ABCs or 123s? The independent contributions of literacy and numeracy skills on health task performance among older adults

PubMed Central

Smith, Samuel G.; Curtis, Laura M.; O’Conor, Rachel; Federman, Alex D.; Wolf, Michael S.

2015-01-01

Objective To investigate the relationship between literacy and numeracy and their association with health task performance. Methods Older adults (n = 304) completed commonly used measures of literacy and numeracy. Single factor literacy and numeracy scores were calculated and used to predict performance on an established set of health self-management tasks, including: (i) responding to spoken information; (ii) comprehension of print and (iii) multimedia information; and (iv) organizing and dosing medication. Total and sub-scale scores were calculated. Results Literacy and numeracy measures were highly correlated (rs = 0.68; ps < 0.001). In multivariable models adjusted for age, gender, race, education, and comorbidity, lower literacy (β = 0.44, p < 0.001) and numeracy (β = 0.44, p < 0.001) were independently associated with worse overall task performance and all sub-scales (literacy range, β = 0.23–0.45, ps < 0.001; numeracy range, β = 0.31–0.41, ps < 0.001). Multivariable analyses with both constructs entered explained more variance in overall health task performance compared with separate literacy and numeracy models (8.2% and 10% respectively, ps < 0.001). Conclusion Literacy and numeracy were highly correlated, but independent predictors of health task performance. These skill sets are complementary and both are important for health self-management. Practice implications Self-management interventions may be more effective if they consider both literacy and numeracy skills rather than focusing on one specific ability. PMID:25936579

Toward the Development of an Observation Measure of Interest and Attention for Literacy Tasks in Kindergarten Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coughlan, Kelly A.

2012-01-01

Kindergarten students (N = 95) in three schools and seven classrooms were observed for on-task versus off-task behavior during three literacy instruction opportunities; small group instruction, whole group instruction and the less structured library setting over the 2011-2012 school year. Students' early literacy skills were assessed before and…

A Perspective on Commissioning and Education -- Total Quality, Total Force

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

regarding literacy or other critical skills , creative thinking, social values, and the relative ability to support economic development and adaptation to...people. ROTC is seen as another flexible, expandable source of commissioned officers with broad civilian perspectives and specific skills , as well as...measured by the performance of selected (often psychomotor ) tasks, but the effectiveness of programs with broader goals is more difficult to measure. As

Finding the Common Ground: A Comparison of Writing Expectations and Outcomes between the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacoby, Pat; Vasinda, Sheri

2014-01-01

In the Winter 2013 edition of the "Texas Journal of Literacy Education," we announced that a special task force from the TALE board would be sharing the common ground among the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In that first edition, we…

Teaching Middle-Grades Mathematics through Financial Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford-Ferre, Heather Glynn; Wiest, Lynda R.; Vega, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Because financial literacy is an important skill for middle-grades students, this article suggests numerous personal financial literacy tasks for use in the mathematics classroom. Also provided are specifics for implementing one of these tasks to address mathematical content.

Cross-Lagged Relations between Teacher and Parent Ratings of Children's Task Avoidance and Different Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiou, George K.; Hirvonen, Riikka; Manolitsis, George; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2017-01-01

Background: Task avoidance is a significant predictor of literacy skills. However, it remains unclear whether the relation between the two is reciprocal and whether it is affected by the type of literacy outcome, who is rating children's task avoidance, and the children's gender. Aim: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the…

Patterns of problem-solving in children's literacy and arithmetic.

PubMed

Farrington-Flint, Lee; Vanuxem-Cotterill, Sophie; Stiller, James

2009-11-01

Patterns of problem-solving among 5-to-7 year-olds' were examined on a range of literacy (reading and spelling) and arithmetic-based (addition and subtraction) problem-solving tasks using verbal self-reports to monitor strategy choice. The results showed higher levels of variability in the children's strategy choice across Years I and 2 on the arithmetic (addition and subtraction) than literacy-based tasks (reading and spelling). However, across all four tasks, the children showed a tendency to move from less sophisticated procedural-based strategies, which included phonological strategies for reading and spelling and counting-all and finger modellingfor addition and subtraction, to more efficient retrieval methods from Years I to 2. Distinct patterns in children's problem-solving skill were identified on the literacy and arithmetic tasks using two separate cluster analyses. There was a strong association between these two profiles showing that those children with more advanced problem-solving skills on the arithmetic tasks also showed more advanced profiles on the literacy tasks. The results highlight how different-aged children show flexibility in their use of problem-solving strategies across literacy and arithmetical contexts and reinforce the importance of studying variations in children's problem-solving skill across different educational contexts.

Development and evaluation of a specialized task taxonomy for spatial planning - A map literacy experiment with topographic maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rautenbach, Victoria; Coetzee, Serena; Çöltekin, Arzu

2017-05-01

Topographic maps are among the most commonly used map types, however, their complex and information-rich designs depicting natural, human-made and cultural features make them difficult to read. Regardless of their complexity, spatial planners make extensive use of topographic maps in their work. On the other hand, various studies suggest that map literacy among the development planning professionals in South Africa is not very high. The widespread use of topographic maps combined with the low levels of map literacy presents challenges for effective development planning. In this paper we address some of these challenges by developing a specialized task taxonomy based on systematically assessed map literacy levels; and conducting an empirical experiment with topographic maps to evaluate our task taxonomy. In such empirical studies if non-realistic tasks are used, the results of map literacy tests may be skewed. Furthermore, experience and familiarity with the studied map type play a role in map literacy. There is thus a need to develop map literacy tests aimed at planners specifically. We developed a taxonomy of realistic map reading tasks typically executed during the planning process. The taxonomy defines six levels tasks of increasing difficulty and complexity, ranging from recognising symbols to extracting knowledge. We hypothesized that competence in the first four levels indicates functional map literacy. In this paper, we present results from an empirical experiment with 49 map literate participants solving a subset of tasks from the first four levels of the taxonomy with a topographic map. Our findings suggest that the proposed taxonomy is a good reference for evaluating topographic map literacy. Participants solved the tasks on all four levels as expected and we therefore conclude that the experiment based on the first four levels of the taxonomy successfully determined the functional map literacy of the participants. We plan to continue the study for the remaining levels, repeat the experiments with a group of map illiterate participants to confirm that the taxonomy can also be used to determine map illiteracy.

Training Manual Development Program: Dominion Bridge. Final Report. Organizational Needs Assessment of Workplace Literacy Skills & Development of Training Manuals for the Paint Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKeag, Janis

To address specific workplace literacy needs within the steel fabrication sector in Manitoba, an organizational needs assessment was conducted training manuals were developed using literacy task analysis techniques. The organizational needs assessment assessed the general and workplace literacy tasks and demands of hourly workers at Dominion…

Investigating Predictors of Spelling Ability for Adults with Low Literacy Skills

PubMed Central

Talwar, Amani; Cote, Nicole Gilbert; Binder, Katherine S.

2014-01-01

This study examined whether the spelling abilities of adults with low literacy skills could be predicted by their phonological, orthographic, and morphological awareness. Sixty Adult Basic Education (ABE) students completed several literacy tasks. It was predicted that scores on phonological and orthographic tasks would explain variance in spelling scores, whereas scores on morphological tasks may not. Scores on all phonological tasks and on one orthographic task emerged as significant predictors of spelling scores. Additionally, error analyses revealed a limited influence of morphological knowledge in spelling attempts. Implications for ABE instruction are discussed. PMID:25364644

Pacific CRYSTAL Project: Explicit Literacy Instruction Embedded in Middle School Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Robert J.; Tippett, Christine D.; Yore, Larry D.

2010-01-01

Science literacy leading to fuller and informed participation in the public debate about science, technology, society, and environmental (STSE) issues that produce justified decisions and sustainable actions is the shared and central goal of the Pacific CRYSTAL Project. There is broad agreement by science education researchers that learners need to be able to construct and interpret specific scientific discourses and texts to be literate in science. We view these capabilities as components in the fundamental sense of science literacy and as interactive and synergetic to the derived sense of science literacy, which refers to having general knowledge about concepts, principles, and methods of science. This article reports on preliminary findings from Years 1, 2, and 3 of the 5-year Pacific CRYSTAL project that aims to identify, develop, and embed explicit literacy instruction in science programs to achieve both senses of science literacy. A community-based, opportunistic, engineering research and development approach has been utilized to identify problems and concerns and to design instructional solutions for teaching middle school (Grades 6, 7, and 8) science. Initial data indicate (a) opportunities in programs for embedding literacy instruction and tasks; (b) difficulties generalist teachers have with new science curricula; (c) difficulties specialist science teachers have with literacy activities, strategies, genre, and writing-to-learn science tasks; and (d) potential literacy activities (vocabulary, reading comprehension, visual literacy, genre, and writing tasks) for middle school science. Preinstruction student assessments indicate a range of challenges in achieving effective learning in science and the need for extensive teacher support to achieve the project’s goals. Postinstructional assessments indicate positive changes in students’ ability to perform target reading and writing tasks. Qualitative data indicate teachers’ desire for external direction and the need for researchers to expand the literacy framework to include oral discourse. A case study of teachers’ use of a specific literacy task and its influence on students revealed indications of robustness and effectiveness. Experiences revealed procedural difficulties and insights regarding community-based research and development approaches.

The Case for Authentic Tasks in Content Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Seth A.; Ward, Allison E.

2011-01-01

Motivation, academic vocabulary, and the role of teachers have been themes of previous Content Literacy columns. In this installment, we suggest that the tasks, or assignments, students complete are an important aspect of content literacy because they influence students' understandings of content and reading. Additionally, we demonstrate how…

Investigating Predictors of Spelling Ability for Adults with Low Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talwar, Amani; Cote, Nicole Gilbert; Binder, Katherine

2014-01-01

This study examined whether the spelling abilities of adults with low literacy skills could be predicted by their phonological, orthographic, and morphological awareness. Sixty Adult Basic Education (ABE) students completed several literacy tasks. It was predicted that scores on phonological and orthographic tasks would explain variance in…

Cross-lagged relations between teacher and parent ratings of children's task avoidance and different literacy skills.

PubMed

Georgiou, George K; Hirvonen, Riikka; Manolitsis, George; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2017-09-01

Task avoidance is a significant predictor of literacy skills. However, it remains unclear whether the relation between the two is reciprocal and whether it is affected by the type of literacy outcome, who is rating children's task avoidance, and the children's gender. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the cross-lagged relations between teacher and parent ratings of children's task avoidance and different literacy skills. One hundred and seventy-two Greek children (91 girls, 81 boys) were followed from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Children were assessed on reading accuracy, reading fluency, and spelling to dictation. Parents and teachers rated the children's task-avoidant behaviour. Results of structural equation modelling showed that the cross-lagged relations varied as a function of the literacy outcome, who rated the children's task avoidance, and children's gender. Earlier reading and spelling performance predicted subsequent parent-rated task avoidance, but parent-rated task avoidance did not predict subsequent reading and spelling performance (with the exception of spelling in Grade 3). Teacher-rated task avoidance and reading fluency/spelling had a reciprocal relationship over time. In addition, the effects of teacher-rated task avoidance on future spelling were significantly stronger in boys than in girls. This suggests that poor reading and spelling performance can lead to subsequent task avoidance in both classroom and home situations. The fact that task avoidance permeates across different learning environments is alarming and calls for joint action from both parents and teachers to mitigate its negative impact on learning. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Congressional liaison task force - a briefing of the October 1994 meeting

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

NONE

1994-12-31

As the US Senate overturned roadblocks attempting-unsuccessfully-to halt passage of the elementary and secondary education reauthorization legislation representatives from several federal agencies and laboratories addressed Congressional Liaison Task Force (CLTF) participants October 12th. They spoke about their commitment, programs, and accomplishments toward the nation`s science knowledge, particularly at the precollege level. Marjorie S. Steinberg legislative assistant to bill cosponsor Sen. Jeff Bingaman (DNM), and Gary Allen, Triangle Coalition director of Governmental affairs, spoke about education legislation and specifically about the Technology for Education Act that was on the Senate floor for a vote in October and now is law. Brucemore » A. Fuchs talked about the National Institute of Health`s (NIH) work in science literacy and education. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration`s (NASA) Frank C. Owens and Eddie Anderson contributed to this report.« less

Authentic Reading, Writing, and Discussion: An Exploratory Study of a Pen Pal Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrell, Linda B.; Hughes, Elizabeth M.; Calvert, Leah; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Igo, Brent

2011-01-01

In this exploratory study, reading, writing, and discussion were examined within the context of a pen pal intervention focusing on authentic literacy tasks. The study employed a mixed-method design with a triangulation-convergence model to explore the relationship between authentic literacy tasks and the literacy motivation of elementary students…

Health literacy and task environment influence parents' burden for data entry on child-specific health information: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Porter, Stephen C; Guo, Chao-Yu; Bacic, Janine; Chan, Eugenia

2011-01-26

Health care systems increasingly rely on patients' data entry efforts to organize and assist in care delivery through health information exchange. We sought to determine (1) the variation in burden imposed on parents by data entry efforts across paper-based and computer-based environments, and (2) the impact, if any, of parents' health literacy on the task burden. We completed a randomized controlled trial of parent-completed data entry tasks. Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were randomized based on the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) to either a paper-based or computer-based environment for entry of health information on their children. The primary outcome was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (TLX) total weighted score. We screened 271 parents: 194 (71.6%) were eligible, and 180 of these (92.8%) constituted the study cohort. We analyzed 90 participants from each arm. Parents who completed information tasks on paper reported a higher task burden than those who worked in the computer environment: mean (SD) TLX scores were 22.8 (20.6) for paper and 16.3 (16.1) for computer. Assignment to the paper environment conferred a significant risk of higher task burden (F(1,178) = 4.05, P = .046). Adequate literacy was associated with lower task burden (decrease in burden score of 1.15 SD, P = .003). After adjusting for relevant child and parent factors, parents' TOFHLA score (beta = -.02, P = .02) and task environment (beta = .31, P = .03) remained significantly associated with task burden. A tailored computer-based environment provided an improved task experience for data entry compared to the same tasks completed on paper. Health literacy was inversely related to task burden.

Task Values and Ability Beliefs as Predictors of High School Literacy Choices: A Developmental Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durik, Amanda M.; Vida, Mina; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2005-01-01

This study examines how competence beliefs and task values predict high school achievement choices related to literacy. Students' task beliefs (self-concept of ability, intrinsic value, and importance) about reading in the 4th grade and English in the 10th grade were tracked over time. Task beliefs, school performance, and gender were used to…

Effects of Home Literacy, Parents' Beliefs, and Children's Task-Focused Behavior on Emergent Literacy and Word Reading Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Kathy A.; Parrila, Rauno K.; Georgiou, George K.; Kirby, John R.

2008-01-01

We examined the effects of home literacy (shared book reading, teaching activities, and number of books), children's task-focused behavior, and parents' beliefs and expectations about their child's reading and academic ability on kindergarten children's (N = 61) phonological sensitivity and letter knowledge and on Grade 1 word reading. The results…

Lessons in Financial Literacy Task Design: Authentic, Imaginable, Useful

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawatzki, Carly

2017-01-01

As part of ongoing design-based research exploring financial literacy teaching and learning, 10 tasks termed "financial dilemmas" were trialled by 14 teachers and more than 300 year 5 and 6 students in four government primary schools in urban Darwin. Drawing on data related to three tasks--"Catching the bus," "Laser…

Health Literacy and Task Environment Influence Parents' Burden for Data Entry on Child-Specific Health Information: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Guo, Chao-Yu; Bacic, Janine; Chan, Eugenia

2011-01-01

Background Health care systems increasingly rely on patients’ data entry efforts to organize and assist in care delivery through health information exchange. Objectives We sought to determine (1) the variation in burden imposed on parents by data entry efforts across paper-based and computer-based environments, and (2) the impact, if any, of parents’ health literacy on the task burden. Methods We completed a randomized controlled trial of parent-completed data entry tasks. Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were randomized based on the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) to either a paper-based or computer-based environment for entry of health information on their children. The primary outcome was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (TLX) total weighted score. Results We screened 271 parents: 194 (71.6%) were eligible, and 180 of these (92.8%) constituted the study cohort. We analyzed 90 participants from each arm. Parents who completed information tasks on paper reported a higher task burden than those who worked in the computer environment: mean (SD) TLX scores were 22.8 (20.6) for paper and 16.3 (16.1) for computer. Assignment to the paper environment conferred a significant risk of higher task burden (F1,178 = 4.05, P = .046). Adequate literacy was associated with lower task burden (decrease in burden score of 1.15 SD, P = .003). After adjusting for relevant child and parent factors, parents’ TOFHLA score (beta = -.02, P = .02) and task environment (beta = .31, P = .03) remained significantly associated with task burden. Conclusions A tailored computer-based environment provided an improved task experience for data entry compared to the same tasks completed on paper. Health literacy was inversely related to task burden. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00543257; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00543257 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5vUVH2DYR) PMID:21269990

Insights from a Financial Literacy Task Designer: The Curious Case of Problem Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawatzki, Carly

2016-01-01

As part of ongoing design-based research exploring financial literacy teaching and learning, ten tasks termed "financial dilemmas" were trialled by 14 teachers and more than 300 Year 5 and 6 students in 4 government primary schools in urban Darwin. Drawing on data related to two tasks--"Catching the bus" and "Buying…

Considering Community Literacies in the Secondary Classroom: A Collaborative Teacher and Researcher Study Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carbone, Paula M.; Reynolds, Rema E.

2013-01-01

A year long study group brought teachers and researchers working in urban contexts in US public schools together to examine literacy practices incorporating students' community literacies into schooled tasks. The goal was to provide teacher development in making connections across their students' community literacies and the academic literacy they…

Perceived and Performed eHealth Literacy: Survey and Simulated Performance Test

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Electronic health (eHealth) literacy of consumers is essential in order to improve information and communication technology (ICT) use for health purposes by ordinary citizens. However, performed eHealth literacy is seldom studied. Therefore, the present study assessed perceived and performed eHealth literacy using the recent conceptualization of health literacy skills. Objective The aim of this paper was to examine the association between perceived and performed eHealth literacies. Methods In total, 82 Israeli adults participated in the study, all 50 years and older, with a mean age of 67 (SD 11). Of the participants, 60% (49/82) were women and 72% (59/82) had a post-secondary education. The participants were first surveyed and then tested in a computer simulation of health-related Internet tasks. Performed, perceived (eHealth Literacy Scale, eHEALS), and evaluated eHealth literacy were assessed, and performed eHealth literacy was also recorded and re-evaluated later. Performance was scored for successful completion of tasks, and was also assessed by two researchers for motivation, confidence, and amount of help provided. Results The skills of accessing, understanding, appraising, applying, and generating new information had decreasing successful completion rates. Generating new information was least correlated with other skills. Perceived and performed eHealth literacies were moderately correlated (r=.34, P=.01) while facets of performance (ie, digital literacy and eHealth literacy) were highly correlated (r=.82, P<.001). Participants low and high in performed eHealth literacy were significantly different: low performers were older and had used the Internet for less time, required more assistance, and were less confident in their conduct than high performers. Conclusions The moderate association between perceived and performed eHealth literacy indicates that the latter should be assessed separately. In as much, the assessment of performed eHealth literacy in clinical settings should entail the structuring of tasks as well as shortening and automatizing the assessment. PMID:28096068

Perceived and Performed eHealth Literacy: Survey and Simulated Performance Test.

PubMed

Neter, Efrat; Brainin, Esther

2017-01-17

Electronic health (eHealth) literacy of consumers is essential in order to improve information and communication technology (ICT) use for health purposes by ordinary citizens. However, performed eHealth literacy is seldom studied. Therefore, the present study assessed perceived and performed eHealth literacy using the recent conceptualization of health literacy skills. The aim of this paper was to examine the association between perceived and performed eHealth literacies. In total, 82 Israeli adults participated in the study, all 50 years and older, with a mean age of 67 (SD 11). Of the participants, 60% (49/82) were women and 72% (59/82) had a post-secondary education. The participants were first surveyed and then tested in a computer simulation of health-related Internet tasks. Performed, perceived (eHealth Literacy Scale, eHEALS), and evaluated eHealth literacy were assessed, and performed eHealth literacy was also recorded and re-evaluated later. Performance was scored for successful completion of tasks, and was also assessed by two researchers for motivation, confidence, and amount of help provided. The skills of accessing, understanding, appraising, applying, and generating new information had decreasing successful completion rates. Generating new information was least correlated with other skills. Perceived and performed eHealth literacies were moderately correlated (r=.34, P=.01) while facets of performance (ie, digital literacy and eHealth literacy) were highly correlated (r=.82, P<.001). Participants low and high in performed eHealth literacy were significantly different: low performers were older and had used the Internet for less time, required more assistance, and were less confident in their conduct than high performers. The moderate association between perceived and performed eHealth literacy indicates that the latter should be assessed separately. In as much, the assessment of performed eHealth literacy in clinical settings should entail the structuring of tasks as well as shortening and automatizing the assessment. ©Efrat Neter, Esther Brainin. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 17.01.2017.

Development of functional oral health literacy assessment instruments: application of literacy and cognitive theories.

PubMed

Bridges, Susan M; Parthasarathy, Divya S; Au, Terry K F; Wong, Hai Ming; Yiu, Cynthia K Y; McGrath, Colman P

2014-01-01

This paper describes the development of a new literacy assessment instrument, the Hong Kong Oral Health Literacy Assessment Task for Paediatric Dentistry (HKOHLAT-P). Its relationship to literacy theory is analyzed to establish content and face validity. Implications for construct validity are examined by analyzing cognitive demand to determine how "comprehension" is measured. Key influences from literacy assessment were identified to analyze item development. Cognitive demand was analyzed using an established taxonomy. The HKOHLAT-P focuses on the functional domain of health literacy assessment. Items had strong content and face validity reflecting established principles from modern literacy theory. Inclusion of new text types signified relevant developments in the area of new literacies. Analysis of cognitive demand indicated that this instrument assesses the "comprehension" domain, specifically the areas of factual and procedural knowledge, with some assessment of conceptual knowledge. Metacognitive knowledge was not assessed. Comprehension tasks assessing patient health literacy predominantly examine functional health literacy at the lower levels of comprehension. Item development is influenced by the fields of situated and authentic literacy. Inclusion of content regarding multiliteracies is suggested for further research. Development of functional health literacy assessment instruments requires careful consideration of the clinical context in determining construct validity. © 2013 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Defining and Measuring Literacy: Facing the Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Manzoor

2011-01-01

Increasing recognition of a broadened concept of literacy challenges policy-makers and practitioners to re-define literacy operationally, develop and apply appropriate methods of assessing literacy and consider and act upon the consequent policy implications. This task is given a new urgency by the call of the Belem Framework for Action to…

The Effects of Synchronous Text-Based Computer-Mediated Communication Tasks on the Development of L2 and Academic Literacy: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jinrong

2012-01-01

The dissertation examines how synchronous text-based computer-mediated communication (SCMC) tasks may affect English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' development of second language (L2) and academic literacy. The study is motivated by two issues concerning the use of SCMC tasks in L2 writing classes. First, although some of the alleged…

Assessing Teacher Beliefs about Early Literacy Curriculum Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenney, Susan; Bradley, Barbara

2016-01-01

Against the backdrop of growing international concern for a narrowing view of early literacy, this study was initiated to determine how teachers of four-year-olds view their task of fostering early literacy. This paper reports on the first steps to design and validate an instrument which captures teachers' perceptions of early literacy content…

Workplace Literacy Programs: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn-Rankin, Patricia; Beil, Drake

This literature review observes that (1) there is an increasing need for enhancing job literacy skills among workers; (2) workplace literacy programs cover both basic literacy and job-related technical training; (3) successful curricula use job-related tasks and materials; and (4) management needs to be heavily involved and committed if a program…

Emerging Trilingual Literacies in Rural India: Linguistic, Marketing, and Developmental Aspects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatia, Tej K.; Ritchie, William C.

2016-01-01

This paper examines emerging forms of multilingualism and multiliteracy in rural India (where the term "literacy" is used broadly here to include digital media literacy and marketing literacy as well as literacy in the traditional sense of the knowledge of a writing system). Here forces of globalization and digital communication have…

Designing PISA-Like Mathematics Tasks In Indonesia: Experiences and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulkardi, Z.; Kohar, A. W.

2018-01-01

The insignificant improvement of Indonesian students in PISA mathematics survey triggered researchers in Indonesia to develop PISA-like mathematics tasks. Some development studies have been conducted to produce valid and practical PISA-like problems that potentially effect on improving students’ mathematical literacy. This article describes the experiences of Indonesian task designers in developing PISA-like mathematics tasks as well as the potential future studies regarding to mathematical literacy as challenges for policy makers, researchers, and practitioners to improve students’ mathematical literacy in Indonesia. The results of this research indicate the task designers to consider domains of PISA like: context, mathematical content, and process as the first profiles of their missions. Our analysis shows that the designers mostly experienced difficulties regarding to the authenticity of context use and language structure. Interestingly, many of them used a variety of local wisdom in Indonesia as contexts for designing PISA-like tasks. In addition, the products developed were reported to be potentially effects on students’ interest and elicit students’ mathematical competencies as mentioned in PISA framework. Finally, this paper discusses future studies such as issues in bringing PISA task into an instructional practice.

The Nature and Impact of Task Definition: Information Problem Categorization during Task Definition within the Information Problem-Solving Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marino, John L., Jr.

2017-01-01

Information literacy describes expertise in information problem-solving. This expertise includes facility in several endeavors addressed by the information behavior literature, including information needs, seeking, and use. Definitions and descriptions of information literacy suggest that this expertise is broadly applicable to a variety of…

Examining the Developmental Dynamics between Achievement Strategies and Different Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiou, George K.; Manolitsis, George; Zhang, Xiao; Parrila, Rauno; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2013-01-01

We examined the developmental dynamics between task-avoidant behavior and different literacy outcomes, and possible precursors of task-avoidant behavior. Seventy Greek children were followed from Grade 4 until Grade 6 and were assessed every year on reading fluency, spelling, and reading comprehension. The teachers assessed the children's…

Valuing the Implementation of Financial Literacy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Kimberlee; Durband, Dorothy Bagwell

2008-01-01

Placing a monetary value on education is a complex task. A more difficult task is to determine at what monetary level individuals will support educational improvements. The contingent valuation method was used to estimate the value of the implementation of financial literacy education in Texas public schools. A Web-based survey was administered to…

Task Persistence Mediates the Effect of Children's Literacy Skills on Mothers' Academic Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikas, Eve; Silinskas, Gintautas

2016-01-01

This longitudinal study aimed at examining the relationship between children's task persistence, mothers' academic help, and the development of children's literacy skills (reading and spelling) at the beginning of primary school. The participants were 870 children, 682 mothers, and 53 class teachers. Data were collected three times--at the…

Serving-Maids and Literacy: An Approach to Teaching Literacy through History and Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner-Bisset, R.

2001-01-01

Presents a case study of an integrated approach to teaching history, literacy and music, in a Year 6 class. Suggests success was due to use of varied teaching approaches including storytelling, drama, singing and discussion. Emphasizes links between genuine historical tasks, and activities in the National Literacy Strategy. Suggests how music…

An Assessment of Civic Scientific Literacy in Japan: Development of a More Authentic Assessment Task and Scoring Rubric

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naganuma, Shotaro

2017-01-01

Scientific literacy has been measured by a variety of assessment tools in the past few decades. International surveys such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) emphasize the importance of scientific literacy. Scientific literacy is now regarded as a…

Staying with the Text: The Contribution of Gender, Achievement Orientations, and Interest to Students' Performance on a Literacy Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Jedda; Tisher, Ruth; Ainley, Mary; Kennedy, Gregor

2008-01-01

This study addresses concerns about boys' underperformance on literacy tasks compared to girls, by investigating male and females students' responses to narrative texts. Participants were 142 Grade 9 and 10 students. Achievement orientations, including goals, self-efficacy, and self-handicapping, were measured and approach and avoidance factors…

Individual Differences in Fifth Graders' Literacy and Academic Language Predict Comprehension Monitoring Development: An Eye-Movement Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, Carol McDonald; Radach, Ralph; Vorstius, Christian; Day, Stephanie L.; McLean, Leigh; Morrison, Frederick J.

2015-01-01

In this study, we investigated fifth graders' (n = 52) fall literacy, academic language, and motivation and how these skills predicted fall and spring comprehension monitoring on an eye movement task. Comprehension monitoring was defined as the identification and repair of misunderstandings when reading text. In the eye movement task, children…

Content-Learning Tasks for Adult ESL Learners: Promoting Literacy for Work or School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewert, Doreen E.

2014-01-01

Teachers of English as a second language (ESL) are often on the frontline of working with adult ESL learners who are facing a difficult developmental pathway to academic and/or economic success. These learners come to the task of learning English with widely varying schooling experiences, degrees of first language literacy, and English language…

Literacy and Community Pariticpation. Prepublication Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peschke, Edith

Literacy experts in composition have examined the exclusionary forces of academic discourse, and have identified various forms of classroom power that result from the system of academic literacy. Little is understood about the power relations that function to relate and regulate the classroom. Largely a humanistic notion, literacy has been defined…

Teachers' Spatial Literacy as Visualization, Reasoning, and Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore-Russo, Deborah; Viglietti, Janine M.; Chiu, Ming Ming; Bateman, Susan M.

2013-01-01

This paper conceptualizes spatial literacy as consisting of three overlapping domains: visualization, reasoning, and communication. By considering these domains, this study explores different aspects of spatial literacy to better understand how a group of mathematics teachers reasoned about spatial tasks. Seventy-five preservice and inservice…

Taming Multiculturalism: The Will to Literacy in Composition Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenberg, Peter

1999-01-01

Presents a review of composition textbooks and professional discourse. Claims the transformative potential of multiculturalism is often subordinated to the task of reducing "cultural distance," and that acquiring multicultural literacy may demand a long, deep and compliant congruity with dominant-culture literacy education. (NH)

Occupational Task Profiles: A Pan-Canadian Snapshot of the Canadian Literacy and Essential Skills Workforce--A Think Paper. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwood, Chris

2012-01-01

Because Literacy and Essential Skills are so important to economic development, it is vital to know the competencies needed by the educators who deliver Literacy and Essential Skills programming. Likewise, Literacy and Essential Skills are crucial for labour market attachment. Low-skilled work has been most affected by technological change. There…

The Potential of an Alliance of Media Literacy Education and Media Criticism in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitskaya, Anastasia

2015-01-01

Media criticism and media literacy education have much in common. For example, media literacy education and media criticism attaches great importance to the development of analytical thinking audience. Indeed, one of the most important tasks of media literacy education is precisely to teach the audience not only to analyze media texts of any kinds…

Children's Literacy Growth, and Candidates' and Teachers' Professional Development Resulting from a PDS-Based Initial Certification Literacy Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Julie L.; Donnantuono, Marie; Lebron, Mary; Flynn, Christina

2017-01-01

This paper reports the effects on children, teacher candidates, and classroom teachers of a PDS-based initial certification course in the teaching of literacy. In this course, teacher candidates work with individual struggling readers on a range of literacy tasks, and the classroom teacher and university faculty member serve as course…

Measuring Health Literacy: A Challenge to Curriculum Design and Evaluation. Research Briefs on Adult Literacy. Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pleasant, Andrew

2008-01-01

There is a growing interest in health literacy and in developing curricula for health care providers and for the general public. However, developing curriculum without accompanying evaluation plans is like starting a race without a finish line, and current measures of health literacy are not up to the task of evaluating curriculum. This research…

Comparing the Reading Performance of High-Achieving Adolescents: Computer-Based Testing versus Paper/Pencil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eno, Linda Peet

2011-01-01

Literacy is moving into the digital context. Many of the literacy tasks associated with higher education, the workplace, and civic life now take place in the digital world. Literacy in high school, however, languishes in the text world. This study compared the text literacy of a group of high-achieving 10th-grade students, to their digital…

Writing for Science Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamberlin, Shannon Marie

Scientific literacy is the foundation on which both California's currently adopted science standards and the recommended new standards for science are based (CDE, 2000; NRC, 2011). The Writing for Science Literacy (WSL) curriculum focuses on a series of writing and discussion tasks aimed at increasing students' scientific literacy. These tasks are based on three teaching and learning constructs: thought and language, scaffolding, and meta-cognition. To this end, WSL is focused on incorporating several strategies from the Rhetorical Approach to Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking to engage students in activities designed to increase their scientific literacy; their ability to both identify an author's claim and evidence and to develop their own arguments based on a claim and evidence. Students participated in scaffolded activities designed to strengthen their written and oral discourse, hone their rhetorical skills and improve their meta-cognition. These activities required students to participate in both writing and discussion tasks to create meaning and build their science content knowledge. Students who participated in the WSL curriculum increased their written and oral fluency and were able to accurately write an evidence-based conclusion all while increasing their conceptual knowledge. This finding implies that a discourse rich curriculum can lead to an increase in scientific knowledge.

Name-writing proficiency, not length of name, is associated with preschool children’s emergent literacy skills

PubMed Central

Puranik, Cynthia S.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2011-01-01

The goals of this study were twofold: first, to examine whether preschool children’s name-writing proficiency differentiated them on other emergent reading and writing tasks, and second, to examine the effect of name length on preschool children’s emergent literacy skills including alphabet knowledge and spelling. In study 1, a range of emergent literacy tasks was administered to 296 preschool children aged 4–5 years. The more advanced name writers outperformed the less advanced name writers on all emergent literacy measures. Furthermore, children with longer names did not show superior performance compared to children with shorter names. In study 2, four measures of alphabet knowledge and spelling were administered to 104 preschool children. Once again, the more advanced name writers outperformed the less advanced name writers on the alphabet knowledge and spelling measures. Results indicated that having longer names did not translate into an advantage on the alphabet knowledge and spelling tasks. Name writing proficiency, not length of name appears to be associated with preschool children’s developing emergent literacy skills. Name writing reflects knowledge of some letters rather than a broader knowledge of letters that may be needed to support early spelling. PMID:22523450

Developing an ICT-Literacy Task-Based Assessment Instrument: The Findings on the Final Testing Phase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mat-jizat, Jessnor Elmy

2013-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a study which seeks to identify the information and communications technology (ICT) literacy levels of trainee teachers, by investigating their ICT proficiency using a task-bask assessment instrument. The Delphi technique was used as a primary validation method for the new assessment tool and the ICT literacy…

Pennsylvania Blue Shield's Job Linked Skills Program. A Basic Skills Education Program. Final Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Blue Shield, Camp Hill.

