Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Intervention for Head Start Preschoolers: A Randomized Intervention Study

PubMed Central

Davies, Patricia L.; Anderson, Jennifer; Kennedy, Catherine

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES. The level of children’s motor skill proficiency may be an important determinant of their physical activity behaviors. This study assessed the efficacy of an intervention on gross motor skill performance, physical activity, and weight status of preschoolers. METHOD. The Food Friends: Get Movin’ With Mighty Moves® program was conducted in four Head Start centers. Measurements included the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, pedometer counts, and body mass index (BMI) z scores. RESULTS. The intervention led to significant changes in gross motor skills in the treatment group (n = 98) compared with the control group (n = 103) and was a strong predictor of overall gross motor performance (gross motor quotient), locomotor, stability, and object manipulation skills. No intervention effect was found for physical activity levels or weight status. CONCLUSION. The intervention dose was adequate for enhancing gross motor skill performance but not for increasing physical activity levels or reducing BMI. PMID:23245780

The Effect of Student Self-Video of Performance on Clinical Skill Competency: A Randomised Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Stephen; Storr, Michael; Morgan, Prue; Ilic, Dragan

2013-01-01

Emerging technologies and student information technology literacy are enabling new methods of teaching and learning for clinical skill performance. Facilitating experiential practice and reflection on performance through student self-video, and exposure to peer benchmarks, may promote greater levels of skill competency. This study examines the…

The Effect of Variability of Practice at Execution Redundancy Level in Skilled and Novice Basketball Players.

PubMed

Taheri, Hamidreza; Fazeli, Davoud; Poureghbali, Sogand

2017-04-01

We investigated the effect of practice variability through execution redundancy in skilled and novice basketball players on free throw skills. Twelve skilled basketball players and 12 novices (mean age = 25.4 years, SD = 4.3) were divided into four groups (skilled constant, skilled variable, novice constant, and novice variable). After a pretest, participants practiced free throw action. The variable groups threw the ball over an obstacle of varying heights on each trial in random order, whereas the obstacle's height was fixed for the constant groups. After 7 and 14 consecutive days of practice, participants performed two posttests with constant and variable distances from the basket. The results showed that practicing different solutions of a task did not affect the performance of skilled players but had an immediate negative effect on the performance of novice players. Learning a complex task is the result of learning task-related parameters, and practice variability can create a mismatch between task difficulty and new learner skill levels.

Reliability and Validity of the Inline Skating Skill Test.

PubMed

Radman, Ivan; Ruzic, Lana; Padovan, Viktoria; Cigrovski, Vjekoslav; Podnar, Hrvoje

2016-09-01

This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the inline skating skill test. Based on previous skating experience forty-two skaters (26 female and 16 male) were randomized into two groups (competitive level vs. recreational level). They performed the test four times, with a recovery time of 45 minutes between sessions. Prior to testing, the participants rated their skating skill using a scale from 1 to 10. The protocol included performance time measurement through a course, combining different skating techniques. Trivial changes in performance time between the repeated sessions were determined in both competitive females/males and recreational females/males (-1.7% [95% CI: -5.8-2.6%] - 2.2% [95% CI: 0.0-4.5%]). In all four subgroups, the skill test had a low mean within-individual variation (1.6% [95% CI: 1.2-2.4%] - 2.7% [95% CI: 2.1-4.0%]) and high mean inter-session correlation (ICC = 0.97 [95% CI: 0.92-0.99] - 0.99 [95% CI: 0.98-1.00]). The comparison of detected typical errors and smallest worthwhile changes (calculated as standard deviations × 0.2) revealed that the skill test was able to track changes in skaters' performances. Competitive-level skaters needed shorter time (24.4-26.4%, all p < 0.01) to complete the test in comparison to recreational-level skaters. Moreover, moderate correlation (ρ = 0.80-0.82; all p < 0.01) was observed between the participant's self-rating and achieved performance times. In conclusion, the proposed test is a reliable and valid method to evaluate inline skating skills in amateur competitive and recreational level skaters. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reproducibility of this skill test in different populations including elite inline skaters.

Developing Rubrics to Assess Complex (Generic) Skills in the Classroom: How to Distinguish Skills' Mastery Levels?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rusman, Ellen; Dirkx, Kim

2017-01-01

Many schools use analytic rubrics to (formatively) assess complex, generic or transversal (21st century) skills, such as collaborating and presenting. In rubrics, performance indicators on different levels of mastering a skill (e.g., novice, practiced, advanced, talented) are described. However, the dimensions used to describe the different…

An Electrophysiological Investigation of Semantic and Phonological Processing in Skilled and Less-Skilled Comprehenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landi, Nicole; Perfetti, Charles A.

2007-01-01

The most prominent theories of reading consider reading comprehension ability to be a direct consequence of lower-level reading skills. Recently however, research has shown that some children with poor comprehension ability perform normally on tests of lower-level skills (e.g., decoding). One promising line of behavioral research has found…

The validity of parental reports on motor skills performance level in preschool children: a comparison with a standardized motor test.

PubMed

Zysset, Annina E; Kakebeeke, Tanja H; Messerli-Bürgy, Nadine; Meyer, Andrea H; Stülb, Kerstin; Leeger-Aschmann, Claudia S; Schmutz, Einat A; Arhab, Amar; Ferrazzini, Valentina; Kriemler, Susi; Munsch, Simone; Puder, Jardena J; Jenni, Oskar G

2018-05-01

Motor skills are interrelated with essential domains of childhood such as cognitive and social development. Thus, the evaluation of motor skills and the identification of atypical or delayed motor development is crucial in pediatric practice (e.g., during well-child visits). Parental reports on motor skills may serve as possible indicators to decide whether further assessment of a child is necessary or not. We compared parental reports on fundamental motor skills performance level (e.g., hopping, throwing), based on questions frequently asked in pediatric practice, with a standardized motor test in 389 children (46.5% girls/53.5% boys, M age = 3.8 years, SD = 0.5, range 3.0-5.0 years) from the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study (SPLASHY). Motor skills were examined using the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment 3-5 (ZNA3-5), and parents filled in an online questionnaire on fundamental motor skills performance level. The results showed that the answers from the parental report correlated only weakly with the objectively assessed motor skills (r = .225, p < .001). Although a parental screening instrument for motor skills would be desirable, the parent's report used in this study was not a valid indicator for children's fundamental motor skills. Thus, we may recommend to objectively examine motor skills in clinical practice and not to exclusively rely on parental report. What is Known: • Early assessment of motor skills in preschool children is important because motor skills are essential for the engagement in social activities and the development of cognitive abilities. Atypical or delayed motor development can be an indicator for different developmental needs or disorders. • Pediatricians frequently ask parents about the motor competences of their child during well-child visits. What is New: • The parental report on fundamental motor skills performance level used in this study was not a reliable indicator for describing motor development in the preschool age. • Standardized examinations of motor skills are required to validly assess motor development in preschoolers.

Mirror Visual Feedback Training Improves Intermanual Transfer in a Sport-Specific Task: A Comparison between Different Skill Levels.

PubMed

Steinberg, Fabian; Pixa, Nils Henrik; Doppelmayr, Michael

2016-01-01

Mirror training therapy is a promising tool to initiate neural plasticity and facilitate the recovery process of motor skills after diseases such as stroke or hemiparesis by improving the intermanual transfer of fine motor skills in healthy people as well as in patients. This study evaluated whether these augmented performance improvements by mirror visual feedback (MVF) could be used for learning a sport-specific skill and if the effects are modulated by skill level. A sample of 39 young, healthy, and experienced basketball and handball players and 41 novices performed a stationary basketball dribble task at a mirror box in a standing position and received either MVF or direct feedback. After four training days using only the right hand, performance of both hands improved from pre- to posttest measurements. Only the left hand (untrained) performance of the experienced participants receiving MVF was more pronounced than for the control group. This indicates that intermanual motor transfer can be improved by MVF in a sport-specific task. However, this effect cannot be generalized to motor learning per se since it is modulated by individuals' skill level, a factor that might be considered in mirror therapy research.

Mirror Visual Feedback Training Improves Intermanual Transfer in a Sport-Specific Task: A Comparison between Different Skill Levels

PubMed Central

Pixa, Nils Henrik; Doppelmayr, Michael

2016-01-01

Mirror training therapy is a promising tool to initiate neural plasticity and facilitate the recovery process of motor skills after diseases such as stroke or hemiparesis by improving the intermanual transfer of fine motor skills in healthy people as well as in patients. This study evaluated whether these augmented performance improvements by mirror visual feedback (MVF) could be used for learning a sport-specific skill and if the effects are modulated by skill level. A sample of 39 young, healthy, and experienced basketball and handball players and 41 novices performed a stationary basketball dribble task at a mirror box in a standing position and received either MVF or direct feedback. After four training days using only the right hand, performance of both hands improved from pre- to posttest measurements. Only the left hand (untrained) performance of the experienced participants receiving MVF was more pronounced than for the control group. This indicates that intermanual motor transfer can be improved by MVF in a sport-specific task. However, this effect cannot be generalized to motor learning per se since it is modulated by individuals' skill level, a factor that might be considered in mirror therapy research. PMID:27642526

Is autonomy related to the quality of performance of everyday activities in children with spina bifida?

PubMed

Peny-Dahlstrand, Marie; Krumlinde-Sundholm, Lena; Gosman-Hedström, Gunilla

2012-01-01

To investigate the relationship between the level of autonomy and the quality of performance of everyday activities in a population-based cohort of children with spina bifida and to study the agreement between the children's and the parents' ratings of autonomy. 50 dyads of children (aged 6-14) with spina bifida and their parents rated the children's level of autonomy with an adapted, Swedish version of the Autonomy Scale from the Arc's Self-Determination Scale. Each child's quality of performance of everyday activities was assessed with the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). The autonomy levels of the children with spina bifida were rated to be lowest in daily routines and highest in leisure activities. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that age, motor skills and process skills were all significantly related to the autonomy level, but that process skills appeared to predominate in this respect. Concerning the perception of the autonomy level, little agreement was found between each child and his/her parent. It is important to understand and support the development of process skills as expressed in task performance in children with spina bifida and to pay attention to both the parent's and the child's opinion when setting goals and plans for interventions.

Politics Perceptions as Moderator of the Political Skill-Job Performance Relationship: A Two-Study, Cross-National, Constructive Replication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapoutsis, Ilias; Papalexandris, Alexandros; Nikolopoulos, Andreas; Hochwarter, Wayne A.; Ferris, Gerald R.

2011-01-01

We developed a two-study, cross-national, constructive replication to examine the role of organizational politics perceptions as a contextual moderator of the political skill-job performance relationship. Specifically, we hypothesized that high levels of political skill would demonstrate its strongest positive effects on job performance when…

The Effects of an Intervention Strategy on Children's Heart Rates and Skill Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ignico, Arlene; Corson, Arleen; Vidoni, Carla

2006-01-01

The purpose of this project was to examine the effectiveness of a fitness infusion instructional strategy (FI) on children's activity levels and skill performance scores. This strategy included aerobic activity within the skill practice tasks and game play. In other words, students performed short bouts of activity between the practice and…

Does Negotiation Training Improve Negotiators' Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ElShenawy, Eman

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper's objective is to test the main effect of negotiation training-level on acquiring negotiation skills. Training level refers to the time a trainee spends in a negotiation training course receiving the standard style and methods of training. Negotiation skills are manifested through trainees' performance after receiving training.…

Sleep-Dependent Consolidation of Procedural Motor Memories in Children and Adults: The Pre-Sleep Level of Performance Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Ines; Metzkow-Meszaros, Maila; Knapp, Susanne; Born, Jan

2012-01-01

In striking contrast to adults, in children sleep following training a motor task did not induce the expected (offline) gain in motor skill performance in previous studies. Children normally perform at distinctly lower levels than adults. Moreover, evidence in adults suggests that sleep dependent offline gains in skill essentially depend on the…

Pushing Typists Back on the Learning Curve: Memory Chunking in the Hierarchical Control of Skilled Typewriting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamaguchi, Motonori; Logan, Gordon D.

2016-01-01

Hierarchical control of skilled performance depends on the ability of higher level control to process several lower level units as a single chunk. The present study investigated the development of hierarchical control of skilled typewriting, focusing on the process of memory chunking. In the first 3 experiments, skilled typists typed words or…

Adult Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanasou, James A.

2012-01-01

This paper examines the performance of the eight major occupational categories across the four skill areas of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. The results indicated that some 38-64% of employed Australians were below minimal competence (at Level 1 or Level 2) in one of the four skill areas of prose literacy, document literacy, numeracy…

Children's Initial Sleep-Associated Changes in Motor Skill Are Unrelated to Long-Term Skill Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinke, Katharina; Wilhelm, Ines; Bayramoglu, Müge; Klein, Susanne; Born, Jan

2017-01-01

Sleep is considered to support the formation of skill memory. In juvenile but not adult song birds learning a tutor's song, a stronger initial deterioration of song performance over night-sleep predicts better song performance in the long run. This and similar observations have stimulated the view of sleep supporting skill formation during…

Integrated Job Skills and Reading Skills Training System. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sticht, Thomas G.; And Others

An exploratory study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of determining the reading demands of navy jobs, using a methodology that identifies both the type of reading tasks performed on the job and the level of general reading skill required to perform that set of reading tasks. Next, a survey was made of the navy's job skills training…

DOPS (Direct Observation of Procedural Skills) in undergraduate skills-lab: Does it work? Analysis of skills-performance and curricular side effects.

PubMed

Profanter, Christoph; Perathoner, Alexander

2015-01-01

Sufficient teaching and assessing clinical skills in the undergraduate setting becomes more and more important. In a surgical skills-lab course at the Medical University of Innsbruck fourth year students were teached with DOPS (direct observation of procedural skills). We analyzed whether DOPS worked or not in this setting, which performance levels could be reached compared to tutor teaching (one tutor, 5 students) and which curricular side effects could be observed. In a prospective randomized trial in summer 2013 (April - June) four competence-level-based skills were teached in small groups during one week: surgical abdominal examination, urethral catheterization (phantom), rectal-digital examination (phantom), handling of central venous catheters. Group A was teached with DOPS, group B with a classical tutor system. Both groups underwent an OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) for assessment. 193 students were included in the study. Altogether 756 OSCE´s were carried out, 209 (27,6%) in the DOPS- and 547 (72,3%) in the tutor-group. Both groups reached high performance levels. In the first month there was a statistically significant difference (p<0,05) in performance of 95% positive OSCE items in the DOPS-group versus 88% in the tutor group. In the following months the performance rates showed no difference anymore and came to 90% in both groups. In practical skills the analysis revealed a high correspondence between positive DOPS (92,4%) and OSCE (90,8%) results. As shown by our data DOPS furnish high performance of clinical skills and work well in the undergraduate setting. Due to the high correspondence of DOPS and OSCE results DOPS should be considered as preferred assessment tool in a students skills-lab. The approximation of performance-rates within the months after initial superiority of DOPS could be explained by an interaction between DOPS and tutor system: DOPS elements seem to have improved tutoring and performance rates as well. DOPS in students 'skills-lab afford structured feedback and assessment without increased personnel and financial resources compared to classic small group training. In summary, this study shows that DOPS represent an efficient method in teaching clinical skills. Their effects on didactic culture reach beyond the positive influence of performance rates.

Visual scanning behavior and pilot workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, R. L., Sr.; Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Ephrath, A. R.

1981-01-01

An experimental paradigm and a set of results which demonstrate a relationship between the level of performance on a skilled man-machine control task, the skill of the operator, the level of mental difficulty induced by an additional task imposed on the basic control task, and visual scanning performance. During a constant, simulated piloting task, visual scanning of instruments was found to vary as a function of the level of difficulty of a verbal mental loading task. The average dwell time of each fixation on the pilot's primary instrument increased as a function of the estimated skill level of the pilots, with novices being affected by the loading task much more than the experts. The results suggest that visual scanning of instruments in a controlled task may be an indicator of both workload and skill.

A Comparative Study of Students’ Track and Field Technical Performance in Sport Education and in a Direct Instruction Approach

PubMed Central

Pereira, José; Hastie, Peter; Araújo, Rui; Farias, Cláudio; Rolim, Ramiro; Mesquita, Isabel

2015-01-01

This study examined students’ technical performances improvements in three track and field events (hurdles, shot put, and long jump) following either a Sport Education season or a Direct Instruction unit. An experienced Physical Education teacher taught two classes totalling 47 sixth-grade students (25 boys and 22 girls, aged between 10 and 13 years old) in 20, 45-minute lessons over 10 weeks. The students’ technical performances were analysed and evaluated through systematic observation of videos. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare scores at three time points (pre-test, post-test and retention), and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the differences within each instructional model at each assessment moment, as well as by gender and skill level. The impact of each instructional model in student learning was markedly distinct. While in Sport Education students of both genders and skill levels improved significantly in all events, in Direct Instruction, evidence of significant improvements was limited to boys and students of higher skill level. Key points The impact of each teaching approach in student learning was distinct. While in Sport Education the technical performance improvements spread throughout students of both genders and skill levels, in Direct Instruction significant improvements were exclusive to boys and students of higher skill level. The extended analysis in the current study, taking into account student gender and skill level, permitted a more comprehensive measure of the learning impact of the two approaches. More sophisticated analyses of the tasks and instructional strategies of each approach are encouraged. PMID:25729299

Neurosurgical Skills Assessment: Measuring Technical Proficiency in Neurosurgery Residents Through Intraoperative Video Evaluations.

PubMed

Sarkiss, Christopher A; Philemond, Steven; Lee, James; Sobotka, Stanislaw; Holloway, Terrell D; Moore, Maximillian M; Costa, Anthony B; Gordon, Errol L; Bederson, Joshua B

2016-05-01

Although technical skills are fundamental in neurosurgery, there is little agreement on how to describe, measure, or compare skills among surgeons. The primary goal of this study was to develop a quantitative grading scale for technical surgical performance that distinguishes operator skill when graded by domain experts (residents, attendings, and nonsurgeons). Scores provided by raters should be highly reliable with respect to scores from other observers. Neurosurgery residents were fitted with a head-mounted video camera while performing craniotomies under attending supervision. Seven videos, 1 from each postgraduate year (PGY) level (1-7), were anonymized and scored by 16 attendings, 8 residents, and 7 nonsurgeons using a grading scale. Seven skills were graded: incision, efficiency of instrument use, cauterization, tissue handling, drilling/craniotomy, confidence, and training level. A strong correlation was found between skills score and PGY year (P < 0.001, analysis of variance). Junior residents (PGY 1-3) had significantly lower scores than did senior residents (PGY 4-7, P < 0.001, t test). Significant variation among junior residents was observed, and senior residents' scores were not significantly different from one another. Interrater reliability, measured against other observers, was high (r = 0.581 ± 0.245, Spearman), as was assessment of resident training level (r = 0.583 ± 0.278, Spearman). Both variables were strongly correlated (r = 0.90, Pearson). Attendings, residents, and nonsurgeons did not score differently (P = 0.46, analysis of variance). Technical skills of neurosurgery residents recorded during craniotomy can be measured with high interrater reliability. Surgeons and nonsurgeons alike readily distinguish different skill levels. This type of assessment could be used to coach residents, to track performance over time, and potentially to compare skill levels. Developing an objective tool to evaluate surgical performance would be useful in several areas of neurosurgery education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence for Skill Level Differences in the Thought Processes of Golfers During High and Low Pressure Situations.

PubMed

Whitehead, Amy E; Taylor, Jamie A; Polman, Remco C J

2015-01-01

Two studies examined differences in the cognition of golfers with differing levels of expertise in high and low pressure situations. In study 1, six high skill and six low skill golfers performed six holes of golf, while verbalizing their thoughts using Think Aloud (TA) protocol. Higher skilled golfers' cognitive processes centered more on planning in comparison to lower skilled golfers. Study 2 investigated whether thought processes of golfers changed in response to competitive pressure. Eight high skill and eight moderate skilled golfers, completed a practice round and a competition round whilst verbalizing thoughts using TA. To create pressure in the competition condition, participants were instructed that monetary prizes would be awarded to the top three performers and scores of all golfers would be published in a league table in the club house. When performing under competitive pressure, it was found that higher skilled golfers were more likely to verbalize technical rules compared to practice conditions, especially during putting performance. This shift in cognition toward more technical aspects of motor performance was strongly related to scores on the Decision Specific Reinvestment Scale, suggesting individuals with a higher propensity for reinvestment show the largest changes in cognition under pressure. From a practical perspective, TA can aid a player, coach or sport psychologist by allowing thought processes to be identified and investigate a performer's thoughts when faced with the pressure of a competition.

Mental Skills Training Experience of NCAA Division II Softball Catchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Shannon

2012-01-01

Athletes competing at all levels of sport are constantly working on ways to enhance their physical performance. Sport psychology research insists there are higher performance results among athletes who incorporate mental skills training into their practice and competition settings. In order to use the mental skills strategies effectively, athletes…

Notetaking Skills Instruction for Development of Middle School Students' Notetaking Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilter, Ilhan

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of explicit instruction in notetaking skills on the notetaking performance of seventh-grade students at different reading ability levels. The students in the notetaking instruction condition (NTI) received classroom-based notetaking skills instruction (approximately 40 minutes) every week…

Political Skill as Neutralizer of Felt Accountability-Job Tension Effects on Job Performance Ratings: A Longitudinal Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochwarter, Wayne A.; Ferris, Gerald R.; Gavin, Mark B.; Perrewe, Pamela L.; Hall, Angela T.; Frink, Dwight D.

2007-01-01

This study examined the effects of felt accountability, political skill, and job tension on job performance ratings. Specifically, we hypothesized that felt accountability would lead to higher (lower) job performance ratings when coupled with high (low) levels of political skill, and that these relationships would be mediated by job tension. Data…

Developing information literacy: a key to evidence-based nursing.

PubMed

Shorten, A; Wallace, M C; Crookes, P A

2001-06-01

This report describes the evaluation of a curriculum-integrated programme designed to help students develop an awareness of the nursing literature, the skills to locate and retrieve it, and skills required in its evaluation; in other words'information literacy'. Positive changes in student performance on objective measures of information-literacy skills were revealed as well as a significant increase in the levels of confidence of the student in performing those skills. Students who had undertaken the information-literacy programme ('programme' students) performed better on a range of objective measures of information literacy, as well as reporting higher levels of confidence in these skills, than students who had not participated in the programme ('non-programme' students). Evaluation of this programme provides evidence of the potential usefulness of a curriculum-integrated approach for the development of information-literacy skills within nursing education. With these underlying skills, students will be better equipped to consolidate and extend their key information-literacy skills to include research appreciation and application. These are vital for effective lifelong learning and a prerequisite to evidence-based practice.

Reliability and Validity of the Inline Skating Skill Test

PubMed Central

Radman, Ivan; Ruzic, Lana; Padovan, Viktoria; Cigrovski, Vjekoslav; Podnar, Hrvoje

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the inline skating skill test. Based on previous skating experience forty-two skaters (26 female and 16 male) were randomized into two groups (competitive level vs. recreational level). They performed the test four times, with a recovery time of 45 minutes between sessions. Prior to testing, the participants rated their skating skill using a scale from 1 to 10. The protocol included performance time measurement through a course, combining different skating techniques. Trivial changes in performance time between the repeated sessions were determined in both competitive females/males and recreational females/males (-1.7% [95% CI: -5.8–2.6%] – 2.2% [95% CI: 0.0–4.5%]). In all four subgroups, the skill test had a low mean within-individual variation (1.6% [95% CI: 1.2–2.4%] – 2.7% [95% CI: 2.1–4.0%]) and high mean inter-session correlation (ICC = 0.97 [95% CI: 0.92–0.99] – 0.99 [95% CI: 0.98–1.00]). The comparison of detected typical errors and smallest worthwhile changes (calculated as standard deviations × 0.2) revealed that the skill test was able to track changes in skaters’ performances. Competitive-level skaters needed shorter time (24.4–26.4%, all p < 0.01) to complete the test in comparison to recreational-level skaters. Moreover, moderate correlation (ρ = 0.80–0.82; all p < 0.01) was observed between the participant’s self-rating and achieved performance times. In conclusion, the proposed test is a reliable and valid method to evaluate inline skating skills in amateur competitive and recreational level skaters. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reproducibility of this skill test in different populations including elite inline skaters. Key points Study evaluated the reliability and construct validity of a newly developed inline skating skill test. Evaluated test is a first protocol designed to assess specific inline skating skill. Two groups of amateur skaters with different skating proficiency repeated the skill test in four separate occasions. The results suggest that evaluated test is reliable and valid to evaluate inline skating skill in amateur skaters. PMID:27803616

Arthroscopic skills assessment and use of box model for training in arthroscopic surgery using Sawbones – “FAST” workstation

PubMed Central

Goyal, Saumitra; Radi, Mohamed Abdel; Ramadan, Islam Karam-allah; Said, Hatem Galal

2016-01-01

Purpose: Arthroscopic skills training outside the operative room may decrease risks and errors by trainee surgeons. There is a need of simple objective method for evaluating proficiency and skill of arthroscopy trainees using simple bench model of arthroscopic simulator. The aim of this study is to correlate motor task performance to level of prior arthroscopic experience and establish benchmarks for training modules. Methods: Twenty orthopaedic surgeons performed a set of tasks to assess a) arthroscopic triangulation, b) navigation, c) object handling and d) meniscus trimming using SAWBONES “FAST” arthroscopy skills workstation. Time to completion and the errors were computed. The subjects were divided into four levels; “Novice”, “Beginner”, “Intermediate” and “Advanced” based on previous arthroscopy experience, for analyses of performance. Results: The task performance under transparent dome was not related to experience of the surgeon unlike opaque dome, highlighting the importance of hand-eye co-ordination required in arthroscopy. Median time to completion for each task improved as the level of experience increased and this was found to be statistically significant (p < .05) e.g. time for maze navigation (Novice – 166 s, Beginner – 135.5 s, Intermediate – 100 s, Advance – 97.5 s) and the similar results for all tasks. Majority (>85%) of subjects across all the levels reported improvement in performance with sequential tasks. Conclusion: Use of the arthroscope requires visuo-spatial coordination which is a skill that develops with practice. This simple box model can reliably differentiate the arthroscopic skills based on experience and can be used to monitor progression of skills of trainees in institutions. PMID:27801643

Visual scanning behavior and pilot workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, R. L., Sr.; Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Ephrath, A. R.

1982-01-01

This paper describes an experimental paradigm and a set of results which demonstrate a relationship between the level of performance on a skilled man-machine control task, the skill of the operator, the level of mental difficulty induced by an additional task imposed on the basic control task, and visual scanning performance. During a constant, simulated piloting task, visual scanning of instruments was found to vary with the difficulty of a verbal mental loading task. The average dwell time of each fixation on the pilot's primary instrument increased with the estimated skill level of the pilots, with novices being affected by the loading task much more than experts. The results suggest that visual scanning of instruments in a controlled task may be an indicator of both workload and skill.

Learning and remembering strategies of novice and advanced jazz dancers for skill level appropriate dance routines.

PubMed

Poon, P P; Rodgers, W M

2000-06-01

This study examined the influence of the challenge level of to-be-learned stimulus on learning strategies in novice and advanced dancers. In Study 1, skill-level appropriate dance routines were developed for novice and advanced jazz dancers. In Study 2, 8 novice and 9 advanced female jazz dancers attempted to learn and remember the two routines in mixed model factorial design, with one between-participants factor: skill level (novice or advanced) and two within-participants factors: routine (easy or difficult) and performance (immediate or delayed). Participants were interviewed regarding the strategies used to learn and remember the routines. Results indicated that advanced performers used atypical learning strategies for insufficiently challenging stimuli, which may reflect characteristics of the stimuli rather than the performer. The qualitative data indicate a clear preference of novice and advanced performers for spatial compatibility of stimuli and response.

Reading, Why Not? Literacy Skills in Children with Motor and Speech Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Janna; Ronnberg, Jerker; Gustafson, Stefan; Wengelin, Asa

2007-01-01

In this study, 12 participants with various levels of motor and speech deficits were tested to explore their reading skills in relation to letter knowledge, speech level, auditory discrimination, phonological awareness, language skills, digit span, and nonverbal IQ. Two subgroups, based on a median split of reading performance, are described: the…

Information and Strategic Internet Skills of Secondary Students: A Performance Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Deursen, A. J. A. M.; van Diepen, S.

2013-01-01

In this study, the information and strategic Internet skills of Dutch secondary students were measured in a performance test. Participating students were asked to complete assignments on the Internet. The findings reveal that the levels of both information and strategic Internet skills have much room for improvement. Of the variables that…

Teaching Soft Skills Employers Need

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Maureen; Kisling, Eric; Hackworth, Robbie G.

2014-01-01

This study identifies the soft skills community colleges teach in an office technology course and determines whether the skills taught are congruent with the soft skills employers require in today's entry-level office work. A qualitative content analysis of a community college office technology soft skills course was performed using 23 soft skills…

Assessing nursing students' knowledge and skills in performing venepuncture and inserting peripheral venous catheters.

PubMed

Ahlin, C; Klang-Söderkvist, B; Johansson, E; Björkholm, M; Löfmark, A

2017-03-01

Venepuncture and the insertion of peripheral venous catheters are common tasks in health care, and training in these procedures is included in nursing programmes. Evidence of nursing students' knowledge and skills in these procedures is limited. The main aim of this study was to assess nursing students' knowledge and skills when performing venepuncture and inserting peripheral venous catheters. Potential associations between level of knowledge and skills, self-training, self-efficacy, and demographic characteristics were also investigated. The assessment was performed by lecturers at a university college in Sweden using the two previously tested instruments "Assess Venepuncture" and "Assess Peripheral Venous Catheter Insertion". Between 81% and 100% of steps were carried out correctly by the students. The step with the highest rating was "Uses gloves", and lowest rating was 'Informs the patients about the possibility of obtaining local anaesthesia'. Significant correlations between degree of self-training and correct performance were found in the group of students who registered their self-training. No associations between demographic characteristics and correct performances were found. Assessing that students have achieved adequate levels of knowledge and skills in these procedures at different levels of the nursing education is of importance to prevent complications and support patient safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Characteristics and Performance of Japanese Top-Level American Football Players.

PubMed

Yamashita, Daichi; Asakura, Masaki; Ito, Yoshihiko; Yamada, Shinzo; Yamada, Yosuke

2017-09-01

Yamashita, D, Asakura, M, Ito, Y, Yamada, S, and Yamada, Y. Physical characteristics and performance of Japanese top-level American football players. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2455-2461, 2017-This study aimed to compare the physical characteristics and performance between top-level nonprofessional football players in Japan and National Football League (NFL) Combine invited players and between top-level and middle-level players in Japan to determine the factors that enhance performance in international and national competitions. A total of 168 American football players (>20 years) in Japan participated in an anthropometric (height and weight) and physical (vertical jump, long jump, 40-yard dash, pro-agility shuttle, 3-cone drill, and bench press repetition test) measurement program based on the NFL Combine program to compete in the selection of candidates for the Senior World Championship. All players were categorized into 1 of the 3 position groups based on playing position: skill players, big skill players, and linemen. Japanese players were additionally categorized into selected and nonselected players for the second tryout. The NFL Combine candidates had significantly better performance than selected Japanese players on all variables except on performance related to quickness among the 3 position groups. Compared with nonselected players, selected Japanese skill players had better performance in the 40-yard dash and bench press test and big skill players had better performance in the vertical jump, broad jump, and 40-yard dash. Selected and nonselected Japanese linemen were not different in any measurements. These results showed the challenges in American football in Japan, which include not only improving physical performance of top-level players, but also increasing the number of football players with good physical performance.

