Instruction manual for U.S. Geological Survey sediment observers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Gary P.

1997-01-01

This instruction manual is intended for use by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sediment Observers. An overview of the USGS Sediment Program is presented, and basic theory on sediment transport is explained. Step-by-step instructions on when and how to sample for sediment also are presented. USGS Sediment Observer safety issues are discussed and corrective actions are presented. An empty pouch is included at the back of the manual for miscellaneous supplies, such as extra sampler nozzles, thermometers, new gaskets, and markers to be supplied by USGS personnel distributing the manual. A plastic reference card also is included, which can be removed from the manual and kept at the sampling site. Only general guidelines are presented in the manual so space is provided for USGS personnel distributing the manual to fill in project specific instructions.

Health Instruction Packages: Nursing--Patient Observation and Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Freda; And Others

Text, illustrations, and exercises are utilized in this set of three learning modules to instruct nurses and nursing students in patient observation and assessment skills. The first module, "The ABC's of Observation" by Freda Cooper, provides psychiatric nurses and technicians with guidelines for determining the mental status of incoming…

Learning about Teachers' Literacy Instruction from Classroom Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelcey, Ben; Carlisle, Joanne F.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to contribute to efforts to improve methods for gathering and analyzing data from classroom observations in early literacy. The methodological approach addresses current problems of reliability and validity of classroom observations by taking into account differences in teachers' uses of instructional actions (e.g.,…

Use of Observational Learning Enhanced Instruction in Low Language Competency Audiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zain-ul-abdin, Khawaja

2013-01-01

This dissertation investigates the use of observational learning enhanced health instruction to mitigate problems of low language competency among learners. Low language competency can cause improper comprehension of medical instruction and health education, resulting in misdiagnosis, reduced recall, under reporting of medical conditions and…

The Effects of Observing Others versus Self-Observation on Teacher Accuracy in Presenting Learn Unit Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarto, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

In Experiment I, I tested whether training teacher trainers to conduct TPRA observations to a calibrated standard by teaching them to 1) measure the accuracy of other individuals presenting learn unit instruction, then 2) measure their own accuracy in presenting learn unit instruction, would influence the accuracy of the teacher trainer's…

Generalizing from Observations of Mathematics Teachers' Instructional Practice Using the Instructional Quality Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Anne Garrison; Kim, Sungyeun

2015-01-01

One crucial question for researchers who study teachers' classroom practice is how to maximize information about what is happening in classrooms while minimizing costs. This report extends prior studies of the reliability of the Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA), a widely used classroom observation toolkit, and offers insight into the often…

Shifting Attention Back to Students within the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Shannon M.; Conlin, Luke

2015-01-01

The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is increasingly used as an instructional framework to help elementary and secondary teachers support English language learners (ELLs). This useful tool has helped teachers gain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to support ELLs learn subject-area content and skills while learning…

Comparing Vignette Instruction and Assessment Tasks to Classroom Observations and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffries, Carolyn; Maeder, Dale W.

2011-01-01

The growing body of research on the use of vignettes in teacher education courses suggests that vignette-based instruction and assessment tasks may represent a viable alternative to traditional forms of scaffolded instruction and reflective essays following classroom observations, thereby creating a bridge between college and K-12 classrooms for…

A Futuristic Alternative: Campus Fitness Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, C. E.; Oatey, Jennifer Sue

1980-01-01

The components of a prescription physical fitness program include a physical examination, fitness and dietary assessment, consultations to determine the fitness and diet prescriptions, instructional sessions, and periodic reviews of the individual's prescription. (CJ)

Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol[R] (SIOP[R]). What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

The "Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol"[R] ("SIOP"[R]) is a framework for planning and delivering instruction in content areas such as science, history, and mathematics to English language learners as well as other students. The goal of "SIOP"[R] is to help teachers integrate academic language development…

The effect of minimalist footwear and instruction on running: an observational study

PubMed Central

Buckley, Linda; Palmer, Lisa J M; Ormond, Roisin M; Owen, Gwawr; Watson, Daniel J; Woledge, Roger; Newham, Di

2017-01-01

Background It is not known whether the effects on altered running style which are attributed to minimalist footwear can be achieved by verbal instructions in standard running shoes (SRS). Aim To explore the effect of Vibram FiveFingers (VFF) versus SRS plus running instruction on lower extremity spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics. Methods 35 healthy subjects (mean=30 years, 18 females) were assessed on two occasions with 3D motion analysis. At each session subjects ran on a treadmill (3.58 m/s) for 2 min in either VFF or SRS (randomised order); with and without running instruction. Differences between spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics between conditions were assessed using a 2x2 repeated-measures ANOVA. Results Wearing VFF significantly increased cadence (p<0.001) and reduced stride length (p<0.01). Prior to initial contact, both instruction and VFF significantly increased foot (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) and ankle (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) plantarflexion, while wearing VFF significantly increased knee extension (p=0.04). At initial contact, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.04), and foot (p=0.001) and ankle (p=0.03) plantarflexion. At mid-stance and toe-off, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.048 and p<0.001, respectively) and foot plantarflexion (p<0.001 and p=0.01, respectively). Instruction had a greater effect on increasing knee flexion (p=0.007) and plantarflexion angle (p<0.001) when subjects wore SRS and VFF, respectively. Conclusion Alterations in spatiotemporal parameters observed when running in VFF are likely to be attributable to the minimalist footwear. However, the kinematic adaptations observed following instruction suggests that changes in joint angles previously attributed to minimalist footwear alone may be similarly achieved with instruction. PMID:28761694

The effect of minimalist footwear and instruction on running: an observational study.

PubMed

Barcellona, Massimo Giuseppe; Buckley, Linda; Palmer, Lisa J M; Ormond, Roisin M; Owen, Gwawr; Watson, Daniel J; Woledge, Roger; Newham, Di

2017-01-01

It is not known whether the effects on altered running style which are attributed to minimalist footwear can be achieved by verbal instructions in standard running shoes (SRS). To explore the effect of Vibram FiveFingers (VFF) versus SRS plus running instruction on lower extremity spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics. 35 healthy subjects (mean=30 years, 18 females) were assessed on two occasions with 3D motion analysis. At each session subjects ran on a treadmill (3.58 m/s) for 2 min in either VFF or SRS (randomised order); with and without running instruction. Differences between spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics between conditions were assessed using a 2x2 repeated-measures ANOVA. Wearing VFF significantly increased cadence (p<0.001) and reduced stride length (p<0.01). Prior to initial contact, both instruction and VFF significantly increased foot (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) and ankle (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) plantarflexion, while wearing VFF significantly increased knee extension (p=0.04). At initial contact, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.04), and foot (p=0.001) and ankle (p=0.03) plantarflexion. At mid-stance and toe-off, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.048 and p<0.001, respectively) and foot plantarflexion (p<0.001 and p=0.01, respectively). Instruction had a greater effect on increasing knee flexion (p=0.007) and plantarflexion angle (p<0.001) when subjects wore SRS and VFF, respectively. Alterations in spatiotemporal parameters observed when running in VFF are likely to be attributable to the minimalist footwear. However, the kinematic adaptations observed following instruction suggests that changes in joint angles previously attributed to minimalist footwear alone may be similarly achieved with instruction.

Initial Results from Fitting Resolved Modes using HMI Intensity Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzennik, Sylvain G.

2017-08-01

The HMI project recently started processing the continuum intensity images following global helioseismology procedures similar to those used to process the velocity images. The spatial decomposition of these images has produced time series of spherical harmonic coefficients for degrees up to l=300, using a different apodization than the one used for velocity observations. The first 360 days of observations were processed and made available. I present initial results from fitting these time series using my state of the art fitting methodology and compare the derived mode characteristics to those estimated using co-eval velocity observations.

Person-Organization Fit and Research on Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youngs, Peter; Pogodzinski, Ben; Grogan, Erin; Perrone, Frank

2015-01-01

Research from industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology indicates that outside of K-12 education, employees' sense of fit with their organizations is often associated with job satisfaction, performance, commitment, and retention. Person-organization (P-O) fit has been conceptualized as the degree of congruence between an…

Evidence-based fitness promotion in an afterschool setting: implementation fidelity and its policy implications.

PubMed

Thaw, Jean M; Villa, Manuela; Reitman, David; DeLucia, Christian; Gonzalez, Vanessa; Hanson, K Lori

2014-01-01

Little is known about how the adoption of evidence-based physical activity (PA) curricula by out-of-school time (OST) programs affects children's physical fitness, and there are no clear guidelines of what constitutes reasonable gains given the types of PA instruction currently offered in these programs. Using a three-wave, quasi-experimental, naturalistic observation design, this study evaluated the implementation of an evidence-based PA instruction curriculum (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids [SPARK]) and examined whether the potential health benefits of evidence-based PA instruction can be replicated in this context when compared to OST programs that do not use evidence-based PA curricula. Quality of PA instruction and SPARK implementation fidelity were also assessed. Results indicated that children in the non-evidence-based/standard PA instruction programs engaged in higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and showed greater improvements in fitness levels over time. The findings from this chapter suggest that while it is generally accepted that evidence-based approaches yield higher levels of PA when implemented by researchers under controlled conditions, findings are inconsistent when evidence-based PA instruction is implemented in the field, under presumably less controlled conditions. It appears that when it comes to PA instruction in afterschool, either less structured activities or well-implemented evidence-based practices could be the key to promoting higher PA levels and greater health and fitness for school-aged children. © 2014 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Using the Personalized System of Instruction to Differentiate Instruction in Fitness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viness, Stephanie; Colquitt, Gavin; Pritchard, Tony; Johnson, Christine

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of how PE teachers can personalize learning to meet a variety of student needs. Differentiated instruction (DI) is a term frequently used in classroom-based learning to describe a method of personalization for individual students. The term can also describe a theoretical model for teaching and…

Targeted Observation of ELL Instruction as a Tool in the Preparation of School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baecher, Laura; Knoll, Marcia; Patti, Janet

2016-01-01

Preparing school administrators to promote effective instruction of English language learners (ELLs) is an important dimension of today's educational leadership programs, requiring innovative program activities. This study explores school leadership candidates' use of an observation tool targeted to ELL instruction that incorporated guided video…

Examination of Longitudinal Invariance on a Framework for Observing and Categorizing Instructional Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryoo, Ji Hoon; Tai, Robert H.; Skeeles-Worley, Angela D.

2018-02-01

In longitudinal studies, measurement invariance is required to conduct substantive comparisons over time or across groups. In this study, we examined measurement invariance on a recently developed instrument capturing student preferences for seven instructional strategies related to science learning and career interest. We have labeled these seven instructional strategies as Collaborating, Competing, Caretaking, Creating/Making, Discovering, Performing, and Teaching. A better understanding of student preferences for particular instructional strategies can help educators, researchers, and policy makers deliberately tailor programmatic instructional structure to increase student persistence in the STEM pipeline. However, simply confirming the relationship between student preferences for science instructional strategies and their future career choices at a single time point is not sufficient to clarify our understanding of the relationship between instructional strategies and student persistence in the STEM pipeline, especially since preferences for instructional strategies are understood to vary over time. As such, we sought to develop a measure that invariantly captures student preference over a period of time: the Framework for Observing and Categorizing Instructional Strategies (FOCIS). We administered the FOCIS instrument over four semesters over two middle school grades to 1009 6th graders and 1021 7th graders and confirmed the longitudinal invariance of the FOCIS measure. This confirmation of longitudinal invariance will allow researchers to examine the relationship between student preference for certain instructional strategies and student persistence in the STEM pipeline.

Usefulness of head injury instruction forms in home observation of mild head injuries.

PubMed

Warren, D; Kissoon, N

1989-06-01

We prospectively studied a group of patients with mild head injury discharged for home observation to determine whether written instructions assisted in recall of signs and symptoms, increased patient satisfaction, or resulted in any additional benefit over verbal explanations alone. We also evaluated the level of comprehension required to understand the written instructions in their present form. Over a three-month period, 72 patients (43 male, 29 female) with a mean age of 4.4 (SD +/- 3.9) years were studied. In addition to verbal explanations for all parents, 38 parents received written instructions. Each group remembered 4/7 (57%) of signs and symptoms and was equally satisfied with verbal explanations. The majority (84%) of parents who received instruction sheets intended to keep these for further reference. Low recall of two instructions may be due to poor comprehension of the language used. We conclude that written instructions (1) did not add significantly to recall, (2) may provide reassurance to parents, and (3) need to be written in simple lay terms in order to be understood by the parents/patients served.

Writing Instruction in First Grade: An Observational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coker, David L., Jr.; Farley-Ripple, Elizabeth; Jackson, Allison F.; Wen, Huijing; MacArthur, Charles A.; Jennings, Austin S.

2016-01-01

As schools work to meet the ambitious Common Core State Standards in writing (Common Core State Standards Initiation, 2010), instructional approaches are likely to be examined. However, there is little research that describes the current state of instruction. This study was designed to expand the empirical base on writing instruction in first…

Assessing Model Fitting of Megamaser Disks with Simulated Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jiwon; Braatz, James; Pesce, Dominic

2018-01-01

The Megamaser Cosmology Project (MCP) measures the Hubble Constant by determining distances to galaxies with observations of 22 GHz H20 megamasers. The megamasers arise in the circumnuclear accretion disks of active galaxies. In this research, we aim to improve the estimation of systematic errors in MCP measurements. Currently, the MCP fits a disk model to the observed maser data with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) code. The disk model is described by up to 14 global parameters, including up to 6 that describe the disk warping. We first assess the model by generating synthetic datasets in which the locations and dynamics of the maser spots are exactly known, and fitting the model to these data. By doing so, we can also test the effects of unmodeled substructure on the estimated uncertainties. Furthermore, in order to gain better understanding of the physics behind accretion disk warping, we develop a physics-driven model for the warp and test it with the MCMC approach.

Observations of Academic Instruction for Students with Significant Intellectual Disability: Three States, Thirty-Nine Classrooms, One View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Restorff, Diane E.; Abery, Brian H.

2013-01-01

As part of the validation process for alternate assessments, 39 classroom observations were conducted to gather data about current practices in providing academic instruction to students with significant intellectual disability. Using a standardized protocol, data were gathered using direct instructional observation, an Individualized Education…

Factors Associated with Alignment between Teacher Survey Reports and Classroom Observation Ratings of Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Julia Heath; Stein, Mary Kay; Junker, Brian

2016-01-01

We investigated the alignment between a teacher survey self-report measure and classroom observation measure of ambitious mathematics instructional practice among teachers in two urban school districts using two different standards-based mathematics curricula. Survey reports suggested mild differences in teachers' instructional practices between…

The complete set of Cassini's UVIS occultation observations of Enceladus plume: model fits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portyankina, G.; Esposito, L. W.; Hansen, C. J.

2017-12-01

Since the discovery in 2005, plume of Enceladus was observed by most of the instruments onboard Cassini spacecraft. Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) have observed Enceladus plume and collimated jets embedded in it in occultational geometry on 6 different occasions. We have constructed a 3D direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model for Enceladus jets and apply it to the analysis of the full set of UVIS occultation observations conducted during Cassini's mission from 2005 to 2017. The Monte Carlo model tracks test particles from their source at the surface into space. The initial positions of all test particles for a single jet are fixed to one of 100 jets sources identified by Porco et al. (2014). The initial three-dimensional velocity of each particle contains two components: a velocity Vz which is perpendicular to the surface, and a thermal velocity which is isotropic in the upward hemisphere. The direction and speed of the thermal velocity of each particle is chosen randomly but the ensemble moves isotropically at a speed which satisfies a Boltzmann distribution for a given temperature Tth. A range for reasonable Vz is then determined by requiring that modeled jet widths match the observed ones. Each model run results in a set of coordinates and velocities of a given set of test particles. These are converted to the test particle number densities and then integrated along LoS for each time step of the occultation observation. The geometry of the observation is calculated using SPICE. The overarching result of the simulation run is a test particle number density along LoS for each time point during the occultation observation for each of the jets separately. To fit the model to the data, we integrate all jets that are crossed by the LoS at each point during an observation. The relative strength of the jets must be determined to fit the observed UVIS curves. The results of the fits are sets of active jets for each occultation. Each UVIS occultation

Categories for Observing Language Arts Instruction (COLAI).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benterud, Julianna G.

Designed to study individual use of time spent in reading during regularly scheduled language arts instruction in a natural classroom setting, this coding sheet consists of nine categories: (1) engagement, (2) area of language arts, (3) instructional setting, (4) partner (teacher or pupil(s)), (5) source of content, (6) type of unit, (7) assigned…

A Classroom Observational Study of Qatar's Independent Schools: Instruction and School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Douglas J.; Sadiq, Hissa M.; Lynch, Patricia; Parker, Dawn; Viruru, Radhika; Knight, Stephanie; Waxman, Hersh; Alford, Beverly; Brown, Danielle Bairrington; Rollins, Kayla; Stillisano, Jacqueline; Abu-Tineh, Abdullah M. Hamdan; Nasser, Ramzi; Allen, Nancy; Al-Binali, Hessa; Ellili, Maha; Al-Kateeb, Haithem; Al-Kubaisi, Huda

2016-01-01

Qatar initiated a K-12 national educational reform in 2001. However, there is limited information on the instructional practices of the teachers in the reform schools. This project was an observational study of classrooms with a stratified random sample of the first six cohorts of reform schools. Specifically, 156 classrooms were observed in 29…

Personalizing Reading Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cathcart, Maureen

1973-01-01

Examines the relative merits of the language experience approach, the basal reader approach, and the individualized reading approach for beginning reading instruction, concluding that individualized reading has the advantage of fitting the needs of the student. (RB)

The Teacher Perception and Receptiveness of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model within a Japanese University Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakagawa, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

Since 1995, to allow teachers to organize and instruct in more effective ways, many English as a Second Language (ESL) specialists and researchers have studied the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model and its instructional framework by Echevarria, Vogt, and Short in 2004. By combining strategies and techniques that recognize the…

49 CFR 236.337 - Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. 236.337... Rules and Instructions § 236.337 Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. Locking faces shall fit... face. ...

49 CFR 236.337 - Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. 236.337... Rules and Instructions § 236.337 Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. Locking faces shall fit... face. ...

49 CFR 236.337 - Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. 236.337... Rules and Instructions § 236.337 Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. Locking faces shall fit... face. ...

49 CFR 236.337 - Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. 236.337... Rules and Instructions § 236.337 Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. Locking faces shall fit... face. ...

Using Observation to Improve Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, William; Napoliello, Susan

2005-01-01

The International School of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, which serves international students in preschool through middle school, focused a great deal of professional attention on differentiation. The administrators in Malaysian school, by making rounds of classrooms, raised teachers' awareness of differentiated instruction.

Robustness of fit indices to outliers and leverage observations in structural equation modeling.

PubMed

Yuan, Ke-Hai; Zhong, Xiaoling

2013-06-01

Normal-distribution-based maximum likelihood (NML) is the most widely used method in structural equation modeling (SEM), although practical data tend to be nonnormally distributed. The effect of nonnormally distributed data or data contamination on the normal-distribution-based likelihood ratio (LR) statistic is well understood due to many analytical and empirical studies. In SEM, fit indices are used as widely as the LR statistic. In addition to NML, robust procedures have been developed for more efficient and less biased parameter estimates with practical data. This article studies the effect of outliers and leverage observations on fit indices following NML and two robust methods. Analysis and empirical results indicate that good leverage observations following NML and one of the robust methods lead most fit indices to give more support to the substantive model. While outliers tend to make a good model superficially bad according to many fit indices following NML, they have little effect on those following the two robust procedures. Implications of the results to data analysis are discussed, and recommendations are provided regarding the use of estimation methods and interpretation of fit indices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Investigating Postsecondary Self-Regulated Learning Instructional Practices: The Development of the Self-Regulated Learning Observation Protocol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoops, Leah D.; Yu, Shirley L.; Wang, Qianqian; Hollyer, Virginia L.

2016-01-01

Promoting students' self-regulated learning (SRL) is one way to improve postsecondary student success. However, few studies have investigated the instructional practices of postsecondary instructors that may support students' SRL. This study sought to fill this gap. An undergraduate mathematics course was observed to determine instruction utilized…

Challenging Venerable Assumptions: Literacy Instruction for Linguistically Different Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes, Maria de la Luz

1992-01-01

"One size fits all" literacy instruction works against the success of limited and non-English speaking students. Process instruction, tailoring literacy education to account for students' linguistic and cultural diversity, must begin with the premise that each learner brings a valid language and culture to the instructional context.…

Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning Instructional Tools With Predict-Observe-Explain Strategy on the Topic of Cuboid and Cube Volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhuda; Lukito, A.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

This study aims to develop instructional tools and implement it to see the effectiveness. The method used in this research referred to Designing Effective Instruction. Experimental research with two-group pretest-posttest design method was conducted. The instructional tools have been developed is cooperative learning model with predict-observe-explain strategy on the topic of cuboid and cube volume which consist of lesson plans, POE tasks, and Tests. Instructional tools were of good quality by criteria of validity, practicality, and effectiveness. These instructional tools was very effective for teaching the volume of cuboid and cube. Cooperative instructional tool with predict-observe-explain (POE) strategy was good of quality because the teacher was easy to implement the steps of learning, students easy to understand the material and students’ learning outcomes completed classically. Learning by using this instructional tool was effective because learning activities were appropriate and students were very active. Students’ learning outcomes were completed classically and better than conventional learning. This study produced a good instructional tool and effectively used in learning. Therefore, these instructional tools can be used as an alternative to teach volume of cuboid and cube topics.

Numerically Integrated Orbits of the Major Saturnian Satellites fit to Earthbased Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, R. A.; Vaughan, R. M.

1993-01-01

We have fit numerically integrated orbits of the eight major satellites of Saturn to all available astrometric and meridian circle observations for the period of 1971 to 1992. The integration was carried out in cartesian coordinates in the J2000 system. The force model included the gravitational effects of the oblate primary, the mutual perturbations of the satellites, and perturbations due to Jupiter and the Sun. Values of the gravitational parameters of the Saturnian system, e.g. planet and satellite masses, were taken from Campbell, et. al., 1989, only the epoch state vectors of the satellites were adjusted to obtain orbits which fit the observations. All astrometric data was processed in the form of satellite relative positions which were weighted according to observer and opposition to reflect the varying data quality...

Observational Learning of Academic and Social Behaviors during Small-Group Direct Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledford, Jennifer R.; Wolery, Mark

2015-01-01

Many studies have shown that small-group direct instruction is effective and efficient for teaching students with and without disabilities, although relatively few studies have been conducted with heterogeneous groups of preschool participants. In addition, previous studies have primarily assessed whether observational learning occurred for…

Assessing the Student-Instructional Setting Interface Using an Eco-Behavioral Observation System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrickson, Jo M.

1992-01-01

An eco-behavioral observation system was developed for use with students with behavior disorders or emotional disturbances. Discussed are the ecosystem definition, the student-instructional setting interface, and the assessment procedure, including evaluation of the quality of academic responding, program evaluation, staff development, and…

Dimensionality of Upper Elementary Mathematics Instruction: Exploring Factors across Two Observational Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazar, David; Braslow, David; Charalambous, Charalambos Y.

2015-01-01

Over the past several years, research teams have developed observational instruments to measure the quality of teachers' instructional practices. Instruments such as Framework for Teaching (FFT) and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) assess general teaching practices, including student-teacher interactions, behavior management, and…

49 CFR 236.337 - Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. 236.337 Section 236.337 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD... Rules and Instructions § 236.337 Locking faces of mechanical locking; fit. Locking faces shall fit...

"Finding the Right FIT": Rural Patient Preferences for Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) Characteristics.

PubMed

Pham, Robyn; Cross, Suzanne; Fernandez, Bianca; Corson, Kathryn; Dillon, Kristen; Yackley, Coco; Davis, Melinda M

2017-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States, yet 1 in 3 Americans have never been screened for CRC. Annual screening using fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) is often a preferred modality in populations experiencing CRC screening disparities. Although multiple studies evaluate the clinical effectiveness of FITs, few studies assess patient preferences toward kit characteristics. We conducted this community-led study to assess patient preferences for FIT characteristics and to use study findings in concert with clinical effectiveness data to inform regional FIT selection. We collaborated with local health system leaders to identify FITs and recruit age eligible (50 to 75 years), English or Spanish speaking community members. Participants completed up to 6 FITs and associated questionnaires and were invited to participate in a follow-up focus group. We used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design to assess participant preferences and rank FIT kits. First, we used quantitative data from user testing to measure acceptability, ease of completion, and specimen adequacy through a descriptive analysis of 1) fixed response questionnaire items on participant attitudes toward and experiences with FIT kits, and 2) a clinical assessment of adherence to directions regarding collection, packaging, and return of specimens. Second, we analyzed qualitative data from focus groups to refine FIT rankings and gain deeper insight into the pros and cons associated with each tested kit. Seventy-six FITs were completed by 18 participants (Range, 3 to 6 kits per participant). Over half (56%, n = 10) of the participants were Hispanic and 50% were female (n = 9). Thirteen participants attended 1 of 3 focus groups. Participants preferred FITs that were single sample, used a probe and vial for sample collection, and had simple, large-font instructions with colorful pictures. Participants reported challenges using paper to catch samples, had

Development and construct validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale-Observer Form.

PubMed

Reddy, Linda A; Fabiano, Gregory; Dudek, Christopher M; Hsu, Louis

2013-12-01

Research on progress monitoring has almost exclusively focused on student behavior and not on teacher practices. This article presents the development and validation of a new teacher observational assessment (Classroom Strategies Scale) of classroom instructional and behavioral management practices. The theoretical underpinnings and empirical basis for the instructional and behavioral management scales are presented. The Classroom Strategies Scale (CSS) evidenced overall good reliability estimates including internal consistency, interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and freedom from item bias on important teacher demographics (age, educational degree, years of teaching experience). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of CSS data from 317 classrooms were carried out to assess the level of empirical support for (a) a 4 first-order factor theory concerning teachers' instructional practices, and (b) a 4 first-order factor theory concerning teachers' behavior management practice. Several fit indices indicated acceptable fit of the (a) and (b) CFA models to the data, as well as acceptable fit of less parsimonious alternative CFA models that included 1 or 2 second-order factors. Information-theory-based indices generally suggested that the (a) and (b) CFA models fit better than some more parsimonious alternative CFA models that included constraints on relations of first-order factors. Overall, CFA first-order and higher order factor results support the CSS-Observer Total, Composite, and subscales. Suggestions for future measurement development efforts are outlined. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Antecedences to Continued Intentions of Adopting E-Learning System in Blended Learning Instruction: A Contingency Framework Based on Models of Information System Success and Task-Technology Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Wen-Shan; Wang, Chun-Hsien

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to propose a research framework that investigates the relation between perceived fit and system factors that can motivate learners in continuing utilizing an e-learning system in blended learning instruction. As learners have the face-to-face learning opportunity in interacting with lecturers, the study aims at…

Observational and Incidental Learning by Children with Autism during Small Group Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledford, Jennifer R.; Gast, David L.; Luscre, Deanna; Ayres, Kevin M.

2008-01-01

This study evaluated the acquisition of incidental and observational information presented to 6 children with autism in a small group instructional arrangement using a constant time delay (CTD) procedure. A multiple probe design across behaviors, replicated across 6 participants, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the CTD procedure and to…

Short-arc measurement and fitting based on the bidirectional prediction of observed data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Zhigen; Xu, Xiaojie; Georgiadis, Anthimos

2016-02-01

To measure a short arc is a notoriously difficult problem. In this study, the bidirectional prediction method based on the Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) to the observed data distributed along a short arc is proposed to increase the corresponding arc length, and thus improve its fitting accuracy. Firstly, the rationality of regarding observed data as a time series is discussed in accordance with the definition of a time series. Secondly, the RBFNN is constructed to predict the observed data where the interpolation method is used for enlarging the size of training examples in order to improve the learning accuracy of the RBFNN’s parameters. Finally, in the numerical simulation section, we focus on simulating how the size of the training sample and noise level influence the learning error and prediction error of the built RBFNN. Typically, the observed data coming from a 5{}^\\circ short arc are used to evaluate the performance of the Hyper method known as the ‘unbiased fitting method of circle’ with a different noise level before and after prediction. A number of simulation experiments reveal that the fitting stability and accuracy of the Hyper method after prediction are far superior to the ones before prediction.

Increasing the number of steps walked each day improves physical fitness in Japanese community-dwelling adults.

PubMed

Okamoto, N; Nakatani, T; Okamoto, Y; Iwamoto, J; Saeki, K; Kurumatani, N

2010-04-01

We aimed to investigate the effects of increasing the number of steps each day on physical fitness, and the change in physical fitness according to the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genotype. A total of 174 participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Subjects in group A were instructed for 24-week trial to increase the number of steps walked each day, while subjects in group B were instructed to engage in brisk walking, at a target heart rate, for 20 min or more a day on two or more days a week. The values of the 3-min shuttle stamina walk test (SSWT) and the 30-s chair-stand test (CS-30) significantly increased, but no differences in increase were found between the groups. A significant relationship was found between the percentage increase in SSWT values and the increase in the number of steps walked by 1 500 steps or more per day over their baseline values. Our results suggest that increasing the number of steps walked daily improves physical fitness. No significant relationships were observed between the change in physical fitness and ACE genotypes. Copyright Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

Development of a System for Observing Dance Activities in the Classroom Environment (SODANCE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Meredith; Abel, Mark; Clasey, Jody; Beighle, Aaron; Fedewa, Alicia; Erwin, Heather

2016-01-01

This study sought to develop a system for observing dance activities in the classroom environment (SODANCE) based on the system for observing fitness instructional time (SOFIT). SODANCE utilizes direct observation to quantify the physical activity intensity of dance activities. Female students aged 11-17 years participated in an activity protocol…

Explicit Instruction and Next Generation Science Standards Aligned Classrooms: A Fit or a Split?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Therrien, William J.; Benson, Sarah K.; Hughes, Charles A.; Morris, Jared R.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of explicit instruction in the curriculum area of science where non-explicit approaches (e.g., discovery learning) are often used. While there has been a relative paucity of research on explicit instruction in science classrooms, we argue that explicit instruction, particularly when it is embedded…

The ISI Classroom Observation System: Examining the Literacy Instruction Provided to Individual Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, Carol McDonald; Morrison, Frederick J.; Fishman, Barry J.; Ponitz, Claire Cameron; Glasney, Stephanie; Underwood, Phyllis S.; Piasta, Shayne B.; Crowe, Elizabeth Coyne; Schatschneider, Christopher

2009-01-01

The Individualizing Student Instruction (ISI) classroom observation and coding system is designed to provide a detailed picture of the classroom environment at the level of the individual student. Using a multidimensional conceptualization of the classroom environment, foundational elements (teacher warmth and responsiveness to students, classroom…

Middle School Mathematics Instruction in Instructionally Focused Urban Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boston, Melissa D.; Wilhelm, Anne Garrison

2017-01-01

Direct assessments of instructional practice (e.g., classroom observations) are necessary to identify and eliminate opportunity gaps in students' learning of mathematics. This study examined 114 middle school mathematics classrooms in four instructionally focused urban districts. Results from the Instructional Quality Assessment identified high…

Gymnastics and Movement Instruction: Fighting the Decline in Motor Fitness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coelho, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

Historically, gymnastics has served an essential role in physical education and the development of physical fitness. Participating in gymnastics-related activities can improve the physical and motor fitness of children of all ages and can make significant contributions to the goals of physical education. This article describes the importance of…

Water Fit to Drink.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Edward P.

The major objective of this module is to help students understand how water from a source such as a lake is treated to make it fit to drink. The module, consisting of five major activities and a test, is patterned after Individualized Science Instructional System (ISIS) modules. The first activity (Planning) consists of a brief introduction and a…

Fitting contraceptive diaphragms: can laywomen provide quality training for doctors?

PubMed

Pickard, S; Baraitser, P; Herns, M; Massil, H

2001-07-01

To test the feasibility of training laywomen as professional patients to teach doctors to fit the contraceptive diaphragm. Semi-structured interviews with instructing doctors and questionnaires to DFFP trainees. These documented current teaching practice and the acceptability of professional patients. The Delphi technique was used to establish a curriculum for the professional patients' training programme. The results show that there is currently a lack of standardisation in teaching methods and content with respect to diaphragm fitting. All instructing doctors and DFFP trainees involved had experienced difficulties in recruiting women for training, and the majority would be happy to work with professional patients. After three rounds of the Delphi procedure, consensus was reached and a curriculum developed. Five women were recruited on to a training programme, and four successfully completed it. Lack of standardisation and difficulty recruiting patients are current problems when training doctors to fit diaphragms. Our study shows that the use of professional patients would be acceptable to both DFFP trainees and instructing doctors, and that it is possible to recruit and train women for this purpose.

Reading Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities: An Observation Study Synthesis (1980-2014)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Melodee A.; Stevens, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

This article synthesizes observation studies investigating reading instruction for students with learning disabilities (LD) in Grades K-12. A systematic search of the literature between 1980 and 2014 resulted in the identification of 25 studies. In addition to replicating and extending E. A. Swanson's synthesis, the research questions of studies…

Ameliorating Reading Disabilities Early: Examining an Effective Encoding and Decoding Prevention Instruction Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiser, Beverly L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether integrating encoding instruction with reading instruction provides stronger gains for students who struggle with reading than instruction that includes little or no encoding. An instructional design model was investigated to best fit the data of 175 first-grade readers at risk for reading…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol as an Evaluation Tool to Measure Teaching Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Nihat; Cepik, Saban

2016-01-01

To narrow the achievement gap between English language learners (ELLs) and their native-speaking peers in K-12 settings in the United States, effective instructional models must be identified. However, identifying valid observation protocols that can measure the effectiveness of specially designed instructional practices is not an easy task. This…

Factors Affecting the Implementation of Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocols for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calderon, Carlos Trevino

2012-01-01

The purpose of this sequential mixed methods case study was to explore the role of a teacher's attitude towards Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocols (SIOP) and how those attitudes affect the program's effectiveness. SIOP is a program designed to mitigate the effects of limited English proficiency and promote equal access to the curriculum…

One size does not fit all: older adults benefit from redundant text in multimedia instruction

PubMed Central

Fenesi, Barbara; Vandermorris, Susan; Kim, Joseph A.; Shore, David I.; Heisz, Jennifer J.

2015-01-01

The multimedia design of presentations typically ignores that younger and older adults have varying cognitive strengths and weaknesses. We examined whether differential instructional design may enhance learning in these populations. Younger and older participants viewed one of three computer-based presentations: Audio only (narration), Redundant (audio narration with redundant text), or Complementary (audio narration with non-redundant text and images). Younger participants learned better when audio narration was paired with relevant images compared to when audio narration was paired with redundant text. However, older participants learned best when audio narration was paired with redundant text. Younger adults, who presumably have a higher working memory capacity (WMC), appear to benefit more from complementary information that may drive deeper conceptual processing. In contrast, older adults learn better from presentations that support redundant coding across modalities, which may help mitigate the effects of age-related decline in WMC. Additionally, several misconceptions of design quality appeared across age groups: both younger and older participants positively rated less effective designs. Findings suggest that one-size does not fit all, with older adults requiring unique multimedia design tailored to their cognitive abilities for effective learning. PMID:26284000

One size does not fit all: older adults benefit from redundant text in multimedia instruction.

PubMed

Fenesi, Barbara; Vandermorris, Susan; Kim, Joseph A; Shore, David I; Heisz, Jennifer J

2015-01-01

The multimedia design of presentations typically ignores that younger and older adults have varying cognitive strengths and weaknesses. We examined whether differential instructional design may enhance learning in these populations. Younger and older participants viewed one of three computer-based presentations: Audio only (narration), Redundant (audio narration with redundant text), or Complementary (audio narration with non-redundant text and images). Younger participants learned better when audio narration was paired with relevant images compared to when audio narration was paired with redundant text. However, older participants learned best when audio narration was paired with redundant text. Younger adults, who presumably have a higher working memory capacity (WMC), appear to benefit more from complementary information that may drive deeper conceptual processing. In contrast, older adults learn better from presentations that support redundant coding across modalities, which may help mitigate the effects of age-related decline in WMC. Additionally, several misconceptions of design quality appeared across age groups: both younger and older participants positively rated less effective designs. Findings suggest that one-size does not fit all, with older adults requiring unique multimedia design tailored to their cognitive abilities for effective learning.

Authenticity in the Process of Learning about Instructional Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Jay R.; Schwier, Richard A.

2009-01-01

Authentic learning is touted as a powerful learning approach, particularly in the context of problem-based learning (Savery, 2006). Teaching and learning in the area of instructional design appears to offer a strong fit between the tenets of authentic learning and the practice of instructional design. This paper details the efforts to broaden and…

Assembly and Insertion of a Self-Fitting Hearing Aid

PubMed Central

Hickson, Louise; Meyer, Carly

2011-01-01

A self-fitting hearing aid has been proposed as a viable option to meet the need for rehabilitation in areas where audiology services are unreliable. A successful outcome with a self-fitting hearing aid pivots in part on the clarity of the instructions accompanying the device. The aims of this article are (a) to review the literature to determine features that should be incorporated into written health-care materials and factors to consider in the design process when developing written instructions for a target audience of older adults and (b) to apply this information to the development of a set of written instructions as the first step in self-fitting of a hearing aid, assembling four parts and inserting the aid into the ear. The method involved a literature review of published peer reviewed research. The literature revealed four steps in the development of written health-care materials: planning, design, assessment of suitability, and pilot testing. Best practice design principles for each step were applied in the development of instructions for how to assemble and insert a hearing aid. Separate booklets were developed for the left and right aids and the content of each consisted of simple line drawings accompanied by captions. The reading level was Grade 3.5 equivalent and the Flesch Reading Ease Score was 91.1 indicating that the materials were “very easy” to read. It is essential to follow best practice design principles when developing written health-care materials to motivate the reader, maximize comprehension, and increase the likelihood of successful application of the content. PMID:22389434

A Sport Education Fitness Season's Impact on Students' Fitness Levels, Knowledge, and In-Class Physical Activity.

PubMed

Ward, Jeffery Kurt; Hastie, Peter A; Wadsworth, Danielle D; Foote, Shelby; Brock, Sheri J; Hollett, Nikki

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a sport education season of fitness could provide students with recommended levels of in-class moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while also increasing students' fitness knowledge and fitness achievement. One hundred and sixty-six 5th-grade students (76 boys, 90 girls) participated in a 20-lesson season called "CrossFit Challenge" during a 4-week period. The Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run, push-ups, and curl-ups tests of the FITNESSGRAM® were used to assess fitness at pretest and posttest, while fitness knowledge was assessed through a validated, grade-appropriate test of health-related fitness knowledge (HRF). Physical activity was measured with Actigraph GT3X triaxial accelerometers. Results indicated a significant time effect for all fitness tests and the knowledge test. Across the entire season, the students spent an average of 54.5% of lesson time engaged in MVPA, irrespective of the type of lesson (instruction, free practice, or competition). The results suggest that configuring the key principles of sport education within a unit of fitness is an efficient model for providing students with the opportunity to improve fitness skill and HRF knowledge while attaining recommended levels of MVPA.