A project developed a model curriculum to be delivered by computer-based instruction to teach the required literacy skills for entry workers in the health insurance industry. Literacy task analyses were performed for the targeted jobs and then validated with focus groups. The job tasks and related basic skills were divided into modules. The job…

Women, Work, and Literacy. ERIC Digest No. 92.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerka, Sandra

The numbers of women with low literacy levels, the increased labor force participation of women, and increasing literacy requirements on the job make the case for the inclusion of a literacy component in employment programs for women. Such programs should strive to be comprehensive, learner-centered, flexible, standards-based, and linked to…

Online, Tuned In, Turned On: Multimedia Approaches to Fostering Critical Media Health Literacy for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begoray, Deborah L.; Banister, Elizabeth M.; Wharf Higgins, Joan; Wilmot, Robin

2014-01-01

The commercial media is an influential sociocultural force and transmitter of health information especially for adolescents. Instruction in critical media health literacy, a combination of concepts from critical health literacy and critical media literacy, is a potentially effective means of raising adolescents' awareness about commercial media…

Revisiting Jack Goody to Rethink Determinisms in Literacy Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collin, Ross

2013-01-01

This article revisits Goody's arguments about literacy's influence on social arrangements, culture, cognition, economics, and other domains of existence. Whereas some of his arguments tend toward technological determinism (i.e., literacy causes change in the world), other of his arguments construe literacy as a force that shapes and is shaped by…

What Does Empowerment in Literacy Education Look Like? An Analysis of a Family Literacy Program for Guatemalan Maya Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoorman, Dilys; Zainuddin, Hanizah

2008-01-01

Educators in the field of "family literacy" have identified multiple approaches to family literacy programs (FLPs), and have underscored the need to identify and make explicit the philosophical orientations of their own programs. This was the task undertaken in this article, which focused on a FLP in south Florida that served the needs…

Advanced Foreign Language Learning: A Challenge to College Programs. Issues in Language Program Direction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrnes, Heidi, Ed.; Maxim, Hiram H., Ed.

This book includes the following chapters: "Literacy and Advanced Foreign Language Learning: Rethinking he Curriculum" (Richard G. Kern); "A Template for Advanced Learner Tasks: Staging Genre Reading and Cultural Literacy Through the Precis" (Janet Swaffar); "Fostering Advanced L2 Literacy: A Genre-Based, Cognitive…

Applying the Framework for Information Literacy to the Developmental Education Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Larissa

2014-01-01

Translating the new Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education (ACRL November 2014) into learning outcomes, instructional content, and assessments might appear to be an overwhelming task; however, in many cases the revision exemplifies how many librarians have been teaching information literacy in the digital information landscape.…

Paperwork Plus: Literacy Materials for the Service Industry. Hotel Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Judith; McGill, Teresa

The instructional materials are intended for use in teaching vocational English and English literacy to limited-English-speaking personnel in the hotel industry. They are designed for learners at three instructional levels, and address job-specific literacy tasks. An introductory section describes the materials and offers suggestions for…

Defining, Designing for, and Measuring "Social Constructivist Digital Literacy" Development in Learners: A Proposed Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Rebecca

2016-01-01

This paper offers a newly conceptualized modular framework for digital literacy that defines this concept as a task-driven "social constructivist digital literacy," comprising 6 practice domains grounded in Constructionism and social constructivism: Create, Manage, Publish, Socialize, Research, Surf. The framework articulates possible…

Lessons in financial literacy task design: authentic, imaginable, useful

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawatzki, Carly

2017-03-01

As part of ongoing design-based research exploring financial literacy teaching and learning, 10 tasks termed "financial dilemmas" were trialled by 14 teachers and more than 300 year 5 and 6 students in four government primary schools in urban Darwin. Drawing on data related to three tasks— Catching the bus, Laser Tag and Buying bread—this article explores insights into problem context and task design principles. The findings highlight that fit to circumstance, challenge yet accessibility and pedagogical architecture are important task design principles. Further, tasks involving unfamiliar, novel and imaginable problem contexts, while pedagogically demanding for teachers, can be considered useful by students and have the potential to broaden their horizons.

Understanding Work and Literacy: (E)merging Discourses at Work. Research into Practice Series Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castleton, Geraldine; Ovens, Carolyn; Ralston, Deborah

The nature and effects of current common understandings of the relationship between work and literacy were examined along with the typical design and objectives of workplace literacy programs for members of Australia's work force. Special attention was paid to the following topics: changing demands of work and literacy at work; discourses of…

Illiteracy and Poverty. Literacy Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adiseshiah, Malcolm S.

There is a close connection between illiteracy and poverty at all levels--global, national, and subnational; the countries with the lowest levels of literacy are also the poorest economically. Poverty breeds illiteracy by forcing children to drop out of school to work, and these illiterate people are forced to stay on the lowest levels of the work…

Literacy in the Work Force. Report Number 947.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lund, Leonard; McGuire, E. Patrick

Up to 10 percent of U.S. workers are either functionally illiterate or marginally literate. These workers increase the operational costs of their employers and restrain companies' flexibility. The high school graduates of the 1990s will exacerbate the problem by entering the work force with marginal literacy skills. A survey of 1,600 manufacturing…

Workplace Literacy: Bottom-Line Business Strategies. Showcase 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida Chamber of Commerce, Tallahassee.

This report presents a concise and useful overview of the issue of business/education partnerships to develop and implement workplace literacy programs. The first chapter focuses on the challenges of developing a literate work force for Florida. It considers the changing workplace and work force, Florida trends in illiteracy, the impact of…

Are trajectories of self-regulation abilities from ages 2-3 to 6-7 associated with academic achievement in the early school years?

PubMed

Sawyer, A C P; Chittleborough, C R; Mittinty, M N; Miller-Lewis, L R; Sawyer, M G; Sullivan, T; Lynch, J W

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between two key aspects of self-regulation, 'task attentiveness' and 'emotional regulation' assessed from ages 2-3 to 6-7 years, and academic achievement when children were aged 6-7 years. Participants (n = 3410) were children in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Parents rated children's task attentiveness and emotional regulation abilities when children were aged 2-3, 4-5 and 6-7. Academic achievement was assessed using the Academic Rating Scale completed by teachers. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association between developmental trajectories (i.e. rate of change per year) of task attentiveness and emotional regulation, and academic achievement at 6-7 years. Improvements in task attentiveness between 2-3 and 6-7 years, adjusted for baseline levels of task attentiveness, child and family confounders, and children's receptive vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning skills at age 6-7 were associated with greater teacher-rated literacy [B = 0.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04-0.06] and maths achievement (B = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.03-0.06) at 6-7 years. Improvements in emotional regulation, adjusting for baseline levels and covariates, were also associated with better teacher-rated literacy (B = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01-0.04) but not with maths achievement (B = 0.01, 95% CI = -0.01-0.02) at 6-7 years. For literacy, improvements in task attentiveness had a stronger association with achievement at 6-7 years than improvements in emotional regulation. Our study shows that improved trajectories of task attentiveness from ages 2-3 to 6-7 years are associated with improved literacy and maths achievement during the early school years. Trajectories of improving emotional regulation showed smaller effects on academic outcomes. Results suggest that interventions that improve task attentiveness when children are aged 2-3 to 6-7 years have the potential to improve literacy and maths achievement during the early school years. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Students' Engagement in Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Group Assignments for Information Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sormunen, Eero; Tanni, Mikko; Heinström, Jannica

2013-01-01

Introduction: Information literacy instruction is often undertaken in schools as collaborative source-based writing assignments. his paper presents the findings of a study on collaboration in two school assignments designed for information literacy. Method: The study draws on the models of cooperative and collaborative learning and the task-based…

Knowledge and Processes That Predict Proficiency in Digital Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulger, Monica E.; Mayer, Richard E.; Metzger, Miriam J.

2014-01-01

Proficiency in digital literacy refers to the ability to read and write using online sources, and includes the ability to select sources relevant to the task, synthesize information into a coherent message, and communicate the message with an audience. The present study examines the determinants of digital literacy proficiency by asking 150…

The App Map: A Tool for Systematic Evaluation of Apps for Early Literacy Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israelson, Madeleine Heins

2015-01-01

As portable devices become increasingly available in elementary classrooms teachers are expected to use these new technologies to engage students in both traditional print-based literacy learning and digital literacies practices, such as multimodal composing. Teachers face the daunting task of integrating apps into their current research-based…

Getting Ready Right from the Start. Effective Early Literacy Interventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiebert, Elfrieda H., Ed.; Taylor, Barbara M., Ed.

Presenting descriptions of seven successful emergent literacy programs, this book demonstrates that early literacy intervention programs with a focus on accelerated learning and on authentic reading and writing tasks can prevent many first-grade children from failing to learn to read. Programs described in the book focus on story book reading and…

Investigating the Literacy, Numeracy and ICT Demands of Primary Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Silva Joyce, Helen; Feez, Susan; Chan, Eveline; Tobias, Stephen

2014-01-01

Pre-service teacher education programs are required to graduate students who meet externally determined standards in literacy and numeracy. However, little is known about the literacy, numeracy and ICT knowledge and skills demanded of teacher education students as they complete assessment tasks on which successful completion of their teaching…

The Workplace Literacy System Project (WLS). Final Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulton, Bruce R.

The Workplace Literacy System Project (WLS) prepared interactive CD-ROM discs containing about 50 hours of instruction and drill in basic skills presented within the context of the textile/apparel manufacturing industry. The project was conducted at a Sara Lee knit products plant in North Carolina. During the project, literacy task analyses were…

Impact of induced joy on literacy in children: does the nature of the task make a difference?

PubMed

Tornare, Elise; Cuisinier, Frédérique; Czajkowski, Nikolai O; Pons, Francisco

2017-04-01

This research examined whether induced joy influences fifth graders' performance in literacy tasks. Children were asked to recall a joyful experience, used as a joy induction, before completing either a grammar (Study 1) or textual comprehension task (Study 2). The grammar task involved understanding at the surface level and retrieval of appropriate declarative and procedural knowledge, but limited elaboration unlike the textual comprehension task, which tackled inference generation. By differentiating tasks based on depth of processing required for completion we aimed at testing the validity of two concurrent hypotheses: that of a facilitating effect and that of a detrimental effect of induced joy. Compared to controls, joy induced children showed better performance on the grammar task - specifically children with lower language ability. No differences across groups emerged as a function of joy induction on the text comprehension task. Results are discussed with respect to emotion effects on cognition.

Literacy for Citizenship: Gender and Grassroots Dynamics in Brazil. SUNY Series, Literacy, Culture, and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stromquist, Nelly P.

This book presents a case study of the MOVA (Movimento de Alfabetizacao de Jovens e Adultos) literacy program in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1989-1993. It examines the meaning and uses of literacy at the micro- and macro-levels, the interplay between both levels, and forces influencing educational policy formation and outcome. The foreword provides…

Managing Diversity: A Key to Building a Quality Work Force. Research and Development Series No. 271.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxson, Judith; Hair, Billy

Economic changes create stress as U.S. businesses progress toward building a high quality work force for the year 2000. Skills such as critical literacy, communication, writing, math, and interpersonal competence are desired. Critical literacy involves the higher order thinking skills: the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize. In addition,…

The Prediction of Labor Force Status: Implications from International Adult Skill Assessments. Research Report. ETS RR-16-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Tongyun; von Davier, Matthias; Hancock, Gregory R.

2016-01-01

This report investigates the prediction of labor force status using observed variables, such as gender, age, and immigrant status, and more importantly, measured skill variables, including literacy proficiency and a categorical rating of educational attainment based on the 1994 International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), the 2003 Adult Literacy…

Riding the Lines and Overwriting in the Margins: Affect and Multimodal Literacy Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenters, Kimberly

2016-01-01

This case study examines the multimodal literacy practices of 11-year-old Nigel as he plays with assemblages of people, objects, and practices in his storywriting. The study asks "How does following the seemingly off-task multimodal literacy practices of one pre-adolescent youth across his home-community-school terrain provide insight into…

Measuring Literacy in IALS: A Construct-Centered Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Irwin S.

2003-01-01

This paper offers a brief overview of the framework that has been used for developing the tasks used to measure literacy in IALS as well as for understanding the meaning of what is being reported with respect to the comparative literacy proficiencies of adults. The importance of developing a framework is thought to be central in construct-based…

Online Group Work Design: Processes, Complexities, and Intricacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinsasser, Robert; Hong, Yi-Chun

2016-01-01

This paper describes the challenges of designing and implementing online group work. We are responsible for a seven-and-a-half week's online literacy and bi-literacy graduate course in a Bilingual/English as a Second Language (BLE/ESL) Master of Arts program. One of the tasks includes online literacy circle exchanges where students are encouraged…

Integrating the Liberal Arts and Chemistry: A Series of General Chemistry Assignments to Develop Science Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Diane M.; Chengelis Czegan, Demetra A.

2016-01-01

This paper describes assignments that have been implemented in a General Chemistry I course to promote science literacy. This course was chosen in particular because it reaches a broad audience, which includes nonscience majors. The assignment series begins with several discussions and tasks to develop information literacy, in which students find…

Statistical Literacy as a Function of Online versus Hybrid Course Delivery Format for an Introductory Graduate Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.; Acquaye, Hannah; Griffith, Matthew D.; Jo, Hang; Matthews, Ken; Acharya, Parul

2017-01-01

Statistical literacy refers to understanding fundamental statistical concepts. Assessment of statistical literacy can take the forms of tasks that require students to identify, translate, compute, read, and interpret data. In addition, statistical instruction can take many forms encompassing course delivery format such as face-to-face, hybrid,…

Food and Beverage Industry ESL Workplace Literacy Curriculum for Hotels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Duzer, Carol; And Others

The Workplace Literacy Curriculum for Food and Beverage was developed for English-as-a-Second-Language classes for workers in participating hotels in Arlington County, Virginia, through a national workplace literacy grant with the cooperation of the Arlington County Chamber of Commerce. It is based on an analysis of tasks and interactions at the…

An Analysis of Factors Influencing Urbanite Woman Learner-Participation in Functional Literacy Programs in Selected Christian Churches, Accra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saah, Albert Amoah

2013-01-01

The promotion of adult functional literacy programs per se, neither creates the necessary motivation for learning, nor enhances the participation of adult learners in work-oriented or socio-cultural functional literacy programs. The task in learning-teaching transaction is to create the enabling environment for harnessing and enhancing…

The "Functional" and "Social" Uses of Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffey, Joseph

The task of providing the tools of basic literacy for all citizens is still unfinished in the United States, as well as on an international scale. No longer can the developed and underdeveloped worlds relate as mentor and learner; the United States has much to learn from the great work in literacy and basic education performed in lesser developed…

Building Facilities/Custodial Services English as a Second Language Workplace Literacy Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arlington County Public Schools, VA. REEP, Arlington Education and Employment Program.

The Workplace Literacy Curriculum for Custodial Services was developed for English-as-a-Second-Language classes for workers in participating businesses in Arlington County, Virginia, through a national workplace literacy grant with the cooperation of the Arlington County Chamber of Commerce. It is based on an analysis of tasks and interactions at…

Adult Literacy: Skills for the American Work Force. Research and Development Series No. 265B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, William L.; Sechler, Judith A.

A study examined the nature and extent of adult literacy needs in the American labor force. Data for the study were collected from a review of the literature, site visits to nine industry-based training programs, and consultation with a technical panel of experts. Input from company managers, instructors, and trainers familiar with the…

Forces Changing Our Nation's Future: The Comparative Performance of U.S. Adults and Youth on International Literacy Assessments, the Importance of Literacy/Numeracy Proficiencies for Labor Market Success, and the Projected Outlook for Literacy Proficiencies of U.S. Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sum, Andrew

2007-01-01

This presentation is devoted to four main topics: (1) the comparative performance of U.S. adults and high school students on international literacy assessments; (2) the literacy/numeracy proficiencies of the nation's adults in different educational groups and among those who recently participated in federally-funded adult education programs; (3)…

Emergent Literacy in Thai Preschoolers: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Yampratoom, Ramorn; Aroonyadech, Nawarat; Ruangdaraganon, Nichara; Roongpraiwan, Rawiwan; Kositprapa, Jariya

To investigate emergent literacy skills, including phonological awareness when presented with an initial phoneme-matching task and letter knowledge when presented with a letter-naming task in Thai preschoolers, and to identify key factors associated with those skills. Four hundred twelve typically developing children in their final kindergarten year were enrolled in this study. Their emergent reading skills were measured by initial phoneme-matching and letter-naming tasks. Determinant variables, such as parents' education and teachers' perception, were collected by self-report questionnaires. The mean score of the initial phoneme-matching task was 4.5 (45% of a total of 10 scores). The mean score of the letter-naming task without a picture representing the target letter name was 30.2 (68.6% of a total of 44 scores), which increased to 38.8 (88.2% of a total of 44 scores) in the letter-naming task when a picture representing the target letter name was provided. Both initial phoneme-matching and letter-naming abilities were associated with the mother's education and household income. Letter-naming ability was also influenced by home reading activities and gender. This was a preliminary study into emergent literacy skills of Thai preschoolers. The findings supported the importance of focusing on phonological awareness and phonics, especially in the socioeconomic disadvantaged group.

Implementing a Disciplinary-Literacy Curriculum for US History: Learning from Expert Middle School Teachers in Diverse Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monte-Sano, Chauncey; De La Paz, Susan; Felton, Mark

2014-01-01

In recent years, educators in the USA have emphasized disciplinary literacy as an essential path forward in cultivating adolescents' understanding of subject matter in tandem with literacy practices. Yet, this agenda poses challenges to teachers who have been tasked with its implementation. Here, we examine two expert US history teachers' efforts…

Literacy and Life Skills Education for Vulnerable Youth: What Policy Makers Can Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhardt, Anna Caroline; Yorozu, Rika; Medel-Añonuevo, Carolyn

2014-01-01

In countries with a high concentration of youth with low literacy levels, the policy and programming task related to education and training is particularly daunting. This note briefly presents policies and practices which have been put in place to provide vulnerable youth with literacy and life skills education. It is based on a multi-country…

An Exploratory Examination of Literacy Assessment Practices of Adult Programs in North Carolina's Piedmont-Triad Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Eboni Nikita; Comer, Marcus M.

2007-01-01

It is estimated that 22 percent, of adults in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina have poor literacy skills, meaning that they have difficulty with tasks involving simple texts and documents. Purpose: Given this low level of adult literacy, the purpose of this exploratory research study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina's adult…

Digital Literacies. A Tale of Two Tasks: Editing in the Era of Digital Literacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler-Olcott, Kelly

2009-01-01

This article argues that editing in the era of digital literacies is a complex, collaborative endeavor that requires a sophisticated awareness of audience and purpose and a knowledge of multiple conventions for conveying meaning and ensuring accuracy. It compares group editing of an article about the New York Yankees baseball team on Wikipedia,…

Families and Literacy: The Contribution of Out-of-School Experiences to Children's Acquisition of Literacy. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chall, Jeanne; Snow, Catherine

Addressing the question of why some children manage to continue successfully through the later stages of literacy acquisition while others are unable to meet the challenges presented by fourth and fifth grade reading tasks, an 18-month, in-depth study was conducted of the home environment factors influencing the reading comprehension of second,…

Literacy and Languages. The Second Yearbook of Literacy and Languages in Asia, International Reading Association Special Interest Group. Selection of Speeches and Papers From the International Conference on Literacy and Languages (1st, Seoul, South Korea, August 12-14, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Byong Won, Ed.

Cosponsored by Hanyang University as a demonstration of its founding philosophy, "love in deed and truth," this conference focused on literacy and languages from cross-cultural and instructional perspectives. The papers selected for this yearbook and their authors are as follows: (1) "Designing Tasks for Slow Learners in L2"…

Pedagogical Strategies for Teaching Literacy to ESL Immigrant Students: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adesope, Olusola O.; Lavin, Tracy; Thompson, Terri; Ungerleider, Charles

2011-01-01

Background: Many countries rely on immigrants for population growth and to maintain a skilled workforce. However, many such immigrants face literacy-related barriers to success in education and in the labour force. Aims: This meta-analysis reviews experimental and quasi-experimental studies to examine strategies for teaching English literacy to…

The New Literacy: Technology in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Theoni Soublis

2011-01-01

Technological advancements are forcing the definition of literacy to expand in this new century. Students are coming to the classroom digitally fluent. Yet, our educational system has not risen to the challenges of modifying curriculum and instruction to suit the needs of this generation of learners. Literacy needs to be redefined. In order to…

Testing Job-Specific Literacy of Industrial Workers: Cooperation between Educators and Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, William W.; Stewart, Oran J.

A test of job-specific literacy, called the McCoy Assessment of Worksite Literacy Abilities (MAWSLA), could not predict the job success of the 100 employees who took it. The 108-item test was based on literary tasks encountered by employees in the course of a routine day at McCoy Electronics Company, a 560-employee firm in Pennsylvania. The…

How much do we count? Interpretation and error-making in the decennial census.

PubMed

Iversen, R R; Furstenberg, F F; Belzer, A A

1999-02-01

Following a critique of the 1990 decennial census procedures, we conducted a field study among low-income, inner-city residents in 1991 to examine how they conceptualized and managed the civic task of census response. Interpretations about the purpose and meaning of the census, about commitment to the task, and about connection to government, singly and together with literacy skills (e.g., reading and general literacy competence), were associated with errors that are not detectable by evaluative methodologies used regularly by the Census Bureau. The validity and reliability of census data, and possibly other self-administered survey research, will be increased by greater use of knowledge about both interpretation and literacy skills in formulating data collection procedures.

A framework for characterizing eHealth literacy demands and barriers.

PubMed

Chan, Connie V; Kaufman, David R

2011-11-17

Consumer eHealth interventions are of a growing importance in the individual management of health and health behaviors. However, a range of access, resources, and skills barriers prevent health care consumers from fully engaging in and benefiting from the spectrum of eHealth interventions. Consumers may engage in a range of eHealth tasks, such as participating in health discussion forums and entering information into a personal health record. eHealth literacy names a set of skills and knowledge that are essential for productive interactions with technology-based health tools, such as proficiency in information retrieval strategies, and communicating health concepts effectively. We propose a theoretical and methodological framework for characterizing complexity of eHealth tasks, which can be used to diagnose and describe literacy barriers and inform the development of solution strategies. We adapted and integrated two existing theoretical models relevant to the analysis of eHealth literacy into a single framework to systematically categorize and describe task demands and user performance on tasks needed by health care consumers in the information age. The method derived from the framework is applied to (1) code task demands using a cognitive task analysis, and (2) code user performance on tasks. The framework and method are applied to the analysis of a Web-based consumer eHealth task with information-seeking and decision-making demands. We present the results from the in-depth analysis of the task performance of a single user as well as of 20 users on the same task to illustrate both the detailed analysis and the aggregate measures obtained and potential analyses that can be performed using this method. The analysis shows that the framework can be used to classify task demands as well as the barriers encountered in user performance of the tasks. Our approach can be used to (1) characterize the challenges confronted by participants in performing the tasks, (2) determine the extent to which application of the framework to the cognitive task analysis can predict and explain the problems encountered by participants, and (3) inform revisions to the framework to increase accuracy of predictions. The results of this illustrative application suggest that the framework is useful for characterizing task complexity and for diagnosing and explaining barriers encountered in task completion. The framework and analytic approach can be a potentially powerful generative research platform to inform development of rigorous eHealth examination and design instruments, such as to assess eHealth competence, to design and evaluate consumer eHealth tools, and to develop an eHealth curriculum.

A Framework for Characterizing eHealth Literacy Demands and Barriers

PubMed Central

Chan, Connie V

2011-01-01

Background Consumer eHealth interventions are of a growing importance in the individual management of health and health behaviors. However, a range of access, resources, and skills barriers prevent health care consumers from fully engaging in and benefiting from the spectrum of eHealth interventions. Consumers may engage in a range of eHealth tasks, such as participating in health discussion forums and entering information into a personal health record. eHealth literacy names a set of skills and knowledge that are essential for productive interactions with technology-based health tools, such as proficiency in information retrieval strategies, and communicating health concepts effectively. Objective We propose a theoretical and methodological framework for characterizing complexity of eHealth tasks, which can be used to diagnose and describe literacy barriers and inform the development of solution strategies. Methods We adapted and integrated two existing theoretical models relevant to the analysis of eHealth literacy into a single framework to systematically categorize and describe task demands and user performance on tasks needed by health care consumers in the information age. The method derived from the framework is applied to (1) code task demands using a cognitive task analysis, and (2) code user performance on tasks. The framework and method are applied to the analysis of a Web-based consumer eHealth task with information-seeking and decision-making demands. We present the results from the in-depth analysis of the task performance of a single user as well as of 20 users on the same task to illustrate both the detailed analysis and the aggregate measures obtained and potential analyses that can be performed using this method. Results The analysis shows that the framework can be used to classify task demands as well as the barriers encountered in user performance of the tasks. Our approach can be used to (1) characterize the challenges confronted by participants in performing the tasks, (2) determine the extent to which application of the framework to the cognitive task analysis can predict and explain the problems encountered by participants, and (3) inform revisions to the framework to increase accuracy of predictions. Conclusions The results of this illustrative application suggest that the framework is useful for characterizing task complexity and for diagnosing and explaining barriers encountered in task completion. The framework and analytic approach can be a potentially powerful generative research platform to inform development of rigorous eHealth examination and design instruments, such as to assess eHealth competence, to design and evaluate consumer eHealth tools, and to develop an eHealth curriculum. PMID:22094891

Hearing Other Voices: A Critical Assessment of Popular Views on Literacy and Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Glynda

Recent cognitive and historical research as well as the perspectives of workers can challenge the popular myths of literacy and work. It is believed that workers do not possess the necessary literacy skills for current and future jobs. Forecasters specify which groups will dominate the future work force--women, minorities, and immigrants. Since…

On Defining and Developing Literacy across Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardo, Allan B. I.

2000-09-01

The paper attempts to raise a few issues relating to the task of defining and operationalizing literacy and literacy development across communities with diverse socio-economic profiles. In particular, the following concerns are raised: (1) Can literacy development be assessed using one set of domains, given that the domains of literacy practices vary across cultures? (2) Does the acquisition of literacy skills mean the same thing to people across different communities? (3) Does illiteracy have the same consequences for people in different communities? (4) Is the process of literacy acquisition and development the same across diverse communities? The paper underscores the importance of considering the diverse socio-economic patterns in different communities in trying to determine present levels of literacy development and in proposing programs to increase levels of literacy skill. It also proposes using the level of community (in addition to the macro-level of nation-state and the micro-level of individual) in analyzing matters relating to literacy development.

Early Executive Function at Age Two Predicts Emergent Mathematics and Literacy at Age Five

PubMed Central

Mulder, Hanna; Verhagen, Josje; Van der Ven, Sanne H. G.; Slot, Pauline L.; Leseman, Paul P. M.

2017-01-01

Previous work has shown that individual differences in executive function (EF) are predictive of academic skills in preschoolers, kindergartners, and older children. Across studies, EF is a stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than literacy. However, research on EF in children below age three is scarce, and it is currently unknown whether EF, as assessed in toddlerhood, predicts emergent academic skills a few years later. This longitudinal study investigates whether early EF, assessed at two years, predicts (emergent) academic skills, at five years. It examines, furthermore, whether early EF is a significantly stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than of emergent literacy, as has been found in previous work on older children. A sample of 552 children was assessed on various EF and EF-precursor tasks at two years. At age five, these children performed several emergent mathematics and literacy tasks. Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the relationships between early EF and academic skills, modeled as latent factors. Results showed that early EF at age two was a significant and relatively strong predictor of both emergent mathematics and literacy at age five, after controlling for receptive vocabulary, parental education, and home language. Predictive relations were significantly stronger for mathematics than literacy, but only when a verbal short-term memory measure was left out as an indicator to the latent early EF construct. These findings show that individual differences in emergent academic skills just prior to entry into the formal education system can be traced back to individual differences in early EF in toddlerhood. In addition, these results highlight the importance of task selection when assessing early EF as a predictor of later outcomes, and call for further studies to elucidate the mechanisms through which individual differences in early EF and precursors to EF come about. PMID:29075209

Early Executive Function at Age Two Predicts Emergent Mathematics and Literacy at Age Five.

PubMed

Mulder, Hanna; Verhagen, Josje; Van der Ven, Sanne H G; Slot, Pauline L; Leseman, Paul P M

2017-01-01

Previous work has shown that individual differences in executive function (EF) are predictive of academic skills in preschoolers, kindergartners, and older children. Across studies, EF is a stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than literacy. However, research on EF in children below age three is scarce, and it is currently unknown whether EF, as assessed in toddlerhood, predicts emergent academic skills a few years later. This longitudinal study investigates whether early EF, assessed at two years, predicts (emergent) academic skills, at five years. It examines, furthermore, whether early EF is a significantly stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than of emergent literacy, as has been found in previous work on older children. A sample of 552 children was assessed on various EF and EF-precursor tasks at two years. At age five, these children performed several emergent mathematics and literacy tasks. Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the relationships between early EF and academic skills, modeled as latent factors. Results showed that early EF at age two was a significant and relatively strong predictor of both emergent mathematics and literacy at age five, after controlling for receptive vocabulary, parental education, and home language. Predictive relations were significantly stronger for mathematics than literacy, but only when a verbal short-term memory measure was left out as an indicator to the latent early EF construct. These findings show that individual differences in emergent academic skills just prior to entry into the formal education system can be traced back to individual differences in early EF in toddlerhood. In addition, these results highlight the importance of task selection when assessing early EF as a predictor of later outcomes, and call for further studies to elucidate the mechanisms through which individual differences in early EF and precursors to EF come about.

Simulation of dyslexia. How literacy and cognitive skills can help distinguish college students with dyslexia from malingerers

PubMed Central

de Bree, Elise H.; de Jong, Peter F.

2018-01-01

Academic accommodations associated with a diagnosis of dyslexia might be incentives for college students without reading or spelling difficulties to feign dyslexia and obtain the diagnosis unfairly. In the current study we examined malingering practices by comparing the performance of college students instructed to malinger dyslexia (n = 28) to that of students actually diagnosed with dyslexia (n = 16). We also included a control group of students without reading and spelling difficulties (n = 28). The test battery included tasks tapping literacy skills as well as underlying cognitive skills associated with literacy outcomes. These tasks are commonly used in diagnosing dyslexia. We examined patterns in the performance of malingerers across tasks and tested whether malingerers could be identified based on their performance on a limited number of tasks. Results indicated that malingerers scored significantly lower than students with dyslexia on reading and spelling skills; i.e., the core characteristics of dyslexia. Especially reading performance was extremely low and not in line with students’ age and level of education. Findings for underlying cognitive skills were mixed. Overall, malingerers scored lower than students with dyslexia on tasks tapping mainly speed, whereas the two groups did not differ on tasks reflecting mainly accuracy. Based on word and pseudoword reading and letter and digit naming, the three groups could be distinguished with reasonable sensitivity and specificity. In all, results indicate that college students seem to understand on which tasks they should feign dyslexia, but tend to exaggerate difficulties on these tasks to the point where diagnosticians should mistrust performance. PMID:29782515

The Human-Computer Interface and Information Literacy: Some Basics and Beyond.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Gary M.

1999-01-01

Discusses human/computer interaction research, human/computer interface, and their relationships to information literacy. Highlights include communication models; cognitive perspectives; task analysis; theory of action; problem solving; instructional design considerations; and a suggestion that human/information interface may be a more appropriate…

Quality Matters: Content Literacy for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require students to read and comprehend complex content texts. They specify three dimensions of a text that simultaneously contribute to text complexity across the curriculum: qualitative dimensions, quantitative dimensions, and reader and task considerations. In literacy instruction, recognizing and…

Changing Our Aim: Infiltrating Faculty with Information Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Sandra; Eva, Nicole

2016-01-01

Librarians are stretched thin these days--budget cuts and decreasing numbers are forcing us to look at new ways of doing things. While the embedded information literacy model has gained popularity in the past number of years, it may be time for a new model of information literacy. We must arm teaching faculty with the tools they need to teach…

The effects of live music groups versus an educational children's television program on the emergent literacy of young children.

PubMed

Register, Dena

2004-01-01

Research suggests that music is beneficial in teaching both social and academic skills to young children. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a music therapy program designed to teach reading skills versus the "Between the Lions" television program on the early literacy behaviors of Kindergarten children from a low socioeconomic background. Subjects (n = 86) were children, aged 5-7 years, enrolled in one of four different Kindergarten classes at a public elementary school in Northwest Florida. Each class was assigned one of four treatment conditions: Music/Video (sequential presentation of each condition), Music-Only, Video-Only, and no contact Control group. Growth in early literacy skills was measured using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and 3 subtests of the Test of Early reading Ability-3rd edition (TERA-3). Teachers' perceptions of classroom literacy behaviors were measured using a pre and poststudy survey. This study also compared on- and off-task behavior of students during video versus music conditions. Results of the 7 subtests measuring early literacy were varied. The Music/Video and Music-Only groups achieved the highest increases in mean scores from pre to posttest on 4 of the 7 subtests. Students in the Video-Only group scored significantly better on the phonemic segmentation portion of the DIBELS than peers in the Music/Video condition. Furthermore, strong correlations were found between the Letter Naming, Initial Sounds Fluency tests, and total raw score of the TERA-3 tests for both pre and posttesting. Additionally, graphic analysis of mean off-task behavior per session indicated that students were more off-task during both video conditions (video alone and video portion of Music/Video condition) than during the music conditions. Off-task behavior was consistently lower during music sessions for the duration of the study. This study confirmed that music increases the on-task behavior of students. Additionally, the combination of music and video enrichment showed gains in 4 of the 8 tests used to measure students' progress. This pattern supports the need for further investigation regarding benefits of enrichment programs specifically designed to enhance curricula for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, particularly programs that incorporate music activities.

The effect of first written language on the acquisition of English literacy.

PubMed

Holm, A; Dodd, B

1996-05-01

The relationship between first and second language literacy was examined by identifying the skills and processes developed in the first language that were transferred to the second language. The performance of 40 university students from The People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Australia were compared on a series of tasks that assessed phonological awareness and reading and spelling skills in English. The results indicated that the Hong Kong students (with non-alphabetic first language literacy) had limited phonological awareness compared to those students with alphabetic first language literacy. The reading and spelling tasks showed no differences between the groups on real word processing. However, the students from Hong Kong had difficulty processing nonwords because of their poor phonological awareness. The results supported the hypothesis that people learning English as a second language (ESL) transfer their literacy processing skills from their first language to English. When the phonological awareness required in English had not been developed in the first language, ESL students were limited to a whole-word, visual strategy. The findings indicate that students from non-alphabetic written language backgrounds might have difficulties with new, or unfamiliar words when attending universities where English is the medium of instruction.

The DigiLit Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baxa, Julie; Christ, Tanya

2018-01-01

Selecting and integrating the use of digital texts/tools in literacy lessons are complex tasks. The DigiLit framework provides a succinct model to guide planning, reflection, coaching, and formative evaluation of teachers' successful digital text/tool selection and integration for literacy lessons. For digital text/tool selection, teachers need to…

Journalism as Model for Civic and Information Literacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smirnov, Natalia; Saiyed, Gulnaz; Easterday, Matthew W.; Lam, Wan Shun Eva

2018-01-01

Journalism can serve as a generative disciplinary context for developing civic and information literacies needed to meaningfully participate in an increasingly networked and mediated public sphere. Using interviews with journalists, we developed a cognitive task analysis model, identifying an iterative sequence of production and domain-specific…

Workplace Literacy and Basic Skills = L'alphabetisation et les competences de base en milieu de travail.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waugh, Sue

Workplace literacy and basic skills may be defined as skills needed by employees at work: reading, writing, math, and problem solving. Workplace literacy and skill requirements are based on the needs of each workplace and its workers. These skills are important because the work force needs to be highly skilled and adaptable to compete in a global…

Contextualized Literacy in Green Jobs Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waugh, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Millions of adult Americans lack the basic literacy skills necessary to perform everyday tasks requiring basic reading and math. This stifles our economy, given that employers are increasingly likely to require education or training beyond high school. Organizations that provide job training to lower-skilled adults through Jobs for the Future's…

Federal Workplace Literacy Project. Internal Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matuszak, David J.