Physical Characteristics and Performance of Japanese Top-Level American Football Players

PubMed Central

Asakura, Masaki; Ito, Yoshihiko; Yamada, Shinzo; Yamada, Yosuke

2017-01-01

Abstract Yamashita, D, Asakura, M, Ito, Y, Yamada, S, and Yamada, Y. Physical characteristics and performance of Japanese top-level American football players. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2455–2461, 2017—This study aimed to compare the physical characteristics and performance between top-level nonprofessional football players in Japan and National Football League (NFL) Combine invited players and between top-level and middle-level players in Japan to determine the factors that enhance performance in international and national competitions. A total of 168 American football players (>20 years) in Japan participated in an anthropometric (height and weight) and physical (vertical jump, long jump, 40-yard dash, pro-agility shuttle, 3-cone drill, and bench press repetition test) measurement program based on the NFL Combine program to compete in the selection of candidates for the Senior World Championship. All players were categorized into 1 of the 3 position groups based on playing position: skill players, big skill players, and linemen. Japanese players were additionally categorized into selected and nonselected players for the second tryout. The NFL Combine candidates had significantly better performance than selected Japanese players on all variables except on performance related to quickness among the 3 position groups. Compared with nonselected players, selected Japanese skill players had better performance in the 40-yard dash and bench press test and big skill players had better performance in the vertical jump, broad jump, and 40-yard dash. Selected and nonselected Japanese linemen were not different in any measurements. These results showed the challenges in American football in Japan, which include not only improving physical performance of top-level players, but also increasing the number of football players with good physical performance. PMID:28052052

Proficiency training on a virtual reality robotic surgical skills curriculum.

PubMed

Bric, Justin; Connolly, Michael; Kastenmeier, Andrew; Goldblatt, Matthew; Gould, Jon C

2014-12-01

The clinical application of robotic surgery is increasing. The skills necessary to perform robotic surgery are unique from those required in open and laparoscopic surgery. A validated laparoscopic surgical skills curriculum (Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery or FLS™) has transformed the way surgeons acquire laparoscopic skills. There is a need for a similar skills training and assessment tool for robotic surgery. Our research group previously developed and validated a robotic training curriculum in a virtual reality (VR) simulator. We hypothesized that novice robotic surgeons could achieve proficiency levels defined by more experienced robotic surgeons on the VR robotic curriculum, and that this would result in improved performance on the actual daVinci Surgical System™. 25 medical students with no prior robotic surgery experience were recruited. Prior to VR training, subjects performed 2 FLS tasks 3 times each (Peg Transfer, Intracorporeal Knot Tying) using the daVinci Surgical System™ docked to a video trainer box. Task performance for the FLS tasks was scored objectively. Subjects then practiced on the VR simulator (daVinci Skills Simulator) until proficiency levels on all 5 tasks were achieved before completing a post-training assessment of the 2 FLS tasks on the daVinci Surgical System™ in the video trainer box. All subjects to complete the study (1 dropped out) reached proficiency levels on all VR tasks in an average of 71 (± 21.7) attempts, accumulating 164.3 (± 55.7) minutes of console training time. There was a significant improvement in performance on the robotic FLS tasks following completion of the VR training curriculum. Novice robotic surgeons are able to attain proficiency levels on a VR simulator. This leads to improved performance in the daVinci surgical platform on simulated tasks. Training to proficiency on a VR robotic surgery simulator is an efficient and viable method for acquiring robotic surgical skills.

Effects of Training on the Test of Diagnostic Skills. Publication No. 30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, John V.

This report summarizes research performed on the Test of Diagnostic Skills, used to evaluate the clinical diagnostic skills of medical students. Forms of the test were administered to groups at different levels of medical experience to ascertain the effect of training on performance. A cross-sectional study was conducted with approximately 90…

49 CFR Appendix E to Part 240 - Recommended Procedures for Conducting Skill Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... experience difficulty in establishing an objective method of measuring an individual's skill level. Any... employ a written aid to help record events and procedures that as a minimum should be observed for when... developing such a written aid so as to ensure meaningful testing. When conducting a skills performance test...

49 CFR Appendix E to Part 240 - Recommended Procedures for Conducting Skill Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... experience difficulty in establishing an objective method of measuring an individual's skill level. Any... employ a written aid to help record events and procedures that as a minimum should be observed for when... developing such a written aid so as to ensure meaningful testing. When conducting a skills performance test...

49 CFR Appendix E to Part 240 - Recommended Procedures for Conducting Skill Performance Tests

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... experience difficulty in establishing an objective method of measuring an individual's skill level. Any... employ a written aid to help record events and procedures that as a minimum should be observed for when... developing such a written aid so as to ensure meaningful testing. When conducting a skills performance test...

Language and Mathematical Performance: A Comparison of Lower Secondary School Students with Different Level of Mathematical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korhonen, Johan; Linnanmaki, Karin; Aunio, Pirjo

2012-01-01

This study investigated the connection between language (i.e., word comprehension, reading comprehension and spelling skills) and mathematical performance. The sample consisted of grade nine students (N = 810) in 14 lower secondary schools in the Swedish speaking areas of Finland. Standardized tests for reading and writing skills, and mathematical…

Visual scanning behavior and mental workload in aircraft pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tole, J. R.; Harris, R. L., Sr.; Stephens, A. T.; Ephrath, A. R.

1982-01-01

This paper describes an experimental paradigm and a set of preliminary results which demonstrate a relationship between the level of performance on a skilled man-machine control task, the skill of the operator, the level of mental difficulty induced by an additional task imposed on the basic control task, and visual scanning performance. During a constant, simulated piloting task, visual scanning of instruments was found to vary as a function of the level of difficulty of a verbal loading task. The average dwell time of each fixation on the pilot's primary instrument increased as a function of the loading. The scanning behavior was also a function of the estimated skill level of the pilots, with novices being affected by the loading task much more than experts. The results suggest that visual scanning of instruments in a controlled task may be an indicator of both workload and skill.

Practice Makes Perfect: Correlations Between Prior Experience in High-level Athletics and Robotic Surgical Performance Do Not Persist After Task Repetition.

PubMed

Shee, Kevin; Ghali, Fady M; Hyams, Elias S

Robotic surgical skill development is central to training in urology as well as in other surgical disciplines. Here, we describe a pilot study assessing the relationships between robotic surgery simulator performance and 3 categories of activities, namely, videogames, musical instruments, and athletics. A questionnaire was administered to preclinical medical students for general demographic information and prior experiences in surgery, videogames, musical instruments, and athletics. For follow-up performance studies, we used the Matchboard Level 1 and 2 modules on the da Vinci Skills Simulator, and recorded overall score, time to complete, economy of motion, workspace range, instrument collisions, instruments out of view, and drops. Task 1 was run once, whereas task 2 was run 3 times. All performance studies on the da Vinci Surgical Skills Simulator took place in the Simulation Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. All participants were medical students at the Geisel School of Medicine. After excluding students with prior hands-on experience in surgery, a total of 30 students completed the study. We found a significant correlation between athletic skill level and performance for both task 1 (p = 0.0002) and task 2 (p = 0.0009). No significant correlations were found for videogame or musical instrument skill level. Students with experience in certain athletics (e.g., volleyball, tennis, and baseball) tended to perform better than students with experience in other athletics (e.g., track and field). For task 2, which was run 3 times, this association did not persist after the third repetition due to significant improvements in students with low-level athletic skill (levels 0-2). Our study suggests that prior experience in high-level athletics, but not videogames or musical instruments, significantly influences surgical proficiency in robot-naive students. Furthermore, our study suggests that practice through task repetition can overcome initial differences that may be related to a background in athletics. These novel relationships may have broader implications for the future recruitment and training of robotic surgeons and may warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age, psychological skills, and golf performance: a prospective investigation.

PubMed

Hayslip, Bert; Petrie, Trent A

2014-03-01

This study explored the influence of age in understanding mental skills utilization in the context of performance at a major national golf competition. Participants, who ranged in age and in skill level, included 1150 male and 170 female amateur golfers competing in the Dupont World Amateur Golf Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Measures targeted general mental skills used in competitions, golf-specific skills, and competitive trait anxiety. Hierarchical linear regression was utilized to explore the potential moderating role that chronological age may play in influencing the impact of psychological skills and anxiety on competitive tournament performance across the adult life span. Findings suggested no significant age-moderating effects and instead pointed to the importance of developing golf-specific psychological skills to enhance or maintain performance, irrespective of age. Although automaticity (performance feels "automatic") predicted performance for all golfers, commitment to the game and confidence in one's putting did so only for the men. These findings reinforce the age-irrelevant role of such skills in fostering the experience of peak performance in a competitive sport context and underscore the importance of interventions targeting older players to help maintain or facilitate the use of psychological skills in helping them manage their games.

Investigating the Effects of Group Practice Performed Using Psychodrama Techniques on Adolescents' Conflict Resolution Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatas, Zeynep

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of group practice which is performed using psychodrama techniques on adolescents' conflict resolution skills. The subjects, for this study, were selected among the high school students who have high aggression levels and low problem solving levels attending Haci Zekiye Arslan High School, in Nigde.…

Pairing Learners by Companionship: Effects on Motor Skill Performance and Comfort Levels in the Reciprocal Style of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatoupis, Constantine

2015-01-01

Mosston and Ashworth's (2008) reciprocal style of teaching gives learners the opportunity to work in pairs to support each other's learning (one practices a task and the other gives feedback). The effects of pairing learners by companionship (friend and nonacquaintance) on 8-year-old children's motor skill performance and comfort levels were…

The Performance of Fundamental Gross Motor Skills by Children Enrolled in Head Start.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Rebecca J.; Yun, Joonkoo

2001-01-01

This study sought to descriptively evaluate the performance of fundamental gross motor skills among Head Start children. Levels of performance were compared and contrasted with performance profiles of the Test of Gross Motor Development. Findings suggest that Head Start curriculum should focus on the importance of developing fundamental gross…

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Motor Skills in Relation to Cognition and Academic Performance in Children – A Review

PubMed Central

Haapala, Eero A.

2013-01-01

Different elements of physical fitness in children have shown a declining trend during the past few decades. Cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills have been associated with cognition, but the magnitude of this association remains unknown. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the relationship of cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills with cognitive functions and academic performance in children up to 13 years of age. Cross-sectional studies suggest that children with higher cardiorespiratory fitness have more efficient cognitive processing at the neuroelectric level, as well as larger hippocampal and basal ganglia volumes, compared to children with lower cardiorespiratory fitness. Higher cardiorespiratory fitness has been associated with better inhibitory control in tasks requiring rigorous attention allocation. Better motor skills have been related to more efficient cognitive functions including inhibitory control and working memory. Higher cardiorespiratory fitness and better motor skills have also been associated with better academic performance. Furthermore, none of the studies on cardiorespiratory fitness have revealed independent associations with cognitive functions by controlling for motor skills. Studies concerning the relationship between motor skills and cognitive functions also did not consider cardiorespiratory fitness in the analyses. The results of this review suggest that high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills may be beneficial for cognitive development and academic performance but the evidence relies mainly on cross-sectional studies. PMID:23717355

Livestock Skills Performance Levels Reported by Agricultural Production Teachers in Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Edward W.; Miller, Larry E.

1985-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the livestock skills possessed by agricultural production teachers in Ohio and to examine the extent to which livestock skills were taught in high school vocational agriculture classes. Questions concerned teacher knowledge of livestock skills, teacher confidence, teaching methods, and relationship between…

The Case for Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Education Courses for Practicing Surgeons.

PubMed

Baumann, Lauren M; Barsness, Katherine A

2018-03-12

Pediatric surgeons rely on simulation courses to develop skills for safe minimally invasive repair of complex congenital anomalies. The majority of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training courses occur during short "exposure courses" at annual conferences. Little data are available to support the benefit of these courses relative to the safe implementation of new skills. The purpose of this article is to determine the impact of an exposure course for advanced neonatal MIS on self-perceived comfort levels with independent performance of advanced MISs. Participants of a 4-hour hands-on course for neonatal MIS were surveyed regarding clinical practices and pre- and post-training perceived "comfort levels" of MIS skills for thoracoscopic esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (tTEF) repair, thoracoscopic left upper lobe pulmonary lobectomy (tLobe), and laparoscopic duodenal atresia (lapDA) repair. Descriptive analyses were performed. Seventeen participants completed pre- and postcourse surveys. The majority of participants had no prior experience with tLobe (59%) or lapDA (53%), and 35% had no experience with tTEF repair. Similarly, the majority were "not comfortable" with these procedures. After the short course, the majority of surgeons reported that they were "likely to perform" these operations within 6 months, despite low levels of baseline experience and comfort levels. An exposure training course led to immediate perception of increased skills and confidence. However, these courses typically do not provide basic tenets of expert performance that demands deliberate practice. Future course design should transition to a mastery learning framework wherein regular skill assessments, milestones, and unlimited education time are prioritized before implementation of the new skills.

Video Ratings of Surgical Skill and Late Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery

PubMed Central

Scally, Christopher P.; Varban, Oliver A.; Carlin, Arthur M.; Birkmeyer, John D.; Dimick, Justin B.

2018-01-01

Importance Measures of surgeons’ skill have been associated with variations in short-term outcomes after laparoscopic gastric bypass. However, the impact of surgical skill on long-term outcomes after bariatric surgery is unknown. Objective To study the association between surgical skill and long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery Design Surgeons were ranked on their skill level through blinded peer video review, and sorted into quartiles of skill. Outcomes of bariatric surgery were then examined at the patient level across skill levels. Setting The Michigan Bariatric Surgical Collaborative, a prospective clinical registry of 40 hospitals performing bariatric surgery in the state of Michigan Participants 20 surgeons performing bariatric surgery who submitted videos for anonymous peer ratings; patients undergoing surgery with these surgeons for whom one year follow-up data postoperatively was available. Exposure Surgeon skill level. Main Outcome Measures Excess body weight loss at one year; resolution of medical comorbidities (hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, hyperlipidemia), functional status, patient satisfaction. Results Peer ratings of surgical skill varied from 2.6 to 4.8 on a 5-point scale. There was no difference between the best (top 25%) and worst (bottom 25%) performance quartiles when comparing excess body weight loss (67.2% excess body weight loss vs 68.5%, p=.89) at one year. There were no differences in resolution of sleep apnea (62.6% vs 62.0%, p=.77), hypertension (47.1% vs 45.4%, p=.73), or hyperlipidemia (52.3% vs 63.4%, p=.45). Surgeons with the lowest skill rating had patients with higher rates of diabetes resolution (78.8%) when compared to the high-skill group (72.8%, p=0.01). Conclusions and Relevance In contrast to its impact on early complications, surgical skill did not impact postoperative weight loss or resolution of medical comorbidities at one year after laparoscopic gastric bypass. These findings suggest that long-term outcomes after bariatric surgery may be less dependent on a surgeon’s operative skill and instead be driven by other factors. Operative technique was not assessed in this analysis and should be considered in future studies. PMID:27074114

Teaching procedural skills to medical students: A pilot procedural skills lab.

PubMed

Katz, Laurence M; Finch, Alexander; McKinnish, Tyler; Gilliland, Kurt; Tolleson-Rinehart, Sue; Marks, Bonita L

2017-01-01

Medical students have limited confidence in performing procedural skills. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a multifaceted Procedural Skills Lab (PSL) on the confidence of medical students to perform procedural skills. Twelve 2nd year medical students were randomly selected to participate in a pilot PSL. The PSL students met with an instructor for 2 h once a week for 4 weeks. Students participated in a flipped classroom and spaced education program before laboratory sessions that included a cadaver laboratory. Procedural skills included a focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) scan, cardiac echocardiogram, lumbar puncture, arthrocentesis, and insertion of intraosseous and intravenous catheters. Students in the PSL were asked to rank their confidence in performing procedural skills before and after completion of the laboratory sessions (Wilcoxon ranked-sum test). A web-based questionnaire was also emailed to all 2nd year medical students to establish a baseline frequency for observing, performing, and confidence performing procedural skills (Mann-Whitney U-test). Fifty-nine percent (n = 106) of 180 2nd year medical students (n = 12 PSL students [treatment group], n = 94 [control group]) completed the survey. Frequency of observation, performance, and confidence in performing procedural skills was similar between the control and treatment groups at baseline. There was an increased confidence level (p < 0.001) for performing all procedural skills for the treatment group after completion of the PSL. An innovative PSL may increase students' confidence to perform procedural skills. Future studies will examine competency after a PSL.

Alternative considerations for environmental oversight training: Results from a needs assessment

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

Young, C.; Hensley, J.

1995-11-01

For staff to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently, they must be adequately trained. Well-trained staff are also more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and to remain with a given organization. In addition to hiring staff with relevant backgrounds and skills, critical steps in maintaining adequately trained staff are to analyze skill levels needed for the various tasks that personnel are required to perform and to provide training to improve staff s skill base. This first analysis is commonly referred to as a training needs assessment. Training needs are usually determined by defining the tasks required for amore » particular job and the associated knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to adequately accomplish these tasks. The Office of Northwestern Area Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Environmental Management (EM) oversees environmental remediation activities in the Chicago, Idaho, Oakland, and Richland Operations Offices. For this organization to effectively carry out its mission, its staff need to be as proficient as possible in the appropriate knowledge and skills. Therefore, a training needs assessment was conducted to determine staff`s level of knowledge and proficiency in various skills. The purpose of the assessment was to: (1) Examine the types of activities or tasks in which staff are involved, (2) Determine the skills needed to perform relevant tasks, and (3) Assess gaps in knowledge and skills for the tasks performed in order to suggest opportunities for skill development.« less

Word Criticality Analysis MOS: 76W. Skill Levels 1 & 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

some degree of criticality in the training/performance of tasks contained in the respective MOS Soldier’s Manual (SM). These critical words were...printout. The prime users of this document were fully cognizant of its contents and required no special instructioft for interpretation . However, for the...Skill Level II However, due to the way some Soldier Manuals are constructed, the WCA for some MOS have both Skill Levels merged into one report. Each

Relating Language and Music Skills in Young Children: A First Approach to Systemize and Compare Distinct Competencies on Different Levels

PubMed Central

Cohrdes, Caroline; Grolig, Lorenz; Schroeder, Sascha

2016-01-01

Children in transition from kindergarten to school develop fundamental skills important for the acquisition of reading and writing. Previous research pointed toward substantial correlations between specific language- and music-related competencies as well as positive transfer effects from music on pre-literacy skills. However, until now the relationship between diverse music and language competencies remains unclear. In the present study, we used a comprehensive approach to clarify the relationships between a broad variety of language and music skills on different levels, not only between but also within domains. In order to do so, we selected representative language- and music-related competencies and systematically compared the performance of N = 44 5- to 7-year-old children with a control group of N = 20 young adults aged from 20 to 30. Competencies were organized in distinct levels according to varying units of vowels/sounds, words or syllables/short melodic or rhythmic phrases, syntax/harmony and context of a whole story/song to test for their interrelatedness within each domain. Following this, we conducted systematic correlation analyses between the competencies of both domains. Overall, selected competencies appeared to be appropriate for the measurement of language and music skills in young children with reference to comprehension, difficulty and a developmental perspective. In line with a hierarchical model of skill acquisition, performance on lower levels was predictive for the performance on higher levels within domains. Moreover, correlations between domains were stronger for competencies reflecting a similar level of cognitive processing, as expected. In conclusion, a systematic comparison of various competencies on distinct levels according to varying units turned out to be appropriate regarding comparability and interrelatedness. Results are discussed with regard to similarities and differences in the development of language and music skills as well as in terms of implications for further research on transfer effects from music on language. PMID:27826266

Relating Language and Music Skills in Young Children: A First Approach to Systemize and Compare Distinct Competencies on Different Levels.

PubMed

Cohrdes, Caroline; Grolig, Lorenz; Schroeder, Sascha

2016-01-01

Children in transition from kindergarten to school develop fundamental skills important for the acquisition of reading and writing. Previous research pointed toward substantial correlations between specific language- and music-related competencies as well as positive transfer effects from music on pre-literacy skills. However, until now the relationship between diverse music and language competencies remains unclear. In the present study, we used a comprehensive approach to clarify the relationships between a broad variety of language and music skills on different levels, not only between but also within domains. In order to do so, we selected representative language- and music-related competencies and systematically compared the performance of N = 44 5- to 7-year-old children with a control group of N = 20 young adults aged from 20 to 30. Competencies were organized in distinct levels according to varying units of vowels/sounds, words or syllables/short melodic or rhythmic phrases, syntax/harmony and context of a whole story/song to test for their interrelatedness within each domain. Following this, we conducted systematic correlation analyses between the competencies of both domains. Overall, selected competencies appeared to be appropriate for the measurement of language and music skills in young children with reference to comprehension, difficulty and a developmental perspective. In line with a hierarchical model of skill acquisition, performance on lower levels was predictive for the performance on higher levels within domains. Moreover, correlations between domains were stronger for competencies reflecting a similar level of cognitive processing, as expected. In conclusion, a systematic comparison of various competencies on distinct levels according to varying units turned out to be appropriate regarding comparability and interrelatedness. Results are discussed with regard to similarities and differences in the development of language and music skills as well as in terms of implications for further research on transfer effects from music on language.

Predicting Development of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Across the Intermediate Grades

PubMed Central

Tolar, Tammy D.; Fuchs, Lynn; Cirino, Paul T.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2012-01-01

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures of WPS at low and high levels of complexity. Language skills were related to initial performance at both levels of complexity and did not predict growth at either level. Computational skills had an effect on initial performance in low- but not high-complexity problems and did not predict growth at either level of complexity. Attentive behavior did not predict initial performance but did predict growth in low-complexity, whereas it predicted initial performance but not growth for high-complexity problems. Nonverbal reasoning predicted initial performance and growth for low-complexity WPS, but only growth for high-complexity WPS. This evidence suggests that although mathematical structure is fixed, different cognitive resources may act as limiting factors in WPS development when the WPS context is varied. PMID:23325985

Long-term practice effects on a new skilled motor learning: an electrophysiological study.

PubMed

Fattapposta, F; Amabile, G; Cordischi, M V; Di Venanzio, D; Foti, A; Pierelli, F; D'Alessio, C; Pigozzi, F; Parisi, A; Morrocutti, C

1996-12-01

Cortical functions concerned with the execution of skilled movements can be studied through complex interactive tasks. Skilled performance task (SPT) offers the greatest deal of information about the electrophysiological components reflecting pre-programming, execution of the movement and control of the results. Overall, these components are indicated as "movement-related brain macropotentials' (MRBMs). Among them, Bereitschaftspotential (BP) reflects cerebral processes related to the preparation of movement and skilled performance positivity (SPP) reflects control processes on the result of performance. There is some evidence supporting a training effect on MRBMs, but less clear is whether long-term practice of a skilled activity could modify learning strategies of a new skilled task. We recorded MRBMs in subjects trained for a long time to perform a highly skillful athletic activity, i.e. gun shooting, and in a group of control subjects without any former experience in skilled motor activities. Our findings demonstrated the existence of a relationship between pre-programming and performance control, as suggested by decrease of BP amplitude and increase of SPP amplitude in presence of high levels of performance. Long-term practice seems to develop better control models on performance, that reduce the need of a high mental effort in pre-programming a skilled action.

The Effects of Lower-Level Processing Skills on FL Reading Performance: Implications for Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koda, Keiko

1992-01-01

The relationship between lower-level verbal processing skills and foreign language reading proficiency was investigated with U.S. college students learning Japanese. Focus was on the specific effects of letter identification and word recognition. Findings suggest that efficient lower-level verbal processing operations are essential in foreign…

Haptic feedback can provide an objective assessment of arthroscopic skills.

PubMed

Chami, George; Ward, James W; Phillips, Roger; Sherman, Kevin P

2008-04-01

The outcome of arthroscopic procedures is related to the surgeon's skills in arthroscopy. Currently, evaluation of such skills relies on direct observation by a surgeon trainer. This type of assessment, by its nature, is subjective and time-consuming. The aim of our study was to identify whether haptic information generated from arthroscopic tools could distinguish between skilled and less skilled surgeons. A standard arthroscopic probe was fitted with a force/torque sensor. The probe was used by five surgeons with different levels of experience in knee arthroscopy performing 11 different tasks in 10 standard knee arthroscopies. The force/torque data from the hand and tool interface were recorded and synchronized with a video recording of the procedure. The torque magnitude and patterns generated were analyzed and compared. A computerized system was used to analyze the force/torque signature based on general principles for quality of performance using such measures as economy in movement, time efficiency, and consistency in performance. The results showed a considerable correlation between three haptic parameters and the surgeon's experience, which could be used in an automated objective assessment system for arthroscopic surgery. Level II, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Cognitive and linguistic predictors of reading comprehension in children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

van Wingerden, Evelien; Segers, Eliane; van Balkom, Hans; Verhoeven, Ludo

2014-11-01

A considerable number of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) are able to acquire basic word reading skills. However, not much is known about their achievements in more advanced reading comprehension skills. In the present study, a group of 49 children with ID and a control group of 21 typically developing children with word decoding skills in the normal ranges of first grade were compared in lower level (explicit meaning) and higher level (implicit meaning) reading comprehension abilities. Moreover, in the group of children with ID it was examined to what extent their levels of lower level and higher level reading comprehension could be predicted from their linguistic skills (word decoding, vocabulary, language comprehension) and cognitive skill (nonverbal reasoning). It was found that children with ID were weaker than typically developing children in higher level reading comprehension but not in lower level reading comprehension. Children with ID also performed below the control group on nonverbal reasoning and language comprehension. After controlling for nonverbal reasoning, linguistic skills predicted lower level reading comprehension but not higher level reading comprehension. It can be concluded that children with ID who have basic decoding skill do reasonably well on lower level reading comprehension but continue to have problems with higher level reading comprehension. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching Veterinary Anesthesia: A Survey-Based Evaluation of Two High-Fidelity Models and Live-Animal Experience for Undergraduate Veterinary Students.

PubMed

Musk, Gabrielle C; Collins, Teresa; Hosgood, Giselle

In veterinary medical education, reduction, replacement, and refinement (the three Rs) must be considered. Three clinical skills in anesthesia were identified as challenging to students: endotracheal intubation, intravenous catheterization, and drug dose calculations. The aims of this project were to evaluate students' perception of their level of confidence in performing these three clinical skills in veterinary anesthesia, to document the extent of students' previous experience in performing these three tasks, and to describe students' emotional states during this training. Veterinary students completed a series of four surveys over the period of their pre-clinical training to evaluate the usefulness of high-fidelity models for skill acquisition in endotracheal intubation and intravenous catheterization. In addition, practice and ongoing assessment in drug dose calculations were performed. The curriculum during this period of training progressed from lectures and non-animal training, to anesthesia of pigs undergoing surgery from which they did not recover, and finally to anesthesia of dogs and cats in a neutering clinic. The level of confidence for each of the three clinical skills increased over the study period. For each skill, the number of students with no confidence decreased to zero and the proportion of students with higher levels of confidence increased. The high-fidelity models for endotracheal intubation and intravenous catheterization used to complement the live-animal teaching were considered a useful adjunct to the teaching of clinical skills in veterinary anesthesia. With practice, students became more confident performing drug dose calculations.

What's skill got to do with it? Vehicle automation and driver mental workload.

PubMed

Young, M S; Stanton, N A

2007-08-01

Previous research has found that vehicle automation systems can reduce driver mental workload, with implications for attentional resources that can be detrimental to performance. The present paper considers how the development of automaticity within the driving task may influence performance in underload situations. Driver skill and vehicle automation were manipulated in a driving simulator, with four levels of each variable. Mental workload was assessed using a secondary task measure and eye movements were recorded to infer attentional capacity. The effects of automation on driver mental workload were quite robust across skill levels, but the most intriguing findings were from the eye movement data. It was found that, with little exception, attentional capacity and mental workload were directly related at all levels of driver skill, consistent with earlier studies. The results are discussed with reference to applied theories of cognition and the design of automation.

CDTI: Crew Function Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tole, J. R.; Young, L. R.

1982-01-01

Man machine interaction often requires the operator to perform a sterotyped scan of instruments to monitor and/or control a system. Situations in which this type of behavior exists, such as instrument flight, scan pattern has been shown to be altered by imposition of simultaneous verbal tasks. The relationship between pilot visual scan of instruments and mental workload was described. A verbal loading task of varying difficulty caused pilots to stare at the primary instrument as the difficulty increased and to shed looks at instruments of less importance. The verbal loading task affected rank ordering of scanning sequences. The behavior of pilots with widely varying skill levels suggested that these effects occur most strongly at lower skill levels and are less apparent at high skill levels. Graphical interpretation of the hypothetical relationship between skill, workload, and performance is introduced and modeling results are presented to support this interpretation.

The effect of amblyopia on fine motor skills in children.

PubMed

Webber, Ann L; Wood, Joanne M; Gole, Glen A; Brown, Brian

2008-02-01

In an investigation of the functional impact of amblyopia in children, the fine motor skills of amblyopes and age-matched control subjects were compared. The influence of visual factors that might predict any decrement in fine motor skills was also explored. Vision and fine motor skills were tested in a group of children (n = 82; mean age, 8.2 +/- 1.7 [SD] years) with amblyopia of different causes (infantile esotropia, n = 17; acquired strabismus, n = 28; anisometropia, n = 15; mixed, n = 13; and deprivation n = 9), and age-matched control children (n = 37; age 8.3 +/- 1.3 years). Visual motor control (VMC) and upper limb speed and dexterity (ULSD) items of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency were assessed, and logMAR visual acuity (VA) and Randot stereopsis were measured. Multiple regression models were used to identify the visual determinants of fine motor skills performance. Amblyopes performed significantly poorer than control subjects on 9 of 16 fine motor skills subitems and for the overall age-standardized scores for both VMC and ULSD items (P < 0.05). The effects were most evident on timed tasks. The etiology of amblyopia and level of binocular function significantly affected fine motor skill performance on both items; however, when examined in a multiple regression model that took into account the intercorrelation between visual characteristics, poorer fine motor skills performance was associated with strabismus (F(1,75) = 5.428; P = 0.022), but not with the level of binocular function, refractive error, or visual acuity in either eye. Fine motor skills were reduced in children with amblyopia, particularly those with strabismus, compared with control subjects. The deficits in motor performance were greatest on manual dexterity tasks requiring speed and accuracy.

Psychological skills training as a way to enhance an athlete's performance in high-intensity sports.

PubMed

Birrer, D; Morgan, G

2010-10-01

The importance of psychological skills training (PST) in the development of athletic performance is widely recognized. This paper is a comprehensive review of PST in elite sports, with a special focus on high-intensity sports (HIS). The reviewed literature showed a lack of convincing evidence and theoretical underpinning concerning traditional psychological skills to enhance performance in HIS. Therefore, a model with three conceptual levels (psychological demands, skills and techniques) is presented. The model facilitates the identification of the psychological demands of a specific sport, which in turn enables distinguishing which psychological skills are required. This allows an expert to choose psychological techniques to improve the athlete's psychological skill. Considerations based on our model and the limited HIS-related literature available revealed self-skills, personal development and life skills, arousal-regulation skills, volitional skills, motivational skills and recovery skills as the most important skills to address in order to enhance performance. Development of harmonious passion, in-practice integration of volitional strategies, use of associative attentional techniques, pain management techniques, use of the mindfulness-acceptance approach and the facilitative interpretation of cognitive and somatic sensations are regarded as suitable to meet the psychological demands of HIS. They are recommended for systematic application by athletes and coaches. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Long-Term Outcomes, Education, and Occupational Level in Cochlear Implant Recipients Who Were Implanted in Childhood.

PubMed

Illg, Angelika; Haack, Marius; Lesinski-Schiedat, Anke; Büchner, Andreas; Lenarz, Thomas

To document the long-term outcomes of auditory performance, educational status, vocational training, and occupational situation in users of cochlear implants (CIs) who were implanted in childhood. This retrospective cross-sectional study of 933 recipients of CIs examined auditory performance, education and vocational training, and occupational outcomes. All participants received their first CI during their childhood between 1986 and 2000. Speech comprehension results were categorized using the categories of auditory performance (CAP) arranged in order of increasing difficulty ranging from 0 to 8. 174 of the 933 pediatric recipients of CIs completed a self-assessment questionnaire regarding their education and occupational outcomes. To measure and compare school education, qualifications were converted into International Standard Classification of Education levels (ISCED-97). Occupations were converted into International Standard Classification of Occupation-88 skill levels. Data from the German General Social Survey (Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften/ALLBUS) for 2012 were used as a basis for comparing some of the collected data with the general population in Germany. The results showed that 86.8% of the 174 participants who completed the survey used their devices more than 11 hr per day. Only 2% of the surveyed individuals were nonusers. Median CAP was 4.00 (0 to 8). Age at implantation was significantly correlated with CAP level (r = -0.472; p < 0.001). The mean ISCED level of the 174 surveyed recipients was 2.24 (SD = 0.59; range: 1 to 3). A significant difference (p = 0.001) between users' ISCED levels and those of respondents was found. Participants' ISCED levels and maternal educational levels were significantly correlated (r = 0.271; p = 0.008). The International Standard Classification of Occupation-88 skill levels were as follows: 5% achieved skill level 1; 77% skill level 2; 16% skill level 3; and 5% skill level 4. The average skill level achieved was 2.24 (range 1 to 4; SD = 0.57) which was significantly poorer (t(127) = 4.886; p = 0.001) than the mean skill level of the respondents (mean = 2.54; SD = 0.85). Data collection up to 17.75 (SD = 3.08; range 13 to 28) years post implant demonstrated that the majority of participants who underwent implantation at an early age achieved discrimination of speech sounds without lipreading (CAP category 4.00). Educational, vocational, and occupational level achieved by this cohort were significantly poorer compared with the German and worldwide population average. Children implanted today who are younger at implantation, and with whom more advanced up-to-date CIs are used, are expected to exhibit better auditory performance and have enhanced educational and occupational opportunities. Compared with the circumstances immediately after World War II in the 20th century, children with hearing impairment who use these implants have improved prospects in this regard.

