obesity discrimination. Antifat attitudes among exercise science students may influence future clients' potential achievements. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sedentary Behavior in College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckworth, Janet; Nigg, Claudio

2004-01-01

The authors examined the relationship between physical activity, exercise, and sedentary behaviors in 493 college students who were enrolled in 10 conditioning activity classes and had completed questionnaires at the beginning of the course. They analyzed sedentary activities and indicators of participation in exercise and physical activity by…

A New Resource for College Distance Education Astronomy Laboratory Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Nicole P.; Cook, Stephen P.; Muise, Amy Smith

2013-01-01

This article introduces a set of distance education astronomy laboratory exercises for use by college students and instructors and discusses first usage results. This General Astronomy Education Source exercise set contains eight two-week projects designed to guide students through both core content and mathematical applications of general…

Laboratory Experiences in Marine Biology, Student Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raimist, Roger J.

This manual contains instructions for laboratory exercises using marine organisms. For each exercise a problem is defined, materials are listed, possible ways to solve the problem are suggested, questions are asked to guide the student in interpreting data, and further reading is suggested. The exercises deal with the measurement of oxygen…

Demonstrating the Interplay of Leaders and Followers: An Experiential Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sronce, Robin; Arendt, Lucy A.

2009-01-01

Classroom discussions of leadership often neglect the essential role of followers. These discussions do little to address the reality of our students' predominant roles as followers within organizations. We describe the Origami Frog exercise, an experiential exercise that enables students to discover how follower behaviors impact group process and…

Classroom to Community: Field Studies for Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melton, Deana; Dail, Teresa K.

2017-01-01

The field of kinesiology has seen growth in terms of the number of highly specialized subdisciplines, such as exercise physiology, motor learning, biomechanics, sport and exercise psychology, and fitness management. While some undergraduate students may be comfortable with a chosen concentration, others may enter the kinesiology curriculum lacking…

Eating and Exercise Disorders in Young College Men.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Dea, Jennifer A.; Abraham, Suzanne

2002-01-01

Used the Eating and Exercise Examination to investigate the eating, weight, shape, and exercise behaviors of 93 male college students. About 20 percent of respondents displayed eating attitudes and behaviors characteristic of eating disorders and disordered eating. They were similar to female students in eating attitudes, undereating, overeating,…

Method and Effectiveness of an Individualized Exercise of Fundamental Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshioka, Takayoshi; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Tsukamoto Takehiko

2001-01-01

Describes a method used to provide mathematics students in Japanese colleges of engineering with supplementary exercises to aid their learning. Outlines the online operation of individualized exercises that help the students to understand mathematical methods used to solve problems and also mathematical ideas or concepts upon which methods are…

Merging of Research and Teaching in Developmental Biology: Adaptation of Current Scientific Research Papers for Use in Undergraduate Laboratory Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, H. H.; and others

1970-01-01

Describes two laboratory exercises adopted from current research papers for use in an undergraduate developmental biology course. Gives methods, summary of student results, and student comments. Lists lecture topics, text and reprint assignments, and laboratory exercises for course. (EB)

The Influence of Goal Setting on Exercise Adherence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, Lawrence E.; Stone, William J.; Anonsen, Lori J.; Klein, Diane A.

2000-01-01

Assessed the influence of fitness- and health-related goal setting on exercise adherence. Students in a college fitness program participated in goal setting, reading, or control groups. No significant differences in exercise adherence were found. Students enrolled for letter grades had more fitness center visits and hours of activity than students…

Kinetics of Carbaryl Hydrolysis: An Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawker, Darryl

2015-01-01

Kinetics is an important part of undergraduate environmental chemistry curricula and relevant laboratory exercises are helpful in assisting students to grasp concepts. Such exercises are also useful in general chemistry courses because students can see relevance to real-world issues. The laboratory exercise described here involves determination of…

Defining Exercise Performance Metrics for Flight Hardware Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beyene, Nahon M.

2004-01-01

The space industry has prevailed over numerous design challenges in the spirit of exploration. Manned space flight entails creating products for use by humans and the Johnson Space Center has pioneered this effort as NASA's center for manned space flight. NASA Astronauts use a suite of flight exercise hardware to maintain strength for extravehicular activities and to minimize losses in muscle mass and bone mineral density. With a cycle ergometer, treadmill, and the Resistive Exercise Device available on the International Space Station (ISS), the Space Medicine community aspires to reproduce physical loading schemes that match exercise performance in Earth s gravity. The resistive exercise device presents the greatest challenge with the duty of accommodating 20 different exercises and many variations on the core set of exercises. This paper presents a methodology for capturing engineering parameters that can quantify proper resistive exercise performance techniques. For each specified exercise, the method provides engineering parameters on hand spacing, foot spacing, and positions of the point of load application at the starting point, midpoint, and end point of the exercise. As humans vary in height and fitness levels, the methodology presents values as ranges. In addition, this method shows engineers the proper load application regions on the human body. The methodology applies to resistive exercise in general and is in use for the current development of a Resistive Exercise Device. Exercise hardware systems must remain available for use and conducive to proper exercise performance as a contributor to mission success. The astronauts depend on exercise hardware to support extended stays aboard the ISS. Future plans towards exploration of Mars and beyond acknowledge the necessity of exercise. Continuous improvement in technology and our understanding of human health maintenance in space will allow us to support the exploration of Mars and the future of space exploration.

Mastery-style exercises in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeder, Noah D.

Mastery learning employs repeated cycles of instructional support and formative assessment to help students achieve desired skills. Instructional objectives are broken into small pieces, and students master those pieces in successive order by performing to a set standard on an assessment for each objective. If a student cannot master an objective, instructional support is provided, and the student is reassessed. Mastery learning has been proved effective in many subject areas, but comparatively little research has been done on applying it in physics instruction. This dissertation details the path taken that culminated in the use of mastery-inspired exercises to teach students basic skills in introductory physics courses. The path that led to our choice of mastery began with an attempt to provide students with extra practice and formative assessment through weekly practice tests with corresponding solutions, with the goal of helping them better prepare for summative exams in an introductory physics course. No effect was seen, and participation was very low. Investigating how students learn from solutions revealed that they are poor evaluators of their understanding of provided solutions and struggle to retain the skills taught in those solutions. In a follow-up clinical experiment that provided students with solutions, required them to recall the solutions from memory, and re-presented the solutions for restudy, students showed strong retention as well as the ability to transfer information from the solutions to new situations. These results inspired the formal use of mastery learning as an instructional paradigm due to its requirement that students repeatedly recall information from solutions and apply it to new situations. Mastery-style exercises were first created and tested in clinical trials, followed by two in-course implementations. In the clinical trials, students completed a set of questions on a particular skill, and if they failed to master that skill, they were given support in the form of narrated animated solution videos followed by a new version of the question set. On mastering a skill, students moved on to the next skill level. Students mastered all provided skill levels and then took a post-test. Those clinical trials demonstrated that students can use provided solutions to quickly progress through successive levels of mastery exercises and that mastery-style exercises had a larger impact on the post-test than traditional multi-try immediate feedback homework exercises. Following these strong results, mastery-style exercises were implemented over an entire semester in an introductory course, replacing the existing homework. Participation was much poorer than in the clinical experiments due to frustration with the difficulty of the provided exercises. As a result the implementation had a comparatively small impact on student performance. Frustrated students circumvented the system by ignoring provided solutions and skipping assessments, choosing instead to cycle through the provided versions until they could reattempt an already seen version of an assessment. A follow-up implementation covering a single week had a larger impact on a quiz, yet students were still frustrated with the exercises and displayed behaviors similar to those seen in the semester-long implementation. Moving forward, frustration must be overcome to return participation to levels seen in the clinical trials. A preliminary development mode is suggested to ensure proper calibration of difficulty to student skills. Other changes involving how the mechanics of the system work as well as how its benefits are communicated to students are also suggested. If frustration is overcome and participation increases, the incredible potential of mastery-inspired exercises can be realized. Mastery is a powerful addition to physics instruction.

Trying a Case on Ethics in Scientific Research: A Role-Playing Exercise for Students and Faculty in a Summer Undergraduate Research Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoggard, Patrick E.

2008-01-01

While most prepared exercises for ethics in science programs--including an excellent AAAS video series--present a complete account of the relevant facts, a role-playing exercise is described here in which the participants are provided with differing reports of events. The exercise is based on a true case involving a student who was convicted of…

Mediating the gap between the white coat ceremony and the ethics and professionalism curriculum.

PubMed

Cohn, Felicia; Lie, Désirée

2002-11-01

Like many other medical schools, the University of California, Irvine annually conducts a White Coat ceremony in which incoming students take a professional oath of ethical conduct.(1) We report a new educational activity to connect the values expressed in the oath taken to the Ethics and Professionalism (EP) curriculum for first-year medical students(2) and its potential impact on physician training. Following the White Coat ceremony, students participated in the Patient Doctor Society course that integrates diverse curricular topics centered on physician-patient communication. During this course, the students were introduced to EP content through a collaborative peer exercise. With the assistance of background readings on professional values and ethics concepts, small groups of students were asked to construct their own codes of ethics. The process of working in a group became part of the learning. After developing a code of ethics, each group was asked to identify primary values embodied in its code; primary obligations to patients and their families, other members of the health care team, and the community; key factors influencing code development; and likely effects of the code on the conduct of medical students and physicians. The goals of the session were to recognize formally both individual values and the values to which students commit themselves during the White Coat ceremony, to facilitate understanding of those values, and to begin to reconcile differences between personal and professional values. The small groups convened to report their findings in a three-hour session. Common values expressed by the students included patient autonomy, respect, beneficence, and professionalism. The delivery of quality health care, communication, education, and the equitable distribution of health care were among the most often listed obligations. The students reported that culture, societal values, family, experience, religion, education, and assigned readings were the key sources of the values in their codes. Most of the students enjoyed and learned from the exercise, believing that a code of ethics will serve as a helpful educational guide while they are students and as an action guide in their future practices. Student evaluations, narrative feedback, and faculty observation indicated that the students appreciated the opportunity to work in teams and to explore professional values. The students' most common suggestion for improvement involved incorporating analysis of clinical cases in which questions about professional values arise. Medical educators suggest that students' values and professional behaviors change throughout medical school, but such change is difficult to assess. The code-development exercise established a baseline of values at entry to medical school. We plan to track this cohort of students by reintroducing this exercise in their fourth year and will compare the codes developed in their first and fourth years to identify changes in values and to suggest what the students have learned about values during medical school. The comparison will be used to inform further development of the EP curriculum toward the goal of shaping and supporting the positive professional growth of our student-physicians.

Students' Cognitive Focus during a Chemistry Laboratory Exercise: Effects of a Computer-Simulated Prelab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winberg, T. Mikael; Berg, C. Anders R.

2007-01-01

To enhance the learning outcomes achieved by students, learners undertook a computer-simulated activity based on an acid-base titration prior to a university-level chemistry laboratory activity. Students were categorized with respect to their attitudes toward learning. During the laboratory exercise, questions that students asked their assistant…

Emphasis: Five Ways to Cure Boring Student Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Mary Ellen

A careful use of emphasis by students in their writing can be promoted by some exercises assigned by composition teachers. A drawing exercise can help students learn that changing the length of sentences makes paragraphs more interesting. Using Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's five categories of grief to consider times of depression in students' lives…

Effects of a Mindful Breathing Exercise during Reading Fluency Intervention for Students with Attentional Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idler, Alyssa M.; Mercer, Sterett H.; Starosta, Lindsay; Bartfai, Jamie M.

2017-01-01

Students with attentional difficulties are at greater risk for reading difficulties. To address this concern, we examined the extent to which adding a mindful breathing exercise to individual reading fluency interventions would improve gains in reading fluency, student-reported attention, and student-reported stress. In a restricted alternating…

Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Dietetics, Athletic Training, and Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Meredith G.; Hansen, Pamela; Rhee, Yeong; Brundt, Ardith; Terbizan, Donna; Christensen, Bryan

2014-01-01

The study assessed the preferred learning style (LS) of college students and compared LS preferences among students majoring in Dietetics, Exercise Science, and Athletic Training. LS questionnaires were distributed to students (N = 693, mean age 20.5 ± 1.7) enrolled in health science courses at three Midwestern universities. Most students…

Practicing Statistics by Creating Exercises for Fellow Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bebermeier, Sarah; Reiss, Katharina

2016-01-01

This article outlines the execution of a workshop in which students were encouraged to actively review the course contents on descriptive statistics by creating exercises for their fellow students. In a first-year statistics course in psychology, 39 out of 155 students participated in the workshop. In a subsequent evaluation, the workshop was…

Predictors of exercise relapse in a college population.

PubMed

Sullum, J; Clark, M M; King, T K

2000-01-01

Exercise improves physical and mental health. Nevertheless, most 20-year-olds do not exercise, and approximately 50% of the participants in exercise programs drop out in the first 3 to 6 months. In view of the health benefits of exercise, college health educators and clinicians need to be able to identify factors that predict exercise relapse in a student population. The authors administered questionnaires measuring Prochaska's 10 processes of change for exercise, self-efficacy, and decisional balance to 52 physically active undergraduate students. They assessed baseline exercise levels in October and reassessed them about 8 weeks later. At baseline, relapsers had significantly lower self-efficacy scores than those who maintained their exercise levels. The relapsers also had higher perceived negative views of exercise. These findings provide support for applying the transtheoretical model of behavioral change to a college population.