Advantages of wordless instructions on how to complete a fecal immunochemical test: lessons from patient advisory council members of a federally qualified health center.

PubMed

Coronado, Gloria D; Sanchez, Jen; Petrik, Amanda; Kapka, Tanya; DeVoe, Jen; Green, Beverly

2014-03-01

Some patients face difficulty understanding instructions for completing the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), a self-administered test to screen for colorectal cancer. We sought to develop and test low-literacy instructions for completing the FIT. Working in partnership with a Latino-serving Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the Portland Metro area, we developed and tested low-literacy instructions for completing the FIT; the instructions contained seven words (mail within 3 days; Devolver dentro de 3 dias). We conducted focus groups of Spanish-speaking patients on the advisory council of our partnering FQHC organization, and we gathered feedback from the project's advisory board members and clinic staff. We mailed a FIT kit to each patient, along with either (a) instructions written in English and Spanish, consisting of 415 words; or (b) low-literacy "wordless" instructions. We asked patients to complete the test before providing feedback. Our qualitative assessment showed that the wordless instructions were preferred over instructions consisting of words. Wordless instructions might aid efforts to raise the rates of colorectal cancer screening among low-literacy and non-English-speaking populations.

Assessing the Developmental Instruction Model: An Exploratory Study of Classroom "Fit" Using Environmental Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salter, Daniel W.

2013-01-01

To support the instructional process, Knefelkamp advanced the developmental instruction model (DIM) to describe the aspects of academic environments that facilitate the epistemological development of college students, consistent with the Perry scheme. No related measurement tool has been developed for the DIM, which may account for the lack of…

Instructional control of reinforcement learning: A behavioral and neurocomputational investigation

PubMed Central

Doll, Bradley B.; Jacobs, W. Jake; Sanfey, Alan G.; Frank, Michael J.

2011-01-01

Humans learn how to behave directly through environmental experience and indirectly through rules and instructions. Behavior analytic research has shown that instructions can control behavior, even when such behavior leads to sub-optimal outcomes (Hayes, S. (Ed.). 1989. Rule-governed behavior: cognition, contingencies, and instructional control. Plenum Press.). Here we examine the control of behavior through instructions in a reinforcement learning task known to depend on striatal dopaminergic function. Participants selected between probabilistically reinforced stimuli, and were (incorrectly) told that a specific stimulus had the highest (or lowest) reinforcement probability. Despite experience to the contrary, instructions drove choice behavior. We present neural network simulations that capture the interactions between instruction-driven and reinforcement-driven behavior via two potential neural circuits: one in which the striatum is inaccurately trained by instruction representations coming from prefrontal cortex/hippocampus (PFC/HC), and another in which the striatum learns the environmentally based reinforcement contingencies, but is “overridden” at decision output. Both models capture the core behavioral phenomena but, because they differ fundamentally on what is learned, make distinct predictions for subsequent behavioral and neuroimaging experiments. Finally, we attempt to distinguish between the proposed computational mechanisms governing instructed behavior by fitting a series of abstract “Q-learning” and Bayesian models to subject data. The best-fitting model supports one of the neural models, suggesting the existence of a “confirmation bias” in which the PFC/HC system trains the reinforcement system by amplifying outcomes that are consistent with instructions while diminishing inconsistent outcomes. PMID:19595993

The influence of cognitive ability and instructional set on causal conditional inference.

PubMed

Evans, Jonathan St B T; Handley, Simon J; Neilens, Helen; Over, David

2010-05-01

We report a large study in which participants are invited to draw inferences from causal conditional sentences with varying degrees of believability. General intelligence was measured, and participants were split into groups of high and low ability. Under strict deductive-reasoning instructions, it was observed that higher ability participants were significantly less influenced by prior belief than were those of lower ability. This effect disappeared, however, when pragmatic reasoning instructions were employed in a separate group. These findings are in accord with dual-process theories of reasoning. We also took detailed measures of beliefs in the conditional sentences used for the reasoning tasks. Statistical modelling showed that it is not belief in the conditional statement per se that is the causal factor, but rather correlates of it. Two different models of belief-based reasoning were found to fit the data according to the kind of instructions and the type of inference under consideration.

Exploring the Amount and Type of Writing Instruction during Language Arts Instruction in Kindergarten Classrooms

PubMed Central

Puranik, Cynthia S.; Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Sidler, Jessica Folsom; Greulich, Luana

2014-01-01

The objective of this exploratory investigation was to examine the nature of writing instruction in kindergarten classrooms and to describe student writing outcomes at the end of the school year. Participants for this study included 21 teachers and 238 kindergarten children from nine schools. Classroom teachers were videotaped once each in the fall and winter during the 90 minute instructional block for reading and language arts to examine time allocation and the types of writing instructional practices taking place in the kindergarten classrooms. Classroom observation of writing was divided into student-practice variables (activities in which students were observed practicing writing or writing independently) and teacher-instruction variables (activities in which the teacher was observed providing direct writing instruction). In addition, participants completed handwriting fluency, spelling, and writing tasks. Large variability was observed in the amount of writing instruction occurring in the classroom, the amount of time kindergarten teachers spent on writing and in the amount of time students spent writing. Marked variability was also observed in classroom practices both within and across schools and this fact was reflected in the large variability noted in kindergartners’ writing performance. PMID:24578591

Exploring the Amount and Type of Writing Instruction during Language Arts Instruction in Kindergarten Classrooms.

PubMed

Puranik, Cynthia S; Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Sidler, Jessica Folsom; Greulich, Luana

2014-02-01

The objective of this exploratory investigation was to examine the nature of writing instruction in kindergarten classrooms and to describe student writing outcomes at the end of the school year. Participants for this study included 21 teachers and 238 kindergarten children from nine schools. Classroom teachers were videotaped once each in the fall and winter during the 90 minute instructional block for reading and language arts to examine time allocation and the types of writing instructional practices taking place in the kindergarten classrooms. Classroom observation of writing was divided into student-practice variables (activities in which students were observed practicing writing or writing independently) and teacher-instruction variables (activities in which the teacher was observed providing direct writing instruction). In addition, participants completed handwriting fluency, spelling, and writing tasks. Large variability was observed in the amount of writing instruction occurring in the classroom, the amount of time kindergarten teachers spent on writing and in the amount of time students spent writing. Marked variability was also observed in classroom practices both within and across schools and this fact was reflected in the large variability noted in kindergartners' writing performance.

Instructional Supervision: A Descriptive Study Focusing on the Observation and Evaluation of Teachers in Cyberschools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley, Gregory Charles

2010-01-01

Since 1996, K-12 schools are increasingly moving from a traditional, face-to-face educational environment to an online learning environment utilizing technologies to deliver instruction primarily via the Internet. As this trend continues, administrators familiar with traditional supervisory methods will observe and evaluate teachers of online…

Naturalistic Observations of Elicited Expressive Communication of Children with Autism: An Analysis of Teacher Instructions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Hsu-Min

2009-01-01

This study observed expressive communication of 17 Australian and 15 Taiwanese children with autism who were mute or had limited spoken language during 2 hour regular school routines and analyzed teacher instructions associated with elicited expressive communication. Results indicated: (a) the frequency of occurrence of elicited expressive…

AN Fitting Reconditioning Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Jason

2011-01-01

A tool was developed to repair or replace AN fittings on the shuttle external tank (ET). (The AN thread is a type of fitting used to connect flexible hoses and rigid metal tubing that carry fluid. It is a U.S. military-derived specification agreed upon by the Army and Navy, hence AN.) The tool is used on a drill and is guided by a pilot shaft that follows the inside bore. The cutting edge of the tool is a standard-size replaceable insert. In the typical Post Launch Maintenance/Repair process for the AN fittings, the six fittings are removed from the ET's GUCP (ground umbilical carrier plate) for reconditioning. The fittings are inspected for damage to the sealing surface per standard operations maintenance instructions. When damage is found on the sealing surface, the condition is documented. A new AN reconditioning tool is set up to cut and remove the surface damage. It is then inspected to verify the fitting still meets drawing requirements. The tool features a cone-shaped interior at 36.5 , and may be adjusted at a precise angle with go-no-go gauges to insure that the cutting edge could be adjusted as it wore down. One tool, one setting block, and one go-no-go gauge were fabricated. At the time of this reporting, the tool has reconditioned/returned to spec 36 AN fittings with 100-percent success of no leakage. This tool provides a quick solution to repair a leaky AN fitting. The tool could easily be modified with different-sized pilot shafts to different-sized fittings.

Learning from Instructional Rounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

City, Elizabeth A.

2011-01-01

Instructional rounds are a disciplined way for educators to work together to improve a school's instructional core. The practice combines three common elements of improvement: classroom observation, an improvement strategy, and a network. Instructional rounds differ from supervision and evaluation in that people doing rounds learn something…

Child posture and shoulder belt fit during extended night-time traveling: an in-transit observational study.

PubMed

Forman, Jason L; Segui-Gomez, Maria; Ash, Joseph H; Lopez-Valdes, Francisco J

2011-01-01

Understanding pediatric occupant postures can help researchers indentify injury risk factors, and provide information for prospective injury prediction. This study sought to observe lateral head positions and shoulder belt fit among older child automobile occupants during a scenario likely to result in sleeping - extended travel during the night. An observational, volunteer, in-transit study was performed with 30 pediatric rear-seat passengers, ages 7 to 14. Each was restrained by a three-point seatbelt and was driven for seventy-five minutes at night. Ten subjects used a high-back booster seat, ten used a low-back booster seat, and ten used none (based on the subject height and weight). The subjects were recorded with a low-light video camera, and one frame was analyzed per each minute of video. The high-back booster group exhibited a statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in the mean frequency of poor shoulder belt fit compared to the no-booster and low-back booster groups. The high-back booster group also exhibited statistically significant decreases in the 90(th) percentile of the absolute value of the relative lateral motion of the head. The low-back booster group did not result in statistically significant decreases in poor shoulder belt fit or lateral head motion compared to the no-booster group. These results are consistent with the presence of large lateral supports of the high-back booster which provided support to the head while sleeping, reducing voluntary lateral occupant motion and improving shoulder belt fit. Future work includes examining lap belt fit in-transit, and examining the effects of these observations on predicted injury risk.

Child Posture and Shoulder Belt Fit During Extended Night-Time Traveling: An In-Transit Observational Study.

PubMed Central

Forman, Jason L.; Segui-Gomez, Maria; Ash, Joseph H.; Lopez-Valdes, Francisco J.

2011-01-01

Understanding pediatric occupant postures can help researchers indentify injury risk factors, and provide information for prospective injury prediction. This study sought to observe lateral head positions and shoulder belt fit among older child automobile occupants during a scenario likely to result in sleeping - extended travel during the night. An observational, volunteer, in-transit study was performed with 30 pediatric rear-seat passengers, ages 7 to 14. Each was restrained by a three-point seatbelt and was driven for seventy-five minutes at night. Ten subjects used a high-back booster seat, ten used a low-back booster seat, and ten used none (based on the subject height and weight). The subjects were recorded with a low-light video camera, and one frame was analyzed per each minute of video. The high-back booster group exhibited a statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in the mean frequency of poor shoulder belt fit compared to the no-booster and low-back booster groups. The high-back booster group also exhibited statistically significant decreases in the 90th percentile of the absolute value of the relative lateral motion of the head. The low-back booster group did not result in statistically significant decreases in poor shoulder belt fit or lateral head motion compared to the no-booster group. These results are consistent with the presence of large lateral supports of the high-back booster which provided support to the head while sleeping, reducing voluntary lateral occupant motion and improving shoulder belt fit. Future work includes examining lap belt fit in-transit, and examining the effects of these observations on predicted injury risk. PMID:22105378

Effects of a Weight Training Personalized System of Instruction Course on Fitness Levels and Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Tony; Penix, Kellie; Colquitt, Gavin; McCollum, Starla

2012-01-01

Effective instruction in a university physical activity program is essential if the program desires to meet the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 1998) guidelines for an appropriate college/university physical activity instructional program. To meet these guidelines, an instructor can use the Personalized System of…

Effects of Instructions, Self-Instructions and Discipline on Children's Donating.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Margery S.; Israel, Allen C.

In a study of children's donating behavior, the effects of experimenter instructions, perceived maternal discipline, and self-instructive cognitions were investigated. Seventy-two second; third; and fourth-grade girls who viewed their mothers as inductive or power assertive earned tokens in a size-judgement task. They observed a model donate and…

CW-FIT: Group Contingency Effects across the Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Howard P.; Iwaszuk, Wendy M.; Kamps, Debra; Shumate, Emily

2014-01-01

This study explored the effects of a group-contingency intervention on student behavior across academic instructional periods. Research suggests group contingencies are evidence-based practices, yet calls for investigation to determine the best conditions and groups suited for this type of intervention. CW-FIT (Class-Wide Function-related…

Changes in Health and Fitness in Firefighter Recruits: An Observational Cohort Study.

PubMed

Cornell, David J; Gnacinski, Stacy L; Meyer, Barbara B; Ebersole, Kyle T

2017-11-01

To observe longitudinal changes in health and fitness among firefighter recruits. Body composition, aerobic capacity, muscular power, muscular strength, and muscular endurance measures were longitudinally collected among 27 male firefighter recruits (mean ± SD, age = 29.9 ± 4.1 yr; height, 179.8 ± 4.6 cm; body mass, 87.2 ± 9.7 kg) at the beginning (W1) and end (W14) of their firefighter training academy, as well as at the end of their probationary period (W38). Repeated-measures multivariate analyses of variance (RM MANOVA) identified significant changes across time among measures of body composition (F10,17 = 30.390, Λ = 0.053, P < 0.001), aerobic capacity (F6,21 = 55.111, Λ = 0.060, P < 0.001), muscular power (F8,17 = 2.785, Λ = 0.433, P = 0.036), muscular strength (F6,20 = 34.908, Λ = 0.087, P < 0.001), and muscular endurance (F4,23 = 25.983, Λ = 0.181, P < 0.001). Follow-up post hoc analyses indicated that all measures, except muscular power, significantly improved from W1 to W14 (P < 0.05). However, significant decrements in many of these measures were also observed from W14 to W38 (P < 0.05). The results of the current study suggest that measures of health and fitness among firefighter recruits significantly improved throughout the firefighter training academy (W1 to W14). However, many of these positive physiological adaptations are lost before these recruits finish their probationary period as active-duty firefighters (W14 to W38). These results highlight the importance of developing exercise programming that is designed for the active-duty firefighter cohort population to maintain the beneficial adaptations in health and fitness previously created during the firefighter training academy.

Nutrition and Fitness Curriculum: Designing Instructional Interventions for Children with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Cynthia G.; Swicegood, Philip R.; Gaus, Mark D.

2006-01-01

With the recent rise of childhood obesity, teaching children with developmental disabilities about healthful lifestyle choices has important implications for special educators. Designing instructional interventions for children with developmental disabilities in the areas of nutrition and weight management poses challenges to educators, who must…

Principles and Applications of Physical Fitness: Course Proposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, David G.

A proposal is presented for a Community College of Philadelphia Life Sciences and Allied Health Services course in physical fitness. Following a standard cover form, a statement of purpose explains that the course is designed to provide instruction and experience in the basic areas of nutrition and physical conditioning, including dietary…

Particulate face masks for protection against airborne pathogens - one size does not fit all: an observational study.

PubMed

Winter, Susan; Thomas, Jane H; Stephens, Dianne P; Davis, Joshua S

2010-03-01

To determine the proportion of hospital staff who pass fit tests with each of three commonly used particulate face masks, and factors influencing preference and fit test results. Observational study. 50 healthy hospital staff volunteers in an 18-bed general intensive care unit in an Australian teaching hospital. Participants were administered a questionnaire about mask use and their preferred mask and underwent qualitative fit-testing with each of three different particulate masks: Kimberly-Clark Tecnol FluidShield N95 particulate filter respirator (KC), 3M Flat Fold 9320 particulate respirator and 3M 8822 particulate respirator with exhalation valve. Participants who failed fittesting were trained in correct mask donning, and fittesting was repeated. Proportion of participants who passed the fit test for each mask and the effect of training. The proportion of participants who passed a fit test was low for all three masks tested (KC, 16%; flat fold, 28%; and valved, 34%). Rates improved after training: the first mask tested fitted in 18% of participants pre-training and 40% post-training (P = 0.02). None of the masks fitted for 28% of participants. There were no significant predictors of fit-test results. A large proportion of individuals failed a fit test with any given mask, and we were not able to identify any factors that predicted mask fit in individuals. Training on mask use improved the rates of adequate fit. Hospitals should carry a range of P2 masks, and should conduct systematic P2 mask training and fit-testing programs for all staff potentially exposed to airborne pathogens.

Observation of Multimedia-Assisted Instruction in the Listening Skills of Students with Mild Mental Deficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akin, Erhan

2016-01-01

This study was carried out with 2 students with mild mental deficiency, one in 5th grade and the other in 6th grade of Turgut Özal Secondary School in Bulanik County of Mus Province. It was done during the spring semester of the 2014-2015 school year in order to observe the effect of multimedia-assisted instruction on listening skills of…

Experience and Explanation: Using Videogames to Prepare Students for Formal Instruction in Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arena, Dylan A.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2014-01-01

Well-designed digital games can deliver powerful experiences that are difficult to provide through traditional instruction, while traditional instruction can deliver formal explanations that are not a natural fit for gameplay. Combined, they can accomplish more than either can alone. An experiment tested this claim using the topic of statistics,…

Paucity and Disparity in Kindergarten Oral Vocabulary Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Tanya S.; Neuman, Susan B.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how oral vocabulary instruction was enacted in kindergarten. Four days (12 hours) of instruction were observed in 55 classrooms in a range of socio-economic status schools. All instruction was coded for evidence of vocabulary instruction for a total of 660 hours of observation. Results revealed that…

Instructional Development for Clinical Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranton, P. A.

Clinical teaching involves instruction in a natural health-related environment which allows students to observe and participate in the actual practice of the profession. The use of objectives, the sequence of instruction, the instructional methods and materials, and the evaluation of student performance constitute the components studied in…

Predictive validity of the classroom strategies scale-observer form on statewide testing scores: an initial investigation.

PubMed

Reddy, Linda A; Fabiano, Gregory A; Dudek, Christopher M; Hsu, Louis

2013-12-01

The present study examined the validity of a teacher observation measure, the Classroom Strategies Scale--Observer Form (CSS), as a predictor of student performance on statewide tests of mathematics and English language arts. The CSS is a teacher practice observational measure that assesses evidence-based instructional and behavioral management practices in elementary school. A series of two-level hierarchical generalized linear models were fitted to data of a sample of 662 third- through fifth-grade students to assess whether CSS Part 2 Instructional Strategy and Behavioral Management Strategy scale discrepancy scores (i.e., ∑ |recommended frequency--frequency ratings|) predicted statewide mathematics and English language arts proficiency scores when percentage of minority students in schools was controlled. Results indicated that the Instructional Strategy scale discrepancy scores significantly predicted mathematics and English language arts proficiency scores: Relatively larger discrepancies on observer ratings of what teachers did versus what should have been done were associated with lower proficiency scores. Results offer initial evidence of the predictive validity of the CSS Part 2 Instructional Strategy discrepancy scores on student academic outcomes. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The Effect of Four Instructional Formats on Aerobic Fitness of Junior-High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Ron W.; Karp, Grace Goc

2006-01-01

The low level of fitness in junior-high school students is an area of great concern. An important, but misunderstood, part of the physical education curriculum is the development of aerobic fitness. What is the best way to go about developing aerobic fitness? Four groups of primarily Caucasian (79.9%) Grade 8 and 9 students (n = 144), attending a…

The Best of Both Worlds: Building on the COPUS and RTOP Observation Protocols to Easily and Reliably Measure Various Levels of Reformed Instructional Practice

PubMed Central

Lund, Travis J.; Pilarz, Matthew; Velasco, Jonathan B.; Chakraverty, Devasmita; Rosploch, Kaitlyn; Undersander, Molly; Stains, Marilyne

2015-01-01

Researchers, university administrators, and faculty members are increasingly interested in measuring and describing instructional practices provided in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses at the college level. Specifically, there is keen interest in comparing instructional practices between courses, monitoring changes over time, and mapping observed practices to research-based teaching. While increasingly common observation protocols (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol [RTOP] and Classroom Observation Protocol in Undergraduate STEM [COPUS]) at the postsecondary level help achieve some of these goals, they also suffer from weaknesses that limit their applicability. In this study, we leverage the strengths of these protocols to provide an easy method that enables the reliable and valid characterization of instructional practices. This method was developed empirically via a cluster analysis using observations of 269 individual class periods, corresponding to 73 different faculty members, 28 different research-intensive institutions, and various STEM disciplines. Ten clusters, called COPUS profiles, emerged from this analysis; they represent the most common types of instructional practices enacted in the classrooms observed for this study. RTOP scores were used to validate the alignment of the 10 COPUS profiles with reformed teaching. Herein, we present a detailed description of the cluster analysis method, the COPUS profiles, and the distribution of the COPUS profiles across various STEM courses at research-intensive universities. PMID:25976654

Instructional Framework for Fitness Education in Physical Education. Guidance Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2012

2012-01-01

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education's (NASPE) Fitness Education Project team gathered insights from professionals across the country who have worked on national and state physical education standards and district curriculum materials; from content and pedagogy specialists; and from current literature to provide what follows:…

Individualizing Student Instruction Precisely: Effects of Child by Instruction Interactions on First Graders’ Literacy Development

PubMed Central

Connor, Carol McDonald; Piasta, Shayne B.; Fishman, Barry; Glasney, Stephanie; Schatschneider, Christopher; Crowe, Elizabeth; Underwood, Phyllis; Morrison, Frederick J.

2009-01-01

Recent findings demonstrate that the most effective reading instruction may vary with children’s language and literacy skills. These child X instruction interactions imply that individualizing instruction would be a potent strategy for improving students’ literacy. A cluster-randomized control field trial, conducted in 10 high-moderate poverty schools, examined effects of individualizing literacy instruction. The instruction each first grader received (n=461 in 47 classrooms, mean age = 6.7 years), fall, winter and spring, was recorded. Comparing intervention-recommended amounts of instruction with observed amounts revealed that intervention teachers individualized instruction more precisely than did comparison teachers. Importantly, the more precisely children received recommended amounts of instruction, the stronger was their literacy skill growth. Results provide strong evidence of child X instruction interaction effects on literacy outcomes. PMID:19236394

Using Art to Teach Students Science Outdoors: How Creative Science Instruction Influences Observation, Question Formation, and Involvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cone, Christina Schull

Elementary education has become increasingly divided into subjects and focused on the demand for high math and reading scores. Consequently, teachers spend less time devoted to science and art instruction. However, teaching art and science is crucial to developing creative and rational thinking, especially for observation and questioning skills. In this study, third grade students attending an urban school in Portland, Oregon received instruction of an art strategy using observational and quantifying drawing techniques. This study examines, "Will an art strategy observing the local environment help students make observations and ask questions?" and "In what ways are student learning and perspectives of science affected by the art strategy?" The independent variable is the art strategy developed for this study. There are three dependent variables: quality of student observations, quality of questions, and themes on student learning and perspectives of science. I predicted students would develop strong observation and questioning skills and that students would find the strategy useful or have an increased interest in science. The art scores were high for relevance and detail, but not for text. There were significant correlations between art scores and questions. Interviews revealed three themes: observations create questions, drawing is helpful and challenging, and students connected to science. By examining science through art, students were engaged and created strong observations and questions. Teachers need to balance unstructured drawing time with scaffolding for optimal results. This study provides an integrated science and art strategy that teachers can use outdoors or adapt for the classroom.

16 CFR 1203.6 - Labeling and instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... visible to the user: (1) Model designation. (2) A warning to the user that no helmet can protect against... wearer's head in accordance with the manufacturer's fitting instructions. (4) A warning to the user that... protect the head against further impacts, and that this damage may not be visible to the user. This label...

The influence of instructional interactions on students’ mental models about the quantization of physical observables: a modern physics course case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Didiş Körhasan, Nilüfer; Eryılmaz, Ali; Erkoç, Şakir

2016-01-01

Mental models are coherently organized knowledge structures used to explain phenomena. They interact with social environments and evolve with the interaction. Lacking daily experience with phenomena, the social interaction gains much more importance. In this part of our multiphase study, we investigate how instructional interactions influenced students’ mental models about the quantization of physical observables. Class observations and interviews were analysed by studying students’ mental models constructed in a modern physics course during an academic semester. The research revealed that students’ mental models were influenced by (1) the manner of teaching, including instructional methodologies and content specific techniques used by the instructor, (2) order of the topics and familiarity with concepts, and (3) peers.

Self-Fitting Hearing Aids

PubMed Central

Convery, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

A self-contained, self-fitting hearing aid (SFHA) is a device that enables the user to perform both threshold measurements leading to a prescribed hearing aid setting and fine-tuning, without the need for audiological support or access to other equipment. The SFHA has been proposed as a potential solution to address unmet hearing health care in developing countries and remote locations in the developed world and is considered a means to lower cost and increase uptake of hearing aids in developed countries. This article reviews the status of the SFHA and the evidence for its feasibility and challenges and predicts where it is heading. Devices that can be considered partly or fully self-fitting without audiological support were identified in the direct-to-consumer market. None of these devices are considered self-contained as they require access to other hardware such as a proprietary interface, computer, smartphone, or tablet for manipulation. While there is evidence that self-administered fitting processes can provide valid and reliable results, their success relies on user-friendly device designs and interfaces and easy-to-interpret instructions. Until these issues have been sufficiently addressed, optional assistance with the self-fitting process and on-going use of SFHAs is recommended. Affordability and a sustainable delivery system remain additional challenges for the SFHA in developing countries. Future predictions include a growth in self-fitting products, with most future SFHAs consisting of earpieces that connect wirelessly with a smartphone and providers offering assistance through a telehealth infrastructure, and the integration of SFHAs into the traditional hearing health-care model. PMID:27072929

Firefighters' cardiovascular health and fitness: An observation of adaptations that occur during firefighter training academies.

PubMed

Gnacinski, Stacy L; Ebersole, Kyle T; Cornell, David J; Mims, Jason; Zamzow, Aaron; Meyer, Barbara B

2016-03-09

Firefighters' cardiovascular fitness remains a foremost concern among fire departments and organizations, yet very little research has been conducted to examine the cardiovascular fitness adaptations that occur during firefighter training academies. To describe the cardiovascular adaptations observed among firefighter recruits during firefighter training academies using measures of estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and heart rate recovery (ΔHR). Firefighter recruits (n = 41) enrolled in a 16-week firefighter training academy completed a 5-minute step test during the first, eighth, and sixteenth week of training. Repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) calculations were conducted to determine changes in estimated VO2max and ΔHR. Results of the RM ANOVA calculations revealed that mean estimated VO2max and mean ΔHR differed significantly between time points: F(2, 80) = 75.525, p < 0.001, and F(2, 80) = 4.368, p = 0.016, respectively. No significant changes were observed in mean estimated VO2max and mean ΔHR beyond the eighth week of training. No significant relationship was identified between estimated VO2max and ΔHR. Although firefighter recruits' estimated VO2max and ΔHR change significantly over the course of the firefighter training academy, the measures may not be equal predictors of cardiovascular fitness.

Using assessment to individualize early mathematics instruction.

PubMed

Connor, Carol McDonald; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Kurz, Terri; Crowe, Elizabeth C; Tighe, Elizabeth L; Wood, Taffeta S; Morrison, Frederick J

2018-02-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that assessment-informed personalized instruction, tailored to students' individual skills and abilities, is more effective than more one-size-fits-all approaches. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of Individualizing Student Instruction in Mathematics (ISI-Math) compared to Reading (ISI-Reading) where classrooms were randomly assigned to ISI-Math or ISI-Reading. The literature on child characteristics X instruction or skill X treatment interaction effects point to the complexities of tailoring instruction for individual students who present with constellations of skills. Second graders received mathematics instruction in small flexible learning groups based on their assessed learning needs. Results of the study (n=32 teachers, 370 students) revealed significant treatment effects on standardized mathematics assessments. With effect sizes (d) of 0.41-0.60, we show that we can significantly improve 2nd graders' mathematics achievement, including for children living in poverty, by using assessment data to individualize the mathematics instruction they receive. The instructional regime, ISI-Math, was implemented by regular classroom teachers and it led to about a 4-month achievement advantage on standardized mathematics tests when compared to students in control classrooms. These results were realized within one school year. Moreover, treatment effects were the same regardless of school-level poverty and students' gender, initial mathematics or vocabulary scores. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fitness and Nutrition Activity Book for Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Health, Columbus.

This activity book is designed to supplement health lessons on nutrition and physical fitness for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. Some of the activities are quite simple and require very little instruction and direction, while others are more difficult and require careful explanation prior to completion. The level of difficulty of the…

Mid-J CO Shock Tracing Observations of Infrared Dark Clouds. III. SLED Fitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pon, A.; Kaufman, M. J.; Johnstone, D.; Caselli, P.; Fontani, F.; Butler, M. J.; Jiménez-Serra, I.; Palau, A.; Tan, J. C.

2016-08-01

Giant molecular clouds contain supersonic turbulence that can locally heat small fractions of gas to over 100 K. We run shock models for low-velocity, C-type shocks propagating into gas with densities between 103 and 105 cm-3 and find that CO lines are the most important cooling lines. Comparison to photodissociation region (PDR) models indicates that mid-J CO lines (J = 8 \\to 7 and higher) should be dominated by emission from shocked gas. In Papers I and II we presented CO J = 3 \\to 2, 8 \\to 7, and 9 \\to 8 observations toward four primarily quiescent clumps within infrared dark clouds. Here we fit PDR models to the combined spectral line energy distributions and show that the PDR models that best fit the low-J CO emission underpredict the mid-J CO emission by orders of magnitude, strongly hinting at a hot gas component within these clumps. The low-J CO data clearly show that the integrated intensities of both the CO J = 8 \\to 7 and 9 \\to 8 lines are anomalously high, such that the line ratio can be used to characterize the hot gas component. Shock models are reasonably consistent with the observed mid-J CO emission, with models with densities near {10}4.5 cm-3 providing the best agreement. Where this mid-J CO is detected, the mean volume filling factor of the hot gas is 0.1%. Much of the observed mid-J CO emission, however, is also associated with known protostars and may be due to protostellar feedback.

Acute tendon changes in intense CrossFit workout: an observational cohort study.

PubMed

Fisker, F Y; Kildegaard, S; Thygesen, M; Grosen, K; Pfeiffer-Jensen, M

2017-11-01

CrossFit is a fitness program that has become increasingly popular in the Western world, but as in other sports, the risk of injury is present. Only a few studies have addressed health benefits and injuries in CrossFit. It is known that chronically overloaded tendons will thicken and increase the risk of tendinopathy. However, it remains unknown whether acute overload caused by strenuous, high-intensity exercise will exert changes in tendons and if these changes can be detected and described by ultrasonography. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of acute overload on tendon thickness using ultrasonography. Standardized ultrasound measurements of the patella, Achilles, and plantaris tendons were performed before and after a specific workout in 34 healthy subjects. Significant increases were observed in patella tendon thickness before (M = 4.5, SD = 0.6) and after (M = 5.0, SD = 0.7) highly intense strenuous exercise, with an estimated mean differences of 0.47 mm (95% CI: 0.35-0.59 mm; P < 0.0001) and in Achilles tendon thickness before (M = 4.4, SD = 0.4) and after (M = 4.5, SD = 0.5) workout, with an estimated difference of 0.17 mm (95% CI: 0.04-0.29 mm; P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in fascia plantaris thickness before (M = 3.4, SD = 0.5) and after (M = 3.4, SD = 0.5) workout (P = 0.97). A significant increase in the thickness of the patellar and Achilles tendons was found in response to strenuous, highly intense CrossFit exercises. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms of the findings and possibly utilize this to gain a better understanding, further studies must be conducted. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effective Instructional Time Use for School Leaders: Longitudinal Evidence from Observations of Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grissom, Jason A.; Loeb, Susanna; Master, Benjamin

2013-01-01

Scholars have long argued that principals should be "instructional leaders," but few studies have empirically linked specific instructional leadership behaviors to school performance. This study examines the associations between leadership behaviors and student achievement gains using a unique data source: in-person, full-day…

The best of both worlds: Building on the COPUS and RTOP observation protocols to easily and reliably measure various levels of reformed instructional practice.

PubMed

Lund, Travis J; Pilarz, Matthew; Velasco, Jonathan B; Chakraverty, Devasmita; Rosploch, Kaitlyn; Undersander, Molly; Stains, Marilyne

2015-01-01

Researchers, university administrators, and faculty members are increasingly interested in measuring and describing instructional practices provided in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses at the college level. Specifically, there is keen interest in comparing instructional practices between courses, monitoring changes over time, and mapping observed practices to research-based teaching. While increasingly common observation protocols (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol [RTOP] and Classroom Observation Protocol in Undergraduate STEM [COPUS]) at the postsecondary level help achieve some of these goals, they also suffer from weaknesses that limit their applicability. In this study, we leverage the strengths of these protocols to provide an easy method that enables the reliable and valid characterization of instructional practices. This method was developed empirically via a cluster analysis using observations of 269 individual class periods, corresponding to 73 different faculty members, 28 different research-intensive institutions, and various STEM disciplines. Ten clusters, called COPUS profiles, emerged from this analysis; they represent the most common types of instructional practices enacted in the classrooms observed for this study. RTOP scores were used to validate the alignment of the 10 COPUS profiles with reformed teaching. Herein, we present a detailed description of the cluster analysis method, the COPUS profiles, and the distribution of the COPUS profiles across various STEM courses at research-intensive universities. © 2015 T. J. Lund et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Effect of Physically Active Academic Lessons on Body Mass Index and Physical Fitness in Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Greeff, Johannes W.; Hartman, Esther; Mullender-Wijnsma, Marijke J.; Bosker, Roel J.; Doolaard, Simone; Visscher, Chris

2016-01-01

Background: Preventing overweight and improving physical fitness in primary school children is a worldwide challenge, and physically active intervention programs usually come with the cost of academic instruction time. This study aimed to investigate effects of physically active academic lessons on body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness in…

GOSSIP: SED fitting code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franzetti, Paolo; Scodeggio, Marco

2012-10-01

GOSSIP fits the electro-magnetic emission of an object (the SED, Spectral Energy Distribution) against synthetic models to find the simulated one that best reproduces the observed data. It builds-up the observed SED of an object (or a large sample of objects) combining magnitudes in different bands and eventually a spectrum; then it performs a chi-square minimization fitting procedure versus a set of synthetic models. The fitting results are used to estimate a number of physical parameters like the Star Formation History, absolute magnitudes, stellar mass and their Probability Distribution Functions.

Effects of Fit between Teachers' Instructional Beliefs and Didactical Principles of Reading Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrmann, Lars; Souvignier, Elmar

2015-01-01

A strategy-based reading promotion program was implemented over a course of 8 months in 65 classes from grades 5 to 7 (student age M?=?11.2 years, SD?=?1.0). It was investigated whether teachers flexibly adapted their pedagogical content beliefs (PCBs) on the teaching of reading according to the instructional principles of the intervention.…

Classroom observation data and instruction in primary mathematics education: improving design and rigour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Carla J.; Davis, Sandra B.

2014-06-01

The use of formal observation in primary mathematics classrooms is supported in the literature as a viable method of determining effective teaching strategies and appropriate tasks for inclusion in the early years of mathematics learning. The twofold aim of this study was to (a) investigate predictive relationships between primary mathematics classroom observational data and student achievement data, and (b) to examine the impact of providing periodic classroom observational data feedback to teachers using a Relational-Feedback-Intervention (RFI) Database Model. This observational research effort focused on an empirical examination of student engagement levels in time spent on specific learning activities observed in primary mathematics classrooms as predictors of student competency outcomes in mathematics. Data were collected from more than 2,000 primary classroom observations in 17 primary schools during 2009-2011 and from standardised end-of-year tests for mathematics achievement. Results revealed predictive relationships among several types of teaching and learning tasks with student achievement. Specifically, the use of mathematics concepts, technology and hands-on materials in primary mathematics classrooms was found to produce substantive predictors of increased student mathematics achievement. Additional findings supported the use of periodic classroom observation data reporting as a positive influence on teachers' decisions in determining instructional tasks for inclusion in primary mathematics classrooms. Study results indicate classroom observational research involving a RFI Database Model is a productive tool for improving teaching and learning in primary mathematics classrooms.

Comparison of the Effects of SMART Board Technology and Flash Card Instruction on Sight Word Recognition and Observational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mechling, Linda C.; Gast, David L.; Thompson, Kimberly L.

2009-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of SMART Board, interactive whiteboard technology and traditional flash cards in teaching reading in a small-group instructional arrangement. Three students with moderate intellectual disabilities were taught to read grocery store aisle marker words under each condition. Observational learning (students…

Methods of Writing Instruction Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Bill H.

The Writing Program Director at Johnson County Community College (Kansas) developed quantitative measures for writing instruction evaluation which can support that institution's growing interest in and support for peer collaboration as a means to improving instructional quality. The first process (Interaction Analysis) has an observer measure…

Observation of Instruction via Distance Learning: The Need for a New Evaluation Paradigm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Bobby G.; Malm, Loren D.; Nay, Fred W.; Oliver, Brad E.; Saunders, Nancy G.; Thompson, Jay C.

The evaluation of instruction via distance learning at the high school and college level offers special challenges, particularly the evaluation of one-way video--two-way audio instructional programs. The role of the teacher is radically changed and teaching strategies and course design are particularly important in a distance leaning environment.…

Spectroscopy Made Easy: A New Tool for Fitting Observations with Synthetic Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valenti, J. A.; Piskunov, N.

1996-01-01

We describe a new software package that may be used to determine stellar and atomic parameters by matching observed spectra with synthetic spectra generated from parameterized atmospheres. A nonlinear least squares algorithm is used to solve for any subset of allowed parameters, which include atomic data (log gf and van der Waals damping constants), model atmosphere specifications (T(sub eff, log g), elemental abundances, and radial, turbulent, and rotational velocities. LTE synthesis software handles discontiguous spectral intervals and complex atomic blends. As a demonstration, we fit 26 Fe I lines in the NSO Solar Atlas (Kurucz et al.), determining various solar and atomic parameters.

Predicting Student Achievement in University-Level Business and Economics Classes: Peer Observation of Classroom Instruction and Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galbraith, Craig S.; Merrill, Gregory B.

2012-01-01

We examine the validity of peer observation of classroom instruction for purposes of faculty evaluation. Using both a multi-section course sample and a sample of different courses across a university's School of Business and Economics we find that the results of annual classroom observations of faculty teaching are significantly and positively…

Mind the Gap! Implications of a Person-Environment Fit Model of Intellectual Disability for Students, Educators, and Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, James R.; Wehmeyer, Michael L.; Hughes, Carolyn

2010-01-01

A person-environment fit conceptualization of intellectual disability (ID) requires educators to focus on the gap between a student's competencies and the demands of activities and settings in schools. In this article the implications of the person-environment fit conceptual model are considered in regard to instructional benefits, special…

Reengineering the ESL Practitioner for Content-Based Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Lilith M.