Low-Skilled Adult Readers Look Like Typically Developing Child Readers: A Comparison of Reading Skills and Eye Movement Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Adrienne E.; Kim, Young-Suk

2016-01-01

Adults enrolled in basic education exhibit poor academic performance, often reading at elementary and middle-school levels. The current study investigated the similarities and differences of reading skills and eye movement behavior between a sample of 25 low-skilled adult readers and 25 first grade students matched on word reading skill. t tests…

Effectiveness of simulation-based learning on student nurses' self-efficacy and performance while learning fundamental nursing skills.

PubMed

Lin, Hsin-Hsin

2015-01-01

It was noted worldwide while learning fundamental skills and facing skills assessments, nursing students seemed to experience low confidence and high anxiety levels. Could simulation-based learning help to enhance students' self-efficacy and performance? Its effectiveness is mostly unidentified. This study was conducted to provide a shared experience to give nurse educators confidence and an insight into how simulation-based teaching can fit into nursing skills learning. A pilot study was completed with 50 second-year undergraduate nursing students, and the main study included 98 students where a pretest-posttest design was adopted. Data were gathered through four questionnaires and a performance assessment under scrutinized controls such as previous experiences, lecturers' teaching skills, duration of teaching, procedure of skills performance assessment and the inter-rater reliability. The results showed that simulation-based learning significantly improved students' self-efficacy regarding skills learning and the skills performance that nurse educators wish students to acquire. However, technology anxiety, examiners' critical attitudes towards students' performance and their unpredicted verbal and non-verbal expressions, have been found as possible confounding factors. The simulation-based learning proved to have a powerful positive effect on students' achievement outcomes. Nursing skills learning is one area that can benefit greatly from this kind of teaching and learning method.

Assessing computer skills in Tanzanian medical students: an elective experience

PubMed Central

Samuel, Miriam; Coombes, John C; Miranda, J Jaime; Melvin, Rob; Young, Eoin JW; Azarmina, Pejman

2004-01-01

Background One estimate suggests that by 2010 more than 30% of a physician's time will be spent using information technology tools. The aim of this study is to assess the information and communication technologies (ICT) skills of medical students in Tanzania. We also report a pilot intervention of peer mentoring training in ICT by medical students from the UK tutoring students in Tanzania. Methods Design: Cross sectional study and pilot intervention study. Participants: Fourth year medical students (n = 92) attending Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Main outcome measures: Self-reported assessment of competence on ICT-related topics and ability to perform specific ICT tasks. Further information related to frequency of computer use (hours per week), years of computer use, reasons for use and access to computers. Skills at specific tasks were reassessed for 12 students following 4 to 6 hours of peer mentoring training. Results The highest levels of competence in generic ICT areas were for email, Internet and file management. For other skills such as word processing most respondents reported low levels of competence. The abilities to perform specific ICT skills were low – less than 60% of the participants were able to perform the core specific skills assessed. A period of approximately 5 hours of peer mentoring training produced an approximate doubling of competence scores for these skills. Conclusion Our study has found a low level of ability to use ICT facilities among medical students in a leading university in sub-Saharan Africa. A pilot scheme utilising UK elective students to tutor basic skills showed potential. Attention is required to develop interventions that can improve ICT skills, as well as computer access, in order to bridge the digital divide. PMID:15306029

Assessing computer skills in Tanzanian medical students: an elective experience.

PubMed

Samuel, Miriam; Coombes, John C; Miranda, J Jaime; Melvin, Rob; Young, Eoin J W; Azarmina, Pejman

2004-08-12

One estimate suggests that by 2010 more than 30% of a physician's time will be spent using information technology tools. The aim of this study is to assess the information and communication technologies (ICT) skills of medical students in Tanzania. We also report a pilot intervention of peer mentoring training in ICT by medical students from the UK tutoring students in Tanzania. Cross sectional study and pilot intervention study. Fourth year medical students (n = 92) attending Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Self-reported assessment of competence on ICT-related topics and ability to perform specific ICT tasks. Further information related to frequency of computer use (hours per week), years of computer use, reasons for use and access to computers. Skills at specific tasks were reassessed for 12 students following 4 to 6 hours of peer mentoring training. The highest levels of competence in generic ICT areas were for email, Internet and file management. For other skills such as word processing most respondents reported low levels of competence. The abilities to perform specific ICT skills were low - less than 60% of the participants were able to perform the core specific skills assessed. A period of approximately 5 hours of peer mentoring training produced an approximate doubling of competence scores for these skills. Our study has found a low level of ability to use ICT facilities among medical students in a leading university in sub-Saharan Africa. A pilot scheme utilising UK elective students to tutor basic skills showed potential. Attention is required to develop interventions that can improve ICT skills, as well as computer access, in order to bridge the digital divide.

Validation of a virtual reality-based robotic surgical skills curriculum.

PubMed

Connolly, Michael; Seligman, Johnathan; Kastenmeier, Andrew; Goldblatt, Matthew; Gould, Jon C

2014-05-01

The clinical application of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is rapidly increasing. The da Vinci Surgical System™ is currently the only commercially available RAS system. The skills necessary to perform robotic surgery are unique from those required for open and laparoscopic surgery. A validated laparoscopic surgical skills curriculum (fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery or FLS™) has transformed the way surgeons acquire laparoscopic skills. There is a need for a similar skills training and assessment tool specific for robotic surgery. Based on previously published data and expert opinion, we developed a robotic skills curriculum. We sought to evaluate this curriculum for evidence of construct validity (ability to discriminate between users of different skill levels). Four experienced surgeons (>20 RAS) and 20 novice surgeons (first-year medical students with no surgical or RAS experience) were evaluated. The curriculum comprised five tasks utilizing the da Vinci™ Skills Simulator (Pick and Place, Camera Targeting 2, Peg Board 2, Matchboard 2, and Suture Sponge 3). After an orientation to the robot and a period of acclimation in the simulator, all subjects completed three consecutive repetitions of each task. Computer-derived performance metrics included time, economy of motion, master work space, instrument collisions, excessive force, distance of instruments out of view, drops, missed targets, and overall scores (a composite of all metrics). Experienced surgeons significantly outperformed novice surgeons in most metrics. Statistically significant differences were detected for each task in regards to mean overall scores and mean time (seconds) to completion. The curriculum we propose is a valid method of assessing and distinguishing robotic surgical skill levels on the da Vinci Si™ Surgical System. Further study is needed to establish proficiency levels and to demonstrate that training on the simulator with the proposed curriculum leads to improved robotic surgical performance in the operating room.

Anxiety, anticipation and contextual information: A test of attentional control theory.

PubMed

Cocks, Adam J; Jackson, Robin C; Bishop, Daniel T; Williams, A Mark

2016-09-01

We tested the assumptions of Attentional Control Theory (ACT) by examining the impact of anxiety on anticipation using a dynamic, time-constrained task. Moreover, we examined the involvement of high- and low-level cognitive processes in anticipation and how their importance may interact with anxiety. Skilled and less-skilled tennis players anticipated the shots of opponents under low- and high-anxiety conditions. Participants viewed three types of video stimuli, each depicting different levels of contextual information. Performance effectiveness (response accuracy) and processing efficiency (response accuracy divided by corresponding mental effort) were measured. Skilled players recorded higher levels of response accuracy and processing efficiency compared to less-skilled counterparts. Processing efficiency significantly decreased under high- compared to low-anxiety conditions. No difference in response accuracy was observed. When reviewing directional errors, anxiety was most detrimental to performance in the condition conveying only contextual information, suggesting that anxiety may have a greater impact on high-level (top-down) cognitive processes, potentially due to a shift in attentional control. Our findings provide partial support for ACT; anxiety elicited greater decrements in processing efficiency than performance effectiveness, possibly due to predominance of the stimulus-driven attentional system.

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-05-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho ) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children.

Effects of Computer Skill on Mouse Move and Click Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panagiotakopoulos, Chris; Sarris, Menelaos

2008-01-01

This study focuses on the use of computers in the field of education. It reports a series of experimental mouse move and click tasks on constant and moving stimuli. These experiments attempt to explore the efficiency with which individuals of different skill level and age group perform using a mouse. Differences in performance between high-skill…

Quantitative skills as a graduate learning outcome of university science degree programmes: student performance explored through theplanned-enacted-experiencedcurriculum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Kelly E.; Adams, Peter; Goos, Merrilyn

2016-07-01

Application of mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning, typically referred to as quantitative skills, is essential for university bioscience students. First, this study developed an assessment task intended to gauge graduating students' quantitative skills. The Quantitative Skills Assessment of Science Students (QSASS) was the result, which examined 10 mathematical and statistical sub-topics. Second, the study established an evidential baseline of students' quantitative skills performance and confidence levels by piloting the QSASS with 187 final-year biosciences students at a research-intensive university. The study is framed within the planned-enacted-experienced curriculum model and contributes to science reform efforts focused on enhancing the quantitative skills of university graduates, particularly in the biosciences. The results found, on average, weak performance and low confidence on the QSASS, suggesting divergence between academics' intentions and students' experiences of learning quantitative skills. Implications for curriculum design and future studies are discussed.

Meaningful Assessment of Robotic Surgical Style using the Wisdom of Crowds.

PubMed

Ershad, M; Rege, R; Fey, A Majewicz

2018-07-01

Quantitative assessment of surgical skills is an important aspect of surgical training; however, the proposed metrics are sometimes difficult to interpret and may not capture the stylistic characteristics that define expertise. This study proposes a methodology for evaluating the surgical skill, based on metrics associated with stylistic adjectives, and evaluates the ability of this method to differentiate expertise levels. We recruited subjects from different expertise levels to perform training tasks on a surgical simulator. A lexicon of contrasting adjective pairs, based on important skills for robotic surgery, inspired by the global evaluative assessment of robotic skills tool, was developed. To validate the use of stylistic adjectives for surgical skill assessment, posture videos of the subjects performing the task, as well as videos of the task were rated by crowd-workers. Metrics associated with each adjective were found using kinematic and physiological measurements through correlation with the crowd-sourced adjective assignment ratings. To evaluate the chosen metrics' ability in distinguishing expertise levels, two classifiers were trained and tested using these metrics. Crowd-assignment ratings for all adjectives were significantly correlated with expertise levels. The results indicate that naive Bayes classifier performs the best, with an accuracy of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] when classifying into four, three, and two levels of expertise, respectively. The proposed method is effective at mapping understandable adjectives of expertise to the stylistic movements and physiological response of trainees.

Spatial Skill Profile of Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, R. O. E.

2018-01-01

This study is aimed to investigate the spatial intelligence of mathematics pre-service teachers and find the best instructional strategy that facilitates this aspect. Data were collected from 35 mathematics pre-service teachers. The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (PSVT) was used to identify the spatial skill of mathematics pre-service teachers. Statistical analysis indicate that more than 50% of the participants possessed spatial skill in intermediate level, whereas the other were in high and low level of spatial skill. The result also shows that there is a positive correlation between spatial skill and mathematics ability, especially in geometrical problem solving. High spatial skill students tend to have better mathematical performance compare to those in two other levels. Furthermore, qualitative analysis reveals that most students have difficulty in manipulating geometrical objects mentally. This problem mostly appears in intermediate and low-level spatial skill students. The observation revealed that 3-D geometrical figures is the best method that can overcome the mentally manipulation problem and develop the spatial visualization. Computer application can also be used to improve students’ spatial skill.

Comparison of performance on process- and product-oriented assessments of fundamental motor skills across childhood.

PubMed

Logan, Samuel W; Barnett, Lisa M; Goodway, Jacqueline D; Stodden, David F

2017-04-01

Process-oriented motor competence (MC) assessments evaluate how a movement is performed. Product-oriented assessments evaluate the outcome of a movement. Determining the concurrent validity of process and product assessments is important to address the predictive utility of motor competence for health. The current study aimed to: (1) compare process and product assessments of the standing long jump, hop and throw across age groups and (2) determine the capacity of process assessments to classify levels of MC. Participants included 170 children classified into three age groups: 4-5, 7-8 and 10-11 years old. Participants' skills were examined concurrently using three process assessments ((Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd edition [TGMD-2]), Get Skilled; Get Active, and developmental sequences) and one product measure (throw speed, jump and hop distance). Results indicate moderate to strong correlations between (1) process assessments across skills and age groups (r range = .37-70) and (2) process and product assessments across skills and age groups (r range = .26-.88). In general, sensitivity to detect advanced skill level is lowest for TGMD-2 and highest for developmental sequences for all three skills. The use of process and product assessments is suggested to comprehensively capture levels of MC in human movement.

Reading, writing, and phonological processing skills of adolescents with 10 or more years of cochlear implant experience.

PubMed

Geers, Ann E; Hayes, Heather

2011-02-01

This study had three goals: (1) to document the literacy skills of deaf adolescents who received cochlear implants (CIs) as preschoolers; (2) to examine reading growth from elementary grades to high school; (3) to assess the contribution of early literacy levels and phonological processing skills, among other factors, to literacy levels in high school. A battery of reading, spelling, expository writing, and phonological processing assessments were administered to 112 high school (CI-HS) students, ages 15.5 to 18.5 yrs, who had participated in a reading assessment battery in early elementary grades (CI-E), ages 8.0 to 9.9 yrs. The CI-HS students' performance was compared with either a control group of hearing peers (N = 46) or hearing norms provided by the assessment developer. Many of the CI-HS students (47 to 66%) performed within or above the average range for hearing peers on reading tests. When compared with their CI-E performance, good early readers were also good readers in high school. Importantly, the majority of CI-HS students maintained their reading levels over time compared with hearing peers, indicating that the gap in performance was, at the very least, not widening for most students. Written expression and phonological processing tasks posed a great deal of difficulty for the CI-HS students. They were poorer spellers, poorer expository writers, and displayed poorer phonological knowledge than hearing age-mates. Phonological processing skills were a critical predictor of high school literacy skills (reading, spelling, and expository writing), accounting for 39% of variance remaining after controlling for child, family, and implant characteristics. Many children who receive CIs as preschoolers achieve age-appropriate literacy levels as adolescents. However, significant delays in spelling and written expression are evident compared with hearing peers. For children with CIs, the development of phonological processing skills is not just important for early reading skills, such as decoding, but is critical for later literacy success as well.

Crowd-sourced assessment of technical skills: an adjunct to urology resident surgical simulation training.

PubMed

Holst, Daniel; Kowalewski, Timothy M; White, Lee W; Brand, Timothy C; Harper, Jonathan D; Sorenson, Mathew D; Kirsch, Sarah; Lendvay, Thomas S

2015-05-01

Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining services from a large group of people, typically an online community. Validated methods of evaluating surgical video are time-intensive, expensive, and involve participation of multiple expert surgeons. We sought to obtain valid performance scores of urologic trainees and faculty on a dry-laboratory robotic surgery task module by using crowdsourcing through a web-based grading tool called Crowd Sourced Assessment of Technical Skill (CSATS). IRB approval was granted to test the technical skills grading accuracy of Amazon.com Mechanical Turk™ crowd-workers compared to three expert faculty surgeon graders. The two groups assessed dry-laboratory robotic surgical suturing performances of three urology residents (PGY-2, -4, -5) and two faculty using three performance domains from the validated Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills assessment tool. After an average of 2 hours 50 minutes, each of the five videos received 50 crowd-worker assessments. The inter-rater reliability (IRR) between the surgeons and crowd was 0.91 using Cronbach's alpha statistic (confidence intervals=0.20-0.92), indicating an agreement level between the two groups of "excellent." The crowds were able to discriminate the surgical level, and both the crowds and the expert faculty surgeon graders scored one senior trainee's performance above a faculty's performance. Surgery-naive crowd-workers can rapidly assess varying levels of surgical skill accurately relative to a panel of faculty raters. The crowds provided rapid feedback and were inexpensive. CSATS may be a valuable adjunct to surgical simulation training as requirements for more granular and iterative performance tracking of trainees become mandated and commonplace.

Relationship between managerial skills and employees job stress in health centers.

PubMed

Hamidi, Yadollah; Mehri, Majid; Zamanparvar, Alireza; Imani, Behzad

2012-12-13

Job stress is one of the important issues in the health sector and its high effect on workers' productivity. Managerial skills can help organizations to improve employees' effectiveness and reduce job stress. The present study investigated the relationship between employees' job stress and managers' professional skills. This cross-sectional and correlation study was conducted in 2010.We selected 90 health workers of 13 Health and Treatment Centers in Razan Health Center, western Iran. All data were gathered using self-administered questionnaires. Employees' job stress levels were measured using the Eliot Stress Questionnaire and managers' professional skills were assessed using the standard Questionnaire with 40- items in Likert format. Data were analyzed u SPSS software and Pearson correlation coefficient and Kendall correlation tests. 87.7% of employees had mid- level of job stress. The professional skills level was high in 36.7% of health managers; moderate in 56.6%, and low in 6.7%. In addition the human skill was highest level among all managers' professional skills. A significant and negative correlation was found between job stress and managers' human, conceptual and design skills (P <0.005). The level of managers' professional skills was significantly related with employees' job stress, thus training and developing managerial skills especially human, conceptual and design skills in supervisors and managers of health centers can reduce job stress and enhance effective performance.

Deaf College Students' Mathematical Skills Relative to Morphological Knowledge, Reading Level, and Language Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Ronald R.; Gaustad, Martha G.

2007-01-01

This study of deaf college students examined specific relationships between their mathematics performance and their assessed skills in reading, language, and English morphology. Simple regression analyses showed that deaf college students' language proficiency scores, reading grade level, and morphological knowledge regarding word segmentation and…

Visual and skill effects on soccer passing performance, kinematics, and outcome estimations

PubMed Central

Basevitch, Itay; Tenenbaum, Gershon; Land, William M.; Ward, Paul

2015-01-01

The role of visual information and action representations in executing a motor task was examined from a mental representations approach. High-skill (n = 20) and low-skill (n = 20) soccer players performed a passing task to two targets at distances of 9.14 and 18.29 m, under three visual conditions: normal, occluded, and distorted vision (i.e., +4.0 corrective lenses, a visual acuity of approximately 6/75) without knowledge of results. Following each pass, participants estimated the relative horizontal distance from the target as the ball crossed the target plane. Kinematic data during each pass were also recorded for the shorter distance. Results revealed that performance on the motor task decreased as a function of visual information and task complexity (i.e., distance from target) regardless of skill level. High-skill players performed significantly better than low-skill players on both the actual passing and estimation tasks, at each target distance and visual condition. In addition, kinematic data indicated that high-skill participants were more consistent and had different kinematic movement patterns than low-skill participants. Findings contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms required for successful performance in a self-paced, discrete and closed motor task. PMID:25784886

An Analysis of High School Students' Performance on Five Integrated Science Process Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaumont-Walters, Yvonne; Soyibo, Kola

2001-02-01

This study determined Jamaican high school students' level of performance on five integrated science process skills and if there were statistically significant differences in their performance linked to their gender, grade level, school location, school type, student type and socio-economic background (SEB). The 305 subjects comprised 133 males, 172 females, 146 ninth graders, 159 10th graders, 150 traditional and 155 comprehensive high school students, 164 students from the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) project and 141 non-ROSE students, 166 urban and 139 rural students and 110 students from a high SEB and 195 from a low SEB. Data were collected with the authors' constructed integrated science process skills test the results indicated that the subjects' mean score was low and unsatisfactory; their performance in decreasing order was: interpreting data, recording data, generalising, formulating hypotheses and identifying variables; there were statistically significant differences in their performance based on their grade level, school type, student type, and SEB in favour of the 10th graders, traditional high school students, ROSE students and students from a high SEB. There was a positive, statistically significant and fairly strong relationship between their performance and school type, but weak relationships among their student type, grade level and SEB and performance.

The influence of maltreatment history and out-of-home-care on children's language and social skills.

PubMed

Lum, Jarrad A G; Powell, Martine; Snow, Pamela C

2018-02-01

This study examined the extent to which maltreatment history and the characteristics of out-of-home care correlated with the language and social skills of maltreated children. Participants in this study were 82 maltreated children aged between 5 and 12 years of age. All children were residing with state-designated carers in out-of-home-care. The children were presented with standardised tests assessing language and social skills. Results showed that the sample performed significantly below the normative mean on both tests. Correlation analyses showed social skills, but not language skills were correlated with aspects of maltreatment history. The education level of the state-designated carer/s was correlated with the children's language skills; higher education level was associated with higher language skills. The study provides evidence that at the group level, language and social skills are poor in maltreated children. However, gains in language skills might be made via the out-of-home-care environment. Improvements in the social skills of maltreated children may require additional support. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritization in medical school simulation curriculum development using survey tools and desirability function: a pilot experiment.

PubMed

Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Barozza, Ludovico Giovanni; Franc, Jeffrey Michael

2018-01-01

In Italy, there is no framework of procedural skills that all medical students should be able to perform autonomously at graduation. The study aims at identifying (1) a set of essential procedural skills and (2) which abilities could be potentially taught with simulation. Desirability score was calculated for each procedure to determine the most effective manner to proceed with simulation curriculum development. A web poll was conducted at the School of Medicine in Novara, looking at the level of expected and self-perceived competency for common medical procedures. Three groups were enrolled: (1) faculty, (2) junior doctors in their first years of practice, and (3) recently graduated medical students. Level of importance of procedural skills for independent practice expressed by teachers, level of mastery self-perceived by learners (students and junior doctors) and suitability of simulation training for the given technical skills were measured. Desirability function was used to set priorities for future learning. The overall mean expected level of competency for the procedural skills was 7.9/9. Mean level of self reported competency was 4.7/9 for junior doctors and 4.4/9 for recently graduated students. The highest priority skills according to the desirability function were urinary catheter placement, nasogastric tube insertion, and incision and drainage of superficial abscesses. This study identifies those technical competencies thought by faculty to be important and assessed the junior doctors and recent graduates level of self-perceived confidence in performing these skills. The study also identifies the perceived utility of teaching these skills by simulation. The study prioritizes those skills that have a gap between expected and observed competency and are also thought to be amenable to teaching by simulation. This allows immediate priorities for simulation curriculum development in the most effective manner. This methodology may be useful to researchers in other centers to prioritize simulation training.

Cultivating Mathematical Skills: From Drill-and-Practice to Deliberate Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehtinen, Erno; Hannula-Sormunen, Minna; McMullen, Jake; Gruber, Hans

2017-01-01

Contemporary theories of expertise development highlight the crucial role of deliberate practice in the development of high level performance. Deliberate practice is practice that intentionally aims at improving one's skills and competencies. It is not a mechanical or repetitive process of making performance more fluid. Instead, it involves a…

A Practical Approach to Sex Fair Performance Evaluation in Secondary Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGonagle, Kenneth; Stevens, Ann

A method of sex-fair performance evaluation is presented which can be used in coeducational secondary school physical education classes. This method tallies specific skill areas associated with athletic activities, disregarding such concepts as student improvement, level of competition, participation, effort, and exact skill measurement.…

Making It Personal: Performance-Based Assessments, Ubiquitous Technology, and Advanced Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arispe, Kelly; Burston, Jack

2017-01-01

This pedagogical implementation study advocates for performance-driven assessments to help learners become aware of and improve upon presentational speaking skills at the advanced level. A social media content creation tool, Adobe Spark Video, enabled learners to practice oral skills outside of class. The task design, implementation, and…

Multivariate analyses of individual variation in soccer skill as a tool for talent identification and development: utilising evolutionary theory in sports science.

PubMed

Wilson, Robbie S; James, Rob S; David, Gwendolyn; Hermann, Ecki; Morgan, Oliver J; Niehaus, Amanda C; Hunter, Andrew; Thake, Doug; Smith, Michelle D

2016-11-01

The development of a comprehensive protocol for quantifying soccer-specific skill could markedly improve both talent identification and development. Surprisingly, most protocols for talent identification in soccer still focus on the more generic athletic attributes of team sports, such as speed, strength, agility and endurance, rather than on a player's technical skills. We used a multivariate methodology borrowed from evolutionary analyses of adaptation to develop our quantitative assessment of individual soccer-specific skill. We tested the performance of 40 individual academy-level players in eight different soccer-specific tasks across an age range of 13-18 years old. We first quantified the repeatability of each skill performance then explored the effects of age on soccer-specific skill, correlations between each of the pairs of skill tasks independent of age, and finally developed an individual metric of overall skill performance that could be easily used by coaches. All of our measured traits were highly repeatable when assessed over a short period and we found that an individual's overall skill - as well as their performance in their best task - was strongly positively correlated with age. Most importantly, our study established a simple but comprehensive methodology for assessing skill performance in soccer players, thus allowing coaches to rapidly assess the relative abilities of their players, identify promising youths and work on eliminating skill deficits in players.

Assessing the use of psychological skills by sports category and the relation with sports performance satisfaction.

PubMed

Tomé-Lourido, David; Arce, Constantino; Vales-Vázquez, Ángel; Ponte, Dolores

2018-05-02

The evaluation of psychological skills by athletes and their relationship with sports performance and satisfaction has been of great interest in recent decades. Likewise, there has been an emergent tendency to focus on developing specific psychological skills for each sport. The principal aim of this study was to determine the frequency with which athletes deploy psychological skills whilst competing and whether their frequency varies in accordance with the technical, tactical and physical characteristics of the sport in question. A further objective was to establish the connection between the frequency of use of psychological skills and athletes' degree of satisfaction with their performance. The study comprised 1003 athletes practising 43 different sports, grouped into 7 categories based on the similarities between them. Frequency of use of the psychological skills was measured with the Test of Performance Strategies 3. The data analyses allowed the following conclusions to be drawn: the degree to which psychological skills are used is dependent on the technical, tactical and physical characteristics of each sport; and the higher the frequency of the use of psychological skills, the greater the athletes' degree of satisfaction with their performance. These results allow athletes and coaches to increase levels of sports performance by working on the use of psychological skills, adapted to the technical, tactical or physical requirements of the category in which their sport is included. In addition, working on different psychological skills will improve their satisfaction with sports performance.

A Framework for Measuring the Progress in Exoskeleton Skills in People with Complete Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

van Dijsseldonk, Rosanne B.; Rijken, Hennie; van Nes, Ilse J. W.; van de Meent, Henk; Keijsers, Noel L. W.

2017-01-01

For safe application of exoskeletons in people with spinal cord injury at home or in the community, it is required to have completed an exoskeleton training in which users learn to perform basic and advanced skills. So far, a framework to test exoskeleton skills is lacking. The aim of this study was to develop and test the hierarchy and reliability of a framework for measuring the progress in the ability to perform basic and advanced skills. Twelve participants with paraplegia were given twenty-four training sessions in 8 weeks with the Rewalk-exoskeleton. During the 2nd, 4th, and 6th training week the Intermediate-skills-test was performed consisting of 27 skills, measured in an hierarchical order of difficulty, until two skills were not achieved. When participants could walk independently, the Final-skills-test, consisting of 20 skills, was performed in the last training session. Each skill was performed at least two times with a maximum of three attempts. As a reliability measure the consistency was used, which was the number of skills performed the same in the first two attempts relative to the total number. Ten participants completed the training program. Their number of achieved intermediate skills was significantly different between the measurements XF2(2) = 12.36, p = 0.001. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant increase in the median achieved intermediate skills from 4 [1–7] at the first to 10.5 [5–26] at the third Intermediate-skills-test. The rate of participants who achieved the intermediate skills decreased and the coefficient of reproducibility was 0.98. Eight participants met the criteria to perform the Final-skills-test. Their median number of successfully performed final skills was 16.5 [13–20] and 17 [14–19] skills in the first and second time. The overall consistency of >70% was achieved in the Intermediate-skills-test (73%) and the Final-skills-test (81%). Eight out of twelve participants experienced skin damage during the training, in four participants this resulted in missed training sessions. The framework proposed in this study measured the progress in performing basic and advanced exoskeleton skills during a training program. The hierarchical ordered skills-test could discriminate across participants' skill-level and the overall consistency was considered acceptable. PMID:29311780

A Framework for Measuring the Progress in Exoskeleton Skills in People with Complete Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

van Dijsseldonk, Rosanne B; Rijken, Hennie; van Nes, Ilse J W; van de Meent, Henk; Keijsers, Noel L W

2017-01-01

For safe application of exoskeletons in people with spinal cord injury at home or in the community, it is required to have completed an exoskeleton training in which users learn to perform basic and advanced skills. So far, a framework to test exoskeleton skills is lacking. The aim of this study was to develop and test the hierarchy and reliability of a framework for measuring the progress in the ability to perform basic and advanced skills. Twelve participants with paraplegia were given twenty-four training sessions in 8 weeks with the Rewalk-exoskeleton. During the 2nd, 4th, and 6th training week the Intermediate-skills-test was performed consisting of 27 skills, measured in an hierarchical order of difficulty, until two skills were not achieved. When participants could walk independently, the Final-skills-test, consisting of 20 skills, was performed in the last training session. Each skill was performed at least two times with a maximum of three attempts. As a reliability measure the consistency was used, which was the number of skills performed the same in the first two attempts relative to the total number. Ten participants completed the training program. Their number of achieved intermediate skills was significantly different between the measurements X F 2 (2) = 12.36, p = 0.001. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant increase in the median achieved intermediate skills from 4 [1-7] at the first to 10.5 [5-26] at the third Intermediate-skills-test. The rate of participants who achieved the intermediate skills decreased and the coefficient of reproducibility was 0.98. Eight participants met the criteria to perform the Final-skills-test. Their median number of successfully performed final skills was 16.5 [13-20] and 17 [14-19] skills in the first and second time. The overall consistency of >70% was achieved in the Intermediate-skills-test (73%) and the Final-skills-test (81%). Eight out of twelve participants experienced skin damage during the training, in four participants this resulted in missed training sessions. The framework proposed in this study measured the progress in performing basic and advanced exoskeleton skills during a training program. The hierarchical ordered skills-test could discriminate across participants' skill-level and the overall consistency was considered acceptable.

Objective assessment of gynecologic laparoscopic skills using the LapSimGyn virtual reality simulator.

PubMed

Larsen, C R; Grantcharov, T; Aggarwal, R; Tully, A; Sørensen, J L; Dalsgaard, T; Ottesen, B

2006-09-01

Safe realistic training and unbiased quantitative assessment of technical skills are required for laparoscopy. Virtual reality (VR) simulators may be useful tools for training and assessing basic and advanced surgical skills and procedures. This study aimed to investigate the construct validity of the LapSimGyn VR simulator, and to determine the learning curves of gynecologists with different levels of experience. For this study, 32 gynecologic trainees and consultants (juniors or seniors) were allocated into three groups: novices (0 advanced laparoscopic procedures), intermediate level (>20 and <60 procedures), and experts (>100 procedures). All performed 10 sets of simulations consisting of three basic skill tasks and an ectopic pregnancy program. The simulations were carried out on 3 days within a maximum period of 2 weeks. Assessment of skills was based on time, economy of movement, and error parameters measured by the simulator. The data showed that expert gynecologists performed significantly and consistently better than intermediate and novice gynecologists. The learning curves differed significantly between the groups, showing that experts start at a higher level and more rapidly reach the plateau of their learning curve than do intermediate and novice groups of surgeons. The LapSimGyn VR simulator package demonstrates construct validity on both the basic skills module and the procedural gynecologic module for ectopic pregnancy. Learning curves can be obtained, but to reach the maximum performance for the more complex tasks, 10 repetitions do not seem sufficient at the given task level and settings. LapSimGyn also seems to be flexible and widely accepted by the users.

Assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills in an objective structured performance-related examination (OSPRE): a psychometric study.