Measuring implementation intentions in the context of the theory of planned behavior.

PubMed

Rise, Jostein; Thompson, Marianne; Verplanken, Bas

2003-04-01

The usefulness of measuring implementation intentions in the context of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was explored among 112 Norwegian college students. They responded to a questionnaire measuring past behavior, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intentions, implementation intentions, and actual performance of regular exercising and recycling of drinking cartons. Implementation intentions were measured using five items relating to recycling and four items relating to exercise, which showed satisfactory internal consistencies. Consistent with the main prediction, the presence of implementation intentions was related to performing the two behaviors, although behavioral intentions were the strongest determinant for both behaviors. The results suggest that the TPB may benefit from inclusion of the concept of implementation intentions to provide a more complete understanding of the psychological process in which motivation is translated into action.

The disruptive effect of lysozyme on the bacterial cell wall explored by an in-silico structural outlook.

PubMed

Primo, Emiliano D; Otero, Lisandro H; Ruiz, Francisco; Klinke, Sebastián; Giordano, Walter

2018-01-01

The bacterial cell wall, a structural unit of peptidoglycan polymer comprised of glycan strands consisting of a repeating disaccharide motif [N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide (NAM pentapeptide)], encases bacteria and provides structural integrity and protection. Lysozymes are enzymes that break down the bacterial cell wall and disrupt the bacterial life cycle by cleaving the linkage between the NAG and NAM carbohydrates. Lab exercises focused on the effects of lysozyme on the bacterial cell wall are frequently incorporated in biochemistry classes designed for undergraduate students in diverse fields as biology, microbiology, chemistry, agronomy, medicine, and veterinary medicine. Such exercises typically do not include structural data. We describe here a sequence of computer tasks designed to illustrate and reinforce both physiological and structural concepts involved in lysozyme effects on the bacterial cell-wall structure. This lab class usually lasts 3.5 hours. First, the instructor presents introductory concepts of the bacterial cell wall and the effect of lysozyme on its structure. Then, students are taught to use computer modeling to visualize the three-dimensional structure of a lysozyme in complex with bacterial cell-wall fragments. Finally, the lysozyme inhibitory effect on a bacterial culture is optionally proposed as a simple microbiological assay. The computer lab exercises described here give students a realistic understanding of the disruptive effect of lysozymes on the bacterial cell wall, a crucial component in bacterial survival. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 46(1):83-90, 2018. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Contributions of psychological needs, self-compassion, leisure-time exercise, and achievement goals to academic engagement and exhaustion in Canadian medical students.

PubMed

Babenko, Oksana; Mosewich, Amber; Abraham, Joseph; Lai, Hollis

2018-01-01

To investigate the contributions of psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and coping strategies (self-compassion, leisure-time exercise, and achievement goals) to engagement and exhaustion in Canadian medical students. This was an observational study. Two hundred undergraduate medical students participated in the study: 60.4% were female, 95.4% were 20-29 years old, and 23.0% were in year 1, 30.0% in year 2, 21.0% in year 3, and 26.0% in year 4. Students completed an online survey with measures of engagement and exhaustion from the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory-student version; autonomy, competence, and relatedness from the Basic Psychological Needs Scale; self-compassion from the Self-Compassion Scale-short form; leisure-time exercise from the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire; and mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals from the Achievement Goals Instrument. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. The need for competence was the strongest predictor of student engagement (β= 0.35, P= 0.000) and exhaustion (β= -0.33, P= 0.000). Students who endorsed mastery approach goals (β= 0.21, P= 0.005) and who were more self-compassionate (β= 0.13, P= 0.050) reported greater engagement with their medical studies. Students who were less self-compassionate (β= -0.32, P= 0.000), who exercised less (β= -0.12, P= 0.044), and who endorsed mastery avoidance goals (β= 0.22, P= 0.003) reported greater exhaustion from their studies. Students' gender (β= 0.18, P= 0.005) and year in medical school (β= -0.18, P= 0.004) were related to engagement, but not to exhaustion. Supporting students' need for competence and raising students' awareness of self-compassion, leisure-time exercise, and mastery approach goals may help protect students from burnout-related exhaustion and enhance their engagement with their medical school studies.

Investigating Plants: Hands-On, Low-Cost Laboratory Exercises in Plant Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, Thomas R.; Johnson, Marty

This manual describes 14 hands-on exercises for middle school introductory biology courses that are designed to allow all students to be involved in self-discoveries about life and plant life in particular. The exercises were developed to supplement normal classroom activities by allowing students to initiate ongoing projects to investigate the…

College Students' Usage of Personal Music Players (PMP) during Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barney, David; Gust, Anita; Liguori, Gary

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of personal music players (PMPs) during exercise, including their purpose(s), how they affect exercise, and the most common music listened to. A representative sample of 184 undergraduate students from two separate university wellness centers completed a 17-item, content validated questionnaire…

The Effects of Regular Exercise Programs for Visually Impaired and Sighted Schoolchildren.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blessing, D. L.; And Others

1993-01-01

This study examined effects of a 16-week aerobic exercise training program on the cardiovascular fitness and body composition of 30 students with visual impairments. In comparison with traditional physical education provided to sighted students, the exercise training program resulted in a significant increase in cardiovascular fitness and a…

Making the Rate: Enzyme Dynamics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragsdale, Frances R.

2004-01-01

An enzyme exercise to address the problem of students inability to visualize chemical reaction at the molecular level is described. This exercise is designed as a dry lab exercise but can be modified into a classroom activity then can be augmented by a wet lab procedure, thereby providing students with a practical exposure to enzyme function.

Aircraft Electrical Repairman Technician, 2-2. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

These military-developed curriculum materials consist of a volume of text information; a student workbook containing objectives, reading assignments, chapter review exercises, and answers; a volume review exercise; and two illustration booklets for use with the student exercises. Covered in the course are the following topics: use and maintenance…

Confronting Prejudiced Comments: Effectiveness of a Role-Playing Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Timothy J.; McDonough, Tracy A.; Bodle, James H.

2010-01-01

We examined whether a role-playing exercise, similar to that developed by Plous (2000), increases students' ability to generate effective responses to prejudiced comments. We assessed social psychology students' (n = 23) ability to respond to prejudiced comments before and after the exercise, and compared their performance to that of 2 other…

George Williams in Thailand: An Ethical Decision-Making Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Constance R.; Smith, J. Goosby

2007-01-01

This article presents a classroom ethical decision-making exercise designed to help students make reasoned ethical decisions while gaining insight into their own and others' ethical decision-making strategies. During the exercise, students individually analyze an original mini-case, then meet in small groups to reach consensus on the advice and…

Student Perceptions of Group-Based Competitive Exercises in the Chemistry Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Kevin C.; Mody, Tina; Breen, Maureen P.

2008-01-01

A non-traditional teaching method that can operate as a vehicle for engaging students is group-based competitive exercises. These exercises combine cooperative learning with a competitive environment and may be employed to promote subject- and problem-based learning. Survey responses of college-level organic chemistry and biochemistry students…

Teaching and Learning in Exercise Science: Contributing to the Health of the Nation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stavrianeas, Stasinos; Stewart, Mark

2011-01-01

Students of exercise science are well positioned to facilitate a shift of the nation's attitude on health care from disease treatment to disease prevention. This report chronicles our efforts toward transforming the exercise physiology core course from a lecture-based, instructor-centered class to a student-centered environment in which…

Demonstrating Social Constructionism in Psychology Course: The "Who Am I?" Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moradi, Bonnie; Yoder, Janice D.

2001-01-01

Describes a class exercise where students in three different courses wrote ten responses to the question "Who am I?", in order to increase their understanding of social constructionism. Reveals that students accurately identified the gender of most respondents and saw this as a useful exercise to help them understand social constructionism. (CMK)

Use of Feedback-Oriented Online Exercises to Help Physiology Students Construct Well-Organized Answers to Short-Answer Questions

PubMed Central

Carnegie, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

Postsecondary education often requires students to use higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) such as analysis, evaluation, and creation as they assess situations and apply what they have learned during lecture to the formulation of solutions. Summative assessment of these abilities is often accomplished using short-answer questions (SAQs). Quandary was used to create feedback-oriented interactive online exercises to help students strengthen certain HOCS as they actively constructed answers to questions concerning the regulation of 1) metabolic rate, 2) blood sugar, 3) erythropoiesis, and 4) stroke volume. Each exercise began with a SAQ presenting an endocrine dysfunction or a physiological challenge; students were prompted to answer between six and eight multiple-choice questions while building their answer to the SAQ. Student outcomes on the SAQ sections of summative exams were compared before and after the introduction of the online tool and also between subgroups of students within the posttool-introduction population who demonstrated different levels of participation in the online exercises. While overall SAQ outcomes were not different before and after the introduction of the online exercises, once the SAQ tool had become available, those students who chose to use it had improved SAQ outcomes compared with those who did not. PMID:26113627

Influence of age, sex, and race on college students' exercise motivation of physical activity.

PubMed

Egli, Trevor; Bland, Helen W; Melton, Bridget F; Czech, Daniel R

2011-01-01

The authors examined differences in exercise motivation between age, sex, and race for college students. Students from 156 sections of physical activity classes at a midsize university were recruited (n = 2,199; 1,081 men, 1,118 women) in 2005-2006 and volunteered to complete the Exercise Motivation Inventory. Quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed. Significant differences were found in 3 of 14 exercise motivational subscales by age (affiliation, health pressures, and ill health avoidance) (p < .05). Males were motivated by intrinsic factors (strength, competition, and challenge) (p < .05) and females by extrinsic factors (ie, weight management and appearance) (p < .05); only 2 subscales proved not to be significant by sex. Race differences provided 8 significant differences by exercise motivations (p < .05). Significant differences for exercise motivations in college-aged population by demographics were documented. Understanding these differences is important for college health professionals for programming strategies and promoting physical activity.

Walk and Talk: an intervention for behaviorally challenged youths.

PubMed

Doucette, Patricia A

2004-01-01

This qualitative research explored the question: Do preadolescent and adolescent youths with behavioral challenges benefit from a multimodal intervention of walking outdoors while engaging in counseling? The objective of the Walk and Talk intervention is to help the youth feel better, explore alternative behavioral choices, and learn new coping strategies and life skills by engaging in a counseling process that includes the benefits of mild aerobic exercise, and that nurtures a connection to the outdoors. The intervention utilizes a strong therapeutic alliance based on the Rogerian technique of unconditional positive regard, which is grounded and guided by the principles of attachment theory. For eight weeks, eight students (aged 9 to 13 years) from a middle school in Alberta, Canada, participated weekly in the Walk and Talk intervention. Students' self-reports indicated that they benefited from the intervention. Research triangulation with involved adults supported findings that indicated the students were making prosocial choices in behavior, and were experiencing more feelings of self-efficacy and well-being. Limitations, new research directions, and subsequent longitudinal research possibilities are discussed.

Characteristics of students in comparative problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irfan, M.; Sudirman; Rahardi, R.

2018-01-01

Often teachers provided examples and exercised to students with regard to comparative problems consisting of one quantity. In this study, the researchers gave the problem of comparison with the two quantities mixed. It was necessary to have a good understanding to solve this problem. This study aimed to determine whether students understand the comparison in depth and be able to solve the problem of non-routine comparison. This study used qualitative explorative methods, with researchers conducting in-depth interviews on subjects to explore the thinking process when solving comparative problems. The subject of this study was three students selected by purposive sampling of 120 students. From this research, researchers found there were three subjects with different characteristics, namely: subject 1, he did the first and second questions with methods of elimination and substitution (non-comparison); subject 2, he did the first question with the concept of comparison although the answer was wrong, and did the second question with the method of elimination and substitution (non-comparison); and subject 3, he did both questions with the concept of comparison. In the first question, he did wrong because he was unable to understand the problem, while on the second he did correctly. From the characteristics of the answers, the researchers divided into 3 groups based on thinking process, namely: blind-proportion, partial-proportion, and proportion thinking.

Validation of the exercise and eating disorder questionnaire in males with and without eating disorders

PubMed Central

Bjørnelv, Sigrid; Bratberg, Grete Helen; Rø, Øyvind

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective The need to consider gender when studying exercise in eating disorder (ED) has been underscored. The study aimed to test the psychometric properties and factor structure of the exercise and eating disorder (EED) questionnaire for males with and without ED, to highlight gender differences, and to explore issues relevant for a male version of the EED questionnaire. Method This cross sectional study included 258 male participants: 55 ED patients (inpatients and outpatients) and 203 student controls. The patient group consisted of 54.5% (n = 30) with AN, 18.2% (n = 10) with BN, 27.2% (n = 15) with unspecified ED. The ED sample was treated as transdiagnostic in all analyses. t Tests, chi‐square test, correlations analyses, and a principal component analysis were conducted. Results The analyses confirmed that the EED questionnaire had adequate psychometric properties, and a four‐factor solution: (a) compulsive exercise, (b) positive and healthy exercise, (c) awareness of bodily signals, and (d) weight and shape exercise. The questionnaire discriminated significantly (p < .01– < .001) between patients and controls on the global score, subscales, and 16 out of 18 individual items. Convergent validity was demonstrated by high correlations between the EED questionnaire and the eating disorder examination questionnaire (r = .65). Discussion The results indicated that the EED questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for males. It is a clinically derived, self‐report questionnaire to assess compulsive exercise among ED patients, regarding attitudes and thoughts toward compulsive exercise and identification of treatment targets and priorities PMID:29537659

Pi in the Sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, W. P.