This report describes the following components of the Nestle Workplace Literacy Project: six job task analyses, curricula for six workplace basic skills training programs, delivery of courses using these curricula, and evaluation of the process. These six job categories were targeted for training: forklift loader/checker, BB's processing systems…

Digital Literacy Instruction for eHealth and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Laura

2016-01-01

The increasing importance of digital technologies can disenfranchise individuals who lack digital literacy skills. As clinics adopt online health portals, even health care services require digital skills. Patients are often expected to check test results and perform other health-related tasks online, but few clinics provide support for those who…

Evidence Based Education Request Desk. EBE #131

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, 2007

2007-01-01

To complement the information gathered on middle school and high school literacy initiatives as reported in "Middle and High School Literacy across the Curriculum" (Task 1.2 Fast Response Project), the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast (REL-SE) staff conducted a scan of the six southeast states to gather the following information…

Web-Based Inquiry Learning: Facilitating Thoughtful Literacy with WebQuests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikpeze, Chinwe H.; Boyd, Fenice B.

2007-01-01

An action research study investigated how the multiple tasks found in WebQuests facilitate fifth-grade students' literacy skills and higher order thinking. Findings indicate that WebQuests are most successful when activities are carefully selected and systematically delivered. Implications for teaching include the necessity for adequate planning,…

Reading & Writing Together: Collaborative Literacy in Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steineke, Nancy

Success in literacy takes participation born of trust, a positive group dynamic built on sharing tasks, maintaining good working relationships, and examining group functioning. This book tells why and how a truly collaborative environment is at the heart of accomplishment in the secondary classroom. In the classroom profiled in the book, students…

Tales, Tasks, Tools, and Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKeny, Timothy S.; Foley, Gregory D.

2012-01-01

The importance of a literacy-based approach to content learning, especially within elementary school grades, is not a new idea. During the past quarter-century, the use of children's literature as an effective teaching tool has gained popularity across all content areas (Thiessen 2004). The definition of literacy has expanded not only to include…

The New Literacies of Online Reading Comprehension: Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coiro, Julie

2012-01-01

Research in four areas has the potential to dramatically improve how practitioners address the challenges of integrating digital texts and tasks into their literacy curriculum. Advances in defining and measuring key components of online reading comprehension are rapidly emerging. In addition, instructional models, such as Internet reciprocal…

Sixth-Grade Students' Engagement in Academic Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Seth A.; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Parsons, Allison Ward; Peters-Burton, Erin E.; Burrowbridge, Sarah Cohen

2018-01-01

Student engagement is important for teachers and researchers because it is associated with student achievement. Guided by self-determination theory, this year-long case study used observations and interviews to examine six students' behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement in integrated literacy and social studies tasks. Task differences…

Connecting qualitative observation and quantitative measurement for enhancing quantitative literacy in plant anatomy course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuraeni, E.; Rahmat, A.

2018-05-01

Forming of cognitive schemes of plant anatomy concepts is performed by processing of qualitative and quantitative data obtained from microscopic observations. To enhancing student’s quantitative literacy, strategy of plant anatomy course was modified by adding the task to analyze quantitative data produced by quantitative measurement of plant anatomy guided by material course. Participant in this study was 24 biology students and 35 biology education students. Quantitative Literacy test, complex thinking in plant anatomy test and questioner used to evaluate the course. Quantitative literacy capability data was collected by quantitative literacy test with the rubric from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Complex thinking in plant anatomy by test according to Marzano and questioner. Quantitative literacy data are categorized according to modified Rhodes and Finley categories. The results showed that quantitative literacy of biology education students is better than biology students.

Understanding literacy as our WORLD inheritance: Re-visioning literacy discourse and its implications for teaching practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parr, Michelann; Campbell, Terry A.

2012-08-01

While universal literacy is one of the most pervasive targets of today's educational systems, it is at the same time perhaps the narrowest of all goals. Standardised testing reduces language and literacy to tasks associated with reading and writing. As learning communities become increasingly diverse, teachers, administrators and policy makers are finding themselves in a position where in order to maximise student development they need to broaden their conceptualisations of literacy, merge curricular areas and implement inclusive practices. Addressing literacy instructors and policy makers in particular, the authors of this article present a WORLD view of literacy (Word, Orality, Re-vision, Literacies, Discourses) towards making sense of contemporary literacy research. The purpose of this paper is multi-layered in terms of theory and practice. On the philosophical and theoretical level, it is intended to extend our understanding of literacy in view of both historical conceptualisations and contemporary views of literacy. On the reflective and practical level, it offers a unique way to assess our literacy practice and re-vision what we do. Demonstrating the universality of this approach, this is illustrated by a few ideas from a poem, a children's book, a dystopian novel for teenagers and a film.

The effects of phonological awareness of Zulu-speaking children learning to spell in English: a study of cross-language transfer.

PubMed

De Sousa, Diana Soares; Greenop, Kirston; Fry, Jessica

2010-12-01

Emergent bilingual Zulu-English speaking children in South Africa have spoken but no written proficiency in Zulu (L1), yet are required to learn to spell English (L2) via English-only literacy instruction. Little research exists on emergent bilingual's phonological awareness (PA) and spelling development, with no L1 formal literacy instruction. Thus, whether PA in a L1 impacts on literacy acquisition in the L2 remains unclear. Performance on monolingual PA, monolingual and emergent bilingual spelling was compared. In addition, PA and spelling in emergent bilingual Zulu-English speakers was explored to ascertain cross-language transfer relationships. Thirty emergent bilingual Zulu-English and thirty monolingual English children in grade 2 participated. Emergent bilinguals were assessed on Zulu PA, Zulu and English spelling skills. Monolinguals were assessed on English PA and English spelling skills. Emergent bilinguals had more Zulu PA levels related to spelling English tasks than to spelling Zulu tasks, and both Zulu PA and Zulu spelling were positively related to English spelling tasks. Significant differences were found between L1 Zulu and English phoneme and rime PA levels, and L1 English and L2 English spelling tasks. Findings support the language-universal hypothesis that L1 PA is related to spelling across languages in emergent bilinguals. In emergent bilinguals, both Zulu spoken proficiency and English-only literacy instruction influences the underlying repertoire of PA skills used to spell within the L1 and the L2. Rime and phoneme PA and spelling skills in Zulu/English rely on language-specific orthographic knowledge.

Exploring the classroom practices that may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Levon Ellen; O'Brien, Mia; Makar, Katie

2017-08-01

From an early age, children are faced with financial dilemmas and are expected to make effective financial decisions about money. In this paper, we explore the classroom practices that may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education. We observed an inquiry-based mathematics lesson in a Year 4 primary school classroom. The financial maths task asked students to decide on the best fundraising option for the school. We used the theory of practice architectures to analyse the interactions in the classroom in order to understand what may have enabled and constrained classroom practices. We found that classroom practices such as engaging with peers through positive and collaborative learning opportunities, making ethical, social and mathematical connections of the task, and considering the impact of financial decisions on others may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education.

Exploring the classroom practices that may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Levon Ellen; O'Brien, Mia; Makar, Katie

2018-06-01

From an early age, children are faced with financial dilemmas and are expected to make effective financial decisions about money. In this paper, we explore the classroom practices that may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education. We observed an inquiry-based mathematics lesson in a Year 4 primary school classroom. The financial maths task asked students to decide on the best fundraising option for the school. We used the theory of practice architectures to analyse the interactions in the classroom in order to understand what may have enabled and constrained classroom practices. We found that classroom practices such as engaging with peers through positive and collaborative learning opportunities, making ethical, social and mathematical connections of the task, and considering the impact of financial decisions on others may enable a compassionate approach to financial literacy education.

Literacies in a Changing Workplace: A Look at the Uses of Literacy in a Multi-ethnic, High-tech Electronics Factory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Mira-Lisa; Jury, Mark

Many studies and much "common knowledge" in the United States today decry the quality of the work force and the "basic literacy needs" of today's and tomorrow's workers. Widespread concern exists that U.S. workers are ill-equipped to compete in the global marketplace and that schools and vocational programs are failing to keep pace with changing…

North Dakota Standards and Benchmarks--Content Standards: Library/Technology Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, 2003

2003-01-01

The Library/Technology Literacy Standards for the State of North Dakota were developed during 2000-2002 by a team of library and technology specialists, assisted by representatives from the Department of Public Instruction. The initial task was to decide whether technology and library curricula overlapped enough to create a shared set of…

Applied Workplace Literacy for the Facilities Maintenance Industry. Performance Report and Third Party Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

A project was conducted to determine if interactive video programs could produce positive results in literacy programs. During the project, staff from a technical college developed a task analysis, curriculum, and evaluation measures for the training of facilities maintenance workers in mathematical concepts. From this activity, an instructional…

Improving Math Literacy for the Facilities Maintenance Industry: A Multimedia Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziegler, John; Taylor, Don

Texas State Technical College in Waco (TSTCW) entered into a partnership with ServiceMaster, one of the largest maintenance companies in the world, to develop a contextual-based videodisc curriculum for facility maintenance workers intended to increase math literacy. TSTCW developed a task analysis, a curriculum, and evaluation measures for the…

Effects of Task Training on Kindergarten Students' Performance on Early Literacy Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackiewicz, Sara Moore

2010-01-01

The use of early literacy screening measures helps determine which students are at risk for future reading difficulties. However, there has been some recent concern related to the classification validity of screening measures (Hintze, Ryan, & Stoner, 2003; Nelson, 2008). Low classification validity results in the identification of a large number…

Revisiting the Roles of Literacy Coaches: Does Reality Match Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hathaway, Jennifer I.; Martin, Christie Sullivan; Mraz, Maryann

2016-01-01

This study surveyed 104 school-based elementary literacy coaches to explore their perceptions of their roles as coaches. These perceptions were then examined relative to the Standards for Reading Professionals-Revised 2010, developed by the International Reading Association. Overall, coaches reported the majority of the tasks they carried out as…

Comprehension for What? Preparing Students for Their Meaningful Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conley, Mark W.; Wise, Antoinette

2011-01-01

Researchers, policymakers, and educators face a daunting task these days concerning literacy education for the here and now and literacy for the future. Even though one clings to the romantic notion that education provides the building blocks in a straight line to a meaningful future, the reality is that mixed goals and instructional messages…

A Problem-Solving Model for Literacy Coaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toll, Cathy A.

2017-01-01

Literacy coaches are more effective when they have a clear plan for their collaborations with teachers. This article provides details of such a plan, which involves identifying a problem, understanding the problem, deciding what to do differently, and trying something different. For each phase of the problem-solving model, there are key tasks for…

Development of an Experimental Literacy Assessment Battery. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sticht, Thomas G.; Beck, Lawrence J.

This report describes the development of a Literacy Assessment Battery (LAB) for determining the relative efficiency with which adults can comprehend language by reading or listening. Development of the LAB included: the tryout with adults of two listening and reading tests designed for children; experimental studies of a decoding task involving…

The Effects of a Summary Writing Strategy on the Literacy Skills of Adolescents with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asaro-Saddler, Kristie; Muir-Knox, Haley; Meredith, Holly

2018-01-01

Many adolescents, particularly adolescents with disabilities, have difficulty with literacy tasks such as reading and writing. Yet research has found that when students with disabilities receive appropriate instruction, they typically are able to improve their overall writing outcomes. This study explored the effectiveness of a summary writing…

The Foundations of Technology Course: Teachers Like It!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moye, Johnny J.

2009-01-01

Over the past several decades there has been a call to raise student technological literacy. To take such an abstract concept and produce a program that will increase student science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy was not an easy task. However, it was accomplished. During the past two years many United States school…

Enhancing the Development of Statistical Literacy through the Robot Bioglyph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Leicha A.; Koch, Jessica; Willis, Ashley

2017-01-01

One way to heighten students' interest in the classroom is by personalising tasks. Through designing Robot Bioglyphs students are able to explore personalised data through a creative and engaging process. By understanding, producing and interpreting data, students are able to develop their statistical literacy, which is an essential skill in…

Cornerstones: Literacy Units Ready for Teachers, Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blasko, Jennifer; Donahue, Sheila

2008-01-01

Every day, teachers face the time-consuming task of adapting materials from curricula that do not meet their students' needs or match their learning styles. This article discusses ready-made literacy units specifically designed for teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students. The units were part of the Cornerstones Project, an activity of the…

Common Literacy Struggles with College Students: Using the Reciprocal Teaching Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruenbaum, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

Many college students struggle with the literacy skills needed to be successful in higher education (Bettinger & Long, 2009; Snyder, Tan, & Hoffman, 2004). The difficulties emerge within students' capabilities in reading and writing. Students must be taught the skills needed to be successful to complete the tasks assigned in college classes and in…

Polysyllable Speech Accuracy and Predictors of Later Literacy Development in Preschool Children With Speech Sound Disorders.

PubMed

Masso, Sarah; Baker, Elise; McLeod, Sharynne; Wang, Cen

2017-07-12

The aim of this study was to determine if polysyllable accuracy in preschoolers with speech sound disorders (SSD) was related to known predictors of later literacy development: phonological processing, receptive vocabulary, and print knowledge. Polysyllables-words of three or more syllables-are important to consider because unlike monosyllables, polysyllables have been associated with phonological processing and literacy difficulties in school-aged children. They therefore have the potential to help identify preschoolers most at risk of future literacy difficulties. Participants were 93 preschool children with SSD from the Sound Start Study. Participants completed the Polysyllable Preschool Test (Baker, 2013) as well as phonological processing, receptive vocabulary, and print knowledge tasks. Cluster analysis was completed, and 2 clusters were identified: low polysyllable accuracy and moderate polysyllable accuracy. The clusters were significantly different based on 2 measures of phonological awareness and measures of receptive vocabulary, rapid naming, and digit span. The clusters were not significantly different on sound matching accuracy or letter, sound, or print concept knowledge. The participants' poor performance on print knowledge tasks suggested that as a group, they were at risk of literacy difficulties but that there was a cluster of participants at greater risk-those with both low polysyllable accuracy and poor phonological processing.

Assessment of Computer and Information Literacy in ICILS 2013: Do Different Item Types Measure the Same Construct?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ihme, Jan Marten; Senkbeil, Martin; Goldhammer, Frank; Gerick, Julia

2017-01-01

The combination of different item formats is found quite often in large scale assessments, and analyses on the dimensionality often indicate multi-dimensionality of tests regarding the task format. In ICILS 2013, three different item types (information-based response tasks, simulation tasks, and authoring tasks) were used to measure computer and…

National indicators of health literacy: ability to understand health information and to engage actively with healthcare providers - a population-based survey among Danish adults.

PubMed

Bo, Anne; Friis, Karina; Osborne, Richard H; Maindal, Helle Terkildsen

2014-10-22

Health literacy is a multidimensional concept covering a range of cognitive and social skills necessary for participation in health care. Knowledge of health literacy levels in general populations and how health literacy levels impacts on social health inequity is lacking. The primary aim of this study was to perform a population-based assessment of dimensions of health literacy related to understanding health information and to engaging with healthcare providers. Secondly, the aim was to examine associations between socio-economic characteristics with these dimensions of health literacy. A population-based survey was conducted between January and April 2013 in the Central Denmark Region. Postal invitations were sent to a random sample of 46,354 individuals >25 years of age. Two health literacy dimensions were selected from the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ™): i) Understanding health information well enough to know what to do (5 items), and ii) Ability to actively engage with health care providers (5 items). Response options ranged from 1 (very difficult) to 4 (very easy). We investigated the level of perceived difficulty of each task, and the associations between the two dimensions and socio-economic characteristics. A total of 29,473 (63.6%) responded to the survey. Between 8.8%, 95% CI: 8.4-9.2 and 20.2%, 95% CI: 19.6-20.8 of the general population perceived the health literacy tasks as difficult or very difficult at the individual item level. On the scale level, the mean rating for i) understanding health information was 3.10, 95% CI: 3.09-3.10, and 3.07, 95% CI: 3.07-3.08 for ii) engagement with health care providers. Low levels of the two dimensions were associated with low income, low education level, living alone, and to non-Danish ethnicity. Associations with sex and age differed by the specific health literacy dimension. Estimates on two key dimensions of health literacy in a general population are now available. A substantial proportion of the Danish population perceives difficulties related to understanding health information and engaging with healthcare providers. The study supports previous findings of a socio-economic gradient in health literacy. New insight is provided on the feasibility of measuring health literacy which is of importance for optimising health systems.

Management of Hearing Aid Assembly by Urban-Dwelling Hearing-Impaired Adults in a Developed Country

PubMed Central

Keidser, Gitte; Hartley, Lisa; Caposecco, Andrea; Hickson, Louise; Meyer, Carly

2011-01-01

A self-fitting hearing aid, designed to be assembled and programmed without audiological or computer support, could bring amplification to millions of people in developing countries, who remain unaided due to the lack of a local, professional, audiological infrastructure. The ability to assemble and insert a hearing aid is fundamental to the successful use of a self-fitting device. In this study, the management of such tasks was investigated. Eighty older, urban-dwelling, hearing-impaired adults in a developed country were asked to follow a set of written, illustrated instructions to assemble two slim-fit behind-the-ear hearing aids. Participants were allowed to access assistance with the task from an accompanying partner. A range of personal and audiometric variables was measured through the use of structured questionnaires and standardized tests of health literacy, cognitive function, and manual dexterity. The results showed that 99% of participants were able to complete the hearing aid assembly task, either on their own or with assistance. Health literacy, or the ability to read and understand health-related text, and gender most strongly influenced participants’ ability to complete the assembly task independently and accurately. Higher levels of health literacy were associated with an increased likelihood of independent and successful task completion. Male participants were more likely to complete the task on their own, while female participants were more likely to assemble the device without errors. The results of this study will inform future work regarding development of educational material for the self-fitting hearing aid as well as candidacy for such a device. PMID:22200734

Case studies of community college non-science majors: Effects of self-regulatory interventions on biology self-efficacy and biological literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurer, Matthew J.

Science literacy has been at the heart of current reform efforts in science education. The focus on developing essential skills needed for individual ability to be literate in science has been at the forefront of most K--12 science curricula. Reform efforts have begun to stretch into the postsecondary arena as well, with an ever increasing dialogue regarding the need for attention to science literacy by college students, especially non-science majors. This study set out to investigate how the use of self-regulatory interventions (specifically, goal setting, concept mapping, and reflective writing) affected student biology self-efficacy and biological literacy. This study employed a qualitative research design, analyzing three case studies. Participants in the study received ten self-regulatory interventions as a set of portfolio assignments. Portfolio work was qualitatively analyzed and coded for self-efficacy, as well as evidence of biological literacy. A biology self-efficacy survey was administered pre- and post- to provide a means of self-efficacy data triangulation. Literacy data was supported via a biological literacy rubric, constructed specifically for this study. Results indicated that mastery experiences were the source of biology self-efficacy. Self-efficacy for specific tasks increased over time, and changes in self-efficacy were corroborated by the self-efficacy survey. Students were found to express biological literacy at nominal, functional, or conceptual levels depending on the specific task. This was supported by data from the biological literacy rubric scores. Final conclusions and implications for the study indicated the need for further research with more samples of students in similar and different contexts. Given the fact that the literature in this area is sparse, the results obtained here have only begun to delve into this area of research. Generalization to other biology courses or contexts outside of the one presented in this study was cautioned until future studies can be conducted.

Developing Literacy for the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Meg

This paper presents a case and some ideas for integrating basic skills development with occupational training. Explaining why traditional instructional methods do not work in the workplace, the paper summarizes learning theories that support work force literacy programs. It explains how to identify the skills needed in the workplace, provides…

Indigenous Education and Grassroots Language Planning in the USA.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarty, Teresa L.; Watahomigie, Lucille J.

1999-01-01

Indigenous literacy affirms indigenous identity; connects native speakers to the culture and each other; and stimulates other, more diffuse forces for language maintenance. Collaborative, grassroots Native language programs in the United States, New Zealand, Hawaii, Canada, and Puerto Rico are described. Immersion and literacy programs include…

Unwrapping Rap: A Literacy of Lived Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Stephen G.

The adversarial forces of governmental censorship, freedom of expression, and capitalistic appropriation are engaged in an acrimonious debate over "Gangsta' Rap" that is being played out in the public spaces of popular culture. However, as a literacy of lived experience, Gangsta' Rap warrants critical investigation. Many postmodern…

Into the Looking Glass: Literacy Acquisition and Mirror Invariance in Preschool and First-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandes, Tânia; Leite, Isabel; Kolinsky, Régine

2016-01-01

At what point in reading development does literacy impact object recognition and orientation processing? Is it specific to mirror images? To answer these questions, forty-six 5- to 7-year-old preschoolers and first graders performed two same-different tasks differing in the matching criterion-orientation-based versus shape-based (orientation…

Patterns of Problem-Solving in Children's Literacy and Arithmetic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrington-Flint, Lee; Vanuxem-Cotterill, Sophie; Stiller, James

2009-01-01

Patterns of problem-solving among 5-to-7 year-olds' were examined on a range of literacy (reading and spelling) and arithmetic-based (addition and subtraction) problem-solving tasks using verbal self-reports to monitor strategy choice. The results showed higher levels of variability in the children's strategy choice across Years 1 and 2 on the…

Mathematical Literacy Teachers' Engagement with Contextual Tasks Based on Personal Finance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bansilal, Sarah; Mkhwanazi, Thokozani; Mahlabela, Patisizwe

2012-01-01

This article reports on a study carried out with a group of 108 practising Mathematical Literacy (ML) teachers who participated in an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme. The purpose of the qualitative study was to identify and describe the teachers' varying levels of engagement with mathematics tools and resources. The teachers were…

New Directions in Apprentice Selection: Self-Perceived "On the Job" Literacy (Reading) Demands of Apprentices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Peter; Gould, Warren

A study investigated the self-perceived, on-the-job literacy tasks of electrical mechanic apprentices in Victoria, Australia. A random sample of 401 apprentices from 19 locations representing all levels of apprenticeship training were questioned about their reading needs and the consequences of making a reading error in their work. Data were…

Balancing and Pointing Tasks in Dyslexic and Control Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoodley, Catherine J.; Fawcett, Angela J.; Nicolson, Roderick I.; Stein, John F.

2006-01-01

Developmental dyslexia may affect as much as 15% of the population, but the aetiology of the disorder is still being debated. The cerebellar theory of dyslexia proposes that cerebellar dysfunction could lead to the myriad of symptoms seen in dyslexic individuals, both in literacy and non-literacy domains. The cerebellum is crucial to the fluent…

Fostering Students' Statistical Literacy through Significant Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krishnan, Saras

2015-01-01

A major objective of statistics education is to develop students' statistical literacy that enables them to be educated users of data in context. Teaching statistics in today's educational settings is not an easy feat because teachers have a huge task in keeping up with the demands of the new generation of learners. The present day students have…

Behavioural/Attentional Problems and Literacy Learning Difficulties in Children from Non-English Language/Cultural Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everatt, John; Al-Sharhan, Abir; Al-Azmi, Yousuf; Al-Menaye, Nasser; Elbeher, Gad

2011-01-01

This article reports the findings of studies of the relationship between off-task behaviours and measures of educational achievement. The work focused on children from an Arabic-speaking/cultural background rarely studied in the literature. The first study involved children within a mainstream school context and found that measures of literacy and…

A Study of the 8th Grade Technology Literacy of a Michigan Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spruill, James E.

2014-01-01

As states adopt the common core state standards and next generation assessments for the 2014-2015 school year, the importance of students' technology literacy will increase Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The next generation assessments will require students to complete technology performance tasks. For the first time in mandatory testing,…

Name-Writing Proficiency, Not Length of Name, Is Associated with Preschool Children's Emergent Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puranik, Cynthia S.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

The goals of this study were twofold: first, to examine whether preschool children's name-writing proficiency differentiated them on other emergent reading and writing tasks, and second, to examine the effect of name length on preschool children's emergent literacy skills including alphabet knowledge and spelling. In Study 1, a range of emergent…

Contributions of Emergent Literacy Skills to Name Writing, Letter Writing, and Spelling in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puranik, Cynthia S.; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Kim, Young-Suk

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine which emergent literacy skills contribute to preschool children's emergent writing (name-writing, letter-writing, and spelling) skills. Emergent reading and writing tasks were administered to 296 preschool children aged 4-5 years. Print knowledge and letter-writing skills made positive contributions to name…

A Self-Assessment Framework for Inclusive Schools Supporting Assistive Technology Users.

PubMed

Hoogerwerf, Evert-Jan; Solander-Gross, Andrea; Mavrou, Katerina; Traina, Ivan; Hersh, Marion

2017-01-01

In order to support schools to assess their performance in supporting children with disabilities in their ICT and ICT-AT needs, a self-assessment framework was developed by a task force of partners and associate partners of the ENTELIS project. The self-assessment tool aims to help educational establishments that welcome learners with disabilities to assess their current outcomes and to plan improvements in supporting these students in increasing digital literacy and developing digital skills. This includes the use of mainstream Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and specially designed digital Assistive Technologies (ICT-AT). This can only successfully happen if schools fully embrace an inclusive approach to education. In this paper the authors describe the development of the framework and the further steps for its use.

Constructing Competence: Autism, Voice and the "Disordered" Body

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biklen, Douglas; Kliewer, Christopher

2006-01-01

Definitions of intelligence have traditionally been rooted in literacy competence. In this article, the authors examine two historical examples where societal prejudices and institutional forces worked to limit and regulate access to literacy. The first example illustrates how racism and denial of competence were so profoundly linked and…

Aging and Functional Health Literacy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Wardle, Jane; Wolf, Michael S.; von Wagner, Christian

2016-01-01

Objectives: To review the evidence on the association between age and limited health literacy, overall and by health literacy test, and to investigate the mediating role of cognitive function. Method: The Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases were searched. Eligible studies were conducted in any country or language, included participants aged ≥50 years, presented a measure of association between age and health literacy, and were published through September 2013. Results: Seventy analyses in 60 studies were included in the systematic review; 29 of these were included in the meta-analysis. Older age was strongly associated with limited health literacy in analyses that measured health literacy as reading comprehension, reasoning, and numeracy skills (random-effects odds ratio [OR] = 4.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.13–5.64). By contrast, older age was weakly associated with limited health literacy in studies that measured health literacy as medical vocabulary (random-effects OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03–1.37). Evidence on the mediating role of cognitive function was limited. Discussion: Health literacy tests that utilize a range of fluid cognitive abilities and mirror everyday health tasks frequently observe skill limitations among older adults. Vocabulary-based health literacy skills appear more stable with age. Researchers should select measurement tests wisely when assessing health literacy of older adults. PMID:25504637

Specifying a curriculum for biopolitical critical literacy in science teacher education: exploring roles for science fiction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, Noel

2017-12-01

In this essay I suggest some ways in which science teacher educators in Western neoliberal economies might facilitate learners' development of a critical literacy concerning the social and cultural changes signified by the concept of biopolitics. I consider how such a biopolitically inflected critical literacy might find expression in a science teacher education curriculum and suggest a number of ways of materializing such a curriculum in specific literatures, media, procedures, and assessment tasks, with particular reference to the contributions of science fiction in popular media.

Public health literacy defined.

PubMed

Freedman, Darcy A; Bess, Kimberly D; Tucker, Holly A; Boyd, David L; Tuchman, Arleen M; Wallston, Kenneth A

2009-05-01

Public health literacy is an emerging concept necessary to understand and address the broad array of factors, such as climate change, globalization, and poverty, that influence the public's health. Whereas health literacy has traditionally been operationalized as an individual-level construct, public health literacy takes into account the complex social, ecologic, and systemic forces affecting health and well-being. However, public health literacy has not yet been fully articulated. This paper addresses this gap by outlining a broad, new definition of public health literacy. This definition was developed through an inductive analytic process conducted in 2007 by a multidisciplinary research team, and two expert-panel sessions were convened to assess the consensual validity of the emergent definition. Based on this process, public health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals and groups can obtain, process, understand, evaluate, and act on information needed to make public health decisions that benefit the community. Three dimensions of public health literacy--conceptual foundations, critical skills, and civic orientation--and related competencies are also proposed. Public health literacy is distinct from individual-level health literacy, and together, the two types of literacy form a more comprehensive model of health literacy. A five-part agenda is offered for future research and action aimed at increasing levels of public health literacy.

Student Writing Accepted as High-Quality Responses to Analytic Text-Based Writing Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Elaine; Matsumura, Lindsay Clare; Correnti, Richard

2018-01-01

Literacy standards increasingly emphasize the importance of analytic text-based writing. Little consensus exists, however, around what high-quality student responses should look like in this genre. In this study, we investigated fifth-grade students' writing in response to analytic text-based writing tasks (15 teachers, 44 writing tasks, 88 pieces…

Predictors of Success with Writing in the First Year of School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackenzie, Noella; Hemmings, Brian

2014-01-01

Language and literacy skills are instrumental to success at school and early success with writing is a key factor in literacy development. By eight years of age, children spend up to half of their school day engaged in writing tasks suggesting that those who find learning to write difficult may be disadvantaged. The ability to hear and record…

Approaches to Learning with Media and Media Literacy Education--Trends and Current Situation in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulodziecki, Gerhard; Grafe, Silke

2012-01-01

German approaches to media literacy education are concerned with the questions, how the variety of media can be used in a meaningful way for learning and teaching and what educational tasks result from the extensive use of media. Considering these questions there are various conceptual ideas, research and development projects as well as…

Maternal Scaffolding of Preschoolers' Writing Using Tablet and Paper-Pencil Tasks: Relations with Emergent Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Michelle M.

2018-01-01

Mothers play a key role in scaffolding children's writing using traditional tools, such as paper and pencil. However, little is known about how mothers scaffold young children's writing using touch-screen tablets (e.g., iPads) and the associations between maternal scaffolding and emergent literacy. Mother-child dyads (N = 47; M child…

Searching for French Civilization: Reflections On Situating Information Literacy Skills in an Undergraduate Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Reilly, Carmel

2014-01-01

This chapter questions and reflects on the changing role of the foreign language and civilization lecturer as educator, when information literacy skills are situated in an undergraduate curriculum. As such, it does not set itself the task of providing solutions. Instead, it considers all the complications which occur en route to a greater use of…

Review of Interventions to Enhance the Health Communication of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Communicative Health Literacy Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinn, Deborah

2017-01-01

Background: Communicative health literacy is a term relating to the range of competencies and capabilities patients bring to the task of seeking information about their health and sharing it with others. This exchange can be problematic for people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this review was to synthesize findings from interventions…

A Quantitative Methodology for Determining the Critical Benchmarks for Project 2061 Strand Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, G.

2008-01-01

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was tasked with identifying the key science concepts for science literacy in K-12 students in America (AAAS, 1990, 1993). The AAAS Atlas of Science Literacy (2001) has organized roughly half of these science concepts or benchmarks into fifty flow charts. Each flow chart or strand map…

A Case Study of the Features of Oral Narratives Produced by a Small Group of Children with Sensory Processing Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingston, Helen Chen

2009-01-01

Research indicates that oral narrative is the discourse form that functions as a bridge between conversational oral language and language skills that contribute to the acquisition of literacy in children (Westby, 1991). Learning to tell stories, therefore, is important to children's literacy development. Mastering extended discourse tasks such as…

How to Motivate Adults with Low Literacy and Numeracy Skills to Engage and Persist in Learning: A Literature Review of Policy Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windisch, Hendrickje Catriona

2016-01-01

Low basic skills levels of adults are a complex policy problem which has neither straightforward causes nor solutions, and successful interventions are still relatively rare. Tackling serious literacy and numeracy weaknesses among adults is challenging, partly because the task itself is difficult, and partly because even if accomplished…

Making Their Voices Count: Using Students' Perspectives to Inform Literacy Instruction for Striving Middle Grade Readers with Academic Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groff, Carolyn

2014-01-01

The consequences of lack of reading and poor reading skills are problematic for all students, regardless of background; however, for middle grade striving readers with academic difficulties these problems can lead to lower self-efficacy and motivation to engage in literacy tasks. Using the perspectives of urban, middle grade special education…

Mobilities of Language and Literacy Ideologies: Dual Language Graduates' Bilingualism and Biliteracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granados, Nadia R.

2017-01-01

Using qualitative methodology, this research examines how graduates of a K-5 dual language immersion program have experienced multiple and competing social, cultural, institutional, and political forces at play in complex processes that ultimately affect one's mobilities of language, literacy, and learning. These students have now grown into…

Adult Literacy in Rural Pennsylvania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askov, Eunice N.

The rural work force has lower basic skills to supply labor for new jobs with higher literacy demands. At all levels of education the rural population is at a disadvantage compared with the urban population. One out of five rural adults in Pennsylvania has not continued education past the eighth grade. Among the costs to businesses from employee…

New Media Literacy: From Classroom to Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carstarphen, Meta G.

Each new media revolution forces adjustments for both the producers of messages and the receivers of those messages. Integral to the communication process is an understanding of what it means to be literate in an eclectic communication environment and of how the new media may enhance or impede literacy. An important premise for this discussion is…

Workforce Illiteracy in Alabama: Report of the Survey Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horne, Herbert R., Jr.; And Others

A survey group of the State Literacy Workforce Development Council studied the impact of illiteracy on Alabama's work force and economy using census data. Findings indicated that 55 percent of Alabama's adults functioned at literacy levels inadequate to meet the demands of a modern, technical society. Costs to business and industry were lost…

Project REACH. Regional Education to Achieve with Company Help. Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkway School District, Chesterfield, MO.

Project REACH (Regional Education to Achieve with Company) was a regional workplace literacy (WL) program designed to increase the levels of literacy, job performance/satisfaction/retention, productivity, and self-esteem of the work force of six businesses in the Saint Louis area and to foster the development of business-education partnerships for…

Teachers' literacy-related knowledge and self-perceptions in relation to preparation and experience.

PubMed

Spear-Swerling, Louise; Brucker, Pamela Owen; Alfano, Michael P

2005-12-01

After rating their own literacy-related knowledge in three areas (knowledge about reading/reading development, phonemic awareness/phonics, and morpheme awareness/structural analysis), graduate teacher-education students completed five tasks intended to measure their actual disciplinary knowledge in these areas. Teachers with high levels of prior background (i.e., course preparation and experience) rated themselves as significantly more knowledgeable than did low-background teachers in all areas; high-background participants also significantly outperformed low-background participants on all tasks. However, even high-background teachers scored well below ceiling on the tasks. Regression analyses indicated that teachers' self-perceptions and knowledge were positively influenced by both level of preparation and teaching experience, although the influences on teachers' knowledge differed by task. Teachers had some accurate perceptions of their own knowledge, especially in the area of phonics. Results suggest that differentiating levels of preparation may be useful in studying teacher knowledge, and also support the notion of a substantial gap between research on reading and teacher preparation in reading.