PubMed

Ponton-Carss, Alicia; Hutchison, Carol; Violato, Claudio

2011-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a performance assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills competencies for surgery residents. Fourteen residents from the general surgery program of the University of Calgary were assessed in 7 surgical simulation stations that included communication and professionalism skills. The internal consistency reliability of the checklists and global rating scales combined was adequate for communication (α = .75-.92) and surgical skills (α = .86-.96), but not for professionalism (α = 0). There was evidence of validity as surgical skills performance improved as a function of postgraduate year level but not for the professionalism checklist. Surgical skills and communication correlated in the 2 stations assessed (r = .55 and .57; P < .05). There is evidence for both reliability and validity for simultaneously assessing surgical skills and communication skills. Further instrument development is required to assess professionalism in a structured examination context. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized clinical trial to evaluate mental practice in enhancing advanced laparoscopic surgical performance.

PubMed

Louridas, M; Bonrath, E M; Sinclair, D A; Dedy, N J; Grantcharov, T P

2015-01-01

Mental practice, the cognitive rehearsal of a task without physical movement, is known to enhance performance in sports and music. Investigation of this technique in surgery has been limited to basic operations. The purpose of this study was to develop mental practice scripts, and to assess their effect on advanced laparoscopic skills and surgeon stress levels in a crisis scenario. Twenty senior surgical trainees were randomized to either conventional training or mental practice groups, the latter being trained by an expert performance psychologist. Participants' skills were assessed while performing a porcine laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy as part of a crisis scenario in a simulated operating room, using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) and bariatric OSATS (BOSATS) instruments. Objective and subjective stress parameters were measured, as well as non-technical skills using the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons rating tool. An improvement in OSATS (P = 0.003) and BOSATS (P = 0.003) scores was seen in the mental practice group compared with the conventional training group. Seven of ten trainees improved their technical performance during the crisis scenario, whereas four of the ten conventionally trained participants deteriorated. Mental imagery ability improved significantly following mental practice training (P = 0.011), but not in the conventional group (P = 0.083). No differences in objective or subjective stress levels or non-technical skills were evident. Mental practice improves technical performance for advanced laparoscopic tasks in the simulated operating room, and allows trainees to maintain or improve their performance despite added stress. © 2014 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Whatever Happened to School-Based Assessment in England's GCSEs and A Levels?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Opposs, Dennis

2016-01-01

For the past 30 years, school-based assessment (SBA) has been a major feature of GCSEs and A levels, the main school examinations in England. SBA has allowed teachers to allocate marks to their students for the level of skills that they show in their work. Such skills include for example, experimental techniques in science, performance in drama…

Manual wheelchair propulsion by people with hemiplegia: within-participant comparisons of forward versus backward techniques.

PubMed

Charbonneau, Rebecca; Kirby, R Lee; Thompson, Kara

2013-09-01

To test the hypotheses that people with hemiplegia using arms and legs to propel their wheelchairs perform better backward than forward and prefer the backward direction. Within-participant cross-sectional design. Manual wheelchair users (N=18) with hemiplegia caused by stroke, a sample of convenience. Rehabilitation center. Participants each performed 9 skills from the Wheelchair Skills Test (WST 4.1)-4 low-rolling-resistance skills (rolls 10m, turns 90° while moving, rolls 2m across 5° side slope, descends 5cm level change) and 5 high-rolling-resistance skills (ascends 5° incline, rolls 2m on soft surface, gets over 15-cm pothole, gets over 2-cm threshold, ascends 5cm level change)-in both the forward and backward directions, in random order. Total percentage capacity scores from the modified WST 4.1, success rates for individual skills, and responses from an orally administered questionnaire regarding direction preferences. The mean ± SD total WST 4.1 capacity scores were 53%±26% in the forward direction and 76%±30% in the backward direction (P<.001). For the 4 low-rolling-resistance skills, there were no clinically significant differences (≥20%) between forward and backward success rates. For the 5 high-rolling-resistance skills, the success rates were 33% to 50% higher in the backward direction. Participants preferred the forward direction for low-rolling-resistance skills and the backward direction for high-rolling-resistance skills. Wheelchair skills that involve high rolling resistance are performed more successfully in the backward than the forward direction, and participants prefer the backward direction for such skills. These findings have implications for wheelchair selection and skills training. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contributions of Executive Function and Spatial Skills to Preschool Mathematics Achievement

PubMed Central

Verdine, Brian N.; Irwin, Casey M.; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathryn

2014-01-01

Early mathematics achievement is highly predictive of later mathematics performance. Here we investigate the influence of executive function (EF) and spatial skills, two generalizable skills often overlooked in mathematics curricula, on mathematics performance in preschoolers. Children (N = 44) of varying socio-economic status (SES) levels were assessed at age three on a new assessment of spatial skill (Test of Spatial Assembly, TOSA) and a vocabulary measure (the PPVT-4). The same children were tested at age four on the Beery Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), as well as measures of EF, and mathematics. The TOSA was created specifically as an assessment for 3-year-olds, allowing the investigation of links between spatial, EF, and mathematical skills earlier than previously possible. Results of a hierarchical regression indicate that EF and spatial skills predict 70% of the variance in mathematics performance without an explicit math test, EF is an important predictor of math performance as prior research suggested, and spatial skills uniquely predict 27% of the variance in mathematics skills. Additional research is needed to understand if EF is truly malleable and whether EF and spatial skills may be leveraged to support early mathematics skills, especially for lower-SES children who are already falling behind in these skill areas by ages 3 and 4. These findings indicate that both skills are part of an important foundation for mathematics performance and may represent pathways for improving school readiness for mathematics. PMID:24874186

Beyond Chance? The Persistence of Performance in Online Poker

PubMed Central

Potter van Loon, Rogier J. D.; van den Assem, Martijn J.; van Dolder, Dennie

2015-01-01

A major issue in the widespread controversy about the legality of poker and the appropriate taxation of winnings is whether poker should be considered a game of skill or a game of chance. To inform this debate we present an analysis into the role of skill in the performance of online poker players, using a large database with hundreds of millions of player-hand observations from real money ring games at three different stakes levels. We find that players whose earlier profitability was in the top (bottom) deciles perform better (worse) and are substantially more likely to end up in the top (bottom) performance deciles of the following time period. Regression analyses of performance on historical performance and other skill-related proxies provide further evidence for persistence and predictability. Simulations point out that skill dominates chance when performance is measured over 1,500 or more hands of play. PMID:25729862

Performance considerations in long-term spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akins, F. R.

1979-01-01

Maintenance of skilled performance during extended space flight is of critical importance to both the health and safety of crew members and to the overall success of mission goals. An examination of long term effects and performance requirements is therefore a factor of immense importance to the planning of future missions. Factors that were investigated include: definition of performance categories to be investigated; methods for assessing and predicting performance levels; in-flight factors which can affect performance; and factors pertinent to the maintenance of skilled performance.

The savant syndrome: intellectual impairment and exceptional skill.

PubMed

Miller, L K

1999-01-01

Occasionally, people with developmental disability display skills at a level inconsistent with their general intellectual functioning, so-called "savant" behavior. Studies of savant behavior are reviewed to determine their relevance to notions about the importance of general intellective functions in the development of exceptional skill. It is concluded that (a) the skill exhibited by savants shares many characteristics with that in people without disability, (b) the skill is usually accompanied by normative levels of performance on at least some subtests of standardized measures of cognitive achievement, and (c) it is unclear whether savants have distinctive cognitive strengths or motivational dispositions, though their relative prevalence among people with certain kinds of disability suggests predisposing constraints. The author proposes that these skills typically reflect highly elaborated preconceptual representational systems.

Fundamental movement skills and autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Staples, Kerri L; Reid, Greg

2010-02-01

Delays and deficits may both contribute to atypical development of movement skills by children with ASD. Fundamental movement skills of 25 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (ages 9-12 years) were compared to three typically developing groups using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). The group matched on chronological age performed significantly better on the TGMD-2. Another comparison group matched on movement skill demonstrated children with ASD perform similarly to children approximately half their age. Comparisons to a third group matched on mental age equivalence revealed the movement skills of children with ASD are more impaired than would be expected given their cognitive level. Collectively, these results suggest the movement skills of children with ASD reflect deficits in addition to delays.

On Qualitative Differences in Learning: III--Study Skill and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svensson, L.

1977-01-01

The intention in this research was to collect instances of study skill in different situations, and to relate study activity to levels of understanding and academic performance. Also reanalyzes data described by Marton and Saljo (1976a) which led to the concepts of deep-level processing and surface processing as explanations of qualitative…

Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Growth of Early Reading Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrill, Stephen A.; Hart, Sara A.; Harlaar, Nicole; Logan, Jessica; Justice, Laura M.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Thompson, Lee; DeThorne, Laura S.; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Cutting, Laurie

2010-01-01

Background: Studies have suggested genetic and environmental influences on overall level of early reading whereas the larger reading literature has shown environmental influences on the rate of growth of early reading skills. This study is the first to examine the genetic and environmental influences on both initial level of performance and rate…

The impact of nontechnical skills on technical performance in surgery: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hull, Louise; Arora, Sonal; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Darzi, Ara; Vincent, Charles; Sevdalis, Nick

2012-02-01

Failures in nontechnical and teamwork skills frequently lie at the heart of harm and near-misses in the operating room (OR). The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the impact of nontechnical skills on technical performance in surgery. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO databases were searched, and 2,041 articles were identified. After limits were applied, 341 articles were retrieved for evaluation. Of these, 28 articles were accepted for this review. Data were extracted from the articles regarding sample population, study design and setting, measures of nontechnical skills and technical performance, study findings, and limitations. Of the 28 articles that met inclusion criteria, 21 articles assessed the impact of surgeons' nontechnical skills on their technical performance. The evidence suggests that receiving feedback and effectively coping with stressful events in the OR has a beneficial impact on certain aspects of technical performance. Conversely, increased levels of fatigue are associated with detriments to surgical skill. One article assessed the impact of anesthesiologists' nontechnical skills on anesthetic technical performance, finding a strong positive correlation between the 2 skill sets. Finally, 6 articles assessed the impact of multiple nontechnical skills of the entire OR team on surgical performance. A strong relationship between teamwork failure and technical error was empirically demonstrated in these studies. Evidence suggests that certain nontechnical aspects of performance can enhance or, if lacking, contribute to deterioration of surgeons' technical performance. The precise extent of this effect remains to be elucidated. Copyright © 2012 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children. PMID:29765187

An Alternative Path for Academic Success: Evaluating the Role of Mental Skills in an English Composition Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Brittney; Hammermeister, Jon; Briggs, Lynn; Young, Justin; Flynn, Courtney

2016-01-01

Higher levels of mental skill use and knowledge have been consistently associated with enhanced performances in athletic settings (e.g., Greenleaf, Gould & Dieffenbach, 2001; Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Galanis, & Theodorakis, 2011; Weinberg, 2008). More specifically, exceptional athletic performances have been linked to the practice and…

The Effect of Pitch and Rhythm Difficulty on Vocal Sight-Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Michele L.

2011-01-01

Singing music at sight is a complex skill, requiring the singer to perform pitch and rhythm simultaneously. Previous research has identified difficulty levels for pitch and rhythm skills individually but not in combination. In this study, the author sought to determine the relationship between pitch and rhythm tasks occurring concurrently. High…

Basic and Advanced Numerical Performances Relate to Mathematical Expertise but Are Fully Mediated by Visuospatial Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sella, Francesco; Sader, Elie; Lolliot, Simon; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2016-01-01

Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of basic numerical processing in the acquisition of numerical and mathematical competences. However, it is debated whether high-level numerical skills and mathematics depends specifically on basic numerical representations. In this study mathematicians and nonmathematicians performed a basic…

Implementing online quantitative support modules in an intermediate-level course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, J.

2011-12-01

While instructors typically anticipate that students in introductory geology courses enter a class with a wide range of quantitative ability, we often overlook the fact that this may also be true in upper-level courses. Some students are drawn to the subject and experience success in early courses with an emphasis on descriptive geology, then experience frustration and disappointment in mid- and upper-level courses that are more quantitative. To bolster student confidence in quantitative skills and enhance their performance in an upper-level course, I implemented several modules from The Math You Need (TMYN) online resource with a 200-level geomorphology class. Student facility with basic quantitative skills (rearranging equations, manipulating units, and graphing) was assessed with an online pre- and post-test. During the semester, modules were assigned to complement existing course activities (for example, the module on manipulating units was assigned prior to a lab on measurement of channel area and water velocity, then calculation of discharge). The implementation was designed to be a concise review of relevant skills for students with higher confidence in their quantitative abilities, and to provide a self-paced opportunity for students with less quantitative facility to build skills. This course already includes a strong emphasis on quantitative data collection, analysis, and presentation; in the past, student performance in the course has been strongly influenced by their individual quantitative ability. I anticipate that giving students the opportunity to improve mastery of fundamental quantitative skills will improve their performance on higher-stakes assignments and exams, and will enhance their sense of accomplishment in the course.

High fidelity simulation based team training in urology: a preliminary interdisciplinary study of technical and nontechnical skills in laparoscopic complications management.

PubMed

Lee, Jason Y; Mucksavage, Phillip; Canales, Cecilia; McDougall, Elspeth M; Lin, Sharon

2012-04-01

Simulation based team training provides an opportunity to develop interdisciplinary communication skills and address potential medical errors in a high fidelity, low stakes environment. We evaluated the implementation of a novel simulation based team training scenario and assessed the technical and nontechnical performance of urology and anesthesiology residents. Urology residents were randomly paired with anesthesiology residents to participate in a simulation based team training scenario involving the management of 2 scripted critical events during laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, including the vasovagal response to pneumoperitoneum and renal vein injury during hilar dissection. A novel kidney surgical model and a high fidelity mannequin simulator were used for the simulation. A debriefing session followed each simulation based team training scenario. Assessments of technical and nontechnical performance were made using task specific checklists and global rating scales. A total of 16 residents participated, of whom 94% rated the simulation based team training scenario as useful for communication skill training. Also, 88% of urology residents believed that the kidney surgical model was useful for technical skill training. Urology resident training level correlated with technical performance (p=0.004) and blood loss during renal vein injury management (p=0.022) but not with nontechnical performance. Anesthesia resident training level correlated with nontechnical performance (p=0.036). Urology residents consistently rated themselves higher on nontechnical performance than did faculty (p=0.033). Anesthesia residents did not differ in the self-assessment of nontechnical performance compared to faculty assessments. Residents rated the simulation based team training scenario as useful for interdisciplinary communication skill training. Urology resident training level correlated with technical performance but not with nontechnical performance. Urology residents consistently overestimated their nontechnical performance. Copyright © 2012 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visual scanning behavior and pilot workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Vivaudou, M.; Ephrath, A. R.; Young, L. R.

1983-01-01

Sophisticated man machine interaction often requires the human operator to perform a stereotyped scan of various instruments in order to monitor and/or control a system. For situations in which this type of stereotyped behavior exists, such as certain phases of instrument flight, scan pattern was shown to be altered by the imposition of simultaneous verbal tasks. A study designed to examine the relationship between pilot visual scan of instruments and mental workload is described. It was found that a verbal loading task of varying difficulty causes pilots to stare at the primary instrument as the difficulty increases and to shed looks at instruments of less importance. The verbal loading task also affected the rank ordering of scanning sequences. By examining the behavior of pilots with widely varying skill levels, it was suggested that these effects occur most strongly at lower skill levels and are less apparent at high skill levels. A graphical interpretation of the hypothetical relationship between skill, workload, and performance is introduced and modelling results are presented to support this interpretation.

Proceedings of the Workshop on Flight Testing to Identify Pilot Workload and Pilot Dynamics Held at the Edwards AFB, California on 19-21 January 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

precognitive stages or, in other words, a *Adaptation changes strategy and performance in a new environment, whereas learning or skill development changes...expect the pursuit level of operation to have a lower PML than the compen- satory stage.. 3. Final stage ( precognitive control). At this level of skill...in degraded system performance, if not failure. The compensatory-pursuit- precognitive pathways structure is suitable to represent not only a pilot or

National Undergraduate Medical Core Curriculum in Turkey: Evaluation of Residents

PubMed Central

Budakoğlu, Işıl İrem; Coşkun, Özlem; Ergün, Mehmet Ali

2014-01-01

Background: There is very little information available on self-perceived competence levels of junior medical doctors with regard to definitions by the National Core Curriculum (NCC) for Undergraduate Medical Education. Aims: This study aims to determine the perceived level of competence of residents during undergraduate medical education within the context of the NCC. Study Design: Descriptive study. Methods: The survey was conducted between February 2010 and December 2011; the study population comprised 450 residents. Of this group, 318 (71%) participated in the study. Self-assessment questionnaires on competencies were distributed and residents were asked to assess their own competence in different domains by scoring them on a scale of 1 to 10. Results: Nearly half of the residents reported insufficient experience of putting clinical skills into practice when they graduated. In the theoretical part of NCC, the lowest competency score was reported for health-care administration, while the determination of level of chlorine in water, delivering babies, and conducting forensic examinations had the lowest perceived levels of competency in the clinical skills domain. Conclusion: Residents reported low levels of perceived competency in skills they rarely performed outside the university hospital. They were much more confident in skills they performed during their medical education. PMID:25207163

Field of Vision Influences Sensory-Motor Control of Skilled and Less-Skilled Dart Players

PubMed Central

Rienhoff, Rebecca; Baker, Joseph; Fischer, Lennart; Strauss, Bernd; Schorer, Jörg

2012-01-01

One characteristic of perceptual expertise in sport and other domains is known as ’the quiet eye', which assumes that fixated information is processed during gaze stability and insufficient spatial information leads to a decrease in performance. The aims of this study were a) replicating inter- and intra-group variability and b) investigating the extent to which quiet eye supports information pick-up of varying fields of vision (i.e., central versus peripheral) using a specific eye-tracking paradigm to compare different skill levels in a dart throwing task. Differences between skill levels were replicated at baseline, but no significant differences in throwing performance were revealed among the visual occlusion conditions. Findings are generally in line with the association between quiet eye duration and aiming performance, but raise questions regarding the relevance of central vision information pick-up for the quiet eye. Key pointsInvestigation of throwing performance and quiet eye duration in dart throwing under several vision conditionsFirst investigation using a dynamic occlusion paradigm, manipulating field of vision in situReplication of previous findings concerning throwing performance and quiet eye durationNew insights about the role of central (and peripheral) vision concerning the quiet eye phenomena PMID:24149366

Construct and face validity of the educational computer-based environment (ECE) assessment scenarios for basic endoneurosurgery skills.

PubMed

Cagiltay, Nergiz Ercil; Ozcelik, Erol; Sengul, Gokhan; Berker, Mustafa

2017-11-01

In neurosurgery education, there is a paradigm shift from time-based training to criterion-based model for which competency and assessment becomes very critical. Even virtual reality simulators provide alternatives to improve education and assessment in neurosurgery programs and allow for several objective assessment measures, there are not many tools for assessing the overall performance of trainees. This study aims to develop and validate a tool for assessing the overall performance of participants in a simulation-based endoneurosurgery training environment. A training program was developed in two levels: endoscopy practice and beginning surgical practice based on four scenarios. Then, three experiments were conducted with three corresponding groups of participants (Experiment 1, 45 (32 beginners, 13 experienced), Experiment 2, 53 (40 beginners, 13 experienced), and Experiment 3, 26 (14 novices, 12 intermediate) participants). The results analyzed to understand the common factors among the performance measurements of these experiments. Then, a factor capable of assessing the overall skill levels of surgical residents was extracted. Afterwards, the proposed measure was tested to estimate the experience levels of the participants. Finally, the level of realism of these educational scenarios was assessed. The factor formed by time, distance, and accuracy on simulated tasks provided an overall performance indicator. The prediction correctness was very high for the beginners than the one for experienced surgeons in Experiments 1 and 2. When non-dominant hand is used in a surgical procedure-based scenario, skill levels of surgeons can be better predicted. The results indicate that the scenarios in Experiments 1 and 2 can be used as an assessment tool for the beginners, and scenario-2 in Experiment 3 can be used as an assessment tool for intermediate and novice levels. It can be concluded that forming the balance between perceived action capacities and skills is critical for better designing and developing skill assessment surgical simulation tools.

An analysis of practice activities and instructional behaviours used by youth soccer coaches during practice: exploring the link between science and application.

PubMed

Ford, Paul R; Yates, Ian; Williams, A Mark

2010-03-01

We examined the practice activities and instructional behaviours employed by 25 youth soccer coaches during 70 different practice sessions. We evaluated the extent to which these activities and behaviours differ from those shown in contemporary research to best facilitate skill acquisition. Nine coaches worked with the under-9 years age group and eight coaches each with the under-13 and under-16 years age groups; nine of those coaches were employed at the elite level, nine at the sub-elite level, and seven at the non-elite level. Coaches had players spend more time in activities that were deemed less relevant to soccer match performance, termed "training form" (e.g. physical training, technique and skills practices), than activities deemed more relevant, termed "playing form" (e.g. small-sided/conditioned games and phase of play activities). Coaches provided high levels of instruction, feedback, and management, irrespective of the activity in which players engaged. Few differences in practice activities and instructional behaviours were reported across skill and age groups, implying the absence of any notable age- or skill-related progression. Findings are discussed with reference to recent research in the areas of skill acquisition, motor learning, and expert performance.

The effect of student self-video of performance on clinical skill competency: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Maloney, Stephen; Storr, Michael; Morgan, Prue; Ilic, Dragan

2013-03-01

Emerging technologies and student information technology literacy are enabling new methods of teaching and learning for clinical skill performance. Facilitating experiential practice and reflection on performance through student self-video, and exposure to peer benchmarks, may promote greater levels of skill competency. This study examines the impact of student self-video on the attainment of clinical skills. A total of 60 Physiotherapy students (100%) consented to participate in the randomised controlled trial. One group (50%) was taught a complex clinical skill with regular practical tutoring, whilst the other group (50%) supplemented the tutoring with a self-video task aimed at promoting reflection on performance. Student skill performance was measured in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Students also completed an anonymous questionnaire, which explored their perception of their learning experiences. Students received significantly higher scores in the OSCE when the examined clinical skill had been supplemented with a self-video of performance task (P = 0.048). Descriptive analysis of the questionnaires relating to student perceptions on the teaching methods identified that the self-video of performance task utilised contributed to improvement in their clinical performance and their confidence for future clinical practice. Students identified a number of aspects of the submission process that contributed to this perception of educational value. The novel results of this study demonstrate that greater clinical skill competency is achieved when traditional tutoring methods are supplemented with student self-video of performance tasks. Additional benefits included the ability of staff and students to monitor longitudinal performance, and an increase in feedback opportunities.

Cognitive characteristics of children with mathematics learning disability (MLD) vary as a function of the cutoff criterion used to define MLD.

PubMed

Murphy, Melissa M; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Hanich, Laurie B; Early, Martha C

2007-01-01

Researchers of mathematics learning disability (MLD) commonly use cutoff scores to determine which participants have MLD. Some researchers apply more restrictive cutoffs than others (e.g., performance below the 10th vs. below the 35th percentile). Different cutoffs may lead to groups of children that differ in their profile of math and related skills, including reading, visual-spatial, and working memory skills. The present study assesses the characteristics of children with MLD based on varying MLD definitions of math performance either below the 10th percentile (n = 22) or between the 11th and 25th percentile (n = 42) on the Test of Early Math Ability, second edition (TEMA-2). Initial starting levels and growth rates for math and related skills were examined in these two MLD groups relative to a comparison group (n = 146) whose TEMA-2 performance exceeded the 25th percentile. Between kindergarten and third grade, differences emerged in the starting level and growth rate, suggesting qualitative differences among the three groups. Despite some similarities, qualitative group differences were also observed in the profiles of math-related skills across groups. These results highlight differences in student characteristics based on the definition of MLD and illustrate the value of examining skill areas associated with math performance in addition to math performance itself.

Understanding the structure of skill through a detailed analysis of Individuals' performance on the Space Fortress game.

PubMed

Towne, Tyler J; Boot, Walter R; Ericsson, K Anders

2016-09-01

In this paper we describe a novel approach to the study of individual differences in acquired skilled performance in complex laboratory tasks based on an extension of the methodology of the expert-performance approach (Ericsson & Smith, 1991) to shorter periods of training and practice. In contrast to more traditional approaches that study the average performance of groups of participants, we explored detailed behavioral changes for individual participants across their development on the Space Fortress game. We focused on dramatic individual differences in learning and skill acquisition at the individual level by analyzing the archival game data of several interesting players to uncover the specific structure of their acquired skill. Our analysis revealed that even after maximal values for game-generated subscores were reached, the most skilled participant's behaviors such as his flight path, missile firing, and mine handling continued to be refined and improved (Participant 17 from Boot et al., 2010). We contrasted this participant's behavior with the behavior of several other participants and found striking differences in the structure of their performance, which calls into question the appropriateness of averaging their data. For example, some participants engaged in different control strategies such as "world wrapping" or maintaining a finely-tuned circular flight path around the fortress (in contrast to Participant 17's angular flight path). In light of these differences, we raise fundamental questions about how skill acquisition for individual participants should be studied and described. Our data suggest that a detailed analysis of individuals' data is an essential step for generating a general theory of skill acquisition that explains improvement at the group and individual levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Redesigning a course to help students achieve higher-order cognitive thinking skills: from goals and mechanics to student outcomes.

PubMed

Casagrand, Janet; Semsar, Katharine

2017-06-01

Here we describe a 4-yr course reform and its outcomes. The upper-division neurophysiology course gradually transformed from a traditional lecture in 2004 to a more student-centered course in 2008, through the addition of evidence-based active learning practices, such as deliberate problem-solving practice on homework and peer learning structures, both inside and outside of class. Due to the incremental nature of the reforms and absence of pre-reform learning assessments, we needed a way to retrospectively assess the effectiveness of our efforts. To do this, we first looked at performance on 12 conserved exam questions. Students performed significantly higher post-reform on questions requiring lower-level cognitive skills and those requiring higher-level cognitive skills. Furthermore, student performance on conserved questions was higher post-reform in both the top and bottom quartiles of students, although lower-quartile student performance did not improve until after the first exam. To examine student learning more broadly, we also used Bloom's taxonomy to quantify a significant increase in the Bloom's level of exams, with students performing equally well post-reform on exams that had over twice as many questions at higher cognitive skill levels. Finally, we believe that four factors provided critical contributions to the success of the course reform, including: transformation efforts across multiple course components, alignment between formative and evaluative course materials, student buy-in to course instruction, and instructional support. This reform demonstrates both the effectiveness of incorporating student-centered, active learning into our course, and the utility of using Bloom's level as a metric to assess course reform. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Contributions of executive function and spatial skills to preschool mathematics achievement.

PubMed

Verdine, Brian N; Irwin, Casey M; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathryn

2014-10-01

Early mathematics achievement is highly predictive of later mathematics performance. Here we investigated the influence of executive function (EF) and spatial skills, two generalizable skills often overlooked in mathematics curricula, on mathematics performance in preschoolers. Children (N=44) of varying socioeconomic status (SES) levels were assessed at 3 years of age on a new assessment of spatial skill (Test of Spatial Assembly, TOSA) and a vocabulary measure (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, PPVT). The same children were tested at 4 years of age on the Beery Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) as well as on measures of EF and mathematics. The TOSA was created specifically as an assessment for 3-year-olds, allowing the investigation of links among spatial, EF, and mathematical skills earlier than previously possible. Results of a hierarchical regression indicate that EF and spatial skills predict 70% of the variance in mathematics performance without an explicit math test, EF is an important predictor of math performance as prior research suggested, and spatial skills uniquely predict 27% of the variance in mathematics skills. Additional research is needed to understand whether EF is truly malleable and whether EF and spatial skills may be leveraged to support early mathematics skills, especially for lower SES children who are already falling behind in these skill areas by 3 and 4 years of age. These findings indicate that both skills are part of an important foundation for mathematics performance and may represent pathways for improving school readiness for mathematics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond Remediation: Monitoring Progress and Promoting Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pudelka, Pam; Macha, Becky

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), enacted into law in the fall of 1989, was designed to insure that public college students in Texas would have the basic skills necessary to perform in college-level courses. The TASP law requires that students be tested prior to completing 9 or 15 semester hours of college-level work. The law also requires…

Applying a Reading Program Based on Cognitive Science in Rural Areas of Malawi: Preliminary Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iyengar, Radhika; Karim, Alia; Chagwira, Florie

2016-01-01

Reading fluency is a skill foundational to academic performance, and acquiring this skill in early grades is crucial. Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, reading levels of students are far below grade level, and Malawi is no exception. Research suggests that students, particularly in consistently spelled languages, acquire automaticity most easily by…

Differences Between Japanese and U.S. Children's Performance on "Zoo U": A Game-Based Social Skills Assessment.

PubMed

Craig, Ashley B; DeRosier, Melissa E; Watanabe, Yayoi

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to test whether and how performance on a digital game-based social skills assessment tool, "Zoo U" (3C Institute, Durham, NC), differed for children in the United States and Japan across six core social skills. "Zoo U" was administered to 497 third and fourth grade children from the United States and Japan (46 percent Japanese) by teachers and researchers, respectively. U.S. children received the original version of "Zoo U," and Japanese children received a fully translated Japanese version of the program. Scoring of each of the six social skills is built into the "Zoo U" software, with specific scoring algorithms for each grade level that provide both a continuous scale score and cutoffs for three distinct performance categories: high, average, and low. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to assess differences by cultural group on each of the six continuous social skill scores, controlling for gender and grade level. Results revealed significant differences on four of the six skills in expected directions. Chi-squared and odds ratios analyses were then conducted on the assignment of children into each of the performance categories by cultural group, revealing additional nuance to the cultural differences identified in the MANOVA consistent with existing literature. We were able to replicate known cultural differences between U.S. and Japanese children with a simple direct translation of a Web-based social skills assessment game, "Zoo U." Our results provide preliminary support for the potential of game-based assessment methods to provide efficient and valid social skill assessments to children around the world.

Critical thinking traits of top-tier experts and implications for computer science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bushey, Dean E.

A documented shortage of technical leadership and top-tier performers in computer science jeopardizes the technological edge, security, and economic well-being of the nation. The 2005 President's Information and Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) Report on competitiveness in computational sciences highlights the major impact of science, technology, and innovation in keeping America competitive in the global marketplace. It stresses the fact that the supply of science, technology, and engineering experts is at the core of America's technological edge, national competitiveness and security. However, recent data shows that both undergraduate and postgraduate production of computer scientists is falling. The decline is "a quiet crisis building in the United States," a crisis that, if allowed to continue unchecked, could endanger America's well-being and preeminence among the world's nations. Past research on expert performance has shown that the cognitive traits of critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving possessed by top-tier performers can be identified, observed and measured. The studies show that the identified attributes are applicable across many domains and disciplines. Companies have begun to realize that cognitive skills are important for high-level performance and are reevaluating the traditional academic standards they have used to predict success for their top-tier performers in computer science. Previous research in the computer science field has focused either on programming skills of its experts or has attempted to predict the academic success of students at the undergraduate level. This study, on the other hand, examines the critical-thinking skills found among experts in the computer science field in order to explore the questions, "What cognitive skills do outstanding performers possess that make them successful?" and "How do currently used measures of academic performance correlate to critical-thinking skills among students?" The results of this study suggest a need to examine how critical-thinking abilities are learned in the undergraduate computer science curriculum and the need to foster these abilities in order to produce the high-level, critical-thinking professionals necessary to fill the growing need for these experts. Due to the fact that current measures of academic performance do not adequately depict students' cognitive abilities, assessment of these skills must be incorporated into existing curricula.

Strategies for Filling a Performance Gap between Practice and High-Level Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jin

2010-01-01

Many athletes display great sport skills in noncompetitive situations such as during practice, but fail to successfully execute these same skills in competition. Coaches often wonder (1) from a technical perspective, why is the good performance of athletes during practice sessions not transferred to actual competition; (2) what are the flaws of…

What Skills and Tactics Are Needed to Play Adult Pick-Up Basketball Games?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jianyu; Liu, Wenhao; Moffit, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine skill levels and performance patterns of regular players of pick-up basketball games. By a survey, 65 participants were identified as regular players and participated in the study. An observational instrument used to analyze game performance of the participants was developed and both content and construct…

Executive function in children with high and low attentional skills: correspondences between behavioural and cognitive profiles.