2008-12-01

Pi In The Sky (PITS) consists of a loose collection of virtual globe (VG) activities with a slight mathematical twist, wherein students search for interesting circular structures on the surface of Earth (Moon or other planets) and measure the circumference C and diameter D of each structure, using the built-in VG measure tool, in order to determine experimental values of pi from the C/D ratios. Examples of man-made circular structures visible using VG browsers include Fermilab and l"Arc de Triomphe roundabout; quasi-circular natural structures include certain volcano calderas and impact craters. Since a circle is but a special case of an ellipse, a natural extension of the activity involves making similar measurements of perimeter P, semi-major axis a, and semi-minor axis b of a visible elliptical structure (such as one of the thousands of elliptical Carolina bays, enigmatic depressions on the Atlantic Coast of North America) and solving for pi using Ramanujan's first approximation for the dependence of the perimeter of an ellipse on a and b. PITS exercises can be adapted to a wide range of student ages and teaching goals. For instance, K-6 students could measure C and D of the huge irrigation circles near Circle, Texas, to discover pi in the same way they might infer pi from measurements of coffee-can lids in math class. Middle school and high school students could move beyond man-made circles to consider the near-circularity of certain volcano calderas and impact craters in earth science units, make measurements for Olympus Mons on Mars or Crater Kepler on the moon in astronomy units, or search for circularity among Arctic thermokarst lakes as an introduction to climate change in tundra environments in environmental science units; such studies might ignite student curiosity about planetary processes. High school students of analytic geometry could examine several elliptical Carolina bays and calculate not only values of pi (as noted above) but also determine the range of eccentricities exhibited by these structures; through these exercises, ellipses acquire significance beyond conic sections and planetary orbits. At whatever level, PITS exercises function as easy bait, enticing students to learn to operate VG software and make observations and quantitative measurements of interesting Earth features. On a deeper level, these exercises provide a context and tool enabling VG explorers to fly above Earth's surface, to see this surface megascopically as it heretofore has never been seen, and to play in the metaphorical geometric intertidal zone that resides between shallow, eyes-on-the-ground, normal perception and the deep-blue depths of the cosmos.

From ''being to the self'' to ''become to be'': on development of autonomy construction in nursing students.

PubMed

Waterkemper, Roberta; do Prado, Marta Lenise; Medina-Moya, José Luis; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert

2014-01-01

To understand nursing student's self-consciousness and his/her autonomy in the discipline of fundamentals of professional care in the context of a liberating pedagogical proposal. This qualitative, case-based research in the model of Ludke and André involved 14 students participating in the discipline. Data were collected by non-participatory observation and analysis of documents. Field observation was conducted from March to July 2010 and data were collected according to the proposal of Minayo: pre-analysis, exploration of material and treatment of results. We constructed two thematic units of analysis: from ''being to the self'' and exercise of ''become to be''. When nursing students feel more liberty, they have the opportunity to substitute the scary prospect of learning something new material to something that motivates their curiosity and leads them to become more autonomous.

Serial Dilution Simulation Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keler, Cynthia; Balutis, Tabitha; Bergen, Kim; Laudenslager, Bryanna; Rubino, Deanna

2010-01-01

Serial dilution is often a difficult concept for students to understand. In this short dry lab exercise, students perform serial dilutions using seed beads. This exercise helps students gain skill at performing dilutions without using reagents, bacterial cultures, or viral cultures, while being able to visualize the process.

Fiche pratique: Anaphores et enchainements; B. d. de Grand Vent; FDM Frequence plus: Une minute sur la mode; Chimie pour non-chimistes (Practical Ideas: Anaphors and Linking; The Comic Strip "Grand Vent"; One Minute on Fashion; Chemistry for Non-Chemists).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldovi, Josep Ramon Torres

1994-01-01

Ideas for French instruction are offered, including a grammar exercise on pronouns; exploration of a comic strip's language and culture; use of a taped program on fashion; and an activity to help French language teachers cope with unfamiliar discipline-specific texts, whose topics (but not language) are familiar to their students. (MSE)

Relationships between negative affect and academic achievement among secondary school students: the mediating effects of habituated exercise.

PubMed

Hashim, Hairul A; Freddy, Golok; Rosmatunisah, Ali

2012-09-01

The current study was undertaken to examine the associations between self-determination, exercise habit, anxiety, depression, stress, and academic achievement among adolescents aged 13 and 14 years in eastern Malaysia. The sample consisted of 750 secondary school students (mean age = 13.4 years, SD = 0.49). Participants completed self-report measures of exercise behavioral regulation, negative affect, and exercise habit strength. Midyear exam results were used as an indicator of academic performance. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results of structural equation modeling revealed a close model fit for the hypothesized model, which indicates that higher levels of self-determination were positively associated with habituated exercise behavior. In turn, exercise habit strength fostered academic achievement and buffered the debilitative effect of stress, depression, and anxiety on student academic performance. The analysis of model invariance revealed a nonsignificant difference between male and female subjects. The findings support the notion that habituated exercise fosters academic performance. In addition, we found that habituated exercise buffers the combined effects of stress, anxiety and depression on academic performance. The finding also supports the roles of self-determination in promoting exercise habituation.

The Active Classroom: Supporting Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder through Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulrine, Christopher F.; Prater, Mary Anne; Jenkins, Amelia

2008-01-01

Teachers face many challenges in their daily effort to meet the needs of and ensure success for a diverse group of students, including students who are inattentive and have trouble staying focused and on task. All students, especially those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), need exercise; it assists them with concentration and…

Teaching and Experiencing the Misinformation Effect: A Classroom Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swenson, John Eric, III; Schneller, Gregory R.

2011-01-01

Students from four sections of Introduction to Psychology (N=82) were taught that participating in a classroom exercise may make memories vulnerable to the misinformation effect. All students were shown a short video clip of a car wreck. Students were then asked either "leading" or "non-leading" questions about the video clip. Students were also…

Effectiveness of Just in Time Teaching on Student Achievement in an Introductory Thermodynamics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liberatore, Matthew W.; Morrish, Rachel M.; Vestal, Charles R.

2017-01-01

The utility of Just-In-Time-Teaching (JITT) is compared across course topics and groups of students not receiving JITT exercises in class. JITT feedback incorporated various active learning exercises based on students' performance on online homework problems from Sapling Learning. With over 200 students in two sections participating in the…

Just-in-Time Teaching Exercises to Engage Students in an Introductory-Level Dinosaur Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guertin, Laura A.; Zappe, Sarah E.; Kim, Heeyoung

2007-12-01

The Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) technique allows students to be engaged in course material outside of the classroom by answering web-based questions. The responses are summarized and presented to students in class with a follow-up active learning exercise. College students enrolled in an introductory-level general education geoscience course were surveyed over a two-semester period on their engagement level during lecture and perceived learning of course content. Data show that students are able to reflect on their prior knowledge and construct new knowledge with weekly graded JiTT exercises. Despite increasing and competing pressures outside of the classroom, students reported increased learning and engagement in a course with required weekly assignments.

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

Exercise environment for Introduction to Cyber Technologies class. This software is essentially a collection of short scripts, configuration files, and small executables that form the exercise component of the Sandia Cyber Technologies Academy's Introduction to Cyber Technologies class. It builds upon other open-source technologies, such as Debian Linux and minimega, to provide comprehensive Linux and networking exercises that make learning these topics exciting and fun. Sample exercises: a pre-built set of home directories the student must navigate through to learn about privilege escalation, the creation of a virtual network playground designed to teach the student about the resiliency of themore » Internet, and a two-hour Capture the Flag challenge for the final lesson. There are approximately thirty (30) exercises included for the students to complete as part of the course.« less

Symptoms of exercise dependence and physical activity in students.

PubMed

MacLaren, Vance V; Best, Lisa A

2007-12-01

Health professionals recognize the benefits of moderate physical activity and encourage clients to engage in some form of activity on a regular basis. In spite of these recognized benefits, there are growing concerns that some may exercise at levels detrimental to health. The term exercise dependence refers to those individuals whose extreme exercise schedules interfere with their social, occupational, and family lives. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between weekly exercise habits and scores on the Exercise Dependence Questionnaire in a sample of undergraduate students (213 women and 79 men). Overall, participants who reported high activity scored higher than those reporting low activity on subscales measuring interference with family and social life, positive reward, withdrawal, exercise for social reasons, exercise for health reasons, and stereotyped behavior.

Integrating PCR theory and bioinformatics into a research-oriented primer design exercise.

PubMed

Robertson, Amber L; Phillips, Allison R

2008-01-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a conceptually difficult technique that embodies many fundamental biological processes. Traditionally, students have struggled to analyze PCR results due to an incomplete understanding of the biological concepts (theory) of DNA replication and strand complementarity. Here we describe the design of a novel research-oriented exercise that prepares students to design DNA primers for PCR. Our exercise design includes broad and specific learning goals and assessments of student performance and perceptions. We developed this interactive Primer Design Exercise using the principles of scientific teaching to enhance student understanding of the theory behind PCR and provide practice in designing PCR primers to amplify DNA. In the end, the students were more poised to troubleshoot problems that arose in real experiments using PCR. In addition, students had the opportunity to utilize several bioinformatics tools to gain an increased understanding of primer quality, directionality, and specificity. In the course of this study many misconceptions about DNA replication during PCR and the need for primer specificity were identified and addressed. Students were receptive to the new materials and the majority achieved the learning goals.

Active-learning assignments to integrate basic science and clinical course material.

PubMed

Marshall, Leisa L; Nykamp, Diane

2010-09-10

To develop, implement, and evaluate active-learning exercises requiring the integration and application of pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics knowledge of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis to formulate therapeutic recommendations for patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Two team-based case study exercises, one evaluating a patient with osteoarthritis and the second, a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, were developed, incorporating material and questions from pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics. The learning assignments were implemented in a required pharmacotherapy module. Student learning was evaluated using performance on the team-based case study exercises and on 2 examinations. A standard student course evaluation was used to assess students' impressions of the learning activity. The mean student grades for the osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis activities were 9.1 and 8.9, respectively, on a 10-point scale. The majority of students indicated that the learning exercises were more than adequate to excellent in helping students learn. The addition of active-learning activities was successful in teaching pharmacy students the knowledge needed to formulate therapeutic recommendations for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

The impact of exercise performance dissatisfaction and physical exercise on symptoms of depression among college students: a gender comparison.

PubMed

Edman, Jeanne L; Lynch, Wesley C; Yates, Alayne

2014-01-01

Depression is a common psychological problem and females have been found to be at greater risk for this disorder than males. Although numerous studies have found that physical exercise is negatively associated with risk of depression, some studies suggest that negative exercise attitudes may increase the risk of depression. The present study used the survey method to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms, exercise performance dissatisfaction, body dissatisfaction, and physical exercise among a sample of 895 undergraduate university students. Females reported higher depression and exercise performance dissatisfaction scores than males; however, there were no gender differences in body dissatisfaction. Exercise performance dissatisfaction was positively associated with depression among both males and females. Physical exercise was negatively associated with depression among males, but not among females. The possibility of screening participants enrolled in exercise programs for performance dissatisfaction is discussed as negative exercise attitudes may diminish the positive impact of exercise on depressed mood.

The Exercise Physiology Laboratory--A Source of Health Promotion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, William; Norred, Robert

1988-01-01

A visit to the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of Tennessee is part of a physical education class required of all undergraduate students. The laboratory demonstration stimulates student interest and enrollment in physical education. Benefits to students, the laboratory, and the school are described. (MT)

A Literature Exercise Using Scifinder Scholar for the Sophomore-Level Organic Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenstein, Ian J.

2005-01-01

An exercise developed for use in the sophomore organic course that introduces students to the process of searching "Chemical Abstracts" with SciFinder Scholar using chiral auxiliaries as example compounds is described. The exercise provides a direct introduction to the chemical literature for students at an early stage of their undergraduate…

The Impact of Rope Jumping Exercise on Physical Fitness of Visually Impaired Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chao-Chien; Lin, Shih-Yen

2011-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of rope jumping exercise on the health-related physical fitness of visually impaired students. The participants' physical fitness was examined before and after the training. The exercise intensity of the experimental group was controlled with Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) (values…

Drawing Students out: Using Sketching Exercises to Hone Observation Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weekes, Harry

2005-01-01

In this article, the author discusses how drawing exercise can be an invaluable tool in teaching Biology classes. The author uses drawing exercises and requires students to sketch everything from prepared slides of mitosis and plant anatomy to field sightings of birds and protists. His primary goal in integrating art into science is to hone…

An Exercise in Modelling Using the US Standard Atmosphere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LoPresto, Michael C.; Jacobs, Diane A.