Hand digit control in children: motor overflow in multi-finger pressing force vector space during maximum voluntary force production.

PubMed

Shim, Jae Kun; Karol, Sohit; Hsu, Jeffrey; de Oliveira, Marcio Alves

2008-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the contralateral motor overflow in children during single-finger and multi-finger maximum force production tasks. Forty-five right handed children, 5-11 years of age produced maximum isometric pressing force in flexion or extension with single fingers or all four fingers of their right hand. The forces produced by individual fingers of the right and left hands were recorded and analyzed in four-dimensional finger force vector space. The results showed that increases in task (right) hand finger forces were linearly associated with non-task (left) hand finger forces. The ratio of the non-task hand finger force magnitude to the corresponding task hand finger force magnitude, termed motor overflow magnitude (MOM), was greater in extension than flexion. The index finger flexion task showed the smallest MOM values. The similarity between the directions of task hand and non-task hand finger force vectors in four-dimensional finger force vector space, termed motor overflow direction (MOD), was the greatest for index and smallest for little finger tasks. MOM of a four-finger task was greater than the sum of MOMs of single-finger tasks, and this phenomenon was termed motor overflow surplus. Contrary to previous studies, no single-finger or four-finger tasks showed significant changes of MOM or MOD with the age of children. We conclude that the contralateral motor overflow in children during finger maximum force production tasks is dependent upon the task fingers and the magnitude and direction of task finger forces.

75 FR 45606 - Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force-Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-03

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force--Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's [[Page 45607

The Montana State University Conceptual Model of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Health Literacy

PubMed Central

Shreffler-Grant, Jean; Nichols, Elizabeth; Weinert, Clarann; Ide, Bette

2016-01-01

This article aims to present and describe a model of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) health literacy. The model is the conceptual basis for CAM health literacy, which is operationally defined as the information about CAM needed to make informed self-management decisions regarding health. Improving health literacy is a national priority, and widespread use of CAM has added to the complexity of this task. There are no currently available models or measures of health literacy regarding CAM. The authors developed the model using an iterative process of deriving concepts, constructs, and empirical indicators from the literature and the author’s prior work, review and critique by experts, and revision. The model of CAM health literacy can serve as the basis for future research on the use and efficacy of CAM and the constructs and concepts within it can be used to identify points of intervention for research or for clinical practice. It is anticipated that the model will have scientific and clinical application for assessing health literacy in other self care decision-making situations. PMID:23889542

The Montana State University conceptual model of complementary and alternative medicine health literacy.

PubMed

Shreffler-Grant, Jean; Nichols, Elizabeth; Weinert, Clarann; Ide, Bette

2013-01-01

This article aims to present and describe a model of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) health literacy. The model is the conceptual basis for CAM health literacy, which is operationally defined as the information about CAM needed to make informed self-management decisions regarding health. Improving health literacy is a national priority, and widespread use of CAM has added to the complexity of this task. There are no currently available models or measures of health literacy regarding CAM. The authors developed the model using an iterative process of deriving concepts, constructs, and empirical indicators from the literature and the author's prior work, review and critique by experts, and revision. The model of CAM health literacy can serve as the basis for future research on the use and efficacy of CAM and the constructs and concepts within it can be used to identify points of intervention for research or for clinical practice. It is anticipated that the model will have scientific and clinical application for assessing health literacy in other self care decision-making situations.

"What if This Really Happened?" Using Critical Literacy Practices and Dystopian Fiction to Mediate Self-Efficacy with At-Risk Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Sherri Kirkland

2015-01-01

At-risk students are oftenn unmotivated and disengaged from literacy activities. They are sometimes below grade level and feel inadequate to accomplish the complex reading tasks with which they are confronted in high school; therefore, they often will not even attempt to do the work (Bandura, 1986). Students who are assigned to a Disciplinary…

Environmental Literacy in America: What Ten Years of NEETF/Roper Research and Related Studies Say about Environmental Literacy in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyle, Kevin

2005-01-01

In 1944, noted conservationist Aldo Leopold wrote: "Acts of conservation without the requisite desires and skill are futile. To create these desires and skills, and the community motive, is the task of education." Almost sixty years later, in January 2003, the National Science Foundation released a report of its Advisory Committee for…

Using Writing Process and Product Features to Assess Writing Quality and Explore How Those Features Relate to Other Literacy Tasks. Research Report. ETS RR-14-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deane, Paul

2014-01-01

This paper explores automated methods for measuring features of student writing and determining their relationship to writing quality and other features of literacy, such as reading rest scores. In particular, it uses the "e-rater"™ automatic essay scoring system to measure "product" features (measurable traits of the final…

A Linguistic Analysis of the Sample Numeracy Skills Test Items for Pre-Service Teachers Issued by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keeffe, Lisa; O'Halloran, Kay L.; Wignell, Peter; Tan, Sabine

2017-01-01

In 2015, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was tasked with developing literacy and numeracy skills testing for pre-service teachers. All undergraduate and postgraduate trainee teachers are now required to pass these literacy and numeracy tests at some stage on their journey to becoming a teacher; for commencing students from…

Information literacy in science writing: how students find, identify, and use scientific literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klucevsek, Kristin M.; Brungard, Allison B.

2016-11-01

For undergraduate students to achieve science literacy, they must first develop information literacy skils. These skills align with Information Literacy Standards and include determining appropriate databases, distinguishing among resource types, and citing resources ethically. To effectively improve information literacy and science literacy, we must identify how students interact with authentic scientific texts. In this case study, we addressed this aim by embedding a science librarian into a science writing course, where students wrote a literature review on a research topic of their choice. Library instruction was further integrated through the use of an online guide and outside assistance. To evaluate the evolution of information literacy in our students and provide evidence of student practices, we used task-scaffolded writing assessments, a reflection, and surveys. We found that students improved their ability and confidence in finding research articles using discipline-specific databases as well as their ability to distinguish primary from secondary research articles. We also identified ways students improperly used and cited resources in their writing assignments. While our results reveal a better understanding of how students find and approach scientific research articles, additional research is needed to develop effective strategies to improve long-term information literacy in the sciences.

Constructing Literacy in the Kindergarten: Task Structure, Collaboration, and Motivation

PubMed Central

Nolen, Susan Bobbitt

2009-01-01

This ethnographic study explores kindergarten children’s emergent motivation to read and write, its relation to their developing concepts of reading and writing (Guice & Johnston, 1994; Johnston, 1997; Turner, 1995), and to their teachers instructional goals and classroom norms. Teachers and students together constructed legitimate literate activity in their classrooms, and this construction framed the motivation of students who were at risk for developing learning disabilities in reading and writing. Specifically, the kinds of reading and writing activity that were sanctioned in each class and the role of student–student collaboration colored students’ views of the purposes of literacy and their own ability to learn. Findings extend our understanding of how young children’s literacy motivation influences, and is influenced by, their classroom literacy culture. Implications for early literacy instruction for children with learning disabilities, and for their continuing motivation to read and write, are discussed. PMID:19727336

Assessing the Literacy Skills of Adult Immigrants and Adult English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wrigley, Heide Spruck; Chen, Jing; White, Sheida; Soroui, Jaleh

2009-01-01

This chapter examines the characteristics and performance of adult immigrants and adult English language learners on the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. These factors are related to key social outcomes such as involvement in the labor force, income, and welfare participation, and the data reported can be used in making decisions about…

Learning in Video Game Affinity Spaces. New Literacies and Digital Epistemologies. Volume 51

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Elisabeth R., Ed.; Duncan, Sean C., Ed.

2012-01-01

As video games have become an important economic and cultural force, scholars are increasingly trying to better understand the ways that engagement with games may drive learning, literacy, and social participation in the twenty-first century. In this book, the authors consider games and just as importantly, the social interactions around games,…

The Games People Play: Information and Media Literacies in the Hunger Games Trilogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latham, Don; Hollister, Jonathan M.

2014-01-01

Katniss Everdeen, the narrator and protagonist of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy, survives the grueling ordeal of forced participation in two games to the death through both physical prowess and mental agility. Both within and outside of the Games, she demonstrates information and media literacies. By becoming adept at interpreting and…

Administrators' Perceptions of Community College Students' Computer Literacy Skills in Beginner Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragin, Tracey B.

2013-01-01

Fundamental computer skills are vital in the current technology-driven society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the development needs of students at a rural community college in the Southeast who lacked the computer literacy skills required in a basic computer course. Guided by Greenwood's pragmatic approach as a reformative force in…

A Human Capital Concern: The Literacy Proficiency of U.S. Immigrants. Policy Information Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sum, Andrew; Kirsch, Irwin; Yamamoto, Kentaro

2004-01-01

This monograph provides a comprehensive description and analysis of the literacy proficiencies of the adult immigrant population (16-65 years old) in the U.S. in recent years and assesses their implications for the labor force behavior, employment, earnings, incomes, and civic behavior of the immigrant population. The first section will present…

Learning Literacy Lyrically: Informal Education among Mexicanos in Chicago.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farr, Marcia

Observation of a kinship and social network among Mexican Americans in a Chicago neighborhood, part of an ethnographic study, revealed a pattern of self-education in literacy among the men in the group who came from one rancho, while the literate men from another rancho were primarily school-educated. Economic forces caused one group to attend…

The Practice and Promise of Critical Information Literacy: Academic Librarians' Involvement in Critical Library Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tewell, Eamon C.

2018-01-01

Critical information literacy is a way of thinking and teaching that examines the social construction and political dimensions of libraries and information, problematizing information's production and use so that library users may think critically about such forces. Being an educational approach that acknowledges and emboldens learners' agency,…

Meeting the Goal of a Literate America: The State Response. State Policy Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvanik, Robert A., Ed.

This report contains 10 articles, written by national and state leaders in the adult literacy field, that pose challenges confronting the adult literacy system. The articles provide a framework for states to use in beginning the process of achieving a literate citizenry and work force. Titles and authors are as follows: "Building State Literacy…

Workplace Communication Skills, Workplace Basic Skills, & Literacy Training in UAW-Chrysler Region 3. Final Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana Vocational Technical Coll., Indianapolis.

A workplace literacy partnership program model was demonstrated at four Chrysler plants in Indiana. Objectives were to improve workers' individual skills, enhance personal productivity, and increase work force job security and plant competitiveness. During the 3-month start-up phase, project staff worked with management and labor representatives…

Statistical Literacy as the Earth Moves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wild, Chris J.

2017-01-01

"The Times They Are a-Changin'" says the old Bob Dylan song. But it is not just the times that are a-changin'. For statistical literacy, the very earth is moving under our feet (apologies to Carole King). The seismic forces are (i) new forms of communication and discourse and (ii) new forms of data, data display and human interaction…

Addressing the "other" health literacy competencies--knowledge, dispositions, and oral/aural communication: development of TALKDOC, an intervention assessment tool.

PubMed

Helitzer, Deborah; Hollis, Christine; Sanders, Margaret; Roybal, Suzanne

2012-01-01

Most health literacy assessments evaluate literacy skills including reading, writing; numeracy and interpretation of tables, graphs, diagrams and charts. Some assess understanding of health systems, and the ability to adequately apply one's skills to specific health-related tasks or demands in health situations. However, to achieve functional health literacy, the ability to "obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions," other health literacy dimensions should be assessed: a person's knowledge and attitudes about a health issue affects his or her ability to and interest in participating in his or her own care. In patient care settings, the abilities to listen, ask questions and check one's understanding are crucial to making appropriate decisions and carrying out instructions. Although literacy is a skill associated with educational attainment and therefore difficult to change in a short time, health education interventions can address health literacy domains such as knowledge, attitudes and oral communication skills. For this reason, an instrument that can assess these constructs is a valuable part of a health educator's toolbox. The authors describe the development and process and outcomes of testing a novel instrument targeted to assess HPV and cervical cancer health literacy competencies, TALKDOC, including its validation with the Health Activities Literacy Scale.

76 FR 60863 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-30

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent...

78 FR 29378 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/Webinar

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/ Webinar AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... teleconference/webinar of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose... aquatic nuisance species; to monitor, control, and study such species; and to disseminate related...

Keepin' On: Five Years Down the Road to Better Schools. Reports of the Task Force on Improving Kentucky's Schools and the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY.

This report contains the findings of two task forces established during 1994 by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence: (1) the Task Force on Improving Kentucky Schools; and (2) the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning. The task forces, comprised of parents and business members of the Prichard Committee, examined key elements of…

Visual cortex activation in late-onset, Braille naive blind individuals: an fMRI study during semantic and phonological tasks with heard words.

PubMed

Burton, Harold; McLaren, Donald G

2006-01-09

Visual cortex activity in the blind has been shown in Braille literate people, which raise the question of whether Braille literacy influences cross-modal reorganization. We used fMRI to examine visual cortex activation during semantic and phonological tasks with auditory presentation of words in two late-onset blind individuals who lacked Braille literacy. Multiple visual cortical regions were activated in the Braille naive individuals. Positive BOLD responses were noted in lower tier visuotopic (e.g., V1, V2, VP, and V3) and several higher tier visual areas (e.g., V4v, V8, and BA 37). Activity was more extensive and cross-correlation magnitudes were greater during the semantic compared to the phonological task. These results with Braille naive individuals plausibly suggest that visual deprivation alone induces visual cortex reorganization. Cross-modal reorganization of lower tier visual areas may be recruited by developing skills in attending to selected non-visual inputs (e.g., Braille literacy, enhanced auditory skills). Such learning might strengthen remote connections with multisensory cortical areas. Of necessity, the Braille naive participants must attend to auditory stimulation for language. We hypothesize that learning to attend to non-visual inputs probably strengthens the remaining active synapses following visual deprivation, and thereby, increases cross-modal activation of lower tier visual areas when performing highly demanding non-visual tasks of which reading Braille is just one example.

Visual cortex activation in late-onset, Braille naive blind individuals: An fMRI study during semantic and phonological tasks with heard words

PubMed Central

Burton, Harold; McLaren, Donald G.

2013-01-01

Visual cortex activity in the blind has been shown in Braille literate people, which raise the question of whether Braille literacy influences cross-modal reorganization. We used fMRI to examine visual cortex activation during semantic and phonological tasks with auditory presentation of words in two late-onset blind individuals who lacked Braille literacy. Multiple visual cortical regions were activated in the Braille naive individuals. Positive BOLD responses were noted in lower tier visuotopic (e.g., V1, V2, VP, and V3) and several higher tier visual areas (e.g., V4v, V8, and BA 37). Activity was more extensive and cross-correlation magnitudes were greater during the semantic compared to the phonological task. These results with Braille naive individuals plausibly suggest that visual deprivation alone induces visual cortex reorganization. Cross-modal reorganization of lower tier visual areas may be recruited by developing skills in attending to selected non-visual inputs (e.g., Braille literacy, enhanced auditory skills). Such learning might strengthen remote connections with multisensory cortical areas. Of necessity, the Braille naive participants must attend to auditory stimulation for language. We hypothesize that learning to attend to non-visual inputs probably strengthens the remaining active synapses following visual deprivation, and thereby, increases cross-modal activation of lower tier visual areas when performing highly demanding non-visual tasks of which reading Braille is just one example. PMID:16198053

Teaching for Skill Mastery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chepko, Stevie; Doan, Robert

2015-01-01

This article focuses on establishing a mastery climate where all students find success and start on the road to physical literacy. Using a five-step approach, physical educators will be offered guidance for developing practice tasks that lead to skill mastery. These steps include creating a mastery environment, designing deliberate practice tasks,…

Using Writing Tasks to Elicit Adolescents' Historical Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monte-Sano, Chauncey; De La Paz, Susan

2012-01-01

One path to improving adolescents' literacy skills is to integrate reading and writing into the content areas in which such work occurs. Although argumentative writing has been found to help students understand historical content and transform information, scholars do not know the influence of specific task structures on students' writing or…

A Literacy Task to Assist Reader Awareness in Children's Informational Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holliway, David

2010-01-01

That our writing can be misunderstood by our readers is a conceptual difficulty for developing writers. This paper outlines a perspective-taking process that assists elementary students in composing referentially detailed descriptions. Through a procedural sequence that includes drafting, feedback, readers' perspective task, revision and drafting…

Visual Processing on Graphics Task: The Case of a Street Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Tracy; Lowrie, Tom

2013-01-01

Tracy Logan and Tom Lowrie argue that while little attention is given to visual imagery and spatial reasoning within the Australian Curriculum, a significant proportion of National Assessment Program--Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tasks require high levels of visuospatial reasoning. This article includes teaching ideas to promote visuospatial…

Lexical restructuring in the absence of literacy.

PubMed

Venturaa, Paulo; Kolinsky, Régine; Fernandesa, Sandra; Queridoa, Luís; Morais, José

2007-11-01

Vocabulary growth was suggested to prompt the implementation of increasingly finer-grained lexical representations of spoken words in children (e.g., [Metsala, J. L., & Walley, A. C. (1998). Spoken vocabulary growth and the segmental restructuring of lexical representations: precursors to phonemic awareness and early reading ability. In J. L. Metsala & L. C. Ehri (Eds.), Word recognition in beginning literacy (pp. 89-120). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.]). Although literacy was not explicitly mentioned in this lexical restructuring hypothesis, the process of learning to read and spell might also have a significant impact on the specification of lexical representations (e.g., [Carroll, J. M., & Snowling, M. J. (2001). The effects of global similarity between stimuli on children's judgments of rime and alliteration. Applied Psycholinguistics, 22, 327-342.]; [Goswami, U. (2000). Phonological representations, reading development and dyslexia: Towards a cross-linguistic theoretical framework. Dyslexia, 6, 133-151.]). This is what we checked in the present study. We manipulated word frequency and neighborhood density in a gating task (Experiment 1) and a word-identification-in-noise task (Experiment 2) presented to Portuguese literate and illiterate adults. Ex-illiterates were also tested in Experiment 2 in order to disentangle the effects of vocabulary size and literacy. There was an interaction between word frequency and neighborhood density, which was similar in the three groups. These did not differ even for the words that are supposed to undergo lexical restructuring the latest (low frequency words from sparse neighborhoods). Thus, segmental lexical representations seem to develop independently of literacy. While segmental restructuring is not affected by literacy, it constrains the development of phoneme awareness as shown by the fact that, in Experiment 3, neighborhood density modulated the phoneme deletion performance of both illiterates and ex-illiterates.

Grip force and force sharing in two different manipulation tasks with bottles.

PubMed

Cepriá-Bernal, Javier; Pérez-González, Antonio; Mora, Marta C; Sancho-Bru, Joaquín L

2017-07-01

Grip force and force sharing during two activities of daily living were analysed experimentally in 10 right-handed subjects. Four different bottles, filled to two different levels, were manipulated for two tasks: transporting and pouring. Each test subject's hand was instrumented with eight thin wearable force sensors. The grip force and force sharing were significantly different for each bottle model. Increasing the filling level resulted in an increase in grip force, but the ratio of grip force to load force was higher for lighter loads. The task influenced the force sharing but not the mean grip force. The contributions of the thumb and ring finger were higher in the pouring task, whereas the contributions of the palm and the index finger were higher in the transport task. Mean force sharing among fingers was 30% for index, 29% for middle, 22% for ring and 19% for little finger. Practitioner Summary: We analysed grip force and force sharing in two manipulation tasks with bottles: transporting and pouring. The objective was to understand the effects of the bottle features, filling level and task on the contribution of different areas of the hand to the grip force. Force sharing was different for each task and the bottles features affected to both grip force and force sharing.

PRN 94-9: Announcing the Formation of Two Industry-Wide Task Forces: Agricultural Reentry Task Force and Outdoor Residential Exposure Task Force

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Notice announces two industry-wide Task Forces being formed in response to generic exposure data requirements. It contains EPA's policy on a registrant's options for, and responsibilities when joining Task Force as a way to satisfy data requirements.

78 FR 60306 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and... Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, through Thursday, November 7...

The influence of graphic display format on the interpretations of quantitative risk information among adults with lower education and literacy: a randomized experimental study.

PubMed

McCaffery, Kirsten J; Dixon, Ann; Hayen, Andrew; Jansen, Jesse; Smith, Sian; Simpson, Judy M

2012-01-01

To test optimal graphic risk communication formats for presenting small probabilities using graphics with a denominator of 1000 to adults with lower education and literacy. A randomized experimental study, which took place in adult basic education classes in Sydney, Australia. The participants were 120 adults with lower education and literacy. An experimental computer-based manipulation compared 1) pictographs in 2 forms, shaded "blocks" and unshaded "dots"; and 2) bar charts across different orientations (horizontal/vertical) and numerator size (small <100, medium 100-499, large 500-999). Accuracy (size of error) and ease of processing (reaction time) were assessed on a gist task (estimating the larger chance of survival) and a verbatim task (estimating the size of difference). Preferences for different graph types were also assessed. Accuracy on the gist task was very high across all conditions (>95%) and not tested further. For the verbatim task, optimal graph type depended on the numerator size. For small numerators, pictographs resulted in fewer errors than bar charts (blocks: odds ratio [OR] = 0.047, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.023-0.098; dots: OR = 0.049, 95% CI = 0.024-0.099). For medium and large numerators, bar charts were more accurate (e.g., medium dots: OR = 4.29, 95% CI = 2.9-6.35). Pictographs were generally processed faster for small numerators (e.g., blocks: 14.9 seconds v. bars: 16.2 seconds) and bar charts for medium or large numerators (e.g., large blocks: 41.6 seconds v. 26.7 seconds). Vertical formats were processed slightly faster than horizontal graphs with no difference in accuracy. Most participants preferred bar charts (64%); however, there was no relationship with performance. For adults with low education and literacy, pictographs are likely to be the best format to use when displaying small numerators (<100/1000) and bar charts for larger numerators (>100/1000).

Evaluation of a Modified User Guide for Hearing Aid Management.

PubMed

Caposecco, Andrea; Hickson, Louise; Meyer, Carly; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2016-01-01

This study investigated if a hearing aid user guide modified using best practice principles for health literacy resulted in superior ability to perform hearing aid management tasks, compared with the user guide in the original form. This research utilized a two-arm study design to compare the original manufacturer's user guide with a modified user guide for the same hearing aid--an Oticon Acto behind-the-ear aid with an open dome. The modified user guide had a lower reading grade level (4.2 versus 10.5), used a larger font size, included more graphics, and had less technical information. Eighty-nine adults ages 55 years and over were included in the study; none had experience with hearing aid use or management. Participants were randomly assigned either the modified guide (n = 47) or the original guide (n = 42). All participants were administered the Hearing Aid Management test, designed for this study, which assessed their ability to perform seven management tasks (e.g., change battery) with their assigned user guide. The regression analysis indicated that the type of user guide was significantly associated with performance on the Hearing Aid Management test, adjusting for 11 potential covariates. In addition, participants assigned the modified guide required significantly fewer prompts to perform tasks and were significantly more likely to perform four of the seven tasks without the need for prompts. The median time taken by those assigned the modified guide was also significantly shorter for three of the tasks. Other variables associated with performance on the Hearing Aid Management test were health literacy level, finger dexterity, and age. Findings indicate that the need to design hearing aid user guides in line with best practice principles of health literacy as a means of facilitating improved hearing aid management in older adults.

College and Career Ready: Preparing Students in Fitness and Health Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buskist, Connie; Reilly, Erin; Walker, Andria; Bourke, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts have been adopted by many states across the country in an effort to prepare students for life after high school, whether that be going to college or joining the work force. The anchor standards of the CCSS, known as the College and Career Ready Standards, describe the literacy skills…

Twenty-Year Survey of Scientific Literacy and Attitudes Toward Science - Investigating the Relationship Between Students' Knowledge and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, Sanlyn; Antonellis, J.; Impey, C.; CATS

2010-01-01

Data from a twenty-year investigation into the science literacy of undergraduates (see Impey et al., this meeting) was used to explore responses to questions, derived from policy driven projects (e.g. NSF Science Indicators). Responses from almost 10,000 undergraduate students enrolled in introductory astronomy courses from 1989 to 2009 have been analyzed based on students’ responses to forced-choice and open-ended science literacy questions as well as Likert scale belief questions about science and technology. Science literacy questions were scored based on work by Miller (1998, 2004). In addition, we developed an extensive emergent coding scheme for the four open-ended science questions. Unique results as well as trends in the student data based on subgroups of codes are presented. Responses to belief questions were categorized, using theoretically derived categories, remodeled and confirmed through factor analysis, into five main categories; belief in life on other planets, faith-based beliefs, belief in unscientific phenomena, general attitude toward science and technology, and ethical considerations. Analysis revealed that demographic information explained less than 10% of the overall variance in students’ forced-answer scientific literacy scores. We present how students’ beliefs in these categories relate to their scientific literacy scores. You can help! Stop by our poster and fill out a new survey that will give us important parallel information to help us continue to analyze our valuable data set. We acknowledge the NSF for funding under Award No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

'Distributed health literacy': longitudinal qualitative analysis of the roles of health literacy mediators and social networks of people living with a long-term health condition.

PubMed

Edwards, Michelle; Wood, Fiona; Davies, Myfanwy; Edwards, Adrian

2015-10-01

The role of one's social network in the process of becoming health literate is not well understood. We aim to explain the 'distributed' nature of health literacy and how people living with a long-term condition draw on their social network for support with health literacy-related tasks such as managing their condition, interacting with health professionals and making decisions about their health. This paper reports a longitudinal qualitative interview and observation study of the development and practice of health literacy in people with long-term health conditions, living in South Wales, UK. Participants were recruited from health education groups (n = 14) and community education venues (n = 4). The 44 interview transcripts were analysed using the 'Framework' approach. Health literacy was distributed through family and social networks, and participants often drew on the health literacy skills of others to seek, understand and use health information. Those who passed on their health literacy skills acted as health literacy mediators and supported participants in becoming more health literate about their condition. The distribution of health literacy supported participants to manage their health, become more active in health-care decision-making processes, communicate with health professionals and come to terms with living with a long-term condition. Participants accessed health literacy mediators through personal and community networks. Distributed health literacy is a potential resource for managing one's health, communicating with health professionals and making health decisions. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

77 FR 61019 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-05

..., Cost Center: FF09F14000, Fund: 134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and... Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday November 14, and from 8:30 a.m...

Development and Evaluation of Job Reading Task Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sticht, Thomas G.; Caylor, John S.

The use of readability formulae to estimate the difficulty levels of vocational reading materials, the determination of relationships of reading skills to job proficiency, and the relationship of general reading ability to performance on specially constructed job reading task tests (JRTT) are discussed to define the literacy skill demands (i.e.,…

From Earth to Space--Advertising Films Created in a Computer-Based Primary School Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öman, Anne

2017-01-01

Today, teachers orchestrate computer-based tasks in software applications in Swedish primary schools. Meaning is made through various modes, and multimodal perspectives on literacy have the basic assumption that meaning is made through many representational and communicational resources. The case study presented in this paper has analysed pupils'…

Basic Auditory Processing Skills and Phonological Awareness in Low-IQ Readers and Typically Developing Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuppen, Sarah; Huss, Martina; Fosker, Tim; Fegan, Natasha; Goswami, Usha

2011-01-01

We explore the relationships between basic auditory processing, phonological awareness, vocabulary, and word reading in a sample of 95 children, 55 typically developing children, and 40 children with low IQ. All children received nonspeech auditory processing tasks, phonological processing and literacy measures, and a receptive vocabulary task.…

Spatial Orienting of Attention in Dyslexic Adults Using Directional and Alphabetic Cues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judge, Jeannie; Knox, Paul C.; Caravolas, Marketa

2013-01-01

Spatial attention performance was investigated in adults with dyslexia. Groups with and without dyslexia completed literacy/phonological tasks as well as two spatial cueing tasks, in which attention was oriented in response to a centrally presented pictorial (arrow) or alphabetic (letter) cue. Cued response times and orienting effects were largely…

On-Line Orthographic Influences on Spoken Language in a Semantic Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattamadilok, Chotiga; Perre, Laetitia; Dufau, Stephane; Ziegler, Johannes C.

2009-01-01

Literacy changes the way the brain processes spoken language. Most psycholinguists believe that orthographic effects on spoken language are either strategic or restricted to meta-phonological tasks. We used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to investigate the locus and the time course of orthographic effects on spoken word recognition in a…

Patterns of Tasks, Patterns of Talk: L2 Literacy Building in University Spanish Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Jesse; Slater, Tammy

2017-01-01

Second language (L2) classroom research has sought to shed light on the processes and practices that develop L2 learners' abilities [Nunan, D. 2004. "Task-based language teaching." London: Continuum; Verplaetse, L. 2014. "Using big questions to apprentice students into language-rich classroom practices." "TESOL…

Bilingual health literacy assessment using the Talking Touchscreen/la Pantalla Parlanchina: Development and pilot testing.

PubMed

Yost, Kathleen J; Webster, Kimberly; Baker, David W; Choi, Seung W; Bode, Rita K; Hahn, Elizabeth A

2009-06-01

Current health literacy measures are too long, imprecise, or have questionable equivalence of English and Spanish versions. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and pilot testing of a new bilingual computer-based health literacy assessment tool. We analyzed literacy data from three large studies. Using a working definition of health literacy, we developed new prose, document and quantitative items in English and Spanish. Items were pilot tested on 97 English- and 134 Spanish-speaking participants to assess item difficulty. Items covered topics relevant to primary care patients and providers. English- and Spanish-speaking participants understood the tasks involved in answering each type of question. The English Talking Touchscreen was easy to use and the English and Spanish items provided good coverage of the difficulty continuum. Qualitative and quantitative results provided useful information on computer acceptability and initial item difficulty. After the items have been administered on the Talking Touchscreen (la Pantalla Parlanchina) to 600 English-speaking (and 600 Spanish-speaking) primary care patients, we will develop a computer adaptive test. This health literacy tool will enable clinicians and researchers to more precisely determine the level at which low health literacy adversely affects health and healthcare utilization.

Task specific grip force control in writer's cramp.

PubMed

Schneider, A S; Fürholzer, W; Marquardt, C; Hermsdörfer, J

2014-04-01

Writer's cramp is defined as a task specific focal dystonia generating hypertonic muscle co-contractions during handwriting resulting in impaired writing performance and exaggerated finger force. However, little is known about the generalisation of grip force across tasks others than writing. The aim of the study was to directly compare regulation of grip forces during handwriting with force regulation in other fine-motor tasks in patients and control subjects. Handwriting, lifting and cyclic movements of a grasped object were investigated in 21 patients and 14 controls. The applied forces were registered in all three tasks and compared between groups and tasks. In addition, task-specific measures of fine-motor skill were assessed. As expected, patients generated exaggerated forces during handwriting compared to control subjects. However there were no statistically significant group differences during lifting and cyclic movements. The control group revealed a generalisation of grip forces across manual tasks whereas in patients there was no such correlation. We conclude that increased finger forces during handwriting are a task-specific phenomenon that does not necessarily generalise to other fine-motor tasks. Force control of patients with writer's cramp in handwriting and other fine-motor tasks is characterised by individualised control strategies. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Science education as a pathway to teaching language literacy: a critical book review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolbert, Sara

2011-03-01

In this paper, I present a critical review of the recent book, Science Education as a Pathway to Teaching Language Literacy, edited by Alberto J. Rodriguez. This volume is a timely collection of essays in which the authors bring to attention both the successes and challenges of integrating science instruction with literacy instruction (and vice versa). Although several themes in the book merit further attention, a central unifying issue throughout all of the chapters is the task of designing instruction which (1) gives students access to the dominant Discourses in science and literacy, (2) builds on students' lived experiences, and (3) connects new material to socially and culturally relevant contexts in both science and literacy instruction— all within the high stakes testing realities of teachers and students in public schools. In this review, I illustrate how the authors of these essays effectively address this formidable challenge through research that `ascends to the concrete'. I also discuss where we could build on the work of the authors to integrate literacy and science instruction with the purpose of `humanizing and democratizing' science education in K-12 classrooms.

Addressing the “Other” Health Literacy Competencies—Knowledge, Dispositions, and Oral/Aural Communication: Development of TALKDOC, an Intervention Assessment Tool

PubMed Central

HELITZER, DEBORAH; HOLLIS, CHRISTINE; SANDERS, MARGARET; ROYBAL, SUZANNE

2013-01-01

Most health literacy assessments evaluate literacy skills including reading, writing; numeracy and interpretation of tables, graphs, diagrams and charts. Some assess understanding of health systems, and the ability to adequately apply one’s skills to specific health-related tasks or demands in health situations. However, to achieve functional health literacy, the ability to “obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions,” other health literacy dimensions should be assessed: a person’s knowledge and attitudes about a health issue affects his or her ability to and interest in participating in his or her own care. In patient care settings, the abilities to listen, ask questions and check one’s understanding are crucial to making appropriate decisions and carrying out instructions. Although literacy is a skill associated with educational attainment and therefore difficult to change in a short time, health education interventions can address health literacy domains such as knowledge, attitudes and oral communication skills. For this reason, an instrument that can assess these constructs is a valuable part of a health educator’s toolbox. The authors describe the development and process and outcomes of testing a novel instrument targeted to assess HPV and cervical cancer health literacy competencies, TALKDOC, including its validation with the Health Activities Literacy Scale. PMID:23030568

Mathematical literacy skills of students' in term of gender differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lailiyah, Siti

2017-08-01

Good mathematical literacy skills will hopefully help maximize the tasks and role of the prospective teacher in activities. Mathematical literacy focus on students' ability to analyze, justify, and communicate ideas effectively, formulate, solve and interpret mathematical problems in a variety of forms and situations. The purpose of this study is to describe the mathematical literacy skills of the prospective teacher in term of gender differences. This research used a qualitative approach with a case study. Subjects of this study were taken from two male students and two female students of the mathematics education prospective teacher who have followed Community Service Program (CSP) in literacy. Data were collected through methods think a loud and interviews. Four prospective teachers were asked to fill mathematical literacy test and video taken during solving this test. Students are required to convey loud what he was thinking when solving problems. After students get the solution, researchers grouped the students' answers and results think aloud. Furthermore, the data are grouped and analyzed according to indicators of mathematical literacy skills. Male students have good of each indicator in mathematical literacy skills (the first indicator to the sixth indicator). Female students have good of mathematical literacy skills (the first indicator, the second indicator, the third indicator, the fourth indicator and the sixth indicator), except for the fifth indicators that are enough.

Online patient websites for electronic health record access among vulnerable populations: portals to nowhere?