PubMed

Scope, Alison; Empson, Janet; McHale, Sue

2010-06-01

Cognitive performance was compared between two groups of typically developing children, who had been observed and rated as differing significantly in their attentional skills at school. The participants were 24 8- and 9-year-old children scoring poorly relative to peers, on a classroom observation scale and teacher rating scale for attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity [low-attentional skills (LAS) group] and 24 sex- and age-matched children scoring at a high level compared to peers [high-attentional skills (HAS) group]. The two groups were compared on a series of cognitive tasks to assess executive function (EF). The LAS group performed within the typical range yetat a significantly lower level than the HAS group on the majority of the EF tasks administered, namely working memory and inhibition measures, even though there were no significant differences between the groups on a measure of intellectual ability. Working memory measures followed by measures of inhibition emerged as the best predictors of group membership. These findings provide empirical evidence that there are individual differences in attentional skills. Specifically, that there is a relationship between behavioural inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and cognitive performance on working memory and inhibitory control tasks.

The Decision to Incision Curriculum: Teaching Preoperative Skills and Achieving Level 1 Milestones.

PubMed

Skinner, Bethany; Morgan, Helen; Kobernik, Emily; Kamdar, Neil; Curran, Diana; Marzano, David; Hammoud, Maya

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a preoperative skills curriculum, and to assess and document competence in associated Obstetrics and Gynecology Level 1 Milestones. The Decision to Incision curriculum was developed by a team of medical educators with the goal of teaching and evaluating 5 skills pertinent to Milestone 1: Preoperative consent, patient positioning, Foley catheter placement, surgical scrub, and preoperative time-out. Competence, overall skill performance, and knowledge were assessed by evaluator rating using checklists before and after the educational intervention. Differences between preintervention and postintervention skills performance and competence were assessed using Wilcoxon rank test and Fisher exact test, respectively. Clinical Simulation Center at an academic medical center. Overall, 29 fourth year medical students matriculating into Obstetrics and Gynecology residencies. The proportion of participants meeting Milestone competence significantly increased in all 5 skills, with competence achieved in 95.6% (95% CI: 92.1-99.0) of posttest skills assessments. Median overall performance also significantly improved for all 5 skills, with 83.6% (95% CI: 77.3-89.9) earning scores of 4 out of 5 or greater on the posttest. For knowledge testing, the proportion of correct responses significantly increased for both topics evaluated, from 45.2% to 99.7% (p < 0.0001) for positioning and from 32.8% to 83.1% (p < 0.0001) for time-out. The decision to incision curriculum significantly improved preoperative skills, including skills that may be required on day 1 of residency. This curriculum also facilitated achievement and documentation of competence in multiple Milestones. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Football League Skilled and Unskilled Positions Vary in Opportunity and Yield in Return to Play After an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

PubMed Central

Yang, JaeWon; Hodax, Jonathan D.; Machan, Jason T.; Secrist, Eric S.; Durand, Wesley M.; Owens, Brett D.; Eltorai, Adam E.M.; Dodson, Christopher C.

2017-01-01

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries pose a significant risk to the careers of players in the National Football League (NFL). The relationships between draft round and position on return to play (RTP) among NFL players are not well understood, and the ability to return to preinjury performance levels remains unknown for most positions. Purpose: To test for differences in RTP rates and changes in performance after an ACL injury by position and draft round. We hypothesized that skilled positions would return at a lower rate compared to unskilled positions. We further hypothesized that early draft-round status would relate to a greater rate of RTP and that skilled positions and a lower draft round would correlate with decreased performance for players who return to sport. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Utilizing a previously established database of publicly available information regarding ACL tears among NFL players, athletes with ACL tears occurring between the 2010 and 2013 seasons were identified. Generalized linear models and Kaplan-Meier time-to-event models were used to test the study hypotheses. Results: The overall RTP rate was 61.7%, with skilled players and unskilled players returning at rates of 64.1% and 60.4%, respectively (P = .74). Early draft-round players and unskilled late draft-round players had greater rates of RTP compared to skilled late draft-round players and both unskilled and skilled undrafted free agents (UDFAs). Skilled early draft-round players constituted the only cohort that played significantly fewer games after an injury. Unskilled UDFAs constituted the only cohort to show a significant increase in the number of games started and ratio of games started to games played, starting more games in which they played, after an injury. Conclusion: Early draft-round and unskilled players were more likely to return compared to their later draft-round and skilled peers. Skilled early draft-round players, who displayed relatively high rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show a decline in performance. Unskilled UDFAs, who exhibited relatively low rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show an increase in performance. The significant effect of draft round and position type on RTP may be caused by a combination of differences in talent levels and in opportunities given to returning to play. PMID:28975136

From dV-Trainer to Real Robotic Console: The Limitations of Robotic Skill Training.

PubMed

Yang, Kun; Zhen, Hang; Hubert, Nicolas; Perez, Manuela; Wang, Xing Huan; Hubert, Jacques

To investigate operators' performance quality, mental stress, and ergonomic habits through a training curriculum on robotic simulators. Forty volunteers without robotic surgery experience were recruited to practice 2 exercises on a dV-Trainer (dVT) for 14 hours. The simulator software (M-score a ) provided an automatic evaluation of the overall score for the surgeons' performance. Each participant provided a subjective difficulty score (validity to be proven) for each exercise. Their ergonomic habits were evaluated based on the workspace range and armrest load-validated criteria for evaluating the proficiency of using the armrest. They then repeated the same tasks on a da Vinci Surgical Skill Simulator for a final-level test. Their final scores were compared with their initial scores and the scores of 5 experts on the da Vinci Surgical Skill Simulator. A total of 14 hours of training on the dVT significantly improved the surgeons' performance scores to the expert level with a significantly reduced workload, but their ergonomic score was still far from the expert level. Sufficient training on the dVT improves novices' performance, reduces psychological stress, and inculcates better ergonomic habits. Among the evaluated criteria, novices had the most difficulty in achieving expert levels of ergonomic skills. The training benefits of robotic surgery simulators should be determined with quantified variables. The detection of the limitations during robotic training curricula could guide the targeted training and improve the training effect. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Assessing locomotor skills development in childhood using wearable inertial sensor devices: the running paradigm.

PubMed

Masci, Ilaria; Vannozzi, Giuseppe; Bergamini, Elena; Pesce, Caterina; Getchell, Nancy; Cappozzo, Aurelio

2013-04-01

Objective quantitative evaluation of motor skill development is of increasing importance to carefully drive physical exercise programs in childhood. Running is a fundamental motor skill humans adopt to accomplish locomotion, which is linked to physical activity levels, although the assessment is traditionally carried out using qualitative evaluation tests. The present study aimed at investigating the feasibility of using inertial sensors to quantify developmental differences in the running pattern of young children. Qualitative and quantitative assessment tools were adopted to identify a skill-sensitive set of biomechanical parameters for running and to further our understanding of the factors that determine progression to skilled running performance. Running performances of 54 children between the ages of 2 and 12 years were submitted to both qualitative and quantitative analysis, the former using sequences of developmental level, the latter estimating temporal and kinematic parameters from inertial sensor measurements. Discriminant analysis with running developmental level as dependent variable allowed to identify a set of temporal and kinematic parameters, within those obtained with the sensor, that best classified children into the qualitative developmental levels (accuracy higher than 67%). Multivariate analysis of variance with the quantitative parameters as dependent variables allowed to identify whether and which specific parameters or parameter subsets were differentially sensitive to specific transitions between contiguous developmental levels. The findings showed that different sets of temporal and kinematic parameters are able to tap all steps of the transitional process in running skill described through qualitative observation and can be prospectively used for applied diagnostic and sport training purposes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fine-motor skills testing and prediction of endovascular performance.

PubMed

Bech, Bo; Lönn, Lars; Schroeder, Torben V; Ringsted, Charlotte

2013-12-01

Performing endovascular procedures requires good control of fine-motor digital movements and hand-eye coordination. Objective assessment of such skills is difficult. Trainees acquire control of catheter/wire movements at various paces. However, little is known to what extent talent plays for novice candidates at entry to practice. To study the association between performance in a novel aptitude test of fine-motor skills and performance in simulated procedures. The test was based on manual course-tracking using a proprietary hand-operated roller-bar device coupled to a personal computer with monitor view rotation. A total of 40 test repetitions were conducted separately with each hand. Test scores were correlated with simulator performance. Group A (n = 14), clinicians with various levels of endovascular experience, performed a simulated procedure of contralateral iliac artery stenting. Group B (n = 19), medical students, performed 10 repetitions of crossing a challenging aortic bifurcation in a simulator. The test score differed markedly between the individuals in both groups, in particular with the non-dominant hand. Group A: the test score with the non-dominant hand correlated significantly with simulator performance assessed with the global rating scale SAVE (R = -0.69, P = 0.007). There was no association observed from performances with the dominant hand. Group B: there was no significant association between the test score and endovascular skills acquisition neither with the dominant nor with the non-dominant hand. Clinicians with increasing levels of endovascular technical experience had developed good fine-motor control of the non-dominant hand, in particular, that was associated with good procedural performance in the simulator. The aptitude test did not predict endovascular skills acquisition among medical students, thus, cannot be suggested for selection of novice candidates. Procedural experience and practice probably supplant the influence of innate abilities (talent) over time.

Attachment styles and clinical communication performance in trainee doctors.

PubMed

Fletcher, Ian; McCallum, Rachel; Peters, Sarah

2016-11-01

To investigate the relationship between trainee doctors' attachment style and their performance in qualifying clinical and communication skills assessments. Participants were 190 undergraduate medical students whose performance was assessed by examiners across two areas (communication and clinical skills) during their qualifying Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Simulated patients also rated communication skills. Participants' attachment style was rated across two dimensions, avoidance and anxiety, using the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ). Lower levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety significantly predicted higher performance in both communication and clinical skills. Trainee doctors' attachment styles are associated with patient communication and clinical performance. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of attachment on consultations between doctors and patients within clinical settings. Attachment theory can inform our understanding why, for some student doctors, interacting with patients may be particularly challenging and require additional support by medical educators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic Observation: Relevance of This Approach in Preschool Executive Function Assessment and Association with Later Academic Skills.

PubMed

Escolano-Pérez, Elena; Herrero-Nivela, Maria Luisa; Blanco-Villaseñor, Angel; Anguera, M Teresa

2017-01-01

Executive functions (EFs) are high-level cognitive processes that allow us to coordinate our actions, thoughts, and emotions, enabling us to perform complex tasks. An increasing number of studies have highlighted the role of EFs in building a solid foundation for subsequent development and learning and shown that EFs are associated with good adjustment and academic skills. The main objective of this study was to analyze whether EF levels in 44 Spanish children in the last year of preschool were associated with levels of literacy and math skills the following year, that is, in the first year of compulsory education. We used a multi-method design, which consisted of systematic observation to observe preschool children during play and selective methodology to assess their reading, writing, and math skills in the first year of compulsory primary education. General linear modeling was used to estimate the percentage of variability in academic skills in the first year of primary school that was explained by preschool EF abilities. The results showed that preschool EF level, together with participants and the instrument used to assess academic skills, explained 99% of the variance of subsequent academic performance. Another objective was to determine whether our findings were generalizable to the reference population. To make this determination, we estimated the optimal sample size for assessing preschool EFs. To do this, we performed a generalizability analysis. The resulting generalizability coefficient showed that our sample of 44 students was sufficient for assessing preschool EFs. Therefore, our results are generalizable to the reference population. Our results are consistent with previous reports that preschool EF abilities may be associated with subsequent literacy and math skills. Early assessment of EFs may therefore contribute to identifying children who are likely to experience later learning difficulties and guide the design of suitable interventions for the optimization of EFs.

Systematic Observation: Relevance of This Approach in Preschool Executive Function Assessment and Association with Later Academic Skills

PubMed Central

Escolano-Pérez, Elena; Herrero-Nivela, Maria Luisa; Blanco-Villaseñor, Angel; Anguera, M. Teresa

2017-01-01

Executive functions (EFs) are high-level cognitive processes that allow us to coordinate our actions, thoughts, and emotions, enabling us to perform complex tasks. An increasing number of studies have highlighted the role of EFs in building a solid foundation for subsequent development and learning and shown that EFs are associated with good adjustment and academic skills. The main objective of this study was to analyze whether EF levels in 44 Spanish children in the last year of preschool were associated with levels of literacy and math skills the following year, that is, in the first year of compulsory education. We used a multi-method design, which consisted of systematic observation to observe preschool children during play and selective methodology to assess their reading, writing, and math skills in the first year of compulsory primary education. General linear modeling was used to estimate the percentage of variability in academic skills in the first year of primary school that was explained by preschool EF abilities. The results showed that preschool EF level, together with participants and the instrument used to assess academic skills, explained 99% of the variance of subsequent academic performance. Another objective was to determine whether our findings were generalizable to the reference population. To make this determination, we estimated the optimal sample size for assessing preschool EFs. To do this, we performed a generalizability analysis. The resulting generalizability coefficient showed that our sample of 44 students was sufficient for assessing preschool EFs. Therefore, our results are generalizable to the reference population. Our results are consistent with previous reports that preschool EF abilities may be associated with subsequent literacy and math skills. Early assessment of EFs may therefore contribute to identifying children who are likely to experience later learning difficulties and guide the design of suitable interventions for the optimization of EFs. PMID:29375409

Movie subtitles reading skills of elementary school children.

PubMed

Minucci, Michele Viana; Cárnio, Maria Silvia

2010-01-01

the abilities of school children for reading static texts have been widely discussed, however little is known about how well they can read dynamic texts and what skills are required for this kind of reading. to evaluate the skills involved in reading movie subtitles of 2nd and 4th graders of students at the a public school. analysis of the level and skills needed for movie subtitles reading, through the retelling of a section of a movie watched individually by 60 students, 30 2nd graders and 30 4th graders matched for age and gender, with no sound and with subtitles. there were no significant differences in the level of school literacy between students of the different school grades. Considering the skills and the subtitles reading level, 4th graders presented a significant better performance when compared to the 2nd graders. Fourth graders presented skills related to the levels of literal comprehension and independent comprehension, whereas 2nd graders where mostly at the decoding level. 2nd graders are at the textual decoding level of movie subtitles, while 4th graders are at the literal comprehension level of movie subtitles. This indicates that schooling has an influence on the reading of movie subtitles. However, the school literacy literacy was not a significant factor for movie subtitles reading.

Fundamental Movement Skills Development under the Influence of a Gymnastics Program and Everyday Physical Activity in Seven-Year-Old Children.

PubMed

Culjak, Zoran; Miletic, Durdica; Kalinski, Suncica Delas; Kezic, Ana; Zuvela, Frane

2014-04-01

The objectives of this study were: a) to examine the influence of an 18-week basic artistic gymnastics program on fundamental movement skills (FMS) development in seven-year-old children; b) to determine correlations between children's daily activities and successful performance of FMS and basic artistic gymnastics skills. Seventy five first grade primary school children took part in this study. A physical education teacher specialized in artistic gymnastics conducted a gymnastics program for 18 weeks, three times a week. The level of gymnastics skills and FMS were identified at the beginning and at the end of the program. The level of gymnastics skills was evaluated by performance of eight artistic gymnastics skills, while FMS were evaluated by the use of FMS-polygon. Physical activity and inactivity was evaluated by using a proxy-questionnaire "Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire˝ (NPAQ). According to the dependent samples t test, significant differences were found in the FMS-polygon and all gymnastics skills before and after the 18-week gymnastics program. Increasing correlations were established over time between gymnastics skills and the FMS-polygon. Unorganized daily activity of children significantly correlated with their mastering of gymnastics skills and FMS. The presented findings confirm: (1) the thesis that basic artistic gymnastics skills and FMS could be developed simultaneously, (2) the theory of positive transfer of similar skills between FMS and artistic gymnastic skills. Mastering basic artistic gymnastics skills will provoke improvement of FMS and finally become a prerequisite for successful introduction of learning more complex gymnastics skills. The obtained results imply that an increase of children's unorganized daily activities can improve the mastering of basic gymnastics skills and simultaneously the development of FMS.

Fundamental Movement Skills Development under the Influence of a Gymnastics Program and Everyday Physical Activity in Seven-Year-Old Children

PubMed Central

Culjak, Zoran; Miletic, Durdica; Kalinski, Suncica Delas; Kezic, Ana; Zuvela, Frane

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective The objectives of this study were: a) to examine the influence of an 18-week basic artistic gymnastics program on fundamental movement skills (FMS) development in seven-year-old children; b) to determine correlations between children’s daily activities and successful performance of FMS and basic artistic gymnastics skills. Methods Seventy five first grade primary school children took part in this study. A physical education teacher specialized in artistic gymnastics conducted a gymnastics program for 18 weeks, three times a week. The level of gymnastics skills and FMS were identified at the beginning and at the end of the program. The level of gymnastics skills was evaluated by performance of eight artistic gymnastics skills, while FMS were evaluated by the use of FMS-polygon. Physical activity and inactivity was evaluated by using a proxy-questionnaire “Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire˝ (NPAQ). Findings According to the dependent samples t test, significant differences were found in the FMS-polygon and all gymnastics skills before and after the 18-week gymnastics program. Increasing correlations were established over time between gymnastics skills and the FMS-polygon. Unorganized daily activity of children significantly correlated with their mastering of gymnastics skills and FMS. The presented findings confirm: (1) the thesis that basic artistic gymnastics skills and FMS could be developed simultaneously, (2) the theory of positive transfer of similar skills between FMS and artistic gymnastic skills. Conclusion Mastering basic artistic gymnastics skills will provoke improvement of FMS and finally become a prerequisite for successful introduction of learning more complex gymnastics skills. The obtained results imply that an increase of children’s unorganized daily activities can improve the mastering of basic gymnastics skills and simultaneously the development of FMS. PMID:25535529

Value of fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery training in a fourth-year medical school advanced surgical skills elective.

PubMed

Edelman, David A; Mattos, Mark A; Bouwman, David L

2012-10-01

Few data are available describing the benefits of initiating fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) training during medical school. We hypothesized that an intense 1-month surgical skills elective that included FLS task training for fourth-year medical students (MS4s) would result in performance levels indistinguishable from graduating chief residents (PGY5) who had received clinical skill training and access to self-guided FLS curriculum. From July 2007 through June 2011, 114 MS4s participated in a 1-month advanced surgical skills elective. The curriculum for the elective included cadaver dissections, patient management presentations, and surgical skill training (open surgical skills and basic laparoscopic skills modules performed on FLS trainers and virtual reality laparoscopic simulators). From June 2009 through June 2011, 21 PGY5s graduated who had never received formalized FLS skills training. These residents were tested on FLS by a certified proctor and the results recorded. The performance outcome measure was task completion time. Unpaired Student's t-test was used to compare the performance measures for each group. All PGY5s achieved FLS certification on their first attempt and completed enough cases for graduation. The MS4 group showed significantly better performance than the PGY5 group in the peg transfer and circle cut (P < 0.05). No difference was seen in the knot tying tasks between the two groups (P > 0.05) Incorporating FLS training into a 1 month-long medical school surgery elective enabled MS4s to achieve FLS performance similar to, or better than, the performance achieved by PGY5 surgery residents. We support the integration of FLS skills task training as a standard part of the skills training curriculum for medical students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computational Psychometrics for the Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills

PubMed Central

Polyak, Stephen T.; von Davier, Alina A.; Peterschmidt, Kurt

2017-01-01

This paper describes a psychometrically-based approach to the measurement of collaborative problem solving skills, by mining and classifying behavioral data both in real-time and in post-game analyses. The data were collected from a sample of middle school children who interacted with a game-like, online simulation of collaborative problem solving tasks. In this simulation, a user is required to collaborate with a virtual agent to solve a series of tasks within a first-person maze environment. The tasks were developed following the psychometric principles of Evidence Centered Design (ECD) and are aligned with the Holistic Framework developed by ACT. The analyses presented in this paper are an application of an emerging discipline called computational psychometrics which is growing out of traditional psychometrics and incorporates techniques from educational data mining, machine learning and other computer/cognitive science fields. In the real-time analysis, our aim was to start with limited knowledge of skill mastery, and then demonstrate a form of continuous Bayesian evidence tracing that updates sub-skill level probabilities as new conversation flow event evidence is presented. This is performed using Bayes' rule and conversation item conditional probability tables. The items are polytomous and each response option has been tagged with a skill at a performance level. In our post-game analysis, our goal was to discover unique gameplay profiles by performing a cluster analysis of user's sub-skill performance scores based on their patterns of selected dialog responses. PMID:29238314

Computational Psychometrics for the Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills.

PubMed

Polyak, Stephen T; von Davier, Alina A; Peterschmidt, Kurt

2017-01-01

This paper describes a psychometrically-based approach to the measurement of collaborative problem solving skills, by mining and classifying behavioral data both in real-time and in post-game analyses. The data were collected from a sample of middle school children who interacted with a game-like, online simulation of collaborative problem solving tasks. In this simulation, a user is required to collaborate with a virtual agent to solve a series of tasks within a first-person maze environment. The tasks were developed following the psychometric principles of Evidence Centered Design (ECD) and are aligned with the Holistic Framework developed by ACT. The analyses presented in this paper are an application of an emerging discipline called computational psychometrics which is growing out of traditional psychometrics and incorporates techniques from educational data mining, machine learning and other computer/cognitive science fields. In the real-time analysis, our aim was to start with limited knowledge of skill mastery, and then demonstrate a form of continuous Bayesian evidence tracing that updates sub-skill level probabilities as new conversation flow event evidence is presented. This is performed using Bayes' rule and conversation item conditional probability tables. The items are polytomous and each response option has been tagged with a skill at a performance level. In our post-game analysis, our goal was to discover unique gameplay profiles by performing a cluster analysis of user's sub-skill performance scores based on their patterns of selected dialog responses.

Through the Eyes of Nurse Managers in Long-Term Care: Identifying Perceived Competencies and Skills.

PubMed

Dever, Kathleen H

2018-05-01

Nurse managers (NMs) in long-term care supervise health care services for individuals with high acuity levels and numerous comorbidities. There is minimal research identifying NMs' skills and competencies as unit leaders within the long-term care environment. The current mixed-methods study identified NMs' leadership skills and competencies. Nineteen NMs with ≥5 years' long-term care management experience completed the Nurse Manager Inventory Tool and were individually interviewed. They rated their clinical skills at the competent level and their financial/strategic management skills at the novice level. All other skill categories, including leadership reflective practice, diversity, human resource leadership/management, relationship management, performance improvement, and problem solving, were rated at a competent level. Emergent interview qualitative themes included their visibility on the unit, trial and error learning, a sense of "aloneness" due to the absence of other RNs, NM position being a tough job, need for peer support, role modeling, and importance of supporting the resident through their "final journey." [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(5), 32-38.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Key performance outcomes of patient safety curricula: root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, and structured communications skills.

PubMed

Fassett, William E

2011-10-10

As colleges and schools of pharmacy develop core courses related to patient safety, course-level outcomes will need to include both knowledge and performance measures. Three key performance outcomes for patient safety coursework, measured at the course level, are the ability to perform root cause analyses and healthcare failure mode effects analyses, and the ability to generate effective safety communications using structured formats such as the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) situational briefing model. Each of these skills is widely used in patient safety work and competence in their use is essential for a pharmacist's ability to contribute as a member of a patient safety team.

Are recent graduates enough prepared to perform obstetric skills in their rural and compulsory year? A study from Ecuador.

PubMed

Sánchez Del Hierro, Galo; Remmen, Roy; Verhoeven, Veronique; Van Royen, Paul; Hendrickx, Kristin

2014-07-31

The aim of this study was to assess the possible mismatch of obstetrical skills between the training offered in Ecuadorian medical schools and the tasks required for compulsory rural service. Primary care, rural health centres in Southern Ecuador. A total of 92 recent graduated medical doctors during their compulsory rural year. A web-based survey was developed with 21 obstetrical skills. The questionnaire was sent to all rural doctors who work in Loja province, Southern Ecuador, at the Ministry of Health (n=92). 'importance of skills in rural practice' with a five-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree; 5= strongly agree); and 'clerkship experience' using a nominal scale divided in five levels: level 1 (not seen, not performed) to level 5 (performed 10 times or more). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) was used to observe associations. A negative correlation was found in the skills: 'episiotomy and repair', 'umbilical vein catheterisation', 'speculum examination', 'evaluation of cervical dilation during active labour', 'neonatal resuscitation' and 'vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery'. For instance 'Episiotomy and repair' is important (strongly agree and agree) to 100% of respondents, but in practice, only 38.9% of rural doctors performed the task three times and 8.3% only once during the internship, similar pattern is seen in the others. In this study we have noted the gap between the medical needs of populations in rural areas and training provided during the clerkship experiences of physicians during their rural service year. It is imperative to ensure that rural doctors are appropriately trained and skilled in the performance of routine obstetrical duties. This will help to decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality in rural Ecuador. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Are recent graduates enough prepared to perform obstetric skills in their rural and compulsory year? A study from Ecuador

PubMed Central

Sánchez del Hierro, Galo; Remmen, Roy; Verhoeven, Veronique; Van Royen, Paul; Hendrickx, Kristin

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the possible mismatch of obstetrical skills between the training offered in Ecuadorian medical schools and the tasks required for compulsory rural service. Setting Primary care, rural health centres in Southern Ecuador. Participants A total of 92 recent graduated medical doctors during their compulsory rural year. Primary and secondary outcomes measures A web-based survey was developed with 21 obstetrical skills. The questionnaire was sent to all rural doctors who work in Loja province, Southern Ecuador, at the Ministry of Health (n=92). We measured two categories ‘importance of skills in rural practice’ with a five-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree; 5= strongly agree); and ‘clerkship experience’ using a nominal scale divided in five levels: level 1 (not seen, not performed) to level 5 (performed 10 times or more). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) was used to observe associations. Results A negative correlation was found in the skills: ‘episiotomy and repair’, ‘umbilical vein catheterisation’, ‘speculum examination’, ‘evaluation of cervical dilation during active labour’, ‘neonatal resuscitation’ and ‘vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery’. For instance ‘Episiotomy and repair’ is important (strongly agree and agree) to 100% of respondents, but in practice, only 38.9% of rural doctors performed the task three times and 8.3% only once during the internship, similar pattern is seen in the others. Conclusions In this study we have noted the gap between the medical needs of populations in rural areas and training provided during the clerkship experiences of physicians during their rural service year. It is imperative to ensure that rural doctors are appropriately trained and skilled in the performance of routine obstetrical duties. This will help to decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality in rural Ecuador. PMID:25082424

Development and validation of trauma surgical skills metrics: Preliminary assessment of performance after training.

PubMed

Shackelford, Stacy; Garofalo, Evan; Shalin, Valerie; Pugh, Kristy; Chen, Hegang; Pasley, Jason; Sarani, Babak; Henry, Sharon; Bowyer, Mark; Mackenzie, Colin F

2015-07-01

Maintaining trauma-specific surgical skills is an ongoing challenge for surgical training programs. An objective assessment of surgical skills is needed. We hypothesized that a validated surgical performance assessment tool could detect differences following a training intervention. We developed surgical performance assessment metrics based on discussion with expert trauma surgeons, video review of 10 experts and 10 novice surgeons performing three vascular exposure procedures and lower extremity fasciotomy on cadavers, and validated the metrics with interrater reliability testing by five reviewers blinded to level of expertise and a consensus conference. We tested these performance metrics in 12 surgical residents (Year 3-7) before and 2 weeks after vascular exposure skills training in the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET) course. Performance was assessed in three areas as follows: knowledge (anatomic, management), procedure steps, and technical skills. Time to completion of procedures was recorded, and these metrics were combined into a single performance score, the Trauma Readiness Index (TRI). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test compared pretraining/posttraining effects. Mean time to complete procedures decreased by 4.3 minutes (from 13.4 minutes to 9.1 minutes). The performance component most improved by the 1-day skills training was procedure steps, completion of which increased by 21%. Technical skill scores improved by 12%. Overall knowledge improved by 3%, with 18% improvement in anatomic knowledge. TRI increased significantly from 50% to 64% with ASSET training. Interrater reliability of the surgical performance assessment metrics was validated with single intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.7 to 0.98. A trauma-relevant surgical performance assessment detected improvements in specific procedure steps and anatomic knowledge taught during a 1-day course, quantified by the TRI. ASSET training reduced time to complete vascular control by one third. Future applications include assessing specific skills in a larger surgeon cohort, assessing military surgical readiness, and quantifying skill degradation with time since training.

Evaluation of graduate nursing students' information literacy self-efficacy and applied skills.

PubMed

Robertson, D Susie; Felicilda-Reynaldo, Rhea Faye D

2015-03-01

Maintaining evidence-based nursing practice requires information literacy (IL) skills that should be established prior to completing an undergraduate nursing degree. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, this cross-sectional descriptive correlational study assessed the perceived and applied IL skills of graduate nursing students from two family nurse practitioner (FNP) programs in the midwestern United States. Results showed that although the 26 newly admitted FNP students demonstrated a high level of confidence in their IL skills, the students did not perform well in the actual IL skills test. According to Bandura, the students' confidence in their IL knowledge should allow students to be engaged in course activities requiring IL skills. Nurse educators teaching in undergraduate or graduate programs are in key positions to incorporate IL experiences into class activities to allow for skill assessment and further practice. Further research is needed on nursing students' IL self-efficacy and performance. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Basic and Advanced Numerical Performances Relate to Mathematical Expertise but Are Fully Mediated by Visuospatial Skills

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of basic numerical processing in the acquisition of numerical and mathematical competences. However, it is debated whether high-level numerical skills and mathematics depends specifically on basic numerical representations. In this study mathematicians and nonmathematicians performed a basic number line task, which required mapping positive and negative numbers on a physical horizontal line, and has been shown to correlate with more advanced numerical abilities and mathematical achievement. We found that mathematicians were more accurate compared with nonmathematicians when mapping positive, but not negative numbers, which are considered numerical primitives and cultural artifacts, respectively. Moreover, performance on positive number mapping could predict whether one is a mathematician or not, and was mediated by more advanced mathematical skills. This finding might suggest a link between basic and advanced mathematical skills. However, when we included visuospatial skills, as measured by block design subtest, the mediation analysis revealed that the relation between the performance in the number line task and the group membership was explained by non-numerical visuospatial skills. These results demonstrate that relation between basic, even specific, numerical skills and advanced mathematical achievement can be artifactual and explained by visuospatial processing. PMID:26913930

Performance Appraisal of College-Level Learners Using Smart Boards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riyaz, Reeja

2010-01-01

This article reports on the evaluation of the use of Smart Boards in learning and teaching second-language writing skills. Results showed that the use of Smart Boards in learning and teaching improved students' second-language skills.

Identifying the Knowledge, Skills, and Values Needed to Perform Entry-Level Child Welfare Work in Utah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topuzova, Lazarina N.

2009-01-01

Because child welfare workers serve the most vulnerable children and families, it is necessary that they have sufficient knowledge, skills, and values (competencies) to provide quality services. This study focuses on competencies that the Division of Child and Family Services, Utah (DCFS) views as essential for entry-level child welfare work, and…

Contributions of Morphological Awareness Skills to Word-Level Reading and Spelling in First-Grade Children with and without Speech Sound Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apel, Kenn; Lawrence, Jessika

2011-01-01

Purpose: In this study, the authors compared the morphological awareness abilities of children with speech sound disorder (SSD) and children with typical speech skills and examined how morphological awareness ability predicted word-level reading and spelling performance above other known contributors to literacy development. Method: Eighty-eight…

Spatial transformation abilities and their relation to later mathematics performance.

PubMed

Frick, Andrea

2018-04-10

Using a longitudinal approach, this study investigated the relational structure of different spatial transformation skills at kindergarten age, and how these spatial skills relate to children's later mathematics performance. Children were tested at three time points, in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade (N = 119). Exploratory factor analyses revealed two subcomponents of spatial transformation skills: one representing egocentric transformations (mental rotation and spatial scaling), and one representing allocentric transformations (e.g., cross-sectioning, perspective taking). Structural equation modeling suggested that egocentric transformation skills showed their strongest relation to the part of the mathematics test tapping arithmetic operations, whereas allocentric transformations were strongly related to Numeric-Logical and Spatial Functions as well as geometry. The present findings point to a tight connection between early mental transformation skills, particularly the ones requiring a high level of spatial flexibility and a strong sense for spatial magnitudes, and children's mathematics performance at the beginning of their school career.

Effects of Two Instructional Approaches on Skill Development, Knowledge, and Game Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Tony; Hawkins, Andrew; Wiegand, Robert; Metzler, Jonathan N.