The idea of content-based instruction (CBI) is at odds with the curricula of most English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher preparation programs. Nor does it fit easily with the skill-based texts and learning packages that are used widely in the field. There is also little agreement about the methods to be used to effect it at various levels of…

How Do We Match Instructional Effectiveness with Learning Curves?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branum-Martin, Lee; Mehta, Paras D.; Taylor, W. Patrick; Carlson, Coleen D.; Lei, Xiaoxuan; Hunter, C. Vincent; Francis, David J.

2015-01-01

In order to examine the effectiveness of instruction, the authors confront formidable statistical problems, including multivariate structure of classroom observations, longitudinal dependence of both classroom observations and student outcomes. As the authors begin to examine instruction, classroom observations involve multiple variables for which…

A Self-Fitting Hearing Aid

PubMed Central

Keidser, Gitte; Dillon, Harvey; Hartley, Lisa

2011-01-01

The need for reliable access to hearing health care services is growing globally, particularly in developing countries and in remotely located, underserved regions in many parts of the developed world. Individuals with hearing loss in these areas are at a significant disadvantage due to the scarcity of local hearing health care professionals and the high cost of hearing aids. Current approaches to making hearing rehabilitation services more readily available to underserved populations include teleaudiology and the provision of amplification devices outside of the traditional provider-client relationship. Both strategies require access to such resources as dedicated equipment and/or specially trained staff. Another possible strategy is a self-fitting hearing aid, a personal amplification device that is equipped with an onboard tone generator to enable user-controlled, automated, in situ audiometry; an onboard prescription to determine the initial hearing aid settings; and a trainable algorithm to enable user-controlled fine-tuning. The device is thus assembled, fitted, and managed by the user without the need for audiological or computer support. This article details the self-fitting concept and its potential application in both developing and developed countries. Potential advantages and disadvantages of such a device are discussed, and considerations for further investigations into the concept are presented. Overall, the concept is considered technologically viable with the main challenges anticipated to be development of clear, simple user instructions and a delivery model that ensures reliable supplies of instant-fit ear tips and batteries. PMID:22143873

Intensive Instruction in Reading Components: A Comparison of Instructional Focus in Two Early Reading Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantrell, Susan Chambers; Powers, Sherry W.; Roth, Nathan P.

2013-01-01

Examined in this study was instruction in two reading intervention programs, Reading Recovery and Reading Mastery, in the context of a statewide early reading initiative's first year of implementation. Through observations of 15 teachers, investigated in this study was the instructional focus of the intervention lessons and the extent to which…

How Instructional Designers Solve Workplace Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortney, Kathleen S.; Yamagata-Lynch, Lisa C.

2013-01-01

This naturalistic inquiry investigated how instructional designers engage in complex and ambiguous problem solving across organizational boundaries in two corporations. Participants represented a range of instructional design experience, from novices to experts. Research methods included a participant background survey, observations of…

Science Instruction: An Endangered Species

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conderman, Greg; Woods, C. Sheldon

2008-01-01

In light of the importance science plays in people's lives and society, it is perplexing to observe the minimal attention given to science instruction--especially in the elementary grades. Though some information presented here is not new, the authors' intent is to stimulate a dialogue about effective elementary science instruction by offering a…

Association of Quality Physical Education Teaching with Students’ Physical Fitness

PubMed Central

Chen, Weiyun; Mason, Steve; Hypnar, Andrew; Hammond-Bennett, Austin

2016-01-01

This study examined the extent to which four essential dimensions of quality physical education teaching (QPET) were associated with healthy levels of physical fitness in elementary school students. Participants were nine elementary PE teachers and 1, 201 fourth- and fifth-grade students who were enrolled in nine elementary schools. The students’ physical fitness were assessed using four FITNESSGRAM tests. The PE teachers’ levels of QPET were assessed using the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubrics (AQTR). The AQTR consisted of four essential dimensions including Task Design, Task Presentation, Class Management, and Instructional Guidance. Codes were confirmed through inter-rater reliability (82.4% and 84.5%). Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, multiple R-squared regression models, and independent sample t-tests. The four essential teaching dimensions of QPET were significantly associated with the students’ cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. However, they accounted for relatively low percentage of the total variance in PACER test, followed by Curl-up test, while explaining very low portions of the total variance in Push-up and Trunk Lift tests. This study indicated that the students who had experienced high level of QPET were more physically fit than their peers who did not have this experience in PACER and Curl-up tests, but not in Push-up and Trunk lift tests. In addition, the significant contribution of the four essential teaching dimensions to physical fitness components was gender-specific. It was concluded that the four teaching dimensions of QPET were significantly associated with students’ health-enhancing physical fitness. Key points Although Task Design, Task Presentation, Class Management, and Instructional Guidance has its unique and critical teaching components, each essential teaching dimensions is intertwined and immersed in teaching practices. Four essential teaching dimensions all

Fitness and Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordholm, Catherine R.

This document makes a number of observations about physical fitness in America. Among them are: (1) the symptoms of aging (fat accumulation, lowered basal metabolic rate, loss of muscular strength, reduction in motor fitness, reduction in work capacity, etc.) are not the result of disease but disuse; (2) society conditions the individual to…

Effectiveness of three just-in-time training modalities for N-95 mask fit testing.

PubMed

Jones, David; Stoler, Genevieve; Suyama, Joe

2013-01-01

To compare and contrast three different training modalities for fit testing N-95 respirator face masks. Block randomized interventional study. Urban university. Two hundred eighty-nine medical students. Students were randomly assigned to video, lecture, or slide show to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods for fit testing large groups of people. Ease of fit and success of fit for each instructional technique. Mask 1 was a Kimberly-Clark duckbill N-95 respirator mask, and mask 2 was a 3M™ carpenters N-95 respirator mask. "Ease of fit" was defined as the ability to successfully don a mask in less than 30 seconds. "Success of fit" was defined as the ability to correctly don a mask in one try. There were no statistical differences by training modality for either mask regarding ease of fit or success of fit. There were no differences among video presentation, small group demonstration, and self-directed slide show just-in-time training modalities for ease of fit or success of fit N-95 respirator mask fitting. Further study is needed to explore more effective fit training modalities.

Mathematical learning models that depend on prior knowledge and instructional strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, David E.; Lee, Young-Jin; Bao, Lei

2008-06-01

We present mathematical learning models—predictions of student’s knowledge vs amount of instruction—that are based on assumptions motivated by various theories of learning: tabula rasa, constructivist, and tutoring. These models predict the improvement (on the post-test) as a function of the pretest score due to intervening instruction and also depend on the type of instruction. We introduce a connectedness model whose connectedness parameter measures the degree to which the rate of learning is proportional to prior knowledge. Over a wide range of pretest scores on standard tests of introductory physics concepts, it fits high-quality data nearly within error. We suggest that data from MIT have low connectedness (indicating memory-based learning) because the test used the same context and representation as the instruction and that more connected data from the University of Minnesota resulted from instruction in a different representation from the test.

Case-Based Instructional Practices: A Multiple-Case Study from Torts, Marketing, and Online Instructional Design Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Ji yoon

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive account on case-based instructional practices. Semester-long participant observation records in torts, marketing, and online instructional design classes, instructor interviews, course syllabi and teaching materials were used to describe the within-class complexity of the practices in terms…

Print Reading, Layout and Fit-Up. Welding Module 2. Instructor's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

This guide is intended to assist vocational educators in teaching a five-unit module in print reading, layout, and fit-up. The module is part of a welding curriculum that has been designed to be totally integrated with Missouri's Vocational Instruction Management System. The following topics are covered in the module: reading basic prints and…

Physical Fitness Test Battery for Mentally Retarded Children (Trainable and Educable).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fait, Hollis F.

A physical fitness test battery for educable and trainable mentally handicapped children is presented. Instructions are given for administering the test; descriptions are given of the seven test items, including the 25 yard run, bent arm hang, leg lift, static balance, thrust, and 300 yard run-walk. Rationale for the items and factors in…

PROGRAMED SELF-INSTRUCTION IN MANDARIN CHINESE, OBSERVATIONS OF STUDENT PROGRESS WITH AN AUTOMATED AUDIO-VISUAL INSTRUCTIONAL DEVICE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CARROLL, JOHN B.

RESEARCH WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER SPOKEN AND WRITTEN FOREIGN LANGUAGE SKILLS COULD BE TAUGHT BY PROGRAMED SELF-INSTRUCTION USING THE MOST PRACTICAL AND WELL-DESIGNED AUDIOVISUAL TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE. THE PRESENTATION DEVICE, OR TEACHING MACHINE, WAS DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED TO SERVE THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF PROGRAMED SELF-INSTRUCTION…

Differentiating Science Instruction: Secondary science teachers' practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeng, Jennifer L.; Bell, Randy L.

2015-09-01

This descriptive study investigated the implementation practices of secondary science teachers who differentiate instruction. Participants included seven high school science teachers purposefully selected from four different schools located in a mid-Atlantic state. Purposeful selection ensured participants included differentiated instruction (DI) in their lesson implementation. Data included semi-structured interviews and field notes from a minimum of four classroom observations, selected to capture the variety of differentiation strategies employed. These data were analyzed using a constant-comparative approach. Each classroom observation was scored using the validated Differentiated Instruction Implementation Matrix-Modified, which captured both the extent to which critical indicators of DI were present in teachers' instruction and the performance levels at which they engaged in these components of DI. Results indicated participants implemented a variety of differentiation strategies in their classrooms with varying proficiency. Evidence suggested all participants used instructional modifications that required little advance preparation to accommodate differences in students' interests and learning profile. Four of the seven participants implemented more complex instructional strategies that required substantial advance preparation by the teacher. Most significantly, this study provides practical strategies for in-service science teachers beginning to differentiate instruction and recommendations for professional development and preservice science teacher education.

Professional Development and Teacher Perceptions of Experiences Teaching Health-Related Fitness Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Michael; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Lee, Chong; Kwon, Ja Youn

2017-01-01

Students of all ages have documented a deficiency in health-related fitness knowledge (HRFK). However, improving students HRFK may require a change in teacher practices and professional development (PD). Purpose: This study, framed by Guskey's Model of Teacher Change (GMTC; Guskey, 2002), sought to assist teachers' HRFK instruction as part of…

Developing Aerobic Dance Routines: A Method for Instructing Undergraduate Group Fitness Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dail, Teresa; Melton, Deana

2009-01-01

Group exercise leader certifications often include a written, as well as a practical, component. In order to prepare candidates for certification, some organizations offer workshops before the examination. However, candidates are expected to have prior experience in leading group exercise. Undergraduate fitness leadership classes can be an…

Fitting observed and theoretical choices - women's choices about prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.

PubMed

Seror, Valerie

2008-05-01

Choices regarding prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome - the most frequent chromosomal defect - are particularly relevant to decision analysis, since women's decisions are based on the assessment of their risk of carrying a child with Down syndrome, and involve tradeoffs (giving birth to an affected child vs procedure-related miscarriage). The aim of this study, based on face-to-face interviews with 78 women aged 25-35 with prior experience of pregnancy, was to compare the women' expressed choices towards prenatal diagnosis with those derived from theoretical models of choice (expected utility theory, rank-dependent theory, and cumulative prospect theory). The main finding obtained in this study was that the cumulative prospect model fitted the observed choices best: both subjective transformation of probabilities and loss aversion, which are basic features of the cumulative prospect model, have to be taken into account to make the observed choices consistent with the theoretical ones.

Administrator Observation and Feedback: Does It Lead toward Improvement in Inquiry-Oriented Math Instruction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigby, Jessica G.; Larbi-Cherif, Adrian; Rosenquist, Brooks A.; Sharpe, Charlotte J.; Cobb, Paul; Smith, Thomas

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study examines the content and efficacy of instructional leaders' expectations and feedback (press) in relation to the improvement of middle school mathematics teachers' instruction in the context of coherent systems of supports. Research Method/Approach: This mixed methods study is a part of a larger, 8-year longitudinal study in…

Video Games: Instructional Potential and Classification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nawrocki, Leon H.; Winner, Janet L.

1983-01-01

Intended to provide a framework and impetus for future investigations of video games, this paper summarizes activities investigating the instructional use of such games, observations by the authors, and a proposed classification scheme and a paradigm to assist in the preliminary selection of instructional video games. Nine references are listed.…

Eliminating the Simon Effect by Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theeuwes, Marijke; Liefooghe, Baptist; De Houwer, Jan

2014-01-01

A growing body of research demonstrates that instructions can elicit automatic response activations. The results of the present study indicate that instruction-based response activations can also counteract automatic response activations based on long-term associations. To this end, we focused on the Simon effect, which is the observation that…

Early Primary Literacy Instruction in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubeck, Margaret M.; Jukes, Matthew C. H.; Okello, George

2012-01-01

We report on a study that used observations, conversations, and formal interviews to explore literacy instruction in 24 lower-primary classrooms in coastal Kenya. Specifically, we report the ways literacy instruction is delivered and how that delivery aligns with practices understood to promote reading acquisition. We find (1) prioritization of…

Impact of Multimedia Based Instructional Design on the College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramganesh, E.; Amutha, S.

2011-01-01

Preparing the technology proficient learners to meet the needs of 21st century has emerged as a critical challenge facing education in our country. The teacher has to prepare the young generation to fit in to the technology intensive society of the 21st century. Instructional design (ID) is the systematic process of planning events to facilitate…

Fire fit: assessing comprehensive fitness and injury risk in the fire service.

PubMed

Poplin, Gerald S; Roe, Denise J; Burgess, Jefferey L; Peate, Wayne F; Harris, Robin B

2016-02-01

This study sought to develop a comprehensive measure of fitness that is predictive of injury risk and can be used in the fire service to assess individual-level health and fit-for-duty status. A retrospective occupational cohort of 799 career fire service employees was observed over the years 2005-2009. An equally weighted score for comprehensive fitness was calculated based on cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Repeated measures survival analyses were used to estimate the risk of any injury, sprain or strain, and exercise-related injuries in relation to comprehensive fitness. A well-distributed comprehensive fitness score was developed to distinguish three tiers of overall fitness status. Intraclass correlations identified flexibility, total grip strength, percent body fat, and resting heart rate as the most reliable fitness metrics, while push-ups, sit-ups, and aerobic capacity demonstrated poor reliability. In general, individuals with a lower comprehensive fitness status had an increased injury risk of injury as compared to the most fit individuals. The risk of any injury was 1.82 (95% CI 1.06-3.11) times as likely for the least fit individuals, as compared to individuals in the top fire fitness category, increasing to 2.90 (95% CI 1.48-5.66) when restricted to sprains and strains. This 5-year analysis of clinical occupational health assessments enabled the development of a relevant metric for relating comprehensive fitness with the risk of injury. Results were consistent with previous studies focused on cardiorespiratory fitness, but also less susceptible to inter-individual variability of discrete measurements.

An investigation of motivational variables in CrossFit facilities.

PubMed

Partridge, Julie A; Knapp, Bobbi A; Massengale, Brittany D

2014-06-01

CrossFit is a growing fitness trend in the United States; however, little systematic research has addressed specific motivational principles within this unique exercise environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of gender and membership time on perceptions of motivational climate and goals within the CrossFit environment. Specifically, people may set goals related to self-improvement (i.e., mastery) or focus on their performance in comparison to others (i.e., performance). Motivational climate refers to an individual's perception of being encouraged to focus on either mastery or performance goals from CrossFit trainers. A total of 144 members (88 females; 56 males) completed questionnaires to assess participants' perceptions of CrossFit goal structures and perceptions of the motivational climate encouraged by the trainer within their CrossFit box. Results indicated a significant main effect for gender on preferred goals (p ≤ 0.05), with males reporting higher levels of performance approach goals and females reporting higher levels of master avoidance goals. Participants who reported shorter membership times were found to have significantly higher mastery-related goals than individuals who reported longer membership times (p ≤ 0.05). The results from the study suggest that practitioners should consider how perceptions of the motivational climate and goals in group-based exercise settings such as CrossFit may vary based on demographic variables, and that these differences may impact how to most effectively motivate, encourage, and instruct group members, particularly with regard to helping members set goals that most effectively address their approach to the CrossFit regimen.

Metacognitive instruction in middle school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonney, Dianna

The purpose of this action research project was to determine the extent to which metacognitive instruction affected students' performance in the middle-grade science classroom. Conducted with four seventh grade science classes over a three-month time period, 105 students were engaged in 21 metacognitively enhanced lessons. Both quantitative and qualitative data sources were collected for this study and analyzed according to grounded theory methodology. Quantitative data came from the Jr. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, administered as a pre-post test. Qualitative teacher-generated data was collected in a metacognitive observation protocol containing observations and reflections while student-generated data was gathered from reflective journal entries, modified rubrics, and checklists. Analysis of the data led to the assertions that metacognitive development occurred over time through systematic and varied implementation of explicit instruction. In addition, students perceived they learned best both when working collaboratively and when making multiple connections with content material. Implications for middle-grade teachers include the need for explicit instruction of metacognitive strategies, providing for instructional variation and student collaboration, and guiding students in making connections to prior learning.

“Superluminal” FITS File Processing on Multiprocessors: Zero Time Endian Conversion Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eguchi, Satoshi

2013-05-01

The FITS is the standard file format in astronomy, and it has been extended to meet the astronomical needs of the day. However, astronomical datasets have been inflating year by year. In the case of the ALMA telescope, a ˜TB-scale four-dimensional data cube may be produced for one target. Considering that typical Internet bandwidth is tens of MB/s at most, the original data cubes in FITS format are hosted on a VO server, and the region which a user is interested in should be cut out and transferred to the user (Eguchi et al. 2012). The system will equip a very high-speed disk array to process a TB-scale data cube in 10 s, and disk I/O speed, endian conversion, and data processing speeds will be comparable. Hence, reducing the endian conversion time is one of issues to solve in our system. In this article, I introduce a technique named “just-in-time endian conversion”, which delays the endian conversion for each pixel just before it is really needed, to sweep out the endian conversion time; by applying this method, the FITS processing speed increases 20% for single threading and 40% for multi-threading compared to CFITSIO. The speedup tightly relates to modern CPU architecture to improve the efficiency of instruction pipelines due to break of “causality”, a programmed instruction code sequence.

Instructional Partners, Principals, Teachers, and Instructional Assistants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Dept. of Public Instruction, Indianapolis.

This handbook examines various topics of interest and concern to teachers as they work with instructional assistants forming a classroom instructional partnership and functioning as a team. These topics include: (1) instructional assistant qualifications; (2) duties--instructional, classroom clerical, auxillary; (3) factors to be considered when…

Professional development to differentiate kindergarten Tier 1 instruction: Can already effective teachers improve student outcomes by differentiating Tier 1 instruction?

PubMed Central

Otaiba, Stephanie Al; Folsom, Jessica S.; Wanzek, Jeannie; Greulich, Luana; Wasche, Jessica; Schatschneider, Christopher; Connor, Carol

2015-01-01

Two primary purposes guided this quasi-experimental within-teacher study: (1) to examine changes from baseline through two years of professional development (Individualizing Student Instruction) in kindergarten teachers’ differentiation of Tier 1 literacy instruction; (2) to examine changes in reading and vocabulary of three cohorts of the teachers’ students (n = 416). Teachers’ instruction was observed and students were assessed on standardized measures of vocabulary and word reading. Results suggested that teachers significantly increased their differentiation and students showed significantly greater word reading outcomes relative to baseline. No change was observed for vocabulary. Results have implications for supporting teacher effectiveness through technology-supported professional development. PMID:27346927

Professional development to differentiate kindergarten Tier 1 instruction: Can already effective teachers improve student outcomes by differentiating Tier 1 instruction?

PubMed

Otaiba, Stephanie Al; Folsom, Jessica S; Wanzek, Jeannie; Greulich, Luana; Wasche, Jessica; Schatschneider, Christopher; Connor, Carol

Two primary purposes guided this quasi-experimental within-teacher study: (1) to examine changes from baseline through two years of professional development (Individualizing Student Instruction) in kindergarten teachers' differentiation of Tier 1 literacy instruction; (2) to examine changes in reading and vocabulary of three cohorts of the teachers' students ( n = 416). Teachers' instruction was observed and students were assessed on standardized measures of vocabulary and word reading. Results suggested that teachers significantly increased their differentiation and students showed significantly greater word reading outcomes relative to baseline. No change was observed for vocabulary. Results have implications for supporting teacher effectiveness through technology-supported professional development.

Sources of Instructional Feedback, Job Satisfaction, and Basic Psychological Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wininger, Steven R.; Birkholz, Paige M.

2013-01-01

This study examined college instructors' utilization and perceived value of sources of instructional feedback (institutional student ratings, consultation with an instructional specialist, soliciting feedback from students, self-assessment, self-observation, peer/administrator observation, and peer coaching). We examined relationships between the…

The Dependability of Classroom Observations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiatt, Diana Buell; Keesling, J. Ward

A generalizability study of timed observations was conducted in 25 primary grade classes to observe teachers' use of time--for instruction, evaluation of instruction, and classroom management--according to the hour and day observed. Observational methods used by on-site researchers included videotape, checklists, running documentaries, frequency…

ACSM Fitness Book: A Proven Step-By-Step Program from the Experts. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Coll. of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.

This offers advice on the health benefits of regular physical activity. It includes a scientifically proven fitness test to determine one's starting point and monitor ongoing progress, offering step-by-step instructions, sample programs, and insights on nutrition, weight control, motivation, and overcoming setbacks. Seven chapters examine: (1)…

Comparing the cognitive differences resulting from modeling instruction: Using computer microworld and physical object instruction to model real world problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oursland, Mark David

This study compared the modeling achievement of students receiving mathematical modeling instruction using the computer microworld, Interactive Physics, and students receiving instruction using physical objects. Modeling instruction included activities where students applied the (a) linear model to a variety of situations, (b) linear model to two-rate situations with a constant rate, (c) quadratic model to familiar geometric figures. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze achievement differences between students (a) receiving different methods of modeling instruction, (b) with different levels of beginning modeling ability, or (c) with different levels of computer literacy. Student achievement was analyzed quantitatively through a three-factor analysis of variance where modeling instruction, beginning modeling ability, and computer literacy were used as the three independent factors. The SOLO (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) assessment framework was used to design written modeling assessment instruments to measure the students' modeling achievement. The same three independent factors were used to collect and analyze the interviews and observations of student behaviors. Both methods of modeling instruction used the data analysis approach to mathematical modeling. The instructional lessons presented problem situations where students were asked to collect data, analyze the data, write a symbolic mathematical equation, and use equation to solve the problem. The researcher recommends the following practice for modeling instruction based on the conclusions of this study. A variety of activities with a common structure are needed to make explicit the modeling process of applying a standard mathematical model. The modeling process is influenced strongly by prior knowledge of the problem context and previous modeling experiences. The conclusions of this study imply that knowledge of the properties about squares improved the students

10 CFR 19.12 - Instruction to workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... observe, to the extent within the workers control, the applicable provisions of Commission regulations and... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Instruction to workers. 19.12 Section 19.12 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NOTICES, INSTRUCTIONS AND REPORTS TO WORKERS: INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATIONS § 19.12...

Are Global In-Situ Ocean Observations Fit-for-purpose? Applying the Framework for Ocean Observing in the Atlantic.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visbeck, M.; Fischer, A. S.; Le Traon, P. Y.; Mowlem, M. C.; Speich, S.; Larkin, K.

2015-12-01

There are an increasing number of global, regional and local processes that are in need of integrated ocean information. In the sciences ocean information is needed to support physical ocean and climate studies for example within the World Climate Research Programme and its CLIVAR project, biogeochemical issues as articulated by the GCP, IMBER and SOLAS projects of ICSU-SCOR and Future Earth. This knowledge gets assessed in the area of climate by the IPCC and biodiversity by the IPBES processes. The recently released first World Ocean Assessment focuses more on ecosystem services and there is an expectation that the Sustainable Development Goals and in particular Goal 14 on the Ocean and Seas will generate new demands for integrated ocean observing from Climate to Fish and from Ocean Resources to Safe Navigation and on a healthy, productive and enjoyable ocean in more general terms. In recognition of those increasing needs for integrated ocean information we have recently launched the Horizon 2020 AtlantOS project to promote the transition from a loosely-coordinated set of existing ocean observing activities to a more integrated, more efficient, more sustainable and fit-for-purpose Atlantic Ocean Observing System. AtlantOS takes advantage of the Framework for Ocean observing that provided strategic guidance for the design of the project and its outcome. AtlantOS will advance the requirements and systems design, improving the readiness of observing networks and data systems, and engaging stakeholders around the Atlantic. AtlantOS will bring Atlantic nations together to strengthen their complementary contributions to and benefits from the internationally coordinated Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the Blue Planet Initiative of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). AtlantOS will fill gaps of the in-situ observing system networks and will ensure that their data are readily accessible and useable. AtlantOS will demonstrate the utility of

Instructional Model and Thinking Skill in Chemistry Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langkudi, H. H.

2018-02-01

Chemistry course are considered a difficult lesson for students as evidenced by low learning outcomes on daily tests, mid-semester tests as well as final semester tests. This research intended to investigate the effect of instructional model, thinking skill and the interaction of these variables on students’ achievement in chemistry. Experimental method was applying used 2 x 2 factorial design. The results showed that the use of instructional model with thinking skill influences student’s learning outcomes, so that the chemistry teacher is recommended to pay attention to the learning model, and adjusted to the student’s skill thinking on the chemistry material being taught. The conclusion of this research is that discovery model is suitable for students who have formal thinking skill and conventional model is fit for the students that have concrete thinking skill.

Instructional Gaming: Implications for Instructional Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, John V.; And Others

Instructional gaming, as distinguished from simulation, is defined as any overt instructional or learning format that involves competition and is rule-guided. The literature review identifies five categories of articles on instructional gaming: (1) research, (2) theory, (3) reviews, (4) discussion, and (5) development. Games have been found to…

Developing the Instructional Specification. Monograph Number 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerlach, Vernon S.; And Others

Analysis of a film script that makes the learner identify and distinguish between statements of observation and statements of inference leads an instructor (or other program writer) step by step through the processes of preparing an instructional specification--a blue-print for preparing powerful self-instructional materials. There are four parts…

Instructional Styles, Attitudes and Experiences of Seniors in Computer Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Eileen; Lanuza, Catherine; Baciu, Iuliana; MacKenzie, Meagan; Nosko, Amanda

2010-01-01

Sixty-four seniors were introduced to computers through a series of five weekly workshops. Participants were given instruction followed by hands-on experience for topics related to social communication, information seeking, games, and word processing and were observed to determine their preferences for instructional support. Observations of…

Physical fitness modulates incidental but not intentional statistical learning of simultaneous auditory sequences during concurrent physical exercise.

PubMed

Daikoku, Tatsuya; Takahashi, Yuji; Futagami, Hiroko; Tarumoto, Nagayoshi; Yasuda, Hideki

2017-02-01

In real-world auditory environments, humans are exposed to overlapping auditory information such as those made by human voices and musical instruments even during routine physical activities such as walking and cycling. The present study investigated how concurrent physical exercise affects performance of incidental and intentional learning of overlapping auditory streams, and whether physical fitness modulates the performances of learning. Participants were grouped with 11 participants with lower and higher fitness each, based on their Vo 2 max value. They were presented simultaneous auditory sequences with a distinct statistical regularity each other (i.e. statistical learning), while they were pedaling on the bike and seating on a bike at rest. In experiment 1, they were instructed to attend to one of the two sequences and ignore to the other sequence. In experiment 2, they were instructed to attend to both of the two sequences. After exposure to the sequences, learning effects were evaluated by familiarity test. In the experiment 1, performance of statistical learning of ignored sequences during concurrent pedaling could be higher in the participants with high than low physical fitness, whereas in attended sequence, there was no significant difference in performance of statistical learning between high than low physical fitness. Furthermore, there was no significant effect of physical fitness on learning while resting. In the experiment 2, the both participants with high and low physical fitness could perform intentional statistical learning of two simultaneous sequences in the both exercise and rest sessions. The improvement in physical fitness might facilitate incidental but not intentional statistical learning of simultaneous auditory sequences during concurrent physical exercise.

Integrated Reading-Writing Instruction for Elementary School Emergent Bilingual Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malova, Irina

2017-01-01

This comparative case study investigated integrated reading-writing instruction (IRWI) as an approach for writing instruction implemented after the adoption of Common Core State Standards (NGA & CCSSO, 2010a). Specifically, I explored the nature of IRWI through video-recorded observations of writing instruction, teachers' perspectives towards…

Does Test Preparation Mean Low-Quality Instruction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazar, David; Pollard, Cynthia

2017-01-01

Critics of test-based accountability warn that test preparation has a negative influence on teachers' instruction due to a focus on procedural skills. Others advocate that the adoption of more rigorous assessments may be a way to incentivize more ambitious test preparation instruction. Drawing on classroom observations and teacher surveys, we do…

Adaptive Memory: Evaluating Alternative Forms of Fitness-Relevant Processing in the Survival Processing Paradigm

PubMed Central

Sandry, Joshua; Trafimow, David; Marks, Michael J.; Rice, Stephen

2013-01-01

Memory may have evolved to preserve information processed in terms of its fitness-relevance. Based on the assumption that the human mind comprises different fitness-relevant adaptive mechanisms contributing to survival and reproductive success, we compared alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios with survival processing. Participants rated words for relevancy to fitness-relevant and control conditions followed by a delay and surprise recall test (Experiment 1a). Participants recalled more words processed for their relevance to a survival situation. We replicated these findings in an online study (Experiment 2) and a study using revised fitness-relevant scenarios (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, we did not find a mnemonic benefit for alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios, questioning assumptions associated with an evolutionary account of remembering. Based on these results, fitness-relevance seems to be too wide-ranging of a construct to account for the memory findings associated with survival processing. We propose that memory may be hierarchically sensitive to fitness-relevant processing instructions. We encourage future researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for survival processing effects and work toward developing a taxonomy of adaptive memory. PMID:23585858

How Well Can the Observed Flux Ropes in the Solar Wind be Fitted by a Uniform-twist Flux Rope Model?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.

2015-12-01

In the solar wind, flux ropes, e.g., magnetic clouds (MCs), are a frequently observational phenomenon. Their magnetic field configuration or the way that the field lines wind around the flux rope axis is one of the most important information to understand the formation and evolution of the observed flux ropes. Most MCs are believed to be in the force-free state, and widely modeled by the Lundquist force-free solution, in which the twist of the field line increases from zero at the axis to infinity at the boundary. However, Lundquist solution is not the only form of a force-free magnetic field. Some studies based on suprathermal electron observations and models have shown that MCs may carry magnetic field lines more likely to be uniformly twisted. The nonlinear force-free field extrapolation of solar magnetic field also suggests that the field lines of a flux rope twist limitedly. In this study, we have developed a velocity-modified uniform-twist force-free flux rope model, and fit observed MCs with this model. By using this approach, we test how well the observed MCs can be fitted into a uniform-twist flux rope. Some interesting results will be given in this presentation.

THE PEAKS AND GEOMETRY OF FITNESS LANDSCAPES

PubMed Central

CRONA, KRISTINA; GREENE, DEVIN; BARLOW, MIRIAM

2012-01-01

Fitness landscapes are central in the theory of adaptation. Recent work compares global and local properties of fitness landscapes. It has been shown that multi-peaked fitness landscapes have a local property called reciprocal sign epistasis interactions. The converse is not true. We show that no condition phrased in terms of reciprocal sign epistasis interactions only, implies multiple peaks. We give a sufficient condition for multiple peaks phrased in terms of two-way interactions. This result is surprising since it has been claimed that no sufficient local condition for multiple peaks exist. We show that our result cannot be generalized to sufficient conditions for three or more peaks. Our proof depends on fitness graphs, where nodes represent genotypes and where arrows point toward more fit genotypes. We also use fitness graphs in order to give a new brief proof of the equivalent characterizations of fitness landscapes lacking genetic constraints on accessible mutational trajectories. We compare a recent geometric classification of fitness landscape based on triangulations of polytopes with qualitative aspects of gene interactions. One observation is that fitness graphs provide information not contained in the geometric classification. We argue that a qualitative perspective may help relating theory of fitness landscapes and empirical observations. PMID:23036916

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Stimulus Pairing Observation Procedure and Multiple Exemplar Instruction on Tact and Listener Responses in Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Brittany L.; Rehfeldt, Ruth Anne; Aguirre, Angelica A.

2014-01-01

The stimulus pairing observation procedure (SPOP) combined with multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) has been shown to be effective with typically developing preschoolers in establishing the joint stimulus control required for the development of naming. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the…

Interservice Procedures for Instructional Systems Development. Phase 2. Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

interesting challenge to the trainees. EXAMPLE At the end of two weeks of senior life saving Instruction, a physically fit graduate must swim one mile...does a military person need toanswsr correctly in order to advance in rank, havea successful career, perform his primary mission, orbe a credit to the... advanced training phases. 2, Qualified, not enlisted (QNE): a. Identification of new leads. b. Determine reason for not enlisting. c. Get the

Testing the Impact of Child Characteristics × Instruction Interactions on Third Graders’ Reading Comprehension by Differentiating Literacy Instruction

PubMed Central

Connor, Carol McDonald; Morrison, Fredrick J.; Fishman, Barry; Giuliani, Sarah; Luck, Melissa; Underwood, Phyllis S.; Bayraktar, Aysegul; Crowe, Elizabeth C.; Schatschneider, Christopher

2016-01-01

There is accumulating correlational evidence that the effect of specific types of reading instruction depends on children’s initial language and literacy skills, called child characteristics × instruction (C×I) interactions. There is, however, no experimental evidence beyond first grade. This randomized control study examined whether C×I interactions might present an underlying and predictable mechanism for explaining individual differences in how students respond to third-grade classroom literacy instruction. To this end, we designed and tested an instructional intervention (Individualizing Student Instruction [ISI]). Teachers (n = 33) and their students (n = 448) were randomly assigned to the ISI intervention or a vocabulary intervention, which was not individualized. Teachers in both conditions received professional development. Videotaped classroom observations conducted in the fall, winter, and spring documented the instruction that each student in the classroom received. Teachers in the ISI group were more likely to provide differentiated literacy instruction that considered C×I interactions than were the teachers in the vocabulary group. Students in the ISI intervention made greater gains on a standardized assessment of reading comprehension than did students in the vocabulary intervention. Results indicate that C×I interactions likely contribute to students’ varying response to literacy instruction with regard to their reading comprehension achievement and that the association between students’ profile of language and literacy skills and recommended instruction is nonlinear and dependent on a number of factors. Hence, dynamic and complex theories about classroom instruction and environment impacts on student learning appear to be warranted and should inform more effective literacy instruction in third grade. PMID:27867226

Classroom Observations: Documenting Shifts in Instruction for Districtwide Improvement. Formative Evaluation Cycle Report for the Math in Common Initiative, Volume 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Rebecca R.; Seago, Nanette M.; Burr, Elizabeth; Broek, Marie; Finkelstein, Neal D.

2015-01-01

Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. This research brief explores how best to select or develop and use classroom observation systems in order to document instructional shifts and…

FITS Liberator: Image processing software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindberg Christensen, Lars; Nielsen, Lars Holm; Nielsen, Kaspar K.; Johansen, Teis; Hurt, Robert; de Martin, David

2012-06-01

The ESA/ESO/NASA FITS Liberator makes it possible to process and edit astronomical science data in the FITS format to produce stunning images of the universe. Formerly a plugin for Adobe Photoshop, the current version of FITS Liberator is a stand-alone application and no longer requires Photoshop. This image processing software makes it possible to create color images using raw observations from a range of telescopes; the FITS Liberator continues to support the FITS and PDS formats, preferred by astronomers and planetary scientists respectively, which enables data to be processed from a wide range of telescopes and planetary probes, including ESO's Very Large Telescope, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, ESA's XMM-Newton Telescope and Cassini-Huygens or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Evidence-Based Fitness Promotion in an Afterschool Setting: Implementation Fidelity and Its Policy Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thaw, Jean M.; Villa, Manuela; Reitman, David; DeLucia, Christian; Gonzalez, Vanessa; Hanson, K. Lori

2014-01-01

Little is known about how the adoption of evidence-based physical activity (PA) curricula by out-of-school time (OST) programs affects children's physical fitness, and there are no clear guidelines of what constitutes reasonable gains given the types of PA instruction currently offered in these programs. Using a three-wave,…

Deconstructing the simplification of jury instructions: How simplifying the features of complexity affects jurors' application of instructions.

PubMed

Baguley, Chantelle M; McKimmie, Blake M; Masser, Barbara M

2017-06-01

Research consistently shows that techniques currently used to simplify jury instructions do not always improve mock jurors' comprehension. If improvements are observed, these are limited and overall comprehension remains low. It is unclear, however, why this occurs. It is possible that current simplification techniques do not effectively simplify the features of complexity, present in standardized instructions, which have the greatest effect on jurors' comprehension. It is not yet known, however, how much each feature of complexity individually affects jurors' comprehension. To investigate this, the authors used existing data from published empirical studies to examine how simplifying each feature of complexity affects mock jurors' application of instructions, as jurors can only apply instructions to the extent they understand them. The results suggest that reducing the conceptual complexity and proportion of supplementary information was associated with increased application of the instructions; however, reducing both the linguistic complexity and amount of information, and providing the instructions in a written format was not. In addition, results showed an unexpected adverse effect of simplification-reducing the amount of information was associated with an increase in the punitiveness of mock jurors' verdicts, independently of the instruction content. Together, these results suggest a need to make jury instructions comprehensible, highlight the key principles in the decision-process, and identify a way to eliminate the negative effect of reducing the amount of information. Addressing these needs is essential for developing a simplification technique that maximizes jurors' comprehension and application of instructions, while minimizing the previously overlooked negative effects of simplification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Instruction-Based Approach-Avoidance Effects: Changing Stimulus Evaluation via the Mere Instruction to Approach or Avoid Stimuli.

PubMed

Van Dessel, Pieter; De Houwer, Jan; Gast, Anne; Tucker Smith, Colin

2015-01-01

Prior research suggests that repeatedly approaching or avoiding a certain stimulus changes the liking of this stimulus. We investigated whether these effects of approach and avoidance training occur also when participants do not perform these actions but are merely instructed about the stimulus-action contingencies. Stimulus evaluations were registered using both implicit (Implicit Association Test and evaluative priming) and explicit measures (valence ratings). Instruction-based approach-avoidance effects were observed for relatively neutral fictitious social groups (i.e., Niffites and Luupites), but not for clearly valenced well-known social groups (i.e., Blacks and Whites). We conclude that instructions to approach or avoid stimuli can provide sufficient bases for establishing both implicit and explicit evaluations of novel stimuli and discuss several possible reasons for why similar instruction-based approach-avoidance effects were not found for valenced well-known stimuli.

How physical therapists instruct patients with stroke: an observational study on attentional focus during gait rehabilitation after stroke.