PubMed

Tieu, Lina; Schillinger, Dean; Sarkar, Urmimala; Hoskote, Mekhala; Hahn, Kenneth J; Ratanawongsa, Neda; Ralston, James D; Lyles, Courtney R

2017-04-01

With the rapid rise in the adoption of patient portals, many patients are gaining access to their personal health information online for the first time. The objective of this study was to examine specific usability barriers to patient portal engagement among a diverse group of patients and caregivers. We conducted interviews using performance testing and think-aloud methods with 23 patients and 2 caregivers as they first attempted to use features of a newly launched patient portal. In navigating the portal, participants experienced basic computer barriers (eg, difficulty using a mouse), routine computer barriers (eg, mistyping, navigation issues), reading/writing barriers, and medical content barriers. Compared to participants with adequate health literacy, participants with limited health literacy required 2 additional minutes to complete each task and were more likely to experience each type of navigational barrier. They also experienced more inaccuracies in interpreting a test result and finding a treatment plan within an after-visit summary. When using a patient portal for the first time, participants with limited health literacy completed fewer tasks unassisted, had a higher prevalence of encountering barriers, took longer to complete tasks, and had more problems accurately interpreting medical information. Our findings suggest a strong need for tailored and accessible training and support to assist all vulnerable patients and/or caregivers with portal registration and use. Measuring the health literacy of a patient population might serve as a strong proxy for identifying patients who need the most support in using health technologies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

76 FR 22685 - Interagency Management Task Force Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-22

... Force Public Meeting AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy (DOE... meetings of the Interagency Energy Management Task Force (Task Force) in 2011. FEMP intends to hold recurring public meetings of the Task Force. Interested parties can check http://www.femp.energy.gov/news...

Scientific Literacy in Seventh Grade Life Science: A Study of Instructional Process, Task Completion, Student Perceptions, and Learning Outcomes. Final Report of the Intermediate Life Science Study. Secondary Science and Mathematics Improvement Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitman, Alexis L.; And Others

This 10-chapter report provides detailed information on a study which examined what combinations of teacher, student, and curricular variables were associated with more effective life science instruction at the intermediate level. The conception of effectiveness was guided by the normative framework of scientific literacy and by student growth on…

Measuring health literacy in populations: illuminating the design and development process of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Several measurement tools have been developed to measure health literacy. The tools vary in their approach and design, but few have focused on comprehensive health literacy in populations. This paper describes the design and development of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q), an innovative, comprehensive tool to measure health literacy in populations. Methods Based on a conceptual model and definition, the process involved item development, pre-testing, field-testing, external consultation, plain language check, and translation from English to Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Greek, Polish, and Spanish. Results The development process resulted in the HLS-EU-Q, which entailed two sections, a core health literacy section and a section on determinants and outcomes associated to health literacy. The health literacy section included 47 items addressing self-reported difficulties in accessing, understanding, appraising and applying information in tasks concerning decisions making in healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion. The second section included items related to, health behaviour, health status, health service use, community participation, socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. Conclusions By illuminating the detailed steps in the design and development process of the HLS-EU-Q, it is the aim to provide a deeper understanding of its purpose, its capability and its limitations for others using the tool. By stimulating a wide application it is the vision that HLS-EU-Q will be validated in more countries to enhance the understanding of health literacy in different populations. PMID:24112855

75 FR 20578 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Health Board (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces... announces a meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the... Secretary, Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces, One...

75 FR 21603 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

...-6128. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee and... Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Renewal of... Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force (hereafter referred to as the Task Force). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

Force fluctuations while pressing and moving against high- and low-friction touch screen surfaces.

PubMed

Joshi, Mukta N; Keenan, Kevin G

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of a high- and low-friction surface on the ability to maintain a steady downward force during an index finger pressing and moving task. Fifteen right-handed subjects (24-48 years) performed a static force pressing task and a hybrid pressing and moving task on the surface of an iPad mini while holding a steady 2-N force on high- and low-friction surfaces. Variability of force was quantified as the standard deviation (SD) of normal force (F z) and shear force (F xy) across friction conditions and tasks. The SD of F z was 227 % greater during the hybrid task as compared to the static task (p < .001) and was 19 % greater for the high- versus low-friction condition (p = .033). There were positive correlations between SD of F z and F xy during the hybrid force/motion tasks on the high- and low-friction conditions (r (2) = 0.5 and 0.86, respectively), suggesting significant associations between normal and shear forces for this hybrid task. The correlation between the SD of F z for static and hybrid tasks was r (2) = 0.44, indicating that the common practice of examining the control of static tasks may not sufficiently explain performance during hybrid tasks, at least for the young subjects tested in the current study. As activities of daily living frequently require hybrid force/motion tasks (e.g., writing, doing the dishes, and cleaning counters), the results of this study emphasize the need to study motor performance during hybrid tasks in addition to static force tasks.

Precision Strike Training in Lean Manufacturing: A Workplace Literacy Guidebook [and] Final Report on Precision Strike Workplace Literacy Training at CertainTeed Corporation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Alliance of Business, Inc., Washington, DC.

CertainTeed's Precision Strike training program was designed to close the gaps between the current status of its workplace and where that work force needed to be to compete successfully in global markets. Precision Strike included Skills and Knowledge in Lifelong Learning (SKILL) customized, computerized lessons in basic skills, one-on-one…

Employee Assistance and Skills Enhancement. Project EASE II. Final Report. [Reporting Period: November 1, 1993-July 31, 1995].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Tipawan Truong-Quang

Project Employment Assistance and Skill Enhancement (EASE II) was an on-the-job literacy and basic skills improvement project for employees of small companies in the metal working industry in the Chicago area. The goal of the project was to improve literacy skills, leading to the improvement of work force productivity targeted to disadvantaged…

Air Force Human Resources Laboratory Annual Report - Fiscal Year 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

test are used a clearer understanding of the impact of sample to assess literacy skills . The use of AFRAT size and curtailment on calibration accuracy...training within determine the feasibility of using newly devised Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training. tests of psychomotor skills , information...individual skill underscored by unacceptable levels of literacy deficiencies. Empirical job requirements and among recent military enlistees. Plans are

U.S. Northern Command > Newsroom > Fact Sheets

Science.gov Websites

Operations Command, North U.S. Marine Forces Northern Command U.S. Fleet Forces Command Air Forces Northern U.S. Army North Joint Task Force North Joint Task Force Civil Support Joint Task Force Alaska Joint

Visual Literacy in Preservice Teachers: a Case Study in Biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Gallardo, José Reyes; García Fernández, Beatriz; Mateos Jiménez, Antonio

2017-07-01

In this study, we explore the competence of preservice teachers (n = 161) in labelling and creating new cross-sectional human diagrams, based on anatomy knowledge depicted in longitudinal sections. Using educational standards to assess visual literacy and ad hoc open questions, results indicate limited skills for both tasks. However, their competence is particularly poor creating diagrams, where shortcomings were observed not only in visual literacy but in content knowledge. We discuss the misconceptions detected during these assessments. Visual literacy training should be strengthened for these students, as it is a skill that is especially important for future teachers to use in learning, assessing, and reflecting on content in science education. This is particularly important in preservice teachers since they should be fluent in the use of visual teaching tools in teaching anatomy and other content in the biology curriculum.

Toward a Better Understanding of Patient Health Literacy: A Focus on the Skills Patients Need to Find Health Information.

PubMed

Champlin, Sara; Mackert, Michael; Glowacki, Elizabeth M; Donovan, Erin E

2017-07-01

While many health literacy assessments exist, this area of research lacks an instrument that isolates and reflects the four components driving this concept (abilities to find, understand, use, and communicate about health information). The purpose of this study was to determine what abilities comprise the first component, how a patient finds health information. Low ( n = 13) and adequate ( n = 14) health literacy patients, and health professionals ( n = 10) described their experiences when looking for health information and the skills they employed to complete these tasks. Major skills/themes elicited included knowing when to search, credibility assessments, finding text and numerical information, interpersonal seeking, technology and online search, and spatial navigation. Findings from this study suggest that each of the dimensions included in the definition of health literacy warrants specific attention and assessment. Given identification of the skills comprising each dimension, interventions targeting deficits across health literacy dimensions could be developed to improve patient health.

Effective literacy instruction for adults with specific learning disabilities: implications for adult educators.

PubMed

Hock, Michael F

2012-01-01

Adults with learning disabilities (LD) attending adult basic education, GED programs, or community colleges are among the lowest performers on measures of literacy. For example, on multiple measures of reading comprehension, adults with LD had a mean reading score at the third grade level, whereas adults without LD read at the fifth grade level. In addition, large numbers of adults perform at the lowest skill levels on quantitative tasks. Clearly, significant instructional challenges exist for adults who struggle with literacy issues, and those challenges can be greater for adults with LD. In this article, the literature on adults with LD is reviewed, and evidenced-based instructional practices that significantly narrow the literacy achievement gap for this population are identified. Primary attention is given to instructional factors that have been shown to affect literacy outcomes for adults with LD. These factors include the use of explicit instruction, instructional technology, and intensive tutoring in skills and strategies embedded in authentic contexts.

Proximal arm kinematics affect grip force-load force coordination

PubMed Central

Vermillion, Billy C.; Lum, Peter S.

2015-01-01

During object manipulation, grip force is coordinated with load force, which is primarily determined by object kinematics. Proximal arm kinematics may affect grip force control, as proximal segment motion could affect control of distal hand muscles via biomechanical and/or neural pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of proximal kinematics on grip force modulation during object manipulation. Fifteen subjects performed three vertical lifting tasks that involved distinct proximal kinematics (elbow/shoulder), but resulted in similar end-point (hand) trajectories. While temporal coordination of grip and load forces remained similar across the tasks, proximal kinematics significantly affected the grip force-to-load force ratio (P = 0.042), intrinsic finger muscle activation (P = 0.045), and flexor-extensor ratio (P < 0.001). Biomechanical coupling between extrinsic hand muscles and the elbow joint cannot fully explain the observed changes, as task-related changes in intrinsic hand muscle activation were greater than in extrinsic hand muscles. Rather, between-task variation in grip force (highest during task 3) appears to contrast to that in shoulder joint velocity/acceleration (lowest during task 3). These results suggest that complex neural coupling between the distal and proximal upper extremity musculature may affect grip force control during movements, also indicated by task-related changes in intermuscular coherence of muscle pairs, including intrinsic finger muscles. Furthermore, examination of the fingertip force showed that the human motor system may attempt to reduce variability in task-relevant motor output (grip force-to-load force ratio), while allowing larger fluctuations in output less relevant to task goal (shear force-to-grip force ratio). PMID:26289460

78 FR 23970 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-23

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting. SUMMARY: This document corrects the SBA's Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Developments...

APA Summit on Medical Student Education Task Force on Informatics and Technology: learning about computers and applying computer technology to education and practice.

PubMed

Hilty, Donald M; Hales, Deborah J; Briscoe, Greg; Benjamin, Sheldon; Boland, Robert J; Luo, John S; Chan, Carlyle H; Kennedy, Robert S; Karlinsky, Harry; Gordon, Daniel B; Yager, Joel; Yellowlees, Peter M

2006-01-01

This article provides a brief overview of important issues for educators regarding medical education and technology. The literature describes key concepts, prototypical technology tools, and model programs. A work group of psychiatric educators was convened three times by phone conference to discuss the literature. Findings were presented to and input was received from the 2005 Summit on Medical Student Education by APA and the American Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry. Knowledge of, skills in, and attitudes toward medical informatics are important to life-long learning and modern medical practice. A needs assessment is a starting place, since student, faculty, institution, and societal factors bear consideration. Technology needs to "fit" into a curriculum in order to facilitate learning and teaching. Learning about computers and applying computer technology to education and clinical care are key steps in computer literacy for physicians.

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any other naval commander, may detail in command of a task force, or other task command, any eligible...

75 FR 76422 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces (Subsequently Referred to as the Task Force) AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice... forthcoming meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

Role and Activation Time Course of Phonological and Orthographic Information during Phoneme Judgments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lafontaine, Helene; Chetail, Fabienne; Colin, Cecile; Kolinsky, Regine; Pattamadilok, Chotiga

2012-01-01

Acquiring literacy establishes connections between the spoken and written system and modifies the functioning of the spoken system. As most evidence comes from on-line speech recognition tasks, it is still a matter of debate when and how these two systems interact in metaphonological tasks. The present event-related potentials study investigated…

Learners' Approaches to Solving Mathematical Tasks: Does Specialisation Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machaba, France; Mwakapenda, Willy

2016-01-01

This article emerged from an analysis of learners' responses to a task presented to learners studying Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy (ML) in Gauteng, South Africa. Officially, Mathematics and ML are two separate learning areas. Learners from Grade 10 onwards are supposed to take either one or the other, but not both. This means that by…

Contributions of Academic Language, Perspective Taking, and Complex Reasoning to Deep Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaRusso, Maria; Kim, Ha Yeon; Selman, Robert; Uccelli, Paola; Dawson, Theo; Jones, Stephanie; Donovan, Suzanne; Snow, Catherine

2016-01-01

"Deep reading comprehension" refers to the process required to succeed at tasks defined by the Common Core State Literacy Standards, as well as to achieve proficiency on the more challenging reading tasks in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that three…

75 FR 62611 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

75 FR 76744 - National Disaster Housing Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-09

...] National Disaster Housing Task Force AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Disaster Housing Task Force (NDHTF) will meet by teleconference on December...: Mitchell Wyllins, National Disaster Housing Task Force, 500 C Street, SW., (Room 428), Washington, DC 20472...

77 FR 41472 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

76 FR 8393 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-14

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

75 FR 62438 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-08

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force... first public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting...

Face and Construct Validity of a Novel Virtual Reality-Based Bimanual Laparoscopic Force-Skills Trainer With Haptics Feedback.

PubMed

Prasad, Raghu; Muniyandi, Manivannan; Manoharan, Govindan; Chandramohan, Servarayan M

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the face and construct validity of a custom-developed bimanual laparoscopic force-skills trainer with haptics feedback. The study also examined the effect of handedness on fundamental and complex tasks. Residents (n = 25) and surgeons (n = 25) performed virtual reality-based bimanual fundamental and complex tasks. Tool-tissue reaction forces were summed, recorded, and analysed. Seven different force-based measures and a 1-time measure were used as metrics. Subsequently, participants filled out face validity and demographic questionnaires. Residents and surgeons were positive on the design, workspace, and usefulness of the simulator. Construct validity results showed significant differences between residents and experts during the execution of fundamental and complex tasks. In both tasks, residents applied large forces with higher coefficient of variation and force jerks (P < .001). Experts, with their dominant hand, applied lower forces in complex tasks and higher forces in fundamental tasks (P < .001). The coefficients of force variation (CoV) of residents and experts were higher in complex tasks (P < .001). Strong correlations were observed between CoV and task time for fundamental (r = 0.70) and complex tasks (r = 0.85). Range of smoothness of force was higher for the non-dominant hand in both fundamental and complex tasks. The simulator was able to differentiate the force-skills of residents and surgeons, and objectively evaluate the effects of handedness on laparoscopic force-skills. Competency-based laparoscopic skills assessment curriculum should be updated to meet the requirements of bimanual force-based training.

Print Awareness in Pre-School Children: A Working Paper. A Study of the Development of Literacy in Preschool Children. Program in Language and Literacy Occasional Paper No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Yetta M.; Altwerger, Bess

A study was conducted to explore preschool children's awareness of and responses to print and their concepts of reading and writing. Eleven children, aged three, four, and five years, were given three print awareness tasks in which they were asked to identify a common household product first by its complete label, then by the same label without…

Identity, Subjectivity, and Agency in L1-L2 Literacy Processes among Young Spanish-English Learners in a K-12 Bilingual School in Bogota, Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serna Dimas, Hector Manuel

2013-01-01

Literacy is one of the most fundamental processes in the life of people. It is complex enough when people develop these processes in their first language, and the nature of the task becomes even more challenging when it is developed with students in a second language within the context of a bilingual setting. Bilingual education has been based on…

Selection and Effects of Channels in Distributed Communication and Decision-Making Tasks: A Theoretical Review and a Proposed Research Paradigm

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

in speaking, writing, and oral literture. In Deborah Tannen (Ed.) Spoken and written lanquage: Exploring orality and literacy. Norwood, NJ: Ablex...strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge .’. University Press. Gumperz, John J., Tannen , Deborah . (1978). Individual and social differences in lanquaqe use. In W. Wang...Hannah, & O’Connor, Mary Catherine. (1984). Cohesion in spoken and written discourse: Ethnic style and the transition to literacy. In Deborah Tannen (Ed

Narrative Ability of Children With Speech Sound Disorders and the Prediction of Later Literacy Skills

PubMed Central

Wellman, Rachel L.; Lewis, Barbara A.; Freebairn, Lisa A.; Avrich, Allison A.; Hansen, Amy J.; Stein, Catherine M.

2012-01-01

Purpose The main purpose of this study was to examine how children with isolated speech sound disorders (SSDs; n = 20), children with combined SSDs and language impairment (LI; n = 20), and typically developing children (n = 20), ages 3;3 (years;months) to 6;6, differ in narrative ability. The second purpose was to determine if early narrative ability predicts school-age (8–12 years) literacy skills. Method This study employed a longitudinal cohort design. The children completed a narrative retelling task before their formal literacy instruction began. The narratives were analyzed and compared for group differences. Performance on these early narratives was then used to predict the children’s reading decoding, reading comprehension, and written language ability at school age. Results Significant group differences were found in children’s (a) ability to answer questions about the story, (b) use of story grammars, and (c) number of correct and irrelevant utterances. Regression analysis demonstrated that measures of story structure and accuracy were the best predictors of the decoding of real words, reading comprehension, and written language. Measures of syntax and lexical diversity were the best predictors of the decoding of nonsense words. Conclusion Combined SSDs and LI, and not isolated SSDs, impact a child’s narrative abilities. Narrative retelling is a useful task for predicting which children may be at risk for later literacy problems. PMID:21969531

Childhood Obesity Task Forces Established by State Legislatures, 2001-2010

PubMed Central

Kim, Sonia A.; Sherry, Bettylou; Blanck, Heidi M.

2013-01-01

Introduction States and communities are considering policy and environmental strategies, including enacting legislation, to reduce and prevent childhood obesity. One legislative approach has been to create task forces to understand key issues and develop a course of action. The goal of this study was to describe state-level, childhood obesity task forces in the United States created by legislation from 2001 through 2010. Methods We used the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity database to identify state-level childhood obesity task forces created through legislation from 2001 through 2010. Results We identified 21 states that had enacted legislation creating childhood obesity task forces of which 6 had created more than one task force. Most task forces were charged with both gathering and reviewing information and making recommendations for obesity-prevention actions in the state. Most legislation required that task forces include representation from the state legislature, state agencies, community organizations, and community members. Conclusion Evaluation of the effectiveness of obesity-prevention task forces and the primary components that contribute to their success may help to determine the advantages of the use of such strategies in obesity prevention. PMID:23987250

2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop |

Science.gov Websites

Photovoltaic Research | NREL International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Chairs : Tony Sample and Masaaki Yamamichi The 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT

78 FR 27969 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-13

... discussed: Matters to be discussed: cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

77 FR 56845 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-14

...: Matters to be discussed: Tobacco, oral health and cardiovascular disease. Meeting Accessibility: This... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

78 FR 59939 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-30

.... Matters to be discussed: Cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and control... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

78 FR 7849 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

76 FR 54258 - Request for Comments-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and... Fiscal Oversight Task Force, which reviewed and made recommendations regarding how LSC conducts fiscal... territories. By Resolution adopted on July 21, 2010, the Board established the Fiscal Oversight Task Force...

78 FR 70087 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-22

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

78 FR 45996 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

78 FR 21492 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-10

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

77 FR 41165 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-12

... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will.../Concerns Discussion Continued discussion of goals for Task Force Anaerobic Digester Technologies Odor...

A Study of Cognitive Load for Enhancing Student’s Quantitative Literacy in Inquiry Lab Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuraeni, E.; Rahman, T.; Alifiani, D. P.; Khoerunnisa, R. S.

2017-09-01

Students often find it difficult to appreciate the relevance of the role of quantitative analysis and concept attainment in the science class. This study measured student cognitive load during the inquiry lab of the respiratory system to improve quantitative literacy. Participants in this study were 40 11th graders from senior high school in Indonesia. After students learned, their feelings about the degree of mental effort that it took to complete the learning tasks were measured by 28 self-report on a 4-point Likert scale. The Task Complexity Worksheet were used to asses processing quantitative information and paper based test were applied to assess participants’ concept achievements. The results showed that inquiry instructional induced a relatively low mental effort, high processing information and high concept achievments.

Community hoarding task forces: a comparative case study of five task forces in the United States.

PubMed

Bratiotis, Christiana

2013-05-01

During the past decade, many community task forces have formed to address hoarding problems that come to public attention. Such task forces provide a societal-level intervention to assist people with the most severe cases of hoarding, who do not voluntarily seek or want help for their hoarding behaviour. This qualitative study of five U.S. hoarding task forces included sites selected for their diversity of purpose, approaches to hoarding intervention and community geography, composition and resources. Data were collected during the period of September 2007-March 2008. The case study methodology used multiple forms of data, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, small group interviews and investigator observation. This study captured the perspectives of public and private sector service providers such as mental health, housing, social service, public health agencies and community enforcement organisations (fire, police, legal, animal control) to examine how task forces organise and operate and the emerging practice and policy changes. Study findings suggest that structural factors (e.g. leadership, purpose, funding and membership) impact hoarding task force viability, that participation on a task force influences practice and policy decisions about hoarding, and that social work can expand its role in task force leadership. Task forces may be a mechanism for improving community policies about hoarding and mechanisms for addressing other social problems across multiple sectors. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Revisiting Modernization Theory in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Relationship Between Industrialization and Democratization

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

per capita and gross domestic product. Literacy is a function of educational opportunity and quality such that people may communicate and acquire...Private capitalists do, however, face the challenges of a largely agricultural and/or informal labor force with lower education, skills and literacy rates... information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction , searching existing data sources, gathering and

75 FR 32186 - Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... by space available. Purpose: The mission of the Task Force is to develop and publish the Guide to... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Task Force on Community Preventive Services Name: Task Force on Community Preventive Services meeting. Times and Dates: 8...

78 FR 2996 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-15

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the next meeting of the Community Preventive...

77 FR 16256 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-20

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent introduction...

75 FR 57987 - Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report: Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-23

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0302] Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report... Task Force (GTF) in March 2010 to determine whether past, current, and planned actions should be... recommendations made in the Liquid Radioactive Release Lessons Learned Task Force Final Report dated September 1...

75 FR 70764 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on October 13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

7 CFR 1900.6 - Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. 1900.6 Section... AGRICULTURE PROGRAM REGULATIONS GENERAL Delegations of Authority § 1900.6 Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. The Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force is delegated the following authorities, to be exercised until...

76 FR 5232 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on December 8, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

76 FR 11307 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-01

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Mr. Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on January 12, 2011 at 1 p.m. Roll...

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening

Science.gov Websites

Data Media & News Publications Press Releases Story Archive Home Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening Session Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Title: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening SessionDescription: The

Task Force II: Energy and Its Socioeconomic Impacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachia, 1977

1977-01-01

Summarizing the Task Force Issues Paper presented at the Appalachian Conference on Balanced Growth and Economic Development (1977), this article presents selected comments by Task Force participants, and Task Force recommendations re: a national severence tax on extraction of nonrenewable energy resources; socioeconomic costs of nuclear energy; a…

Developing information literacy with first year oral health students.

PubMed

Ford, P J; Foxlee, N; Green, W

2009-02-01

In this time of rapid expansion of the scientific knowledge base, subject matter runs the risk of becoming outdated within a relatively short time. Instead of adding more content to already crowded curricula, the focus should be on equipping students to adapt to their changing world. The ability to access, evaluate and apply new knowledge for the benefit of patients has been acknowledged as an important goal for dental education. Information literacy is key to achieving this. An information literacy programme for first year oral health students was instituted. This was integrated within a biosciences course and linked with its assessment. Small group instruction reinforced by the use of a tailored online Assignment Guide was used in the context of a specific task. Effectiveness was measured in terms of assessment outcome, processes used and student experience. Twenty-seven students participated in the intervention which was effective in enhancing foundation literacy skills and confidence of students in accessing and evaluating information sources in the context of a clinical problem. Improvement in higher level literacy skills required to articulate this information in the synthesis of a scientific review was not demonstrated. Integration of this information literacy programme within the learning activities and assessment of a basic sciences course resulted in significantly enhanced information literacy skills. As this is highly relevant for higher education students in general, the wider promotion of information literacy should be encouraged.

The Vocational Turn in Adult Literacy Education and the Impact of the International Adult Literacy Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Druine, Nathalie; Wildemeersch, Danny

2000-09-01

The authors critically examine some of the underlying epistemological and theoretical assumptions of the IALS. In doing so, they distinguish among two basic orientations towards literacy. First, the standard approach (of which IALS is an example) subscribes to the possibility of measuring literacy as abstract, cognitive skills, and endorses the claim that there is an important relationship between literacy skills and economic success in the so-called 'knowledge society.' The second, called a socio-cultural approach, insists on the contextual and power-related character of people's literacy practices. The authors further illustrate that the assumptions of the IALS are rooted in a neo-liberal ideology that forces all members of society to adjust to the exigencies of the globalised economy. In the current, contingent conditions of the risk society, however, it does not seem very wise to limit the learning of adults to enhancing labour-market competencies. Adult education should relate to the concrete literacy practices people already have in their lives. It should make its learners co-responsible actors of their own learning process and participants in a democratic debate on defining the kind of society people want to build.

High School Science Teachers' Interpretations and Perceptions of Reform and Literacy in the Discipline of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesinski-Roscoe, Rachel A.

This qualitative study sought to gain an understanding of science teachers' perceptions of reform and their role in implementing reform and science-based literacy practices in the classroom, as well as gain an understanding of science teachers' knowledge of disciplinary literacy as the implied framework of reform (i.e., the Next Generation Science Standards). Four focal participants from a suburban, middle-class high school district comprised of two high schools participated in semi-structured interviews, observations, and a stimulated recall task and interview. Data analysis revealed some of the Discourse memberships in which participants claimed membership and the tensions that resulted from those memberships. From this data, a theory emerged of the role of third space in navigating these tensions, and a model for developing a third space is presented, which literacy professionals can reference when working to develop collaborative relationships with science teachers in order to scaffold science-specific literacy practices for student engagement. The information in this study prompts future research regarding the ability of science teachers and literacy professionals to navigate Discourses in a Field Code Changed third space using a disciplinary literacy approach to developing curriculum in order to apprentice students into the discipline of science and develop a citizenry of scientifically literate individuals.

Creating effective and engaging information literacy programmes for the dental curriculum.

PubMed

Ford, P J; Hibberd, K

2012-02-01

In this time of rapid expansion of the scientific knowledge base, subject matter runs the risk of becoming outdated within a relatively short time. Instead of adding more content to already crowded curricula, the focus should be on equipping students to adapt to their changing world. The ability to access, evaluate and apply new knowledge for the benefit of patients has been acknowledged as an important goal for dental education. Information literacy is key to achieving this. A template for an Information Literacy programme for undergraduate students is described. This was embedded within a compulsory course for each of the first and second years of the Bachelor of Oral Health programme and consisted of a hands-on workshop (attendance voluntary), information literacy quiz, self-evaluation and a summative assessment task, with the second year of the programme building upon the learning of the previous year. Effectiveness was measured in terms of demonstration of information literacy skills and confidence in using these skills. Integration of this programme within the learning activities and assessment of first- and second-year courses resulted in enhanced information literacy skills and confidence. Self-perceived high skill levels may be a potential barrier to student engagement with information literacy programmes. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model.

PubMed

Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2017-05-14

The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One - Force task - required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task - Share task - required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model

PubMed Central

Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2017-01-01

The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1 Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One – Force task – required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task – Share task – required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. PMID:28344070

Literacy and life skills education for vulnerable youth: What policy makers can do

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhardt, Anna Caroline; Yorozu, Rika; Medel-Añonuevo, Carolyn

2014-04-01

In countries with a high concentration of youth with low literacy levels, the policy and programming task related to education and training is particularly daunting. This note briefly presents policies and practices which have been put in place to provide vulnerable youth with literacy and life skills education. It is based on a multi-country research study undertaken by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD Canada; previously Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA), and on subsequent policy dialogue forums with policy makers, practitioners, researchers and youth representatives held in Africa, the Arab region and Asia. Built on this review of existing policies and their implementation, this note provides lessons for innovative practices and suggests six concrete ways to address the needs of vulnerable youth through literacy and life skills education.

77 FR 4584 - Sunshine Act Meetings; National Science Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-30

... of a National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council study CPP Task Force on Unsolicited Mid... and December 13 meeting minutes Discussion of the MS Task Force draft report CSB Task Force on Data... Task Force Closing Remarks From the Chairman Committee on Audit and Oversight (A&O) Open Session: 4-4...

Academic Standards Task Force Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnham, Peter F.

The product of a year-long research process undertaken by a Task Force on Academic Standards at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TCCC) in 1980-81, this report provides background to the deliberations of the Task Force and a presentation of their position on academic standards at TCCC. The report establishes the Task Force's commitments to…

75 FR 61175 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-04

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3 through Thursday...

18 CFR 701.58 - Task forces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Task forces. 701.58... Headquarters Organization § 701.58 Task forces. The Director with Council concurrence or the Council may establish task forces from time to time to aid in the preparation of issues for presentation to the Council...

3 CFR - White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working... Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and... times. To these ends, I hereby direct the following: Section 1. White House Task Force on Middle-Class...

77 FR 441 - Measurement and Control of Combustible Gas Generation and Dispersal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-05

... Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... Fukushima Task Force Report: ``[t]he task force recommends, as part of the longer term review, that the NRC... additional information is revealed through further study of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.'' The Commission...

76 FR 58165 - Petitions for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-20

...-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... the Fukushima Task Force Report for the purpose of providing the Commission with fully-informed... recommendations from the Fukushima Task Force Report, and is not providing a separate opportunity for public...

76 FR 76189 - Notice of Public Hearing-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report & Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... period; and (3) reactions to those comments submitted by Task Force members. DATES: Monday, December 12... Report, the public comments previously submitted, and reactions to those comments from several Task Force members. The public comments and a summary of Task Force members' reactions may be viewed online at http...

Solar Energy Task Force Report: Technical Training Guidelines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Kevin

This task force report offers guidelines and information for the development of vocational education programs oriented to the commercial application of solar energy in water and space heating. After Section I introduces the Solar Energy Task Force and its activities, Section II outlines the task force's objectives and raises several issues and…

A Tri-part Model for Genetics Literacy: Exploring Undergraduate Student Reasoning About Authentic Genetics Dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Nicole A.; Duncan, Ravit Golan; Stephenson, Celeste

2015-08-01

Genetics literacy is becoming increasingly important as advancements in our application of genetic technologies such as stem cell research, cloning, and genetic screening become more prevalent. Very few studies examine how genetics literacy is applied when reasoning about authentic genetic dilemmas. However, there is evidence that situational features of a reasoning task may influence how students apply content knowledge as they generate and support arguments. Understanding how students apply content knowledge to reason about authentic and complex issues is important for considering instructional practices that best support student thinking and reasoning. In this conceptual report, we present a tri-part model for genetics literacy that embodies the relationships between content knowledge use, argumentation quality, and the role of situational features in reasoning to support genetics literacy. Using illustrative examples from an interview study with early career undergraduate students majoring in the biological sciences and late career undergraduate students majoring in genetics, we provide insights into undergraduate student reasoning about complex genetics issues and discuss implications for teaching and learning. We further discuss the need for research about how the tri-part model of genetics literacy can be used to explore students' thinking and reasoning abilities in genetics.

The effect of bracing availability on one-hand isometric force exertion capability.

PubMed

Jones, Monica L H; Reed, Matthew P; Chaffin, Don B

2013-01-01

Environmental obstructions that workers encounter can kinematically limit the postures that they can achieve. However, such obstructions can also provide an opportunity for additional support by bracing with the hand, thigh or other body part. The reaction forces on bracing surfaces, which are in addition to those acting at the feet and task hand, are hypothesised to improve force exertion capability, and become required inputs to biomechanical analysis of tasks with bracing. The effects of kinematic constraints and associated bracing opportunities on isometric hand force were quantified in a laboratory study of 22 men and women. Analyses of one-hand maximal push, pull and lift tasks demonstrated that bracing surfaces available at the thighs and non-task hand enabled participants to exert an average of 43% more force at the task hand. Task hand force direction deviated significantly from the nominal direction for exertions performed with bracing at both medium and low task hand locations. This study quantifies the effect of bracing on kinematically constrained force exertions. Knowledge that appropriate bracing surfaces can substantially increase hand force is critical to the evaluation of task-oriented strength capability. Force estimates may also involve large off-axis components, which have clear implications for ergonomic analyses of manual tasks.

Using Assessment Tasks to Develop a Greater Sense of Values Literacy in Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christian, Beverly J.

2014-01-01

Although much emphasis is given to teaching values in schools, there appears to be less evidence that teacher education courses are explicitly preparing pre-service teachers for this responsibility. In this study, the Values for Australian Schools were integrated into two assessment tasks in the second year of a Bachelor of Education (Primary)…

Rethinking Task Design for the Digital Age: A Framework for Language Teaching and Learning in a Synchronous Online Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampel, Regina

2006-01-01

This article discusses a framework for the development of tasks in a synchronous online environment used for language learning and teaching. It shows how a theoretical approach based on second language acquisition (SLA) principles, sociocultural and constructivist theories, and concepts taken from research on multimodality and new literacies, can…

Task Analyses for Difficult-to-Assess Collective Tasks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

FOR THE KLE MISSION Review and rehearse social nuances, customs, and etiquette of the host nation, e.g., gift exchange expectations. Practice... etiquette to foster rapport with the leader and demonstrate cultural awareness. Negotiate with the key leader in a manner that demonstrates...requirements for police applicants by establishing minimum entry requirements, physical fitness tests, literacy tests, and medical screening protocols

Performance drifts in two-finger cyclical force production tasks performed by one and two actors.

PubMed

Hasanbarani, Fariba; Reschechtko, Sasha; Latash, Mark L

2018-03-01

We explored changes in the cyclical two-finger force performance task caused by turning visual feedback off performed either by the index and middle fingers of the dominant hand or by two index fingers of two persons. Based on an earlier study, we expected drifts in finger force amplitude and midpoint without a drift in relative phase. The subjects performed two rhythmical tasks at 1 Hz while paced by an auditory metronome. One of the tasks required cyclical changes in total force magnitude without changes in the sharing of the force between the two fingers. The other task required cyclical changes in the force sharing without changing total force magnitude. Subjects were provided with visual feedback, which showed total force magnitude and force sharing via cursor motion along the vertical and horizontal axes, respectively. Further, visual feedback was turned off, first on the variable that was not required to change and then on both variables. Turning visual feedback off led to a mean force drift toward lower magnitudes while force amplitude increased. There was a consistent drift in the relative phase in the one-hand task with the index finger leading the middle finger. No consistent relative phase drift was seen in the two-person tasks. The shape of the force cycle changed without visual feedback reflected in the lower similarity to a perfect cosine shape and in the higher time spent at lower force magnitudes. The data confirm findings of earlier studies regarding force amplitude and midpoint changes, but falsify predictions of an earlier proposed model with respect to the relative phase changes. We discuss factors that could contribute to the observed relative phase drift in the one-hand tasks including the leader-follower pattern generalized for two-effector tasks performed by one person.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Consumer-Focused Health Information Technology Systems Through eHealth Literacy: A Framework for Understanding Users' Needs.