2007-01-01

In this exercise the US Standard Atmosphere is used as "data" that a student is asked to model by deriving equations to reproduce it with the help of spreadsheet and graphing software. The exercise can be used as a laboratory or an independent study for a student of introductory physics to provide an introduction to scientific research…

Population Ecology (Organizational Ecology): An Experiential Exercise Demonstrating How Organizations in an Industry Are Born, Change, and Die

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacMillan, Karen; Komar, Jennifer

2018-01-01

This article describes a classroom exercise that is designed to help students understand the basic tenets of population ecology (also known as organizational ecology). The macro-level, longitudinal approach to understanding organizations can be difficult for students to conceptualize as it involves systems thinking. This exercise makes the theory…

"Mind Blown"--Including Exercise Science Students as Research Assistants to Reduce Ageist Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forlenza, Samuel T.; Bourassa, Dara

2017-01-01

The amount of older adults is increasing rapidly and the demands of an aging population will need to be met by professionals in many fields, including exercise science. However, many undergraduate students do not want to work with older adults. Therefore, this qualitative study sought to examine the experiences and perceptions of exercise science…

Symbols and Scrolls: Teaching Elementary Students about Historic Writing. Pull-out 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christensen, Lois M.

1999-01-01

Describes a unit for elementary students on the history and technology of writing from ancient to medieval times. Includes a contemporary writing and print exercise, an ancient and medieval writing exercise, a research activity on the evolution of writing, a biography study, a fine arts exercise, and a community survey. Addresses the unit…

Comparing the Use of the Interpersonal Computer, Personal Computer and Pen-and-Paper When Solving Arithmetic Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alcoholado, Cristián; Diaz, Anita; Tagle, Arturo; Nussbaum, Miguel; Infante, Cristián

2016-01-01

This study aims to understand the differences in student learning outcomes and classroom behaviour when using the interpersonal computer, personal computer and pen-and-paper to solve arithmetic exercises. In this multi-session experiment, third grade students working on arithmetic exercises from various curricular units were divided into three…

An exploratory study of the potential learning benefits for medical students in collaborative drawing: creativity, reflection and 'critical looking'.

PubMed

Lyon, Philippa; Letschka, Patrick; Ainsworth, Tom; Haq, Inam

2013-06-17

Building on a series of higher educational arts/medicine initiatives, an interdisciplinary drawing module themed on the human body was developed for both year 3 Craft students and year 3 Medicine degree students. This became the subject of a research project exploring how the collaborative approach to drawing adopted on this module impacted on the students' learning. In this article, emphasis is given to issues thought to have most potential relevance to medical education. Using an ethnographic research design, the methods adopted were: direct observation of all aspects of the module sessions, audio and video recordings and photographs of the sessions, the incorporation of a semi-structured discussion at the end of each session, and anonymous student questionnaires. A number of key themes emerged. The complex, phased and multi-sensory nature of the 'critical looking' skills developed through the drawing exercises was seen as of potential value in medical education, being proposed as analogous to processes involved in clinical examination and diagnosis. The experience of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing was significant to the students as a creative, participatory and responsive form of learning. The emphasis on the physical experience of drawing and the thematic use of the human body as drawing subject led to reflective discussions about bodily knowledge and understanding. There were indications that students had a meta-cognitive awareness of the learning shifts that had occurred and the sessions provoked constructive self-reflective explorations of pre-professional identity. This preliminary study suggests, through the themes identified, that there may be potential learning outcomes for medical students in this model of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing of the human body. Further research is needed to explore their applicability and value to medical education. There is a need to explore in more depth the beliefs, motivations and learning styles of medical students opting for the module, the significance and weighting of different learning and teaching elements in the module and the impact of the learning on medical students in the immediate post-module phase.

[The teaching of orthodontics in the opinion of students from Department of Dentistry of Pomeranian Medical University in the academic year of 2005/2006].

PubMed

Syryńska, Maria; Post, Marcin; Tsynkel, Pavel; Durka, Magdalena

2007-01-01

The aim of the paper was to get to know, collect and present information provided by students about classes from orthodontic and their opinion regarding the conduction of clinical and theoretical exercises. The study group was comprised of 69 fifth year students from the Department of Orthodontics of the Pomeranian Medical University. The material was collected by the use of an anonymous questionnaire distributed after the final exam from orthodontics. The questionnaire was created for the study and contained 6 questions. Most of the students have admitted that knowledge gained during the 4th year was useful on the 5th year and that the information presented on orthodontic seminars during the 5th year was beneficial in regard to clinical exercises. Graduates have admitted that they felt well prepared in the field of orthodontic profilaxis and removable appliances but not enough prepared in the field of fixed appliances, retention and the repair of damaged appliances. The number of patients on clinical exercises in most answers was rated as "enough". Most of the students have answered that the way of the exercises have been conducted in their groups was acceptable and the time on exercises has been properly used. Laboratory exercises and seminars on the 4th and 5th year of studies have supplemented the knowledge of students and prepared them for clinical work in orthodontics. Students have proved to be good observers when indicating the weak points of didactics.

Advanced GIS Exercise: Predicting Rainfall Erosivity Index Using Regression Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Post, Christopher J.; Goddard, Megan A.; Mikhailova, Elena A.; Hall, Steven T.

2006-01-01

Graduate students from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields are incorporating geographic information systems (GIS) analysis into their graduate research, creating a need for teaching methodologies that help students understand advanced GIS topics for use in their own research. Graduate-level GIS exercises help students understand…

A Human Development Workshop on Cultural Identity for International Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro-Abad, Cecilia

To provide international students at New Jersey's Brookdale Community College with exercises on cultural awareness, a Human Development Workshop on Cultural Identity has been designed. The workshop includes exercises on language, cultural relationships, cultural identity, and styles of achieving. The program is designed to help students feel free…

Applying Descriptive Statistics to Teaching the Regional Classification of Climate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindquist, Peter S.; Hammel, Daniel J.

1998-01-01

Describes an exercise for college and high school students that relates descriptive statistics to the regional climatic classification. The exercise introduces students to simple calculations of central tendency and dispersion, the construction and interpretation of scatterplots, and the definition of climatic regions. Forces students to engage…

FILILAB: Creation and Use of a Learning Object Repository for EFL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litzler, Mary Frances; Garcia Laborda, Jesus; Halbach, Ana

2012-01-01

Background: Students at the Universidad de Alcala need batteries of learning objects and exercises. Although student textbooks tend to include a wide range of additional exercises, students in advanced linguistics and language courses require learning objects to obtain additional practice. Online repositories offer excellent opportunities for…

What Medical Students Say about Psychiatry: Results of a Reflection Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Adam M.

2011-01-01

Objective: The author describes the results of a reflection exercise for psychiatry clerkship students. Method: The author performed a qualitative analysis on 100 "reflection" papers written by medical students in their psychiatry clerkship and identified the most prominent thematic content. Results: The most common thematic content involved…

Teaching Students How to Analyze and Adapt to Audiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiter, John S.; Gass, Robert H.

2007-01-01

This article describes an exercise that involves providing students with a basic understanding and demonstration of audience adaptation and then asking them to practice and evaluate the skill. In this exercise the instructor begins by providing students with background on analyzing and adapting to audiences. Then the instructor collects several…

Speed Pairs, a Spoken Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kishi, Adrienne

2017-01-01

While written exercises may serve students adequately on tests, the structures they emphasize can remain elusive or difficult for students to master in conversation. Students tend to interpret their difficulty in applying what they have learned as a lack of language ability, and they can quickly lose confidence when speaking. Producing a target…

Promoting Exercise and Physical Fitness in the Medical School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Jerome D.; And Others

1988-01-01

An elective course focusing on exercise physiology and cardiovascular fitness offered at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine consists of weekly lectures and student self-designed fitness programs. Student participation correlates with significantly increased levels of student maximum oxygen consumption, a moderate training effect.…

Using Visual Models as Pre-Reading Exercises in Teaching Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeker, Michael W.

Adapting strategies of invention from the new process-oriented rhetoric, the literature teacher can help students understand what they read through prereading exercises. Presenting students with an abstract model of a text's metaphoric structure, the teacher can spark students' immediate and imaginative response to the model, involving them…

From "Tinker" to "TLO": Are Civil Rights for Students Flunking in School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Thomas C.

1993-01-01

Traces legal balance in "Tinker" between Constitutional rights of students and caveat that these rights were secure only as exercise did not "interfere" with disciplinary processes of school. Cites changing political landscape; free exercise and establishment of religion; and search and seizure. Concludes that students appear…

Affordable Hands-On DNA Sequencing and Genotyping: An Exercise for Teaching DNA Analysis to Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Kushani; Thomas, Shelby; Stein, Arnold

2013-01-01

In this report, we describe a 5-week laboratory exercise for undergraduate biology and biochemistry students in which students learn to sequence DNA and to genotype their DNA for selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Students use miniaturized DNA sequencing gels that require approximately 8 min to run. The students perform G, A, T, C…

Just-in-Time Teaching Exercises to Engage Students in an Introductory-Level Dinosaur Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guertin, Laura A.; Zappe, Sarah E.; Kim, Heeyoung

2007-01-01

The Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) technique allows students to be engaged in course material outside of the classroom by answering web-based questions. The responses are summarized and presented to students in class with a follow-up active learning exercise. College students enrolled in an introductory-level general education geoscience course were…

Creative Exercises in General Chemistry: A Student-Centered Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Scott E.; Shaw, Janet L.; Freeman, Kathryn A.

2010-01-01

Creative exercises (CEs) are a form of assessment in which students are given a prompt and asked to write down as many distinct, correct, and relevant facts about the prompt as they can. Students receive credit for each fact that they include that is related to the prompt and distinct from the other facts they list. With CEs, students have an…

"Business Ethics Everywhere": An Experiential Exercise to Develop Students' Ability to Identify and Respond to Ethical Issues in Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Susan D.; Comer, Debra R.

2012-01-01

This article introduces an experiential exercise that enhances students' ability to identify ethical issues and to respond to them in ways that consider the relationship between organizational factors and ethical action. Students identify a required number of ethical incidents in their workplaces during a specified period. Students submit a…

The Math You Need at Trinity College, Hartford CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiss, C. E.

2011-12-01

Trinity College is a small, private, highly selective liberal arts college with approximately 2400 students. Most students have relatively well developed quantitative skills, but many are nevertheless insecure about their abilities and reluctant to engage in courses that stress quantitative content. I have used The Math You Need (TMYN) modules in an introductory geology course which serves both majors and non-majors in Trinity's Environmental Science Program. This dual audience makes the introduction of quantitative exercises labor intensive and challenging for both students and instructor. TMYN was introduced to a) offer the students an independent support structure outside of class and to b) free up some class and office hour time that would have been spent on mathematical background information. THMY was added to the course as a set of homework assignments preceding related laboratory exercises and homework assignments. During the semester most feedback regarding TMYN was negative. Some outspoken students either saw it as additional busywork or generally disliked "being taught by a computer". A review of pre- and post-test data, however, revealed that the exercises improved students' quantitative skills. Furthermore, in the assignments most students ranked the exercises as useful and rewarding. These positive results were relatively independent of student skill levels.

Partial polarization: a comprehensive student exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topasna, Gregory A.; Topasna, Daniela M.

2015-10-01

We present a comprehensive student exercise in partial polarization. Students are first introduced to the concept of partial polarization using Fresnel Equations. Next, MATHCAD is used to compute and graph the reflectance for dielectrics materials. The students then design and construct a simple, easy to use collimated light source for their experiment, which is performed on an optical breadboard using optical components typically found in an optics lab above the introductory level. The students obtain reflection data that is compared with their model by a nonlinear least square fit using EXCEL. Sources of error and uncertainty are discussed and students present a final written report. In this one exercise students learn how an experiment is constructed "from the ground up". They gain practical experience on data modeling and analysis, working with optical equipment, machining and construction, and preparing a final presentation.

Use of a paper-cut as an adjunct to teaching the Whipple procedure by video.

PubMed

Mann, B D; Heath, C M; Gracely, E; Seidman, A; Nieman, L Z; Sachdeva, A K

1998-10-01

Medical students often experience difficulty comprehending anatomic relationships of complex operations to which they are exposed during surgical clerkship. Pancreaticoduodenectomy, the Whipple procedure, is one such operation. Although video recordings are available to facilitate the learning of the Whipple procedure, commercially available tapes are not self-explanatory to the uninitiated. Since we have previously demonstrated that third-year medical students could learn the operative steps of inguinal herniorraphy by a paper-cutting exercise, we set out to determine whether an exercise of similar design could enhance a student's comprehension of the Whipple procedure. Using Adobe Illustrator 5.5 for MacIntosh, an exercise was developed on a 8.5 x 11-inch paper that could be distributed to students for self-administration. The exercise was performed using a #15 scalpel or an iris scissors. Thirty-seven students were randomized into two groups. Each student received a pretest of questions focusing on the Whipple procedure. Group I was shown an 18-minute commercially available teaching video on the Whipple procedure. Group II was given the Whipple origami exercise, which required 20 minutes to complete. A first posttest was administered to each group. Next, the groups switched exercises, and a second posttest was administered. There was no significant difference between the groups' pretest scores (two-tailed t test, P = 0.290). Group I improved its score from an average of 64.21 (SD 14.27) to 67.89 (SD 13.16) after watching the video, and further to 77.89 (SD 14.37) after completing the paper-cut exercise. Group II improved from 60.00 (SD 9.43) to 78.95 (SD 11.00) after performing the paper-cut, but derived no additional measurable benefit from watching the video, average score 74.74 (SD 18.37). After the first exercise, students who performed the paper-cut showed a significantly greater improvement in test scores compared with students who saw the video (P = 0.0035 by Mann-Whitney U). After both groups had completed the exercises, the mean changes from baseline were no longer significantly different (P = 0.58 by Mann-Whitney U). As a single educational intervention, the paper-cut exercise was a more effective teaching device than the video in the given time frame. The origami model may be generalized to a variety of surgical procedures and appears to be a valuable adjunct to traditional teaching.