PubMed

Kal, Elmar; van den Brink, Henrieke; Houdijk, Han; van der Kamp, John; Goossens, Paulien Helena; van Bennekom, Coen; Scherder, Erik

2018-05-01

People without neurological impairments show superior motor learning when they focus on movement effects (external focus) rather than on movement execution itself (internal focus). Despite its potential for neurorehabilitation, it remains unclear to what extent external focus strategies are currently incorporated in rehabilitation post-stroke. Therefore, we observed how physical therapists use attentional focus when treating gait of rehabilitating patients with stroke. Twenty physical therapist-patient couples from six rehabilitation centers participated. Per couple, one regular gait-training session was video-recorded. Therapists' statements were classified using a standardized scoring method to determine the relative proportion of internally and externally focused instructions/feedback. Also, we explored associations between therapists' use of external/internal focus strategies and patients' focus preference, length of stay, mobility, and cognition. Therapists' instructions were generally more external while feedback was more internal. Therapists used relatively more externally focused statements for patients with a longer length of stay (B = -0.239, p = 0.013) and for patients who had a stronger internal focus preference (B = -0.930, p = 0.035). Physical therapists used more external focus instructions, but more internally focused feedback. Also, they seem to adapt their attentional focus use to patients' focus preference and rehabilitation phase. Future research may determine how these factors influence the effectiveness of different attentional foci for motor learning post-stroke. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Physical therapists use a balanced mix of internal focus and external focus instructions and feedback when treating gait of stroke patients. Therapists predominantly used an external focus for patients in later rehabilitation phases, and for patients with stronger internal focus preferences, possibly in an attempt to stimulate more

Teacher-Student Communication Games: Some Experiments on Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, David R.; And Others

This inquiry began with the observation that learning from instruction is radically more efficient for obtaining information than learning by discovery. A series of seven experiments was conducted to determine some of the factors involved in learning from verbal instruction. The perspective adopted was that of communication theory, in which the…

Effects of Using Simultaneous Prompting and Computer-Assisted Instruction during Small Group Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozen, Arzu; Ergenekon, Yasemin; Ulke-Kurkcuoglu, Burcu

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the relation between simultaneous prompting (SP), computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and the receptive identification of target pictures (presented on laptop computer) for four preschool students with developmental disabilities. The students' acquisition of nontarget information through observational learning also…

Observing Ben Wyckoff: From Basic Research to Programmed Instruction and Social Issues

PubMed Central

Escobar, Rogelio; Lattal, Kennon A

2011-01-01

L. Benjamin Wyckoff's seminal contributions to both psychological theory and application are the subject of this review. Wyckoff started his academic career as a graduate student at Indiana University, where he developed the observing-response procedure under the guidance of B. F. Skinner and C. J. Burke. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wyckoff refined his mathematical theory of secondary reinforcement. This theory was the impetus for his creation of an electronic simulation of a rat running a T maze, one of the first “computer models” of learning. Wyckoff next went to Emory University, leaving there to help create two of the most successful companies dedicated to the advancement of programmed instruction and teaching machines: Teaching Machines, Inc. and the Human Development Institute. Wyckoff's involvement in these companies epitomizes the application of basic behavior-analytic principles in the development of technology to improve education and human relationships. The emergent picture of Wyckoff is that of a man who, through his research, professional work in educational applications of behavioral principles, and active involvement in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, was strongly committed to applying behavioral science to positively influence human behavior change. PMID:22532737

Applying learning theories and instructional design models for effective instruction.

PubMed

Khalil, Mohammed K; Elkhider, Ihsan A

2016-06-01

Faculty members in higher education are involved in many instructional design activities without formal training in learning theories and the science of instruction. Learning theories provide the foundation for the selection of instructional strategies and allow for reliable prediction of their effectiveness. To achieve effective learning outcomes, the science of instruction and instructional design models are used to guide the development of instructional design strategies that elicit appropriate cognitive processes. Here, the major learning theories are discussed and selected examples of instructional design models are explained. The main objective of this article is to present the science of learning and instruction as theoretical evidence for the design and delivery of instructional materials. In addition, this article provides a practical framework for implementing those theories in the classroom and laboratory. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Influence of verbal instructions on effect-based action control.

PubMed

Eder, Andreas B; Dignath, David

2017-03-01

According to ideomotor theory, people use bidirectional associations between movements and their effects for action selection and initiation. Our experiments examined how verbal instructions of action effects influence response selection without prior experience of action effects in a separate acquisition phase. Instructions for different groups of participants specified whether they should ignore, attend, learn, or intentionally produce acoustic effects produced by button presses. Results showed that explicit instructions of action-effect relations trigger effect-congruent action tendencies in the first trials following the instruction; in contrast, no evidence for effect-based action control was observed in these trials when instructions were to ignore or to attend to the action effects. These findings show that action-effect knowledge acquired through verbal instruction and direct experience is similarly effective for effect-based action control as long as the relation between the movement and the effect is clearly spelled out in the instruction.

Using Interactive Video Instruction To Enhance Public Speaking Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Michael W.; Kennan, William R.

Noting that interactive video instruction (IVI) should not and cannot replace classroom instruction, this paper offers an introduction to interactive video instruction as an innovative technology that can be used to expand pedagogical opportunities in public speaking instruction. The paper: (1) defines the distinctive features of IVI; (2) assesses…

The role of diverse instruction in conceptual change.

PubMed

Hayes, Brett K; Goodhew, Alison; Heit, Evan; Gillan, Joanna

2003-12-01

This study examined how a fundamental principle of induction and scientific reasoning, information diversity, could be used to promote change in children's mental models of the earth's shape. Six-year-old children (N=132) were randomly allocated to a control or to one of two training conditions. Some training groups received instruction that simultaneously challenged children's beliefs concerning (a) why the earth appears flat to a surface observer and (b) the role of gravity. Others received instruction that repeatedly challenged only one of these beliefs. An adaptation of the Vosniadou and Brewer (1992, Cognitive Psychology 24, 535-585) protocol for identifying mental models of the earth was administered before and after instruction. Both instruction methods produced increases in factual knowledge. Only children receiving instruction about two core beliefs, however, showed an increased rate of acceptance of a spherical earth model at posttest. The findings show that instruction that challenges diverse aspects of children's naïve scientific beliefs is more likely to produce conceptual change.

A self-fitting hearing aid: need and concept.

PubMed

Convery, Elizabeth; Keidser, Gitte; Dillon, Harvey; Hartley, Lisa

2011-12-01

The need for reliable access to hearing health care services is growing globally, particularly in developing countries and in remotely located, underserved regions in many parts of the developed world. Individuals with hearing loss in these areas are at a significant disadvantage due to the scarcity of local hearing health care professionals and the high cost of hearing aids. Current approaches to making hearing rehabilitation services more readily available to underserved populations include teleaudiology and the provision of amplification devices outside of the traditional provider-client relationship. Both strategies require access to such resources as dedicated equipment and/or specially trained staff. Another possible strategy is a self-fitting hearing aid, a personal amplification device that is equipped with an onboard tone generator to enable user-controlled, automated, in situ audiometry; an onboard prescription to determine the initial hearing aid settings; and a trainable algorithm to enable user-controlled fine-tuning. The device is thus assembled, fitted, and managed by the user without the need for audiological or computer support. This article details the self-fitting concept and its potential application in both developing and developed countries. Potential advantages and disadvantages of such a device are discussed, and considerations for further investigations into the concept are presented. Overall, the concept is considered technologically viable with the main challenges anticipated to be development of clear, simple user instructions and a delivery model that ensures reliable supplies of instant-fit ear tips and batteries.

dftools: Distribution function fitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obreschkow, Danail

2018-05-01

dftools, written in R, finds the most likely P parameters of a D-dimensional distribution function (DF) generating N objects, where each object is specified by D observables with measurement uncertainties. For instance, if the objects are galaxies, it can fit a mass function (D=1), a mass-size distribution (D=2) or the mass-spin-morphology distribution (D=3). Unlike most common fitting approaches, this method accurately accounts for measurement in uncertainties and complex selection functions.

Code Red: The Danger of Data-Driven Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuman, Susan B.

2016-01-01

"Data-drive instruction can distort the way reading is taught, harming the students who need high-quality instruction the most," Susan B. Neuman concludes from her research team's two years of observation in nine low-income New York City schools. She describes how some students are reminded that they are "failures" every day by…

There are limits to the effects of task instructions: Making the automatic effects of task instructions context-specific takes practice.

PubMed

Braem, Senne; Liefooghe, Baptist; De Houwer, Jan; Brass, Marcel; Abrahamse, Elger L

2017-03-01

Unlike other animals, humans have the unique ability to share and use verbal instructions to prepare for upcoming tasks. Recent research showed that instructions are sufficient for the automatic, reflex-like activation of responses. However, systematic studies into the limits of these automatic effects of task instructions remain relatively scarce. In this study, the authors set out to investigate whether this instruction-based automatic activation of responses can be context-dependent. Specifically, participants performed a task of which the stimulus-response rules and context (location on the screen) could either coincide or not with those of an instructed to-be-performed task (whose instructions changed every run). In 2 experiments, the authors showed that the instructed task rules had an automatic impact on performance-performance was slowed down when the merely instructed task rules did not coincide, but, importantly, this effect was not context-dependent. Interestingly, a third and fourth experiment suggests that context dependency can actually be observed, but only when practicing the task in its appropriate context for over 60 trials or after a sufficient amount of practice on a fixed context (the context was the same for all instructed tasks). Together, these findings seem to suggest that instructions can establish stimulus-response representations that have a reflexive impact on behavior but are insensitive to the context in which the task is known to be valid. Instead, context-specific task representations seem to require practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

An analysis of science instruction in the fifth-grade science classroom: Investigating activity-based instruction with student-generated discussion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vowell, Julie E.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which debriefing impacts the level of cognitive understanding among students in the fifth-grade science classroom. This mixed methods study involved two fifth-grade science classrooms (N = 39) in a one month exploration of rocks and minerals. Two fifth-grade science classrooms participated in a unit using identical content, but had different pedagogical orientations. The experimental class was taught using the "Do-Talk-Do-Debrief" instructional method and the control class was taught using the "Do-Talk-Do" instructional method without the "Debrief" (metacognitive component). Research for the quantitative portion of this study was conducted using a pretest-posttest control-group design. The design was used to test the hypothesized relationship between an activity-based instructional method with debriefing and students' achievement. Two intact, equivalent fifth-grade classes were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Prior to the beginning of the study, a researcher-developed pretest was administered to all participants to assess the students' prior knowledge of rocks and minerals. A posttest measure was given to the participants upon conclusion of the unit to measure knowledge and understanding. Following the posttest, the participants did not receive additional instruction over rocks and minerals. A similar posttest was administered to both groups two weeks later as an added measure for retention. A t-test for independent samples was used to examine differences on the pretest between the experimental and control groups. Likewise, a t-test was used to compare the mean scores on the first posttest (achievement). A separate t-test was conducted on the second posttest (retention) and was followed by a Pearson Product Moment Correlation, conducted by group. Research for the qualitative portion of this study involved classroom observations throughout the rock and mineral unit followed by a teacher

Broadband spectral fitting of blazars using XSPEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahayanathan, Sunder; Sinha, Atreyee; Misra, Ranjeev

2018-03-01

The broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) of blazars is generally interpreted as radiation arising from synchrotron and inverse Compton mechanisms. Traditionally, the underlying source parameters responsible for these emission processes, like particle energy density, magnetic field, etc., are obtained through simple visual reproduction of the observed fluxes. However, this procedure is incapable of providing confidence ranges for the estimated parameters. In this work, we propose an efficient algorithm to perform a statistical fit of the observed broadband spectrum of blazars using different emission models. Moreover, we use the observable quantities as the fit parameters, rather than the direct source parameters which govern the resultant SED. This significantly improves the convergence time and eliminates the uncertainty regarding initial guess parameters. This approach also has an added advantage of identifying the degenerate parameters, which can be removed by including more observable information and/or additional constraints. A computer code developed based on this algorithm is implemented as a user-defined routine in the standard X-ray spectral fitting package, XSPEC. Further, we demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm by fitting the well sampled SED of blazar 3C 279 during its gamma ray flare in 2014.

In Search of Scaffolding: An Observational Study of Fathers' Informal Instructional Styles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordon, Luis A.

Most research on scaffolded instruction has been conducted with mothers rather than fathers and has carried the implicit assumption that it is superior to other methods. This study examined fathers' teaching style differences and the effects of those differences on children's recall and transfer of a strategy for solving balance scale problems.…

Assessing Instructional Strategies and Resulting Student Attitudes Regarding Two-Way Television Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denton, Jon J.; And Others

Designed to compare instructional strategies and effectiveness of medical school faculty using both in-person and two-way television delivery systems, this paper presents classroom observation data obtained from presentations by seven faculty members of the College of Medicine at Texas A&M University over a 9-month period. It includes a…

Examining the cognitive demands of analogy instructions compared to explicit instructions.

PubMed

Tse, Choi Yeung Andy; Wong, Andus; Whitehill, Tara; Ma, Estella; Masters, Rich

2016-10-01

In many learning domains, instructions are presented explicitly despite high cognitive demands associated with their processing. This study examined cognitive demands imposed on working memory by different types of instruction to speak with maximum pitch variation: visual analogy, verbal analogy and explicit verbal instruction. Forty participants were asked to memorise a set of 16 visual and verbal stimuli while reading aloud a Cantonese paragraph with maximum pitch variation. Instructions about how to achieve maximum pitch variation were presented via visual analogy, verbal analogy, explicit rules or no instruction. Pitch variation was assessed off-line, using standard deviation of fundamental frequency. Immediately after reading, participants recalled as many stimuli as possible. Analogy instructions resulted in significantly increased pitch variation compared to explicit instructions or no instructions. Explicit instructions resulted in poorest recall of stimuli. Visual analogy instructions resulted in significantly poorer recall of visual stimuli than verbal stimuli. The findings suggest that non-propositional instructions presented via analogy may be less cognitively demanding than instructions that are presented explicitly. Processing analogy instructions that are presented as a visual representation is likely to load primarily visuospatial components of working memory rather than phonological components. The findings are discussed with reference to speech therapy and human cognition.

Guidelines for the Integration of Instructional Television in Speech and Hearing Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borich, Gary D.

To devise an efficient instructional television system, the planner must first identify and assess objectives for target audiences; allow for construction of a flexible, expansible system; plan for exchangeable instructional tapes; observe instructional procedures for large class, small group, and remote location operations; consider types of…

Modeling Instruction: The Impact of Professional Development on Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barlow, Angela T.; Frick, Tasha M.; Barker, Heather L.; Phelps, Amy J.

2014-01-01

Modeling Instruction holds the potential for transforming science instruction and improving student achievement. Key to the success of Modeling Instruction, however, is the fidelity of implementation of its curriculum. This qualitative study examined the impact of Modeling Instruction professional development on participating teachers'…

Informed Choices for Struggling Adolescent Readers: A Research-Based Guide to Instructional Programs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deshler, Donald D.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan; Biancarosa, Gina; Nair, Marnie

2007-01-01

This comprehensive resource arms classroom teachers and administrators with information to meet today's adolescent literacy challenges. In Part I, the authors highlight research on what works with adolescent learners and discuss how to implement instructional programs to fit the unique needs of specific schools or districts. Part II presents a…

AMS-02 fits dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balázs, Csaba; Li, Tong

2016-05-01

In this work we perform a comprehensive statistical analysis of the AMS-02 electron, positron fluxes and the antiproton-to-proton ratio in the context of a simplified dark matter model. We include known, standard astrophysical sources and a dark matter component in the cosmic ray injection spectra. To predict the AMS-02 observables we use propagation parameters extracted from observed fluxes of heavier nuclei and the low energy part of the AMS-02 data. We assume that the dark matter particle is a Majorana fermion coupling to third generation fermions via a spin-0 mediator, and annihilating to multiple channels at once. The simultaneous presence of various annihilation channels provides the dark matter model with additional flexibility, and this enables us to simultaneously fit all cosmic ray spectra using a simple particle physics model and coherent astrophysical assumptions. Our results indicate that AMS-02 observations are not only consistent with the dark matter hypothesis within the uncertainties, but adding a dark matter contribution improves the fit to the data. Assuming, however, that dark matter is solely responsible for this improvement of the fit, it is difficult to evade the latest CMB limits in this model.

A case study of secondary teachers facilitating a historical problem-based learning instructional unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecore, John L.

Current curriculum trends promote inquiry-based student-centered strategies as a way to foster critical thinking and learning. Problem-based learning (PBL), a type of inquiry focusing on an issue or "problem," is an instructional approach taught on the basis that science reform efforts increase scientific literacy. PBL is a constructivist approach to learning real life problems where understanding is a function of content, context, experiences, and learner goals; historical PBL situates the lesson in a historical context and provides opportunities for teaching NOS concepts. While much research exists on the benefits of historical PBL to student learning in general, more research is warranted on how teachers implement PBL in the secondary science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the classroom-learning environment of four science teachers implementing a historical PBL instructional unit to identify the teachers' understandings, successes and obstacles. By identifying teachers' possible achievements and barriers with implementing a constructivist philosophy when executing historical PBL, educators and curriculum designers may improve alignment of the learning environment to constructivist principles. A qualitative interpretive case study guided this research study. The four participants of this study were purposefully and conveniently selected from biology teachers with at least three years of teaching experience, degrees in education, State Licensure, and completion of a PBL workshop. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaires, structured interviews, a card sort activity in which participants categorized instructional outcomes, and participant observations. Results indicated that the four teachers assimilated reform-based constructivist practices to fit within their preexisting routines and highlighted the importance of incorporating teachers' current systems into reform-based teacher instruction. While participating teachers

Instructional Quality Features in Videotaped Biology Lessons: Content-Independent Description of Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorfner, Tobias; Förtsch, Christian; Boone, William; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

2017-09-01

A number of studies on single instructional quality features have been reported for mathematics and science instruction. For summarizing single instructional quality features, researchers have created a model of three basic dimensions (classroom management, supportive climate, and cognitive activation) of instructional quality mainly through observing mathematics instruction. Considering this model as valid for all subjects and as usable for describing instruction, we used it in this study which aimed to analyze characteristics of instructional quality in biology lessons of high-achieving and low-achieving classes, independently of content. Therefore, we used the data of three different previous video studies of biology instruction conducted in Germany. From each video study, we selected three high-achieving and three low-achieving classes (N = 18 teachers; 35 videos) for our multiple-case study, in which conspicuous characteristics of instructional quality features were qualitatively identified and qualitatively analyzed. The amount of these characteristics was counted in a quantitative way in all the videos. The characteristics we found could be categorized using the model of three basic dimensions of instructional quality despite some subject-specific differences for biology instruction. Our results revealed that many more characteristics were observable in high-achieving classes than in low-achieving classes. Thus, we believe that this model could be used to describe biology instruction independently of the content. We also make the claims about the qualities for biology instruction—working with concentration in a content-structured environment, getting challenged in higher order thinking, and getting praised for performance—that could have positive influence on students' achievement.

Teaching and Reaching All Students: An Instructional Model for Closing the Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Rebecca; Cantrell, Susan Chambers; Rightmyer, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

This article presents a model for culturally responsive instruction (CRI) that represents a synthesis of research on effective literacy and content instruction for diverse middle grades learners.The article discusses the various elements of the Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) model. It then examines these elements by…

Operationalizing Culturally Responsive Instruction: Preliminary Findings of CRIOP Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Rebecca; Cantrell, Susan Chambers; Malo-Juvera, Victor; Correll, Pamela

2016-01-01

Background: Many scholars have espoused the use of culturally responsive instruction (CRI) for closing achievement gaps, yet there is a paucity of research supporting its effectiveness. In this article, we share results of a mixed methods study that examined the use of the Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) as a…

The Jig Experiment: Development and Evaluation of a Cultural Dance Active Video Game for Promoting Youth Fitness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rincker, Meg; Misner, Susan

2017-01-01

School physical education teachers promote fitness by offering children a variety of aerobic activities. Our interdisciplinary team developed a cultural dance active video game (AVG) and tested whether the AVG was equivalent to traditional face-to-face instructor lessons or hybrid instruction at dance mastery, increasing heart rates, and student…

Learning Theory and the Study of Instruction

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-01

learning theories (e.g., Fitts 1962, Vygotsky 1978), cultural beliefs about learning, and commonsense observations of teaching and tutoring. But...LEARNING THEORY AND THE STUDY OF INSTRUCTION IRobert Glaser Miriam Bassok LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER DTIC 7~jahELECTE (%Q)2 3 FEB 1989...University of Pittsburgh _o role=*--,-mW .,N89 2 23 025 a.wtt- &@I =01% N A I LEARNING THEORY AND THE STUDY OF INSTRUCTION Robert Glaser Miriam Bassok

Fostering Department Chair Instructional Leadership Capacity: Laying the Groundwork for Distributed Instructional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klar, Hans W.

2012-01-01

In this article, I provide findings from a multisite case study of three urban high schools. In each of the schools, principals endeavoured to foster the capabilities of their department chairs to enhance school-wide instructional capacity and increase student achievement. Data were gathered from interviews, participant observations and document…

Teaching about Contemporary Germany: Instructional Materials for the Social Studies Classroom. Correlation Charts, Content and Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankenship, Glen

This manual contains a description of each of the instructional kits for teaching about Germany offered by the Goethe Institute. Each kit contains lessons plans, handouts, worksheets, color transparencies, and other support materials. This teaching packet provides information regarding the "best fit" of each lesson in the instructional…

Gauging Goodness of Fit: Teachers' Responses to Their Instructional Teams in High-Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charner-Laird, Megin; Ng, Monica; Johnson, Susan Moore; Kraft, Matthew A.; Papay, John P.; Reinhorn, Stefanie K.

2017-01-01

Teacher teams are increasingly common in urban schools. In this study, we analyze teachers' responses to teams in six high-poverty schools. Teachers used two criteria to assess teams' goodness of fit in meeting the demands of their work: whether their teams helped them teach better and whether the team contributed to a better school. Their…

Big Ideas in Special Education: Specially Designed Instruction, High-Leverage Practices, Explicit Instruction, and Intensive Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riccomini, Paul J.; Morano, Stephanie; Hughes, Charles A.

2017-01-01

It is understandable that misuse of the terms "specially designed instruction" (SDI), "high-leverage practices" (HLPs), "explicit instruction" (EI), and "intensive instruction"(II) has bred confusion among professionals, and this confusion may lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings in the field.…

The priming function of in-car audio instruction.

PubMed

Keyes, Helen; Whitmore, Antony; Naneva, Stanislava; McDermott, Daragh

2018-05-01

Studies to date have focused on the priming power of visual road signs, but not the priming potential of audio road scene instruction. Here, the relative priming power of visual, audio, and multisensory road scene instructions was assessed. In a lab-based study, participants responded to target road scene turns following visual, audio, or multisensory road turn primes which were congruent or incongruent to the primes in direction, or control primes. All types of instruction (visual, audio, and multisensory) were successful in priming responses to a road scene. Responses to multisensory-primed targets (both audio and visual) were faster than responses to either audio or visual primes alone. Incongruent audio primes did not affect performance negatively in the manner of incongruent visual or multisensory primes. Results suggest that audio instructions have the potential to prime drivers to respond quickly and safely to their road environment. Peak performance will be observed if audio and visual road instruction primes can be timed to co-occur.

Integrating the Levels of Person-Environment Fit: The Roles of Vocational Fit and Group Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogel, Ryan M.; Feldman, Daniel C.

2009-01-01

Previous research on fit has largely focused on person-organization (P-O) fit and person-job (P-J) fit. However, little research has examined the interplay of person-vocation (P-V) fit and person-group (P-G) fit with P-O fit and P-J fit in the same study. This article advances the fit literature by examining these relationships with data collected…

Beliefs and Practices of Writing Instruction in Japanese Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spence, Lucy K.; Kite, Yuriko

2018-01-01

Focusing on writing instruction within an era of international curricular reform, this study analysed classroom observations, educator interviews, and documents related to Japanese elementary writing instruction. A deductive approach using discourses of writing framework and an inductive approach to Japanese cultural practices uncovered beliefs…

Differentiated Instruction in a Data-Based Decision-Making Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faber, Janke M.; Glas, Cees A. W.; Visscher, Adrie J.

2018-01-01

In this study, the relationship between differentiated instruction, as an element of data-based decision making, and student achievement was examined. Classroom observations (n = 144) were used to measure teachers' differentiated instruction practices and to predict the mathematical achievement of 2nd- and 5th-grade students (n = 953). The…

Computer-assisted instruction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, R. C.

1974-01-01

The results are presented of a project of research and development on strategies for optimizing the instructional process, and dissemination of information about the applications of such research to the instructional medium of computer-assisted instruction. Accomplishments reported include construction of the author language INSTRUCT, construction of a practical CAI course in the area of computer science, and a number of investigations into the individualization of instruction, using the course as a vehicle.

Inviting Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Spencer D.

2010-01-01

Monthly meetings and a peer-observation program help novice teachers overcome isolation and practice new skills that support improved student learning. Peer observation is not without its difficulties. Above all else, the point of the program is to make teachers more comfortable observing, sharing instructional ideas, and learning from one…

Introducing the Postsecondary Instructional Practices Survey (PIPS): A Concise, Interdisciplinary, and Easy-to-Score Survey

PubMed Central

Walter, Emily M.; Henderson, Charles R.; Beach, Andrea L.; Williams, Cody T.

2016-01-01

Researchers, administrators, and policy makers need valid and reliable information about teaching practices. The Postsecondary Instructional Practices Survey (PIPS) is designed to measure the instructional practices of postsecondary instructors from any discipline. The PIPS has 24 instructional practice statements and nine demographic questions. Users calculate PIPS scores by an intuitive proportion-based scoring convention. Factor analyses from 72 departments at four institutions (N = 891) support a 2- or 5-factor solution for the PIPS; both models include all 24 instructional practice items and have good model fit statistics. Factors in the 2-factor model include (a) instructor-centered practices, nine items; and (b) student-centered practices, 13 items. Factors in the 5-factor model include (a) student–student interactions, six items; (b) content delivery, four items; (c) formative assessment, five items; (d) student-content engagement, five items; and (e) summative assessment, four items. In this article, we describe our development and validation processes, provide scoring conventions and outputs for results, and describe wider applications of the instrument. PMID:27810868

Analyzing Learning during Peer Instruction Dialogues: A Resource Activation Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Anna K.; Galloway, Ross K.; Hardy, Judy; Sinclair, Christine M.

2014-01-01

Peer Instruction (PI) is an evidence based pedagogy commonly used in undergraduate physics instruction. When asked questions designed to test conceptual understanding, it has been observed that the proportion of students choosing the correct answer increases following peer discussion; however, relatively little is known about what takes place…

Technology-Mediated Writing Instruction in the Early Literacy Program: Perils, Procedures, and Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beam, Sandra; Williams, Cheri

2015-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine one kindergarten teacher's use of digital and multimodal technologies to mediate early writing instruction and explore the students' appropriation of that instruction to support their independent writing. Data sources included observations of writing instruction, as well as students'…

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, RECORDED INSTRUCTION AND FACULTY INTERESTS. SUPPLEMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, RECORDED INSTRUCTION AND FACULTY INTERESTS WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KARWIN, THOMAS J.

THE SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PLANNING IS USEFUL IN DESIGNING MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. IT SPECIFIES INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES, COORDINATES APPROPRIATE METHODS, AND EVALUATES THE RESULTING INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM. CONFLICTS CAN ARISE FROM INDIVIDUAL INTERPERTATIONS OF INTEREST IN SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. A COMPREHENSIVE, EQUITABLE…

Motivational Measure of the Instruction Compared: Instruction Based on the ARCS Motivation Theory vs Traditional Instruction in Blended Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colakoglu, Ozgur M.; Akdemir, Omur

2012-01-01

The ARCS Motivation Theory was proposed to guide instructional designers and teachers who develop their own instruction to integrate motivational design strategies into the instruction. There is a lack of literature supporting the idea that instruction for blended courses if designed based on the ARCS Motivation Theory provides different…

Artificial Instruction. A Method for Relating Learning Theory to Instructional Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohlsson, Stellan

Prior research on learning has been linked to instruction by the derivation of general principles of instructional design from learning theories. However, such design principles are often difficult to apply to particular instructional issues. A new method for relating research on learning to instructional design is proposed: Different ways of…

Reversing the Downward Spiral of Science Instruction in K-2 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandholtz, Judith Haymore; Ringstaff, Cathy

2011-10-01

This study investigated the extent to which teacher professional development led to changes in science instruction in K-2 classrooms in rural school districts. The research specifically examined changes in (a) teachers' content knowledge in science; (b) teachers' self-efficacy related to teaching science; (c) classroom instructional time allotted to science; and (d) instructional strategies used in science. The study also investigated contextual factors contributing to or hindering changes in science instruction. Data sources included a teacher survey, a self-efficacy assessment, content knowledge tests, interviews, and classroom observations. After one year in the program, teachers showed increased content knowledge and self-efficacy in teaching science; they spent more instructional time on science and began using different instructional strategies. Key contextual factors included curricular demands, resources, administrative support, and support from other teachers.

Self-instruction: An analysis of the differential effects of instruction and reinforcement

PubMed Central

Roberts, Richard N.; Nelson, Rosemery O.; Olson, Terry W.

1987-01-01

This study investigated the impact of training 9 first- and second-grade children to use a full self-instructional regimen, and then differentially reinforced the use of self-instruction only, accuracy only, or both self-instruction and accuracy. Three comparison children received no training in self-instruction and were reinforced for accuracy only. Children improved dramatically in academic accuracy subsequent to self-instructional training, independent of the use of self-instruction and of the specific behavior consequated. Children who were reinforced for using self-instruction did use self-instruction, and those who were not, did not. Comparison group children showed little improvement until training in problem-solving strategies was given after 9 days of reinforcement for accuracy. Self-instructional training is discussed as one type of event that increases the likelihood of accurate performance. Its effectiveness may be explained in terms of a teaching strategy rather than in terms of modifying cognitive processes. PMID:16795700

Is pelvic floor muscle training effective when taught in a general fitness class in pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Bø, Kari; Haakstad, Lene Anette Hagen

2011-09-01

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) following vaginal assessment of correct contraction can prevent and treat urinary incontinence in the peripartum period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PFMT instructed in a general fitness class for pregnant women. Single-blind randomised controlled trial. University-conducted primary care study. One hundred and five sedentary primiparous women randomised to a general fitness class including PFMT (n=52) or a control group (n=53). Ten and 11 women were lost to follow-up in the exercise and control groups, respectively. Twelve weeks of training comprising twice-weekly 1-hour fitness classes including three sets of eight to 12 maximal pelvic floor muscle contractions. The control group received usual care. Number of women reporting urinary, flatus or anal incontinence. No significant differences were found in the number of women reporting urinary, flatus or anal incontinence between the exercise group and the control group during pregnancy or at 6 weeks post partum. No effect of PFMT was found when the exercises were taught in a general fitness class for pregnant women without individual instruction of correct PFM contraction. Low adherence and the small sample size may have contributed to the negative results. Further studies are warranted to assess the effect of population-based PFMT in the prevention of urinary and fecal incontinence. Copyright © 2010 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fitting dynamic models to the Geosat sea level observations in the tropical Pacific Ocean. I - A free wave model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Lee-Lueng; Vazquez, Jorge; Perigaud, Claire

1991-01-01

Free, equatorially trapped sinusoidal wave solutions to a linear model on an equatorial beta plane are used to fit the Geosat altimetric sea level observations in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The Kalman filter technique is used to estimate the wave amplitude and phase from the data. The estimation is performed at each time step by combining the model forecast with the observation in an optimal fashion utilizing the respective error covariances. The model error covariance is determined such that the performance of the model forecast is optimized. It is found that the dominant observed features can be described qualitatively by basin-scale Kelvin waves and the first meridional-mode Rossby waves. Quantitatively, however, only 23 percent of the signal variance can be accounted for by this simple model.

Using Systematic Classroom Observation to Explore Student Engagement as a Function of Teachers' Developmentally Appropriate Instructional Practices (DAIP) in Ethnically Diverse Pre-Kindergarten through Second-Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alford, Beverly L.; Rollins, Kayla B.; Padrón, Yolanda N.; Waxman, Hersh C.

2016-01-01

Researchers observed pre-kindergarten through second-grade public school classrooms, specifically noting child-centered and teacher-directed pedagogical approaches, by simultaneously examining: (a) student behavior and activities, (b) teacher instructional orientation and rationale, and (c) overall classroom environment. Dissimilar to previous…

Mother tongue instruction in Lubuagan: A case study from the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Stephen L.; Dekker, Diane E.

2011-12-01

In the modern era, the prevailing model of public education has been that of "one size fits all", with private schooling being a small but notable exception. Language (of instruction) was generally viewed as a minor variable readily overcome by standard classroom instruction. As researchers have sharpened their focus on the reasons for educational failure, language has begun to emerge as a significant variable in producing gains in educational efficiency. This paper reports the intermediate result of a controlled study in a very rural area of a developing country designed to examine the effect of language of instruction on educational outcomes. In the experimental schools, children are taught to read first in the local language (via the local language) and are taught other key subjects via the local language as well. English is taught as a subject. Teachers in the control or standard schools continue the standard national practice of teaching all subjects in either English or Filipino, neither of which is spoken by children when they begin school. Year-end standardised testing was done in all subjects throughout grades one to three as a means of comparing the two programme methodologies.

Seeking instructional specificity: An example from analogical instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Eric; Wieman, Carl E.

2015-12-01

Broad instructional methods like "interactive engagement" have been shown to be effective, but such general characterization provides little guidance on the details of how to structure instructional materials. In this study, we seek instructional specificity by comparing two ways of using an analogy to learn a target physical principle: (i) applying the analogy to the target physical domain on a case-by-case basis and (ii) using the analogy to create a general rule in the target physical domain. In the discussion sections of a large, introductory physics course (N =2 3 1 ), students who sought a general rule were better able to discover and apply a correct physics principle than students who analyzed the examples case by case. The difference persisted at a reduced level after subsequent direct instruction. We argue that students who performed case-by-case analyses were more likely to focus on idiosyncratic problem-specific features rather than the deep structural features. This study provides an example of investigations into how the specific structure of instructional materials can be consequential for what is learned.

The effects of instructions on mothers' ratings of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in referred children.

PubMed

Johnston, Charlotte; Weiss, Margaret D; Murray, Candice; Miller, Natalie V

2014-01-01

Tested whether instructions for how to rate child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms would improve the agreement between mothers' ratings of symptoms in their children and ratings provided by teachers and objective observers. Sixty-eight mothers of 5 to 12 year old children (53 boys and 15 girls) referred for ADHD assessment were randomly assigned to receive or not receive the instructions. Mothers and teachers rated the children on the SNAP-IV Rating Scale and objective observers rated the children's behavior during structured tasks. Relations between mother and teacher, and mother and observer ratings were generally stronger for mothers in the Instruction group compared to mothers in the No Instruction group, in some cases significantly stronger. The instructional materials also improved mothers' knowledge of how to rate ADHD symptoms and reduced some associations between mothers' ratings and family socioeconomic status. These instructions have the potential to improve clinical assessments of child ADHD symptoms.

Learning to Sing to a Different Tune: Identifying Means to Enrich Grammar Curricula through Diversifying Explicit Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck, Andrew D.

2014-01-01

Characteristics of a grammatical feature, type of instruction, and proficiency level of the learner all contribute to the effectiveness of various types of explicit grammar curricula. Modern curricular designs and explicit pedagogical techniques must move beyond traditional one-size-fits-all strategies. This can be accomplished in two steps.…

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Evidence

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been diagnosed in adolescents and among the associated factors are low levels of physical activity, sedentary behavior over long periods and low cardiorespiratory fitness. However, specifically in adolescents, studies present conflicting results. The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, in order to map the association between physical activity, sedentary behavior, cardiorespiratory fitness and MetS in adolescents. Methods A search was performed in the databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, LILACS and the Cochrane Library. For the meta-analysis, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated together with the respective confidence intervals (95% CI), in which the measures of effect were analyzed by dichotomous data (exposure variables) with MetS used as events. Results Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Primary analysis demonstrated that low levels of physical activity (OR = 1.35 [1.03 to 1.79]; p = 0.03) and low cardiorespiratory fitness (OR = 4.05 [2.09 to 7.87]; p < 0.01) were significantly associated with the development of MetS, while for sedentary behavior, represented by screen time > 2 hours/day, a significant association was not identified (OR = 1.20 [0.91 to 1.59]; p = 0.20). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the association between low physical activity and MetS was dependent on the use of the accelerometry technique (OR = 2.93 [1.56 to 5.47]; p < 0.01). Screen time > 2 hours/day was significantly associated with MetS only on weekends (OR = 2.05 [1.13 to 3.73]; p = 0.02). With respect to cardiorespiratory fitness, a significant association with MetS was found independent of the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) measurement method. Conclusions Low levels of physical activity, low indices of cardiorespiratory fitness and sedentary behavior, represented by screen time > 2 hours/day on weekends, were significantly associated with the development of MetS in

A Descriptive Assessment of Instruction-Based Interactions in the Preschool Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndoro, Virginia W.; Hanley, Gregory P.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.; Heal, Nicole A.

2006-01-01

The current study describes preschool teacher-child interactions during several commonly scheduled classroom activities in which teachers deliver instructions. An observation system was developed that incorporated measurement of evidence-based compliance strategies and included the types of instructions delivered (e.g., integral or deficient…

Pictures and text in instructions for medical devices: effects on recall and actual performance.

PubMed

Kools, Marieke; van de Wiel, Margaretha W J; Ruiter, Robert A C; Kok, Gerjo

2006-12-01

The present study aimed to contribute to the design of effective health education information. Based on cognitive-psychological theory, pictures were expected to improve understanding of two existing textual instructions for using asthma devices (inhaler chamber and peak flow meter). From an analysis of the affordances and constraints of both devices this effect was expected to be stronger with the inhaler chamber than with the peak flow meter. To test this, both instructions were systematically illustrated with seven line-drawings visualizing the actions. In two separate randomized controlled trials with in total 99 participants from the general public, the original text-only versions were compared to the text-picture versions of the same instruction. Dependent variables were participants' recall of the instructions and the quality of their performance with the instruction observed from video-recordings. Conform expectations, the results showed significant positive effects of pictures on recall and performance in both instructions, especially with the inhaler chamber. Thus, pictures may contribute to a better comprehension and use of medical devices that are inherently less clear. Health educators may optimize instruction design by careful analysis of the device with instruction and observational testing with potential users.

Conversation Walks: Improving Instructional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Sally J.; Lanoue, Philip D.