PubMed

Kayser, Lars; Kushniruk, Andre; Osborne, Richard H; Norgaard, Ole; Turner, Paul

2015-05-20

eHealth systems and applications are increasingly focused on supporting consumers to directly engage with and use health care services. Involving end users in the design of these systems is critical to ensure a generation of usable and effective eHealth products and systems. Often the end users engaged for these participatory design processes are not actual representatives of the general population, and developers may have limited understanding about how well they might represent the full range of intended users of the eHealth products. As a consequence, resulting information technology (IT) designs may not accommodate the needs, skills, cognitive capacities, and/or contexts of use of the intended broader population of health consumers. This may result in challenges for consumers who use the health IT systems, and could lead to limitations in adoption if the diversity of user attributes has not been adequately considered by health IT designers. The objective of this paper is to propose how users' needs and competences can be taken into account when designing new information and communications technology solutions in health care by expanding the user-task-context matrix model with the domains of a new concept of eHealth literacy. This approach expands an existing method for supporting health IT system development, which advocates use of a three-dimensional user-task-context matrix to comprehensively identify the users of health IT systems, and what their needs and requirements are under differing contexts of use. The extension of this model involved including knowledge about users' competences within the seven domains of eHealth literacy, which had been identified based on systematic engagement with computer scientists, academics, health professionals, and patients recruited from various patient organizations and primary care. A concept map was constructed based on a structured brainstorm procedure, card sorting, and computational analysis. The new eHealth literacy concept (based on 7 domains) was incorporated as a key factor in expanding the user-task-context matrix to describe and qualify user requirements and understanding related to eHealth literacy. This resulted in an expanded framework and a five-step process, which can support health IT designers in understanding and more accurately addressing end-users' needs, capabilities, and contexts to improve effectiveness and broader applicability of consumer-focused health IT systems. It is anticipated that the framework will also be useful for policy makers involved in the planning, procuring, and funding of eHealth infrastructure, applications, and services. Developing effective eHealth products requires complete understanding of the end-users' needs from multiple perspectives. In this paper, we have proposed and detailed a framework for modeling users' needs for designing eHealth systems that merges prior work in development of a user-task-context matrix with the emerging area of eHealth literacy. This framework is intended to be used to guide design of eHealth technologies and to make requirements explicitly related to eHealth literacy, enabling a generation of well-targeted, fit-for-purpose, equitable, and effective products and systems.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Consumer-Focused Health Information Technology Systems Through eHealth Literacy: A Framework for Understanding Users' Needs

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background eHealth systems and applications are increasingly focused on supporting consumers to directly engage with and use health care services. Involving end users in the design of these systems is critical to ensure a generation of usable and effective eHealth products and systems. Often the end users engaged for these participatory design processes are not actual representatives of the general population, and developers may have limited understanding about how well they might represent the full range of intended users of the eHealth products. As a consequence, resulting information technology (IT) designs may not accommodate the needs, skills, cognitive capacities, and/or contexts of use of the intended broader population of health consumers. This may result in challenges for consumers who use the health IT systems, and could lead to limitations in adoption if the diversity of user attributes has not been adequately considered by health IT designers. Objective The objective of this paper is to propose how users’ needs and competences can be taken into account when designing new information and communications technology solutions in health care by expanding the user-task-context matrix model with the domains of a new concept of eHealth literacy. Methods This approach expands an existing method for supporting health IT system development, which advocates use of a three-dimensional user-task-context matrix to comprehensively identify the users of health IT systems, and what their needs and requirements are under differing contexts of use. The extension of this model involved including knowledge about users’ competences within the seven domains of eHealth literacy, which had been identified based on systematic engagement with computer scientists, academics, health professionals, and patients recruited from various patient organizations and primary care. A concept map was constructed based on a structured brainstorm procedure, card sorting, and computational analysis. Results The new eHealth literacy concept (based on 7 domains) was incorporated as a key factor in expanding the user-task-context matrix to describe and qualify user requirements and understanding related to eHealth literacy. This resulted in an expanded framework and a five-step process, which can support health IT designers in understanding and more accurately addressing end-users’ needs, capabilities, and contexts to improve effectiveness and broader applicability of consumer-focused health IT systems. It is anticipated that the framework will also be useful for policy makers involved in the planning, procuring, and funding of eHealth infrastructure, applications, and services. Conclusions Developing effective eHealth products requires complete understanding of the end-users’ needs from multiple perspectives. In this paper, we have proposed and detailed a framework for modeling users’ needs for designing eHealth systems that merges prior work in development of a user-task-context matrix with the emerging area of eHealth literacy. This framework is intended to be used to guide design of eHealth technologies and to make requirements explicitly related to eHealth literacy, enabling a generation of well-targeted, fit-for-purpose, equitable, and effective products and systems. PMID:27025228

76 FR 52318 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-22

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This meeting, the 26th bi-annual meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, provides a forum for coordinated...

76 FR 7579 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-10

.... Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... Service (Service), announce a public business meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) [email protected] ); or Liza Johnson, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S...

76 FR 15334 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4; and Thursday May 5; and...

Force Control Characteristics for Generation and Relaxation in the Lower Limb.

PubMed

Ohtaka, Chiaki; Fujiwara, Motoko

2018-05-29

We investigated the characteristics for force generation and relaxation using graded isometric contractions of the knee extensors. Participants performed the following tasks as quickly and accurately as possible. For the force generation task, force was increased from 0% to 20%, 40% and 60% of the maximal voluntary force (MVF). For the force relaxation task, force was decreased from 60% to 40%, 20% and 0%. The following parameters of the recorded force were calculated: error, time, and rate of force development. The error was consistently greater for force relaxation than generation. Reaction and adjustment times were independent of the tasks. The control strategy was markedly different for force relaxation and generation, this tendency was particularly evident for the lower limb compared to the upper limb.

Consolidated fuel reprossing program: The implications of force reflection for teleoperation in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Draper, John V.; Herndon, Joseph N.; Moore, Wendy E.

1987-01-01

Previous research on teleoperator force feedback is reviewed and results of a testing program which assessed the impact of force reflection on teleoperator task performance are reported. Force relection is a type of force feedback in which the forces acting on the remote portion of the teleoperator are displayed to the operator by back-driving the master controller. The testing program compared three force reflection levels: 4 to 1 (four units of force on the slave produce one unit of force at the master controller), 1 to 1, and infinity to 1 (no force reflection). Time required to complete tasks, rate of occurrence of errors, the maximum force applied to tasks components, and variability in forces applied to components during completion of representative remote handling tasks were used as dependent variables. Operators exhibited lower error rates, lower peak forces, and more consistent application of forces using force relection than they did without it. These data support the hypothesis that force reflection provides useful information for teleoperator users. The earlier literature and the results of the experiment are discussed in terms of their implications for space based teleoperator systems. The discussion described the impact of force reflection on task completion performance and task strategies, as suggested by the literature. It is important to understand the trade-offs involved in using telerobotic systems with and without force reflection.

Using a cashbook as textbook.

PubMed

Mullinix, B B

1985-11-01

In the Gambia, an innovative shceme was developed by government and parastatal organizations to provide small-scale businessmen and women with the skills required for banking and record-keeping. The course they developed applied the approach of specific literacy and numeracy. Specific literacy identifies and transmits a select group of literacy skills necessary to perform a given task. The course encouraged the learner to recognize, copy, and associate words with objects or ideas and, at the same time, learn to identify sounds with written letters. Role plays, homework assignments, self-corrected quizzes, and cashbook/workbooks were some of the techniques used to ensure that learners were able to create records and keep accurate account of their daily cash flow. The purpose of this short 6-month course was not to achieve full literacy for each and every learner, but to introduce specific skills that integrated literacy and business. In this way, the course emphasized the essentials of record-keeping, and hopefully encouraged the learners to develop their own practice: to create a system of written conventions they would use reularly to monitor their business transactions.

Children's Behavioral Regulation and Literacy: the Impact of the First Grade Classroom Environment

PubMed Central

Day, Stephanie; Connor, Carol; McClelland, Megan

2015-01-01

Classroom learning environments are an important source of influence on children's development, particularly with regard to literacy achievement and behavioral regulation, both which requires the coordination of task inhibition, attention, and working memory. Classroom observations were conducted in 18 schools and 51 first grade classrooms for 500 children. The non-instructional activities were recorded for each student in the classroom. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that children with weaker fall behavioral regulation were more likely to attend classrooms where more time was spent in disruptions and wasted instructional time over the course of the school year, such as waiting for the teacher to gather materials before beginning instruction. For literacy outcomes, children who were in classrooms where more time in disruptions, transitions, and waiting was observed showed weaker literacy skill gains in the spring compared to children in classrooms with lesser amounts of such unproductive non-instructional time and this effect was generally greater for students with initial weaker skills. These results also reveal that the classroom environment and the incoming characteristics of the students themselves influence students' development of behavioral regulation and literacy. PMID:26407837

Effects of dynamic text in an AAC app on sight word reading for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Caron, Jessica; Light, Janice; Holyfield, Christine; McNaughton, David

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Transition to Literacy (T2L) software features (i.e., dynamic text and speech output upon selection of a graphic symbol) within a grid display in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app, on the sight word reading skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and complex communication needs. The study implemented a single-subject multiple probe research design across one set of three participants. The same design was utilized with an additional set of two participants. As part of the intervention, the participants were exposed to an AAC app with the T2L features during a highly structured matching task. With only limited exposure to the features, the five participants all demonstrated increased accuracy of identification of 12 targeted sight words. This study provides preliminary evidence that redesigning AAC apps to include the provision of dynamic text combined with speech output, can positively impact the sight-word reading of participants during a structured task. This adaptation in AAC system design could be used to complement literacy instruction and to potentially infuse components of literacy learning into daily communication.

Dynamical signatures of isometric force control as a function of age, expertise, and task constraints.

PubMed

Vieluf, Solveig; Sleimen-Malkoun, Rita; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Jirsa, Viktor; Reuter, Eva-Maria; Godde, Ben; Temprado, Jean-Jacques; Huys, Raoul

2017-07-01

From the conceptual and methodological framework of the dynamical systems approach, force control results from complex interactions of various subsystems yielding observable behavioral fluctuations, which comprise both deterministic (predictable) and stochastic (noise-like) dynamical components. Here, we investigated these components contributing to the observed variability in force control in groups of participants differing in age and expertise level. To this aim, young (18-25 yr) as well as late middle-aged (55-65 yr) novices and experts (precision mechanics) performed a force maintenance and a force modulation task. Results showed that whereas the amplitude of force variability did not differ across groups in the maintenance tasks, in the modulation task it was higher for late middle-aged novices than for experts and higher for both these groups than for young participants. Within both tasks and for all groups, stochastic fluctuations were lowest where the deterministic influence was smallest. However, although all groups showed similar dynamics underlying force control in the maintenance task, a group effect was found for deterministic and stochastic fluctuations in the modulation task. The latter findings imply that both components were involved in the observed group differences in the variability of force fluctuations in the modulation task. These findings suggest that between groups the general characteristics of the dynamics do not differ in either task and that force control is more affected by age than by expertise. However, expertise seems to counteract some of the age effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Stochastic and deterministic dynamical components contribute to force production. Dynamical signatures differ between force maintenance and cyclic force modulation tasks but hardly between age and expertise groups. Differences in both stochastic and deterministic components are associated with group differences in behavioral variability, and observed behavioral variability is more strongly task dependent than person dependent. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

The Need for Work Force Education. Fastback 350.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Edward E.

Educational problems underlie the crisis in the high-tech workplace. Insufficient expenditures for workplace education result in low productivity. Technology requires a skilled work force; the chief competitive advantage for a nation will be its skilled workers. Workplace literacy has been a half-hearted effort. Investment of billions by U.S.…

Crafting a Balanced System of Assessment in Wisconsin. Recommendations of the Next Generation Assessment Task Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2009

2009-01-01

The Next Generation Assessment Task Force was convened to formulate Wisconsin's path forward. Task force members listened to leaders from business and technology sectors as well as leaders from PK-12 and higher education. This summary shares the process, definitions, assumptions, and recommendations of the task force. This paper aims to use these…

75 FR 47624 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and... (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a request for written.... Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS-3530-MIB...

75 FR 15457 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-29

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m...

77 FR 23667 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

... CONTACT: Mail Delivery service through Recovering Warrior Task Force, Hoffman Building II, 200 Stovall St... Review of Non- Medical Case Management. 9:30-9:45 a.m. Break. 9:45-10:45 a.m. Task Force Recommendation... Task Force through the contact information in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and this individual will...

Forest biomass as an energy source

Treesearch

P.E. Laks; R.W. Hemingway; A. Conner

1979-01-01

The Task Force on Forest Biomass as an Energy Source was chartered by the Society of American Foresters on September 26, 1977, and took its present form following an amendment to the charter on October 5, 1977. It built upon the findings of two previous task forces, the Task Force on Energy and Forest Resources and the Task Force for Evaluation of the CORRIM Report (...

Health literacy and logical inconsistencies in valuations of hypothetical health states: results from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L valuation study.

PubMed

Al Sayah, Fatima; Johnson, Jeffrey A; Ohinmaa, Arto; Xie, Feng; Bansback, Nick

2017-06-01

To examine the association of health literacy with logical inconsistencies in time trade-off valuations of hypothetical health states described by the EQ-5D-5L classification system. Data from the EQ-5D-5L Canadian Valuation study were used. Health literacy was assessed using the Brief Health Literacy Screen. A health state valuation was considered logically inconsistent if a respondent gave the same or lower value for a very mild health state compared to the value given to 55555, or gave the same or lower value for a very mild health state compared to value assigned to the majority of the health states that are dominated by the very mild health state. Average age of respondents (N = 1209) was 48 (SD = 17) years, 45% were male, 7% reported inadequate health literacy, and 11% had a logical inconsistency. In adjusted analysis, participants with inadequate health literacy were 2.2 (95%CI: 1.2, 4.0; p = 0.014) times more likely to provide an inconsistent valuation compared to those with adequate health literacy. More specifically, those who had problems in "understanding written information" and "reading health information" were more likely to have a logical inconsistency compared to those who did not. However, lacking "confidence in completing medical forms" was not associated with logical inconsistencies. Health literacy was associated with logical inconsistencies in valuations of hypothetical health states described by the EQ-5D-5L classification system. Valuations studies should consider assessing health literacy, and explore better ways to introduce the valuation tasks or use simpler approaches of health preferences elicitation for individuals with inadequate health literacy.

Control of force during rapid visuomotor force-matching tasks can be described by discrete time PID control algorithms.

PubMed

Dideriksen, Jakob Lund; Feeney, Daniel F; Almuklass, Awad M; Enoka, Roger M

2017-08-01

Force trajectories during isometric force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions vary substantially across individuals. In this study, we investigated if this variability can be explained by discrete time proportional, integral, derivative (PID) control algorithms with varying model parameters. To this end, we analyzed the pinch force trajectories of 24 subjects performing two rapid force-matching tasks with visual feedback. Both tasks involved isometric contractions to a target force of 10% maximal voluntary contraction. One task involved a single action (pinch) and the other required a double action (concurrent pinch and wrist extension). 50,000 force trajectories were simulated with a computational neuromuscular model whose input was determined by a PID controller with different PID gains and frequencies at which the controller adjusted muscle commands. The goal was to find the best match between each experimental force trajectory and all simulated trajectories. It was possible to identify one realization of the PID controller that matched the experimental force produced during each task for most subjects (average index of similarity: 0.87 ± 0.12; 1 = perfect similarity). The similarities for both tasks were significantly greater than that would be expected by chance (single action: p = 0.01; double action: p = 0.04). Furthermore, the identified control frequencies in the simulated PID controller with the greatest similarities decreased as task difficulty increased (single action: 4.0 ± 1.8 Hz; double action: 3.1 ± 1.3 Hz). Overall, the results indicate that discrete time PID controllers are realistic models for the neural control of force in rapid force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions.

Reading-Related Literacy Activities of American Adults: Time Spent, Task Types, and Cognitive Skills Used

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Sheida; Chen, Jing; Forsyth, Barbara

2010-01-01

This article presents data on the types and duration of reading-related activities reported by a volunteer sample of 400 adults (demographically similar to the U.S. adult population age 20 and older in terms of race, ethnicity, education, and working status) in the 2005 Real-World Tasks Study. This diary study revealed that adults spent, on…

Improving Dual-Task Control With a Posture-Second Strategy in Early-Stage Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Huang, Cheng-Ya; Chen, Yu-An; Hwang, Ing-Shiou; Wu, Ruey-Meei

2018-03-31

To examine the task prioritization effects on postural-suprapostural dual-task performance in patients with early-stage Parkinson disease (PD) without clinically observed postural symptoms. Cross-sectional study. Participants performed a force-matching task while standing on a mobile platform, and were instructed to focus their attention on either the postural task (posture-first strategy) or the force-matching task (posture-second strategy). University research laboratory. Individuals (N=16) with early-stage PD who had no clinically observed postural symptoms. Not applicable. Dual-task change (DTC; percent change between single-task and dual-task performance) of posture error, posture approximate entropy (ApEn), force error, and reaction time (RT). Positive DTC values indicate higher postural error, posture ApEn, force error, and force RT during dual-task conditions compared with single-task conditions. Compared with the posture-first strategy, the posture-second strategy was associated with smaller DTC of posture error and force error, and greater DTC of posture ApEn. In contrast, greater DTC of force RT was observed under the posture-second strategy. Contrary to typical recommendations, our results suggest that the posture-second strategy may be an effective dual-task strategy in patients with early-stage PD who have no clinically observed postural symptoms in order to reduce the negative effect of dual tasking on performance and facilitate postural automaticity. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interagency Task Forces: The Right Tools for the Job

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

shortcomings. This analysis discusses four organizational reform models and recommends the interagency task force ( IATF ) as the preferred structure...model.64 Still others recommend creating and deploying ad hoc IATFs for crisis operations. These interagency task forces would be task- organized to...forces assigned for planning, exercises, and mission execution.65 A 2005 article in Policy Review recommended developing IATFs as needed for specific

Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Bulletin; Vol. 8, Special Edition: Vocational Evaluation Project Final Report Part 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association, Washington, DC.

Part 2 of the three-part Vocational Evaluation Project final report contains brief summaries of the seven task force report which comprise the final report and two such task force reports. The report of task force 5, Standards for Vocational Evaluation, describes the task force's effort to study the standards for accreditation presently used by…

Comparing the Values Hierarchy of the Kentucky Department of Education's Character/Values Task Force. Comparing a Character/Values Task Force to a National Sample.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Fonda P.

In March 1989, the Kentucky Department of Education assembled a task force to make recommendations regarding the issue of teaching values and character in public schools in Kentucky. The 23-member task force represented educators, parents, the legislature, state and local school boards, law enforcement agencies, higher education, Catholic…

Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities. Executive Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-21

March 2017 Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF...the Department of Defense. The DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities completed its formal...Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities | i DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the

Communicating with New and Existing Markets. A Task Force of Howard Community College's 1998-1999 Commission on the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD.

This is a report from a task force formed by Howard Community College (Maryland) to examine existing and future markets. The task force also explored ways to use marketing strategies to attract potential customers to the college. The task force recommends that the college use its strengths to attract customers, such as its commitment to open…

English as a Foreign Language in Bilingual Language-minority Children, Children with Dyslexia and Monolingual Typical Readers.

PubMed

Bonifacci, Paola; Canducci, Elisa; Gravagna, Giulia; Palladino, Paola

2017-05-01

The present study was aimed at investigating literacy skills in English as a foreign language in three different groups of children: monolinguals with dyslexia (n = 19), typically developing bilinguals (language-minority) (n = 19) and a control group of monolinguals (Italian) (n = 76). Bilinguals were not expected to fail in English measures, and their gap with monolinguals would be expected to be limited to the instructional language, owing to underexposure. All participants were enrolled in Italian primary schools (fourth and fifth grades). A non-verbal reasoning task and Italian and English literacy tasks were administered. The Italian battery included word and non-word reading (speed and accuracy), word and non-word writing, and reading comprehension; the English battery included similar tasks, except for the non-word writing. Bilingual children performed similarly to typical readers in English tasks, whereas in Italian tasks, their performance was similar to that of typical readers in reading speed but not in reading accuracy and writing. Children with dyslexia underperformed compared with typically developing children in all English and Italian tasks, except for reading comprehension in Italian. Profile analysis and correlational analyses were further discussed. These results suggest that English as a foreign language might represent a challenge for students with dyslexia but a strength for bilingual language-minority children. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Role of Phonological Working Memory and Environmental Factors in Lexical Development in Italian-Speaking Late Talkers: A One-Year Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Marini, Andrea; Ruffino, Milena; Sali, Maria Enrica; Molteni, Massimo

2017-12-20

This follow-up study assessed (a) the influence of phonological working memory (pWM), home literacy environment, and a family history of linguistic impairments in late talkers (LTs); (b) the diagnostic accuracy of a task of nonword repetition (NWR) in identifying LTs; and (c) the persistence of lexical weaknesses after 10 months. Two hundred ninety-three children were assessed at approximately 32 (t1) and 41 (t2) months. At t1, they were administered the Italian adaptation of the Language Development Survey, an NWR task (used to assess pWM), and questionnaires assessing home literacy environment and family history of language impairments. Thirty-three LTs were identified. The linguistic skills of the participants were evaluated at t2 by administering tasks assessing Articulation, Naming, Semantic Fluency, and Lexical Comprehension. At t2, LTs performed more poorly as compared with age-matched typically developing peers in articulatory and naming skills, had reduced lexical comprehension abilities, and had limited lexical knowledge. Their performance on the NWR task at t1 correlated with the extension of their vocabularies at t2 (as estimated with a Semantic Fluency task). The Language Development Survey recently adapted to Italian is sensitive to LTs. Former LTs still have a mild lexical delay at approximately 40 months. As an indirect measure of pWM, the task of NWR is an early indicator of future lexical deficits.

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Quality of Life.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-10-15

The Quality of Life Task Force is deeply grateful to those distinguished Americans who served as Counselors to the Task Force. Although they did not... Quality of Life issues to the readiness and well being of our Armed Forces. Their willingness to offer suggestions and advice on topics within their...respective expertise was most helpful The recommendations of the Report are those of the Quality of Life Task Force; and Counselors may, or may not, concur in whole or in part with them.

Screening for Hepatitis C Infections in Adults

MedlinePlus

Understanding Task Force Recommendations Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adults The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) has issued a final recommendation statement on Screening for Hepatitis C ...

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

MedlinePlus

... USPSTF Our Members Conflict of Interest Disclosures Task Force Resources Our Partners Reports to Congress Contact Us ... effort to make the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations clearer and its processes more transparent, ...

Developing Critical L2 Digital Literacy through the Use of Computer-Based Internet-Hosted Learning Management Systems such as Moodle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meurant, Robert C.

Second Language (L2) Digital Literacy is of emerging importance within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Korea, and will evolve to become regarded as the most critical component of overall L2 English Literacy. Computer-based Internet-hosted Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as the popular open-source Moodle, are rapidly being adopted worldwide for distance education, and are also being applied to blended (hybrid) education. In EFL Education, they have a special potential: by setting the LMS to force English to be used exclusively throughout a course website, the meta-language can be made the target L2 language. Of necessity, students develop the ability to use English to navigate the Internet, access and contribute to online resources, and engage in computer-mediated communication. Through such pragmatic engagement with English, students significantly develop their L2 Digital Literacy.

Navigating the digital divide: A systematic review of eHealth literacy in underserved populations in the United States.

PubMed

Chesser, Amy; Burke, Anne; Reyes, Jared; Rohrberg, Tessa

2016-01-01

eHealth provides an important mechanism to connect medically underserved populations with health information, but little is known about gaps in eHealth literacy research in underserved adult populations within the U.S. Between June and July 2013, three systematic literature reviews of five databases were conducted and a subsequent hand search was completed. Identified literature was screened and studies meeting exclusion and inclusion criteria were synthesized and analyzed for common themes. Of the 221 articles critically appraised, 15 met these criteria. Thirty-five of these studies were excluded due to international origin. Of the articles meeting the inclusion criteria, underserved populations assessed included immigrant women, the elderly, low-income, the un- and underemployed, and African-American and Hispanic populations. eHealth literacy assessments utilized included one or two item screeners, the eHEALS scale, health information competence and cognitive task analysis. Factors examined in relation to eHealth literacy included age, experience, overall health literacy, education, income and culture. The majority did not assess the impact of locality and those that did were predominately urban. These data suggest that there is a gap in the literature regarding eHealth literacy knowledge for underserved populations, and specifically those in rural locations, within the U.S.

Clapping in time parallels literacy and calls upon overlapping neural mechanisms in early readers.

PubMed

Bonacina, Silvia; Krizman, Jennifer; White-Schwoch, Travis; Kraus, Nina

2018-05-12

The auditory system is extremely precise in processing the temporal information of perceptual events and using these cues to coordinate action. Synchronizing movement to a steady beat relies on this bidirectional connection between sensory and motor systems, and activates many of the auditory and cognitive processes used when reading. Here, we use Interactive Metronome, a clinical intervention technology requiring an individual to clap her hands in time with a steady beat, to investigate whether the links between literacy and synchronization skills, previously established in older children, are also evident in children who are learning to read. We tested 64 typically developing children (ages 5-7 years) on their synchronization abilities, neurophysiological responses to speech in noise, and literacy skills. We found that children who have lower variability in synchronizing have higher phase consistency, higher stability, and more accurate envelope encoding-all neurophysiological response components linked to language skills. Moreover, performing the same task with visual feedback reveals links with literacy skills, notably processing speed, phonological processing, word reading, spelling, morphology, and syntax. These results suggest that rhythm skills and literacy call on overlapping neural mechanisms, supporting the idea that rhythm training may boost literacy in part by engaging sensory-motor systems. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

78 FR 10127 - Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-13

... Conservation Service Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural... Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture invites... Force (AAQTF) which was established by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to...

Science and Sandy: Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, K.

2013-12-01

Following Hurricane Sandy's impact on the mid-Atlantic region, President Obama established a Task Force to '...ensure that the Federal Government continues to provide appropriate resources to support affected State, local, and tribal communities to improve the region's resilience, health, and prosperity by building for the future.' The author was detailed from NOAA to the Task Force between January and June 2013. As the Task Force and others began to take stock of the region's needs and develop plans to address them, many diverse approaches emerged from different areas of expertise including: infrastructure, management and construction, housing, public health, and others. Decision making in this environment was complex with many interests and variables to consider and balance. Although often relevant, science and technical expertise was not always at the forefront of this process. This talk describes the author's experience with the Sandy Task Force focusing on organizing scientific expertise to support the work of the Task Force. This includes a description of federal activity supporting Sandy recovery efforts, the role of the Task Force, and lessons learned from developing a science support function within the Task Force.

What predicts successful literacy acquisition in a second language?

PubMed Central

Frost, Ram; Siegelman, Noam; Narkiss, Alona; Afek, Liron

2013-01-01

We examined whether success (or failure) in assimilating the structure of a second language could be predicted by general statistical learning abilities that are non-linguistic in nature. We employed a visual statistical learning (VSL) task, monitoring our participants’ implicit learning of the transitional probabilities of visual shapes. A pretest revealed that performance in the VSL task is not correlated with abilities related to a general G factor or working memory. We found that native speakers of English who picked up the implicit statistical structure embedded in the continuous stream of shapes, on average, better assimilated the Semitic structure of Hebrew words. Our findings thus suggest that languages and their writing systems are characterized by idiosyncratic correlations of form and meaning, and these are picked up in the process of literacy acquisition, as they are picked up in any other type of learning, for the purpose of making sense of the environment. PMID:23698615

Multimodal representation contributes to the complex development of science literacy in a college biology class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, William Drew

This study is an investigation into the science literacy of college genetics students who were given a modified curriculum to address specific teaching and learning problems from a previous class. This study arose out of an interest by the professor and researcher to determine how well students in the class Human Genetics in the 21st Century responded to a reorganized curriculum to address misconceptions that were prevalent after direct instruction in the previous year's class. One of the components to the revised curriculum was the addition of a multimodal representation requirement as part of their normal writing assignments. How well students performed in these writing assignments and the relationship they had to student learning the rest of the class formed the principle research interest of this study. Improving science literacy has been a consistent goal of science educators and policy makers for over 50 years (DeBoer, 2000). This study uses the conceptualization of Norris and Phillips (2003) in which science literacy can be organized into both the fundamental sense (reading and writing) and the derived sense (experience and knowledge) of science literacy. The fundamental sense of science literacy was investigated in the students' ability to understand and use multimodal representations as part of their homework writing assignments. The derived sense of science literacy was investigated in how well students were able to apply their previous learning to class assessments found in quizzes and exams. This study uses a mixed-methods correlational design to investigate the relationship that existed between students' writing assignment experiences connected to multimodal representations and their academic performance in classroom assessments. Multimodal representations are pervasive in science literature and communication. These are the figures, diagrams, tables, pictures, mathematical equations, and any other form of content in which scientists and science educators are communicating ideas and concepts to their audience with more than simple text. A focused holistic rubric was designed in this study to score how well students in this class were able to incorporate aspects of multimodality into their writing assignments. Using these scores and factors within the rubric (ex. Number of original modes created) they were correlated with classroom performance scores to determine the strength and direction of the relationship. Classroom observations of lectures and discussion sections along with personal interviews with students and teaching assistants aided the interpretation of the results. The results from the study were surprisingly complex to interpret given the background of literature which suggested a strong relationship between multimodal representations and science learning (Lemke, 2000). There were significant positive correlations between student multimodal representations and quiz scores but not exam scores. This study was also confounded by significant differences between sections at the beginning of the study which may have led to learning effects later. The dissimilarity between the tasks of writing during their homework and working on exams may be the reason for no significant correlations with exams. The power to interpret these results was limited by the number of the participants, the number of modal experiences by the students, and the operationalization of multimodal knowledge through the holistic rubric. These results do show that a relationship does exist between the similar tasks within science writing and quizzes. Students may also gain derived science literacy benefits from modal experiences on distal tasks in exams as well. This study shows that there is still much more research to be known about the interconnectedness of multimodal representational knowledge and use to the development of science literacy.

Neuroscience Literacy: "Brain Tells" as Signals of Brain Dysfunction Affecting Daily Life.

PubMed

Royeen, Charlotte B; Brašić, James R; Dvorak, Leah; Provoziak-O'Brien, Casey; Sethi, Chetna; Ahmad, S Omar

2016-01-01

The structures and circuits of the central and the peripheral nervous systems provide the basis for thinking, speaking, experiencing sensations, and performing perceptual and motor activities in daily life. Healthy people experience normal functioning without giving brain functions a second thought, while dysfunction of the neural circuits may lead to marked impairments in cognition, communication, sensory awareness, and performing perceptual and motor tasks. Neuroscience literacy provides the knowledge to associate the deficits observed in patients with the underlying deficits in the structures and circuits of the nervous system. The purpose of this paper is to begin the conversation in this area via a neuroscience literacy model of "Brain Tells," defined as stereotypical or observable behaviors often associated with brain dysfunction. Occupational therapists and other allied health professionals should be alert for the signs of "Brain Tells" that may be early warning signs of brain pathology. We also suggest that neuroscience literacy be emphasized in training provided to public safety workers, teachers, caregivers, and health care professionals at all levels.

Force related hemodynamic responses during execution and imagery of a hand grip task: A functional near infrared spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Wriessnegger, Selina C; Kirchmeyr, Daniela; Bauernfeind, Günther; Müller-Putz, Gernot R

2017-10-01

We examined force related hemodynamic changes during the performance of a motor execution (ME) and motor imagery (MI) task by means of multichannel functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The hemodynamic responses of fourteen healthy participants were measured while they performed a hand grip execution or imagery task with low and high grip forces. We found an overall higher increase of [oxy-Hb] concentration changes during ME for both grip forces but with a delayed peak maximum for the lower grip force. During the MI task with lower grip force, the [oxy-Hb] level increases are stronger compared to the MI with higher grip force. The facilitation in performing MI with higher grip strength might thus indicate less inhibition of the actual motor act which could also explain the later increase onset of [oxy-Hb] in the ME task with the lower grip force. Our results suggest that execution and imagery of a hand grip task with high and low grip forces, leads to different cortical activation patterns. Since impaired control of grip forces during object manipulation in particular is one aspect of fine motor control deficits after stroke, our study will contribute to future rehabilitation programs enhancing patient's grip force control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chinese children's early knowledge about writing.

PubMed

Zhang, Lan; Yin, Li; Treiman, Rebecca

2017-09-01

Much research on literacy development has focused on learners of alphabetic writing systems. Researchers have hypothesized that children learn about the formal characteristics of writing before they learn about the relations between units of writing and units of speech. We tested this hypothesis by examining young Chinese children's understanding of writing. Mandarin-speaking 2- to 5-year-olds completed a graphic task, which tapped their knowledge about the formal characteristics of writing, and a phonological task, which tapped their knowledge about the correspondence between Chinese characters and syllables. The 3- to 5-year-olds performed better on the graphic task than the phonological task, indicating that learning how writing appears visually begins earlier than learning that writing corresponds to linguistic units, even in a writing system in which written units correspond to syllables. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Learning about writing's visual form, how it looks, is an important part of emergent literacy. Knowledge of how writing symbolizes linguistic units may emerge later. What does this study add? We test the hypothesis that Chinese children learn about writing's visual form earlier than its symbolic nature. Chinese 3- to 5- year-olds know more about visual features than character-syllable links. Results show learning of the visual appearance of a notation system is developmentally precocious. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

78 FR 28580 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-15

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces AGENCY: Office... Defense announces the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force...

77 FR 68744 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-16

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Federal... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

75 FR 59698 - Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee established to (a... for wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces; ii. Medical case management; iii. Non... Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Member of...

What did the doctor say? Health literacy and recall of medical instructions.

PubMed

McCarthy, Danielle M; Waite, Katherine R; Curtis, Laura M; Engel, Kirsten G; Baker, David W; Wolf, Michael S

2012-04-01

Limited literacy has repeatedly been linked to problems comprehending health information, although the majority of studies to date have focused on reading various print health materials. We sought to investigate patients' ability to recall spoken medical instructions in the context of a hypothetical clinical encounter, and whether limited health literacy would adversely affect performance on the task. A total of 755 patients aged 55 to 74 were recruited from 1 academic internal medicine clinic and 3 federally qualified health centers. Participants' health literacy skills and recall of spoken medical instructions for 2 standard hypothetical video scenarios [wound care, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) diagnosis] were assessed. The majority (71.6%) of participants had adequate health literacy skills, and these individuals performed significantly better in correctly recalling spoken information than those with marginal and low literacy in both scenarios: [wound care-mean (SD): low 2.5 (1.3) vs. marginal 3.5 (1.3) vs. adequate 4.6 (1.1); P<0.001), GERD: low 4.2(1.7) vs. marginal 5.2 (1.7) vs. adequate 6.5 (1.7); P<0.001]. Regardless of literacy level, overall recall of information was poor. Few recognized pain (28.5%) or fever (28.2%) as signs of infection. Only 40.5% of participants correctly recalled when to take their GERD pills. Many older adults may have difficulty remembering verbal instructions conveyed during clinical encounters. We found those with lower health literacy to have poorer ability to recall information. Greater provider awareness of the impact of low health literacy on the recall of spoken instructions may guide providers to communicate more effectively and employ strategies to confirm patient understanding.