Are Your Cells Pregnant? Relating Biology Laboratory Exercises to Everyday Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Simon J.; Banner, Lisa R.

2001-01-01

Presents a laboratory exercise that allows students to investigate the principles of hormone release from endocrine cells, which is highly relevant to students' everyday lives. (Contains 17 references.) (ASK)

Manual and computer-aided materials selection for industrial production: An exercise in decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bates, Seth P.

1990-01-01

Students are introduced to methods and concepts for systematic selection and evaluation of materials which are to be used to manufacture specific products in industry. For this laboratory exercise, students are asked to work in groups to identify and describe a product, then to proceed through the process to select a list of three candidates to make the item from. The exercise draws on knowledge of mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, common materials test techniques, and resource management skills in finding and assessing property data. A very important part of the exercise is the students' introduction to decision making algorithms, and learning how to apply them to a complex decision making process.

The Role of Macronutrients in Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arterberry, Christopher M.

2002-01-01

Explores the role of macronutrients in exercise, examining research pertaining to exercise intensity, exercise duration, macronutrient intake, and mode of exercise as they pertain to both athletes and recreational exercisers. The paper explains that coaches and trainers must interpret and apply research findings to individual exercisers,…

A multi-instructor, team-based, active-learning exercise to integrate basic and clinical sciences content.

PubMed

Kolluru, Srikanth; Roesch, Darren M; Akhtar de la Fuente, Ayesha

2012-03-12

To introduce a multiple-instructor, team-based, active-learning exercise to promote the integration of basic sciences (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry) and clinical sciences in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum. A team-based learning activity that involved pre-class reading assignments, individual-and team-answered multiple-choice questions, and evaluation and discussion of a clinical case, was designed, implemented, and moderated by 3 faculty members from the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice departments. Student performance was assessed using a multiple-choice examination, an individual readiness assurance test (IRAT), a team readiness assurance test (TRAT), and a subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) note. Student attitudes were assessed using a pre- and post-exercise survey instrument. Students' understanding of possible correct treatment strategies for depression improved. Students were appreciative of this true integration of basic sciences knowledge in a pharmacotherapy course and to have faculty members from both disciplines present to answer questions. Mean student score on the on depression module for the examination was 80.4%, indicating mastery of the content. An exercise led by multiple instructors improved student perceptions of the importance of team-based teaching. Integrated teaching and learning may be achieved when instructors from multiple disciplines work together in the classroom using proven team-based, active-learning exercises.

Teaching About CO2 as a Climate Regulator During the Phanerozoic and Today

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

St John, K. K.; Krissek, L. A.; Jones, M. H.; Leckie, R. M.; Pound, K. S.

2010-12-01

As part of the NSF-funded CCLI Type 1 project “Building Core Knowledge - Reconstructing Earth History”, this new four-part student-active learning exercise explores how the exchange of carbon into and out of the atmosphere is a primary factor in regulating climate over timescales of years to millions of years. In Part 1, students make initial observations about the short term global carbon cycle, its reservoirs, and the rates of carbon transfer from one reservoir to another. In Part 2, students investigate how CO2 directly and indirectly affects temperature. This understanding is developed though quantitative analysis of the changes in radiative forcing of CO2 and other factors (e.g., land surface albedo) between 1750 and 2005 based on IPCC climate models, and by constructing qualitative logic scenarios of positive and negative feedbacks in Earth’s climate system. In Part 3, students examine instrumental and ice core records of atmospheric CO2 levels, and identify which parts of the carbon cycle are most important at regulating climate over historical time periods. In Part 4, students, investigate the long-term global carbon cycle, CO2, and Phanerozoic climate history. Using proxy data and general circulation model results they identify Greenhouse and Icehouse times, and place modern climate change in a geologic context. The exercise set is designed for use in introductory undergraduate geoscience classes, either as a series of separate 30 to 60-minute in-class activities, as a single concentrated lab activity, or as homework assignments. In addition to developing content knowledge about CO2 as a climate regulator during the Phanerozoic and today, students also develop and practice their skills in making observations, interpreting data from graphs and tables, performing calculations, differentiating and making connections between processes and results, identifying scientific uncertainties, and communicating scientific results. This exercise set is currently being classroom tested, and is part of a larger undergraduate curriculum called “Building Core Knowledge - Reconstructing Earth History”, which uses authentic data to teach anchor concepts of climate change through sediment core archives (NSF Grant # 0737335).

Medical students' health behaviour and self-reported mental health status by their country of origin: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Terebessy, András; Czeglédi, Edit; Balla, Bettina Claudia; Horváth, Ferenc; Balázs, Péter

2016-05-28

Numerous previous studies have investigated the lifestyle and self-perceived health status of medical students. This study examined whether students' country of origin contributed to their mental health and health risk behaviour. We conducted our cross-sectional questionnaire survey over four consecutive years (2009-2012). The target population was fourth-year English- and Hungarian-language course medical students at Semmelweis University, Hungary. We gathered data on medical students' health behaviour (tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary habits and exercise) and mental health status and used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine the association between country of origin and mental health. The response rate was 76.1 % for the Hungarian and 63.4 % for the English course students. The mean age of our sample was 24.1 years (SD = 2.42). Only 15.3 % of students reported following dietary recommendations, but 75.0 % reported engaging in vigorous and regular physical exercise. The prevalence of tobacco smoking was 18.6 % and 13.8 % overconsumed alcoholic beverages. Hungarian and Iranian students reported lower mental well-being than Mediterranean, Israeli and Scandinavian students (F(4) = 18.943, p < 0.001, η(2) = 0.103). Results of the multiway ANOVA indicated that both country of origin and exercise showed a significant relationship with mental health: vigorous exercise was associated with better mental health status (F(1) = 5.505, p = 0.019). Medical students' mental health and health behaviour are associated with multiple factors. One of these is country of origin but exercise may also influence mental health. Health promotion programmes organised for medical students should take their country of origin into consideration and should include physical activity.

The role of exercise and gender for physical self-perceptions and importance ratings in Swedish university students.

PubMed

Lindwall, Magnus; Hassmén, Peter

2004-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how scores on the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP), including scores on the Perceived Importance Profile (PIP), were related to self-reported exercise frequency, duration, and gender in sample of Swedish university students. A total of 164 participants completed the PSPP, PIP, and a questionnaire focusing on frequency and duration of exercise. Exercise frequency, duration, and gender predicted best the PSPP sub-domains of Sport Competence and Physical Conditioning. Exercising more frequently, and for a longer time on each occasion was associated with higher PSPP and PIP scores. Women generally displayed lower PSPP scores than men. These results suggest that exercise professionals need to master a range of appropriate exercise strategies, since doubts concerning self-presentation may work against establishing a regular exercise routine.

Exercise caution: Over-exercise is associated with suicidality among individuals with disordered eating

PubMed Central

Smith, April R.; Fink, Erin L.; Anestis, Michael D.; Ribeiro, Jessica D.; Gordon, Kathryn H.; Davis, Heather; Keel, Pamela K.; Bardone-Cone, Anna M.; Peterson, Carol B.; Klein, Marjorie H.; Crow, Scott; Mitchell, James E.; Crosby, Ross D.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; le Grange, Daniel; Joiner, Thomas E.

2017-01-01

We conducted four studies to examine the relationship between over-exercise and suicidality. Study 1 investigated whether over-exercise predicted suicidal behavior after controlling for other eating disorder behaviors in a patient sample of 204 women (144 with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) Bulimia Nervosa [BN]). Study 2 tested the prospective association between over-exercise and acquired capability for suicide (ACS) in a sample of 171 college students followed for 3–4 weeks. Study 3 investigated whether pain insensitivity accounted for the relationship between over-exercise and ACS in a new sample of 467 college students. Study 4 tested whether ACS accounted for the relationship between over-exercise and suicidal behavior in a sample of 512 college students. In Study 1, after controlling for key covariates, over-exercise was the only disordered eating variable that maintained a significant relationship with suicidal behavior. In Study 2, Time 1 over-exercise was the only disordered eating behavior that was associated with Time 2 ACS. In Study 3, pain insensitivity accounted for the relationship between over-exercise and ACS. In Study 4, ACS accounted for the relationship between over-exercise and suicidal behavior. Over-exercise appears to be associated with suicidal behavior, an association accounted for by pain insensitivity and the acquired capability for suicide; notably, this association was found across a series of four studies with different populations. PMID:23219104

A One-Pot Synthesis of m-Terphenyls: A Guided Exploration of Reaction Chemistry, Chromatography, and Spectroscopy. A Miniproject for the Advanced Organic Chemistry Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anam, Kishorekumar T.; Curtis, Michael P.; Irfan, Muhammad J.; Johnson, Michael P.; Royer, Andrew P.; Shahmohammadi, Kianor; Vinod, Thottumkara K.

2002-05-01

This four-week project-based laboratory exercise, developed for advanced organic chemistry students, involves a one-pot synthesis of m-terphenyls. Chemistry of aryl diazonium salts and Grignard reagents and reactivity of aryne intermediates toward nucleophilic reagents form the reaction chemistry basis for the project. The project exposes students to a number of important laboratory techniques (thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and column chromatography) for monitoring reaction progress and product isolation. A variety of spectroscopic techniques, including IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and attached proton test are used for product characterization. Students are also introduced to a useful empirical relationship to help predict (with considerable accuracy) the 13C chemical shift values of carbon atoms of substituted benzenes.

Making Connections to Real Data and Peer-Review Literature: A Short Soil Exercise in a Geochemistry Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutiérrez, Mélida; Baker, Becky

2013-01-01

A class exercise was designed for a college-level geochemistry class to promote inquiry and student participation. In this exercise, real soil data available online was analyzed to evaluate geochemical associations among different soil orders and as a screening tool for anthropogenic metal contamination. Students were asked to read a peer-reviewed…

An Out-of-School Practical Exercise: An Examination of Different DNA Methylation Conditions Using a Restriction Assay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyduck, Birgit; Harms, Ute

2015-01-01

Our out-of-school practical exercise was designed to bring upper secondary school students in contact with one of the most exciting and expanding topics in biology today: epigenetics. In school, students only study the basics in genetics and the respective investigation techniques as provided by the syllabus. For a practical exercise in…

Using the RPE-Talk Scale to Individualize Physical Activity for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nye, Susan B.; Todd, M. Kent

2013-01-01

For some students, self-selecting a pace during exercise may not provide enough of a physical challenge. Others push themselves so hard that they tire out before they can experience the benefits of exercise. In order to improve self-monitoring of exercise intensity, a variety of tools using the perception of effort and the ability to talk while…

Appreciative Inquiry and Autonomy-Supportive Classes in Business Education: A Semilongitudinal Study of AI in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conklin, Thomas A.; Hartman, Nathan S.

2014-01-01

In this article, we describe 10 separate classroom experiences where an appreciative inquiry (AI) exercise was used for course creation. Post-exercise surveys of students showed that the AI exercise was perceived to be a successful practice. Students indicated putting effort toward reaching their peak learning experience and were satisfied with…

Using sentence combining in technical writing classes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosner, M.; Paul, T.

1981-01-01

Sentence combining exercises are advanced as a way to teach technical writing style without reliance upon abstractions, from which students do not learn. Such exercises: (1) give students regular writing practice; (2) teach the logic of sentence structure, sentence editing, and punctuation; (3) paragraph development and organization; and (4) rhetorical stance. Typical sentence, paragraph, and discourse level sentence combining exercises are described.

The Bottom Line: An Exercise to Help Students Understand How Social Inequality Is Actively Constructed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abelev, Melissa; Vincent, M. Bess; Haney, Timothy J.

2008-01-01

One of the important misconceptions in the American view of poverty is that people are poor because they do not work. This article presents an exercise, the "bottom line," which helps dispel students' misconceptions about the working poor. Through extensive primary-data collection and assembling a budget for low-skilled workers, the exercise: (1)…

How to Generate Understanding of the Scientific Process in Introductory Biology: A Student-Designed Laboratory Exercise on Yeast Fermentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Linda T.; Bell, Rebekah P.

2004-01-01

Heavy faculty teaching loads and limited funds biology teachers designed certain objectives in order to increase the understandability of the subject matter of the laboratory exercises they write. In relation to these objectives an old "cookbook" laboratory exercise on yeast fermentation is introduced which involve students asking questions,…

A Novel Active-Learning Protein Purification Exercise for Large-Enrollment Introductory Biochemistry Courses Using the CHROM Web Applet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrette-Ng, Isabelle H.; Usher, Ken C.