2017-01-01

Principals are tasked with being the instructional leaders in their schools--developing teacher's abilities through formal and informal classroom observations and feedback. But how can school districts ensure that principals have the skills they need to fulfill this crucial role? In Clarke County School District in Georgia, central-office leaders…

Just Be It! Healthy and Fit Increases Fifth Graders' Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Physical Activity, and Nutrition Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DelCampo, Diana; Baca, Jacqueline S.; Jimenez, Desaree; Sanchez, Paula Roybal; DelCampo, Robert

2011-01-01

Just Be It! Healthy and Fit reduces the risk factors for childhood obesity for fifth graders using hands-on field trips, in-class lessons, and parent outreach efforts. Pre-test and post-test scores from the year-long classroom instruction showed a statistically significant increase in fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and nutrition…

vFitness: a web-based computing tool for improving estimation of in vitro HIV-1 fitness experiments

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The replication rate (or fitness) between viral variants has been investigated in vivo and in vitro for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV fitness plays an important role in the development and persistence of drug resistance. The accurate estimation of viral fitness relies on complicated computations based on statistical methods. This calls for tools that are easy to access and intuitive to use for various experiments of viral fitness. Results Based on a mathematical model and several statistical methods (least-squares approach and measurement error models), a Web-based computing tool has been developed for improving estimation of virus fitness in growth competition assays of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Conclusions Unlike the two-point calculation used in previous studies, the estimation here uses linear regression methods with all observed data in the competition experiment to more accurately estimate relative viral fitness parameters. The dilution factor is introduced for making the computational tool more flexible to accommodate various experimental conditions. This Web-based tool is implemented in C# language with Microsoft ASP.NET, and is publicly available on the Web at http://bis.urmc.rochester.edu/vFitness/. PMID:20482791

vFitness: a web-based computing tool for improving estimation of in vitro HIV-1 fitness experiments.

PubMed

Ma, Jingming; Dykes, Carrie; Wu, Tao; Huang, Yangxin; Demeter, Lisa; Wu, Hulin

2010-05-18

The replication rate (or fitness) between viral variants has been investigated in vivo and in vitro for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV fitness plays an important role in the development and persistence of drug resistance. The accurate estimation of viral fitness relies on complicated computations based on statistical methods. This calls for tools that are easy to access and intuitive to use for various experiments of viral fitness. Based on a mathematical model and several statistical methods (least-squares approach and measurement error models), a Web-based computing tool has been developed for improving estimation of virus fitness in growth competition assays of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Unlike the two-point calculation used in previous studies, the estimation here uses linear regression methods with all observed data in the competition experiment to more accurately estimate relative viral fitness parameters. The dilution factor is introduced for making the computational tool more flexible to accommodate various experimental conditions. This Web-based tool is implemented in C# language with Microsoft ASP.NET, and is publicly available on the Web at http://bis.urmc.rochester.edu/vFitness/.

Applying Learning Theories and Instructional Design Models for Effective Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalil, Mohammed K.; Elkhider, Ihsan A.

2016-01-01

Faculty members in higher education are involved in many instructional design activities without formal training in learning theories and the science of instruction. Learning theories provide the foundation for the selection of instructional strategies and allow for reliable prediction of their effectiveness. To achieve effective learning…

Empirical fitness landscapes and the predictability of evolution.

PubMed

de Visser, J Arjan G M; Krug, Joachim

2014-07-01

The genotype-fitness map (that is, the fitness landscape) is a key determinant of evolution, yet it has mostly been used as a superficial metaphor because we know little about its structure. This is now changing, as real fitness landscapes are being analysed by constructing genotypes with all possible combinations of small sets of mutations observed in phylogenies or in evolution experiments. In turn, these first glimpses of empirical fitness landscapes inspire theoretical analyses of the predictability of evolution. Here, we review these recent empirical and theoretical developments, identify methodological issues and organizing principles, and discuss possibilities to develop more realistic fitness landscape models.

Instructional Design Theory: Advancements from Cognitive Science and Instructional Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennyson, Robert D.

Scientific advancements in cognitive science and instructional technology extend the behaviorally-oriented learning paradigm of instructional design and management in three major areas: (1) analysis of information-to-be-learned; (2) means of evaluating learners; and (3) linkage of learning theory to instructional prescriptions. The two basic types…

Inferring genetic interactions from comparative fitness data.

PubMed

Crona, Kristina; Gavryushkin, Alex; Greene, Devin; Beerenwinkel, Niko

2017-12-20

Darwinian fitness is a central concept in evolutionary biology. In practice, however, it is hardly possible to measure fitness for all genotypes in a natural population. Here, we present quantitative tools to make inferences about epistatic gene interactions when the fitness landscape is only incompletely determined due to imprecise measurements or missing observations. We demonstrate that genetic interactions can often be inferred from fitness rank orders, where all genotypes are ordered according to fitness, and even from partial fitness orders. We provide a complete characterization of rank orders that imply higher order epistasis. Our theory applies to all common types of gene interactions and facilitates comprehensive investigations of diverse genetic interactions. We analyzed various genetic systems comprising HIV-1, the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium vivax , the fungus Aspergillus niger , and the TEM-family of β-lactamase associated with antibiotic resistance. For all systems, our approach revealed higher order interactions among mutations.

The Effectiveness of the Smart Board-Based Small-Group Graduated Guidance Instruction on Digital Gaming and Observational Learning Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cattik, Melih; Odluyurt, Serhat

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to teach digital gaming skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a SMART board with a graduated guidance teaching method in a small-group instructional format, to determine the participants' levels of learning by observation, and to determine the views of their families on the conducted…

Interservice Procedures for Instructional Systems Development. Phase 4 and 5. Implement and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

FIGUREIZ.2: Flowchart ot Block]Z.1: IMPLEMENT INSTRUCTIONAL MANAGEMENT PLAN BLOCK IV.2: CONDUCT INSTRUCTION LEA Oa.lNUt kaP INSTRUCTIONAL INIIANAI EL...DOCUMENTATION 2.1 [ BTAIN REQUIRED _ _ I 2.J2 CONDUCT INSTRUCTION 1 1 AND DOCUMENT OBSERVATIONS 2.3 ACTIVITIES 2.4 I BLOCK FIGURE ]V.3: Flowchart of...not have the entry skills. The entry skills determi- nation is important to know whether to place the students at the beginn - ing or provide

Instruction set commutivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Windley, P.

1992-01-01

We present a state property called congruence and show how it can be used to demonstrate commutivity of instructions in a modern load-store architecture. Our analysis is particularly important in pipelined microprocessors where instructions are frequently reordered to avoid costly delays in execution caused by hazards. Our work has significant implications to safety and security critical applications since reordering can easily change the meaning and an instruction sequence and current techniques are largely ad hoc. Our work is done in a mechanical theorem prover and results in a set of trustworthy rules for instruction reordering. The mechanization makes it practical to analyze the entire instruction set.

Determination of Instructional Leadership Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öznacar, Behcet; Osma, Elif

2016-01-01

This research, based on observations of teacher candidates in prep school educations and secondary schools the instructional leaders of executive managers who aim at investigating a research study descriptive nature. General screening model is used for the study. The research population in the Near East University in the Faculty of Education,…

Shaping instructional communication competence of preservice teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tandyonomanu, D.; Mutiah; Setianingrum, V. M.

2018-01-01

This study aims to understand the process of shaping communication competence. Participants were pre-service teachers in the primary school education teacher who conducted teaching program internship program. Observations and interviews found that culture, experience, and education were the components that developed the communication competence within the instructional context. The former two components dominantly shape communication instructional competencies, whereas the latter contributes insignificantly. Education emphasizes on teacher’s pedagogy and professional competences. In the future, educational institutions for pre-service teachers could use this research results to Determine the process of developing communication competence.

Reading Strategy Instruction and Teacher Change: Implications for Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klapwijk, Nanda M.

2012-01-01

I report on teacher change in the context of a reading strategy instruction intervention. Reading Strategy Instruction (RSI) was implemented by three teachers, new to the concept, over a period of 15 weeks. Observations of these teachers showed that a multitude of factors affect the uptake of RSI as part of everyday teaching practice, and that…

A Matter of Size: Flipping Library Instruction in Various Engineering Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddison, Tasha

2015-01-01

This case study explores the use of flipped teaching in three different undergraduate engineering courses, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of class size and how it affects the delivery of information literacy instruction as observed through student engagement and the perceived helpfulness of the instruction. A flipped classroom was…

Relationship between Preferred and Actual Opinions about Inquiry-Based Instruction Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2017-01-01

Based on 10 preservice science teachers in 4 schools, this study presents a detailed analysis of how preservice teacher expectation interacts with school practicum and authentic classroom action of inquiry-based instruction. Classroom observation, lesson plan analysis, and interviews revealed that inquiry-based instruction in the expectation and…

Beliefs and Instructional Practices of Four Community College Remedial Mathematics Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wucherer, Robin M.

2011-01-01

In an extension of research linking teachers' beliefs about mathematics and their instructional practices at the Prek-12 level, the present study examined and documented both the beliefs and instructional practices of four community college instructors who teach remedial mathematics. Data was collected through survey, observations, interviews, and…

Characterizing L1-norm best-fit subspaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, J. Paul; Dulá, José H.

2017-05-01

Fitting affine objects to data is the basis of many tools and methodologies in statistics, machine learning, and signal processing. The L1 norm is often employed to produce subspaces exhibiting a robustness to outliers and faulty observations. The L1-norm best-fit subspace problem is directly formulated as a nonlinear, nonconvex, and nondifferentiable optimization problem. The case when the subspace is a hyperplane can be solved to global optimality efficiently by solving a series of linear programs. The problem of finding the best-fit line has recently been shown to be NP-hard. We present necessary conditions for optimality for the best-fit subspace problem, and use them to characterize properties of optimal solutions.

Observing the Interactive Qualities of L2 Instructional Practices in ESL and FSL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuniga, Michael; Simard, Daphnée

2016-01-01

Discourse features that promote the generation of interactionally modified input and output, such as negotiation for meaning, have been shown to significantly enhance second language acquisition. Research has also identified several characteristics of instructional practices that render them more or less propitious to the generation of these…

Inferring genetic interactions from comparative fitness data

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Darwinian fitness is a central concept in evolutionary biology. In practice, however, it is hardly possible to measure fitness for all genotypes in a natural population. Here, we present quantitative tools to make inferences about epistatic gene interactions when the fitness landscape is only incompletely determined due to imprecise measurements or missing observations. We demonstrate that genetic interactions can often be inferred from fitness rank orders, where all genotypes are ordered according to fitness, and even from partial fitness orders. We provide a complete characterization of rank orders that imply higher order epistasis. Our theory applies to all common types of gene interactions and facilitates comprehensive investigations of diverse genetic interactions. We analyzed various genetic systems comprising HIV-1, the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium vivax, the fungus Aspergillus niger, and the TEM-family of β-lactamase associated with antibiotic resistance. For all systems, our approach revealed higher order interactions among mutations. PMID:29260711

Student Performance on Conceptual Questions: Does Instruction Matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heron, Paula

2012-10-01

As part of the tutorial component of introductory calculus-based physics at the University of Washington, students take weekly pretests that consist of conceptual questions. Pretests are so named because they precede each tutorial, but they are frequently administered after lecture instruction. Many variables associated with class composition and prior instruction could, in principle, affect student performance. Nonetheless, the results are often found to be ``essentially the same'' in all classes. Selected questions for which we have accumulated thousands of responses, from dozens of classes representing different conditions with respect to the textbook in use, the amount of prior instruction, etc., serve as examples. A preliminary analysis suggests that the variation in performance across all classes is essentially random. No statistically significant difference is observed between results obtained before relevant instruction begins and after it has been completed. The results provide evidence that exposure to concepts in lecture and textbook is not sufficient to ensure an improvement in performance on questions that require qualitative reasoning.

The Evolution of Instructional Design Principles for Intelligent Computer-Assisted Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dede, Christopher; Swigger, Kathleen

1988-01-01

Discusses and compares the design and development of computer assisted instruction (CAI) and intelligent computer assisted instruction (ICAI). Topics discussed include instructional systems design (ISD), artificial intelligence, authoring languages, intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), qualitative models, and emerging issues in instructional…

Development and Exchange of Instructional Resources in Water Quality Control Programs, IV: Selecting Instructional Media and Instructional Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durham, W. Harry; And Others

This document is one of a series of reports which reviews instructional materials and equipment for water and wastewater treatment plant personnel. A system is presented to assist in standardizing the production of lesson plans and instructional materials in the water quality control field. A procedure for selecting appropriate instructional media…

Using a motivation-based instructional model for teacher development and students' learning of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Min-Jung

2009-10-01

Science teachers often have difficulty helping students participate in scientific practices and understand scientific ideas. In addition, they do not frequently help students value their science learning. As one way to address these problems, I designed and examined the effects of professional development using a motivation-based instructional model with teachers and students. This motivation-based inquiry and application instructional model (MIAIM) consists of four steps of activities and identifies instructional and motivational functions that teachers can use to engage their students in scientific inquiry and application and to help them value their science learning. In order to conduct this study, I worked with three teachers (4 th, 8th, and 8th) in both suburban and urban environments. This study consisted of three parts-an initial observation of teachers' classrooms, professional development with MIAIM, and an observation of teachers' classrooms after the professional development. Data analysis of class observations, interviews, and class artifacts shows that there was a moderate change in teachers' teaching approach after the intervention. The three teachers designed and enacted some inquiry and application lessons that fit the intent of MIAIM. They also used some instructional and motivational practices more frequently after the intervention than they did before the intervention. In particular, they more frequently established central questions for investigations, helped students find patterns in data by themselves, provided opportunities for application, related science to students' everyday lives, and created students' interests in scientific investigation by using interesting stories. However, there was no substantial change in teachers' use of some practices such as providing explanations, supporting students' autonomy, and using knowledge about students in designing and enacting science lessons. In addition, data analysis of students' surveys, class

Instructional Materials Commonly Employed by Foreign Language Teachers at Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakir, Ismail

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine the teachers' choices of instructional materials in teaching English at elementary schools. The reasons behind preferring or not preferring some certain instructional materials specified within the research were analysed. To this end, during the course of School Experience, 68 prospective English teachers observed 38…

Designing the Instructional Interface.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohr, L. L.

2000-01-01

Designing the instructional interface is a challenging endeavor requiring knowledge and skills in instructional and visual design, psychology, human-factors, ergonomic research, computer science, and editorial design. This paper describes the instructional interface, the challenges of its development, and an instructional systems approach to its…

Optimizing weather radar observations using an adaptive multiquadric surface fitting algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Brecht; Cabus, Pieter; De Jongh, Inge; Verhoest, Niko

2013-04-01

Real time forecasting of river flow is an essential tool in operational water management. Such real time modelling systems require well calibrated models which can make use of spatially distributed rainfall observations. Weather radars provide spatial data, however, since radar measurements are sensitive to a large range of error sources, often a discrepancy between radar observations and ground-based measurements, which are mostly considered as ground truth, can be observed. Through merging ground observations with the radar product, often referred to as data merging, one may force the radar observations to better correspond to the ground-based measurements, without losing the spatial information. In this paper, radar images and ground-based measurements of rainfall are merged based on interpolated gauge-adjustment factors (Moore et al., 1998; Cole and Moore, 2008) or scaling factors. Using the following equation, scaling factors (C(xα)) are calculated at each position xα where a gauge measurement (Ig(xα)) is available: Ig(xα)+-? C (xα) = Ir(xα)+ ? (1) where Ir(xα) is the radar-based observation in the pixel overlapping the rain gauge and ? is a constant making sure the scaling factor can be calculated when Ir(xα) is zero. These scaling factors are interpolated on the radar grid, resulting in a unique scaling factor for each pixel. Multiquadric surface fitting is used as an interpolation algorithm (Hardy, 1971): C*(x0) = aTv + a0 (2) where C*(x0) is the prediction at location x0, the vector a (Nx1, with N the number of ground-based measurements used) and the constant a0 parameters describing the surface and v an Nx1 vector containing the (Euclidian) distance between each point xα used in the interpolation and the point x0. The parameters describing the surface are derived by forcing the surface to be an exact interpolator and impose that the sum of the parameters in a should be zero. However, often, the surface is allowed to pass near the observations (i

The Many Hats of an Instructional Designer: The Development of an Instructional Card Game.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugar, William; Betrus, Anthony

2002-01-01

Discusses the difficulties in defining instructional technology, suggests core competencies, proposes five instructional designer archetypes, and describes the development of an instructional card game designed for graduate students in instructional design to expose them to major responsibilities of an instructional designer and give them insight…

Shifting fitness landscapes in response to altered environments

PubMed Central

Jensen, Jeffrey D.; Bolon, Daniel N. A.

2013-01-01

The role of adaptation in molecular evolution has been contentious for decades. Here, we shed light on the adaptive potential in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by presenting systematic fitness measurements for all possible point mutations in a region of Hsp90 under four environmental conditions. Under elevated salinity, we observe numerous beneficial mutations with growth advantages up to 7% relative to the wild type. All of these beneficial mutations were observed to be associated with high costs of adaptation. We thus demonstrate that an essential protein can harbor adaptive potential upon an environmental challenge, and report a remarkable fit of the data to a version of Fisher's geometric model that focuses on the fitness trade-offs between mutations in different environments. PMID:24299404

The Instructional Capacitor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Many administrators are so overwhelmed by the basic responsibilities of their daily work that there seems to be little or no time left for providing quality leadership in instruction. Instead, schools employ department chairs, instructional specialists, and coordinators to provide instructional leadership. How can administrators find time in the…

Strategy Instruction in Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Susan R.

1989-01-01

Experiments in strategy instruction for mathematics have been conducted using three models (direct instruction, self-instruction, and guided learning) applied to the tasks of computation and word problem solving. Results have implications for effective strategy instruction for learning disabled students. It is recommended that strategy instruction…

Associations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Screen Time With Cardiovascular Fitness in United States Adolescents: Results From the NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey.

PubMed

Porter, Anna K; Matthews, Krystin J; Salvo, Deborah; Kohl, Harold W

2017-07-01

Most US adolescents do not meet guidelines of at least 60 daily minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity. In addition, sedentary behaviors among this age group are of increasing concern. This study examined the association of movement behaviors with cardiovascular fitness among US adolescents. Data from the 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey were used to assess the association of movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary time, screen time) with cardiovascular fitness among adolescent males and females. Multiple logistic regressions were used to test the independent and interactive effects of movement behaviors on cardiovascular fitness. Among females, physical activity was directly associated with cardiovascular fitness; no significant association was observed between sedentary behaviors and CVF. Among males, sedentary time moderated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular fitness, such that a significant, direct association was only observed among those with high sedentary time (OR: 5.01; 95% CI: 1.60, 15.70). Results from this cross-sectional analysis suggest that among female US adolescents, physical activity, but not sedentary behavior, is associated with cardiovascular fitness. Among males, the interaction between physical activity and sedentary time seems to be important for cardiovascular fitness. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

dPotFit: A computer program to fit diatomic molecule spectral data to potential energy functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Roy, Robert J.

2017-01-01

This paper describes program dPotFit, which performs least-squares fits of diatomic molecule spectroscopic data consisting of any combination of microwave, infrared or electronic vibrational bands, fluorescence series, and tunneling predissociation level widths, involving one or more electronic states and one or more isotopologs, and for appropriate systems, second virial coefficient data, to determine analytic potential energy functions defining the observed levels and other properties of each state. Four families of analytical potential functions are available for fitting in the current version of dPotFit: the Expanded Morse Oscillator (EMO) function, the Morse/Long-Range (MLR) function, the Double-Exponential/Long-Range (DELR) function, and the 'Generalized Potential Energy Function' (GPEF) of Šurkus, which incorporates a variety of polynomial functional forms. In addition, dPotFit allows sets of experimental data to be tested against predictions generated from three other families of analytic functions, namely, the 'Hannover Polynomial' (or "X-expansion") function, and the 'Tang-Toennies' and Scoles-Aziz 'HFD', exponential-plus-van der Waals functions, and from interpolation-smoothed pointwise potential energies, such as those obtained from ab initio or RKR calculations. dPotFit also allows the fits to determine atomic-mass-dependent Born-Oppenheimer breakdown functions, and singlet-state Λ-doubling, or 2Σ splitting radial strength functions for one or more electronic states. dPotFit always reports both the 95% confidence limit uncertainty and the "sensitivity" of each fitted parameter; the latter indicates the number of significant digits that must be retained when rounding fitted parameters, in order to ensure that predictions remain in full agreement with experiment. It will also, if requested, apply a "sequential rounding and refitting" procedure to yield a final parameter set defined by a minimum number of significant digits, while ensuring no

Documenting Instructional Practices in Large Introductory STEM Lecture Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vu, Viet Quoc

STEM education reform in higher education is framed around the need to improve student learning outcomes, increase student retention, and increase the number of underrepresented minorities and female students in STEM fields, all of which would ultimately contribute to America's competitiveness and prosperity. To achieve these goals, education reformers call for an increase in the adoption of research-based "promising practices" in classrooms. Despite efforts to increase the adoption of more promising practices in classrooms, postsecondary instructors are still likely to lecture and use traditional teaching approaches. To shed light on this adoption dilemma, a mix-methods study was conducted. First, instructional practices in large introductory STEM courses were identified, followed by an analysis of factors that inhibit or contribute to the use of promising practices. Data were obtained from classroom observations (N = 259) of large gateway courses across STEM departments and from instructor interviews (N = 67). Results show that instructors are already aware of promising practices and that change strategies could move from focusing on the development and dissemination of promising practices to focusing on improving adoption rates. Teaching-track instructors such as lecturers with potential for security of employment (LPSOE) and lecturers with security of employment (LSOE) have adopted promising practices more than other instructors. Interview data show that LPSOEs are also effective at disseminating promising practices to their peers, but opinion leaders (influential faculty in a department) are necessary to promote adoption of promising practices by higher ranking instructors. However, hiring more LPSOEs or opinion leaders will not be enough to shift instructional practices. Variations in the adoption of promising practices by instructors and across departments show that any reform strategy needs to be systematic and take into consideration how information is

Quality of harness fit for normal and low birthweight infants observed among newborns in infant car seats.

PubMed

Brown, Julie; Sinn, John Kam Hung; Chua, Aileen; Clarke, Elizabeth Clare

2017-04-01

Child restraint fit is important for crash protection. For newborns, standards universally require a rear-facing restraint and some upper limit on size, but historically there has been no specification of a lower design limit and there is concern over whether low birthweight infants (LBW) are adequately restrained. The aim of this study was to determine the quality of harness fit for newborns of low and normal weight in a range of modern child restraints. A convenience sample of infants (1.657-4.455 kg) were recruited from the postnatal ward and special care nursery <1 week from discharge. Infants (n=84) were assessed for harness fit in rear-facing-only restraints, convertible rear/forward restraints and a subset were assessed in a restraint specifically designed to accommodate LBW infants. Measures of harness fit were based on shoulder strap, crotch strap and buckle positioning. Less than 20% of infants achieved good harness fit, regardless of whether they were categorised as low (<2.5 kg) or normal weight. Rear-facing-only restraints were less likely to provide good fit than convertible restraints, in all measures of fit other than shoulder strap width. The proportions of infants achieving good fit were greater in the restraint designed for LBW infants than other restraint types. Poor accommodation continues to be a problem for LBW infants but is rectified in specifically designed restraints. Better specification of harness configuration for all rearward-facing restraints may be required to ensure adequate accommodation of normal birthweight infants. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Instructional System Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC.

The manual presents a technology of instructional design and a model for developing and conducting efficient and cost effective Air Force instructional systems. Chapter 1 provides an overview of Instructional System Development (ISD). Chapters 2-6 each focus on a step of the process: analysis of system requirements; definition of…

Physical frailty and fitness of older driver

PubMed Central

Lenardt, Maria Helena; Binotto, Maria Angelica; Kolb Carneiro, Nathalia Hammerschmidt; Lourenço, Tânia Maria

2017-01-01

Abstract Aim: to analyze the association between physical frailty and the results of fitness capacity exams for driving vehicles among elder Brazilians. Methods: this is a cross sectional study, performed in traffic medicine clinics of the city of Curitiba (Brazil). The data was collected through the physical frailty tests, the use of a structured questionnaire, and searches on the records of the Brazilian National Register of Qualified Drivers.To analyze the information, the authors used descriptive statistics and non-parametrical tests. Results: One hundred seventy two elderly people, of whom 56.4% pre-fragile and 43.6% non-fragile. 25.0% were considered fit for driving, 68.6% were considered fit, but with some restrictions, and 6.4% were placed as temporarily unfit for driving. There was no association between frailty condition and the final results for driving fitness (p= 0.8934). Physical frailty was significantly associated to the restrictions observed for those who were fit under restrictions (p= 0.0313), according to the weekly amount of kilometers traveled (p= 0.0222), and to car accidents occurred after the age of 60 (p= 0.0165). Conclusion: Physical frailty was significantly associated to the restrictions related to driving, reason to which makes important to manage frailty over this group of drivers. However, no association observed between physical frailty and the final result for driving vehicles. PMID:29021637

TransFit: Finite element analysis data fitting software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Mark

1993-01-01

The Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) mission support team has made extensive use of geometric ray tracing to analyze the performance of AXAF developmental and flight optics. One important aspect of this performance modeling is the incorporation of finite element analysis (FEA) data into the surface deformations of the optical elements. TransFit is software designed for the fitting of FEA data of Wolter I optical surface distortions with a continuous surface description which can then be used by SAO's analytic ray tracing software, currently OSAC (Optical Surface Analysis Code). The improved capabilities of Transfit over previous methods include bicubic spline fitting of FEA data to accommodate higher spatial frequency distortions, fitted data visualization for assessing the quality of fit, the ability to accommodate input data from three FEA codes plus other standard formats, and options for alignment of the model coordinate system with the ray trace coordinate system. TransFit uses the AnswerGarden graphical user interface (GUI) to edit input parameters and then access routines written in PV-WAVE, C, and FORTRAN to allow the user to interactively create, evaluate, and modify the fit. The topics covered include an introduction to TransFit: requirements, designs philosophy, and implementation; design specifics: modules, parameters, fitting algorithms, and data displays; a procedural example; verification of performance; future work; and appendices on online help and ray trace results of the verification section.

Relation of Person-Environment Fit to Career Certainty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durr, Michael R., II; Tracey, Terence J. G.

2009-01-01

This study examined the person-environment fit-career outcome relation by observing interests, self-efficacy and parental support as person aspects and major and occupational choice as separate indicators of the environment. Career certainty was selected as a career outcome. Two dimensional fit indices (People-Things and Data-Ideas) were examined…

Fitting Photometry of Blended Microlensing Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Christian L.; Griest, Kim

2006-03-01

We reexamine the usefulness of fitting blended light-curve models to microlensing photometric data. We find agreement with previous workers (e.g., Woźniak & Paczyński) that this is a difficult proposition because of the degeneracy of blend fraction with other fit parameters. We show that follow-up observations at specific point along the light curve (peak region and wings) of high-magnification events are the most helpful in removing degeneracies. We also show that very small errors in the baseline magnitude can result in problems in measuring the blend fraction and study the importance of non-Gaussian errors in the fit results. The biases and skewness in the distribution of the recovered blend fraction is discussed. We also find a new approximation formula relating the blend fraction and the unblended fit parameters to the underlying event duration needed to estimate microlensing optical depth.

A Description of Contrasting Discourse Patterns Used in Differentiated Reading Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ankrum, Julie; Genest, Maria; Morewood, Aimee

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a description of contrasting discourse patterns during small-group reading instruction. The authors report on case studies conducted in two 1st-grade classrooms in different school districts in Pennsylvania. Small-group reading instruction was observed over the course of one year in each classroom, and…

Intelligibility of clear speech: effect of instruction.

PubMed

Lam, Jennifer; Tjaden, Kris

2013-10-01

The authors investigated how clear speech instructions influence sentence intelligibility. Twelve speakers produced sentences in habitual, clear, hearing impaired, and overenunciate conditions. Stimuli were amplitude normalized and mixed with multitalker babble for orthographic transcription by 40 listeners. The main analysis investigated percentage-correct intelligibility scores as a function of the 4 conditions and speaker sex. Additional analyses included listener response variability, individual speaker trends, and an alternate intelligibility measure: proportion of content words correct. Relative to the habitual condition, the overenunciate condition was associated with the greatest intelligibility benefit, followed by the hearing impaired and clear conditions. Ten speakers followed this trend. The results indicated different patterns of clear speech benefit for male and female speakers. Greater listener variability was observed for speakers with inherently low habitual intelligibility compared to speakers with inherently high habitual intelligibility. Stable proportions of content words were observed across conditions. Clear speech instructions affected the magnitude of the intelligibility benefit. The instruction to overenunciate may be most effective in clear speech training programs. The findings may help explain the range of clear speech intelligibility benefit previously reported. Listener variability analyses suggested the importance of obtaining multiple listener judgments of intelligibility, especially for speakers with inherently low habitual intelligibility.

Using instructional logs to identify quality in educational settings.

PubMed

Rowan, Brian; Jacob, Robin; Correnti, Richard

2009-01-01

When attempting to identify educational settings that are most effective in improving student achievement, classroom process (that is, the way in which a teacher interacts with his or her students) is a key feature of interest. Unfortunately, high-quality assessment of the student-teacher interaction occurs all too infrequently, despite the critical role that understanding and measuring such processes can play in school improvement. This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of two common approaches to studying these processes-direct classroom observation and annual surveys of teachers-and then describes the ways in which instructional logs can be used to overcome some of the limitations of these two approaches when gathering data on curriculum content and coverage. Classroom observations are expensive, require extensive training of raters to ensure consistency in the observations, and because of their expense generally cannot be conducted frequently enough to enable the researcher to generalize observational findings to the entire school year or illuminate the patterns of instructional change that occur across the school year. Annual surveys are less expensive but often suffer from self-report bias and the bias that occurs when teachers are asked to retrospectively report on their activities over the course of a single year. Instructional logs offer a valid, reliable, and relatively cost-effective alternative for collecting detailed information about classroom practice and can overcome some of the limitations of both observations and annual surveys.

FitSKIRT: genetic algorithms to automatically fit dusty galaxies with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Geyter, G.; Baes, M.; Fritz, J.; Camps, P.

2013-02-01

We present FitSKIRT, a method to efficiently fit radiative transfer models to UV/optical images of dusty galaxies. These images have the advantage that they have better spatial resolution compared to FIR/submm data. FitSKIRT uses the GAlib genetic algorithm library to optimize the output of the SKIRT Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. Genetic algorithms prove to be a valuable tool in handling the multi- dimensional search space as well as the noise induced by the random nature of the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. FitSKIRT is tested on artificial images of a simulated edge-on spiral galaxy, where we gradually increase the number of fitted parameters. We find that we can recover all model parameters, even if all 11 model parameters are left unconstrained. Finally, we apply the FitSKIRT code to a V-band image of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4013. This galaxy has been modeled previously by other authors using different combinations of radiative transfer codes and optimization methods. Given the different models and techniques and the complexity and degeneracies in the parameter space, we find reasonable agreement between the different models. We conclude that the FitSKIRT method allows comparison between different models and geometries in a quantitative manner and minimizes the need of human intervention and biasing. The high level of automation makes it an ideal tool to use on larger sets of observed data.

Compiler-assisted multiple instruction rollback recovery using a read buffer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alewine, N. J.; Chen, S.-K.; Fuchs, W. K.; Hwu, W.-M.

1993-01-01

Multiple instruction rollback (MIR) is a technique that has been implemented in mainframe computers to provide rapid recovery from transient processor failures. Hardware-based MIR designs eliminate rollback data hazards by providing data redundancy implemented in hardware. Compiler-based MIR designs have also been developed which remove rollback data hazards directly with data-flow transformations. This paper focuses on compiler-assisted techniques to achieve multiple instruction rollback recovery. We observe that some data hazards resulting from instruction rollback can be resolved efficiently by providing an operand read buffer while others are resolved more efficiently with compiler transformations. A compiler-assisted multiple instruction rollback scheme is developed which combines hardware-implemented data redundancy with compiler-driven hazard removal transformations. Experimental performance evaluations indicate improved efficiency over previous hardware-based and compiler-based schemes.

Creating Task-Centered Instruction for Web-Based Instruction: Obstacles and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Joel; Jeon, Tae

2010-01-01

Merrill proposes First Principles of Instruction, including a problem- or task-centered strategy for designing instruction. However, when the tasks or problems are ill-defined or complex, task-centered instruction can be difficult to design. We describe an online task-centered training at a land-grant university designed to train employees to use…

Person-job fit: an exploratory cross-sectional analysis of hospitalists.

PubMed

Hinami, Keiki; Whelan, Chad T; Miller, Joseph A; Wolosin, Robert J; Wetterneck, Tosha B

2013-02-01

Person-job fit is an organizational construct shown to impact the entry, performance, and retention of workers. Even as a growing number of physicians work under employed situations, little is known about how physicians select, develop, and perform in organizational settings. Our objective was to validate in the hospitalist physician workforce features of person-job fit observed in workers of other industries. The design was a secondary survey data analysis from a national stratified sample of practicing US hospitalists. The measures were person-job fit; likelihood of leaving practice or reducing workload; organizational climate; relationships with colleagues, staff, and patients; participation in suboptimal patient care activities. Responses to the Hospital Medicine Physician Worklife Survey by 816 (sample response rate 26%) practicing hospitalists were analyzed. Job attrition and reselection improved job fit among hospitalists entering the job market. Better job fit was achieved through hospitalists engaging a variety of personal skills and abilities in their jobs. Job fit increased with time together with socialization and internalization of organizational values. Hospitalists with higher job fit felt they performed better in their jobs. Features of person-job fit for hospitalists conformed to what have been observed in nonphysician workforces. Person-job fit may be a useful complementary survey measure related to job satisfaction but with a greater focus on function. Copyright © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Determinants of Benin elementary school science teachers' orientation toward inquiry-based instructional practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gado, Issaou

The Republic of Benin (West Africa) undertook a nationwide curriculum reform that put an emphasis on inquiry-based instructional practices. Little, if any, research has been conducted to explore factors that could be related to teachers' orientation toward inquiry instructional practices. The purpose of this research study was to investigate factors and concerns that determine Benin elementary school teachers' orientation toward the use of inquiry-based instruction in the teaching of science. The study followed a naturalistic inquiry methodology combining a correlational ex post facto design and an observational case-study design. The theory of Planned Behavior was the conceptual framework used to design the study. Two hundred (N = 200) elementary school teachers and three (n = 3) case study participants were purposively selected. Data was gathered via the Revised Science Attitude Scale (Thompson & Shrigley, 1986), the Science Teachers' Ideological Preference Scale (Jones & Harty, 1978), open-ended questions, interviews, and classroom observations using audiorecorders, videorecorders, and the researcher-contextualized version of the Observational System for the Analysis of Classroom Instruction (Hough, 1966). Qualitative and quantitative data provided a deeper understanding of participants' responses. Quantitative measures indicated that Benin elementary school teachers have positive attitudes toward school science, significant positive orientation toward both inquiry-based instruction and traditional non inquiry-based instruction, and higher orientation toward inquiry-based instruction than traditional non inquiry-based instruction. Attitude toward handling materials for investigations was found to significantly contribute to the prediction of participants' inquiry orientation. Qualitative analyses of participants' responses indicated that the expectations of educational leaders, individual motivation to comply with the program, a perceived control of the

The Relationship between Instructional Alignment and the Ecology of Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Alisa R.; Griffin, Linda L.; Dodds, Patt

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the ecologies of two teachers and the extent that each teacher's agenda aligned with instructional activities and assessments for each unit of instruction. Data were collected in four ways: (1) videotaped record of each lesson, (2) live observation field notes and expanded field notes from the videotape, (3)…

Effects of Instructional Events in Computer-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Klein, James; Sullivan, Howard

2004-01-01

Forty years ago, Robert Gagne published the first edition of his book The Conditions of Learning (1965) in which he proposed nine events of instruction that provide a sequence for organizing a lesson. These events remain the foundation of current instructional design practice (Reiser, 2002; Richey, 2000). They represent desirable conditions in an…

Improving Reading Instruction through Research-Based Instructional Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Vickie Lynn

2010-01-01

The diverse population of students in grades 1- 3 at a suburban elementary school has created a challenge for teachers when differentiating instruction in reading. The purpose of this doctoral project study was to explore the lived experiences of these teachers as they have acquired research-based instructional strategies in reading that support…

An evaluation framework for Health Information Systems: human, organization and technology-fit factors (HOT-fit).

PubMed

Yusof, Maryati Mohd; Kuljis, Jasna; Papazafeiropoulou, Anastasia; Stergioulas, Lampros K

2008-06-01

The realization of Health Information Systems (HIS) requires rigorous evaluation that addresses technology, human and organization issues. Our review indicates that current evaluation methods evaluate different aspects of HIS and they can be improved upon. A new evaluation framework, human, organization and technology-fit (HOT-fit) was developed after having conducted a critical appraisal of the findings of existing HIS evaluation studies. HOT-fit builds on previous models of IS evaluation--in particular, the IS Success Model and the IT-Organization Fit Model. This paper introduces the new framework for HIS evaluation that incorporates comprehensive dimensions and measures of HIS and provides a technological, human and organizational fit. Literature review on HIS and IS evaluation studies and pilot testing of developed framework. The framework was used to evaluate a Fundus Imaging System (FIS) of a primary care organization in the UK. The case study was conducted through observation, interview and document analysis. The main findings show that having the right user attitude and skills base together with good leadership, IT-friendly environment and good communication can have positive influence on the system adoption. Comprehensive, specific evaluation factors, dimensions and measures in the new framework (HOT-fit) are applicable in HIS evaluation. The use of such a framework is argued to be useful not only for comprehensive evaluation of the particular FIS system under investigation, but potentially also for any Health Information System in general.

In-Depth Analysis of Handwriting Curriculum and Instruction in Four Kindergarten Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Hart, Nanho; Fitzpatrick, Paula; Cortesa, Cathryn

2010-01-01

The quality of handwriting curriculum and instructional practices in actual classrooms was investigated in an in-depth case study of four inner city kindergarten classrooms using quantitative and qualitative methods. The handwriting proficiency of students was also evaluated to assess the impact of the instructional practices observed. The…

More than ABC: Instructional Practices and Children's Understanding of Literacy through English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Renu

2013-01-01

Although schoolchildren in India perform poorly in reading/writing tests, little attention is paid to early literacy instruction. This article describes literacy instruction in an English-medium school; through classroom observations and children's artifacts, it documents what four children in Lower KG understand about literacy in English, a…

Association between chronic oral inflammatory burden and physical fitness in males: a cross-sectional observational study.