2008-01-01

Two instructional approaches that have been of interest in promoting sport have been the Sport Education Model (SEM) and the Traditional Style (TS) of teaching physical education. The purpose of this study was to investigate how SEM and TS would affect skill development, knowledge, and game performance for volleyball at the secondary level. A 2 x…

The Effects of a Flipped Classroom Approach on Class Engagement and Skill Performance in a Blackboard Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elmaadaway, Mohamed Ali Nagy

2018-01-01

This paper reports on a study that investigated whether a flipped classroom approach enhanced perceptions of levels of engagement and skill performance among students enrolled in a Blackboard course at a Saudi university. Fifty-eight participants were divided into control and experimental groups, which were taught using a traditional and a flipped…

U.S. Coast Guard Officer Performance Management System: An Analysis of Current Commitment Levels and Potential Effectiveness Indicators.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

dons separately by Ivancevich (Ref. 23], and Latham [Ref. 24], indicate tha- these skills(performance measurement anr communication skills) are best...56, p. 295-247,254, 1977 ... . 22. Argyris,C. and Schon,D.A., Oranizaticnal Learning: a Wes ey, 7-11 1Pe 23. Ivancevich ,J.M., "A Longitudinal Study of

Children's Basketball Performance with Regulation and Junior-Sized Basketballs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haywood, Kathleen M.

The smaller size and lower strength level of children may indicate that adaptations of sport-type games, such as basketball, are necessary to maximize skill performance. Children between the ages of 9.0 and 12.7 years were given two subtests of the Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Skills Test, the Speed Pass and Front Shot.…

The Effects of Mind Mapping with Cooperative Learning on Programming Performance, Problem Solving Skill and Metacognitive Knowledge among Computer Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Mohd Nasir; Ngah, Nor Azilah; Umar, Irfan Naufal

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of mind mapping with cooperative learning (MMCL) and cooperative learning (CL) on: (a) programming performance; (b) problem solving skill; and (c) metacognitive knowledge among computer science students in Malaysia. The moderating variable is the students' logical thinking level with two…

Initial Training and Skill Remediation Materials for Performance-Based Assessment Technology at the Precommissioning Level

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

PRECOMMISSIONING LEVEL LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT TECHNICAL AREA j~~t SIECP NOV 30 1983 U.S.ARMYRESERCHISTIUTEO STAThMEN EAVOA dSCILCENS 14’ 4..3...different fro Repo") 1IL SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEMY WORDS (Cmntii’uen reyes old@ I n.eeemsa mul Idefltl by block nmbei~r) Army ROTC Management skills...performed by personnel from the Leadership and Management Technical Area under Army Project 2Q- 263731A792, in response to special requirements of the

Self-regulated learning and academic performance in medical education.

PubMed

Lucieer, Susanna M; Jonker, Laura; Visscher, Chris; Rikers, Remy M J P; Themmen, Axel P N

2016-06-01

Medical schools aim to graduate medical doctors who are able to self-regulate their learning. It is therefore important to investigate whether medical students' self-regulated learning skills change during medical school. In addition, since these skills are expected to be helpful to learn more effectively, it is of interest to investigate whether these skills are related to academic performance. In a cross-sectional design, the Self-Regulation of Learning Self-Report Scale (SRL-SRS) was used to investigate the change in students' self-regulated learning skills. First and third-year students (N = 949, 81.7%) SRL-SRS scores were compared with ANOVA. The relation with academic performance was investigated with multinomial regression analysis. Only one of the six skills, reflection, significantly, but positively, changed during medical school. In addition, a small, but positive relation of monitoring, reflection, and effort with first-year GPA was found, while only effort was related to third-year GPA. The change in self-regulated learning skills is minor as only the level of reflection differs between the first and third year. In addition, the relation between self-regulated learning skills and academic performance is limited. Medical schools are therefore encouraged to re-examine the curriculum and methods they use to enhance their students' self-regulated learning skills. Future research is required to understand the limited impact on performance.

Effects of Higher and Lower Level Writing-To-Learn Assignments on Higher and Lower Level Examination Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevid, Jeffrey S.; Ambrose, Michael A.; Pyun, Yea Seul

2017-01-01

Our study examined whether brief writing-to-learn assignments linked to lower and higher levels in Bloom's taxonomy affected performance differentially on examination performance in assessing these skill levels. Using a quasi-random design, 91 undergraduate students in an introductory psychology class completed eight lower level and eight higher…

[Development and Testing of a Mastery Learning Program of Nursing Skills for Undergraduate Nursing Students].

PubMed

Park, SoMi; Hur, Hea Kung; Kim, Ki Kyong; Song, Hee Young

2017-08-01

This study was undertaken to develop and test a mastery learning program of nursing skills for undergraduate nursing students. In this methodological study, first, the preliminary draft of a mastery learning program to provide training for nursing skills was developed based on Bloom's framework for mastery learning. Second, to test the developed program, a single-blinded, nonequivalent control group nonsynchronized study was conducted on 50 senior nursing students in a University selected by convenient sampling. Thirteen students were assigned to a control group; 13, 12, and 13 of them were assigned to intravenous therapy, transfusion, and patient transfer groups, respectively. The achievement levels and performance scores of the selected nursing skills were measured before and after the completion of the program in all the groups. Lastly, the final program was confirmed based on the results of the program testing. Intravenous therapy, transfusion, and patient transfer were selected as essential nursing skills for the program based on the priorities rated by clinical instructors and staff nurses. The achievement levels of selected nursing skills were determined by Angoff scores. After participating in the program, the proportion of passers and performance scores of the nursing skills in the experimental groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. The final program was confirmed which included a diagnostic test, enrichment activities for the passers and three repetitions of corrective activities and formative assessments for non-passers. The results suggest that a mastery learning program for undergraduate students can lead to better improvement and performance of essential nursing skills. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Measuring awareness of financial skills: reliability and validity of a new measure.

PubMed

Cramer, K; Tuokko, H A; Mateer, C A; Hultsch, D F

2004-03-01

This paper examines the psychometric properties of a three-part (participant, informant, and performance) Measure for assessing Awareness of Financial Skills (MAFS). The MAFS was administered to 10 seniors with dementia and 25 well-functioning seniors, and their informants. Measures of cognitive functioning, social desirability, neuroticism, and perceived control were administered to each participant to allow for an assessment of validity. Internal consistency estimates for the participant and informant questionnaires were found to be 0.92 and 0.97, respectively. Convergent validity analysis indicated that performance on this measure was related to level of cognitive functioning, with higher level of unawareness associated with decreased cognitive ability. Discriminant validity analysis showed that performance on this measure was not related to social desirability or neuroticism. This study provides evidence that the MAFS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing awareness of financial skills in older adults.

Fine motor skills in children with rolandic epilepsy.

PubMed

Ayaz, Muhammed; Kara, Bülent; Soylu, Nusret; Ayaz, Ayşe Burcu

2013-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate fine motor skills in children with rolandic epilepsy (RE). The research included 44 children diagnosed with typical RE and 44 controls matched in terms of age, gender, and level of education. Fine motor skills were evaluated with the Purdue Pegboard Test, and intelligence was measured with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. After controlling for the effect of intelligence on fine motor skills, the results showed that the children with RE did not perform as well as the controls in the PPT dominant hand, both hands, and assembly subtests. Epileptic focus, treatment status, type of antiepileptic treatment, age at the time of the first seizure, time since the last seizure, and total number of seizures did not affect motor skills. Rolandic epilepsy negatively affected fine motor skills regardless of the children's level of intelligence. © 2013.

An interview study of how clinical teachers develop skills to attend to different level learners.

PubMed

Chen, H Carrie; Fogh, Shannon; Kobashi, Brent; Teherani, Arianne; Ten Cate, Olle; O'Sullivan, Patricia

2016-06-01

One clinical teaching challenge is the engagement of learners at different levels. Faculty development offerings mostly address general strategies applicable to all learners. This study examined how clinical faculty members develop the skills to work with different level learners. We conducted semi-structured interviews with medical school faculty members identified as excellent clinical teachers teaching multiple levels of learners. They discussed how they developed their approach to teaching different level learners and how their teaching evolved over time. We performed thematic analysis of the interview transcripts using open and axial coding. We interviewed 19 faculty members and identified three themes related to development of teaching practices: teacher agency and work-based learning of teaching strategies, developmental trajectory of clinical teachers, and interplay between clinical confidence and teaching skills. Faculty members were proactive in using on-the-job experiences to develop their teaching practices. Their teaching practices followed a developmental trajectory towards learner centeredness, and this evolution was associated with the development of clinical skills and confidence. Learning skills to teach multi-level learners requires workplace learning. Faculty development should include workplace learning opportunities and use a developmental approach that accounts for the trajectory of teaching as well as clinical skills attainment.

The relationship between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Livesey, D; Lum Mow, M; Toshack, T; Zheng, Y

2011-07-01

Poor motor skills have been associated with peer relationship difficulties, with lower peer preference and greater likelihood of suffering from withdrawal and low self-worth. Most research into these relationships has focused upon children with motor problems and on activities involving physical skills (play/sport). The current study examined the link between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children in both physical and non-physical (schoolwork) settings using a community sample. Participants were 192 school children whose motor performance was tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Peer acceptance was assessed using the Peer Rating Scale and teachers completed the Peer Exclusion subscale of the Child Behaviour Scale to indicate each child's peer status. Children were also asked to indicate their level of physical activity and their perceived freedom in leisure using self-report questionnaires. Children with poor motor performance had lower levels of physical activity, and freedom in leisure and were less preferred by their peers in both play and classroom settings. These effects were stronger for boys than for girls. Teacher indicated that children with poorer motor skills experienced higher levels of peer rejection in the classroom setting. When motor performance was separated into fine- and gross-motor performance it was found that only the latter was significantly correlated with peer acceptance in the play context but that fine-motor skills contributed significantly to variance in teacher ratings of peer exclusion in the classroom setting. The results support and extend earlier findings that children with poor motor performance are less accepted by their peers in play settings and provide some support for this extending to settings involving low levels of physical activity (classroom settings). The results similarly support previous findings that motor performance is associated with perceived freedom in leisure and with the likelihood of participating in active pursuits. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

76 FR 64949 - Notice of the Award of a Single-Source Grant to The WorkPlace, Inc., in Bridgeport, CT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-19

.... The city of Bridgeport, CT, faces high levels of unemployment. The WorkPlace, Inc., proposes working... life skills training, supportive services, and occupational skills training. If performance by the...

Effect of Cycling Skills on Bicycle Safety and Comfort Associated with Bicycle Infrastructure and Environment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-31

This study seeks to improve the methodology for determining the relationship between cycling dynamic performance and roadway environment characteristics across different bicyclists' skill levels. To achieve the goal of this study, an Instrumented Pro...

Teachers' Conceptualization and Actual Practice in the Student Evaluation Process at the Upper Secondary School Level in Japan, Focusing on Problem Solving Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wai, Nu Nu; Hirakawa, Yukiko

2001-01-01

Studied the participation and performance of upper secondary school teachers in Japan through surveys completed by 360 Geography teachers. Findings suggest that the importance of developing problem-solving skills is widely recognized among these teachers. Implementing training in such skills is much more difficult. Developing effective teaching…

Readability and Item Difficulty of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Fifth-Grade Science Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Conn; Carpenter, Clint

2008-01-01

The development of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test involves input from educators across the state. The development process attempts to create an assessment that reflects the skills and content understanding of students at the tested grade level. This study attempts to determine other factors that can affect student performance on…

The Relationship between Higher Order Thinking Skills and Academic Performance of Student in Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanujaya, Benidiktus; Mumu, Jeinne; Margono, Gaguk

2017-01-01

Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is one of important aspects in education. Students with high level of higher order thinking skills tend to be more successful. However, do this phenomenon also happen in the learning of Mathematics? To answer this question, this research aims to study the relationship between HOTS and students' academic…

An Internal Construct Validation Study of the "Iowa Tests of Basic Skills" (Level 12, Form G) Reading Comprehension Test Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Kyle; Duncan, Ann

An assessment analysis was performed to determine whether sets of items designed to measure three different subskills of reading comprehension of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBSs) did, in fact, distinguish among these subskills. The three major skills objectives were: (1) facts; (2) generalizations; and (3) inferences. Data from…

Understanding Earnings Inequality in Appalachia: Skill Upgrading versus Rising Returns to Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, 2007

2007-01-01

The Appalachian region is one of the most persistently poor areas of the United States. A focal explanation for the weak economic performance over the years is the fact that Appalachia has long lagged behind other regions in terms of the supply of skilled workers, particularly those with higher levels of education attainment, and this lack of…

The Impact of Moderate and High Intensity Total Body Fatigue on Passing Accuracy in Expert and Novice Basketball Players

PubMed Central

Lyons, Mark; Al-Nakeeb, Yahya; Nevill, Alan

2006-01-01

Despite the acknowledged importance of fatigue on performance in sport, ecologically sound studies investigating fatigue and its effects on sport-specific skills are surprisingly rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of moderate and high intensity total body fatigue on passing accuracy in expert and novice basketball players. Ten novice basketball players (age: 23.30 ± 1.05 yrs) and ten expert basketball players (age: 22.50 ± 0.41 yrs) volunteered to participate in the study. Both groups performed the modified AAHPERD Basketball Passing Test under three different testing conditions: rest, moderate intensity and high intensity total body fatigue. Fatigue intensity was established using a percentage of the maximal number of squat thrusts performed by the participant in one minute. ANOVA with repeated measures revealed a significant (F 2,36 = 5.252, p = 0.01) level of fatigue by level of skill interaction. On examination of the mean scores it is clear that following high intensity total body fatigue there is a significant detriment in the passing performance of both novice and expert basketball players when compared to their resting scores. Fundamentally however, the detrimental impact of fatigue on passing performance is not as steep in the expert players compared to the novice players. The results suggest that expert or skilled players are better able to cope with both moderate and high intensity fatigue conditions and maintain a higher level of performance when compared to novice players. The findings of this research therefore, suggest the need for trainers and conditioning coaches in basketball to include moderate, but particularly high intensity exercise into their skills sessions. This specific training may enable players at all levels of the game to better cope with the demands of the game on court and maintain a higher standard of play. Key Points Aim: to investigate the effect of moderate and high intensity total body fatigue on basketball-passing accuracy in expert and novice basketball players. Fatigue intensity was set as a percentage of the maximal number of squat thrusts performed by the participant in one minute. ANOVA with repeated measures revealed a significant level of fatigue by level of skill interaction. Despite a significant detriment in passing-performance in both novice and expert players following high intensity total body fatigue, this detriment was not as steep in the expert players when compared to the novice players PMID:24259994

Laparoscopic skills maintenance: a randomized trial of virtual reality and box trainer simulators.

PubMed

Khan, Montaha W; Lin, Diwei; Marlow, Nicholas; Altree, Meryl; Babidge, Wendy; Field, John; Hewett, Peter; Maddern, Guy

2014-01-01

A number of simulators have been developed to teach surgical trainees the basic skills required to effectively perform laparoscopic surgery; however, consideration needs to be given to how well the skills taught by these simulators are maintained over time. This study compared the maintenance of laparoscopic skills learned using box trainer and virtual reality simulators. Participants were randomly allocated to be trained and assessed using either the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) simulator or the Surgical Science virtual reality simulator. Once participants achieved a predetermined level of proficiency, they were assessed 1, 3, and 6 months later. At each assessment, participants were given 2 practice attempts and assessed on their third attempt. The study was conducted through the Simulated Surgical Skills Program that was held at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Adelaide, Australia. Overall, 26 participants (13 per group) completed the training and all follow-up assessments. There were no significant differences between simulation-trained cohorts for age, gender, training level, and the number of surgeries previously performed, observed, or assisted. Scores for the FLS-trained participants did not significantly change over the follow-up period. Scores for LapSim-trained participants significantly deteriorated at the first 2 follow-up points (1 and 3 months) (p < 0.050), but returned to be near initial levels by the final follow-up (6 months). This research showed that basic laparoscopic skills learned using the FLS simulator were maintained more consistently than those learned on the LapSim simulator. However, by the final follow-up, both simulator-trained cohorts had skill levels that were not significantly different to those at proficiency after the initial training period. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contextual information influences diagnosis accuracy and decision making in simulated emergency medicine emergencies.

PubMed

McRobert, Allistair Paul; Causer, Joe; Vassiliadis, John; Watterson, Leonie; Kwan, James; Williams, Mark A

2013-06-01

It is well documented that adaptations in cognitive processes with increasing skill levels support decision making in multiple domains. We examined skill-based differences in cognitive processes in emergency medicine physicians, and whether performance was significantly influenced by the removal of contextual information related to a patient's medical history. Skilled (n=9) and less skilled (n=9) emergency medicine physicians responded to high-fidelity simulated scenarios under high- and low-context information conditions. Skilled physicians demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy irrespective of condition, and were less affected by the removal of context-specific information compared with less skilled physicians. The skilled physicians generated more options, and selected better quality options during diagnostic reasoning compared with less skilled counterparts. These cognitive processes were active irrespective of the level of context-specific information presented, although high-context information enhanced understanding of the patients' symptoms resulting in higher diagnostic accuracy. Our findings have implications for scenario design and the manipulation of contextual information during simulation training.

The Influence of Motor Skills on Measurement Accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brychta, Petr; Sadílek, Marek; Brychta, Josef

2016-10-01

This innovative study trying to do interdisciplinary interface at first view different ways fields: kinantropology and mechanical engineering. A motor skill is described as an action which involves the movement of muscles in a body. Gross motor skills permit functions as a running, jumping, walking, punching, lifting and throwing a ball, maintaining a body balance, coordinating etc. Fine motor skills captures smaller neuromuscular actions, such as holding an object between the thumb and a finger. In mechanical inspection, the accuracy of measurement is most important aspect. The accuracy of measurement to some extent is also dependent upon the sense of sight or sense of touch associated with fine motor skills. It is therefore clear that the level of motor skills will affect the precision and accuracy of measurement in metrology. Aim of this study is literature review to find out fine motor skills level of individuals and determine the potential effect of different fine motor skill performance on precision and accuracy of mechanical engineering measuring.

A controlled comparison of the effects of social skills training and remedial drama on the conversational skills of chronic schizophrenic inpatients.

PubMed

Spencer, P G; Gillespie, C R; Ekisa, E G

1983-08-01

This study compared the effects of social-skills training, remedial drama and group discussion on the conversation skills of chronic schizophrenic patients. After 16 one-hour treatment sessions only the social-skills training resulted in significant improvement, which was maintained at two-month follow-up. Although there was little evidence to support generalisation, the results are seen as indicating the usefulness of social-skills training in improving the performance level of chronic schizophrenic inpatients and in maintaining their social functioning. The implications for future rehabilitation practice are discussed.

Acquisition and performance of a problem-solving skill.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, B. B., Jr.; Alluisi, E. A.

1971-01-01

The acquisition of skill in the performance of a three-phase code transformation task (3P-COTRAN) was studied with 20 subjects who solved 27 3P-COTRAN problems during each of 8 successive sessions. The purpose of the study was to determine the changes in the 3P-COTRAN factor structure resulting from practice, the distribution of practice-related gains in performance over the nine measures of the five 3P-COTRAN factors, and the effects of transformation complexities on the 3P-COTRAN performance of subjects. A significant performance gain due to practice was observed, with improvements in speed continuing even when accuracy reached asymptotic levels. Transformation complexity showed no effect on early performances but the 3- and 4-element transformations were solved quicker than the 5-element transformation in the problem-solving Phase III of later skilled performances.

Individual Differences in Motor Timing and Its Relation to Cognitive and Fine Motor Skills

PubMed Central

Lorås, Håvard; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Öhberg, Fredrik; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between individual differences in timing movements at the level of milliseconds and performance on selected cognitive and fine motor skills. For this purpose, young adult participants (N = 100) performed a repetitive movement task paced by an auditory metronome at different rates. Psychometric measures included the digit-span and symbol search subtasks from the Wechsler battery as well as the Raven SPM. Fine motor skills were assessed with the Purdue Pegboard test. Motor timing performance was significantly related (mean r = .3) to cognitive measures, and explained both unique and shared variance with information-processing speed of Raven's scores. No significant relations were found between motor timing measures and fine motor skills. These results show that individual differences in cognitive and motor timing performance is to some extent dependent upon shared processing not associated with individual differences in manual dexterity. PMID:23874952

Individual differences in motor timing and its relation to cognitive and fine motor skills.

PubMed

Lorås, Håvard; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Öhberg, Fredrik; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between individual differences in timing movements at the level of milliseconds and performance on selected cognitive and fine motor skills. For this purpose, young adult participants (N = 100) performed a repetitive movement task paced by an auditory metronome at different rates. Psychometric measures included the digit-span and symbol search subtasks from the Wechsler battery as well as the Raven SPM. Fine motor skills were assessed with the Purdue Pegboard test. Motor timing performance was significantly related (mean r = .3) to cognitive measures, and explained both unique and shared variance with information-processing speed of Raven's scores. No significant relations were found between motor timing measures and fine motor skills. These results show that individual differences in cognitive and motor timing performance is to some extent dependent upon shared processing not associated with individual differences in manual dexterity.

Evaluation of health workforce competence in maternal and neonatal issues in public health sector of Pakistan: an Assessment of their training needs.

PubMed

Ariff, Shabina; Soofi, Sajid B; Sadiq, Kamran; Feroze, Asher B; Khan, Shuaib; Jafarey, Sadiqua N; Ali, Nabeela; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2010-11-27

More than 450 newborns die every hour worldwide, before they reach the age of four weeks (neonatal period) and over 500,000 women die from complications related to childbirth. The major direct causes of neonatal death are infections (36%), Prematurity (28%) and Asphyxia (23%). Pakistan has one of the highest perinatal and neonatal mortality rates in the region and contributes significantly to global neonatal mortality. The high mortality rates are partially attributable to scarcity of trained skilled birth attendants and paucity of resources. Empowerment of health care providers with adequate knowledge and skills can serve as instrument of change. We carried out training needs assessment analysis in the public health sector of Pakistan to recognize gaps in the processes and quality of MNCH care provided. An assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Health Care Providers on key aspects was evaluated through a standardized pragmatic approach. Meticulously designed tools were tested on three tiers of health care personnel providing MNCH in the community and across the public health care system. The Lady Health Workers (LHWs) form the first tier of trained cadre that provides MNCH at primary care level (BHU) and in the community. The Lady Health Visitor (LHVs), Nurses, midwives) cadre follow next and provide facility based MNCH care at secondary and tertiary level (RHCs, Taluka/Tehsil, and DHQ Hospitals). The physician/doctor is the specialized cadre that forms the third tier of health care providers positioned in secondary and tertiary care hospitals (Taluka/Tehsil and DHQ Hospitals). The evaluation tools were designed to provide quantitative estimates across various domains of knowledge and skills. A priori thresholds were established for performance rating. The performance of LHWs in knowledge of MNCH was good with 30% scoring more than 70%. The Medical officers (MOs), in comparison, performed poorly in their knowledge of MNCH with only 6% scoring more than 70%. All three cadres of health care providers performed poorly in the resuscitation skill and only 50% were able to demonstrate steps of immediate newborn care. The MOs performed far better in counselling skills compare to the LHWs. Only 50 per cent of LHWs could secure competency scale in this critical component of skills assessment. All three cadres of health care providers performed well below competency levels for MNCH knowledge and skills. Standardized training and counselling modules, tailored to the needs and resources at district level need to be developed and implemented. This evaluation highlighted the need for periodic assessment of health worker training and skills to address gaps and develop targeted continuing education modules. To achieve MDG4 and 5 goals, it is imperative that such deficiencies are identified and addressed.

Academic performance and self-regulatory skills in elite youth soccer players.

PubMed

Jonker, Laura; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Toering, Tynke T; Lyons, James; Visscher, Chris

2010-12-01

Although elite athletes have been reported to be high academic achievers, many elite soccer players struggle with a stereotype of being low academic achievers. The purpose of this study was to compare the academic level (pre-university or pre-vocational) and self-regulatory skills (planning, self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection, effort, and self-efficacy) of elite youth soccer players aged 12-16 years (n = 128) with those of 164 age-matched controls (typical students). The results demonstrate that the elite youth soccer players are more often enrolled in the pre-university academic system, which means that they are high academic achievers, compared with the typical student. The elite players also report an increased use of self-regulatory skills, in particular self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection, and effort. In addition, control students in the pre-university system had more highly developed self-regulatory skills than those in the pre-vocational system, whereas no difference was observed within the soccer population. This suggests that the relatively stronger self-regulatory skills reported by the elite youth soccer players may be essential for performance at the highest levels of sport competition and in academia.

Instruction dialogues: Teaching new skills to a robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crangle, Colleen; Suppes, P.

1989-01-01

Extended dialogues between a human user and a robot system are presented. The purpose of each dialogue is to teach the robot a new skill or to improve the performance of a skill it already has. The particular interest is in natural language dialogues but the illustrated techniques can be applied to any high level language. The primary purpose is to show how verbal instruction can be integrated with the robot's autonomous learning of a skill.

Critical Thinking Skills of U.S. Air Force Senior and Intermediate Developmental Education Students

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-16

SAASS), and Air War College (AWC). T-tests indicated no statistically significant difference in the CT skills of the sample of ACSC and AWC students...hypothesis that there was no statistically significant difference in the CT skills of IDE and SDE students. SAASS, as a more selective advanced studies...potential to develop CT skills, concluding, “students in the experimental group performed at a statistically significantly higher level than students in

Impact of tailored feedback in assessment of communication skills for medical students.

PubMed

Uhm, Seilin; Lee, Gui H; Jin, Jeong K; Bak, Yong I; Jeoung, Yeon O; Kim, Chan W

2015-01-01

Finding out the effective ways of teaching and assessing communication skills remain a challenging part of medication education. This study aims at exploring the usefulness and effectiveness of having additional feedback using qualitative analysis in assessment of communication skills in undergraduate medical training. We also determined the possibilities of using qualitative analysis in developing tailored strategies for improvement in communication skills training. This study was carried out on medical students (n=87) undergoing their final year clinical performance examination on communication skills using standardized patient by video-recording and transcribing their performances. Video-recordings of 26 students were randomly selected for qualitative analysis, and additional feedback was provided. We assessed the level of acceptance of communication skills scores between the study and nonstudy group and within the study group, before and after receiving feedback based on qualitative analysis. There was a statistically significant increase in the level of acceptance of feedback after delivering additional feedback using qualitative analysis, where the percentage of agreement with feedback increased from 15.4 to 80.8% (p<0.001). Incorporating feedback based on qualitative analysis for communication skills assessment gives essential information for medical students to learn and self-reflect, which could potentially lead to improved communication skills. As evident from our study, feedback becomes more meaningful and effective with additional feedback using qualitative analysis.

Impact of tailored feedback in assessment of communication skills for medical students

PubMed Central

Uhm, Seilin; Lee, Gui H.; Jin, Jeong K.; Bak, Yong I.; Jeoung, Yeon O.; Kim, Chan W.

2015-01-01

Background Finding out the effective ways of teaching and assessing communication skills remain a challenging part of medication education. This study aims at exploring the usefulness and effectiveness of having additional feedback using qualitative analysis in assessment of communication skills in undergraduate medical training. We also determined the possibilities of using qualitative analysis in developing tailored strategies for improvement in communication skills training. Methods This study was carried out on medical students (n=87) undergoing their final year clinical performance examination on communication skills using standardized patient by video-recording and transcribing their performances. Video-recordings of 26 students were randomly selected for qualitative analysis, and additional feedback was provided. We assessed the level of acceptance of communication skills scores between the study and nonstudy group and within the study group, before and after receiving feedback based on qualitative analysis. Results There was a statistically significant increase in the level of acceptance of feedback after delivering additional feedback using qualitative analysis, where the percentage of agreement with feedback increased from 15.4 to 80.8% (p<0.001). Conclusions Incorporating feedback based on qualitative analysis for communication skills assessment gives essential information for medical students to learn and self-reflect, which could potentially lead to improved communication skills. As evident from our study, feedback becomes more meaningful and effective with additional feedback using qualitative analysis. PMID:26154864

Processes of Skill Performance: A Foundation for the Design and Use of Training Equipment

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

F. I. M., & Lockhart , R. S. Levels of processing : A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1972, 11. 671-784...knowledge regarding the basic processes , the kinds and levels of information to be sought in examining individual skills can be Identified. Analysis of...explaining what is involved In even the simple compass example would require analyses of cognitive processes that go far beyond the level of

Objective evaluation of minimally invasive surgical skills for transplantation. Surgeons using a virtual reality simulator.

PubMed

Dănilă, R; Gerdes, B; Ulrike, H; Domínguez Fernández, E; Hassan, I

2009-01-01

The learning curve in laparoscopic surgery may be associated with higher patient risk, which is unacceptable in the setting of kidney donation. Virtual reality simulators may increase the safety and efficiency of training in laparoscopic surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate if the results of a training session reflect the actual skill level of transplantation surgeons and whether the simulator could differentiate laparoscopic experienced transplantation surgeon from advanced trainees. 16 subjects were assigned to one of two groups: 5 experienced transplantation surgeon and 11 advanced residents, with only assistant role during transplantation. The level of performance was measured by a relative scoring system that combines single parameters assessed by the computer. The higher the level of transplantation experience of a participant, the higher the laparoscopic performance. Experienced transplantation surgeons showed statistically significant better scores than the advanced group for time and precision parameters. Our results show that performance of the various tasks on the simulator corresponds to the respective level of experience in transplantation surgery in our research groups. This study confirms construct validity for the LapSim. It thus measures relevant skills and can be integrated in an endoscopic training and assessment curriculum for transplantations surgeons.

Attempted establishment of proficiency levels for laparoscopic performance on a national scale using simulation: the results from the 2004 SAGES Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer-Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) learning center study.

PubMed

Van Sickle, K R; Ritter, E M; McClusky, D A; Lederman, A; Baghai, M; Gallagher, A G; Smith, C D

2007-01-01

The Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer-Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) has been well validated as a training device for laparoscopic skills. It has been demonstrated that training to a level of proficiency on the simulator significantly improves operating room performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The purpose of this project was to obtain a national standard of proficiency using the MIST-VR based on the performance of experienced laparoscopic surgeons. Surgeons attending the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 2004 Annual Scientific Meeting who had performed more than 100 laparoscopic procedures volunteered to participate. All the subjects completed a demographic questionnaire assessing laparoscopic and MIST-VR experience in the learning center of the SAGES 2004 meeting. Each subject performed two consecutive trials of the MIST-VR Core Skills 1 program at the medium setting. Each trial involved six basic tasks of increasing difficulty: acquire place (AP), transfer place (TP), traversal (TV), withdrawal insert (WI), diathermy task (DT), and manipulate diathermy (MD). Trial 1 was considered a "warm-up," and trial 2 functioned as the test trial proper. Subject performance was scored for time, errors, and economy of instrument movement for each task, and a cumulative total score was calculated. Trial 2 data are expressed as mean time in seconds in Table 2. Proficiency levels for laparoscopic skills have now been established on a national scale by experienced laparoscopic surgeons using the MIST-VR simulator. Residency programs, training centers, and practicing surgeons can now use these data as guidelines for performance criterion during MIST-VR skills training.

Basic practical skills teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education - a review on methodological evidence.

PubMed

Vogel, Daniela; Harendza, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Practical skills are an essential part of physicians' daily routine. Nevertheless, medical graduates' performance of basic skills is often below the expected level. This review aims to identify and summarize teaching approaches of basic practical skills in undergraduate medical education which provide evidence with respect to effective students' learning of these skills. Basic practical skills were defined as basic physical examination skills, routine skills which get better with practice, and skills which are also performed by nurses. We searched PubMed with different terms describing these basic practical skills. In total, 3467 identified publications were screened and 205 articles were eventually reviewed for eligibility. 43 studies that included at least one basic practical skill, a comparison of two groups of undergraduate medical students and effects on students' performance were analyzed. Seven basic practical skills and 15 different teaching methods could be identified. The most consistent results with respect to effective teaching and acquisition of basic practical skills were found for structured skills training, feedback, and self-directed learning. Simulation was effective with specific teaching methods and in several studies no differences in teaching effects were detected between expert or peer instructors. Multimedia instruction, when used in the right setting, also showed beneficial effects for basic practical skills learning. A combination of voluntary or obligatory self-study with multimedia applications like video clips in combination with a structured program including the possibility for individual exercise with personal feedback by peers or teachers might provide a good learning opportunity for basic practical skills.