2013-01-01

The CHROM Web applet has been used to create a new active-learning exercise in which students design a purification scheme for a recombinant protein using ion-exchange chromatography (IEC). To successfully complete the exercise, students are challenged to apply elementary concepts from acid-base chemistry as well as protein and amino acid…

Medical students' essay-writing skills: criteria-based self- and tutor-evaluation and the role of language background.

PubMed

Chur-Hansen, A

2000-03-01

An exercise is described which aimed to make clear to first-year undergraduate medical students the expected writing skills required for an essay examination in one discipline. Many students were from a non-English speaking background and over one-third of students, regardless of language background, had limited experience in this type of essay writing. For this exercise, a practice essay was written by each student for formative assessment. The essay was rated by a tutor and by the student according to well-defined criteria. This allowed for comparisons to be made in a structured and objective way between the judgements of the student and the assessor. Students found the exercise to be very useful, although whether essay writing skills actually improved could not be established. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds tended to be most harsh in their self-evaluations, yet tutor-evaluations generally showed these students to have better writing skills than other students. Indeed, correlations between self- and tutor-evaluations were quite low. It is evident that students and their educators may be unclear about each others' expectations. By making explicit the requirements of an exercise, misunderstandings may be minimized and it is possible that student performance could improve, though further research is required to verify these hypotheses. It is suggested that students should be encouraged to evaluate their own work and should be instructed in writing skills throughout their medical degree education.

Association Between Exercise Participation and Quality of Sleep and Life Among University Students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Shih-Pei; Shih, Kuo-Sen; Chi, Chung-Pu; Chang, Chin-Ming; Hwang, Kai-Lin; Chen, Yu-Hsuan

2016-05-01

This cross-sectional survey study examined exercise, sleep quality, and quality of life (QOL) in 1230 Taiwanese university students. Compared with women, men had higher body mass index (BMI) (22.3 ± 4.1 vs 20.7 ± 3.5 kg/m(2)), higher exercise frequency (2.6 ± 1.7 vs 2.0 ± 1.4 d/wk), better sleep quality (global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index 6.0 ± 2.8 vs 6.5 ± 2.7), better physical QOL (physical component summary 52.7 ± 6.2 vs 51.7 ± 6.6), and higher reporting of good self-perceived health (62.2% vs 43.3%) (P <01). However, gender differences were nonsignificant after multivariable adjustment. Exercise frequency, sleep quality, and QOL were significantly intercorrelated. After multivariable adjustment, self-perceived health and satisfaction with exercise participation predicted quality of sleep and QOL (P <01). Exercise frequency was positively correlated (P =012), and exercise intensity was negatively associated (P <001) with physical QOL. In conclusion, those who regularly exercised (at least 1 d/wk or 2.5 h/wk) had better QOL. Students with better self-perceived health or satisfaction with exercise participation also had better quality of sleep and better QOL. © 2016 APJPH.

Learning by Doing: A Practical Foreign Language Classroom Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carton-Caprio, Dana

1975-01-01

A shopping exercise for the foreign language classroom is described. In this exercise, students contribute unused items, "money" is provided, and the students then set up stores and buy and sell the items. (RM)

Perceptions about exercise and intrinsic motivation of students attending a health-related physical education program.

PubMed

Papacharisis, Vassilios; Goudas, Marios

2003-12-01

The present study examined effects of sex, attitude towards physical activity, perceived barriers for participation in physical activity, and students' perception of their parents' participation in physical activity on the intrinsic motivation of students participating in a health related program in physical education. 643 students (303 boys and 340 girls) responded to questionnaires measuring intrinsic motivation, attitudes towards physical activity, perceived barriers to exercise and perceived parents' participation in physical activity. Mean age was 12.9 yr. (SD=1.2, range 11-14 years). Analysis indicated that students' intrinsic motivation towards the program was influenced by perceived barriers to exercise. Sex, attitudes towards physical activity, and perceived parents' participation in physical activity seem to be less important.

Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a college student social network.

PubMed

Barnett, Nancy P; Ott, Miles Q; Rogers, Michelle L; Loxley, Michelle; Linkletter, Crystal; Clark, Melissa A

2014-10-01

Substance use and exercise have opposite trajectories in young adulthood, and research indicates that peers are influential for both of these health behaviors, but simultaneous investigations of peer associations with substance use and exercise have not been conducted. Use a college residence hall peer network to examine associations between peer behaviors and alcohol use, marijuana use, and exercise behavior. 129 undergraduates (51.9% female, 48.1% non-Hispanic White; 84.5% first-year students) in one residence hall completed a Web-based survey of substance use and exercise and identified up to 10 students in the residence hall who were important to them. Two social network analytic methods, community detection cluster analysis and network autocorrelation modeling, were used to identify peer groupings and to examine the associations between peer and participant behaviors, respectively. Participants nominated an average of 4.1 residence hall members, and 53.9% of the ties were reciprocal. 6 clusters were identified that differed significantly on demographics, college activities, substance use, and exercise. Weekly volume of alcohol consumed among nominated peers was significantly associated with that of participants, and all other covariates, including gender and athlete status, were not significant. Peer marijuana use also was associated with participant use after controlling for covariates. Exercise levels of nominated peers were not associated with exercise levels of participants. College student networks may be good targets for health-related prevention programs. Programs that use close-proximity peers to influence the behavior of others might be more effective with substance use as the target behavior than exercise.

iVFTs - immersive virtual field trips for interactive learning about Earth's environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruce, G.; Anbar, A. D.; Semken, S. C.; Summons, R. E.; Oliver, C.; Buxner, S.

2014-12-01

Innovations in immersive interactive technologies are changing the way students explore Earth and its environment. State-of-the-art hardware has given developers the tools needed to capture high-resolution spherical content, 360° panoramic video, giga-pixel imagery, and unique viewpoints via unmanned aerial vehicles as they explore remote and physically challenging regions of our planet. Advanced software enables integration of these data into seamless, dynamic, immersive, interactive, content-rich, and learner-driven virtual field explorations, experienced online via HTML5. These surpass conventional online exercises that use 2-D static imagery and enable the student to engage in these virtual environments that are more like games than like lectures. Grounded in the active learning of exploration, inquiry, and application of knowledge as it is acquired, users interact non-linearly in conjunction with an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). The integration of this system allows the educational experience to be adapted to each individual student as they interact within the program. Such explorations, which we term "immersive virtual field trips" (iVFTs), are being integrated into cyber-learning allowing science teachers to take students to scientifically significant but inaccessible environments. Our team and collaborators are producing a diverse suite of freely accessible, iVFTs to teach key concepts in geology, astrobiology, ecology, and anthropology. Topics include Early Life, Biodiversity, Impact craters, Photosynthesis, Geologic Time, Stratigraphy, Tectonics, Volcanism, Surface Processes, The Rise of Oxygen, Origin of Water, Early Civilizations, Early Multicellular Organisms, and Bioarcheology. These diverse topics allow students to experience field sites all over the world, including, Grand Canyon (USA), Flinders Ranges (Australia), Shark Bay (Australia), Rainforests (Panama), Teotihuacan (Mexico), Upheaval Dome (USA), Pilbara (Australia), Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Iceland), and Mauna Kea (Hawaii). iVFTs are being beta-tested and used at ASU in several large-enrollment courses to assess its usability and effectiveness in meeting specific learning objectives. We invite geoscience educators to partake of this resource and find new applications to their own teaching.

The Quantitative Effect of Students Using Podcasts in a First Year Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abt, Grant; Barry, Tim

2007-01-01

This study reports the quantitative effect of students using podcasts in a 1st year undergraduate exercise physiology module. From a cohort of 70 students, 50 volunteered and completed the study. Using a pre-post random allocation research design, students were allocated to either a podcast group (PG) or control group (CG) based on a 32-question…

Comparison of two exercise programs on general well-being of college students.

PubMed

Bass, Martha A; Enochs, Wendy K; DiBrezzo, Ro

2002-12-01

Responses to life stressors are associated with negative behaviors that may increase risk for illness and injury. The effect of high intensity exercise in reducing reactivity to psychological stress has been well documented among older people. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of weight-training versus aerobic dance on psychological stress in college students. 45 students participated in a weight-training course, 35 students participated in aerobic dance classes, and 34 students served as a control group. The Survey of Recent Life Experiences was used to appraise stressfulness of current experiences before and after exercise intervention. On immediate retest after 8 wk. of weight-training perceived stress was significantly reduced when compared with an 8-wk. aerobic dance program, but there were no significant differences between the control group and the weight-training group or the aerobic dance group. These results suggest that a regular routine of low intensity exercise such as weight-training may reduce perceived stress on an immediate test.

The importance of supporting adolescents' autonomy in promoting physical-sport exercise.

PubMed

Moreno-Murcia, Juan Antonio; Hernández, Elisa Huéscar

2013-01-01

This study was conducted toward the objective of analyzing certain factors that influence physical activity in Spanish adolescent students using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; 2000) as a framework. Participants included 698 physical education students whose perception of the autonomy support provided by their teachers was assessed in and out of the class context. Also assessed were social goals of responsibility and relationship with others, basic psychological needs, and intrinsic motivation, which is part of self-determination theory (SDT). Finally, the "intention" factor posited by the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and students' rate of exercise in the last twelve months were considered. The results of structural equations modeling suggest autonomy education, autonomy support, and social goals positively predicted certain psychological mediators, which in turn positively predicted students' intrinsic motivation, which was a positive predictor of intention, and that of rate of exercise. The results also highlight the benefit of promoting autonomy to enhance students' physical exercise practice.

Race and Sex Differences in College Student Physical Activity Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, Laura H.; Raedeke, Thomas D.

2009-01-01

Objectives: To assess sex/race differences on psychosocial correlates of physical activity among college students. Methods: Survey research protocol. Results: Students (n = 636) exercised an average of 3.5 days per week, with black females being the least active. Across subgroups, health/fitness was rated as the most important motive for exercise,…

Promoting Active Learning by Practicing the "Self-Assembly" of Model Analytical Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Algar, W. Russ; Krull, Ulrich J.

2010-01-01

In our upper-year instrumental analytical chemistry course, we have developed "cut-and-paste" exercises where students "build" models of analytical instruments from individual schematic images of components. These exercises encourage active learning by students. Instead of trying to memorize diagrams, students are required to think deeply about…

Use of Concept Mapping in an Undergraduate Introductory Exercise Physiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henige, Kim

2012-01-01

Physiology is often considered a challenging course for students. It is up to teachers to structure courses and create learning opportunities that will increase the chance of student success. In an undergraduate exercise physiology course, concept maps are assigned to help students actively process and organize information into manageable and…

Does Formative Assessment Improve Student Learning and Performance in Soil Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopittke, Peter M.; Wehr, J. Bernhard; Menzies, Neal W.

2012-01-01

Soil science students are required to apply knowledge from a range of disciplines to unfamiliar scenarios to solve complex problems. To encourage deep learning (with student performance an indicator of learning), a formative assessment exercise was introduced to a second-year soil science subject. For the formative assessment exercise, students…

Measuring Perceived Benefits and Perceived Barriers for Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Seth A.

2005-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties and relationship to physical activity levels of the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS) among college students. Methods: A total of 398 college students completed the EBBS and a measure of self-efficacy, the Physical Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale. In addition, a subsample of 275 students also…

How to Motivate Students to Study before They Enter the Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pogacnik, Lea; Cigic, Blaz

2006-01-01

Laboratory exercises constitute an important part of chemical and biochemical courses at the university level. Nevertheless, students frequently are insufficiently prepared for the practical work, which often reduces their work to the level of a technician. A system designed to motivate students to study prior to the laboratory exercise was…

The Five-Year Resume: A Career Planning Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laker, Dennis R.; Laker, Ruth

2007-01-01

For most college students, lack of career planning wastes time and resources and may result in years of "career drift." Lack of planning can also lead to deception once students begin seeking career-related employment. Faced with a competitive job market, some students inflate and exaggerate their resumes. The five-year resume exercise helps…

Dye Degradation by Fungi: An Exercise in Applied Science for Biology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lefebvre, Daniel D.; Chenaux, Peter; Edwards, Maureen

2005-01-01

An easily implemented practical exercise in applied science for biology students is presented that uses fungi to degrade an azo-dye. This is an example of bioremediation, the employment of living organisms to detoxify or contain pollutants. Its interdisciplinary nature widens students' perspectives of biology by exposing them to a chemical…

Role-Reversal Exercise with Deaf Strong Hospital to Teach Communication Competency and Cultural Awareness

PubMed Central

Parkhill, Amy L.; Schlehofer, Deirdre A.; Starr, Matthew J.; Barnett, Steven

2011-01-01

Objective To implement a role-reversal exercise to increase first-year pharmacy students' awareness of communication barriers in the health care setting, especially for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. Design Volunteers from the local deaf community conducted Deaf Strong Hospital, a role-reversal exercise in which students were the “patients.” Students navigated through a reception area, encounter with a physician, and having a prescription filled at a pharmacy without receiving or using any spoken language. Assessment A debriefing session was held in which small groups of students had the opportunity to ask questions of a panel of deaf and hard-of-hearing volunteers. On a survey administered to assess students' learning, 97% agreed or strongly agreed that the experience would likely impact their attitudes and behavior in future interactions with patients who did not speak English. Conclusions The role-reversal exercise was an effective method of teaching students that the delivery of health care is dependent on adequate communication between health care providers and the patient. PMID:21655407

Fundamentals of microfluidics for high school students with no prior knowledge of fluid mechanics.