What Did the Doctor Say? Health Literacy and Recall of Medical Instructions

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Danielle M; Waite, Katherine R; Curtis, Laura M; Engel, Kirsten G; Baker, David W; Wolf, Michael S

2011-01-01

Background Limited literacy has repeatedly been linked to problems comprehending health information, although the majority of studies to date have focused on reading various print health materials. We sought to investigate patients’ ability to recall spoken medical instructions in the context of a hypothetical clinical encounter, and whether limited health literacy would adversely affect performance on the task. Methods A total of 755 patients age 55–74 were recruited from one academic internal medicine clinic and three federally qualified health centers. Participants’ health literacy skills and recall of spoken medical instructions for two standard, hypothetical video scenarios (wound care, GERD diagnosis)were assessed. Results The majority (71.6%) of participants had adequate health literacy skills, and these individuals performed significantly better in correctly recalling spoken information than those with marginal and low literacy in both scenarios: [wound care - mean (SD): low 2.5 (1.3) vs. marginal 3.5 (1.3) vs adequate 4.6 (1.1); p<0.001), GERD: low 4.2(1.7) vs. marginal 5.2(1.7) vs. adequate 6.5 (1.7);p<0.001]. Regardless of literacy level, overall recall of information was poor. Few recognized pain (28.5%) or fever (28.2%) as signs of infection. Only 40.5% of participants correctly recalled when to take their GERD pills. Conclusions Many older adults may have difficulty remembering verbal instructions conveyed during clinical encounters. We found those with lower health literacy to have poorer ability to recall information. Greater provider awareness of the impact of low health literacy on the recall of spoken instructions may guide providers to communicate more effectively and employ strategies to confirm patient understanding. PMID:22411440

Implementation literacy strategies on health technology theme Learning to enhance Indonesian Junior High School Student's Physics Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feranie, Selly; Efendi, Ridwan; Karim, Saeful; Sasmita, Dedi

2016-08-01

The PISA results for Indonesian Students are lowest among Asian countries in the past two successive results. Therefore various Innovations in science learning process and its effectiveness enhancing student's science literacy is needed to enrich middle school science teachers. Literacy strategies have been implemented on health technologies theme learning to enhance Indonesian Junior high school Student's Physics literacy in three different health technologies e.g. Lasik surgery that associated with application of Light and Optics concepts, Ultra Sonographer (USG) associated with application of Sound wave concepts and Work out with stationary bike and walking associated with application of motion concepts. Science learning process involves at least teacher instruction, student learning and a science curriculum. We design two main part of literacy strategies in each theme based learning. First part is Integrated Reading Writing Task (IRWT) is given to the students before learning process, the second part is scientific investigation learning process design packed in Problem Based Learning. The first part is to enhance student's science knowledge and reading comprehension and the second part is to enhance student's science competencies. We design a transformation from complexity of physics language to Middle school physics language and from an expensive and complex science investigation to a local material and simply hands on activities. In this paper, we provide briefly how literacy strategies proposed by previous works is redesigned and applied in classroom science learning. Data were analysed using t- test. The increasing value of mean scores in each learning design (with a significance level of p = 0.01) shows that the implementation of this literacy strategy revealed a significant increase in students’ physics literacy achievement. Addition analysis of Avarage normalized gain show that each learning design is in medium-g courses effectiveness category according to Hake's classification.

PRN 2009-1: Establishment of Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This PR notice announces the establishment of the Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II, an industry-wide task force to develop mixer, loader, applicator and post-application exposure data for antimicrobial pesticides used in various settings.

Practice and Age-Related Loss of Adaptability in Sensorimotor Performance

PubMed Central

Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Voudrie, Stefani J.

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether the ability to adapt to task constraints is influenced by short-term practice in older adults. Young (18–29 years old) and old (65–75 years old) adults produced force output to a constant force target and a 1-Hz sinusoidal force target by way of the index finger flexion. Participants completed each task 5 times per session for 5 concurrent sessions. The amount and structure of force variability was calculated using linear and nonlinear analyses. As expected, there was a decrease in the magnitude of variability (coefficient of variation) in both tasks and task-related change in the structure of force variability (approximate entropy) with training across groups. The authors found older adults to have a greater amount of variability than their younger counterparts in both tasks. Older adults also demonstrated an increase in the structure of force output in the constant task but a decrease in structure in the sinusoidal task. Age differences in the adaptability to task constraints persisted throughout practice. The authors propose that older adults' ability to adapt sensorimotor output to task demands is not a result of lack of familiarity with the task but that it is, instead, characteristic of the aging process. PMID:19201684

Tibiofemoral contact forces during walking, running and sidestepping.

PubMed

Saxby, David J; Modenese, Luca; Bryant, Adam L; Gerus, Pauline; Killen, Bryce; Fortin, Karine; Wrigley, Tim V; Bennell, Kim L; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Lloyd, David G

2016-09-01

We explored the tibiofemoral contact forces and the relative contributions of muscles and external loads to those contact forces during various gait tasks. Second, we assessed the relationships between external gait measures and contact forces. A calibrated electromyography-driven neuromusculoskeletal model estimated the tibiofemoral contact forces during walking (1.44±0.22ms(-1)), running (4.38±0.42ms(-1)) and sidestepping (3.58±0.50ms(-1)) in healthy adults (n=60, 27.3±5.4years, 1.75±0.11m, and 69.8±14.0kg). Contact forces increased from walking (∼1-2.8 BW) to running (∼3-8 BW), sidestepping had largest maximum total (8.47±1.57 BW) and lateral contact forces (4.3±1.05 BW), while running had largest maximum medial contact forces (5.1±0.95 BW). Relative muscle contributions increased across gait tasks (up to 80-90% of medial contact forces), and peaked during running for lateral contact forces (∼90%). Knee adduction moment (KAM) had weak relationships with tibiofemoral contact forces (all R(2)<0.36) and the relationships were gait task-specific. Step-wise regression of multiple external gait measures strengthened relationships (0.20

Children's behavioral regulation and literacy: The impact of the first grade classroom environment.

PubMed

Day, Stephanie L; Connor, Carol McDonald; McClelland, Megan M

2015-10-01

Classroom learning environments are an important source of influence on children's development, particularly with regard to literacy achievement and behavioral regulation, both of which require the coordination of task inhibition, attention, and working memory. Classroom observations were conducted in 18 schools and 51 first grade classrooms for 500 children. The non-instructional activities were recorded for each student in the classroom. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that children with weaker fall behavioral regulation were more likely to attend classrooms where more time was spent in disruptions and wasted instructional time over the course of the school year, such as waiting for the teacher to gather materials before beginning instruction. For literacy outcomes, children who were in classrooms where more time in disruptions, transitions, and waiting was observed showed weaker literacy skill gains in the spring compared to children in classrooms with lesser amounts of such unproductive non-instructional time and this effect was generally greater for students with initial weaker skills. These results also reveal that the classroom environment and the incoming characteristics of the students themselves influence students' development of behavioral regulation and literacy. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fitts' Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets.

PubMed

Thumser, Zachary C; Slifkin, Andrew B; Beckler, Dylan T; Marasco, Paul D

2018-01-01

Fitts' law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts' law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts' law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts' law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts' law (average r 2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts' law for explicit targets with vision ( r 2 = 0.96) and implicit targets ( r 2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision ( r 2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts' law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper.

A guide for statewide impaired-driving task forces.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

The purpose of the guide is to assist State officials and other stakeholders who are interested in establishing an : Impaired-Driving Statewide Task Force or who are exploring ways to improve their current Task Force. The guide : addresses issues suc...

PRN 2007-3: The Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, L.L.C

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This PR Notice discusses the Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, an industry-wide task force formed to develop mixer, loader, and applicator exposure data for pesticides used in agricultural settings. It includes contacts for more information.

78 FR 7415 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

78 FR 66902 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-07

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

77 FR 31337 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and...

76 FR 38118 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Meeting notice. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the... that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the...

78 FR 38015 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Load type influences motor unit recruitment in biceps brachii during a sustained contraction.

PubMed

Baudry, Stéphane; Rudroff, Thorsten; Pierpoint, Lauren A; Enoka, Roger M

2009-09-01

Twenty subjects participated in four experiments designed to compare time to task failure and motor-unit recruitment threshold during contractions sustained at 15% of maximum as the elbow flexor muscles either supported an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent constant torque against a rigid restraint (force task). Subcutaneous branched bipolar electrodes were used to record single motor unit activity from the biceps brachii muscle during ramp contractions performed before and at 50 and 90% of the time to failure for the position task during both fatiguing contractions. The time to task failure was briefer for the position task than for the force task (P=0.0002). Thirty and 29 motor units were isolated during the force and position tasks, respectively. The recruitment threshold declined by 48 and 30% (P=0.0001) during the position task for motor units with an initial recruitment threshold below and above the target force, respectively, whereas no significant change in recruitment threshold was observed during the force task. Changes in recruitment threshold were associated with a decrease in the mean discharge rate (-16%), an increase in discharge rate variability (+40%), and a prolongation of the first two interspike intervals (+29 and +13%). These data indicate that there were faster changes in motor unit recruitment and rate coding during the position task than the force task despite a similar net muscle torque during both tasks. Moreover, the results suggest that the differential synaptic input observed during the position task influences most of the motor unit pool.

Task- and time-dependent modulation of Ia presynaptic inhibition during fatiguing contractions performed by humans

PubMed Central

Maerz, Adam H.; Gould, Jeffrey R.; Enoka, Roger M.

2011-01-01

Presynaptic modulation of Ia afferents converging onto the motor neuron pool of the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was compared during contractions (20% of maximal force) sustained to failure as subjects controlled either the angular position of the wrist while supporting an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent force against a rigid restraint (force task). Test Hoffmann (H) reflexes were evoked in the ECR by stimulating the radial nerve above the elbow. Conditioned H reflexes were obtained by stimulating either the median nerve above the elbow or at the wrist (palmar branch) to assess presynaptic inhibition of homonymous (D1 inhibition) and heteronymous Ia afferents (heteronymous Ia facilitation), respectively. The position task was briefer than the force task (P = 0.001), although the maximal voluntary force and electromyograph for ECR declined similarly at failure for both tasks. Changes in the amplitude of the conditioned H reflex were positively correlated between the two conditioning methods (P = 0.02) and differed between the two tasks (P < 0.05). The amplitude of the conditioned H reflex during the position task first increased (129 ± 20.5% of the initial value, P < 0.001) before returning to its initial value (P = 0.22), whereas it increased progressively during the force task to reach 122 ± 17.4% of the initial value at failure (P < 0.001). Moreover, changes in conditioned H reflexes were associated with the time to task failure and force fluctuations. The results suggest a task- and time-dependent modulation of presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents during fatiguing contractions. PMID:21543747

77 FR 6786 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC This meeting, the 27th [[Page 6787

First Responder Refresher: National Standard Curriculum (Instructor Course Guide)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-08

This white paper provides a brief overview of the report titled "ITS Focus Task Force on System Architecture Report", dated May 1997. The report was prepared by a special task force of the United Kingdoms ITS Focus organization. This task force wa...

Repairing the Breach. Key Ways To Support Family Life, Reclaim Our Streets, and Rebuild Civil Society in America's Communities. Report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Bobby William, Ed.

This report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys is the beginning of an approach to repair society's breaches and restore the streets to safety. The Task Force, headed by Andrew J. Young and established in 1994, conceived its mission as one of reclamation. The Task Force made 61 specific recommendations, and three general…

Bidirectional transfer between joint and individual actions in a task of discrete force production.

PubMed

Masumoto, Junya; Inui, Nobuyuki

2017-07-01

The present study examined bidirectional learning transfer between joint and individual actions involving discrete isometric force production with the right index finger. To examine the effects of practice of joint action on performance of the individual action, participants performed a pre-test (individual condition), practice blocks (joint condition), and a post-test (individual condition) (IJI task). To examine the effects of practice of the individual action on performance during the joint action, the participants performed a pre-test (joint condition), practice blocks (individual condition), and a post-test (joint condition) (JIJ task). Whereas one participant made pressing movements with a target peak force of 10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in the individual condition, two participants produced the target force of the sum of 10% MVC produced by each of them in the joint condition. In both the IJI and JIJ tasks, absolute errors and standard deviations of peak force were smaller post-test than pre-test, indicating bidirectional transfer between individual and joint conditions for force accuracy and variability. Although the negative correlation between forces produced by two participants (complementary force production) became stronger with practice blocks in the IJI task, there was no difference between the pre- and post-tests for the negative correlation in the JIJ task. In the JIJ task, the decrease in force accuracy and variability during the individual action did not facilitate complementary force production during the joint action. This indicates that practice performed by two people is essential for complementary force production in joint action.

77 FR 55218 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-07

... childhood arrivals program. The HSAC will also receive a report from the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force, review and discuss the task forces' report, and formulate recommendations for the Department. The.... HSAC conference call details and the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force report will be provided...

Task force on deterrence of air piracy : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-11-01

In February 1969, as the frequency of hijacking of U.S. air carrier aircraft was rising to an all-time high, the Federal Aviation Administration established a multi-disciplinary Task Force on Deterrence of Air Piracy. The work of the Task Force in de...

75 FR 16577 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

77 FR 18307 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to conduct a comprehensive...

78 FR 28292 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

76 FR 65321 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-20

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

78 FR 63208 - UPDATE-Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-23

..., and issues recommendations. These recommendations provide evidence-based options from which decision makers in communities, companies, health departments, health plans and healthcare systems, non..., available resources, and constraints of their constituents. The Task Force's recommendations, along with the...

An introductory handbook for state task forces to combat drunk driving.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

In June 1982 Governor Robb created a task force to identify and assess efforts under way in Virginia to address the problem of drunken driving and to make recommendations. This booklet was prepared to assist the task force in its deliberations.

Forced Aerobic Exercise Preceding Task Practice Improves Motor Recovery Poststroke.

PubMed

Linder, Susan M; Rosenfeldt, Anson B; Dey, Tanujit; Alberts, Jay L

To understand how two types of aerobic exercise affect upper-extremity motor recovery post-stroke. Our aims were to (1) evaluate the feasibility of having people who had a stroke complete an aerobic exercise intervention and (2) determine whether forced or voluntary exercise differentially facilitates upper-extremity recovery when paired with task practice. Seventeen participants with chronic stroke completed twenty-four 90-min sessions over 8 wk. Aerobic exercise was immediately followed by task practice. Participants were randomized to forced or voluntary aerobic exercise groups or to task practice only. Improvement on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment exceeded the minimal clinically important difference: 12.3, 4.8, and 4.4 for the forced exercise, voluntary exercise, and repetitive task practice-only groups, respectively. Only the forced exercise group exhibited a statistically significant improvement. People with chronic stroke can safely complete intensive aerobic exercise. Forced aerobic exercise may be optimal in facilitating motor recovery associated with task practice. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Phonological Representations and Early Literacy in Chinese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kidd, Joanna C.; Shum, Kathy Kar-Man; Ho, Connie Suk-Han; Au, Terry Kit-fong

2015-01-01

Phonological processing skills predict early reading development, but what underlies developing phonological processing skills? Phonological representations of 140 native Cantonese-speaking Chinese children (age 4-10) were assessed with speech gating, mispronunciation detection, and nonword repetition tasks; their nonverbal IQ, reading, and…

Predicting Future Reading Problems Based on Pre-reading Auditory Measures: A Longitudinal Study of Children with a Familial Risk of Dyslexia

PubMed Central

Law, Jeremy M.; Vandermosten, Maaike; Ghesquière, Pol; Wouters, Jan

2017-01-01

Purpose: This longitudinal study examines measures of temporal auditory processing in pre-reading children with a family risk of dyslexia. Specifically, it attempts to ascertain whether pre-reading auditory processing, speech perception, and phonological awareness (PA) reliably predict later literacy achievement. Additionally, this study retrospectively examines the presence of pre-reading auditory processing, speech perception, and PA impairments in children later found to be literacy impaired. Method: Forty-four pre-reading children with and without a family risk of dyslexia were assessed at three time points (kindergarten, first, and second grade). Auditory processing measures of rise time (RT) discrimination and frequency modulation (FM) along with speech perception, PA, and various literacy tasks were assessed. Results: Kindergarten RT uniquely contributed to growth in literacy in grades one and two, even after controlling for letter knowledge and PA. Highly significant concurrent and predictive correlations were observed with kindergarten RT significantly predicting first grade PA. Retrospective analysis demonstrated atypical performance in RT and PA at all three time points in children who later developed literacy impairments. Conclusions: Although significant, kindergarten auditory processing contributions to later literacy growth lack the power to be considered as a single-cause predictor; thus results support temporal processing deficits' contribution within a multiple deficit model of dyslexia. PMID:28223953

Development and evaluation of the Korean Health Literacy Instrument.

PubMed

Kang, Soo Jin; Lee, Tae Wha; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K; Kim, Gwang Suk; Won, Hee Kwan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the Korean Health Literacy Instrument, which measures the capacity to understand and use health-related information and make informed health decisions in Korean adults. In Phase 1, 33 initial items were generated to measure functional, interactive, and critical health literacy with prose, document, and numeracy tasks. These items included content from health promotion, disease management, and health navigation contexts. Content validity assessment was conducted by an expert panel, and 11 items were excluded. In Phase 2, the 22 remaining items were administered to a convenience sample of 292 adults from community and clinical settings. Exploratory factor and item difficulty and discrimination analyses were conducted and four items with low discrimination were deleted. In Phase 3, the remaining 18 items were administered to a convenience sample of 315 adults 40-64 years of age from community and clinical settings. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the construct validity of the instrument. The Korean Health Literacy Instrument has a range of 0 to 18. The mean score in our validation study was 11.98. The instrument exhibited an internal consistency reliability coefficient of 0.82, and a test-retest reliability of 0.89. The instrument is suitable for screening individuals who have limited health literacy skills. Future studies are needed to further define the psychometric properties and predictive validity of the Korean Health Literacy Instrument.

Response to Vogelstein: How the 2012 AAP Task Force on circumcision went wrong.

PubMed

Van Howe, Robert S

2018-01-01

Vogelstein cautions medical organizations against jumping into the fray of controversial issues, yet proffers the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics' Task Force policy position on infant male circumcision as 'an appropriate use of position-statements.' Only a scratch below the surface of this policy statement uncovers the Task Force's failure to consider Vogelstein's many caveats. The Task Force supported the cultural practice by putting undeserved emphasis on questionable scientific data, while ignoring or underplaying the importance of valid contrary scientific data. Without any effort to quantitatively assess the risk/benefit balance, the Task Force concluded the benefits of circumcision outweighed the risks, while acknowledging that the incidence of risks was unknown. This Task Force differed from other Academy policy-forming panels by ignoring the Academy's standard quality measures and by not appointing members with extensive research experience, extensive publications, or recognized expertise directly related to this topic. Despite nearly 100 publications available at the time addressing the substantial ethical issues associated with infant male circumcision, the Task Force chose to ignore the ethical controversy. They merely stated, with minimal justification, the opinion of one of the Task Force members that the practice of infant male circumcision is morally permissible. The release of the report has fostered an explosion of academic discussion on the ethics of infant male circumcision with a number of national medical organizations now decrying the practice as a human rights violation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Task analysis of Air Force pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Bartholomew, A; Sawyer, W T; Coats, L

1995-01-15

The frequency with which United States Air Force pharmacists perform specific professional tasks and the pharmacists' views as to the importance of those tasks were studied. A questionnaire was prepared that asked recipients to rate each of 36 tasks selected as representing the spectrum of practice activities. There were four categories of tasks: managerial tasks, dispensing tasks, drug information tasks, and patient care tasks. Recipients rated the tasks with respect to frequency of performance and importance on separate 6-point scales. The questionnaire was mailed in May 1991 to the 225 pharmacists then serving in the Air Force worldwide. Of the 225 questionnaires, 150 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate, 67%). All the tasks in the survey were performed by at least one Air Force pharmacy officer, although the frequency of task performance varied. In particular, the frequency of many patient care tasks was low. All the tasks were perceived to have some importance, but drug information tasks were rated as being significantly more important than tasks in the other categories; patient care tasks were rated lowest in importance. The results varied with the respondents' demographic characteristics. Pharmacy officers with more years of service, more senior positions, higher rank, or an advanced degree in a field other than pharmacy tended to give responses that diverged from those of the population. A 1991 survey showed an awareness among Air Force pharmacists of the need to orient practice around patient care; however, they were not spending substantial time on patient care and tended to view it as less important than more traditional pharmacy tasks.

Grip force control in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Iyengar, Veena; Santos, Marcio J; Ko, Michael; Aruin, Alexander S

2009-10-01

Appropriate regulation of grip force is essential in performance of various activities of daily living such as drinking, eating, buttoning a shirt, and so on. The extent to which individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are able to regulate grip forces while performing elements of the activities of daily living is largely unknown. . To investigate how individuals with MS control grip force during performance of functional tasks. . This study evaluated the grip force control in selected individuals with MS (n = 9) and healthy control subjects (n = 9) while they performed the task of lifting and placing an instrumented object on a shelf and the task of lifting the object and bringing it close to the mouth to mimic drinking. The grip forces, object acceleration, force ratio, and time lag were recorded and analyzed. . The individuals with MS used significantly larger peak grip force and force ratio than control subjects while performing both tasks and for both hands. In addition, the time lag between the peaks of grip and load forces was significantly longer in individuals with MS. . The application of excessive grip force could predispose individuals with MS to additional fatigue and musculoskeletal overuse trauma. Rehabilitation protocols for the MS population may need to account for increased levels of grip force applied during the performance of functional tasks.

Parental health literacy and its impact on patient care.

PubMed

Scotten, Mitzi

2015-03-01

The process of navigating through the modern American health care system is becoming progressively challenging. The range of tasks being asked of patients in the digital age is vast and complex and includes completing intricate insurance applications, signing complex consent forms, and translating medical data and prescription medication directions. Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health information that is routinely offered by medical providers. Mounting evidence now supports a growing awareness that general health literacy is the greatest individual factor affecting a person's health status. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 52932 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-24

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on...

Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Samuel J; Getchell, Nancy; Modlesky, Christopher M; Miller, Freeman; Jaric, Slobodan

2009-08-01

Mackenzie SJ, Getchell N, Modlesky CM, Miller F, Jaric S. Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. To assess force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) using a device that allows for testing both unimanual and bimanual manipulation tasks performed under static and dynamic conditions. Nonequivalent groups design. University research laboratory for motor control. Six children with hemiplegic CP (age, mean +/- SD, 11.6+/-1.8 y) and 6 typically developing controls (11.6+/-1.6 y). Not applicable. Children performed simple lifting and force-matching static ramp tasks by way of both unimanual and bimanual pulling using a device that measures grip force (force acting perpendicularly at the digits-device contact area) and load force (tangential force). Main outcome measures were grip/load force ratios (grip force scaling) and correlation coefficients (force coupling). CP subjects showed significantly higher grip/load force ratios (P<.05) and slightly lower correlation coefficients than the control group, with more pronounced differences for most tasks when using their involved hand. For subjects with CP, switching from unimanual to bimanual conditions did not bring changes in scaling or coupling for the involved hand (P>.05). Compared with healthy children, the impaired hand function in the hemiplegic CP pediatric population could be reflected in excessive grip force that is also decoupled from ongoing changes in load force. Therefore, the bimanual grip load device used in this study could provide a sensitive measure of grip force coordination in CP, although nonmotor deficits should be taken into account when asking children to perform more complex tasks.

77 FR 3241 - Intent To Hold North Dakota Task Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-23

... duties of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection and Improvement Act of 2000 (Title VII...

Generalization of Auditory Sensory and Cognitive Learning in Typically Developing Children.

PubMed

Murphy, Cristina F B; Moore, David R; Schochat, Eliane

2015-01-01

Despite the well-established involvement of both sensory ("bottom-up") and cognitive ("top-down") processes in literacy, the extent to which auditory or cognitive (memory or attention) learning transfers to phonological and reading skills remains unclear. Most research has demonstrated learning of the trained task or even learning transfer to a closely related task. However, few studies have reported "far-transfer" to a different domain, such as the improvement of phonological and reading skills following auditory or cognitive training. This study assessed the effectiveness of auditory, memory or attention training on far-transfer measures involving phonological and reading skills in typically developing children. Mid-transfer was also assessed through untrained auditory, attention and memory tasks. Sixty 5- to 8-year-old children with normal hearing were quasi-randomly assigned to one of five training groups: attention group (AG), memory group (MG), auditory sensory group (SG), placebo group (PG; drawing, painting), and a control, untrained group (CG). Compliance, mid-transfer and far-transfer measures were evaluated before and after training. All trained groups received 12 x 45-min training sessions over 12 weeks. The CG did not receive any intervention. All trained groups, especially older children, exhibited significant learning of the trained task. On pre- to post-training measures (test-retest), most groups exhibited improvements on most tasks. There was significant mid-transfer for a visual digit span task, with highest span in the MG, relative to other groups. These results show that both sensory and cognitive (memory or attention) training can lead to learning in the trained task and to mid-transfer learning on a task (visual digit span) within the same domain as the trained tasks. However, learning did not transfer to measures of language (reading and phonological awareness), as the PG and CG improved as much as the other trained groups. Further research is required to investigate the effects of various stimuli and lengths of training on the generalization of sensory and cognitive learning to literacy skills.

75 FR 33838 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-15

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (10-065)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

75 FR 15742 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice: (10-035)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

Honeywell's Working Parents Task Force. Final Report and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

This publication provides a summary of the Honeywell Working Parent Task Force's recommendations on how to solve problems experienced by working parents. The Task Force consisted of three committees: the Employment Practices Committee (EPC); the Parent Education Committee (PEC); and the Child Care Facilities Committee (CCFC). After examining a…

77 FR 71471 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency... agenda for its public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The...

75 FR 34439 - Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... Applications International Corporation, 4001 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA. FOR FURTHER...

76 FR 70913 - Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13579

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... Fukushima Task Force Report. DATES: November 16, 2011. ADDRESSES: You can access publicly available... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ML111861807), was issued. The Commission has...

76 FR 55394 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

76 FR 4115 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

75 FR 63846 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force is an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

75 FR 48929 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-12

... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States... Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; (919) 541-5400. The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on air quality issues relating to agriculture. Additionally, the Livestock...

NASA replanning efforts continue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katzoff, Judith A.

A task force of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is producing new launch schedules for NASA's three remaining space shuttle orbiters, possibly supplemented by expendable launch vehicles. In the wake of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, the task force is assuming a delay of 12-18 months before resumption of shuttle flights.NASA's Headquarters Replanning Task Force, which meets daily, is separate from the agency's Data and Design Analysis Task Force, which collects and analyzes information about the accident for the use of the investigative commission appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

Report of NASA Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kearney, John J.

1989-01-01

The Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force was asked to determine the economic viability and commercial potential of mining and extracting He-3 from the lunar soil, and transporting the material to Earth for use in a power-generating fusion reactor. Two other space energy projects, the Space Power Station (SPS) and the Lunar Power Station (LPS), were also reviewed because of several interrelated aspects of these projects. The specific findings of the Task Force are presented. Appendices contain related papers generated by individual Task Force Members.

14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Task Force Report on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

PubMed

Cervera, Ricard; Rodríguez-Pintó, Ignasi; Colafrancesco, Serena; Conti, Fabrizio; Valesini, Guido; Rosário, Cristina; Agmon-Levin, Nancy; Shoenfeld, Yehuda; Ferrão, Claudia; Faria, Raquel; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Signorelli, Flavio; Espinosa, Gerard

2014-07-01

The 'Task Force on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (CAPS)' was developed on the occasion of the 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies. The objectives of this Task Force were to assess the current knowledge on pathogenesis, clinical and laboratory features, diagnosis and classification, precipitating factors and treatment of this condition in order to address recommendations for future research. This article summarizes the studies analyzed by the Task Force, its recommendations and the future research agenda. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fitts’ Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets

PubMed Central

Thumser, Zachary C.; Slifkin, Andrew B.; Beckler, Dylan T.; Marasco, Paul D.

2018-01-01

Fitts’ law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts’ law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts’ law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts’ law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts’ law (average r2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts’ law for explicit targets with vision (r2 = 0.96) and implicit targets (r2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision (r2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts’ law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper. PMID:29773999

Covert face recognition in congenital prosopagnosia: a group study.

PubMed

Rivolta, Davide; Palermo, Romina; Schmalzl, Laura; Coltheart, Max

2012-03-01

Even though people with congenital prosopagnosia (CP) never develop a normal ability to "overtly" recognize faces, some individuals show indices of "covert" (or implicit) face recognition. The aim of this study was to demonstrate covert face recognition in CP when participants could not overtly recognize the faces. Eleven people with CP completed three tasks assessing their overt face recognition ability, and three tasks assessing their "covert" face recognition: a Forced choice familiarity task, a Forced choice cued task, and a Priming task. Evidence of covert recognition was observed with the Forced choice familiarity task, but not the Priming task. In addition, we propose that the Forced choice cued task does not measure covert processing as such, but instead "provoked-overt" recognition. Our study clearly shows that people with CP demonstrate covert recognition for faces that they cannot overtly recognize, and that behavioural tasks vary in their sensitivity to detect covert recognition in CP. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Report of the Fermilab ILC Citizens' Task Force

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

None

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory convened the ILC Citizens' Task Force to provide guidance and advice to the laboratory to ensure that community concerns and ideas are included in all public aspects of planning and design for a proposed future accelerator, the International Linear Collider. In this report, the members of the Task Force describe the process they used to gather and analyze information on all aspects of the proposed accelerator and its potential location at Fermilab in northern Illinois. They present the conclusions and recommendations they reached as a result of the learning process and their subsequent discussions and deliberations.more » While the Task Force was charged to provide guidance on the ILC, it became clear during the process that the high cost of the proposed accelerator made a near-term start for the project at Fermilab unlikely. Nevertheless, based on a year of extensive learning and dialogue, the Task Force developed a series of recommendations for Fermilab to consider as the laboratory develops all successor projects to the Tevatron. The Task Force recognizes that bringing a next-generation particle physics project to Fermilab will require both a large international effort and the support of the local community. While the Task Force developed its recommendations in response to the parameters of a future ILC, the principles they set forth apply directly to any large project that may be conceived at Fermilab, or at other laboratories, in the future. With this report, the Task Force fulfills its task of guiding Fermilab from the perspective of the local community on how to move forward with a large-scale project while building positive relationships with surrounding communities. The report summarizes the benefits, concerns and potential impacts of bringing a large-scale scientific project to northern Illinois.« less

Creating TUIs Using RFID Sensors--A Case Study Based on the Literacy Process of Children with Down Syndrome.

PubMed

Jadán-Guerrero, Janio; Guerrero, Luis; López, Gustavo; Cáliz, Doris; Bravo, José

2015-06-24

Teaching children with intellectual disabilities is a big challenge for most parents and educators. Special education teachers use learning strategies to develop and enhance motivation for complex learning tasks. Literacy acquisition is an essential and life-long skill for a child with intellectual disabilities. In this context, technology can support specific strategies that will help children learn to read. This paper introduces a Tangible User Interface (TUI) system based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to support literacy for children with Down syndrome. Our proposed system focuses on the integration of RFID tags in 3D printed objects and low cost toys. The paper describes the experience of using some materials covering the tags and the different problems related to the material and distance of radio wave propagation. The results of a preliminary evaluation in a special education institution showed that the system helps to improve the interaction between teachers and children. The use of a TUI seems to give a physical sensory experience to develop literacy skills in children with Down syndrome.

Creating TUIs Using RFID Sensors—A Case Study Based on the Literacy Process of Children with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Jadán-Guerrero, Janio; Guerrero, Luis; López, Gustavo; Cáliz, Doris; Bravo, José

2015-01-01

Teaching children with intellectual disabilities is a big challenge for most parents and educators. Special education teachers use learning strategies to develop and enhance motivation for complex learning tasks. Literacy acquisition is an essential and life-long skill for a child with intellectual disabilities. In this context, technology can support specific strategies that will help children learn to read. This paper introduces a Tangible User Interface (TUI) system based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to support literacy for children with Down syndrome. Our proposed system focuses on the integration of RFID tags in 3D printed objects and low cost toys. The paper describes the experience of using some materials covering the tags and the different problems related to the material and distance of radio wave propagation. The results of a preliminary evaluation in a special education institution showed that the system helps to improve the interaction between teachers and children. The use of a TUI seems to give a physical sensory experience to develop literacy skills in children with Down syndrome. PMID:26115455

Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

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

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, parametric studies, and selection of system codes. Themore » Cladding and Core Materials and Fuel Concepts task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment Task Force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (INL), while the Cladding Task Force will be chaired by a representative from France (Marie Moatti, Electricite de France [EdF]) and the Fuels Task Force will be chaired by a representative from Japan (Masaki Kurata, Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA]). This report provides an overview of the Systems Assessment Task Force charter and status of work accomplishment.« less

Health literacy--a strategic asset for corporate social responsibility in Europe.

PubMed

Sørensen, Kristine; Brand, Helmut

2011-01-01

The European Commission (EU) has launched the strategy "Europe 2020" aimed to turn the EU into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion. A prerequisite for the success of Europe 2020 is the availability of a healthy population and a healthy work force. An action worth highlighting is raising corporate social responsibility (CSR). The aim of this paper is to present how health literacy can become a strategic asset in CSR through the introduction of the Collaborative Venture on Health Literacy and the development of a business case on health literacy meeting targets of Europe 2020. A scope study revealed that a majority of companies within the network of CSR Europe already show health-related employee programs on their corporate websites, but only a few are focused specifically on advancing health literacy. The gap leaves potential opportunities for interventions based on research and good practices, where businesses through CSR can create a health-friendly environment and stimulate the workforce to manage their own health, seek information, and make decisions in terms of promoting health and well-being, thereby transforming information into knowledge and increased awareness among employees.