Basic practical skills teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education – a review on methodological evidence

PubMed Central

Vogel, Daniela; Harendza, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Objective: Practical skills are an essential part of physicians’ daily routine. Nevertheless, medical graduates’ performance of basic skills is often below the expected level. This review aims to identify and summarize teaching approaches of basic practical skills in undergraduate medical education which provide evidence with respect to effective students’ learning of these skills. Methods: Basic practical skills were defined as basic physical examination skills, routine skills which get better with practice, and skills which are also performed by nurses. We searched PubMed with different terms describing these basic practical skills. In total, 3467 identified publications were screened and 205 articles were eventually reviewed for eligibility. Results: 43 studies that included at least one basic practical skill, a comparison of two groups of undergraduate medical students and effects on students’ performance were analyzed. Seven basic practical skills and 15 different teaching methods could be identified. The most consistent results with respect to effective teaching and acquisition of basic practical skills were found for structured skills training, feedback, and self-directed learning. Simulation was effective with specific teaching methods and in several studies no differences in teaching effects were detected between expert or peer instructors. Multimedia instruction, when used in the right setting, also showed beneficial effects for basic practical skills learning. Conclusion: A combination of voluntary or obligatory self-study with multimedia applications like video clips in combination with a structured program including the possibility for individual exercise with personal feedback by peers or teachers might provide a good learning opportunity for basic practical skills. PMID:27579364

Coordination as a function of skill level in the gymnastics longswing.

PubMed

Williams, Genevieve K R; Irwin, Gareth; Kerwin, David G; Hamill, Joseph; Van Emmerik, Richard E A; Newell, Karl M

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of inter-joint coordination at different levels of skilled performance to: (1) distinguish learners who were successful versus unsuccessful in terms of their task performance; (2) investigate the pathways of change during the learning of a new coordination pattern and (3) examine how the learner's coordination patterns relate to those of experts in the longswing gymnastics skill. Continuous relative phase of hip and shoulder joint motions was examined for longswings performed by two groups of novices, successful (n = 4) and unsuccessful (n = 4) over five practice sessions, and two expert gymnasts. Principal component analysis showed that during longswing positions where least continuous relative phase variability occurred for expert gymnasts, high variability distinguished the successful from the unsuccessful novice group. Continuous relative phase profiles of successful novices became more out-of-phase over practice and less similar to the closely in-phase coupling of the expert gymnasts. Collectively, the findings support the proposition that at the level in inter-joint coordination a technique emerges that facilitates successful performance but is not more like an expert's movement coordination. This finding questions the appropriateness of inferring development towards a "gold champion" movement coordination.

Which Specific Skills Developing during Preschool Years Predict the Reading Performance in the First and Second Grade of Primary School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Artemis M.; Vlachos, Filippos M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine if specific skills that are developed during preschool years could predict the reading performance in the first and second grade of primary school. Two hundred and eighty-seven children participated in this longitudinal study. At the kindergarten level, phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatised naming,…

The impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st century.

PubMed

Rosser, James C; Lynch, Paul J; Cuddihy, Laurie; Gentile, Douglas A; Klonsky, Jonathan; Merrell, Ronald

2007-02-01

Video games have become extensively integrated into popular culture. Anecdotal observations of young surgeons suggest that video game play contributes to performance excellence in laparoscopic surgery. Training benefits for surgeons who play video games should be quantifiable. There is a potential link between video game play and laparoscopic surgical skill and suturing. Cross-sectional analysis of the performance of surgical residents and attending physicians participating in the Rosser Top Gun Laparoscopic Skills and Suturing Program (Top Gun). Three different video game exercises were performed, and surveys were completed to assess past experience with video games and current level of play, and each subject's level of surgical training, number of laparoscopic cases performed, and number of years in medical practice. Academic medical center and surgical training program. Thirty-three residents and attending physicians participating in Top Gun from May 10 to August 24, 2002. The primary outcome measures were compared between participants' laparoscopic skills and suturing capability, video game scores, and video game experience. Past video game play in excess of 3 h/wk correlated with 37% fewer errors (P<.02) and 27% faster completion (P<.03). Overall Top Gun score (time and errors) was 33% better (P<.005) for video game players and 42% better (P<.01) if they played more than 3 h/wk. Current video game players made 32% fewer errors (P=.04), performed 24% faster (P<.04), and scored 26% better overall (time and errors) (P<.005) than their nonplaying colleagues. When comparing demonstrated video gaming skills, those in the top tertile made 47% fewer errors, performed 39% faster, and scored 41% better (P<.001 for all) on the overall Top Gun score. Regression analysis also indicated that video game skill and past video game experience are significant predictors of demonstrated laparoscopic skills. Video game skill correlates with laparoscopic surgical skills. Training curricula that include video games may help thin the technical interface between surgeons and screen-mediated applications, such as laparoscopic surgery. Video games may be a practical teaching tool to help train surgeons.

Steps for arm and trunk actions of overhead forehand stroke used in badminton games across skill levels.

PubMed

Wang, Jianyu; Liu, Wenhao; Moffit, Jeffrey

2009-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine arm and trunk actions in overhead forehand strokes used in badminton games across skill levels. The participants were 80 students (40 boys, 40 girls) who were randomly selected from video recordings of 300 students ages 16 to 19 years. The videotaped performances of overhead forehand strokes were coded based on three steps of arm action (elbow flexion, elbow and humeral flexion, and upward backswing) and three steps of trunk action (no trunk action, forward-backward movement, and trunk rotation). Students across the four skill levels exhibited different patterns of arm and trunk actions. Students at advanced levels used more mature arm and trunk actions.

Expert anticipatory skill in striking sports: a review and a model.

PubMed

Müller, Sean; Abernethy, Bruce

2012-06-01

Expert performers in striking sports can hit objects moving at high speed with incredible precision. Exceptionally well developed anticipation skills are necessary to cope with the severe constraints on interception. In this papr we provide a review of the empirical evidence regarding expert interception in striking sports and propose a preliminary model of expert anticipation. Central to the review and the model is the notion that the visual information used to guide the sequential phases of the striking action is systematically different between experts and nonexperts. Knowing the factors that contribute to expert anticipation, and how anticipation may guide skilled performance in striking sports, has practical implications for assessment and training across skill levels.

Attitude and skill levels of graduate health professionals in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation

PubMed Central

Gebreegziabher Gebremedhn, Endale; Berhe Gebregergs, Gebremedhn; Anderson, Bernard Bradley; Nagaratnam, Vidhya

2017-01-01

Background Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used to treat victims following cardiopulmonary arrest. Graduate health professionals at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital manage many trauma and critically ill patients. The chance of survival after cardiopulmonary arrest may be increased with sufficient attitude and skill levels. The study aimed to assess the attitude and skill levels of graduate health professionals in performing CPR. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 to 30, 2013, at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital. The mean attitude and skill scores were compared for sex, original residence, and department of the participants using Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (Scheffe’s test). P-values <0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Results Of the 506 graduates, 461 were included in this study with a response rate of 91.1%. The mean attitude scores of nurse, interns, health officer, midwifery, anesthesia, and psychiatric nursing graduates were 1.15 (standard deviation [SD] =1.67), 8.21 (SD =1.24), 7.2 (SD =1.49), 6.69 (SD =1.83), 8.19 (SD =1.77), and 7.29 (SD =2.01), respectively, and the mean skill scores were 2.34 (SD =1.95), 3.77 (SD =1.58), 1.18 (SD =1.52), 2.16 (SD =1.93), 3.88 (SD =1.36), and 1.21 (SD =1.77), respectively. Conclusion and recommendations Attitude and skill level of graduate health professionals with regard to CPR were insufficient. Training on CPR for graduate health professionals needs to be given emphasis. PMID:28123315

Characterizing the Learning Curve of the VBLaST-PT© (Virtual Basic Laparoscopic Skill Trainer)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Likun; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Arikatla, Venkata Sreekanth; Ahn, Woojin; Grosdemouge, Cristol; Rideout, Jesse M.; Epstein, Scott K.; De, Suvranu; Schwaitzberg, Steven D.; Jones, Daniel B.; Cao, Caroline G.L.

2013-01-01

Background and study aim Mastering laparoscopic surgical skills requires considerable time and effort. The Virtual Basic Laparoscopic Skill Trainer (VBLaST-PT©) is being developed as a computerized version of the peg transfer task of the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) system using virtual reality technology. We assessed the learning curve of trainees on the VBLaST-PT© using the cumulative summation (CUSUM) method and compared them with those on the FLS to establish convergent validity for the VBLaST-PT©. Methods Eighteen medical students from were assigned randomly to one of three groups: control, VBLaST-training and FLS-training. The VBLaST and the FLS groups performed a total of 150 trials of the peg-transfer task over a three week period, five days a week. Their CUSUM scores were computed based on pre-defined performance criteria (junior, intermediate and senior levels). Results Of the six subjects in the VBLaST-training group, five achieved at least the “junior” level, three achieved the “intermediate” level and one achieved the “senior” level of performance criterion by the end of the 150 trials. In comparison, for the FLS group, three students achieved the “senior” criterion and all six students achieved the “intermediate” and “junior” criteria by the 150th trials. Both the VBLaST-PT© and the FLS systems showed significant skill improvement and retention, albeit with system specificity as measured by transfer of learning in the retention test: The VBLaST-trained group performed better on the VBLaST-PT© than on FLS (p=0.003), while the FLS-trained group performed better on the FLS than on VBLaST-PT© (p=0.002). Conclusion We characterized the learning curve for a virtual peg transfer task on the VBLaST-PT© and compared it with the FLS using CUSUM analysis. Subjects in both training groups showed significant improvement in skill performance, but the transfer of training between systems was not significant. PMID:23572217

A multi-country perspective on nurses' tasks below their skill level: reports from domestically trained nurses and foreign trained nurses from developing countries.

PubMed

Bruyneel, Luk; Li, Baoyue; Aiken, Linda; Lesaffre, Emmanuel; Van den Heede, Koen; Sermeus, Walter

2013-02-01

Several studies have concluded that the use of nurses' time and energy is often not optimized. Given widespread migration of nurses from developing to developed countries, it is important for human resource planning to know whether nursing education in developing countries is associated with more exaggerated patterns of inefficiency. First, to describe nurses' reports on tasks below their skill level. Second, to examine the association between nurses' migratory status (domestically trained nurse or foreign trained nurse from a developing country) and reports on these tasks. The Registered Nurse Forecasting Study used a cross-sectional quantitative research design to gather data from 33,731 nurses (62% response rate) in 486 hospitals in Belgium, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. For this analysis, nurse-reported information on migratory status and tasks below their skill level performed during their last shift was used. Random effects models estimated the effect of nurses' migratory status on reports of these tasks. 832 nurses were trained in a developing country (2.5% of total sample). Across countries, a high proportion of both domestically trained and foreign trained nurses from developing countries reported having performed tasks below their skill level during their last shift. After adjusting for nurses' type of last shift worked, years of experience, and level of education, there remained a pronounced overall effect of being a foreign trained nurse from a developing country and an increase in reports of tasks below skill level performed during the last shift. The findings suggest that there remains much room for improvement to optimize the use of nurses' time and energy. Special attention should be given to raising the professional level of practice of foreign trained nurses from developing countries. Further research is needed to understand the influence of professional practice standards, skill levels of foreign trained nurses from developing countries and values attached to these tasks resulting from previous work experiences in their home countries. This will allow us to better understand the conditions under which foreign trained nurses from developing countries can optimally contribute to professional nursing practice in developed country contexts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Designing Transferable Skills Inventory for Assessing Students Using Group Discussion: A Case Study of First Year Electrical and Electronics Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tejaswani, K.; Madhuri, G. V.

2015-01-01

Employability skills among engineering graduates have been a concern due to their inability to perform on a professional platform to the employer's expected level. As they are higher cognitive skills, they are to be nurtured during the graduation period. Keeping this in view, group discussions are identified as one of the methods to elicit…

An Assessment of the Employability Skills Needed by Graduates in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, J. Shane; Garton, Bryan L.

2008-01-01

The purposes of this descriptive study were to assess graduates' perception of the importance and competence levels of performing identified transferable skills in the workplace and use the Borich (1980) needs assessment model to identify the skills most in need to enhance the curriculum. The findings revealed that solving problems, working…

[Examination of relationship between level of hearing and written language skills in 10-14-year-old hearing impaired children].

PubMed

Turğut, Nedim; Karlıdağ, Turgut; Başar, Figen; Yalçın, Şinasi; Kaygusuz, İrfan; Keleş, Erol; Birkent, Ömer Faruk

2015-01-01

This study aims to review the relationship between written language skills and factors which are thought to affect this skill such as mean hearing loss, duration of auditory deprivation, speech discrimination score, and pre-school education attendance and socioeconomic status of hearing impaired children who attend 4th-7th grades in primary school in inclusive environment. The study included 25 hearing impaired children (14 males, 11 females; mean age 11.4±1.4 years; range 10 to 14 years) (study group) and 20 children (9 males, 11 females; mean age 11.5±1.3 years; range 10 to 14 years) (control group) with normal hearing in the same age group and studying in the same class. Study group was separated into two subgroups as group 1a and group 1b since some of the children with hearing disability used hearing aid while some used cochlear implant. Intragroup comparisons and relational screening were performed for those who use hearing aids and cochlear implants. Intergroup comparisons were performed to evaluate the effect of the parameters on written language skills. Written expression skill level of children with hearing disability was significantly lower than their normal hearing peers (p=0.001). A significant relationship was detected between written language skills and mean hearing loss (p=0.048), duration of auditory deprivation (p=0.021), speech discrimination score (p=0.014), and preschool attendance (p=0.005), when it comes to socioeconomic status we were not able to find any significant relationship (p=0.636). It can be said that hearing loss affects written language skills negatively and hearing impaired individuals develop low-level written language skills compared to their normal hearing peers.

Mathematics Content Standards Benchmarks and Performance Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2008

2008-01-01

New Mexico Mathematics Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards identify what students should know and be able to do across all grade levels, forming a spiraling framework in the sense that many skills, once introduced, develop over time. While the Performance Standards are set forth at grade-specific levels, they do not exist as…

Basic and advanced numerical performances relate to mathematical expertise but are fully mediated by visuospatial skills.

PubMed

Sella, Francesco; Sader, Elie; Lolliot, Simon; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2016-09-01

Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of basic numerical processing in the acquisition of numerical and mathematical competences. However, it is debated whether high-level numerical skills and mathematics depends specifically on basic numerical representations. In this study mathematicians and nonmathematicians performed a basic number line task, which required mapping positive and negative numbers on a physical horizontal line, and has been shown to correlate with more advanced numerical abilities and mathematical achievement. We found that mathematicians were more accurate compared with nonmathematicians when mapping positive, but not negative numbers, which are considered numerical primitives and cultural artifacts, respectively. Moreover, performance on positive number mapping could predict whether one is a mathematician or not, and was mediated by more advanced mathematical skills. This finding might suggest a link between basic and advanced mathematical skills. However, when we included visuospatial skills, as measured by block design subtest, the mediation analysis revealed that the relation between the performance in the number line task and the group membership was explained by non-numerical visuospatial skills. These results demonstrate that relation between basic, even specific, numerical skills and advanced mathematical achievement can be artifactual and explained by visuospatial processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceptual-cognitive skill and the in situ performance of soccer players.

PubMed

van Maarseveen, Mariëtte J J; Oudejans, Raôul R D; Mann, David L; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2018-02-01

Many studies have shown that experts possess better perceptual-cognitive skills than novices (e.g., in anticipation, decision making, pattern recall), but it remains unclear whether a relationship exists between performance on those tests of perceptual-cognitive skill and actual on-field performance. In this study, we assessed the in situ performance of skilled soccer players and related the outcomes to measures of anticipation, decision making, and pattern recall. In addition, we examined gaze behaviour when performing the perceptual-cognitive tests to better understand whether the underlying processes were related when those perceptual-cognitive tasks were performed. The results revealed that on-field performance could not be predicted on the basis of performance on the perceptual-cognitive tests. Moreover, there were no strong correlations between the level of performance on the different tests. The analysis of gaze behaviour revealed differences in search rate, fixation duration, fixation order, gaze entropy, and percentage viewing time when performing the test of pattern recall, suggesting that it is driven by different processes to those used for anticipation and decision making. Altogether, the results suggest that the perceptual-cognitive tests may not be as strong determinants of actual performance as may have previously been assumed.

Mental preparation for the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Martin, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

The purpose of this review is to describe how Paralympians can prepare for the 2014 Paralympic Games through mental skill use. A search of adapted physical activity, sport psychology, and disability-specific journals was conducted along with electronic databases (eg, ArticleFirst) using the terms sport psychology, Olympics, Paralympics, psychological and mental preparation and skills, imagery, visualization, self-talk, anxiety, confidence, and performance enhancement. Reference lists from relevant articles were then used to continue the search. No constraining dates were used. A review of the results from both qualitative and quantitative research on Paralympians, Olympians, and elite-level athletes suggests that mental preparation and mental skill development can help Paralympians enhance their performances. Sport psychologists can help Paralympians develop mental skills to manage the unique stressors of the Paralympics to increase the odds of having superior performances.

The relationship between communication scores from the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills examination and communication ratings for first-year internal medicine residents.

PubMed

Winward, Marcia L; Lipner, Rebecca S; Johnston, Mary M; Cuddy, Monica M; Clauser, Brian E

2013-05-01

This study extends available evidence about the relationship between scores on the Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) component of the United States Medical Licensing Examination and subsequent performance in residency. It focuses on the relationship between Step 2 CS communication and interpersonal skills scores and communication skills ratings that residency directors assign to residents in their first postgraduate year of internal medicine training. It represents the first large-scale evaluation of the extent to which Step 2 CS communication and interpersonal skills scores can be extrapolated to examinee performance in supervised practice. Hierarchical linear modeling techniques were used to examine the relationships among examinee characteristics, residency program characteristics, and residency-director-provided ratings. The sample comprised 6,306 examinees from 238 internal medicine residency programs who completed Step 2 CS for the first time in 2005 and received ratings during their first year of internal medicine residency training. Although the relationship is modest, Step 2 CS communication and interpersonal skills scores predict communication skills ratings for first-year internal medicine residents after accounting for other factors. The results of this study make a reasonable case that Step 2 CS communication and interpersonal skills scores provide useful information for predicting the level of communication skill that examinees will display in their first year of internal medicine residency training. This finding demonstrates some level of extrapolation from the testing context to behavior in supervised practice, thus providing validity-related evidence for using Step 2 CS communication and interpersonal skills scores in high-stakes decisions.

Moyamoya disease: impact on the performance of oral and written language.

PubMed

Lamônica, Dionísia Aparecida Cusin; Ribeiro, Camila da Costa; Ferraz, Plínio Marcos Duarte Pinto; Tabaquim, Maria de Lourdes Merighi

Moyamoya disease is an unusual form of occlusive, cerebrovascular disorder that affects the arteries of the central nervous system, causing acquired language alterations and learning difficulties. The study aim was to describe the oral/written language and cognitive skills in a seven-year-and-seven-month-old girl diagnosed with Moyamoya disease. The assessment consisted of interviews with her parents and application of the following instruments: Observation of Communicative Behavior, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Academic Performance Test, Profile of Phonological Awareness, Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, Special Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Two episodes of stroke in the left and right temporal-parietal and left frontal areas occurred until the age of six years and five months. Revascularization surgery and medication treatment were conducted. The audiologic and ophthalmologic assessments indicated normality. At the time of the study, the girl was attending the second grade of elementary school. She presented changes in oral and written language (syllabic-alphabetic), non-naming of all graphemes, low arithmetic and writing means, reading skill below first grade level and psycholinguistic delay, and pre-school level phonological processing skills. The psychological evaluation indicated satisfactory intellectual level; however, it also showed cognitive performance impairment in verbal and execution tasks and limitations on graphic-perceptual-motor skills and sequential logic organization. The stroke episodes influenced the performance of learning processes, affecting the analysis, integration, and interpretation of relevant visual and auditory information.

A Group Motor Skills Program for Children with Coordination Difficulties: Effect on Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Activity Participation.

PubMed

Kane, Kyra J; Staples, Kerri L

2016-01-01

Children with coordination difficulties are at risk of low levels of physical activity (PA) participation. This intervention examined the effects of a multidisciplinary program that emphasized parent participation on motor skill performance and PA. Ten boys (5-7 years) completed a group program consisting of conditioning exercises and activities designed to address child-selected goals. Motor proficiency and PA participation were assessed before and after the program using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) and triaxial accelerometers, respectively. Rating scales captured child and parent perceptions of performance for each child's goals. TGMD-2 subtest raw scores, age equivalent and percentile scores improved, along with parent ratings of their child's performance. Six children reported skill improvements. On average, moderate to vigorous PA improved by 10 min per day although these gains were not significant. Time spent in sedentary activities was unchanged. None of the children met the Canadian PA and sedentary behaviour guidelines. The results support effectiveness of a group program to improve gross motor performance and levels of PA in children with coordination difficulties. Gains in both of these domains also have the potential to impact quality of life and reduce health risks associated with inactivity.

Entropy, instrument scan and pilot workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Vivaudou, M.; Harris, R. L., Jr.; Ephrath, A. R.

1982-01-01

Correlation and information theory which analyze the relationships between mental loading and visual scanpath of aircraft pilots are described. The relationship between skill, performance, mental workload, and visual scanning behavior are investigated. The experimental method required pilots to maintain a general aviation flight simulator on a straight and level, constant sensitivity, Instrument Landing System (ILS) course with a low level of turbulence. An additional periodic verbal task whose difficulty increased with frequency was used to increment the subject's mental workload. The subject's looppoint on the instrument panel during each ten minute run was computed via a TV oculometer and stored. Several pilots ranging in skill from novices to test pilots took part in the experiment. Analysis of the periodicity of the subject's instrument scan was accomplished by means of correlation techniques. For skilled pilots, the autocorrelation of instrument/dwell times sequences showed the same periodicity as the verbal task. The ability to multiplex simultaneous tasks increases with skill. Thus autocorrelation provides a way of evaluating the operator's skill level.

School-age adopted Chinese girls' behavioral adjustment, academic performance, and social skills: longitudinal results.

PubMed

Tan, Tony Xing

2009-04-01

Longitudinal data on 177 school-age adopted Chinese girls (Time 1: mean age = 8.92 years, SD = 1.76; Time 2: mean age = 11.18 years, SD = 1.79) were analyzed to determine their long-term outcomes in behavioral adjustment, academic performance (measured with the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18), and social skills (measured with the Social Skills Rating System) and how these outcomes were related to preadoption adversity. More than 90% of the girls were adopted at 24 months or younger (M = 19.25, SD = 21.67). Results revealed that over a 2-year period, there was a moderate to strong stability in the children's behavioral adjustment and academic performance. However, there was a significant increase in the number of children with deviant internalizing problems. At both times, higher degrees of preadoption adversity were related to more internalizing problems and poorer academic performance. Children who were adopted at older ages had poorer academic performance. Children who were older had a lower level of assertion and a higher level of responsibility. Children's attention problems at Time 1 mediated the effect of preadoption adversity on academic performance at Time 2. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

A randomized controlled study of manikin simulator fidelity on neonatal resuscitation program learning outcomes.

PubMed

Curran, Vernon; Fleet, Lisa; White, Susan; Bessell, Clare; Deshpandey, Akhil; Drover, Anne; Hayward, Mark; Valcour, James

2015-03-01

The neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) has been developed to educate physicians and other health care providers about newborn resuscitation and has been shown to improve neonatal resuscitation skills. Simulation-based training is recommended as an effective modality for instructing neonatal resuscitation and both low and high-fidelity manikin simulators are used. There is limited research that has compared the effect of low and high-fidelity manikin simulators for NRP learning outcomes, and more specifically on teamwork performance and confidence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of using low versus high-fidelity manikin simulators in NRP instruction. A randomized posttest-only control group study design was conducted. Third year undergraduate medical students participated in NRP instruction and were assigned to an experimental group (high-fidelity manikin simulator) or control group (low-fidelity manikin simulator). Integrated skills station (megacode) performance, participant satisfaction, confidence and teamwork behaviour scores were compared between the study groups. Participants in the high-fidelity manikin simulator instructional group reported significantly higher total scores in overall satisfaction (p = 0.001) and confidence (p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in teamwork behaviour scores, as observed by two independent raters, nor differences on mandatory integrated skills station performance items at the p < 0.05 level. Medical students' reported greater satisfaction and confidence with high-fidelity manikin simulators, but did not demonstrate overall significantly improved teamwork or integrated skills station performance. Low and high-fidelity manikin simulators facilitate similar levels of objectively measured NRP outcomes for integrated skills station and teamwork performance.

Reading in French-Speaking Adults with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jennifer; Cole, Pascale; Leuwers, Christel; Casalis, Severine; Zorman, Michel; Sprenger-Charolles, Liliane

2010-01-01

This study investigated the reading and reading-related skills of 15 French-speaking adults with dyslexia, whose performance was compared with that of chronological-age controls (CA) and reading-level controls (RL). Experiment 1 assessed the efficiency of their phonological reading-related skills (phonemic awareness, phonological short-term…

Manipulation of Cognitive Load Variables and Impact on Auscultation Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ruth; Grierson, Lawrence; Norman, Geoffrey

2015-01-01

Health profession educators have identified auscultation skill as a learning need for health professional students. This article explores the application of cognitive load theory (CLT) to designing cardiac and respiratory auscultation skill instruction for senior-level undergraduate nursing students. Three experiments assessed student auscultation…

Redundancy in the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Alice E.

1981-01-01

A factor analysis was performed for two levels of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). Results showed that there was essentially one common factor with little evidence that the user would gain much nonredundant information from the 15 scores yielded by the ITBS. (Author/GK)

Acute Warm-up Effects in Submaximal Athletes: An EMG Study of Skilled Violinists.

PubMed

McCrary, J Matt; Halaki, Mark; Sorkin, Evgeny; Ackermann, Bronwen J

2016-02-01

Warm-up is commonly recommended for injury prevention and performance enhancement across all activities, yet this recommendation is not supported by evidence for repetitive submaximal activities such as instrumental music performance. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of cardiovascular, core muscle, and musical warm-ups on muscle activity levels, musical performance, and subjective experience in skilled violinists. Fifty-five undergraduate, postgraduate, or professional violinists performed five randomly ordered 45-s musical excerpts of varying physical demands both before and after a randomly assigned 15-min, moderate-intensity cardiovascular, core muscle, musical (technical violin exercises), or inactive control warm-up protocol. Surface EMG data were obtained for 16 muscles of the trunk, shoulders, and right arm during each musical performance. Sound recording and perceived exertion (RPE) data were also obtained. Sound recordings were randomly ordered and rated for performance quality by blinded adjudicators. Questionnaire data regarding participant pain sites and fitness levels were used to stratify participants according to pain and fitness levels. Data were analyzed using two- and three-factor ANCOVA (surface EMG and sound recording) and Wilcoxon matched pairs tests (RPE). None of the three warm-up protocols had significant effects on muscle activity levels (P ≥ 0.10). Performance quality did not significantly increase (P ≥ 0.21). RPE significantly decreased (P < 0.05) after warm-up for each of the three experimental warm-ups; control condition RPE did not significantly decrease (P > 0.23). Acute physiological and musical benefits from cardiovascular, core muscle, and musical warm-ups in skilled violinists are limited to decreases in RPE. This investigation provides data from the performing arts in support of sports medical evidence suggesting that warm-up only effectively enhances maximal strength and power performance.

Motor Skills and Exercise Capacity Are Associated with Objective Measures of Cognitive Functions and Academic Performance in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Geertsen, Svend Sparre; Thomas, Richard; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dahn, Ida Marie; Andersen, Josefine Needham; Krause-Jensen, Matilde; Korup, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Malta; Wienecke, Jacob; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper

2016-01-01

To investigate associations between motor skills, exercise capacity and cognitive functions, and evaluate how they correlate to academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension using standardised, objective tests. This cross-sectional study included 423 Danish children (age: 9.29±0.35 years, 209 girls). Fine and gross motor skills were evaluated in a visuomotor accuracy-tracking task, and a whole-body coordination task, respectively. Exercise capacity was estimated from the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C). Selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess different domains of cognitive functions, including sustained attention, spatial working memory, episodic and semantic memory, and processing speed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate associations between these measures and the relationship with standard tests of academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Both fine and gross motor skills were associated with better performance in all five tested cognitive domains (all P<0.001), whereas exercise capacity was only associated with better sustained attention (P<0.046) and spatial working memory (P<0.038). Fine and gross motor skills (all P<0.001), exercise capacity and cognitive functions such as working memory, episodic memory, sustained attention and processing speed were all associated with better performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. The data demonstrate that fine and gross motor skills are positively correlated with several aspects of cognitive functions and with academic performance in both mathematics and reading comprehension. Moreover, exercise capacity was associated with academic performance and performance in some cognitive domains. Future interventions should investigate associations between changes in motor skills, exercise capacity, cognitive functions, and academic performance to elucidate the causality of these associations.

Motor Skills and Exercise Capacity Are Associated with Objective Measures of Cognitive Functions and Academic Performance in Preadolescent Children

PubMed Central

Thomas, Richard; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dahn, Ida Marie; Andersen, Josefine Needham; Krause-Jensen, Matilde; Korup, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Malta; Wienecke, Jacob; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate associations between motor skills, exercise capacity and cognitive functions, and evaluate how they correlate to academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension using standardised, objective tests. Methods This cross-sectional study included 423 Danish children (age: 9.29±0.35 years, 209 girls). Fine and gross motor skills were evaluated in a visuomotor accuracy-tracking task, and a whole-body coordination task, respectively. Exercise capacity was estimated from the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C). Selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess different domains of cognitive functions, including sustained attention, spatial working memory, episodic and semantic memory, and processing speed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate associations between these measures and the relationship with standard tests of academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Results Both fine and gross motor skills were associated with better performance in all five tested cognitive domains (all P<0.001), whereas exercise capacity was only associated with better sustained attention (P<0.046) and spatial working memory (P<0.038). Fine and gross motor skills (all P<0.001), exercise capacity and cognitive functions such as working memory, episodic memory, sustained attention and processing speed were all associated with better performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Conclusions The data demonstrate that fine and gross motor skills are positively correlated with several aspects of cognitive functions and with academic performance in both mathematics and reading comprehension. Moreover, exercise capacity was associated with academic performance and performance in some cognitive domains. Future interventions should investigate associations between changes in motor skills, exercise capacity, cognitive functions, and academic performance to elucidate the causality of these associations. PMID:27560512

Fast by Nature - How Stress Patterns Define Human Experience and Performance in Dexterous Tasks

PubMed Central

Pavlidis, I.; Tsiamyrtzis, P.; Shastri, D.; Wesley, A.; Zhou, Y.; Lindner, P.; Buddharaju, P.; Joseph, R.; Mandapati, A.; Dunkin, B.; Bass, B.

2012-01-01

In the present study we quantify stress by measuring transient perspiratory responses on the perinasal area through thermal imaging. These responses prove to be sympathetically driven and hence, a likely indicator of stress processes in the brain. Armed with the unobtrusive measurement methodology we developed, we were able to monitor stress responses in the context of surgical training, the quintessence of human dexterity. We show that in dexterous tasking under critical conditions, novices attempt to perform a task's step equally fast with experienced individuals. We further show that while fast behavior in experienced individuals is afforded by skill, fast behavior in novices is likely instigated by high stress levels, at the expense of accuracy. Humans avoid adjusting speed to skill and rather grow their skill to a predetermined speed level, likely defined by neurophysiological latency. PMID:22396852

Objective laparoscopic skills assessments of surgical residents using Hidden Markov Models based on haptic information and tool/tissue interactions.