PubMed

Hoppe, C B; Oliveira, J A P; Grecca, F S; Haas, A N; Gomes, M S

2017-08-01

To evaluate the association between chronic oral inflammatory burden (OIB) - as the combination of periodontal and endodontic disease load - and physical fitness. One hundred and twelve nonsmoker male police officers who performed a standardized physical fitness test (PFT) were analysed. Participants underwent oral clinical and periapical radiographic examinations. Periodontal disease was assessed by probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (AL). For radiographic analysis, both apical periodontitis (AP) and root canal treatment (RCT) variables were analysed. Endodontic Burden (EB) was calculated merging the total number of teeth with AP and/or RCT per individual. OIB was calculated combining EB and AL. The outcome of physical fitness was dichotomized according to whether the highest PFT score was 'achieved' or 'not-achieved'. Multivariable logistic regression models were adjusted for age, body mass index and frequency of daily exercise. There was no significant association between AP, RCT and EB with physical fitness whereas PD, AL and OIB were significantly associated with low physical fitness (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that individuals with OIB = EB ≥ 3 and AL ≥ 4 mm had a 81% lower chance of reaching the highest PFT score (OR = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.04-0.87, P = 0.03) compared to individuals with EB < 3 and and no AL ≥ 4 mm. Individuals with unfavourable periodontal parameters but with low EB (OIB = EB < 3 & AL ≥ 4 mm) showed no significant differences on the chance to reach the highest PFT score compared to participants with favourable periodontal status and low EB (OIB = EB < 3 & no AL ≥ 4 mm). The OIB - higher levels of EB in periodontal patients - was independently associated with poor physical fitness in males. © 2016 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GPUs for statistical data analysis in HEP: a performance study of GooFit on GPUs vs. RooFit on CPUs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompili, Alexis; Di Florio, Adriano; CMS Collaboration

2016-10-01

In order to test the computing capabilities of GPUs with respect to traditional CPU cores a high-statistics toy Monte Carlo technique has been implemented both in ROOT/RooFit and GooFit frameworks with the purpose to estimate the statistical significance of the structure observed by CMS close to the kinematical boundary of the Jψϕ invariant mass in the three-body decay B +→JψϕK +. GooFit is a data analysis open tool under development that interfaces ROOT/RooFit to CUDA platform on nVidia GPU. The optimized GooFit application running on GPUs hosted by servers in the Bari Tier2 provides striking speed-up performances with respect to the RooFit application parallelised on multiple CPUs by means of PROOF-Lite tool. The considerably resulting speed-up, while comparing concurrent GooFit processes allowed by CUDA Multi Process Service and a RooFit/PROOF-Lite process with multiple CPU workers, is presented and discussed in detail. By means of GooFit it has also been possible to explore the behaviour of a likelihood ratio test statistic in different situations in which the Wilks Theorem may apply or does not apply because its regularity conditions are not satisfied.

Fitting Planetary Orbits with a Spreadsheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, Richard

1995-01-01

Describes how to fit binocular observations of the planets to a theoretical model of circular orbits using a modern computer spreadsheet, from which fundamental data about the solar system may be deduced. (AIM)

The STEM Lecture Hall: A Study of Effective Instructional Practices for Diverse Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, Lynn Christine

First-generation, low-income, underrepresented minority (URM) and female undergraduates are matriculating into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors at unprecedented levels. However, a disproportionate number of these students end up graduating in non-STEM disciplines. Attrition rates have been observed to spike in conjunction with introductory STEM courses in chemistry, biology, and physics. These "gateway" courses tend to be housed in large, impersonal lecture halls. First-generation and URM students struggle in this environment, possibly because of instructors' reliance on lecture-based content delivery and rote memorization. Recent social psychological studies suggest the problem may be related to cultural mismatch, or misalignment between independent learning norms typical of American universities and interdependent learning expectancies for first-generation and URM students. Value-affirming and utility-value interventions yield impressive academic achievement gains for these students. These findings overlap with a second body of literature on culturally responsive instruction. Active gateway learning practices that emphasize interactive instruction, frequent assessment, and epistemological instruction can be successful because of their propensity to incorporate values affirming and utility-value techniques. The present study observed instruction for gateway STEM courses over a three-year period at the University of California, Irvine (N = 13,856 undergraduates in 168 courses). Exploratory polychoric factor analysis was used to identify latent variables for observational data on gateway STEM instructional practices. Variables were regressed on institutional student data. Practices implemented in large lecture halls fall into three general categories: Faculty-Student Interaction, Epistemological Instruction, and Peer Interaction . The present study found that Faculty-Student Interaction was negatively associated with student outcomes for

Standardizing Documentation of FITS Headers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourcle, Joseph

2014-06-01

Although the FITS file format[1] can be self-documenting, human intervention is often needed to read the headers to write the necessary transformations to make a given instrument team's data compatible with our preferred analysis package. External documentation may be needed to determine what the values are of coded values or unfamiliar acronyms.Different communities have interpreted keywords slightly differently. This has resulted in ambiguous fields such as DATE-OBS, which could be either the start or mid-point of an observation.[2]Conventions for placing units and additional information within the comments of a FITS card exist, but they require re-writing the FITS file. This operation can be quite costly for large archives, and should not be taken lightly when dealing with issues of digital preservation.We present what we believe is needed for a machine-actionable external file describing a given collection of FITS files. We seek comments from data producers, archives, and those writing software to help develop a single, useful, implementable standard.References:[1] Pence, et.al. 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201015362[2] Rots, et.al, (in preparation), http://hea-www.cfa.harvard.edu arots/TimeWCS/

Training Methods and Training Instructors' Qualification Are Related to Recruits' Fitness Development During Basic Military Training.

PubMed

Roos, Lilian; Hofstetter, Marie-Claire; Mäder, Urs; Wyss, Thomas

2015-11-01

Adequate physical fitness is essential for successful military service. Military organizations worldwide therefore make continuous efforts to improve their army's physical training (PT) programs. To investigate the effect of the training methods and the qualification of PT instructors on the development of recruits' physical fitness, the present study compared the outcomes of 2 training groups. Both study groups participated in approximately 145 minutes per week of PT. The control group executed the standard army PT prepared and supervised by army PT instructors. Content of the PT in the intervention group was similar to that of the control group, but their training sessions' methods were different. Their training sessions were organized, prepared, and delivered by more and better-qualified supervisors (tertiary-educated physical education teachers). After 10 weeks of training, the participants of the intervention group experienced a significantly greater physical fitness improvement than those of the control group (positive change in endurance 32 and 17%, balance 30 and 21%, and core strength 74 and 45%, respectively). In both groups, the recruits with the lowest initial fitness levels significantly increased their performance. In the intervention group, but not the control, one-third of the recruits with the highest initial fitness levels were able to further improve their general fitness performance. This study demonstrates that the training methods and quality of instruction during PT sessions are relevant for recruits' fitness development in basic military training.

Using Technology to Facilitate Differentiated High School Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeng, Jennifer L.

2017-10-01

This qualitative investigation explored the beliefs and practices of one secondary science teacher, Diane, who differentiated instruction and studied how technology facilitated her differentiation. Diane was selected based on the results of a previous study, in which data indicated that Diane understood how to design and implement proactively planned, flexible, engaging instructional activities in response to students' learning needs better than the other study participants. Data for the present study included 3 h of semi-structured interview responses, 37.5 h of observations of science instruction, and other artifacts such as instructional materials. This variety of data allowed for triangulation of the evidence. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results indicated that technology played an integral role in Diane's planning and implementation of differentiated science lessons. The technology-enhanced differentiated lessons employed by Diane typically attended to students' different learning profiles or interest through modification of process or product. This study provides practical strategies for science teachers beginning to differentiate instruction, and recommendations for science teacher educators and school and district administrators. Future research should explore student outcomes, supports for effective formative assessment, and technology-enhanced readiness differentiation among secondary science teachers.

Fitting Orbits to Jupiter's Moons with a Spreadsheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, Richard

1995-01-01

Describes how a spreadsheet is used to fit a circular orbit model to observations of Jupiter's moons made with a small telescope. Kepler's Third Law and the inverse square law of gravity are observed. (AIM)

Fitness

MedlinePlus

... activity are? Check out this info: What is physical fitness? top Physical fitness means you can do ... for things like bending and stretching. What is physical activity? top Basically, physical activity is anything that ...

Seven Teachers' Acceptance of Transactional Strategies Instruction during Their First Year Using It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Dinary, Pamela Beard; Schuder, Ted

1993-01-01

Interviews and observations revealed that only two of seven teachers fully accepted the Students Achieving Independent Learning (SAIL) program, a strategies-based approach to reading instruction. A major challenge seemed to be that the teachers did not know how to coordinate SAIL with other reading instruction. (MDM)

Models for Individualized Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiades, William, Ed.; Clark, Donald C., Ed.

This book, consisting of five parts, provides a collection of source materials that will assist in implementing individualized instruction; provides examples of interrelated systems for individualizing instruction; and describes the components of individualized instructional systems, including flexible use of time, differentiated staffing, new…

Commercial Carpentry: Instructional Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diehl, Donald W.; Penner, Wayman R.

This manual contains instructional materials which measure student performance on commercial carpentry behavioral objectives; criterion-referenced evaluation instruments are also included. Each of the manual's eleven sections consists of one or more units of instruction. Each instructional unit includes behavioral objectives, suggested activities…

Pre-Instructional Conceptions about Transformations of Substances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfundt, Helga

Findings generated from past classroom observation and individual interviews indicate that certain framework conceptions can be identified by which students explain special transformations of substances and which are activated in view of new experiences made in the course of chemistry instruction. This study investigated these framework…

The Domain Five Observation Instrument: A Competency-Based Coach Evaluation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shangraw, Rebecca

2017-01-01

The Domain Five Observation Instrument (DFOI) is a competency-based observation instrument recommended for sport leaders or researchers who wish to evaluate coaches' instructional behaviors. The DFOI includes 10 behavior categories and four timed categories that encompass 34 observable instructional benchmarks outlined in domain five of the…

INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION IN GERMANY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Central Inst. for Youth and Educational Television, Munich (West Germany).

DISCUSSIONS HELD AT THE BERLIN CONGRESS ON INSTRUCTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION (SEPTEMBER 27-29, 1966) ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED. THIS DOCUMENT ALSO LISTS RESEARCH PROJECTS IN INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION IN GERMANY, DESCRIBES THE BAVARIAN RADIO INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAM, SUMMARIZES THE OPINIONS OF THE GERMAN PRESS ON INSTRUCTIONAL…

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY LISTS MATERIAL ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. APPROXIMATELY 85 UNANNOTATED REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED TO DOCUMENTS DATING FROM 1958 TO 1966. JOURNALS, BOOKS, AND REPORT MATERIALS ARE LISTED. SUBJECT AREAS INCLUDED ARE PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION, TEACHING MACHINES, RESPONSE MODE, SELF-INSTRUCTION, AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED…

Student performance on conceptual questions: Does instruction matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heron, Paula R. L.

2013-01-01

As part of the tutorial component of introductory calculus-based physics at the University of Washington, students take weekly pretests that consist of conceptual questions. Pretests are so named because they precede each tutorial, but they are frequently administered after lecture instruction. Many variables associated with class composition and prior instruction (if any) could, in principle, affect student performance on these questions. Nonetheless, the results are often found to be "essentially the same" in all classes. With data available from a large number of classes, it is possible to characterize the typical variation quantitatively. In this paper three questions for which we have accumulated thousands of responses, from dozens of classes representing different conditions with respect to the textbook in use, the amount of prior instruction, etc., serve as examples. For each question, we examine the variation in student performance across all classes. We also compare subsets categorized according to the amount of relevant prior instruction each class had received. A preliminary analysis suggests that the variation in performance is essentially random. No statistically significant difference is observed between results obtained before relevant instruction begins and after it has been completed. The results provide evidence that exposure to concepts in lecture and textbook is not sufficient to ensure an improvement in performance on questions that require qualitative reasoning.

Measures of Instruction for Creative Engagement: Making Metacognition, Modeling and Creative Thinking Visible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitts, Christine; Anderson, Ross; Haney, Michele

2018-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to estimate reliability, internal consistency and construct validity of the Measure of Instruction for Creative Engagement (MICE) instrument. The MICE uses an iterative process of evidence collection and scoring through teacher observations to determine instructional domain ratings and overall scores. The…

Chemistry Teachers' Journey through Modeling Instruction: From Workshop to Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frick, Tasha

This presentation will feature case study research that describes the difficulties that four high school chemistry teachers faced while implementing Modeling Instruction into their classrooms. Modeling Instruction is characterized by the development of understanding through cooperative inquiry and collective discourse on a path from concrete to abstract. The complications in transforming a classroom from traditional teacher centered methods to one which focuses on the use of student-centered Modeling Instruction will be thoroughly investigated through the stories of each of the participants. The study begins with observations of the teachers prior to the introduction of Modeling Instruction and follows them into the professional development in the summer, the initial use in the fall term, a follow-up workshop, and finally back into the classrooms. The enlightening findings highlight the difficulties teachers had in aligning the standards, and developing a scope and sequence, as well as reconciling their beliefs about student ability.

The importance of standardized observations to evaluate nutritional care quality in the survey process.

PubMed

Schnelle, John F; Bertrand, Rosanna; Hurd, Donna; White, Alan; Squires, David; Feuerberg, Marvin; Hickey, Kelly; Simmons, Sandra F

2009-10-01

Guidelines written for government surveyors who assess nursing home (NH) compliance with federal standards contain instructions to observe the quality of mealtime assistance. However, these instructions are vague and no protocol is provided for surveyors to record observational data. This study compared government survey staff observations of mealtime assistance quality to observations by research staff using a standardized protocol that met basic standards for accurate behavioral measurement. Survey staff used either the observation instructions in the standard survey process or those written for the revised Quality Improvement Survey (QIS). Trained research staff observed mealtime care in 20 NHs in 5 states during the same time period that survey staff evaluated care in the same facilities, although it could not be determined if survey and research staff observed the same residents during the same meals. Ten NHs were evaluated by government surveyors using the QIS survey instructions and 10 NHs were evaluated by surveyors using the standard survey instructions. Research staff observations using a standardized observation protocol identified a higher proportion of residents receiving inadequate feeding assistance during meals relative to survey staff using either the standard or QIS survey instructions. For example, more than 50% of the residents who ate less than half of their meals based on research staff observation were not offered an alternative to the served meal, and the lack of alternatives, or meal substitutions, was common in all 20 NHs. In comparison, the QIS survey teams documented only 2 instances when meal substitutes were not offered in 10 NHs and the standard survey teams documented no instances in 10 NHs. Standardized mealtime observations by research staff revealed feeding assistance care quality issues in all 20 study NHs. Surveyors following the instructions in either the standard or revised QIS surveys did not detect most of these care quality

The implementation and evaluation of teacher training in gaming instruction for secondary science: An action research project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, Veronica

This study implemented and evaluated gaming instruction as a professional development for science teachers at a Georgia high school. It was guided by four research questions that (a) assessed the impact of training in gaming instruction and evaluation of that training on science teachers' ability to use games; (b) examined evidence showing that science teachers used games; (c) assessed the impact of the implementation and subsequent evaluation of games-based training on how science teachers instruct their students; and (d) explored the use of change management principles to help teachers transition from traditional to gaming instruction. The study included a purposive sampling of 10 volunteer science teachers who received the professional development of training in gaming instruction and were observed as they used games to instruct their students. Quantitative data were collected from interviews, observations, and reviews of student assignments and teacher plans, and were statistically analyzed to answer the research questions. These same methods were used to obtain qualitative data, which were also analyzed to answer the research questions as well as to understand the meaning, beliefs and experience behind the numbers. Ultimately, data analysis revealed that the science teachers not only used gaming instruction but also that the training helped them to use gaming instruction and that they considered gaming instruction a viable instruction methodology. Finally, data analysis revealed that change management was successfully used in the study.

Effects of population outcrossing on rotifer fitness

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Outcrossing between populations can exert either positive or negative effects on offspring fitness. Cyclically parthenogenetic rotifers, like other continental zooplankters, show high genetic differentiation despite their high potential for passive dispersal. Within this context, the effects of outcrossing may be relevant in modulating gene flow between populations through selection for or against interpopulation hybrids. Nevertheless, these effects remain practically unexplored in rotifers. Here, the consequences of outcrossing on the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were investigated. Cross-mating experiments were performed between a reference population and three alternative populations that differed in their genetic distance with regard to the former. Two offspring generations were obtained: F1 and BC ('backcross'). Fitness of the outcrossed offspring was compared with fitness of the offspring of the reference population for both generations and for three different between-population combinations. Four fitness components were measured throughout the rotifer life cycle: the diapausing egg-hatching proportion, clone viability (for the clones originating from diapausing eggs), initial net growth rate R for each viable clone, and the proportion of male-producing clones. Additionally, both the parental fertilisation proportion and a compound fitness measure, integrating the complete life cycle, were estimated. Results In the F1 generation, hybrid vigour was detected for the diapausing egg-hatching proportion, while R was lower in the outcrossed offspring than in the offspring of the reference population. Despite these contrasting results, hybrid vigour was globally observed for the compound measure of fitness. Moreover, there was evidence that this vigour could increase with the genetic differentiation of the outcrossed populations. In the BC generation, the hybrid vigour detected for the egg-hatching proportion in the F1 generation reverted to outbreeding

BRIDGE: A Simulation Model for Comparing the Costs of Expanding a Campus Using Distributed Instruction versus Classroom Instruction. Documentation and Instructions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewett, Frank

These instructions describe the use of BRIDGE, a computer software simulation model that is designed to compare the costs of expanding a college campus using distributed instruction (television or asynchronous network courses) versus the costs of expanding using lecture/lab type instruction. The model compares the projected operating and capital…

Demonstrating Empathy: A Phenomenological Study of Instructional Designers Making Instructional Strategy Decisions for Adult Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vann, Linda S.

2017-01-01

Instructional designers are tasked with making instructional strategy decisions to facilitate achievement of learning outcomes as part of their professional responsibilities. While the instructional design process includes learner analysis, that analysis alone does not embody opportunities to assist instructional designers with demonstrations of…

Marketplace of memory: what the brain fitness technology industry says about us and how we can do better.

PubMed

George, Daniel R; Whitehouse, Peter J

2011-10-01

In the therapeutic void created by over 20 failed Alzheimer's disease drugs during the past decade, a new marketplace of "brain fitness" technology products has emerged. Ranging from video games and computer software to mobile phone apps and hand-held devices, these commercial products promise to maintain and enhance the memory, concentration, visual and spatial skills, verbal recall, and executive functions of individual users. It is instructive to view these products as sociocultural objects deeply imbued with the values and ideologies of our age; consequently, this article offers a critique of the brain fitness technology marketplace while identifying limitations in the capacity of commercial products to realistically improve cognitive health. A broader conception of brain health is presented, going beyond the reductionism of the commercial brain fitness marketplace and asking how our most proximate relationships and local communities can play a role in supporting cognitive and psychosocial well-being. This vision is grounded in recent experiences at The Intergenerational School in Cleveland, OH, a multigenerational community-oriented learning environment that is implementing brain fitness technology in novel ways.

The Evaluation of Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanaga, Kim

Some of the theoretical and methodological problems with current practices in evaluating instruction at the higher education level are reviewed. Controversy over the evaluation of instruction in higher education has resulted at least in part from inadequate instrumentation. The instruments for instructional rating now used include administrator…

Instructional Rounds in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, John E.

2012-01-01

"Instructional Rounds in Action" is an invaluable guide for those involved in implementing instructional rounds as the foundation and framework for systemic improvement in schools. Over the past few years, districts across the United States, Canada, and Australia have begun implementing "instructional rounds," a set of ideas…

The power of instructions: Proactive configuration of stimulus-response translation.

PubMed

Meiran, Nachshon; Pereg, Maayan; Kessler, Yoav; Cole, Michael W; Braver, Todd S

2015-05-01

Humans are characterized by an especially highly developed ability to use instructions to prepare toward upcoming events; yet, it is unclear just how powerful instructions can be. Although prior work provides evidence that instructions can be sufficiently powerful to proactively program working memory to execute stimulus-response (S-R) translations, in a reflexlike fashion (intention-based reflexivity [IBR]), the results to date have been equivocal. To overcome this shortcoming, we developed, and tested in 4 studies, a novel paradigm (the NEXT paradigm) that isolates IBR effects even prior to first task execution. In each miniblock, participants received S-R mapping instructions for a new task. Prior to implementing this mapping, responses were required to advance through screens during a preparatory (NEXT) phase. When the NEXT response was incompatible with the instructed S-R mapping, interference (IBR effect) was observed. This NEXT compatibility effect and performance in the implementation (GO) trials barely changed when prior practice of a few trials was provided. Finally, a manipulation that encouraged preparation resulted in relatively durable NEXT compatibility effects (indicating durable preparatory efforts) coupled with improved GO performance (indicating the success of these efforts). Together, these findings establish IBR as a marker of instructed proactive control. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Mindfulness training for smokers via web-based video instruction with phone support: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Davis, James M; Manley, Alison R; Goldberg, Simon B; Stankevitz, Kristin A; Smith, Stevens S

2015-03-29

Many smokers are unable to access effective behavioral smoking cessation therapies due to location, financial limitations, schedule, transportation issues or other reasons. We report results from a prospective observational study in which a promising novel behavioral intervention, Mindfulness Training for Smokers was provided via web-based video instruction with telephone-based counseling support. Data were collected on 26 low socioeconomic status smokers. Participants were asked to watch eight video-based classes describing mindfulness skills and how to use these skills to overcome various core challenges in tobacco dependence. Participants received eight weekly phone calls from a smoking cessation coach who provided general support and answered questions about the videos. On the quit day, participants received two weeks of nicotine patches. Participants were a mean of 40.5 years of age, smoked 16.31 cigarettes per day for 21.88 years, with a mean of 6.81 prior failed quit attempts. Participants completed a mean of 5.55 of 8 online video classes with a mean of 23.33 minutes per login, completed a mean of 3.19 of 8 phone coach calls, and reported a mean meditation practice time of 12.17 minutes per day. Smoking abstinence was defined as self-reported abstinence on a smoking calendar with biochemical confirmation via carbon monoxide breath-test under 7 parts per million. Intent-to-treat analysis demonstrated 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence at 4 and 6-months post-quit of 23.1% and 15.4% respectively. Participants showed a significant pre- to post-intervention increase in mindfulness as measured by the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire, and a significant pre- to post-intervention decrease in the Anxiety Sub-scale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. Results suggest that Mindfulness Training for Smokers can be provided via web-based video instruction with phone support and yield reasonable participant engagement on intervention practices and that

Calibrating White Dwarf Asteroseismic Fitting Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castanheira, B. G.; Romero, A. D.; Bischoff-Kim, A.

2017-03-01

The main goal of looking for intrinsic variability in stars is the unique opportunity to study their internal structure. Once we have extracted independent modes from the data, it appears to be a simple matter of comparing the period spectrum with those from theoretical model grids to learn the inner structure of that star. However, asteroseismology is much more complicated than this simple description. We must account not only for observational uncertainties in period determination, but most importantly for the limitations of the model grids, coming from the uncertainties in the constitutive physics, and of the fitting techniques. In this work, we will discuss results of numerical experiments where we used different independently calculated model grids (white dwarf cooling models WDEC and fully evolutionary LPCODE-PUL) and fitting techniques to fit synthetic stars. The advantage of using synthetic stars is that we know the details of their interior structure so we can assess how well our models and fitting techniques are able to the recover the interior structure, as well as the stellar parameters.

TECHNOLOGY AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FINN, JAMES D.

A TEACHER SHORTAGE, LARGE CLASSES, AND NEED FOR QUALITY INSTRUCTION FORCED EDUCATION INTO MASS INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY IS GOVERNED BY SUCH SYSTEMS AS TELEVISION AND FILMS WHICH CAN REACH MORE STUDENTS WITH FEWER TEACHERS. THERE IS A TREND TOWARD INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION UTILIZING TEACHING MACHINES. IF A COMBINATION OF…

Artificial Intelligence Methods in Computer-Based Instructional Design. The Minnesota Adaptive Instructional System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennyson, Robert

1984-01-01

Reviews educational applications of artificial intelligence and presents empirically-based design variables for developing a computer-based instruction management system. Taken from a programmatic research effort based on the Minnesota Adaptive Instructional System, variables include amount and sequence of instruction, display time, advisement,…

Impact of Instructional Design on Virtual Teamwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawlings, Melody

2012-01-01

The purpose of this participatory action research study was to answer the following research question: How does online instructional design impact students' virtual teamwork performance? Through the lens of social constructivism, a qualitative, in-depth multi-case study design was utilized to conduct document analyses, observations, and student…

Developing Mobile Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Pastore, Raymond; Snider, Jean

2012-01-01

This paper describes an instructional design class's experience developing instruction for the mobile web. The class was taught at a southeastern university in the United States in a master's level computer based instruction course. Two example projects are showcased and student reflections on design issues are highlighted. Additionally,…

Instructional Design: System Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledford, Bruce R.; Sleeman, Phillip J.

This book is intended as a source for those who desire to apply a coherent system of instructional design, thereby insuring accountability. Chapter 1 covers the instructional design process, including: instructional technology; the role of evaluation; goal setting; the psychology of teaching and learning; task analysis; operational objectives;…

Supplemental instruction in chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundeberg, Mary A.

This study was designed to measure some effects of supplemental instruction in chemistry. Supplemental instruction is a peer-led cooperative learning program that encourages students to develop conceptual understanding by articulating both understandings and misconceptions in a think-aloud fashion. Supplemental instruction was offered three hours weekly outside of class and lab time for students in four classes of General Organic and Biological Chemistry. Over a two-year period 108 students volunteered to participate in this program; 45 students did not participate. As measured by final grades in chemistry and responses to a questionnaire, supplemental instruction was effective in increasing students' achievement in chemistry. Further research is needed to determine the in-depth effects of supplemental instruction on students' learning, problem solving, and self-esteem.

Sport specific fitness testing of elite badminton players.

PubMed Central

Chin, M K; Wong, A S; So, R C; Siu, O T; Steininger, K; Lo, D T

1995-01-01

There is a scarcity of descriptive data on the performance capacity of elite badminton players, whose fitness requirements are quite specific. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the physiological response of elite badminton players in a sport-specific fitness test. Twelve Hong Kong national badminton team players performed a field test on a badminton court. Six light bulbs were connected to a programming device causing individual bulbs to light up in a given sequence. The players were instructed to react to the flashes by running towards them, and striking shuttles mounted in the vicinity of the bulbs. Exercise intensity was controlled by altering the interval between successive lightings. A low correlation (r = 0.65) was found between the results of the field test and the rank-order list of subjects, based on an objective on-field physiological assessment and subjective ranking. This may be explained by the requirements of other factors besides physical fitness which contribute to success in elite level badminton competition. These factors may include, for example, technical skill, mental power, and aesthetic judgements on the court. Maximum mean (s.d.) heart rate data (187(8) beats.min-1) and blood lactate values (10.4(2.9) mmol.l-1) in this study showed that players were under maximal load during the field test. From the testing data, it seems reasonable to speculate that the intensity of level 3 (20 light pulses.min-1; 3.0 s.pulse-1) and level 4 (22 light pulses.min-1; 2.7 s.pulse-1) simulates the requirement of actual games energy expenditure of the Hong Kong badminton players exercising at close to their anaerobic threshold. The results also show that an estimate of fitness can be derived from measurements involving exercise closely resembling that which is specific for the sports activity in question. Improved training advice and guidance may result from such studies. PMID:8800846

A Study of Differentiated Instruction Based on the SIOP Model in Georgia Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomlinson, Sherry Marie

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study investigated the teachers' concerns of the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP) model (Echevarria, Short and Vogt, 2008) as a means to differentiate instruction for LEP students in public school classrooms. This study took place in one central Georgia school district with a sample of 16 teachers who…

Instructional Development at a Glance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska Univ., Anchorage.

Developing instruction is a critical part of the education process. For instruction to be effective it should be organized and well planned. Development of an effective program should include careful consideration of the need for instruction, the audience, and the course content. Instruction delivered via telecommunications can be even more…

Application of distance learning to interactive seminar instruction in orthodontic residency programs.

PubMed

Bednar, Eric D; Hannum, Wallace M; Firestone, Allen; Silveira, Anibal M; Cox, Thomas D; Proffit, William R

2007-11-01

A series of experiments involving 3 orthodontic departments has shown that distance learning can be acceptable to residents and effective in teaching concepts that are fundamental to orthodontic practice. Residents in each department participated in distance seminars, clinical conferences, and clinical seminars via high-speed Internet connections. The acceptability of this form of instruction was judged from evaluation forms completed by the residents. Its effectiveness was judged from pretests and posttests on the seminar topics. The improvement from pretest to posttest scores after observing a sequence of distance seminars was similar to that with direct instruction. Orthodontic residents rated the educational experiences positively. Live participation in seminars via video conferencing was preferred to live observation or later observation of a recording, but observation provided similar improvement in test scores. The acceptability of the distance seminars appeared to be influenced by the instructor's personality and teaching style in facilitating interaction, the seminar subject, the residents' comfort level in dealing with this technology, and the sequence for interaction vs observation. Further development of recorded seminars with live follow-up discussions has the potential to supplement instruction in graduate orthodontic programs and help with the impending shortage of experienced full-time orthodontic faculty.

A comparison study of instruction between international school and state school of middle school level in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pamelasari, S. D.; Nurkhalisa, S.; Laksmana, S. I.

2018-03-01

This paper presents a comparison between the instruction in international school and state school in the middle level in Indonesia to find out the strength and weakness of each school in order to identify some professional development needs. The observation and interview were conducted to see the instruction of each school. Some pedagogy aspects consisting of attitude, strategy, and practice were observed to get the overview of instruction. Through this study, it has been found that the teachers apply an active learning approach that created an enthusiastic atmosphere of students’ participation. However, the different circumstance found is in the aspect of the number of students, the language of instruction and students’ characteristics between those schools.

The lunar libration: comparisons between various models - a model fitted to LLR observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapront, J.; Francou, G.

2005-09-01

We consider 4 libration models: 3 numerical models built by JPL (ephemerides for the libration in DE245, DE403 and DE405) and an analytical model improved with numerical complements fitted to recent LLR observations. The analytical solution uses 3 angular variables (ρ1, ρ2, τ) which represent the deviations with respect to Cassini's laws. After having referred the models to a unique reference frame, we study the differences between the models which depend on gravitational and tidal parameters of the Moon, as well as amplitudes and frequencies of the free librations. It appears that the differences vary widely depending of the above quantities. They correspond to a few meters displacement on the lunar surface, reminding that LLR distances are precise to the centimeter level. Taking advantage of the lunar libration theory built by Moons (1984) and improved by Chapront et al. (1999) we are able to establish 4 solutions and to represent their differences by Fourier series after a numerical substitution of the gravitational constants and free libration parameters. The results are confirmed by frequency analyses performed separately. Using DE245 as a basic reference ephemeris, we approximate the differences between the analytical and numerical models with Poisson series. The analytical solution - improved with numerical complements under the form of Poisson series - is valid over several centuries with an internal precision better than 5 centimeters.

Instructional Leadership: The Role of Heads of Schools in Managing the Instructional Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manaseh, Aaron Mkanga

2016-01-01

Scholars and practitioners agree that instructional leadership (IL) can be one of the most useful tools for creating an effective teaching and learning environment. This paper investigates the instructional leadership practices engaged in by heads of secondary schools to enhance classroom instruction and students learning, particularly the way…

Performance studies of GooFit on GPUs vs RooFit on CPUs while estimating the statistical significance of a new physical signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Florio, Adriano

2017-10-01

In order to test the computing capabilities of GPUs with respect to traditional CPU cores a high-statistics toy Monte Carlo technique has been implemented both in ROOT/RooFit and GooFit frameworks with the purpose to estimate the statistical significance of the structure observed by CMS close to the kinematical boundary of the J/ψϕ invariant mass in the three-body decay B + → J/ψϕK +. GooFit is a data analysis open tool under development that interfaces ROOT/RooFit to CUDA platform on nVidia GPU. The optimized GooFit application running on GPUs hosted by servers in the Bari Tier2 provides striking speed-up performances with respect to the RooFit application parallelised on multiple CPUs by means of PROOF-Lite tool. The considerable resulting speed-up, evident when comparing concurrent GooFit processes allowed by CUDA Multi Process Service and a RooFit/PROOF-Lite process with multiple CPU workers, is presented and discussed in detail. By means of GooFit it has also been possible to explore the behaviour of a likelihood ratio test statistic in different situations in which the Wilks Theorem may or may not apply because its regularity conditions are not satisfied.

Instructional support and implementation structure during elementary teachers' science education simulation use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonczi, Amanda L.; Chiu, Jennifer L.; Maeng, Jennifer L.; Bell, Randy L.

2016-07-01

This investigation sought to identify patterns in elementary science teachers' computer simulation use, particularly implementation structures and instructional supports commonly employed by teachers. Data included video-recorded science lessons of 96 elementary teachers who used computer simulations in one or more science lessons. Results indicated teachers used a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio most often either during class-wide individual computer use or during a rotating station structure. Worksheets, general support, and peer collaboration were the most common forms of instructional support. The least common instructional support forms included lesson pacing, initial play, and a closure discussion. Students' simulation use was supported in the fewest ways during a rotating station structure. Results suggest that simulation professional development with elementary teachers needs to explicitly focus on implementation structures and instructional support to enhance participants' pedagogical knowledge and improve instructional simulation use. In addition, research is needed to provide theoretical explanations for the observed patterns that should subsequently be addressed in supporting teachers' instructional simulation use during professional development or in teacher preparation programs.

Elementary Students' Retention of Environmental Science Knowledge: Connected Science Instruction versus Direct Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadhyay, Bhaskar; DeFranco, Cristina

2008-01-01

This study compares 3rd-grade elementary students' gain and retention of science vocabulary over time in two different classes--"connected science instruction" versus "direct instruction." Data analysis yielded that students who received connected science instruction showed less gain in science knowledge in the short term compared to students who…

Two Charter School Principals' Engagement in Instructional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickmore, Dana L.; Sulentic Dowell, Margaret-Mary

2014-01-01

This comparative case (Merriam, 2009) study explored two charter school principals' engagement in instructional leadership. Analysis of three data sources--interviews, observations, and documents--revealed that principals were almost exclusively focused on state accountability and possessed limited knowledge of pedagogical practices. In…

Evaluation of Instructional Design Capabilities of Asynchronous and Synchronous Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Kristi N.; Benson, Angela D.

2017-01-01

From a quantitative perspective, this study examined the instructional design knowledge of higher education instructors and others within the instructional design/technology arena who are members of a global educational based Internet forum. Results showed significant difference in opinions between genders, where males were more inclined to…

Learning from Programmed Instruction: Examining Implications for Modern Instructional Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Jason K.; Yanchar, Stephen C.; Osguthorpe, Russell T.

2005-01-01

This article reports a theoretical examination of several parallels between contemporary instructional technology (as manifest in one of its most current manifestations, online learning) and one of its direct predecessors, programmed instruction. We place particular focus on the underlying assumptions of the two movements. Our analysis suggests…

Experience and Explanation: Using Videogames to Prepare Students for Formal Instruction in Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arena, Dylan A.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2014-08-01

Well-designed digital games can deliver powerful experiences that are difficult to provide through traditional instruction, while traditional instruction can deliver formal explanations that are not a natural fit for gameplay. Combined, they can accomplish more than either can alone. An experiment tested this claim using the topic of statistics, where people's everyday experiences often conflict with normative statistical theories and a videogame might provide an alternate set of experiences for students to draw upon. The research used a game called Stats Invaders!, a variant of the classic videogame Space Invaders. In Stats Invaders!, the locations of descending alien invaders follow probability distributions, and players need to infer the shape of the distributions to play well. The experiment tested whether the game developed participants' intuitions about the structure of random events and thereby prepared them for future learning from a subsequent written passage on probability distributions. Community-college students who played the game and then read the passage learned more than participants who only read the passage.

A phenomenological study on the impacts of embedding disciplinary literacy during science instruction on elementary teachers' metacognition of instructional techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Kelley

The educational community has been increasing its focus on literacy for several years. The modern definition of literacy requires students to be an informed and integrated thinker, synthesizing new information beyond the mere ability to read and write (Guzzetti & Bang, 2011). This qualitative phenomenological study focused on how teachers of science view literacy and how that view changes when they implement the concept of disciplinary literacy into science instruction. This phenomenological study examined how teachers became more metacognitive of their instructional methods after implementation of the Question-Answer Relationship strategy (QAR) and direct vocabulary instruction into their science instruction. Teachers utilized schema theory and social cognitive theory to integrate the two strategies into their science lessons throughout the study. This phenomenological study collected data during a six-week implementation period through interviews, observations, teacher journals and collection of artifacts from 12 teachers who taught students in grades one through five and three literacy specialists in a rural central Maine school. These data sources were analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) seven steps to discover themes that were identified from the data. Findings from this study, as viewed through the pragmatic lens, suggested that teachers benefit from systematic reflection of their teaching to develop literacy rich content area lessons that address all of the students' learning needs.

How does high stakes testing influence teachers' classroom instruction?: Institutional pressures and classroom instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Mika Yoder

2011-12-01

This study examined how a total of eight math and science elementary school teachers changed their classroom instruction in response to high stakes and low stakes testing in one school district. The district introduced new assessment in the school year of 2005--06 to meet the requirement set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)---that the assessment should be aligned with the state academic standards. I conducted interviews with teachers and school administrators at two elementary schools, district officials, and a representative of a non-profit organization during the school year 2007--08 to examine how the new assessment introduced in 2005--06 had shaped classroom instruction. Concepts from New Institutional Theory and cognitive approaches to policy implementation guided the design of this study. This study focused on how materials and activities associated with high stakes testing promoted ideas about good instruction, and how these ideas were carried to teachers. The study examined how teachers received messages about instruction and how they responded to the messages. The study found that high stakes testing influenced teachers' classroom instruction more than low stakes testing; however, the instructional changes teachers made in response to state testing was at the content level. The teachers' instructional strategies did not change. The teachers' instructional changes varied with the degree of implementation of existing math curriculum and with the degree of support they received in understanding the meaning of assessment results. The study concluded that, among the six teachers I studied, high stakes testing was not a sufficient intervention for changing teachers' instructional strategies. The study also addressed the challenges of aligning instructional messages across assessment, standards, and curriculum.

Introducing the Postsecondary Instructional Practices Survey (PIPS): A Concise, Interdisciplinary, and Easy-to-Score Survey.

PubMed

Walter, Emily M; Henderson, Charles R; Beach, Andrea L; Williams, Cody T

Researchers, administrators, and policy makers need valid and reliable information about teaching practices. The Postsecondary Instructional Practices Survey (PIPS) is designed to measure the instructional practices of postsecondary instructors from any discipline. The PIPS has 24 instructional practice statements and nine demographic questions. Users calculate PIPS scores by an intuitive proportion-based scoring convention. Factor analyses from 72 departments at four institutions (N = 891) support a 2- or 5-factor solution for the PIPS; both models include all 24 instructional practice items and have good model fit statistics. Factors in the 2-factor model include (a) instructor-centered practices, nine items; and (b) student-centered practices, 13 items. Factors in the 5-factor model include (a) student-student interactions, six items; (b) content delivery, four items; (c) formative assessment, five items; (d) student-content engagement, five items; and (e) summative assessment, four items. In this article, we describe our development and validation processes, provide scoring conventions and outputs for results, and describe wider applications of the instrument. © 2016 E. M. Walter et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Impact of supplemental instruction leader on the success of supplemental instruction model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahabaduge, Hasitha; Haslam, Jeanne

Supplemental instruction utilizes peer-assisted study sessions to provide review sessions on course material and an opportunity to discuss and work out problems. The impact of supplemental instruction on student performance is well researched and used in a large number of universities around the world due to its proven success. However, the impact of the student leader who plays a significant role in this model is rarely discussed in the literature. We present a case study on the impact of student leader on the success of supplemental instruction model. This case study was done for an Introductory Physics course correlating student performance and the supplemental instruction sessions they attended. Further analysis revealed that the academic performance and work ethics of the student leader has a significant impact on the success of the supplemental instruction model. Important factors to consider when selecting a student leader, the challenges and possible remedies will also be discussed.