Increased reaction times and reduced response preparation already starts at middle age

PubMed Central

Wolkorte, Ria; Kamphuis, Janine; Zijdewind, Inge

2014-01-01

Generalized slowing characterizes aging and there is some evidence to suggest that this slowing already starts at midlife. This study aims to assess reaction time changes while performing a concurrent low-force and high-force motor task in young and middle-aged subjects. The high-force motor task is designed to induce muscle fatigue and thereby progressively increase the attentional demands. Twenty-five young (20–30 years, 12 males) and 16 middle-aged (35–55 years, 9 males) adults performed an auditory two-choice reaction time task (CRT) with and without a concurrent low- or high-force motor task. The CRT required subjects to respond to two different stimuli that occurred with a probability of 70 or 30%. The motor task consisted of index finger abduction, at either 10% (10%-dual-task) or 30% (30%-dual-task) of maximal voluntary force. Cognitive task performance was measured as percentage of correct responses and reaction times. Middle-aged subjects responded slower on the frequent but more accurately on the infrequent stimuli of CRT than young subjects. Both young and middle-aged subjects showed increased errors and reaction times while performing under dual-task conditions and both outcome measures increased further under fatiguing conditions. Only under 30%-dual-task demands, an age-effect on dual-task performance was present. Both single- and dual-task conditions showed that already at mid-life response preparation is seriously declined and that subjects implement different strategies to perform a CRT task. PMID:24808862

TASK FORCE REPORT ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MORRIS, ROBERT

THE TASK FORCE ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION HAS BEEN CHARGED TO RECOMMEND THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THE SHORT-TERM ACTIVITIES AND THE LONG-TERM ACHIEVEMENTS OF ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE TASK FORCE ARE--THE ANALYSIS OF DATA RELEVANT FOR EVALUATING DAY-BY-DAY DECISION-MAKING,…

Inter-Association Task Force Report on Image.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Special Libraries Association, Washington, DC.

In 1988, the Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association provided funding to a task force to gather data which would determine how certain segments of society perceive librarians, how librarians view themselves and their colleagues, and to provide recommendations for addressing the issue of image. The task force project consisted of…

Report of the Social Studies Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gathman, John; And Others

In 1982 the Colorado Board of Education directed the State Board of Education to organize task forces to address a variety of state educational needs. This report, presented by the Social Studies Task Force, explains the group's purposes and concerns, provides a social studies definition, and outlines the Colorado grades K-12 social studies…

Human Health Effects, Task Force Assessment, Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronow, Wilbert S.; And Others

Presented in this preliminary report is one of seven assessments conducted by a special task force of Project Clean Air, the Human Health Effects Task Force. The reports summarize assessments of the state of knowledge on various air pollution problems, particularly in California, and make tentative recommendations as to what the University of…

Report of the Task Force on School Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore.

The 1990 Report of the Task Force on School Health examines the current status of Maryland's school health programs and proposes 16 recommendations designed to implement a comprehensive school health (CSH) program to meet the needs of all students. The report describes the Task Force, which was appointed in 1989. After presenting a background on…

A Status Report from the Task Force on Marketing Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keim, William A.; And Others

Concerned with changes in enrollment and credit hour patterns, the chancellor of the Kansas City Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC) created a special Task Force to consider recommendations for marketing strategies for the 1978-79 academic year. The Task Force reviewed regional and district demography, area population trends and density, age and…

Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. The group made a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12 to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The task force's final report features the membership roster, the…

75 FR 43943 - Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... held September 13-14, and 25-26, 2010. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at Science Applications...

76 FR 69296 - Proposed Models for Plant-Specific Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-08

... Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite... Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF) Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite--Update to... Reactor Systems Engineer, Technical Specifications Branch, Mail Stop: O-7 C2A, Division of Inspection and...

28 CFR 16.105 - Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. 16.105 Section 16.105 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRODUCTION OR... of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. (a) The following system of records is exempt from 5...

26 CFR 54.9815-2713T - Coverage of preventive health services (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the... States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the individual. The provider bills the plan for an... A or B in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with...

National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1975

This document presents a full discussion of the activities, findings, and recommendations of the National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. The task force was a voluntary association of concerned and interested agencies and organizations. Its only standing came from the support of those directly concerned with student aid problems. By design and…

Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The Task Force's preliminary report features a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12. The report presents membership and…

78 FR 44034 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident,'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807..., pages 43-46, of the Fukushima Task Force Report, which discusses the enhancement of spent fuel pool... Commission was still in the process of reviewing the Fukushima Task Force Report, and the NRC did not...

Initial Report of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education in the Health Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2007

2007-01-01

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education and represents the distillation of the Task Force's efforts to fulfill its legislative charge. The report is intended to facilitate a statewide conversation about the health services provided to New Mexico's multicultural citizenry. It…

75 FR 30002 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Termination of... Department of Defense gives notice that it is terminating the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the...

Convergence, Competition, Cooperation: The Report of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Telecommunications Infrastructure Task Force. Volume One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Governor's Office, Madison.

This report by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Wisconsin's Telecommunications Infrastructure considers infrastructure to be the common network that connects individual residences, businesses, and agencies, rather than the individual systems and equipment themselves. The task force recognizes that advances in telecommunications technologies and…

The Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Legislature, Olympia.

Findings of a study conducted by the Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety are presented in this report. The data-collection process involved four phases: meetings with experts in student transportation and pedestrian safety; public meetings, informational work sessions, and tours of problems areas; task force meetings; and…

Youth Employment. Final Recommendations of the State Superintendent's Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

This report contains the final recommendations of the task force on youth employment for the state of Wisconsin. The task force was specifically charged with studying issues related to working teenagers, reviewing existing laws and regulations on child labor, and developing recommendations to ensure that when teenagers work, their jobs do not…

78 FR 10636 - Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-14

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting AGENCY: Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice. ACTION... public meeting of the Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

77 FR 59627 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... purpose of reviewing and deliberating on recommendations by the HSAC's Cyber Skills Task Force. DATES: The.... The HSAC will meet to review and deliberate on the Cyber Skills Task Force report of findings and... details and the Cyber Skills Task Force report will be provided to interested members of the public at the...

Report of the Task Force on Declining Enrollment. Third Revision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highline Public Schools, Seattle, WA.

The purpose of this task force was to study the program, facilities, and alternatives of the Highline School District as they relate to enrollment decline. Specifically, the task force was to establish criteria for identifying facilities where changes should be considered; identify and prioritize alternatives for use of excess classroom space; and…

77 FR 1913 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-12

... Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources...), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on critical air quality issues... relationship between agricultural production and air quality. The meeting is open to the public, and a draft...

Phonological abilities in literacy-impaired children: Brain potentials reveal deficient phoneme discrimination, but intact prosodic processing.

PubMed

Männel, Claudia; Schaadt, Gesa; Illner, Franziska K; van der Meer, Elke; Friederici, Angela D

2017-02-01

Intact phonological processing is crucial for successful literacy acquisition. While individuals with difficulties in reading and spelling (i.e., developmental dyslexia) are known to experience deficient phoneme discrimination (i.e., segmental phonology), findings concerning their prosodic processing (i.e., suprasegmental phonology) are controversial. Because there are no behavior-independent studies on the underlying neural correlates of prosodic processing in dyslexia, these controversial findings might be explained by different task demands. To provide an objective behavior-independent picture of segmental and suprasegmental phonological processing in impaired literacy acquisition, we investigated event-related brain potentials during passive listening in typically and poor-spelling German school children. For segmental phonology, we analyzed the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) during vowel length discrimination, capturing automatic auditory deviancy detection in repetitive contexts. For suprasegmental phonology, we analyzed the Closure Positive Shift (CPS) that automatically occurs in response to prosodic boundaries. Our results revealed spelling group differences for the MMN, but not for the CPS, indicating deficient segmental, but intact suprasegmental phonological processing in poor spellers. The present findings point towards a differential role of segmental and suprasegmental phonology in literacy disorders and call for interventions that invigorate impaired literacy by utilizing intact prosody in addition to training deficient phonemic awareness. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Influences of health literacy, judgment skills, and empowerment on asthma self-management practices.

PubMed

Londoño, Ana Maria Moreno; Schulz, Peter J

2015-07-01

Asthma self-management has been recognized as an essential factor for the improvement of asthma outcomes and patients' quality of life (WHO, 2013). Likewise, empowerment and health literacy have been noted as important elements for the management of chronic diseases. To study the influence of health literacy and empowerment on asthma self-management. This cross-sectional study used a self-reported questionnaire assessing health literacy, judgment skills, empowerment, and asthma self-management; 236 patients were recruited from medical offices in Switzerland and Italy. Judgment skills (B=2.28, p<0.001) and empowerment (B=0.19, p<0.05) have a significant and positive influence on several asthma self-management practices such as use of medicines, timely medical consultation, and asthma triggers control whereas health literacy (B=-0.15, p<0.175) appeared to have a negative effect on self-management practices. However, this was not significant. These findings suggest that empowered patients with adequate judgment skills carry out key self-management tasks more appropriately, which in turn will potentially result in better asthma control. This study recommends that both empowerment and judgment skills should be addressed in patient education as they serve as essential motivators to engage patients in these behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

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

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force (TF1) includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, and identification of fuel performance and systemmore » codes applicable to ATF evaluation. The Cladding and Core Materials (TF2) and Fuel Concepts (TF3) task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment task force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (Idaho National Laboratory [INL], U.S.), the Cladding Task Force is chaired by Marie Moatti (Electricite de France [EdF], France), and the Fuels Task Force is chaired by a Masaki Kurata (Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA], Japan). The original Expert Group mandate was established for June 2014 to June 2016. In April 2016 the Expert Group voted to extend the mandate one additional year to June 2017 in order to complete the task force deliverables; this request was subsequently approved by the Nuclear Science Committee. This report provides an update on the status Systems Assessment Task Force activities.« less

Adolescent Healthcare Brokering: Prevalence, Experience, Impact, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banas, Jennifer R.; Wallis, Lisa C.; Ball, James W.; Gershon, Sarah

2016-01-01

Background: Limited health literacy disproportionately affects those with limited English proficiency (LEP). Parents with LEP might rely on their adolescent children to interpret health information. We call this "adolescent healthcare brokering." This study uncovers the prevalence of brokering, kinds of tasks, emotional and academic…

Information Literacy in a Digital Era: Understanding the Impact of Mobile Information for Undergraduate Nursing Students.

PubMed

Doyle, Glynda J; Furlong, Karen E; Secco, Loretta

2016-01-01

Recent entry-to-practice nursing informatics competencies for Registered Nurses in Canada mean nurse educators need educational strategies to promote student competency within the rapidly evolving informatics field. A collaborative research team from three Canadian nursing programs completed a mixed method survey to describe how nursing students used mobile nursing information support and the extent of this support for learning. The Mobile Information Support Evaluation Tool (MISET) assessed Usefulness/Helpfulness, Information Literacy Support, and Use of Evidence-Based Sources. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to describe students' perspectives and the ways they used mobile resources in learning situations. Findings suggest nursing students mainly accessed mobile resources to support clinical learning, and specifically for task-oriented information such as drug medication or patient conditions/diagnoses. Researchers recommend a paradigm shift whereby educators emphasize information literacy in a way that supports evidence-based quality care.

Modes of acquisition of health literacy skills in informal learning contexts.

PubMed

Calha, António Geraldo Manso

2014-12-01

In this article we try to analyze the learning processes of health literacy skills in informal contexts. We intend to broaden the understanding of the learning process beyond the formal contexts, thus contributing to the elucidation of health professionals on how individuals acquire and manage their knowledge in health matters. Given our goal, we use an analytic corpus constituted by one hundred autobiographical narratives written between 2006 and 2011, in educational contexts but with recognized potential for use in different scientific fields, including health. The results reveal the existence of three different types of modes of learning health literacy skills in informal context: : i) learning that takes place in action, in achieving daily tasks; ii) learning processes that result from problem solving; iii) learning that occurs in an unplanned manner, resulting from accidental circumstances and, in some cases, devoid of intentionality.

Fifth Report of the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir Rendezvous and Docking Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and docking missions examine a number of specific issues related to the Shuttle-Mir program. Three teams composed of Task Force members and technical advisors were formed to address the follow issues: preliminary results from STS-71 and the status of preparations for STS-74; NASA's presence in Russia; and NASA's automated data processing and telecommunications (ADP/T) infrastructure in Russia. The three review team reports have been included in the fifth report of the Task Force.

Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

18th ICCRTS “C2 in Underdeveloped, Degraded and Denied Operational Environments” Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...assess, evaluate and accredit the Swedish forces. This paper presents a Systemic Governance of Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes applied to the

Emergent literacy in kindergartners with cochlear implants

PubMed Central

Nittrouer, Susan; Caldwell, Amanda; Lowenstein, Joanna H; Tarr, Eric; Holloman, Christopher

2012-01-01

Problem A key ingredient to academic success is being able to read. Deaf individuals have historically failed to develop literacy skills comparable to those of their normal-hearing peers, but early identification and cochlear implants have improved prospects that these children can learn to read at the levels of their peers. The goal of this study was to examine early, or emergent, literacy in these children. Method 27 deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) who had just completed kindergarten were tested on emergent literacy, as well as on cognitive and linguistic skills that support emergent literacy, specifically ones involving phonological awareness, executive functioning, and oral language. 17 kindergartners with normal hearing (NH) and 8 with hearing loss, but who used hearing aids (HAs) served as controls. Outcomes were compared for these three groups of children, regression analyses were performed to see if predictor variables for emergent literacy differed for children with NH and those with CIs, and factors related to the early treatment of hearing loss and prosthesis configuration were examined for children with CIs. Results Performance of children with CIs was roughly one or more standard deviations below the mean performance of children with NH on all tasks, except for syllable counting, reading fluency, and rapid serial naming. Oral language skills explained more variance in emergent literacy for children with CIs than for children with NH. Age of first implant explained moderate amounts of variance for several measures. Having one or two CIs had no effect, but children who had some amount of bimodal experience outperformed children who had none on several measures. Conclusions Even deaf children who have benefitted from early identification, intervention, and implantation are still at risk for problems with emergent literacy that could affect their academic success. This finding means that intensive language support needs to continue through at least the early elementary grades. Also a period of bimodal stimulation during the preschool years can help boost emergent literacy skills to some extent. PMID:22572795

Reading in dyslexia across literacy development: A longitudinal study of effective connectivity.

PubMed

Morken, Frøydis; Helland, Turid; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Specht, Karsten

2017-01-01

Dyslexia is a literacy disorder affecting the efficient acquisition of reading and writing skills. The disorder is neurobiological in origin. Due to its developmental nature, longitudinal studies of dyslexia are of essence. They are, however, relatively scarce. The present study took a longitudinal approach to cortical connectivity of brain imaging data in reading tasks in children with dyslexia and children with typical reading development. The participants were followed with repeated measurements through Pre-literacy (6 years old), Emergent Literacy (8 years old) and Literacy (12 years old) stages, using Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM) when analysing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Even though there are a few longitudinal studies on effective connectivity in typical reading, to our knowledge, no studies have previously investigated these issues in relation to dyslexia. We set up a model of a brain reading network involving five cortical regions (inferior frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and occipito-temporal cortex). Using DCM, connectivity measures were calculated for each connection in the model. These measures were further analysed using factorial ANOVA. The results showed that the difference between groups centred on connections going to and from the inferior frontal gyrus (two connections) and the occipito-temporal cortex (three connections). For all five connections, the typical group showed stable or decreasing connectivity measures. The dyslexia group, on the other hand, showed a marked up-regulation (occipito-temporal connections) or down-regulation (inferior frontal gyrus connections) from 6 years to 8 years, followed by normalization from 8 years to 12 years. We interpret this as a delay in the dyslexia group in developing into the Pre-literacy and Emergent literacy stages. This delay could possibly be detrimental to literacy development. By age 12, there was no statistically significant difference in connectivity between the groups, but differences in literacy skills were still present, and were in fact larger than when measured at younger ages. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of pliers' grip spans in the maximum gripping task and sub-maximum cutting task.

PubMed

Kim, Dae-Min; Kong, Yong-Ku

2016-12-01

A total of 25 males participated to investigate the effects of the grip spans of pliers on the total grip force, individual finger forces and muscle activities in the maximum gripping task and wire-cutting tasks. In the maximum gripping task, results showed that the 50-mm grip span had significantly higher total grip strength than the other grip spans. In the cutting task, the 50-mm grip span also showed significantly higher grip strength than the 65-mm and 80-mm grip spans, whereas the muscle activities showed a higher value at 80-mm grip span. The ratios of cutting force to maximum grip strength were also investigated. Ratios of 30.3%, 31.3% and 41.3% were obtained by grip spans of 50-mm, 65-mm, and 80-mm, respectively. Thus, the 50-mm grip span for pliers might be recommended to provide maximum exertion in gripping tasks, as well as lower maximum-cutting force ratios in the cutting tasks.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and cancer screening among female Medicare beneficiaries.

PubMed

Salloum, Ramzi G; Kohler, Racquel E; Jensen, Gail A; Sheridan, Stacey L; Carpenter, William R; Biddle, Andrea K

2014-03-01

Medicare covers several cancer screening tests not currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). In September 2002, the Task Force relaxed the upper age limit of 70 years for breast cancer screening recommendations, and in March 2003 an upper age limit of 65 years was introduced for cervical cancer screening recommendations. We assessed whether mammogram and Pap test utilization among women with Medicare coverage is influenced by changes in the Task Force's recommendations for screening. We identified female Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-80 years and used bivariate probit regression to examine the receipt of breast (mammogram) and cervical (Pap test) cancer screening reflecting changes in the Task Force recommendations. We analyzed 9,760 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey responses from 2001 to 2007. More than two-thirds reported receiving a mammogram and more than one-third a Pap test in the previous 2 years. Lack of recommendation was given as a reason for not getting screened among the majority (51% for mammogram and 75% for Pap). After controlling for beneficiary-level socioeconomic characteristics and access to care factors, we did not observe a significant change in breast and cervical cancer screening patterns following the changes in Task Force recommendations. Although there is evidence that many Medicare beneficiaries adhere to screening guidelines, some women may be receiving non-recommended screening services covered by Medicare.

Deficits in inhibitory force control in young adults with ADHD.

PubMed

Neely, Kristina A; Wang, Peiyuan; Chennavasin, Amanda P; Samimy, Shaadee; Tucker, Jacqueline; Merida, Andrea; Perez-Edgar, Koraly; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia

2017-05-01

Poor inhibitory control is a well-established cognitive correlate of adults with ADHD. However, the simple reaction time (RT) task used in a majority of studies records performance errors only via the presence or absence of a single key press. This all-or-nothing response makes it impossible to capture subtle differences in underlying processes that shape performance. Subsequently, all-or-nothing tasks may underestimate the prevalence of executive function deficits in ADHD. The current study measured inhibitory control using a standard Go/No-Go RT task and a more sensitive continuous grip force task among adults with (N=51, 22 female) and without (N=51, 29 female) ADHD. Compared to adults without ADHD, adults with ADHD made more failed inhibits in the classic Go/No-Go paradigm and produced greater and more variable force during motor inhibition. The amount of force produced on failed inhibits was a stronger predictor of ADHD-related symptoms than the number of commissions in the standard RT task. Adults with ADHD did not differ from those without ADHD on the mean force and variability of force produced in Go trials. These findings suggest that the use of a precise and continuous motor task, such as the force task used here, provides additional information about the nature of inhibitory motor control in adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring Actual eHealth Literacy Among Patients With Rheumatic Diseases: a Qualitative Analysis of Problems Encountered Using Health 1.0 and Health 2.0 Applications

PubMed Central

Drossaert, Constance HC; de Heus, Miriam; Taal, Erik; van de Laar, Mart AFJ

2013-01-01

Background The Internet offers diverse opportunities for disease management, through information websites (Health 1.0) and interactive applications such as peer support forums, online consults, and insight into electronic medical records (Health 2.0). However, various skills are required to benefit from Health 1.0 and Health 2.0 applications for one’s own health, known as eHealth literacy. Objective To study the eHealth literacy of patients with rheumatic diseases and the types of problems they encounter when using the Internet in relation to their disease. Methods In two studies, patients were asked about their current disease-related Internet use and their eHealth literacy was observed during performance tests. In study 1, 15 patients (aged 39-74) performed 6 information-retrieval tasks on the Internet (Health 1.0). In study 2, 16 patients (aged 24-72) performed 3 Health 2.0 tasks on a hospital-based online Web portal and 2 Health 2.0 tasks on interactive websites. Participants were asked to think aloud while performing the assignments, and screen activities were recorded. Types and frequency of problems were identified by 2 independent researchers and coded into categories using inductive analysis. Results Almost all patients in our studies had searched the Internet for information about rheumatic diseases in the past. Fewer patients had used Health 2.0 applications, but many were nevertheless enthusiastic about the possibilities from Health 2.0 applications after finishing the assignments. However, nearly all participants experienced difficulties, and a substantial number of participants were not able to complete all of the assignments. Encountered problems could be divided into 6 sequential categories: (1) operating the computer and Internet browser, (2) navigating and orientating on the Web, (3) utilizing search strategies, (4) evaluating relevance and reliability, (5) adding content to the Web, and (6) protecting and respecting privacy. Most severe difficulties occurred in levels 3 and 4—in formulating a search query, evaluating the source of the information, and in scanning a website for relevant information. Conclusions Many patients have insufficient skills to properly use Health 1.0 and Health 2.0. Formulating proper search strategies and evaluating the found information caused problems among the majority of patients. Concerning Health 2.0, use and awareness of these applications is low and patients should be guided in the use of them. Our findings may contribute to the awareness of patients’ eHealth literacy problems among health professionals, and stress the importance of usability guidelines in Web design. PMID:23399720

Estimation of lumbar spinal loading and trunk muscle forces during asymmetric lifting tasks: application of whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Zhang, Yanxin

2017-04-01

Large spinal compressive force combined with axial torsional shear force during asymmetric lifting tasks is highly associated with lower back injury (LBI). The aim of this study was to estimate lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during symmetric lifting (SL) and asymmetric lifting (AL) tasks using a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling approach. Thirteen healthy males lifted loads of 7 and 12 kg under two lifting conditions (SL and AL). Kinematic data and ground reaction force data were collected and then processed by a whole-body musculoskeletal model. The results show AL produced a significantly higher peak lateral shear force as well as greater peak force of psoas major, quadratus lumborum, multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars lumborum, longissimus thoracis pars lumborum and external oblique than SL. The greater lateral shear forces combined with higher muscle force and asymmetrical muscle contractions may have the biomechanical mechanism responsible for the increased risk of LBI during AL. Practitioner Summary: Estimating lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during free-dynamic asymmetric lifting tasks with a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim is the core value of this research. The results show that certain muscle groups are fundamentally responsible for asymmetric movement, thereby producing high lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces, which may increase risks of LBI during asymmetric lifting tasks.

Finger Interdependence: Linking the Kinetic and Kinematic Variables

PubMed Central

Kim, Sun Wook; Shim, Jae Kun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2008-01-01

We studied the dependence between voluntary motion of a finger and pressing forces produced by the tips of other fingers of the hand. Subjects moved one of the fingers (task finger) of the right hand trying to follow a cyclic, ramp-like flexion-extension template at different frequencies. The other fingers (slave fingers) were restricted from moving; their flexion forces were recorded and analyzed. Index finger motion caused the smallest force production by the slave fingers. Larger forces were produced by the neighbors of the task finger; these forces showed strong modulation over the range of motion of the task finger. The enslaved forces were higher during the flexion phase of the movement cycle as compared to the extension phase. The index of enslaving expressed in N/rad was higher when the task finger moved through the more flexed postures. The dependence of enslaving on both range and direction of task finger motion poses problems for methods of analysis of finger coordination based on an assumption of universal matrices of finger inter-dependence. PMID:18255182

Report of the MLA Task Force on Evaluating Scholarship for Tenure and Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Modern Language Association, 2007

2007-01-01

In 2004 the Executive Council of the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) created a task force to examine current standards and emerging trends in publication requirements for tenure and promotion in English and foreign language departments in the United States. To fulfill its charge, the task force reviewed numerous studies, reports, and…

Short-Circuiting the Bureaucracy: Policy Origins in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Hugh Davis

The Great Society's secret task forces created by Lyndon Johnson, particularly in the case-study area of federal education policy, show the use and misuse of the task force device. Modern use of it began with John F. Kennedy. Although he used the task force device effectively sometimes, he did not use it effectively in his educational programs in…

77 FR 39724 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

...-DS61200000] U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service... Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a... strengthen U.S. government actions to better preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The Departments of...

Idaho Rural Education Task Force. Public School Information. Legislative Report, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The Idaho Rural Education Task Force was formed in July 2007 with the goal of proposing and examining solutions to challenges facing rural schools. The task force's work this year has focused on three areas: recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers, funding shortages related to insurance costs and staff allowances, and the technology…

Lifelong Learning NCES Task Force: Final Report, Volume I. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binkley, Marilyn; Hudson, Lisa; Knepper, Paula; Kolstad, Andy; Stowe, Peter; Wirt, John

In September 1998, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) established a 1-year task force to review the NCES's role concerning lifelong learning. The eight-member task force established a working definition of lifelong learning ("a process or system through which individuals are able and willing to learn at all stages of life,…

Million Hearts 2022: Understanding the Links between Environmental Pollutant Exposure and Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events - Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force

EPA Science Inventory

The webinar was requested by the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force. From their website, “The task force was established in 1995 in North Carolina to provide statewide leadership for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Meetings are...

History and background of the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF)

Treesearch

Mark R. Stanley

2006-01-01

The California Oak Mortality Task Force was formed in August 2000 as a consensus group to address the impacts caused by Phytophthora ramorum. It is over 1000 strong with over 80 agencies, universities, public, and private groups currently involved. The Task Force has been a tremendous success and may serve as model for other similar efforts.

77 FR 17534 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... Association (``SIFMA'') formed the MMI Blue-Sky Task Force (``Task Force'') to address systemic and unique... processing. The Task Force, along other money market industry members,\\8\\ determined that DTC's current MMI... amount or proceeds after the 3 p.m. E.T. deadline for RTP instructions.\\9\\ Accordingly, DTC is proposing...

"Rekindle and Recapture the Love": Establishing System-Wide Indicators of Progress in Community Engagement and Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janke, Emily M.

2014-01-01

In May 2012, University of North Carolina (UNC) President Tom Ross simultaneously commissioned two task forces to develop indicators that all UNC campuses could use to measure "progress in community engagement and economic development." The charge to the Community Engagement Task Force and the Economic Development Task Force was to…

77 FR 16483 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), dated July 12..., of the Fukushima Task Force Report, regarding the enhancement of the ability of nuclear power plants...

San Juan College Task Force on Innovation 1995 Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Nelle

In fall 1994, San Juan College, in New Mexico, established the Task Force on Innovation to examine changes in the paradigm of education and how those changes might affect the college. The Task Force determined that the primary driver of change in education was technology, and specifically the increasing number of means and ease of access to…

Report of the Task Force on Continuing Education and Non-Credit Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernest, Richard J.; And Others

The Task Force on Continuing Education and Non-Credit Instruction was appointed to develop specific strategies for expanding lifelong learning and non-credit instruction in the Virginia community colleges. The task force reviewed a report on the state funding of non-credit instruction; wrote to the community college coordinating offices in 17…

ACHP | News

Science.gov Websites

Search skip specific nav links Home arrow News arrow June 27, 2012 ACHP Rightsizing Task Force to Meet in Cleveland The ACHP's Rightsizing Task Force will be making a visit to Cleveland, Ohio, June 25-26 for a tour and a listening session and open meeting. The task force will host a public meeting on June 26 at

Responding to Violence and Abuse: Educating Minnesota Professionals for the Future. A Report of the Statewide Task Forces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Higher Education Center against Violence and Abuse, St. Paul.

In response to a 1993 Minnesota crime bill, four task forces reviewed violence education in professional higher education programs and made recommendations for legislation and law enforcement. The four task forces--in Law, Health Services, Human Services, and Education--made several critical recommendations that applied across professions:…

National Library of Education Advisory Task Force. Briefing Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Library of Education (ED/OERI), Washington, DC.

This briefing book with appendices was prepared for the initial meetings of the National Library of Education Advisory Task Force (NLE/ATF), in March 1996. An agenda for this meeting is included in the briefing book. The first section, "Governing Authorities for NLE and the Advisory Task Force," contains a copy of Public Law 103-227,…

How to motivate adults with low literacy and numeracy skills to engage and persist in learning: A literature review of policy interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windisch, Hendrickje Catriona

2016-06-01

Low basic skills levels of adults are a complex policy problem which has neither straightforward causes nor solutions, and successful interventions are still relatively rare. Tackling serious literacy and numeracy weaknesses among adults is challenging, partly because the task itself is difficult, and partly because even if accomplished successfully, the returns on the investment (of expertise, time and money) are uncertain. The Survey of Adult Skills, an international investigation conducted in 22 member and two partner countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as part of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), has revealed that a considerable number of adults possess only limited literacy and numeracy skills. Governments now recognise the need to upskill these adults in order to maintain national prosperity. This literature review examines current evidence on policy interventions for adults with low literacy and numeracy proficiencies to pinpoint what has so far proven to motivate adults to join and persist in basic literacy and numeracy learning. The author identifies three approaches which seem promising in helping to address individual learners' needs: (1) adapting instruction to learners' needs by means of regular assessment (formative assessment); (2) complementary e-learning (blended learning); and (3) contextualisation of basic skills provision both at work and at home (workplace learning and family literacy). The central challenge is to put the evidence to work.

Attainment and retention of force moderation following laparoscopic resection training with visual force feedback.

PubMed

Hernandez, Rafael; Onar-Thomas, Arzu; Travascio, Francesco; Asfour, Shihab

2017-11-01

Laparoscopic training with visual force feedback can lead to immediate improvements in force moderation. However, the long-term retention of this kind of learning and its potential decay are yet unclear. A laparoscopic resection task and force sensing apparatus were designed to assess the benefits of visual force feedback training. Twenty-two male university students with no previous experience in laparoscopy underwent relevant FLS proficiency training. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control or treatment group. Both groups trained on the task for 2 weeks as follows: initial baseline, sixteen training trials, and post-test immediately after. The treatment group had visual force feedback during training, whereas the control group did not. Participants then performed four weekly test trials to assess long-term retention of training. Outcomes recorded were maximum pulling and pushing forces, completion time, and rated task difficulty. Extreme maximum pulling force values were tapered throughout both the training and retention periods. Average maximum pushing forces were significantly lowered towards the end of training and during retention period. No significant decay of applied force learning was found during the 4-week retention period. Completion time and rated task difficulty were higher during training, but results indicate that the difference eventually fades during the retention period. Significant differences in aptitude across participants were found. Visual force feedback training improves on certain aspects of force moderation in a laparoscopic resection task. Results suggest that with enough training there is no significant decay of learning within the first month of the retention period. It is essential to account for differences in aptitude between individuals in this type of longitudinal research. This study shows how an inexpensive force measuring system can be used with an FLS Trainer System after some retrofitting. Surgical instructors can develop their own tasks and adjust force feedback levels accordingly.

A teleoperation training simulator with visual and kinesthetic force virtual reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Won S.; Schenker, Paul

1992-01-01

A force-reflecting teleoperation training simulator with a high-fidelity real-time graphics display has been developed for operator training. A novel feature of this simulator is that it enables the operator to feel contact forces and torques through a force-reflecting controller during the execution of the simulated peg-in-hole task, providing the operator with the feel of visual and kinesthetic force virtual reality. A peg-in-hole task is used in our simulated teleoperation trainer as a generic teleoperation task. A quasi-static analysis of a two-dimensional peg-in-hole task model has been extended to a three-dimensional model analysis to compute contact forces and torques for a virtual realization of kinesthetic force feedback. The simulator allows the user to specify force reflection gains and stiffness (compliance) values of the manipulator hand for both the three translational and the three rotational axes in Cartesian space. Three viewing modes are provided for graphics display: single view, two split views, and stereoscopic view.

Improving child and adolescent psychiatry education for medical students: an inter-organizational collaborative action plan.

PubMed

Fox, Geraldine S; Stock, Saundra; Briscoe, Gregory W; Beck, Gary L; Horton, Rita; Hunt, Jeffrey I; Liu, Howard Y; Partner Rutter, Ashley; Sexson, Sandra; Schlozman, Steven C; Stubbe, Dorothy E; Stuber, Margaret L

2012-11-01

A new Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Medical Education (CAPME) Task Force, sponsored by the Association for Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP), has created an inter-organizational partnership between child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) educators and medical student educators in psychiatry. This paper outlines the task force design and strategic plan to address the long-standing dearth of CAP training for medical students. The CAPME ADMSEP Task Force, formed in 2010, identified common challenges to teaching CAP among ADMSEP's CAPME Task Force members, utilizing focus-group discussions and a needs-assessment survey. The Task Force was organized into five major sections, with inter-organizational action plans to address identified areas of need, such as portable modules and development of benchmark CAP competencies. The authors predict that all new physicians, regardless of specialty, will be better trained in CAP. Increased exposure may also improve recruitment into this underserved area.

Revised American Thyroid Association guidelines for the management of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Wells, Samuel A; Asa, Sylvia L; Dralle, Henning; Elisei, Rossella; Evans, Douglas B; Gagel, Robert F; Lee, Nancy; Machens, Andreas; Moley, Jeffrey F; Pacini, Furio; Raue, Friedhelm; Frank-Raue, Karin; Robinson, Bruce; Rosenthal, M Sara; Santoro, Massimo; Schlumberger, Martin; Shah, Manisha; Waguespack, Steven G

2015-06-01

The American Thyroid Association appointed a Task Force of experts to revise the original Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Management Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association. The Task Force identified relevant articles using a systematic PubMed search, supplemented with additional published materials, and then created evidence-based recommendations, which were set in categories using criteria adapted from the United States Preventive Services Task Force Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The original guidelines provided abundant source material and an excellent organizational structure that served as the basis for the current revised document. The revised guidelines are focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and hereditary MTC. The Task Force developed 67 evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in the care of patients with MTC. The Task Force considers the recommendations to represent current, rational, and optimal medical practice.

Revised American Thyroid Association Guidelines for the Management of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Asa, Sylvia L.; Dralle, Henning; Elisei, Rossella; Evans, Douglas B.; Gagel, Robert F.; Lee, Nancy; Machens, Andreas; Moley, Jeffrey F.; Pacini, Furio; Raue, Friedhelm; Frank-Raue, Karin; Robinson, Bruce; Rosenthal, M. Sara; Santoro, Massimo; Schlumberger, Martin; Shah, Manisha; Waguespack, Steven G.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The American Thyroid Association appointed a Task Force of experts to revise the original Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Management Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association. Methods: The Task Force identified relevant articles using a systematic PubMed search, supplemented with additional published materials, and then created evidence-based recommendations, which were set in categories using criteria adapted from the United States Preventive Services Task Force Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The original guidelines provided abundant source material and an excellent organizational structure that served as the basis for the current revised document. Results: The revised guidelines are focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and hereditary MTC. Conclusions: The Task Force developed 67 evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in the care of patients with MTC. The Task Force considers the recommendations to represent current, rational, and optimal medical practice. PMID:25810047

International confederation for cleft lip and palate and related craniofacial anomalies task force report: holistic outcomes.

PubMed

Broder, Hillary L

2014-11-01

Objective : This paper describes the process and outcomes of the 2013 American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association task force on Holistic Outcomes. The goals and membership of the task force are presented. Methods : Using internet communication, the group introduced themselves, shared ideas and information related to holistic assessment and implementation of using a validated holistic measure, the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) at participating international sites. Results : Data from the sites were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Administration of the COHIP was successful. It varied from self-completion as well as verbal presentation due to language differences and a function of the short time period to complete collection. Additionally qualitative comments were reported by the task force site directors. Conclusions : Future directions for holistic assessment and communication among task force members and sites were discussed at the Congress and are presented in this report.