PubMed

Tandon, Vishal; Peck, Walter

2013-01-01

Three microfluidics-based laboratory exercises were developed and implemented in a high school science classroom setting. The first exercise demonstrated ways in which flows are characterized, including viscosity, turbulence, shear stress, reversibility, compressibility, and hydrodynamic resistance. Students characterized flows in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices in the other two exercises, where they observed the mixing characteristics of laminar flows, and conservation of volumetric flow rate for incompressible flows. In surveys, the students self-reported increased knowledge of microfluidics, and an improved attitude toward science and nanotechnology.

An exploratory study of the potential learning benefits for medical students in collaborative drawing: creativity, reflection and ‘critical looking’

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Building on a series of higher educational arts/medicine initiatives, an interdisciplinary drawing module themed on the human body was developed for both year 3 Craft students and year 3 Medicine degree students. This became the subject of a research project exploring how the collaborative approach to drawing adopted on this module impacted on the students’ learning. In this article, emphasis is given to issues thought to have most potential relevance to medical education. Methods Using an ethnographic research design, the methods adopted were: direct observation of all aspects of the module sessions, audio and video recordings and photographs of the sessions, the incorporation of a semi-structured discussion at the end of each session, and anonymous student questionnaires. Results A number of key themes emerged. The complex, phased and multi-sensory nature of the ‘critical looking’ skills developed through the drawing exercises was seen as of potential value in medical education, being proposed as analogous to processes involved in clinical examination and diagnosis. The experience of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing was significant to the students as a creative, participatory and responsive form of learning. The emphasis on the physical experience of drawing and the thematic use of the human body as drawing subject led to reflective discussions about bodily knowledge and understanding. There were indications that students had a meta-cognitive awareness of the learning shifts that had occurred and the sessions provoked constructive self-reflective explorations of pre-professional identity. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests, through the themes identified, that there may be potential learning outcomes for medical students in this model of interdisciplinary collaborative drawing of the human body. Further research is needed to explore their applicability and value to medical education. There is a need to explore in more depth the beliefs, motivations and learning styles of medical students opting for the module, the significance and weighting of different learning and teaching elements in the module and the impact of the learning on medical students in the immediate post-module phase. PMID:23773830

Earliest Recollections and Birth Order: Two Adlerian Exercises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrott, Les

1992-01-01

Presents two exercises designed to demonstrate the influence of two Adlerian principles on personality. Includes exercises dealing with birth order and earliest recollection. Concludes that the exercises actively demonstrate major concepts for counseling courses in Adlerian psychotherapy. Reports that students rated both exercises highly, with…

Poor Physical Performance is Associated with Obesity Among University Students in China.

PubMed

Du, Tianhua; Zhu, Ergang; Jiao, Suhua

2017-05-05

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between physical performance and BMI (body mass index) of university students in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study evaluating the physical performance and BMI of university students. BMI was calculated based on height and weight. Overweight and obesity were defined by the Working Group on Obesity references in China. RESULTS A total of 2313 participants (978 males and 1335 females) were recruited in our study. The mean value of the 50-meter dash and standing long jump in male students was higher than in female students (P<0.05). The overall prevalences of overweight (including obesity) and obesity for male students were 17.9% and 4.2%, respectively, and 5.1% and 0.5%, respectively, for female university students. BMI was weakly positively associated with the 50-meter dash score, but was negatively associated with the score for standing long jump and pull-ups. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that overweight and obesity are associated with physical performance of university students, especially in male students. University students should exercise more to improve physical health.

Medical Student Stress, Burnout and Depression in Trinidad and Tobago.

PubMed

Youssef, Farid F

2016-02-01

Health-care workers in developed nations are well known to experience high levels of burnout and psychiatric morbidity, but little information is available from the Caribbean and other less well-developed regions. This study sought to explore the prevalence of stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms and associated risk factors among medical students in Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost Caribbean island. A cross-sectional survey design was used to sample students. Data was collected utilizing standardized questionnaires that assess stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms. Demographic data and information pertaining to potential risk factors was also gathered. Overall, 450 questionnaires were distributed and analysis was performed upon 381 completed surveys (response rate 85%). Students demonstrated high levels of stress and a significant prevalence of burnout (52%) and depressive symptoms (40%). Final year students demonstrated higher levels of burnout and depressive symptoms. Students who (i) felt they lacked emotional support, (ii) had little opportunity for relaxation and exercise, and (iii) did not feel they had control of their daily schedule all demonstrated higher levels of burnout and depressive symptoms. However, students who practiced from a faith base and considered their religion important demonstrated lower levels of both. Medical students in Trinidad and Tobago are experiencing high levels of stress with a large proportion suffering from burnout and depressive symptoms. These data suggest that immediate interventions are necessary to help students cope with the challenges faced during medical school. Additionally, more research is needed to explore the potential causal links between burnout and depression during medical school and the effectiveness of tailored interventions especially within the context of developing nations.

Validation of the exercise and eating disorder questionnaire in males with and without eating disorders.

PubMed

Danielsen, Marit; Bjørnelv, Sigrid; Bratberg, Grete Helen; Rø, Øyvind

2018-05-01

The need to consider gender when studying exercise in eating disorder (ED) has been underscored. The study aimed to test the psychometric properties and factor structure of the exercise and eating disorder (EED) questionnaire for males with and without ED, to highlight gender differences, and to explore issues relevant for a male version of the EED questionnaire. This cross sectional study included 258 male participants: 55 ED patients (inpatients and outpatients) and 203 student controls. The patient group consisted of 54.5% (n = 30) with AN, 18.2% (n = 10) with BN, 27.2% (n = 15) with unspecified ED. The ED sample was treated as transdiagnostic in all analyses. t Tests, chi-square test, correlations analyses, and a principal component analysis were conducted. The analyses confirmed that the EED questionnaire had adequate psychometric properties, and a four-factor solution: (a) compulsive exercise, (b) positive and healthy exercise, (c) awareness of bodily signals, and (d) weight and shape exercise. The questionnaire discriminated significantly (p < .01- < .001) between patients and controls on the global score, subscales, and 16 out of 18 individual items. Convergent validity was demonstrated by high correlations between the EED questionnaire and the eating disorder examination questionnaire (r = .65). The results indicated that the EED questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for males. It is a clinically derived, self-report questionnaire to assess compulsive exercise among ED patients, regarding attitudes and thoughts toward compulsive exercise and identification of treatment targets and priorities. © 2018 The Authors International Journal of Eating Disorders Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in an undergraduate exercise physiology course.

PubMed

Nybo, Lars; May, Michael

2015-06-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of changing a laboratory physiology course for undergraduate students from a traditional step-by-step guided structure to an inquiry-based approach. With this aim in mind, quantitative and qualitative evaluations of learning outcomes (individual subject-specific tests and group interviews) were performed for a laboratory course in cardiorespiratory exercise physiology that was conducted in one year with a traditional step-by-step guided manual (traditional course) and the next year completed with an inquiry-based structure (I-based course). The I-based course was a guided inquiry course where students had to design the experimental protocol and conduct their own study on the basis of certain predefined criteria (i.e., they should evaluate respiratory responses to submaximal and maximal exercise and provide indirect and direct measures of aerobic exercise capacity). The results indicated that the overall time spent on the experimental course as well as self-evaluated learning outcomes were similar across groups. However, students in the I-based course used more time in preparation (102 ± 5 min) than students in the traditional course (42 ± 3 min, P < 0.05), and 65 ± 5% students in the I-based course searched for additional literature before experimentation compared with only 2 ± 1% students in the traditional course. Furthermore, students in the I-based course achieved a higher (P < 0.05) average score on the quantitative test (45 ± 3%) compared with students in the traditional course (31 ± 4%). Although students were unfamiliar with cardiorespiratory exercise physiology and the experimental methods before the course, it appears that an inquiry-based approach rather than one that provides students with step-by-step instructions may benefit learning outcomes in a laboratory physiology course. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Designing a flashcard with knowledge pills for learning to solve chemistry exercises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cancela, Angeles; Sanchez, Angel; Maceiras, Rocio

2012-08-01

Nowadays, universities tend to promote more learner-centred learning, creating a more interactive and motivational environment for students and teachers. This paper describes an expanded framework to help chemical educators to construct a quiz for solution of chemical exercises in their courses. The novelty of this contribution is that the proposed tool combines a flashcards-based method with knowledge pills. The framework has three levels: definition of problem for a teacher; the quiz; use of the quiz for the student. The tool could provide predefined or automatically generated exercises of chemicals. Students could practise where and whenever they like via the Internet. Theirs answers would be registered automatically by the tool and if the students have doubts about any of the questions, they can see a knowledge pill with a teacher explanation about the solution of the exercise. Moreover, they would be able to check their scores from the tests. Once the flashcards were designed and produced, the opinions of other lecturers and students about them were considered. Both groups considered that the tool could be useful to improve the students' learning process. For future work, this design will be used with the students and its effectiveness will be analysed.

Computational Exploration of a Protein Receptor Binding Space with Student Proposed Peptide Ligands

PubMed Central

King, Matthew D.; Phillips, Paul; Turner, Matthew W.; Katz, Michael; Lew, Sarah; Bradburn, Sarah; Andersen, Tim; Mcdougal, Owen M.

2017-01-01

Computational molecular docking is a fast and effective in silico method for the analysis of binding between a protein receptor model and a ligand. The visualization and manipulation of protein to ligand binding in three-dimensional space represents a powerful tool in the biochemistry curriculum to enhance student learning. The DockoMatic tutorial described herein provides a framework by which instructors can guide students through a drug screening exercise. Using receptor models derived from readily available protein crystal structures, docking programs have the ability to predict ligand binding properties, such as preferential binding orientations and binding affinities. The use of computational studies can significantly enhance complimentary wet chemical experimentation by providing insight into the important molecular interactions within the system of interest, as well as guide the design of new candidate ligands based on observed binding motifs and energetics. In this laboratory tutorial, the graphical user interface, DockoMatic, facilitates docking job submissions to the docking engine, AutoDock 4.2. The purpose of this exercise is to successfully dock a 17-amino acid peptide, α-conotoxin TxIA, to the acetylcholine binding protein from Aplysia californica-AChBP to determine the most stable binding configuration. Each student will then propose two specific amino acid substitutions of α-conotoxin TxIA to enhance peptide binding affinity, create the mutant in DockoMatic, and perform docking calculations to compare their results with the class. Students will also compare intermolecular forces, binding energy, and geometric orientation of their prepared analog to their initial α-conotoxin TxIA docking results. PMID:26537635

Data-Driven Exercises for Chemistry: A New Digital Collection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubbs, W. Tandy

2007-01-01

The analysis presents a new digital collection for various data-driven exercises that are used for teaching chemistry to the students. Such methods are expected to help the students to think in a more scientific manner.

Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual field tours in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingston, D. G.; Eastwood, W. J.; Jones, P. I.; Johnson, R.; Marshall, S.; Hannah, D. M.

2012-05-01

Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field tour for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field tour over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field tour in particular). Our experiences are highly relevant to the implementation of novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual fieldtrips in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingston, D. G.; Eastwood, W. J.; Jones, P. I.; Johnson, R.; Marshall, S.; Hannah, D. M.

2011-12-01

Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field trip for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field trip over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field trip in particular). We believe our experiences are directly relevant to the implementation of such novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

Turning a Common Lab Exercise into a Challenging Lab Experiment: Revisiting the Cart on an Inclined Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Joseph C.; Williams, Roger E.

2010-01-01

A common lab exercise in the introductory college physics course employs a low-friction cart and associated track to study the validity of Newton's second law. Yet for college students, especially those who have already encountered a good high school physics course, the exercise must seem a little pointless. These students have already learned to…

To the Moon!--A Launch Pad for Encouraging Students to Express Their Opinions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhalter, Nancy

2011-01-01

In this article, the author discusses a four-part exercise called "To the Moon!" The exercise encourages students to develop and orally defend their choice of four volunteers who will be part of a team to colonize Earth's moon. This oral exercise prepares them for subsequent written work. As Bean (1996, 7) states, "Good writing...grows out of good…

Stream piracy in the Black Hills: A geomorphology lab exercise

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zaprowski, B.J.; Evenson, E.B.; Epstein, J.B.

2002-01-01

The Black Hills of South Dakota exhibits many fine examples of stream piracy that are very suitable for teaching geomorphology lab exercises. This lab goes beyond standard topographic map interpretation by using geologic maps, well logs, gravel provenance and other types of data to teach students about stream piracy. Using a step-by-step method in which the lab exercises ramp up in difficulty, students hone their skills in deductive reasoning and data assimilation. The first exercises deal with the identification of stream piracy at a variety of spatial scales and the lab culminates with an exercise on landscape evolution and drainage rearrangement.