The Association Between Self-Rated Fitness and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Adults.

PubMed

Jensen, Karina Gregersen; Rosthøj, Susanne; Linneberg, Allan; Aadahl, Mette

2018-06-01

To assess criterion validity of a single item question on self-rated physical fitness against objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness. From the Health2008 study 749 men and women between 30 and 60 years of age rated their fitness as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated with the watt-max test. Agreement between self-rated and objectively measured physical fitness was assessed by Cohen's weighted kappa coefficient. Correlation was determined by Goodman & Kruskal's gamma correlation coefficient. All analyses were stratified according to gender. Data from 323 men and 426 women were analysed. There was a slight agreement between self-rated and objectively measured fitness in men (weighted kappa: 0.18, [95%CI: 0.13;0.23]) and a fair agreement in women (weighted kappa: 0.27, [95%CI: 0.22;0.32]). In both genders, self-rated fitness was positively correlated with objectively measured fitness (moderate correlation; gamma correlation coefficient for men: 0.63 [95%CI: 0.54;0.72] and women: 0.67 [95%CI: 0.59;0.75]). There was a slight to fair agreement and moderate, positive correlations between self-rated physical fitness and watt-max estimated cardiorespiratory fitness. Hence, a single-item question on physical fitness may be a cost-effective method of assessing fitness in large population studies, but is not valid for individual assessments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Stability of College Students' Fit with Their Academic Major and the Relationship between Academic Fit and Occupational Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghandour, Louma

2013-01-01

This study examines the fit between students' interests and their academic choices at different stages of their college careers. Using image theory (Beach, 1990) as an integrated theory of person-vocation fit, this investigation focuses on the stability of academic fit during college and the relationship between fit with academic choice and fit…

Feedback in Technology-Based Instruction: Learner Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lefevre, David; Cox, Benita

2016-01-01

This research investigates learner preferences for the format of feedback?when using technology-based instruction (TBI). The primary method of data collection was to provide subjects with a range of options for TBI feedback following responses to multiple-choice questions and then observe their choices. A software tool both presented the feedback…

How Theory-Building Research on Instruction Can Support Instructional Improvement: Toward a Modelling Perspective in Secondary Geometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbst, Patricio

2016-01-01

How can basic research on mathematics instruction contribute to instructional improvement? In our research on the practical rationality of geometry teaching we describe existing instruction and examine how existing instruction responds to perturbations. In this talk I consider the proposal that geometry instruction could be improved by infusing it…

Evolution of Fitness in Experimental Populations of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

PubMed Central

Elena, S. F.; Gonzalez-Candelas, F.; Novella, I. S.; Duarte, E. A.; Clarke, D. K.; Domingo, E.; Holland, J. J.; Moya, A.

1996-01-01

The evolution of fitness in experimental clonal populations of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has been compared under different genetic (fitness of initial clone) and demographic (population dynamics) regimes. In spite of the high genetic heterogeneity among replicates within experiments, there is a clear effect of population dynamics on the evolution of fitness. Those populations that went through strong periodic bottlenecks showed a decreased fitness in competition experiments with wild type. Conversely, mutant populations that were transferred under the dynamics of continuous population expansions increased their fitness when compared with the same wild type. The magnitude of the observed effect depended on the fitness of the original viral clone. Thus, high fitness clones showed a larger reduction in fitness than low fitness clones under dynamics with included periodic bottleneck. In contrast, the gain in fitness was larger the lower the initial fitness of the viral clone. The quantitative genetic analysis of the trait ``fitness'' in the resulting populations shows that genetic variation for the trait is positively correlated with the magnitude of the change in the same trait. The results are interpreted in terms of the operation of MULLER's ratchet and genetic drift as opposed to the appearance of beneficial mutations. PMID:8849878

RATES OF FITNESS DECLINE AND REBOUND SUGGEST PERVASIVE EPISTASIS

PubMed Central

Perfeito, L; Sousa, A; Bataillon, T; Gordo, I

2014-01-01

Unraveling the factors that determine the rate of adaptation is a major question in evolutionary biology. One key parameter is the effect of a new mutation on fitness, which invariably depends on the environment and genetic background. The fate of a mutation also depends on population size, which determines the amount of drift it will experience. Here, we manipulate both population size and genotype composition and follow adaptation of 23 distinct Escherichia coli genotypes. These have previously accumulated mutations under intense genetic drift and encompass a substantial fitness variation. A simple rule is uncovered: the net fitness change is negatively correlated with the fitness of the genotype in which new mutations appear—a signature of epistasis. We find that Fisher's geometrical model can account for the observed patterns of fitness change and infer the parameters of this model that best fit the data, using Approximate Bayesian Computation. We estimate a genomic mutation rate of 0.01 per generation for fitness altering mutations, albeit with a large confidence interval, a mean fitness effect of mutations of −0.01, and an effective number of traits nine in mutS− E. coli. This framework can be extended to confront a broader range of models with data and test different classes of fitness landscape models. PMID:24372601

Instructional practices at Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) safety day camps.

PubMed

Mazur, J M; Cole, H P; Reed, D; Claunch, D

2005-05-01

The instructional methods used with 1,347 youth in seven Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) day camp sessions conducted in five states during the summer and fall of 2002 were videotaped. The videotapes, instructor questionnaires, and day camp materials were analyzed using an observation protocol that focused on instructional practices and an interaction analysis of instructor-student talk during the sessions. Results showed that instruction focused on hazard recognition, a high level of participant attention during all the sessions observed, and safety day camp content relevant to rural participants regardless of whether they live or work on a farm. Recommendations for improving instructional practice include better use of print materials, more interactive, participatory activities for students, and reduction of instructor-centered, didactic approaches. Given the high level of students' attention, increased involvement of students in active, participatory approaches might enhance the effectiveness of the instruction by: (1) further engaging students through personalizing hazard recognition, (2) contextualizing reports of injuries, (3) examining the complexities of choosing safe behaviors, and (4) paying more attention to the consequences of injury events. Role-playing, narrative simulations, and other types of interactive and collaborative exercises are instructional approaches that support the inclusion of the pre-event contingencies and post-event consequences that are part of all injury events.

The Roles of Teacher Efficacy in Instructional Innovation: Its Predictive Relations to Constructivist and Didactic Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nie, Youyan; Tan, Gim Hoon; Liau, Albert Kienfie; Lau, Shun; Chua, Bee Leng

2013-01-01

Constructivist instruction has been implemented in the current instructional innovation in Singapore. Large scale survey study was conducted to examine the roles of teacher efficacy in implementing the innovative constructivist instruction. The results showed that the positive correlation between teacher efficacy and constructivist instruction was…

Measuring teacher self-report on classroom practices: Construct validity and reliability of the Classroom Strategies Scale-Teacher Form.

PubMed

Reddy, Linda A; Dudek, Christopher M; Fabiano, Gregory A; Peters, Stephanie

2015-12-01

This article presents information about the construct validity and reliability of a new teacher self-report measure of classroom instructional and behavioral practices (the Classroom Strategies Scales-Teacher Form; CSS-T). The theoretical underpinnings and empirical basis for the instructional and behavioral management scales are presented. Information is provided about the construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and freedom from item-bias of the scales. Given previous investigations with the CSS Observer Form, it was hypothesized that internal consistency would be adequate and that confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) of CSS-T data from 293 classrooms would offer empirical support for the CSS-T's Total, Composite and subscales, and yield a similar factor structure to that of the CSS Observer Form. Goodness-of-fit indices of χ2/df, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, Goodness of Fit Index, and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index suggested satisfactory fit of proposed CFA models whereas the Comparative Fit Index did not. Internal consistency estimates of .93 and .94 were obtained for the Instructional Strategies and Behavioral Strategies Total scales respectively. Adequate test-retest reliability was found for instructional and behavioral total scales (r = .79, r = .84, percent agreement 93% and 93%). The CSS-T evidences freedom from item bias on important teacher demographics (age, educational degree, and years of teaching experience). Implications of results are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Personalized Contextual Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voltz, Deborah L.

2003-01-01

This article explains the combination of instructional practices called personalized contextual instruction (PCI) and illustrates its implementation by a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a paraprofessional working together in a multiage primary inclusive classroom. The PCI approach incorporates individual learning…

Instructional Methods Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

Research Product 2018-01 Instructional Methods Tool Jennifer S. Tucker U.S. Army Research Institute David R. James...Unclassified ii Research Product 2018-01 Instructional Methods Tool Jennifer S. Tucker U.S. Army Research Institute David R. James...1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE ..............................................................................................................1 METHOD

Amino acids intake and physical fitness among adolescents.

PubMed

Gracia-Marco, Luis; Bel-Serrat, Silvia; Cuenca-Garcia, Magdalena; Gonzalez-Gross, Marcela; Pedrero-Chamizo, Raquel; Manios, Yannis; Marcos, Ascensión; Molnar, Denes; Widhalm, Kurt; Polito, Angela; Vanhelst, Jeremy; Hagströmer, Maria; Sjöström, Michael; Kafatos, Anthony; de Henauw, Stefaan; Gutierrez, Ángel; Castillo, Manuel J; Moreno, Luis A

2017-06-01

The aim was to investigate whether there was an association between amino acid (AA) intake and physical fitness and if so, to assess whether this association was independent of carbohydrates intake. European adolescents (n = 1481, 12.5-17.5 years) were measured. Intake was assessed via two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Lower and upper limbs muscular fitness was assessed by standing long jump and handgrip strength tests, respectively. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20-m shuttle run test. Physical activity was objectively measured. Socioeconomic status was obtained via questionnaires. Lower limbs muscular fitness seems to be positively associated with tryptophan, histidine and methionine intake in boys, regardless of centre, age, socioeconomic status, physical activity and total energy intake (model 1). However, these associations disappeared once carbohydrates intake was controlled for (model 2). In girls, only proline intake seems to be positively associated with lower limbs muscular fitness (model 2) while cardiorespiratory fitness seems to be positively associated with leucine (model 1) and proline intake (models 1 and 2). None of the observed significant associations remained significant once multiple testing was controlled for. In conclusion, we failed to detect any associations between any of the evaluated AAs and physical fitness after taking into account the effect of multiple testing.

The impact of inquiry-based instructional professional development upon instructional practice: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broom, Frances A.

This mixed method case study employs action research, conducted over a three month period with 11 elementary math and science practitioners. Inquiry as an instructional practice is a vital component of math and science instruction and STEM teaching. Teachers examined their beliefs and teaching practices with regard to those instructional factors that influence inquiry instruction. Video-taped lessons were compared to a rubric and pre and post questionnaires along with two interviews which informed the study. The results showed that while most beliefs were maintained, teachers implemented inquiry at a more advanced level after examining their teaching and reflecting on ways to increase inquiry practices. Because instructional practices provide only one component of inquiry-based instruction, other components need to be examined in a future study.

Improving NEC Fit

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

issues The Navy primarily uses Rating Control Number ( RCN ) Fit and NEC Fit to measure and assess enlisted fleet manning levels.1 In general, Fit...measures the quantity and quality of the crew relative to the unit’s authorized requirements. RCN Fit measures how well units are manned at the rating...below RCN Fit, and levels for non-critical NECs have been even lower. The levels in September 2014 indicate that a quarter of the critical NEC

Intensity Conserving Spectral Fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klimchuk, J. A.; Patsourakos, S.; Tripathi, D.

2015-01-01

The detailed shapes of spectral line profiles provide valuable information about the emitting plasma, especially when the plasma contains an unresolved mixture of velocities, temperatures, and densities. As a result of finite spectral resolution, the intensity measured by a spectrometer is the average intensity across a wavelength bin of non-zero size. It is assigned to the wavelength position at the center of the bin. However, the actual intensity at that discrete position will be different if the profile is curved, as it invariably is. Standard fitting routines (spline, Gaussian, etc.) do not account for this difference, and this can result in significant errors when making sensitive measurements. Detection of asymmetries in solar coronal emission lines is one example. Removal of line blends is another. We have developed an iterative procedure that corrects for this effect. It can be used with any fitting function, but we employ a cubic spline in a new analysis routine called Intensity Conserving Spline Interpolation (ICSI). As the name implies, it conserves the observed intensity within each wavelength bin, which ordinary fits do not. Given the rapid convergence, speed of computation, and ease of use, we suggest that ICSI be made a standard component of the processing pipeline for spectroscopic data.

A Computer-Managed Instruction Support System for Large Group Individualized Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Countermine, Terry; Singh, Jane M.

1977-01-01

The Pennsylvania State University College of Education's Instruction Support System (ISS) was developed to manage the logistical operation of large group individualized competency-based instruction. Software and hardware charting, operational procedures, and data from student opinion questionnaires are cited. (RAO)

The Instructional Network: Using Facebook to Enhance Undergraduate Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Peter; Gregory, Karen; Eddy, Erik

2014-01-01

Facebook is a website with over one billion users worldwide that is synonymous with social-networking. However, in this study, Facebook is used as an "instructional network". Two sections of an undergraduate calculus course were used to study the effects of participating in a Facebook group devoted solely to instruction. One section was…

Rethinking biology instruction: The application of DNR-based instruction to the learning and teaching of biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maskiewicz, April Lee

Educational studies report that secondary and college level students have developed only limited understandings of the most basic biological processes and their interrelationships from typical classroom experiences. Furthermore, students have developed undesirable reasoning schemes and beliefs that directly affect how they make sense of and account for biological phenomena. For these reasons, there exists a need to rethink instructional practices in biology. This dissertation discusses how the principles of Harel's (1998, 2001) DNR-based instruction in mathematics could be applied to the teaching and learning of biology. DNR is an acronym for the three foundational principles of the system: Duality, Necessity, and Repeated-reasoning. This study examines the application of these three principles to ecology instruction. Through clinical and teaching interviews, I developed models of students' existing ways of understanding in ecology and inferred their ways of thinking. From these models a hypothetical learning trajectory was developed for 16 college level freshmen enrolled in a 10-week ecology teaching experiment. Through cyclical, interpretive analysis I documented and analyzed the evolution of the participants' progress. The results provide empirical evidence to support the claim that the DNR principles are applicable to ecology instruction. With respect to the Duality Principle, helping students develop specific ways of understanding led to the development of model-based reasoning---a way of thinking and the cognitive objective guiding instruction. Through carefully structured problem solving tasks, the students developed a biological understanding of the relationship between matter cycling, energy flow, and cellular processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, and used this understanding to account for observable phenomena in nature. In the case of intellectual necessity, the results illuminate how problem situations can be developed for biology learners

Instructional Activities in Physics and Chemistry Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freire, Ana Maria

The purpose of this study is to describe types and structural properties of instructional activities used by physics and chemistry preservice teachers (N=4) during their teaching of pupils 14 to 16 years old. The study involved the observation and tape recording of 64 classes with all tapes transcribed verbatim. Analysis involved the decomposition…

Instruments of Change: An Action Research Study of Studio Art Instruction in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soganci, Ismail O.

2016-01-01

This article narrates a nine-month action research project conducted in order to improve studio art instruction in a preservice art education programme in Turkey. Setting out to determine the relevant problems through interpretation of conversations, anecdotes, essays and observations of 16 third-year BA students, the instructional atmosphere was…

Does the sequence of instruction matter during simulation?

PubMed

Stefaniak, Jill E; Turkelson, Carman L

2014-02-01

Instructional strategies must be balanced when subjecting students to full-immersion simulation so as not to discourage learning and increase cognitive overload. The purpose of this study was to determine if participating in a simulation exercise before lecture yielded better performance outcomes among novice learners. Twenty-nine participants were divided into 2 groups as follows: group 1 participated in simulation exercises followed by a didactic lecture and group 2 participated in the same learning activities presented in the opposite order. Participants were administered a multiple-choice cognitive assessment upon completion of a workshop. Learners who participated in the simulated exercises followed by the didactic lecture performed better on postassessments as compared with those who participated in the simulation after the lecture. A repeated-measures or nested analysis of variance generated statistically significant results in terms of model fit F (α=0.05; 4.54)=176.07 with a P<0.0001. Despite their higher levels of increased performance, 76% of those who participated in simulation activities first indicated that they would have preferred to participate in a lecture first. The findings of this study suggest that differences occur among learners when the sequencing of instructional components is altered. Learners who participated in simulation before lecture demonstrated increased knowledge compared with learners who participated in simulation after a lecture.

Instructed Pragmatics at a Glance: Where Instructional Studies Were, Are, and Should Be Going

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguchi, Naoko

2015-01-01

This paper brings together the research and developments of instructed pragmatics over the past three decades by reporting the synthesis findings of instructional intervention studies in interlanguage pragmatics. Two questions have guided this investigation: (1) is instruction effective in learning pragmatics?; and (2) what methods are most…

Instructional Leadership and Student Achievement: The Role of Catholic Identity in Supporting Instructional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Jeremy Anthony

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between strong instructional leadership, as measured by the Principal Instructional Measurement Rating Scale (PIMRS) and high student academic outcomes in 35 Mid35-Atlantic Catholic elementary schools. In addition, the research explored the role of Catholic identity in supporting instructional leadership…

How Fit is Your Citizen Science Data?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, H. A.; Gerber, L. R.; Wentz, E. A.

2017-12-01

Data quality and accuracy is a fundamental concern with utilizing citizen science data. Although many methods can be used to assess quality and accuracy, these methods may not be sufficient to qualify citizen science data for widespread use in scientific research. While Data Fitness For Use (DFFU) does not provide a blanket assessment of data quality, it does assesses the data's ability to be used for a specific application, within a given area (Devillers and Bédard 2007). The STAAq (Spatial, Temporal, Aptness, and Accuracy) assessment was developed to assess the fitness for use of citizen science data, this assessment can be used on a stand alone dataset or be used to compare multiple datasets. The citizen science data used in this assessment was collected by volunteers of the Map of Life- Denali project, which is a tourist-centric citizen science project developed through a partnership with Arizona State University, Map of Life at Yale University, and Denali National Park and Preserve. Volunteers use the offline version of the Map of Life app to record their wildlife, insect, and plant observations in the park. To test the STAAq assessment data from different sources- Map of Life- Denali, Ride Observe and Record, and NPS wildlife surveys- were compared to determined which dataset is most fit for use for a specific research question; What is the recent Grizzly bear distribution in areas of high visitor use in Denali National Park and Preserve? These datasets were compared and ranked according to how well they performed in each of the components of the STAAq assessment. These components include spatial scale, temporal scale, aptness, and application. The Map of Life- Denali data and the ROAR program data were most for use for this research question. The STAAq assessment can be adjusted to assess the fitness for use of a single dataset or being used to compare any number of datasets. This data fitness for use assessment provides a means to assess data fitness

Head Start Instructional Professionals' Inclusion Perceptions and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muccio, Leah S.; Kidd, Julie K.; White, C. Stephen; Burns, M. Susan

2014-01-01

This study considered the facilitators and barriers of successful inclusion in Head Start classrooms by examining the perspectives and practices of instructional professionals. A cross-sectional survey design was combined with direct observation in inclusive Head Start classrooms. Survey data were collected from 71 Head Start instructional…

Physical Fitness Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdes, Alice

This document presents baseline data on physical fitness that provides an outline for assessing the physical fitness of students. It consists of 4 tasks and a 13-item questionnaire on fitness-related behaviors. The fitness test evaluates cardiorespiratory endurance by a steady state jog; muscular strength and endurance with a two-minute bent-knee…

Relationship of preschool special education outcomes to instructional practices and parent-child interaction.

PubMed

Mahoney, Gerald; Wheeden, C Abigail; Perales, Frida

2004-01-01

Developmental outcomes attained by children receiving preschool special education services in relationship to both the general instructional approach used by their teachers and their parents' style of interaction were examined. The sample included 70 children from 41 Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classrooms. The type of instructional model children received was determined by dividing the sample into three clusters based upon six global ratings of children's classroom environment: Choice; Cognitive Problem-Solving; Child-Initiated Learning; Developmental Match; Child-Centered Routines; and Rewards and Discipline Strategies. Based on this analysis, 27 children were classified as receiving developmental instruction; 15 didactic instruction; and 28 naturalistic instruction. Observations of parent-child interaction collected at the beginning and end of the year were classified along four dimensions using the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale: Responsiveness, Affect, Achievement Orientation and Directiveness. Results indicated that the kinds of experiences that children received varied significantly across the three instructional models. However, there were no significant differences in the impact of these instructional models on children's rate of development. Regression analyses indicated that children's rate of development at the end of intervention was significantly related to their parents' style of interaction but was unrelated to the type of instructional model they received.

Generating and executing programs for a floating point single instruction multiple data instruction set architecture

DOEpatents

Gschwind, Michael K

2013-04-16

Mechanisms for generating and executing programs for a floating point (FP) only single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instruction set architecture (ISA) are provided. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon is provided. The computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to receive one or more instructions and execute the one or more instructions using logic in an execution unit of the computing device. The logic implements a floating point (FP) only single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instruction set architecture (ISA), based on data stored in a vector register file of the computing device. The vector register file is configured to store both scalar and floating point values as vectors having a plurality of vector elements.

ADA Compliance and Accessibility of Fitness Facilities in Western Wisconsin.

PubMed

Johnson, Marquell J; Stoelzle, Hannah Y; Finco, Kristi L; Foss, Sadie E; Carstens, Katie

2012-01-01

The study expands the research on fitness facility accessibility by determining how compliant fitness facilities in rural western Wisconsin were with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Comparisons were made with 4 other studies that were conducted in different geographical regions. The study also examined fitness professionals' disability knowledge and awareness. An ADA fitness facility compliance instrument and a fitness professional disability awareness survey were used. Direct observation and physical measurements were taken during on-site visits to 16 of 36 eligible fitness facilities in rural western Wisconsin. Ten fitness professionals from participating facilities completed an online survey. Frequencies were used to analyze the results. None of the participating facilities were in 100% compliance with ADA. Customer service desk (84%) and path of travel throughout the facility (72%) were the highest compliance areas. Telephone (6%) and locker rooms (32%) were the lowest compliance areas. No fitness professional was trained in wheelchair transfers and very few had received training in providing services to individuals with disabilities. Fitness facility accessibility remains a concern nationally. Continued efforts need to be made to raise the awareness of ADA compliance among fitness professionals across the United States, especially in rural areas where fitness facility availability is limited.

A Study of the Use of the Three-Minute Classrooom Walk-Through Observation Method for Determining the Implementation of New Instructional Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Notgrass, Patty J.

2012-01-01

Principals are responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the instructional programs, including staff development, on their campuses. Instructional leaders must utilize practices that allow them to fulfill this responsibility. This qualitative, collective case study examined the effectiveness of the three-minute classroom walk-through…

Direct Instruction of Comprehension: Instructional Examples from Intervention Research on Listening and Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Michael D.; Zipoli, Richard P., Jr.; Chard, David J.; Faggella-Luby, Michael; Ruby, Maureen; Santoro, Lana E.; Baker, Scott

2009-01-01

This article examines the role of direct instruction in promoting listening and reading comprehension. Instructional examples from 2 programs of intervention research focused on improving comprehension; the Story Read Aloud Program and the Embedded Story Structure Routine are used to illustrate principles of direct instruction. An analysis of…

Programmed Instruction Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, B. F.

1986-01-01

Discusses the history and development of teaching machines, invented to restore the important features of personalized instruction as public school class size increased. Examines teaching and learning problems over the past 50 years, including motivation, attention, appreciation, discovery, and creativity in relation to programmed instruction.…

Content-Based Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CATESOL Journal, 1992

1992-01-01

This English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) journal periodical devotes entire issues to specific issues. The theme of this issue is "Content-Base Instruction." Articles include: "Syllabus Design in Content-Based Instruction" (David E. Eskey); "How Relevant Is Relevance?: An Examination of Student Needs, Interests, and…

Programmatic Instructional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutz, Richard E.

Programmatic instructional development refers to sequenced and coordinated efforts to produce effective instructional programs which cumulate over time and which attain outcomes that would be impossible under non-programmatic projects. As practiced at the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL), it involves the combined efforts of specialists from…

Instructed subsets or agile swarms: how T-helper cells may adaptively counter uncertainty with variability and plasticity.

PubMed

Schrom, Edward C; Graham, Andrea L

2017-12-01

Over recent years, extensive phenotypic variability and plasticity have been revealed among the T-helper cells of the mammalian adaptive immune system, even within clonal lineages of identical antigen specificity. This challenges the conventional view that T-helper cells assort into functionally distinct subsets following differential instruction by the innate immune system. We argue that the adaptive value of coping with uncertainty can reconcile the 'instructed subset' framework with T-helper variability and plasticity. However, we also suggest that T-helper cells might better be understood as agile swarms engaged in collective decision-making to promote host fitness. With rigorous testing, the 'agile swarms' framework may illuminate how variable and plastic individual T-helper cells interact to create coherent immunity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aspiring School Leaders' Perceptions of the Walkthrough Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garza, Ruben; Ovando, Martha; O'Doherty, Ann

2016-01-01

The accountability pressures of the recent decade require that instructional leaders work with teachers to ensure student academic success. The "walkthrough" or "walkthrough observation" is an instructional leadership practice that has been regarded as a promising avenue to collaboratively work with teachers. This exploratory…

Compiler-assisted multiple instruction rollback recovery using a read buffer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alewine, Neal J.; Chen, Shyh-Kwei; Fuchs, W. Kent; Hwu, Wen-Mei W.

1995-01-01

Multiple instruction rollback (MIR) is a technique that has been implemented in mainframe computers to provide rapid recovery from transient processor failures. Hardware-based MIR designs eliminate rollback data hazards by providing data redundancy implemented in hardware. Compiler-based MIR designs have also been developed which remove rollback data hazards directly with data-flow transformations. This paper describes compiler-assisted techniques to achieve multiple instruction rollback recovery. We observe that some data hazards resulting from instruction rollback can be resolved efficiently by providing an operand read buffer while others are resolved more efficiently with compiler transformations. The compiler-assisted scheme presented consists of hardware that is less complex than shadow files, history files, history buffers, or delayed write buffers, while experimental evaluation indicates performance improvement over compiler-based schemes.

Instructional strategies in science classrooms of specialized secondary schools for the gifted

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, Donna Lorraine

This study examined the extent to which science teachers in Academic Year Governor's Schools were adhering to the national standards for suggested science instruction and providing an appropriate learning environment for gifted learners. The study asked 13 directors, 54 instructors of advanced science courses, and 1190 students of advanced science courses in 13 Academic Year Governor's Schools in Virginia to respond to researcher-developed surveys and to participate in classroom observations. The surveys and classroom observations collected demographic data as well as instructors' and students' perceptions of the use of various instructional strategies related to national science reform and gifted education recommendations. Chi-square analyses were used to ascertain significant differences between instructors' and students' perceptions. Findings indicated that instructors of advanced science classes in secondary schools for the gifted are implementing nationally recognized gifted education and science education instructional strategies with less frequency than desired. Both students and instructors concur that these strategies are being implemented in the classroom setting, and both concur as to the frequency with which the implementation occurs. There was no significant difference between instructors' and students' perceptions of the frequency of implementation of instructional strategies. Unfortunately, there was not a single strategy that students and teachers felt was being implemented on a weekly or daily basis across 90% of the sampled classrooms. Staff development in gifted education was found to be minimal as an ongoing practice. While this study offers some insights into the frequency of strategy usage, the study needs more classroom observations to support findings; an area of needed future research. While this study was conducted at the secondary level, research into instructional practices at the middle school and elementary school gifted science

Foreign Language Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Jesse O.

1964-01-01

This brief review of research in foreign language instruction during 1961-63 summarizes, compares, and interprets related studies dealing withsuch topics as (1) the effects and value of foreign language instruction at different educational levels, (2) methods and materials, (3) testing, and (4) electromechanical aids, such as the language…

Physical Education and Sport: Does Participation Relate to Physical Activity Patterns, Observed Fitness, and Personal Attitudes and Beliefs?

PubMed

Loprinzi, Paul D; Cardinal, Bradley J; Cardinal, Marita K; Corbin, Charles B

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between physical education (PE) and sports involvement with physical activity (PA), physical fitness, and beliefs about PA among a national sample of adolescents. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey National Youth Fitness Survey were used. A total of 459 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. Adolescents self-reported engagement in the above parameters; muscular fitness objectively determined. Multivariable linear regression. Adolescents who had PE during school days had a higher enjoyment of participating in PE (β = 0.32; P = .01), engaged in more days of being physically active for ≥60 min/d (β = 1.02; P < .001), and performed the plank fitness test longer (β = 17.2; P = .002). Adolescents who played school sports reported that more PA was needed for good health (β = 0.23; P = .04), had a higher enjoyment of participating in PE (β = 0.31; P = .003), engaged in more days of being physically active for ≥60 min/d (β = 0.70; P = .01), performed more pull-ups (β = 2.33; P = .008), had a stronger grip strength (β = 2.5; P = .01), and performed the plank fitness test longer (β = 11.6; P = .04). Adolescents who had PE during school, who had more frequent and long-lasting PE, and who played school sports generally had more accurate perceptions of the amount of PA needed for good health, had greater enjoyment of PE, were more physically active, and performed better on several muscular fitness-related tests. This underscores the importance of PE integration in the schools and encouragement of school sports participation.

The IRAF Fabry-Perot analysis package: Ring fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shopbell, P. L.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Cecil, G.

1992-01-01

As introduced at ADASSI, a Fabry-Perot analysis package for IRAF is currently under development as a joint effort of ourselves and Frank Valdes of the IRAF group. Although additional portions of the package were also implemented, we report primarily on the development of a robust ring fitting task, useful for fitting the calibration rings obtained in Fabry-Perot observations. The general equation of an ellipse is fit to the shape of the rings, providing information on ring center, ellipticity, and position angle. Such parameters provide valuable information on the wavelength response of the etalon and the geometric stability of the system. Appropriate statistical weighting is applied to the pixels to account for increasing numbers with radius, the Lorentzian cross-section, and uneven illumination. The major problems of incomplete, non-uniform, and multiple rings are addressed with the final task capable of fitting rings regardless of center, cross-section, or completion. The task requires only minimal user intervention, allowing large numbers of rings to be fit in an extremely automated manner.

Computer Games as Instructional Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bright, George W.; Harvey, John G.

1984-01-01

Defines games, instructional games, and computer instructional games; discusses several unique capabilities that facilitate game playing and may make computer games more attractive to students than noncomputer alternatives; and examines the potential disadvantages of using instructional computer games on a regular basis. (MBR)

Intelligent Instructional Systems in Military Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, J.D.; Zdybel, Frank

Intelligent instructional systems can be distinguished from more conventional approaches by the automation of instructional interaction and choice of strategy. This approach promises to reduce the costs of instructional materials preparation and to increase the adaptability and individualization of the instruction delivered. Tutorial simulation…

Designing and Creating Computer-Assisted Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMeen, George R.

Designed to encourage the use of a defined methodology and careful planning in creating computer-assisted instructional programs, this paper describes the instructional design process, compares computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and programmed instruction (PI), and discusses pragmatic concerns in computer programming. Topics addressed include:…

Processing Instruction and Meaning-Based Output Instruction: A Response to Keating and Farley (2008)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanPatten, Bill; Farmer, Jeffrey L.; Clardy, Caleb L.

2009-01-01

Research on Processing Instruction (PI) has yielded consistently positive results across a variety of measures. In addition, in comparison to other instructional interventions, PI tends to yield superior results. The one difference is comparative research with Meaning-based Output Instruction (MOI) in which in a number of studies, MOI is seen to…

Eliminating mirror responses by instructions.

PubMed

Bardi, Lara; Bundt, Carsten; Notebaert, Wim; Brass, Marcel

2015-09-01

The observation of an action leads to the activation of the corresponding motor plan in the observer. This phenomenon of motor resonance has an important role in social interaction, promoting imitation, learning and action understanding. However, mirror responses not always have a positive impact on our behavior. An automatic tendency to imitate others can introduce interference in action execution and non-imitative or opposite responses have an advantage in some contexts. Previous studies suggest that mirror tendencies can be suppressed after extensive practice or in complementary joint action situations revealing that mirror responses are more flexible than previously thought. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the mechanisms that allow response flexibility of motor mirroring. Here we show that the mere instruction of a counter-imitative mapping changes mirror responses as indexed by motor evoked potentials (MEPs) enhancement induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Importantly, mirror activation was measured while participants were passively watching finger movements, without having the opportunity to execute the task. This result suggests that the implementation of task instructions activates stimulus-response association that can overwrite the mirror representations. Our outcome reveals one of the crucial mechanisms that might allow flexible adjustments of mirror responses in different contexts. The implications of this outcome are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of motivation on stress: is it stressful not to fit?

PubMed

Schwab, Sebastian; Wolf, Oliver T; Memmert, Daniel

2015-01-01

The present research elaborates on the regulatory fit hypothesis by investigating a biological stress marker in a motivational fit- and non-fit-situation. Recent stress theories lead to the assumption that the participants' stress level in fit-situations remains constant or rather decreases, whereas under non-fit-conditions an increase of the stress activity is observed. We tested this hypothesis by assessment of salivary α-amylase (sAA), a saliva-based stress marker presumed to reflect noradrenergic activity. The results indicated that participants in a fit-situation show a decrease in sAA, whereas participants in a non-fit-situation demonstrate a contrary effect with an increase in sAA. These findings extend the concept of regulatory fit by illustrating that there are differences in sAA activity depending on whether participants are in a fit-situation. The experience of regulatory fit appears to be associated with a reduction of stress.

Application of the instructional congruence framework: Developing supplemental materials for English language learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drews, Tina Skjerping

2009-12-01

This dissertation is a study of the instructional congruence framework as it was used to develop and pilot a supplemental science unit on energy and the environment for sixth grade students in Arizona. With the growing linguistic and cultural diversity of children in American schools, congruent materials are more important now than ever before. The supplemental materials were designed by the researcher and underwent a six person, three educator and three engineer, panel review. The revised materials were then piloted in two sixth grade classrooms in the Southwest with high numbers of English language learners. Classroom observation, teacher interviews, and the classroom observation protocol were utilized to understand the fidelity to the instructional congruence framework. The fidelity of implementation of materials was subject to the realities of varied educational contexts. Piloting materials in urban contexts with diverse students involved additional challenges. The results of the study explore the challenges in creating instructionally congruent materials for diverse students in urban contexts. Recommendations are provided for curriculum developers that undertake the task of creating instructionally congruent materials and emphasize the need to devise innovative methods of creation, while understanding that there is no perfect solution. The education community as a whole could benefit from incorporating and synthesizing the instructional congruence framework in order to provide maximum opportunities in science for all students.

Signal detection theory and vestibular perception: III. Estimating unbiased fit parameters for psychometric functions.

PubMed

Chaudhuri, Shomesh E; Merfeld, Daniel M

2013-03-01

Psychophysics generally relies on estimating a subject's ability to perform a specific task as a function of an observed stimulus. For threshold studies, the fitted functions are called psychometric functions. While fitting psychometric functions to data acquired using adaptive sampling procedures (e.g., "staircase" procedures), investigators have encountered a bias in the spread ("slope" or "threshold") parameter that has been attributed to the serial dependency of the adaptive data. Using simulations, we confirm this bias for cumulative Gaussian parametric maximum likelihood fits on data collected via adaptive sampling procedures, and then present a bias-reduced maximum likelihood fit that substantially reduces the bias without reducing the precision of the spread parameter estimate and without reducing the accuracy or precision of the other fit parameters. As a separate topic, we explain how to implement this bias reduction technique using generalized linear model fits as well as other numeric maximum likelihood techniques such as the Nelder-Mead simplex. We then provide a comparison of the iterative bootstrap and observed information matrix techniques for estimating parameter fit variance from adaptive sampling procedure data sets. The iterative bootstrap technique is shown to be slightly more accurate; however, the observed information technique executes in a small fraction (0.005 %) of the time required by the iterative bootstrap technique, which is an advantage when a real-time estimate of parameter fit variance is required.

Isochrone Fitting of Hubble Photometry in UV-Vis Bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, Hallie; Paust, Nathaniel

2017-01-01

We present the results of isochrone fitting of color-magnitude diagrams from Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) photometry of the globular clusters M13 and M80 in five bands from the ultraviolet to near infrared. Fits from both the Dartmouth Stellar Evolution Program (DSEP) and the PAdova and TRieste Stellar Evolution Code (PARSEC) are examined. Ages, extinctions, and distances are found from the isochrone fitting, and metallicities are confirmed. We conduct careful qualitative analysis on the inconsistencies of the fits across all of the color combinations possible with the five observed bands, and find that the (F606W-F814W) color generally produces very good fits, but that there are large discrepancies when the data is fit using colors including UV bands for both models. Finally, we directly compare the two models by performing isochrone-isochrone fitting, and find that the age in PARSEC is on average 1.5 Gyr younger than DSEP for similar-appearing models at the same metallicity, and that the two models become less discrepant at lower metallicities.

Statewide Physical Fitness Testing: Perspectives from the Gym

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Scott B.; Ede, Alison; Morrow, James R., Jr.; Jackson, Allen W.

2010-01-01

This paper provides observations of physical fitness testing in Texas schools and physical education teachers' insights about large-scale testing using the FITNESSGRAM[R] assessment (Cooper Institute, 2007) as mandated by Texas Senate Bill 530. In the first study, undergraduate and graduate students who were trained to observe and assess student…

Bibliographic Instruction Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Coll. and Research Libraries, Chicago, IL.

Based on the ACRL Guidelines for Bibliographic Instruction, this handbook is intended not only to provide guidance in the development of instruction programs, but also to stimulate discussion within the profession. It consists of the guidelines, five model statements and checklists, a glossary, and a pathfinder. The guidelines present generally…

16 CFR 1211.14 - Instruction manual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... instruction manual shall give complete instructions for the installation, operation, and user maintenance of... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Instruction manual. 1211.14 Section 1211.14... STANDARD FOR AUTOMATIC RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOOR OPERATORS The Standard § 1211.14 Instruction manual. (a...

Instructional Coaching: Leadership Styles and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pruett, Maurisa M.

2013-01-01

Principals are traditionally the instructional leaders of a school. However, instructional coaching moves the emphasis from principals to instructional coaches by charging instructional coaches with improving the effectiveness of teachers who are critical to ensuring the successful education of a student. This research analyzed the leadership…

TOWARD A COMPUTER BASED INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GARIGLIO, LAWRENCE M.; RODGERS, WILLIAM A.

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS REPORT WAS OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION INSTALLATIONS. COMPUTER BASED INSTRUCTION REFERS TO A SYSTEM AIMED AT INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, WITH THE COMPUTER AS CENTRAL CONTROL. SUCH A SYSTEM HAS 3 MAJOR SUBSYSTEMS--INSTRUCTIONAL, RESEARCH, AND MANAGERIAL. THIS REPORT EMPHASIZES THE INSTRUCTIONAL…

Procedural instructions, principles, and examples: how to structure instructions for procedural tasks to enhance performance, learning, and transfer.

PubMed

Eiriksdottir, Elsa; Catrambone, Richard

2011-12-01

The goal of this article is to investigate how instructions can be constructed to enhance performance and learning of procedural tasks. Important determinants of the effectiveness of instructions are type of instructions (procedural information, principles, and examples) and pedagogical goal (initial performance, learning, and transfer). Procedural instructions describe how to complete tasks in a stepwise manner, principles describe rules governing the tasks, and examples demonstrate how instances of the task are carried out. The authors review the research literature associated with each type of instruction to identify factors determining effectiveness for different pedagogical goals. The results suggest a trade-off between usability and learnability. Specific instructions help initial performance, whereas more general instructions, requiring problem solving, help learning and transfer. Learning from instructions takes cognitive effort, and research suggests that learners typically opt for low effort. However, it is possible to meet both goals of good initial performance and learning with methods such as fading and by combining different types of instructions. How instructions are constructed influences their effectiveness for the goals of good initial performance, learning, and transfer, and it is therefore important for researchers and practitioners alike to define the pedagogical goal of instructions. If the goal is good initial performance, then instructions should highly resemble the task at hand (e.g., in the form of detailed procedural instructions and examples), but if the goal is good learning and transfer, then instructions should be more abstract, inducing learners to expend the necessary cognitive effort for learning.

Activated Sludge. Selected Instructional Activities and References. Instructional Resources Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepard, Clinton L.; Walasek, James B.

This monograph contains a variety of selected materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction. Part I presents a brief discussion of the activated sludge process in wastewater treatment operations. Part II, Instructional Units, contains selected portions of existing programs which may be utilized in…

The Dynamics of Instruction Systems: Feedback Control on Individually-Paced Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ammentorp, William; And Others

Feedback management in an individually-paced instruction system can be mathematically analyzed by the use of computer simulation models. Because of the student "down time" or waiting time associated with individualized instruction situations, reinforcement activities have been reduced to less than ideal levels. By proper time management the…

Instructional Technology Must Contribute to Productivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenda, Michael

2009-01-01

Those involved in instructional technology in higher education are urged to view instructional technology as a means of improving academic productivity. Instructional technology has been used for over forty years to analyze instructional problems and design solutions that reduce costs and improve learning outcomes. The Pew Program in Course…

Colleague to Colleague: Deepening Instructional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gullen, Kristine; Chaffee, Martin

2012-01-01

Collaborative dialogue about instructional practices is essential to the growth of the education profession. To determine what effective instruction is and how to improve their own instructional practice, educators must clarify and publicly state their beliefs about instruction, teaching, and leadership. This is messy and complex work, and to…

Instructable autonomous agents. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huffman, Scott Bradley

1994-01-01

In contrast to current intelligent systems, which must be laboriously programmed for each task they are meant to perform, instructable agents can be taught new tasks and associated knowledge. This thesis presents a general theory of learning from tutorial instruction and its use to produce an instructable agent. Tutorial instruction is a particularly powerful form of instruction, because it allows the instructor to communicate whatever kind of knowledge a student needs at whatever point it is needed. To exploit this broad flexibility, however, a tutorable agent must support a full range of interaction with its instructor to learn a full range of knowledge. Thus, unlike most machine learning tasks, which target deep learning of a single kind of knowledge from a single kind of input, tutorability requires a breadth of learning from a broad range of instructional interactions. The theory of learning from tutorial instruction presented here has two parts. First, a computational model of an intelligent agent, the problem space computational model, indicates the types of knowledge that determine an agent's performance, and thus, that should be acquirable via instruction. Second, a learning technique, called situated explanation specifies how the agent learns general knowledge from instruction. The theory is embodied by an implemented agent, Instructo-Soar, built within the Soar architecture. Instructo-Soar is able to learn hierarchies of completely new tasks, to extend task knowledge to apply in new situations, and in fact to acquire every type of knowledge it uses during task performance - control knowledge, knowledge of operators' effects, state inferences, etc. - from interactive natural language instructions. This variety of learning occurs by applying the situated explanation technique to a variety of instructional interactions involving a variety of types of instructions (commands, statements, conditionals, etc.). By taking seriously the requirements of flexible

Recounting a Common Experience: On the Effectiveness of Instructing Eyewitness Pairs

PubMed Central

Vredeveldt, Annelies; van Koppen, Peter J.

2018-01-01

Pairs of eyewitnesses with a content-focused interaction style remember significantly more about witnessed incidents. We examined whether content-focused retrieval strategies can be taught. Seventy-five pairs of witnesses were interviewed thrice about an event. The first and third interview were conducted individually for all witnesses. The second interview was individual, collaborative without instruction, or collaborative with instruction. Pairs in the latter condition were instructed to actively listen to and elaborate upon each other's contributions. The strategy instruction had no effect on retrieval strategies used, nor on the amount or accuracy of reported information. However, pairs who spontaneously adopted a content-focused interaction style during the collaborative interview remembered significantly more. Thus, our findings show that effective retrieval strategies cannot be taught, at least not with the current instructions. During the second interview, we observed collaborative inhibition and error pruning. When considering the total amount of information reported across the first two interviews, however, collaboration had no inhibitory effect on correct recall, yet the error pruning benefits remained. These findings suggest that investigative interviewers should interview witnesses separately first, and then interview pairs of witnesses collaboratively. PMID:29593599

A Performance-Based Instructional Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Tom E.

1974-01-01

The rationale for a performanced- based instructional theory has arisen from significant advances during the past several years in instructional psychology. Four major areas of concern are: analysis of subject-matter content in terms of performance competencies, diagnosis of pre-instructional behavior, formulation of an instructional…

The Mere Exposure Instruction Effect.

PubMed

Van Dessel, Pieter; Mertens, Gaëtan; Smith, Colin Tucker; De Houwer, Jan

2017-09-01

The mere exposure effect refers to the well-established finding that people evaluate a stimulus more positively after repeated exposure to that stimulus. We investigated whether a change in stimulus evaluation can occur also when participants are not repeatedly exposed to a stimulus, but are merely instructed that one stimulus will occur frequently and another stimulus will occur infrequently. We report seven experiments showing that (1) mere exposure instructions influence implicit stimulus evaluations as measured with an Implicit Association Test (IAT), personalized Implicit Association Test (pIAT), or Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP), but not with an Evaluative Priming Task (EPT), (2) mere exposure instructions influence explicit evaluations, and (3) the instruction effect depends on participants' memory of which stimulus will be presented more frequently. We discuss how these findings inform us about the boundary conditions of mere exposure instruction effects, as well as the mental processes that underlie mere exposure and mere exposure instruction effects.

Beginning secondary science teachers' instructional use of educational technology during the induction year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNall, Rebecca Lee

This study explored how 10 beginning secondary science teachers who had completed the newly revised technology-integrated science teacher education program at the University of Virginia used educational technology in their science instruction during the induction year. Nine of the beginning teachers taught in Virginia or Maryland high schools, while one taught overseas in an international school. Participants taught biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or general science. A revised version of the Technology Usage and Needs of Science Teachers survey (Pedersen & Yerrick, 2000) was administered to all 10 participants in early fall 2002 and late spring 2003 to assess their confidence using educational technology tools in teaching science. Follow-up interviews were conducted with all participants subsequent to survey administration to explore their views toward educational technology as an instructional tool, their use of educational technology in science instruction, and factors influencing their use. In addition, four participants were purposefully selected to characterize participants' instructional use of educational technology and to increase the likelihood of observing its use. Selection criteria of this subgroup included factors summarized from the research literature: (a) high confidence using educational technology, (b) strong intent to use educational technology instructionally, (c) access to technology tools, and (d) collegial or technology support. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and interview and classroom observation data were analyzed using analytic induction methods developed by Erickson (1986). Analysis of survey responses indicated that participants were confident using educational technology tools in science instruction and were most confident using word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and telecommunications applications. Classroom observations and interview responses indicated that participants used

Literature-Based Instruction: Reshaping the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raphael, Taffy E., Ed.; Au, Kathryn H., Ed.

Making a case for the value of literature-based instruction, this book presents an overview of the extensive knowledge base supporting literature-based approaches to literacy instruction. It notes that literature-based instruction goes beyond simply changing the kinds of texts children read--also required in literature-based instruction are an…

Faculty Instructional Computer Use Model: Differentiating Instructional and Mainstream Computer Uses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ismail

2008-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to explore predictor variables for faculty instructional computer use. Analysis of data collected from 198 college of education (COE) faculty members indicated that instructional computer use and mainstream computer use form two strong and distinct variables. This study also proposes a faculty instructional…

Chinese Language Teachers' Orientation to Reading Instruction and Their Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Kit-ling

2007-01-01

This study aimed to develop a set of quantitative instruments to investigate Hong Kong Chinese language teachers' orientation to reading instruction, their instructional practices and the relation between these two constructs under the implementation of the new curriculum. A total of 493 Chinese language teachers from 170 secondary schools in Hong…

Contrast Gain Control Model Fits Masking Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Andrew B.; Solomon, Joshua A.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

We studied the fit of a contrast gain control model to data of Foley (JOSA 1994), consisting of thresholds for a Gabor patch masked by gratings of various orientations, or by compounds of two orientations. Our general model includes models of Foley and Teo & Heeger (IEEE 1994). Our specific model used a bank of Gabor filters with octave bandwidths at 8 orientations. Excitatory and inhibitory nonlinearities were power functions with exponents of 2.4 and 2. Inhibitory pooling was broad in orientation, but narrow in spatial frequency and space. Minkowski pooling used an exponent of 4. All of the data for observer KMF were well fit by the model. We have developed a contrast gain control model that fits masking data. Unlike Foley's, our model accepts images as inputs. Unlike Teo & Heeger's, our model did not require multiple channels for different dynamic ranges.

Fear expression and return of fear following threat instruction with or without direct contingency experience.

PubMed

Mertens, Gaëtan; Kuhn, Manuel; Raes, An K; Kalisch, Raffael; De Houwer, Jan; Lonsdorf, Tina B

2016-08-01

Prior research showed that mere instructions about the contingency between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US) can generate fear reactions to the CS. Little is known, however, about the extent to which actual CS-US contingency experience adds anything beyond the effect of contingency instructions. Our results extend previous studies on this topic in that it included fear potentiated startle as an additional dependent variable and examined return of fear (ROF) following reinstatement. We observed that CS-US pairings can enhance fear reactions beyond the effect of contingency instructions. Moreover, for all measures of fear, instructions elicited immediate fear reactions that could not be completely overridden by subsequent situational safety information. Finally, ROF following reinstatement for instructed CS+s was unaffected by actual experience. In summary, our results demonstrate the power of contingency instructions and reveal the additional impact of actual experience of CS-US pairings.

Investigating Peer Review as a Systemic Pedagogy for Developing the Design Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions of Novice Instructional Design Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brill, Jennifer M.

2016-01-01

This research investigated peer review as a contemporary instructional pedagogy for fostering the design knowledge, skills, and dispositions of novice Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) professionals. Participants were graduate students enrolled in an introductory instructional design (ID) course. Survey, artifact, and observation data were…

Instructional Systems Study, Electronics Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waukesha County Technical Inst., Waukesha, WI.

Because of shortcomings in the traditional approach to instruction and learning at Waukesha County Technical Institute in Wisconsin, this research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of an alternate approach to instruction in electronics technology. The "Closed Loop Systems Approach to Instruction" developed for this study was derived…

Instructional Leadership Practices in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Foo Seong David; Nguyen, Thanh Dong; Wong, Koon Siak Benjamin; Choy, Kim Weng William

2015-01-01

This paper presents a review of the literature on principal instructional leadership in Singapore. The authors investigated the dimensions of instructional leadership in the practices of Singapore principals and highlighted the strategies these leaders adopt to enact their instructional roles. Singapore principals were found to play an active role…

Hyper-Fit: Fitting Linear Models to Multidimensional Data with Multivariate Gaussian Uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robotham, A. S. G.; Obreschkow, D.

2015-09-01

Astronomical data is often uncertain with errors that are heteroscedastic (different for each data point) and covariant between different dimensions. Assuming that a set of D-dimensional data points can be described by a (D - 1)-dimensional plane with intrinsic scatter, we derive the general likelihood function to be maximised to recover the best fitting model. Alongside the mathematical description, we also release the hyper-fit package for the R statistical language (http://github.com/asgr/hyper.fit) and a user-friendly web interface for online fitting (http://hyperfit.icrar.org). The hyper-fit package offers access to a large number of fitting routines, includes visualisation tools, and is fully documented in an extensive user manual. Most of the hyper-fit functionality is accessible via the web interface. In this paper, we include applications to toy examples and to real astronomical data from the literature: the mass-size, Tully-Fisher, Fundamental Plane, and mass-spin-morphology relations. In most cases, the hyper-fit solutions are in good agreement with published values, but uncover more information regarding the fitted model.

Clinical Outcomes of Continuation of Metformin Titration Instructions with Electronic Prescribing.

PubMed

Delate, Thomas; Rader, Nathan; Rawlings, Julia E; Smith, Karen; Herner, Sheryl J

2015-06-01

Anecdotal evidence suggests that metformin titration instructions are not being updated and refill requests are approved without modification of the titration instructions such that the titration instructions is continued for patients newly initiated on metformin. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients who received newly initiated metformin pharmacotherapy. Patients were followed from their initial metformin purchase through two subsequent metformin refill purchases. Outcomes, including the 3-year incidence rate of patients with at least one set of continued titration instructions and proportions of patients with at least one gastrointestinal adverse effect (AE) and those with an elevated glucose measurement at follow-up, were assessed during the time period between patients' second and third metformin purchases. Analyses were performed comparing the exposure (i.e., patients with continued instructions) group to the control (i.e., patients without continued instructions) group. The exposure group had a higher mean age and chronic disease score but lower metformin starting dose than the control group (all p < 0.05). The 3-year incidence rate of patients with at least one continuation of titration instructions was 60.3 % (95 % CI 58.3-62.3). Gastrointestinal AEs were rare with equivalent proportions of patients in each group experiencing an event (p > 0.05). Control patients (48.7 % of patients with a measurement) were more likely to have had poorly controlled glucose than exposure patients (35.7 % of patients with a measurement) (p < 0.001). A high rate of continuation of titration instructions for patients newly initiated on metformin was observed; however, such continuation did not negatively affect clinical outcomes.

[Computer Assisted Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broderick, Bill; And Others

1987-01-01

These two serial issues are devoted to the impact of computers on education, and specifically their effects on developmental education programs. First "The Effects of Computer-Based Instruction" summarizes the literature on the impact of computer-based instruction, including a study by James and Chen-Lin Kulik and Peter Cohen, which found that:…

High Impact Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Jim

2013-01-01

The key to improving student achievement isn't more teacher time--it's more teacher impact. But how do you decide which instructional practices will deliver the most bang for your buck? In this handbook, written for teachers but suitable for use by principals and instructional coaches, best-selling author Jim Knight presents the high-leverage…

Modified Navigation Instructions for Spatial Navigation Assistance Systems Lead to Incidental Spatial Learning

PubMed Central

Gramann, Klaus; Hoepner, Paul; Karrer-Gauss, Katja

2017-01-01

Spatial cognitive skills deteriorate with the increasing use of automated GPS navigation and a general decrease in the ability to orient in space might have further impact on independence, autonomy, and quality of life. In the present study we investigate whether modified navigation instructions support incidental spatial knowledge acquisition. A virtual driving environment was used to examine the impact of modified navigation instructions on spatial learning while using a GPS navigation assistance system. Participants navigated through a simulated urban and suburban environment, using navigation support to reach their destination. Driving performance as well as spatial learning was thereby assessed. Three navigation instruction conditions were tested: (i) a control group that was provided with classical navigation instructions at decision points, and two other groups that received navigation instructions at decision points including either (ii) additional irrelevant information about landmarks or (iii) additional personally relevant information (i.e., individual preferences regarding food, hobbies, etc.), associated with landmarks. Driving performance revealed no differences between navigation instructions. Significant improvements were observed in both modified navigation instruction conditions on three different measures of spatial learning and memory: subsequent navigation of the initial route without navigation assistance, landmark recognition, and sketch map drawing. Future navigation assistance systems could incorporate modified instructions to promote incidental spatial learning and to foster more general spatial cognitive abilities. Such systems might extend mobility across the lifespan. PMID:28243219

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Change and Mortality Risk Among Black and White Patients: Henry Ford Exercise Testing (FIT) Project.

PubMed

Ehrman, Jonathan K; Brawner, Clinton A; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H; Qureshi, Waqas T; Blaha, Michael J; Keteyian, Steven J

2017-10-01

Little is known about the relationship of change in cardiorespiratory fitness and mortality risk in Black patients. This study assessed change in cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with all-cause mortality risk in Black and White patients. This is a retrospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study of 13,345 patients (age = 55 ± 11 years; 39% women; 26% black) who completed 2 exercise tests, at least 12 months apart at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Mich. All-cause mortality was identified through April 2013. Data were analyzed in 2015-2016 using Cox regression to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for risk of mortality associated with change in sex-specific cardiorespiratory fitness. Mean time between the tests was 3.4 years (interquartile range 1.9-5.6 years). During 9.1 years (interquartile range 6.3-11.6 years) of follow-up, there were 1931 (14%) deaths (16.5% black, 13.7% white). For both races, change in fitness from Low to the Intermediate/High category resulted in a significant reduction of death risk (HR 0.65 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.49-0.87] for Black; HR 0.41 [95% CI, 0.34-0.51] for White). Each 1-metabolic-equivalent-of-task increase was associated with a reduced mortality risk in black (HR 0.84 [95% CI, 0.81-0.89]) and white (HR 0.87 [95% CI, 0.82-0.86]) patients. There was no interaction by race. Among black and white patients, change in cardiorespiratory fitness from Low to Intermediate/High fitness was associated with a 35% and 59% lower risk of all-cause mortality, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidance for Technology Decisions from Classroom Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bielefeldt, Talbot

2012-01-01

Correlational analysis of two years of classroom observation indicates relationships between technology use and various classroom characteristics, including teacher roles and instructional strategies. Three observers used the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) to record 144 observations of classrooms participating in a variety of educational…

The FORCE Fitness Profile--Adding a Measure of Health-Related Fitness to the Canadian Armed Forces Operational Fitness Evaluation.

PubMed

Gagnon, Patrick; Spivock, Michael; Reilly, Tara; Mattie, Paige; Stockbrugger, Barry

2015-11-01

In 2013, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) implemented the Fitness for Operational Requirements of Canadian Armed Forces Employment (FORCE), a field expedient fitness test designed to predict the physical requirements of completing common military tasks. Given that attaining this minimal physical fitness standard may not represent a challenge to some personnel, a fitness incentive program was requested by the chain of command to recognize and reward fitness over and above the minimal standard. At the same time, it was determined that the CAF would benefit from a measure of general health-related fitness, in addition to this measure of operational fitness. The resulting incentive program structure is based on gender and 8 age categories. The results on the 4 elements of the FORCE evaluation were converted to a point scale from which normative scores were derived, where the median score corresponds to the bronze level, and silver, gold, and platinum correspond to a score which is 1, 2, and 3 SDs above this median, respectively. A suite of rewards including merit board point toward promotions and recognition on the uniform and material rewards was developed. A separate group rewards program was also tabled, to recognize achievements in fitness at the unit level. For general fitness, oxygen capacity was derived from FORCE evaluation results and combined with a measure of abdominal circumference. Fitness categories were determined based on relative risks of mortality and morbidity for each age and gender group. Pilot testing of this entire program was performed with 624 participants to assess participants' reactions to the enhanced test, and also to verify logistical aspects of the electronic data capture, calculation, and transfer system. The newly dubbed fitness profile program was subsequently approved by the senior leadership of the CAF and is scheduled to begin a phased implementation in June 2015.

Estimation of a super-resolved PSF for the data reduction of undersampled stellar observations. Deriving an accurate model for fitting photometry with Corot space telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinheiro da Silva, L.; Auvergne, M.; Toublanc, D.; Rowe, J.; Kuschnig, R.; Matthews, J.

2006-06-01

Context: .Fitting photometry algorithms can be very effective provided that an accurate model of the instrumental point spread function (PSF) is available. When high-precision time-resolved photometry is required, however, the use of point-source star images as empirical PSF models can be unsatisfactory, due to the limits in their spatial resolution. Theoretically-derived models, on the other hand, are limited by the unavoidable assumption of simplifying hypothesis, while the use of analytical approximations is restricted to regularly-shaped PSFs. Aims: .This work investigates an innovative technique for space-based fitting photometry, based on the reconstruction of an empirical but properly-resolved PSF. The aim is the exploitation of arbitrary star images, including those produced under intentional defocus. The cases of both MOST and COROT, the first space telescopes dedicated to time-resolved stellar photometry, are considered in the evaluation of the effectiveness and performances of the proposed methodology. Methods: .PSF reconstruction is based on a set of star images, periodically acquired and presenting relative subpixel displacements due to motion of the acquisition system, in this case the jitter of the satellite attitude. Higher resolution is achieved through the solution of the inverse problem. The approach can be regarded as a special application of super-resolution techniques, though a specialised procedure is proposed to better meet the PSF determination problem specificities. The application of such a model to fitting photometry is illustrated by numerical simulations for COROT and on a complete set of observations from MOST. Results: .We verify that, in both scenarios, significantly better resolved PSFs can be estimated, leading to corresponding improvements in photometric results. For COROT, indeed, subpixel reconstruction enabled the successful use of fitting algorithms despite its rather complex PSF profile, which could hardly be modeled

Toward an instructionally oriented theory of example-based learning.

PubMed

Renkl, Alexander

2014-01-01

Learning from examples is a very effective means of initial cognitive skill acquisition. There is an enormous body of research on the specifics of this learning method. This article presents an instructionally oriented theory of example-based learning that integrates theoretical assumptions and findings from three research areas: learning from worked examples, observational learning, and analogical reasoning. This theory has descriptive and prescriptive elements. The descriptive subtheory deals with (a) the relevance and effectiveness of examples, (b) phases of skill acquisition, and (c) learning processes. The prescriptive subtheory proposes instructional principles that make full exploitation of the potential of example-based learning possible. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Experiences with lab-centric instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titterton, Nathaniel; Lewis, Colleen M.; Clancy, Michael J.

2010-06-01

Lab-centric instruction emphasizes supervised, hands-on activities by substituting lab for lecture time. It combines a multitude of pedagogical techniques into the format of an extended, structured closed lab. We discuss the range of benefits for students, including increased staff interaction, frequent and varied self-assessments, integrated collaborative activities, and a systematic sequence of activities that gradually increases in difficulty. Instructors also benefit from a deeper window into student progress and understanding. We follow with discussion of our experiences in courses at U.C. Berkeley, and using data from some of these investigate the effects of lab-centric instruction on student learning, procrastination, and course pacing. We observe that the lab-centric format helped students on exams but hurt them on extended programming assignments, counter to our hypothesis. Additionally, we see no difference in self-ratings of procrastination and limited differences in ratings of course pace. We do find evidence that the students who choose to attend lab-centric courses are different in several important ways from students who choose to attend the same course in a non-lab-centric format.

Rethinking Classroom-Oriented Instructional Development Models to Mediate Instructional Planning in Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Cher Ping; Chai, Ching Sing

2008-01-01

Although classroom-oriented instructional development (ID) models have the potential to help teachers think and plan for effective instruction with technology, research studies have shown that they are not widely employed. Many of these models have not factored in the complexities that teachers faced when planning for instruction in…

The Measurement of Instructional Accomplishments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraley, Lawrence E.; Vargas, Ernest A.

Instructional System Technology in recent years has been characterized by an increase in individualized instruction and the modularization of the curriculum. In traditional systems the learners are forced to take blocks of instruction the size of entire courses and these are much too large. The courses can now be broken down into conceptual…

Guidelines for observing child safety seat use

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-06-01

This manual provides guidelines for collecting observational data needed to assess the use of child safety seats. Specific directions are included for (a) observing child safety seat use, (b) child seats, and (c) instructing observers on how to use s...

Collective Trust: A Social Indicator of Instructional Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Curt M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test the validity of using collective trust as a social indicator of instructional capacity. Design/methodology/approach: A hypothesized model was advanced for the empirical investigation. Collective trust was specified as a latent construct with observable indicators being principal trust in faculty (PTF),…

Instructional Alignment as a Measure of Teaching Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polikoff, Morgan S.; Porter, Andrew C.

2014-01-01

Recent years have seen the convergence of two major policy streams in U.S. K-12 education: standards/accountability and teacher quality reforms. Work in these areas has led to the creation of multiple measures of teacher quality, including measures of their instructional alignment to standards/assessments, observational and student survey measures…

Explicit pre-training instruction does not improve implicit perceptual-motor sequence learning

PubMed Central

Sanchez, Daniel J.; Reber, Paul J.

2012-01-01

Memory systems theory argues for separate neural systems supporting implicit and explicit memory in the human brain. Neuropsychological studies support this dissociation, but empirical studies of cognitively healthy participants generally observe that both kinds of memory are acquired to at least some extent, even in implicit learning tasks. A key question is whether this observation reflects parallel intact memory systems or an integrated representation of memory in healthy participants. Learning of complex tasks in which both explicit instruction and practice is used depends on both kinds of memory, and how these systems interact will be an important component of the learning process. Theories that posit an integrated, or single, memory system for both types of memory predict that explicit instruction should contribute directly to strengthening task knowledge. In contrast, if the two types of memory are independent and acquired in parallel, explicit knowledge should have no direct impact and may serve in a “scaffolding” role in complex learning. Using an implicit perceptual-motor sequence learning task, the effect of explicit pre-training instruction on skill learning and performance was assessed. Explicit pre-training instruction led to robust explicit knowledge, but sequence learning did not benefit from the contribution of pre-training sequence memorization. The lack of an instruction benefit suggests that during skill learning, implicit and explicit memory operate independently. While healthy participants will generally accrue parallel implicit and explicit knowledge in complex tasks, these types of information appear to be separately represented in the human brain consistent with multiple memory systems theory. PMID:23280147

Instructed knowledge shapes feedback-driven aversive learning in striatum and orbitofrontal cortex, but not the amygdala

PubMed Central

Atlas, Lauren Y; Doll, Bradley B; Li, Jian; Daw, Nathaniel D; Phelps, Elizabeth A

2016-01-01

Socially-conveyed rules and instructions strongly shape expectations and emotions. Yet most neuroscientific studies of learning consider reinforcement history alone, irrespective of knowledge acquired through other means. We examined fear conditioning and reversal in humans to test whether instructed knowledge modulates the neural mechanisms of feedback-driven learning. One group was informed about contingencies and reversals. A second group learned only from reinforcement. We combined quantitative models with functional magnetic resonance imaging and found that instructions induced dissociations in the neural systems of aversive learning. Responses in striatum and orbitofrontal cortex updated with instructions and correlated with prefrontal responses to instructions. Amygdala responses were influenced by reinforcement similarly in both groups and did not update with instructions. Results extend work on instructed reward learning and reveal novel dissociations that have not been observed with punishments or rewards. Findings support theories of specialized threat-detection and may have implications for fear maintenance in anxiety. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15192.001 PMID:27171199

Do science coaches promote inquiry-based instruction in the elementary science classroom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicker, Rosemary Knight

The South Carolina Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative established a school-based science coaching model that was effective in improving instruction by increasing the level of inquiry-based instruction in elementary science classrooms. Classroom learning environment data from both teacher groups indicated considerable differences in the quality of inquiry instruction for those classrooms of teachers supported by a science coach. All essential features of inquiry were demonstrated more frequently and at a higher level of open-ended inquiry in classrooms with the support of a science coach than were demonstrated in classrooms without a science coach. However, from teacher observations and interviews, it was determined that elementary schoolteacher practice of having students evaluate conclusions and connect them to current scientific knowledge was often neglected. Teachers with support of a science coach reported changes in inquiry-based instruction that were statistically significant. This mixed ethnographic study also suggested that the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative Theory of Action for Instructional Improvement was an effective model when examining the work of science coaches. All components of effective school infrastructure were positively impacted by a variety of science coaching strategies intended to promote inquiry. Professional development for competent teachers, implementation of researched-based curriculum, and instructional materials support were areas highly impacted by the work of science coaches.

Teacher Observations for Diagnostic Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Russell W., Jr.

Teachers at the primary level should resume the neglected practice of diagnostic teaching. This means that the teacher should observe all aspects of a student's cognitive behavior in the teaching/learning act and then plan instructional strategies for subsequent lessons. Some significant cognitive behaviors observable in diagnostic teaching are…

Assessing fitness to stand trial: the utility of the Fitness Interview Test (revised edition).

PubMed

Zapf, P A; Roesch, R; Viljoen, J L

2001-06-01

In Canada most evaluations of fitness to stand trial are conducted on an inpatient basis. This costs time and money, and deprives those defendants remanded for evaluation of liberty. This research assessed the predictive efficiency of the Fitness Interview Test, revised edition (FIT) as a screening instrument for fitness to stand trial. We compared decisions about fitness to stand trial, based on the FIT, with the results of institution-based evaluations for 2 samples of men remanded for inpatient fitness assessments. The FIT demonstrates excellent utility as a screening instrument. The FIT shows good sensitivity and negative predictive power, which suggests that it can reliably screen those individuals who are clearly fit to stand trial, before they are remanded to an inpatient facility for a fitness assessment. We discuss the implications for evaluating fitness to stand trial, particularly in terms of the need for community-based alternatives to traditional forensic assessments.

Explore Elementary Teachers' Professional Knowledge of Guiding Science Fair Product by Using Different Instruction Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chow-Chin

2013-01-01

This research is about using two different instruction models, "theory course combined with sample introduction" and "theory course combined with case method teaching", to instruct elementary teachers on how to guide the science fair product in two courses (16 and 12 teachers in each class) and observe their guiding tactics after the instructed…

The Translation of Teachers' Understanding of Gifted Students Into Instructional Strategies for Teaching Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Soonhye; Steve Oliver, J.

2009-08-01

This study examined how instructional challenges presented by gifted students shaped teachers’ instructional strategies. This study is a qualitative research grounded in a social constructivist framework. The participants were three high school science teachers who were teaching identified gifted students in both heterogeneously- and homogeneously-grouped classrooms. Major data sources are classroom observations and interviews. Data analysis indicated that these science teachers developed content-specific teaching strategies based on their understanding of gifted students, including: (a) instructional differentiation, e.g., thematic units, (b) variety in instructional mode and/or students’ products, (c) student grouping strategies and peer tutoring, (d) individualized support, (e) strategies to manage challenging questions, (f) strategies to deal with the perfectionism, and (g) psychologically safe classroom environments.

Fitness Basics

MedlinePlus

... and some great stretches to keep your body flexible. And in other girlshealth.gov Fitness sections you can make a plan for your routine, learn what to wear to work out , and find out about food and fitness . ...

The Helmet Fit Index--An intelligent tool for fit assessment and design customisation.

PubMed

Ellena, Thierry; Subic, Aleksandar; Mustafa, Helmy; Pang, Toh Yen

2016-07-01

Helmet safety benefits are reduced if the headgear is poorly fitted on the wearer's head. At present, there are no industry standards available to assess objectively how a specific protective helmet fits a particular person. A proper fit is typically defined as a small and uniform distance between the helmet liner and the wearer's head shape, with a broad coverage of the head area. This paper presents a novel method to investigate and compare fitting accuracy of helmets based on 3D anthropometry, reverse engineering techniques and computational analysis. The Helmet Fit Index (HFI) that provides a fit score on a scale from 0 (excessively poor fit) to 100 (perfect fit) was compared with subjective fit assessments of surveyed cyclists. Results in this study showed that quantitative (HFI) and qualitative (participants' feelings) data were related when comparing three commercially available bicycle helmets. Findings also demonstrated that females and Asian people have lower fit scores than males and Caucasians, respectively. The HFI could provide detailed understanding of helmet efficiency regarding fit and could be used during helmet design and development phases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Role of Instructional Rounds in the Development of Social Networks and District-Wide Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatch, Thomas; Hill, Kathryn; Roegman, Rachel

2016-01-01

In this article, we explore how organizational routines involving instructional rounds--collective, structured observations and reflections on classroom practice--might contribute to the development of social networks among administrators and support a common, district-wide focus on instruction. Building on work on communities of practice, we…

Addressing the Missing Instructional Data Problem: Using a Teacher Log to Document Tier 1 Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurz, Alexander; Elliott, Stephen N.; Roach, Andrew T.

2015-01-01

Response-to-intervention (RTI) systems posit that Tier 1 consists of high-quality general classroom instruction using evidence-based methods to address the needs of most students. However, data on the extent to which general education teachers provide such instruction are rarely collected. This missing instructional data problem may result in RTI…

Ninth Grade Student Responses to Authentic Science Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellison, Michael Steven

science classwork was also measured. In addition, direct observation measures of student behavioral engagement showed that behavioral engagement was generally high, but not associated with the authenticity of the pedagogy. Direct observation measures of student self-regulation found evidence that when instruction focused on core science and engineering concepts and made stronger connections to the student's world beyond the classroom, student self-regulated learning was greater, and included evidence of student ownership. In light of the alignment between the model of authenticity used in this study and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the results suggest that further research on the value beyond school component of the model could improve understanding of student engagement and performance in response to the implementation of the NGSS. In particular, it suggests a unique role environmental education can play in affording student success in K-12 science and a tool to measure that role.

There is no fitness but fitness, and the lineage is its bearer

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Inclusive fitness has been the cornerstone of social evolution theory for more than a half-century and has matured as a mathematical theory in the past 20 years. Yet surprisingly for a theory so central to an entire field, some of its connections to evolutionary theory more broadly remain contentious or underappreciated. In this paper, we aim to emphasize the connection between inclusive fitness and modern evolutionary theory through the following fact: inclusive fitness is simply classical Darwinian fitness, averaged over social, environmental and demographic states that members of a gene lineage experience. Therefore, inclusive fitness is neither a generalization of classical fitness, nor does it belong exclusively to the individual. Rather, the lineage perspective emphasizes that evolutionary success is determined by the effect of selection on all biological and environmental contexts that a lineage may experience. We argue that this understanding of inclusive fitness based on gene lineages provides the most illuminating and accurate picture and avoids pitfalls in interpretation and empirical applications of inclusive fitness theory. PMID:26729925

Teaching about teaching and instruction on instruction: a challenge for health sciences library education.

PubMed

Detlefsen, Ellen Gay

2012-10-01

This is a review of the master's-level curricula of the fifty-eight America Library Association-accredited library and information science programs and iSchools for evidence of coursework and content related to library instruction. Special emphasis is placed on the schools and programs that also offer coursework in medical or health sciences librarianship. Fifty-eight school and program websites were reviewed. Course titles and course descriptions for seventy-three separate classes were analyzed. Twenty-three syllabi were examined. All North American library education programs offer at least one course in the general area of library instruction; some programs offer multiple courses. No courses on instruction, however, are focused directly on the specialized area of health sciences librarianship. Master's degree students can take appropriate classes on library instruction, but the medical library profession needs to offer continuing education opportunities for practitioners who want to have specific instruction for the specialized world of the health sciences.

Universal Design for Instruction: Extending the Universal Design Paradigm to College Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Joan M.; Scott, Sally S.

2006-01-01

Universal design for instruction (UDI) represents the systematic application of universal design, the construct from architecture and product development, to instructional practices in higher education. In addition to a description of the deliberative process by which UDI was developed, this article provides confirmatory evidence of the validity…

Computer Assisted Instructional Design for Computer-Based Instruction. Final Report. Working Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Daniel M.; Pirolli, Peter

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and the cognitive sciences have made it possible to develop successful intelligent computer-aided instructional systems for technical and scientific training. In addition, computer-aided design (CAD) environments that support the rapid development of such computer-based instruction have also been recently…

EEG Based Analysis of Cognitive Load Enhance Instructional Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dan, Alex; Reiner, Miriam

2017-01-01

One of the recommended approaches in instructional design methods is to optimize the value of working memory capacity and avoid cognitive overload. Educational neuroscience offers novel processes and methodologies to analyze cognitive load based on physiological measures. Observing psychophysiological changes when they occur in response to the…

Rules for Summarizing Texts: Is Classroom Instruction Being Provided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Ruth

1984-01-01

An "ideal lesson" method was used to observe how teachers were providing instruction in text summarization. Teachers prepared a lesson and audiotaped the presentation. Although teachers were prompted to assist students in improving text summaries, only two teachers actually discussed more than one summarization rule. Staff development…

Measuring Instruction, Curriculum Content, and Instructional Resources: The Status of Recent Work. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leighton, Mary S.; Mullens, John E.; Turnbull, Brenda; Weiner, Lisa K.; Williams, Angela S.

The four papers in this volume are four parts of a series on the status of recent work on measuring instruction, curriculum content, and instructional resources. These papers are intended to identify aspects of instruction, to analyze the approaches used in several leading studies, and to describe the implications of recent work for National…

Implementation of Socioscientific Issues Instruction to Fostering Students’ Decision Making Based Gender on Environmental Pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizal, H. P.; Siahaan, P.; Yuliani, G.

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation socioscientific issues (SSI) instruction to examine students’ decision making based gender. Selection of environmental problem based on the consideration this issue has potential to evaluate from various scientific disciplines and may initiate to make decision. The participant was students grade VII in South Sulawesi. Pre experiment method was utilized in study with one group pre-test and post-test design. The instrument used in this study comprised of open-ended question, observation sheets for group discussion, sheet for interview and observation sheet of implementation instruction in class. The result indicated that instruction has been implemented successfully. It was found that pre-test and post-test was fostered with N-gain for male and female in medium category. Based on independent t test was found there was no difference improvement of decision making between male and female students. The group showed there was no difference between male group and female group, but a significant difference was noted in mix group. Students and teacher give positive response to the implementation of instruction. It is concluded that science instruction based SSI can be implemented to foster male and female decision making by forming group discussion.

English for Content Instruction in a Japanese Higher Education Setting: Examining Challenges, Contradictions and Anomalies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toh, Glenn

2014-01-01

This article examines issues pertaining to content instruction in English in a Japanese higher education institution. It notes that Japan's economic success in the latter part of the twentieth century was achieved with Japanese as the medium of instruction and observes that in terms of ideology and cultural politics at least, there are inherent…

Model-based estimation of individual fitness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Link, W.A.; Cooch, E.G.; Cam, E.

2002-01-01

Fitness is the currency of natural selection, a measure of the propagation rate of genotypes into future generations. Its various definitions have the common feature that they are functions of survival and fertility rates. At the individual level, the operative level for natural selection, these rates must be understood as latent features, genetically determined propensities existing at birth. This conception of rates requires that individual fitness be defined and estimated by consideration of the individual in a modelled relation to a group of similar individuals; the only alternative is to consider a sample of size one, unless a clone of identical individuals is available. We present hierarchical models describing individual heterogeneity in survival and fertility rates and allowing for associations between these rates at the individual level. We apply these models to an analysis of life histories of Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla ) observed at several colonies on the Brittany coast of France. We compare Bayesian estimation of the population distribution of individual fitness with estimation based on treating individual life histories in isolation, as samples of size one (e.g. McGraw & Caswell, 1996).

Random-growth urban model with geographical fitness