PERCEPTION OF BODY WEIGHT AMONG SAUDI SCHOOL CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Abalkhail, Baha; Shawky, Sherine; Ghabrah, Tawfik

2002-01-01

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to explore the perception of body weight among students in schools in Jeddah City and identify the main determinants of self-perceived obesity, weight management goals and practices. Material and Methods: Data were collected from a sample of Saudi school children of 42 boys’ and 42 girls’ schools in Jeddah city during the month of April 2000. Personal interviews were conducted to collect data on socio-demographic factors, food choices, perception of body weight, weight management goals and weight management practices, as well as the actual measurement of weight and height. Students were asked about their perception of their body weight [responses included: very underweight (thin), slightly underweight, about right weight, slightly overweight and grossly overweight (obese)]. Proportion, prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for an attempt to lose weight and weight management practices. Results: The distribution of self-perception of body size was nearly similar to the measured body mass index (BMI) classification except for the overweight students, where 21.3% perceived themselves, as slightly overweight and 5.5% as very overweight although 13.4% were actually overweight and 13.5% were obese by BMI standards. Approximately half the students took at least 3 pieces of fruit or fruit juice servings, and a third ate at least 4 vegetable servings per day. A third of the students managed to lose weight. This coincides with the proportion of those actually overweight and obese. Around 28.0% of the students ate less food, fat or calories, 31.0% took exercise and 17.6% were engaged in vigorous exercise to lose weight or prevent weight gain. Staying for at least 24 hours without food which is a potentially harmful means of weight control was practiced by 10.0% of students. Females were less likely than males to be overweight and obese but more likely to perceive themselves as grossly overweight and more likely to try to lose weight. Factors associated with efforts to lose weight by eating less fat or fewer calories were older age, high social class, being actually obese and perceiving oneself as being obese. Staying for at least 24 hours without eating was mainly practiced by females, older age groups, and the actually obese. Exercise was done mainly by the older age groups, those with educated and highly educated mothers, obese and perceiving oneself as being obese. Vigorous exercise was mainly performed by males, younger age groups, taking < 3 pieces of fruit or fruit juice servings per day, eating < 4 vegetable servings per day, and those perceiving themselves as obese. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are prevalent among our youth and not all obese have a correct image of their body size. Highly recommended are intervention programs of education on nutrition starting in childhood through school age to promote and ensure healthy food choices, improve student's awareness of ideal body size and clinical obesity, encourage physical exercise but discourage potentially harmful weight control measures. PMID:23008679

Gender-moderated links between urgency, binge drinking, and excessive exercise.

PubMed

Reilly, Erin E; Dmochowski, Sasha; Schaumberg, Katherine; Earleywine, Mitch; Anderson, Drew

2016-01-01

Exercise correlates with alcohol use, but the nature of this relation and the extent to which it is maladaptive remains unclear. Urgency and motives for engaging in drinking and exercise might indicate when these behaviors are problematic. The current study examined whether urgency moderated the association between exercise motivated by weight loss and drinking. College students (N = 589, 45.7% male) completed the study during the spring of 2012. Participants completed self-report assessment measures, including frequency/quantity of alcohol consumption, exercise for weight loss, and urgency, during a single session. Negative urgency moderated the relation between exercise and alcohol consumption in men but not women; the link between excessive exercise and alcohol use was stronger for men with higher levels of urgency. Further clarification of the mechanisms underlying alcohol use and physical activity-particularly maladaptive approaches to exercise-will inform health interventions among college students.

Biomechanical Modeling of the Deadlift Exercise on the HULK Device to Improve the Efficacy of Resistive Exercise Microgravity Countermeasures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagodnik, K. M.; Thompson, W. K.; Gallo, C. A.; Crentsil, L.; Funk, J. H.; Funk, N. W.; Perusek, G. P.; Sheehan, C. C.; Lewandowski, B. E.

2016-01-01

Extended spaceflight typically results in the loss of muscular strength and bone density due to exposure to microgravity. Resistive exercise countermeasures have been developed to maintain musculoskeletal health during spaceflight. The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) is the "gold standard" of available devices; however, its footprint and volume are too large for use in space capsules employed in exploration missions. The Hybrid Ultimate Lifting Kit (HULK) device, with its smaller footprint, is a prototype exercise device for exploration missions. This work models the deadlift exercise being performed on the HULK device using biomechanical simulation, with the long-term goal to improve and optimize astronauts' exercise prescriptions, to maximize the benefit of exercise while minimizing time and effort invested.

Guided Versus Unguided Learning: Which One To Choose?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speck, Angela; Ruzhitskaya, L.

2011-01-01

We present the results of a study that measures the effectiveness of two types of computer-based tutorials for teaching the concept of stellar parallax to non-science major students in a college-level introductory astronomy course. A number of previous studies on the use of computer technology in education suggested that a method of inquiry-based learning rooted in a discovery method must prevail over direct instruction. At the same time, a number of researchers raised a concern that the discovery approach especially in combination with interactive computer-based environments may present students with additional distractions and thus hinder the educational value of such interactions. This study was set to test the both approaches and to identify the preferable method for engaging students in active and meaningful learning. The study consisted of guided and unguided computer-based tutorials and used a control group in which students were engaged in paper-based exercises. The guided tutorial was an adaptive tutorial that was designed to respond to students’ input and to provide them with the next step: an exercise, an animated visualization, or a set of additional questions. The unguided tutorial allowed students to explore any part of the tutorial in any order. Both tutorials consisted of four parts and reviewed simple geometry, trigonometric parallax, angular sizes in astronomy, resolution and conversion of units, and had a concluding chapter on finding distance to a star. The control group used Lecture-Tutorials (Prather, et al) to learn angular sizes and stellar parallax. The efficacy of each treatment was validated through a 14-question pretest and two posttests to evaluate and contrast students’ immediate recall and their long-term knowledge and corroborated by a number of interviews with selected students. We present our preliminary results based on analyzed work of over 200 participants.

Atoms in astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, P. A.

1976-01-01

Aspects of electromagnetic radiation and atomic physics needed for an understanding of astronomical applications are explored. Although intended primarily for teachers, this brochure is written so that it can be distributed to students if desired. The first section, Basic Topics, is suitable for a ninth-grade general science class; the style is simple and repetitive, and no mathematics or physics background is required. The second section, Intermediate and Advanced Topics, requires a knowledge of the material in the first section and assumes a generally higher level of achievement and motivation on the part of the student. These latter topics might fit well into junior-level physics, chemistry, or earth-science courses. Also included are a glossary, a list of references and teaching aids, class exercises, and a question and answer section.

Dysmenorrhea Management and Coping among Students in Ghana: A Qualitative Exploration.

PubMed

Aziato, Lydia; Dedey, Florence; Clegg-Lamptey, Joe Nat A

2015-06-01

The study sought to gain an in-depth understanding of primary dysmenorrhea management and coping strategies for dysmenorrhea among adolescents and young adults who were in school. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory approach using a descriptive phenomenology to explore the phenomenon of interest. The study was conducted in two educational institutions in Accra, Ghana: a Senior High School (SHS) and a University. Sixteen participants were purposively recruited (8 SHS and 8 University students) through snowball sampling. Individual interviews were conducted in English, audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using content analysis procedures. Informed consent was obtained from all participants and rigor was ensured through prolonged engagement and member checking. Participants employed both pharmacologic (orthodox and herbal) and nonpharmacologic approaches such as warm compress, exercise, and water and diet therapy for their dysmenorrhea. Students' dysmenorrhea was managed at the school clinic and the hospital. Health professionals demonstrated negative attitudes towards dysmenorrhea management. Students coped with dysmenorrhea by planning activities before the onset of pain, receiving social and spiritual support, and developing a mind-set to bear pain. Individualized approaches should be employed to enhance dysmenorrhea management. Health professionals should be educated on dysmenorrhea to improve their attitude and skills for dysmenorrhea management. Copyright © 2015 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using an international p53 mutation database as a foundation for an online laboratory in an upper level undergraduate biology class.

PubMed

Melloy, Patricia G

2015-01-01

A two-part laboratory exercise was developed to enhance classroom instruction on the significance of p53 mutations in cancer development. Students were asked to mine key information from an international database of p53 genetic changes related to cancer, the IARC TP53 database. Using this database, students designed several data mining activities to look at the changes in the p53 gene from a number of perspectives, including potential cancer-causing agents leading to particular changes and the prevalence of certain p53 variations in certain cancers. In addition, students gained a global perspective on cancer prevalence in different parts of the world. Students learned how to use the database in the first part of the exercise, and then used that knowledge to search particular cancers and cancer-causing agents of their choosing in the second part of the exercise. Students also connected the information gathered from the p53 exercise to a previous laboratory exercise looking at risk factors for cancer development. The goal of the experience was to increase student knowledge of the link between p53 genetic variation and cancer. Students also were able to walk a similar path through the website as a cancer researcher using the database to enhance bench work-based experiments with complementary large-scale database p53 variation information. © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Gaining a Better Understanding of Estuarine Circulation and Improving Data Visualization Skills Through a Hands-on Contouring Exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mailloux, B. J.; Kenna, T. C.

2008-12-01

The creation and accurate interpretation of graphs is becoming a lost art among students. The availability of numerous graphing software programs makes the act of graphing data easy but does not necessarily aide students in interpreting complex visual data. This is especially true for contour maps; which have become a critical skill in the earth sciences and everyday life. In multiple classes, we have incorporated a large-scale, hands-on, contouring exercise of temperature, salinity, and density data collected in the Hudson River Estuary. The exercise allows students to learn first-hand how to plot, analyze, and present three dimensional data. As part of a day-long sampling expedition aboard an 80' research vessel, students deploy a water profiling instrument (Seabird CTD). Data are collected along a transect between the Verrazano and George Washington Bridges. The data are then processed and binned at 0.5 meter intervals. The processed data is then used during a later laboratory period for the contouring exercise. In class, students work in groups of 2 to 4 people and are provided with the data, a set of contouring instructions, a piece of large (3' x 3') graph paper, a ruler, and a set of colored markers. We then let the groups work together to determine the details of the graphs. Important steps along the way are talking to the students about X and Y scales, interpolation, and choices of contour intervals and colors. Frustration and bottlenecks are common at the beginning when students are unsure how to even begin with the raw data. At some point during the exercise, students start to understand the contour concept and each group usually produces a finished contour map in an hour or so. Interestingly, the groups take pride in the coloring portion of the contouring as it indicates successful interpretation of the data. The exercise concludes with each group presenting and discussing their contour plot. In almost every case, the hands-on graphing has improved the "students" visualization skills. Contouring has been incorporated into the River Summer (www.riversumer.org, http://www.riversumer.org/) program and our Environmental Measurements laboratory course. This has resulted in the exercise being utilized with undergraduates, high-school teachers, graduate students, and college faculty. We are in the process of making this curricular module available online to educators.

Using Student Centred Evaluation for Curriculum Enhancement: An Examination of Undergraduate Physiotherapy Education in Relation to Physical Activity and Exercise Prescription

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Grainne; Doody, Catherine; Cusack, Tara

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine physiotherapy students' perceptions of current education content of entry-level physiotherapy programmes in terms of physical activity (PA) and exercise promotion and prescription (EPP). Sixty-two physiotherapy students from three Irish Universities participated. Three Structured Group Feedback Sessions…

An Exercise for Illustrating the Logic of Hypothesis Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawton, Leigh

2009-01-01

Hypothesis testing is one of the more difficult concepts for students to master in a basic, undergraduate statistics course. Students often are puzzled as to why statisticians simply don't calculate the probability that a hypothesis is true. This article presents an exercise that forces students to lay out on their own a procedure for testing a…

Implementing "Marketing Me": A Simulation Enhanced Variant for a Student Self-Marketing Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flostrand, Andrew; Ho, Jason Y. C.; Krider, Robert E.

2016-01-01

The use of student self-branding exercises in introductory marketing courses for undergraduate business programs has been growing in popularity due to a number of advantages for students. This article introduces implementation of the "Marketing Me" variant developed and used since 2013 by the authors, wherein alumni are brought in to…

Forecasting Periodic Trends: A Semester-Long Team Exercise for Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tierney, John

2008-01-01

Team learning is an effective means of teaching that can contribute toward increased student interest. This article describes a team learning exercise developed for a course for nonscience majors. Students are randomly assigned numbers (atomic numbers) the first day of class. Each student builds a portfolio of information for their element. In the…

Investigating the Outcomes and Perceptions of an Inclusive Aquatic Exercise Class for University Students with Physical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dysterheft, Jennifer; Chaparro, Gioella; Rice, Laura; Rice, Ian

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether university students with physical disabilities (SWD) gained similar benefits from recreational physical activity participation as able-bodied (AB) university students as reported in the literature. Researchers designed an inclusive, university-offered aquatic exercise class for SWD. Six SWD…

Sweeping Hearts: Writing Poems Inspired by Native American Music and Poetry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raby, Elizabeth

1995-01-01

States that having students write poems while listening to a cassette tape of "Earth Spirit" by R. Carlos Nakai has been a remarkably successful exercise with students in grades 2-12. Discusses exercises in which the author reads three poems while the tape plays, and the students then write poems of their own. (PA)

A Hands-On Classroom Simulation to Demonstrate Concepts in Enzyme Kinetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junker, Matthew

2010-01-01

A classroom exercise is described to introduce enzyme kinetics in an undergraduate biochemistry or chemistry course. The exercise is a simulation in which a student acts as an enzyme that "catalyzes" the unscrewing of a nut from a bolt. With other students assisting, the student enzyme carries out reactions with bolt-nut substrates under different…