PubMed

Rosen, J; Solazzo, M; Hannaford, B; Sinanan, M

2001-01-01

Laparoscopic surgical skills evaluation of surgery residents is usually a subjective process, carried out in the operating room by senior surgeons. By its nature, this process is performed using fuzzy criteria. The objective of the current study was to develop and assess an objective laparoscopic surgical skill scale using Hidden Markov Models (HMM) based on haptic information, tool/tissue interactions and visual task decomposition. Eight subjects (six surgical trainees: first year surgical residents 2 x R1, third year surgical residents 2 x R3 fifth year surgical residents 2 x R5; and two expert laparoscopic surgeons: 2 x ES) performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy following a specific 7 steps protocol on a pig. An instrumented laparoscopic grasper equipped with a three-axis force/torque sensor located at the proximal end with an additional force sensor located on the handle, was used to measure the forces and torques. The hand/tool interface force/torque data was synchronized with a video of the tool operative maneuvers. A synthesis of frame-by-frame video analysis was used to define 14 different types of tool/tissue interactions, each one associated with unique force/torque (F/T) signatures. HMMs were developed for each subject representing the surgical skills by defining the various tool/tissue interactions as states and the associated F/T signatures as observations. The statistical distance between the HMMs representing residents at different levels of their training and the HMMs of expert surgeons were calculated in order to generate a learning curve of selected steps during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Comparison of HMM's between groups showed significant differences between all skill levels, supporting the objective definition of a learning curve. The major differences between skill levels were: (i) magnitudes of F/T applied (ii) types of tool/tissue interactions used and the transition between them and (iii) time intervals spent in each tool/tissue interaction and the overall completion time. The objective HMM analysis showed that the greatest difference in performance was between R1 and R3 groups and then decreased as the level of expertise increased, suggesting that significant laparoscopic surgical capability develops between the first and the third years of their residency training. The power of the methodology using HMM for objective surgical skill assessment arises from the fact that it compiles enormous amount of data regarding different aspects of surgical skill into a very compact model that can be translated into a single number representing the distance from expert performance. Moreover, the methodology is not limited to in-vivo condition as demonstrated in the current study. It can be extended to other modalities such as measuring performance in surgical simulators and robotic systems.

Teaching basic lung isolation skills on human anatomy simulator: attainment and retention of lung isolation skills.

PubMed

Latif, Rana K; VanHorne, Edgar M; Kandadai, Sunitha Kanchi; Bautista, Alexander F; Neamtu, Aurel; Wadhwa, Anupama; Carter, Mary B; Ziegler, Craig H; Memon, Mohammed Faisal; Akça, Ozan

2016-01-20

Lung isolation skills, such as correct insertion of double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker, are essential in anesthesia training; however, how to teach novices these skills is underexplored. Our aims were to determine (1) if novices can be trained to a basic proficiency level of lung isolation skills, (2) whether video-didactic and simulation-based trainings are comparable in teaching lung isolation basic skills, and (3) whether novice learners' lung isolation skills decay over time without practice. First, five board certified anesthesiologist with experience of more than 100 successful lung isolations were tested on Human Airway Anatomy Simulator (HAAS) to establish Expert proficiency skill level. Thirty senior medical students, who were naive to bronchoscopy and lung isolation techniques (Novice) were randomized to video-didactic and simulation-based trainings to learn lung isolation skills. Before and after training, Novices' performances were scored for correct placement using pass/fail scoring and a 5-point Global Rating Scale (GRS); and time of insertion was recorded. Fourteen novices were retested 2 months later to assess skill decay. Experts' and novices' double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker passing rates showed similar success rates after training (P >0.99). There were no differences between the video-didactic and simulation-based methods. Novices' time of insertion decayed within 2 months without practice. Novices could be trained to basic skill proficiency level of lung isolation. Video-didactic and simulation-based methods we utilized were found equally successful in training novices for lung isolation skills. Acquired skills partially decayed without practice.

Effects of a Peer Evaluation Technique on Nursing Students' Anxiety Levels.

PubMed

Stewart, Patricia; Greene, Debbie; Coke, Sallie

2017-11-16

Techniques to help decrease students' stress and anxiety during a nursing program can be beneficial to their overall health and mental well-being. A quasi-experimental design was used to examine if a peer evaluation technique during clinical skill practice sessions decreases anxiety prior to skill performance evaluation with nursing faculty. Participant feedback supports the integration of a peer evaluation technique when learning clinical skills.

Soldier Capability - Army Combat Effectiveness (SCACE). Volume 3. Historical Combat Data and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

data un Israeli experience with troops lacking literacy , elementary education, and/or psychomotor skills required for many current military occupations...overview of the relationship of cognitive skills to training and performance, with special reference to man-machine systems, (,nd the problems that...effective use of troops with low educational levels and psychomotor skills . Some IDF reports on these subjects are known to exist, and some interviews

An Examination of an Early Intervention Reading Program Focusing on the Progress Monitoring of Literacy Skills and the Reading Self-Concepts of Struggling Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuelson, Teresa C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine progress monitoring, reading self-concept, and the literacy skills of first and second grade struggling readers. Progress monitoring is an instructional process used by teachers to assess students' academic performance on a regular basis, typically weekly or monthly. When based on the skill level of the…

Research on Intelligent Interface in Double-front Work Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamezaki, Mitsuhiro; Iwata, Hiroyasu; Sugano, Shigeki

This paper proposes a work state identification method with full independent of work environmental conditions and operator skill levels for construction machinery. Advanced operated-work machines, which have been designed for complicated tasks, require intelligent systems that can provide the quantitative work analysis needed to determine effective work procedures and that can provide operational and cognitive support for operators. Construction work environments are extremely complicated, however, and this makes state identification, which is a key technology for an intelligent system, difficult. We therefore defined primitive static states (PSS) that are determined using on-off information for the lever inputs and manipulator loads for each part of the grapple and front and that are completely independent of the various environmental conditions and variation in operator skill level that can cause an incorrect work state identification. To confirm the usefulness of PSS, we performed experiments with a demolition task by using our virtual reality simulator. We confirmed that PSS could robustly and accurately identify the work states and that untrained skills could be easily inferred from the results of PSS-based work analysis. We also confirmed in skill-training experiments that advice information based on PSS-based skill analysis greatly improved operator's work performance. We thus confirmed that PSS can adequately identify work states and are useful for work analysis and skill improvement.

Developing Student Communication Skills while Assisting Nonprofit Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addams, H. Lon; Woodbury, Denise; Allred, Tony; Addams, Joel

2010-01-01

Business writing instructors work diligently at raising the level of student writing performance in business communication classes. Some students, however, need additional motivation to apply writing concepts and perform to their highest level. Typically, business students are confronted with hypothetical writing situations, such as claim letters,…

Posttraining transcranial magnetic stimulation of striate cortex disrupts consolidation early in visual skill learning.

PubMed

De Weerd, Peter; Reithler, Joel; van de Ven, Vincent; Been, Marin; Jacobs, Christianne; Sack, Alexander T

2012-02-08

Practice-induced improvements in skilled performance reflect "offline " consolidation processes extending beyond daily training sessions. According to visual learning theories, an early, fast learning phase driven by high-level areas is followed by a late, asymptotic learning phase driven by low-level, retinotopic areas when higher resolution is required. Thus, low-level areas would not contribute to learning and offline consolidation until late learning. Recent studies have challenged this notion, demonstrating modified responses to trained stimuli in primary visual cortex (V1) and offline activity after very limited training. However, the behavioral relevance of modified V1 activity for offline consolidation of visual skill memory in V1 after early training sessions remains unclear. Here, we used neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) directed to a trained retinotopic V1 location to test for behaviorally relevant consolidation in human low-level visual cortex. Applying TMS to the trained V1 location within 45 min of the first or second training session strongly interfered with learning, as measured by impaired performance the next day. The interference was conditional on task context and occurred only when training in the location targeted by TMS was followed by training in a second location before TMS. In this condition, high-level areas may become coupled to the second location and uncoupled from the previously trained low-level representation, thereby rendering consolidation vulnerable to interference. Our data show that, during the earliest phases of skill learning in the lowest-level visual areas, a behaviorally relevant form of consolidation exists of which the robustness is controlled by high-level, contextual factors.

Temporal guidance of musicians' performance movement is an acquired skill.

PubMed

Rodger, M W M; O'Modhrain, S; Craig, C M

2013-04-01

The ancillary (non-sounding) body movements made by expert musicians during performance have been shown to indicate expressive, emotional, and structural features of the music to observers, even if the sound of the performance is absent. If such ancillary body movements are a component of skilled musical performance, then it should follow that acquiring the temporal control of such movements is a feature of musical skill acquisition. This proposition is tested using measures derived from a theory of temporal guidance of movement, "General Tau Theory" (Lee in Ecol Psychol 10:221-250, 1998; Lee et al. in Exp Brain Res 139:151-159, 2001), to compare movements made during performances of intermediate-level clarinetists before and after learning a new piece of music. Results indicate that the temporal control of ancillary body movements made by participants was stronger in performances after the music had been learned and was closer to the measures of temporal control found for an expert musician's movements. These findings provide evidence that the temporal control of musicians' ancillary body movements develops with musical learning. These results have implications for other skillful behaviors and nonverbal communication.

A protocol for evaluating progressive levels of simulation fidelity in the development of technical skills, integrated performance and woman centred clinical assessment skills in undergraduate midwifery students

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Simulation as a pedagogical approach has been used in health professional education to address the need to safely develop effective clinical skills prior to undertaking clinical practice. However, evidence for the use of simulation in midwifery is largely anecdotal, and research evaluating the effectiveness of different levels of simulation fidelity are lacking. Woman centred care is a core premise of the midwifery profession and describes the behaviours of an individual midwife who demonstrates safe and effective care of the individual woman. Woman centred care occurs when the midwife modifies the care to ensure the needs of each individual woman are respected and addressed. However, a review of the literature demonstrates an absence of a valid and reliable tool to measure the development of woman centred care behaviours. This study aims to determine which level of fidelity in simulated learning experiences provides the most effective learning outcomes in the development of woman centred clinical assessment behaviors and skills in student midwives. Methods/Design Three-arm, randomised, intervention trial. In this research we plan to: a) trial three levels of simulation fidelity - low, medium and progressive, on student midwives performing the procedure of vaginal examination; b) measure clinical assessment skills using the Global Rating Scale (GRS) and Integrated Procedural Performance Instrument (IPPI); and c) pilot the newly developed Woman Centred Care Scale (WCCS) to measure clinical behaviors related to Woman-Centredness. Discussion This project aims to enhance knowledge in relation to the appropriate levels of fidelity in simulation that yield the best educational outcomes for the development of woman centred clinical assessment in student midwives. The outcomes of this project may contribute to improved woman centred clinical assessment for student midwives, and more broadly influence decision making regarding education resource allocation for maternity simulation. PMID:23706037

Association of gender and specialty interest with video-gaming, three-dimensional spatial analysis, and entry-level laparoscopic skills in third-year veterinary students.

PubMed

Bragg, Heather R; Towle Millard, Heather A; Millard, Ralph P; Constable, Peter D; Freeman, Lyn J

2016-06-15

OBJECTIVE To determine whether gender or interest in pursuing specialty certification in internal medicine or surgery was associated with video-gaming, 3-D spatial analysis, or entry-level laparoscopic skills in third-year veterinary students. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE A convenience sample of 68 (42 female and 26 male) third-year veterinary students. PROCEDURES Participants completed a survey asking about their interest in pursuing specialty certification in internal medicine or surgery. Subsequently, participants' entry-level laparoscopic skills were assessed with 3 procedures performed in box trainers, their video-gaming skills were tested with 3 video games, and their 3-D spatial analysis skills were evaluated with the Purdue University Visualization of Rotations Spatial Test. Scores were assigned for laparoscopic, video-gaming, and 3-D spatial analysis skills. RESULTS Significantly more female than male students were interested in pursuing specialty certification in internal medicine (23/42 vs 7/26), and significantly more male than female students were interested in pursuing specialty certification in surgery (19/26 vs 19/42). Males had significantly higher video-gaming skills scores than did females, but spatial analysis and laparoscopic skills scores did not differ between males and females. Students interested in pursuing specialty certification in surgery had higher video-gaming and spatial analysis skills scores than did students interested in pursuing specialty certification in internal medicine, but laparoscopic skills scores did not differ between these 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE For this group of students, neither gender nor interest in specialty certification in internal medicine versus surgery was associated with entry-level laparoscopy skills.

The role of retrieval structures in memorizing music.

PubMed

Williamon, Aaron; Valentine, Elizabeth

2002-02-01

This article explores the use of structure in the encoding and retrieval of music and its relation to level of skill. Twenty-two pianists, classified into four levels of skill, were asked to learn and memorize an assigned composition by J. S. Bach (different for each level). All practice was recorded on cassette tape. At the end of the learning process, the pianists performed their assigned composition in a recital setting. The performances were subsequently evaluated by three experienced pianists according to a standardized grading system. From the cassette tapes, values for the frequency with which pianists started and stopped their practice on "structural," "difficult," and "other" bars were obtained. Starts and stops on each bar type were compared across three stages of the learning process. The analyses reveal that all pianists, regardless of level, started and stopped their practice increasingly on structural bars and decreasingly on difficult bars across the learning process. Moreover, the data indicate that starts and stops increased on structural bars and decreased on difficult bars systematically with increases in level of skill. These findings are interpreted and discussed so as to elucidate characteristics of the retrieval structures adopted by musicians in their practice and performance and how the formation and use of retrieval structures develop as a function of expertise. Finally, the elicited values for starts on structural, difficult, and other bars are examined and discussed according to how they relate to the pianists' scores on performance quality. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Muscle strength and golf performance: a critical review.

PubMed

Torres-Ronda, Lorena; Sánchez-Medina, Luis; González-Badillo, Juan J

2011-01-01

Golf has become an increasingly popular sport and a growing body of research trying to identify its main physical requirements is being published. The aim of this review was twofold: first, to examine the existing scientific literature regarding strength training and golf in healthy, non-injured, subjects; and second, to reach conclusions that could provide information on how to design more effective strength training programs to improve golf performance as well as directions for future research. Studies which analyzed the relationship between muscle strength, swing performance variables (club head speed, driving distance, ball speed) and skill (handicap, score) were reviewed. Changes in swing performance following different strength training programs were also investigated. Finally, a critical analysis about the methodologies used was carried out. The results of the reviewed studies seem to indicate that: 1) a positive relationship exists between handicap and swing performance (even though few studies have investigated this issue); 2) there is a positive correlation between skill (handicap and/or score) and muscle strength; and 3) there is a relationship between driving distance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength. Results suggest that training leg-hip and trunk power as well as grip strength is especially relevant for golf performance improvement. Studies that analyzed variations in swing performance following resistance-only training programs are scarce, thus it is difficult to prove whether the observed improvements are attributable to changes in strength levels. Many of the studies reviewed presented some methodological errors in their design and not all strength assessment protocols seemed appropriate. Further studies should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict isoinertial assessment protocols which adequately relate to specific golf motion, age and skill level. More studies with elite participants, either professional or amateur, would be especially desirable. Key pointsPOSITIVE CORRELATIONS EXIST BETWEEN: 1) handicap and swing performance variables; 2) muscle strength and skill (handicap and/or golf score); and 3) driving dis-tance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength.Leg-hip, trunk power and grip strength seem espe-cially relevant for golf performance improvement.Further research should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict assessment pro-tocols which adequately relate to specific golf mo-tion, age and skill level.

Muscle Strength And Golf Performance: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Torres-Ronda, Lorena; Sánchez-Medina, Luis; González-Badillo, Juan J.

2011-01-01

Golf has become an increasingly popular sport and a growing body of research trying to identify its main physical requirements is being published. The aim of this review was twofold: first, to examine the existing scientific literature regarding strength training and golf in healthy, non-injured, subjects; and second, to reach conclusions that could provide information on how to design more effective strength training programs to improve golf performance as well as directions for future research. Studies which analyzed the relationship between muscle strength, swing performance variables (club head speed, driving distance, ball speed) and skill (handicap, score) were reviewed. Changes in swing performance following different strength training programs were also investigated. Finally, a critical analysis about the methodologies used was carried out. The results of the reviewed studies seem to indicate that: 1) a positive relationship exists between handicap and swing performance (even though few studies have investigated this issue); 2) there is a positive correlation between skill (handicap and/or score) and muscle strength; and 3) there is a relationship between driving distance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength. Results suggest that training leg-hip and trunk power as well as grip strength is especially relevant for golf performance improvement. Studies that analyzed variations in swing performance following resistance-only training programs are scarce, thus it is difficult to prove whether the observed improvements are attributable to changes in strength levels. Many of the studies reviewed presented some methodological errors in their design and not all strength assessment protocols seemed appropriate. Further studies should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict isoinertial assessment protocols which adequately relate to specific golf motion, age and skill level. More studies with elite participants, either professional or amateur, would be especially desirable. Key points Positive correlations exist between: 1) handicap and swing performance variables; 2) muscle strength and skill (handicap and/or golf score); and 3) driving dis-tance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength. Leg-hip, trunk power and grip strength seem espe-cially relevant for golf performance improvement. Further research should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict assessment pro-tocols which adequately relate to specific golf mo-tion, age and skill level. PMID:24149290

Development of Map Construction Skills in Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirsch, Pamela L.; Sandberg, Elisabeth Hollister

2013-01-01

Two studies examined children's map construction skills when drawing demands were removed from the task and scenes were highly simplified. Study 1 compared the performance of first graders and third graders on their ability to preserve configuration during transformation of pictured arrays from eye-level to aerial views. For children with…

Skill-Related Fitness of Undergraduate Kinesiology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaniol, Frank J.; Jarrett, Lindsey M.; Ocker, Liette B.; Bonnette, Randy A.; Melrose, Don R.

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the skill-related fitness levels of undergraduate kinesiology majors in relation to the general population of college students of the same age, to investigate whether a difference exists between females and males in overall performance, and to examine the relationship between fitness and kinesiology…

Expository Language Skills of Young School-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerveld, Marleen F.; Moran, Catherine A.

2011-01-01

Purpose: This research investigated the expository language skills of young school-age children with the ultimate aim of obtaining normative data for clinical practice. Specifically, this study examined (a) the level of expository language performance of 6- and 7-year-old children with typical development and (b) age-related differences between…

Key Skills Influencing Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, Tonya; Gruenert, Steve

2009-01-01

A predictive, non-experimental, cross-sectional design (Johnson, 2001) was used to conduct a study to determine if elementary administrators' key counseling skills and select demographics predicted state-level student performance indicators in their respective schools. A secondary purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable on-line…

Language Profiles of Poor Comprehenders in English and French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angelo, Nadia; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

This study explored components of language comprehension (vocabulary, grammar, and higher-level language) skills for poor comprehenders in French immersion. We identified three groups of bilingual comprehenders (poor, average, and good) based on English reading performance and compared their language comprehension skills in English L1 and French…

A Study of the Relationship between Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTi) and Student Performance on Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkeley-Jones, Catherine Spotswood

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTi) self-ratings and student Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) scores. The study assessed the relationship between LoTi ratings and TAKS scores of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students as reported in student records at Alamo Heights Independent School…

Perception versus reality: a comparative study of the clinical judgment skills of nurses during a simulated activity.

PubMed

Fenske, Cynthia L; Harris, Margaret A; Aebersold, Michelle L; Hartman, Laurie S

2013-09-01

This study was conducted to determine how closely nurses' perceptions of their clinical judgment abilities matched their demonstrated clinical judgment skills during a simulation. Seventy-four registered nurses participated in a simulation using a video format. After the simulation, the nurses self-assessed their performance using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric. This rubric was then used to rate the nurses' actual performance in the simulation activity. The study results showed a significant discrepancy between nurses' perceptions of their own clinical judgment abilities and their demonstrated clinical judgment skills. Age and length of nursing experience enhanced the difference between the findings of self-assessment and actual performance. Younger nurses and those with 1 year or less of nursing experience were significantly more likely to have self-assessed their abilities at a much higher level compared with their actual skills. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of high, average, and low performing students

PubMed Central

Irizarry, Yasmiyn

2015-01-01

Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of students’ academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers’ evaluations of first grade students’ overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers’ perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers’ perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. PMID:26004478

American Sign Language Comprehension Test: A Tool for Sign Language Researchers.

PubMed

Hauser, Peter C; Paludneviciene, Raylene; Riddle, Wanda; Kurz, Kim B; Emmorey, Karen; Contreras, Jessica

2016-01-01

The American Sign Language Comprehension Test (ASL-CT) is a 30-item multiple-choice test that measures ASL receptive skills and is administered through a website. This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the test based on a sample of 80 college students including deaf native signers, hearing native signers, deaf non-native signers, and hearing ASL students. The results revealed that the ASL-CT has good internal reliability (α = 0.834). Discriminant validity was established by demonstrating that deaf native signers performed significantly better than deaf non-native signers and hearing native signers. Concurrent validity was established by demonstrating that test results positively correlated with another measure of ASL ability (r = .715) and that hearing ASL students' performance positively correlated with the level of ASL courses they were taking (r = .726). Researchers can use the ASL-CT to characterize an individual's ASL comprehension skills, to establish a minimal skill level as an inclusion criterion for a study, to group study participants by ASL skill (e.g., proficient vs. nonproficient), or to provide a measure of ASL skill as a dependent variable. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improving Challenge/Skill Ratio in a Multimodal Interface by Simultaneously Adapting Game Difficulty and Haptic Assistance through Psychophysiological and Performance Feedback

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Guerrero, Carlos; Knaepen, Kristel; Fraile-Marinero, Juan C.; Perez-Turiel, Javier; Gonzalez-de-Garibay, Valentin; Lefeber, Dirk

2017-01-01

In order to harmonize robotic devices with human beings, the robots should be able to perceive important psychosomatic impact triggered by emotional states such as frustration or boredom. This paper presents a new type of biocooperative control architecture, which acts toward improving the challenge/skill relation perceived by the user when interacting with a robotic multimodal interface in a cooperative scenario. In the first part of the paper, open-loop experiments revealed which physiological signals were optimal for inclusion in the feedback loop. These were heart rate, skin conductance level, and skin conductance response frequency. In the second part of the paper, the proposed controller, consisting of a biocooperative architecture with two degrees of freedom, simultaneously modulating game difficulty and haptic assistance through performance and psychophysiological feedback, is presented. With this setup, the perceived challenge can be modulated by means of the game difficulty and the perceived skill by means of the haptic assistance. A new metric (FlowIndex) is proposed to numerically quantify and visualize the challenge/skill relation. The results are contrasted with comparable previously published work and show that the new method afforded a higher FlowIndex (i.e., a superior challenge/skill relation) and an improved balance between augmented performance and user satisfaction (higher level of valence, i.e., a more enjoyable and satisfactory experience). PMID:28507503

Changes in Striatal Dopamine Release Associated with Human Motor-Skill Acquisition

PubMed Central

Kawashima, Shoji; Ueki, Yoshino; Kato, Takashi; Matsukawa, Noriyuki; Mima, Tatsuya; Hallett, Mark; Ito, Kengo; Ojika, Kosei

2012-01-01

The acquisition of new motor skills is essential throughout daily life and involves the processes of learning new motor sequence and encoding elementary aspects of new movement. Although previous animal studies have suggested a functional importance for striatal dopamine release in the learning of new motor sequence, its role in encoding elementary aspects of new movement has not yet been investigated. To elucidate this, we investigated changes in striatal dopamine levels during initial skill-training (Day 1) compared with acquired conditions (Day 2) using 11C-raclopride positron-emission tomography. Ten volunteers learned to perform brisk contractions using their non-dominant left thumbs with the aid of visual feedback. On Day 1, the mean acceleration of each session was improved through repeated training sessions until performance neared asymptotic levels, while improved motor performance was retained from the beginning on Day 2. The 11C-raclopride binding potential (BP) in the right putamen was reduced during initial skill-training compared with under acquired conditions. Moreover, voxel-wise analysis revealed that 11C-raclopride BP was particularly reduced in the right antero-dorsal to the lateral part of the putamen. Based on findings from previous fMRI studies that show a gradual shift of activation within the striatum during the initial processing of motor learning, striatal dopamine may play a role in the dynamic cortico-striatal activation during encoding of new motor memory in skill acquisition. PMID:22355391

Crowd-sourced assessment of surgical skills in cricothyrotomy procedure.

PubMed

Aghdasi, Nava; Bly, Randall; White, Lee W; Hannaford, Blake; Moe, Kris; Lendvay, Thomas S

2015-06-15

Objective assessment of surgical skills is resource intensive and requires valuable time of expert surgeons. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of a large group of laypersons using a crowd-sourcing tool to grade a surgical procedure (cricothyrotomy) performed on a simulator. The grading included an assessment of the entire procedure by completing an objective assessment of technical skills survey. Two groups of graders were recruited as follows: (1) Amazon Mechanical Turk users and (2) three expert surgeons from University of Washington Department of Otolaryngology. Graders were presented with a video of participants performing the procedure on the simulator and were asked to grade the video using the objective assessment of technical skills questions. Mechanical Turk users were paid $0.50 for each completed survey. It took 10 h to obtain all responses from 30 Mechanical Turk users for 26 training participants (26 videos/tasks), whereas it took 60 d for three expert surgeons to complete the same 26 tasks. The assessment of surgical performance by a group (n = 30) of laypersons matched the assessment by a group (n = 3) of expert surgeons with a good level of agreement determined by Cronbach alpha coefficient = 0.83. We found crowd sourcing was an efficient, accurate, and inexpensive method for skills assessment with a good level of agreement to experts' grading. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality simulation training of mastoidectomy - studies on novice performance.

PubMed

Andersen, Steven Arild Wuyts

2016-08-01

Virtual reality (VR) simulation-based training is increasingly used in surgical technical skills training including in temporal bone surgery. The potential of VR simulation in enabling high-quality surgical training is great and VR simulation allows high-stakes and complex procedures such as mastoidectomy to be trained repeatedly, independent of patients and surgical tutors, outside traditional learning environments such as the OR or the temporal bone lab, and with fewer of the constraints of traditional training. This thesis aims to increase the evidence-base of VR simulation training of mastoidectomy and, by studying the final-product performances of novices, investigates the transfer of skills to the current gold-standard training modality of cadaveric dissection, the effect of different practice conditions and simulator-integrated tutoring on performance and retention of skills, and the role of directed, self-regulated learning. Technical skills in mastoidectomy were transferable from the VR simulation environment to cadaveric dissection with significant improvement in performance after directed, self-regulated training in the VR temporal bone simulator. Distributed practice led to a better learning outcome and more consolidated skills than massed practice and also resulted in a more consistent performance after three months of non-practice. Simulator-integrated tutoring accelerated the initial learning curve but also caused over-reliance on tutoring, which resulted in a drop in performance when the simulator-integrated tutor-function was discontinued. The learning curves were highly individual but often plateaued early and at an inadequate level, which related to issues concerning both the procedure and the VR simulator, over-reliance on the tutor function and poor self-assessment skills. Future simulator-integrated automated assessment could potentially resolve some of these issues and provide trainees with both feedback during the procedure and immediate assessment following each procedure. Standard setting by establishing a proficiency level that can be used for mastery learning with deliberate practice could also further sophisticate directed, self-regulated learning in VR simulation-based training. VR simulation-based training should be embedded in a systematic and competency-based training curriculum for high-quality surgical skills training, ultimately leading to improved safety and patient care.

Accuracy and reliability of peer assessment of athletic training psychomotor laboratory skills.

PubMed

Marty, Melissa C; Henning, Jolene M; Willse, John T

2010-01-01

Peer assessment is defined as students judging the level or quality of a fellow student's understanding. No researchers have yet demonstrated the accuracy or reliability of peer assessment in athletic training education. To determine the accuracy and reliability of peer assessment of athletic training students' psychomotor skills. Cross-sectional study. Entry-level master's athletic training education program. First-year (n  =  5) and second-year (n  =  8) students. Participants evaluated 10 videos of a peer performing 3 psychomotor skills (middle deltoid manual muscle test, Faber test, and Slocum drawer test) on 2 separate occasions using a valid assessment tool. Accuracy of each peer-assessment score was examined through percentage correct scores. We used a generalizability study to determine how reliable athletic training students were in assessing a peer performing the aforementioned skills. Decision studies using generalizability theory demonstrated how the peer-assessment scores were affected by the number of participants and number of occasions. Participants had a high percentage of correct scores: 96.84% for the middle deltoid manual muscle test, 94.83% for the Faber test, and 97.13% for the Slocum drawer test. They were not able to reliably assess a peer performing any of the psychomotor skills on only 1 occasion. However, the φ increased (exceeding the 0.70 minimal standard) when 2 participants assessed the skill on 3 occasions (φ  =  0.79) for the Faber test, with 1 participant on 2 occasions (φ  =  0.76) for the Slocum drawer test, and with 3 participants on 2 occasions for the middle deltoid manual muscle test (φ  =  0.72). Although students did not detect all errors, they assessed their peers with an average of 96% accuracy. Having only 1 student assess a peer performing certain psychomotor skills was less reliable than having more than 1 student assess those skills on more than 1 occasion. Peer assessment of psychomotor skills could be an important part of the learning process and a tool to supplement instructor assessment.

Is Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder? Aesthetic Quality versus Technical Skill in Movement Evaluation of Tai Chi.

PubMed

Zamparo, Paola; Zorzi, Elena; Marcantoni, Sara; Cesari, Paola

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare experts to naïve practitioners in rating the beauty and the technical quality of a Tai Chi sequence observed in video-clips (of high and middle level performances). Our hypothesis are: i) movement evaluation will correlate with the level of skill expressed in the kinematics of the observed action but ii) only experts will be able to unravel the technical component from the aesthetic component of the observed action. The judgments delivered indicate that both expert and non-expert observers are able to discern a good from a mediocre performance; however, as expected, only experts discriminate the technical from the aesthetic component of the action evaluated and do this independently of the level of skill shown by the model (high or middle level performances). Furthermore, the judgments delivered were strongly related to the kinematic variables measured in the observed model, indicating that observers rely on specific movement kinematics (e.g. movement amplitude, jerk and duration) for action evaluation. These results provide evidence of the complementary functional role of visual and motor action representation in movement evaluation and underline the role of expertise in judging the aesthetic quality of movements.

Is Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder? Aesthetic Quality versus Technical Skill in Movement Evaluation of Tai Chi

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare experts to naïve practitioners in rating the beauty and the technical quality of a Tai Chi sequence observed in video-clips (of high and middle level performances). Our hypothesis are: i) movement evaluation will correlate with the level of skill expressed in the kinematics of the observed action but ii) only experts will be able to unravel the technical component from the aesthetic component of the observed action. The judgments delivered indicate that both expert and non-expert observers are able to discern a good from a mediocre performance; however, as expected, only experts discriminate the technical from the aesthetic component of the action evaluated and do this independently of the level of skill shown by the model (high or middle level performances). Furthermore, the judgments delivered were strongly related to the kinematic variables measured in the observed model, indicating that observers rely on specific movement kinematics (e.g. movement amplitude, jerk and duration) for action evaluation. These results provide evidence of the complementary functional role of visual and motor action representation in movement evaluation and underline the role of expertise in judging the aesthetic quality of movements. PMID:26047473

Deaf college students' mathematical skills relative to morphological knowledge, reading level, and language proficiency.

PubMed

Kelly, Ronald R; Gaustad, Martha G

2007-01-01

This study of deaf college students examined specific relationships between their mathematics performance and their assessed skills in reading, language, and English morphology. Simple regression analyses showed that deaf college students' language proficiency scores, reading grade level, and morphological knowledge regarding word segmentation and meaning were all significantly correlated with both the ACT Mathematics Subtest and National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Mathematics Placement Test scores. Multiple regression analyses identified the best combination from among these potential independent predictors of students' performance on both the ACT and NTID mathematics tests. Additionally, the participating deaf students' grades in their college mathematics courses were significantly and positively associated with their reading grade level and their knowledge of morphological components of words.

Skills for the literacy process.

PubMed

Côrrea, Kelli Cristina do Prado; Machado, Maria Aparecida Miranda de Paula; Hage, Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos

2018-03-01

Examine a set of competencies in children beginning the process of literacy and find whether there is positive correlation with their level of writing. Study conducted with 70 six-year-old students enrolled in the first year of Elementary School in municipal schools. The children were submitted to the Initial Reading and Writing Competence Assessment Battery (BACLE) and the Diagnostic Probing Protocol for classification of their level of writing. Descriptive statistical analysis and the Spearman coefficient were used for correlation between instruments. The students presented satisfactory performance in the tasks of the BACLE. Regarding the writing hypothesis, most children presented syllabic level with sound value. Significant positive correlation was observed between body scheme/time-space orientation and language skills. The group of schoolchildren performed satisfactorily on tests that measure pre-reading and writing skills. The areas of body scheme/time-space orientation and language presented significant correlation with the level of writing hypothesis, indicating that children with higher scores in these areas present better levels of writing. Identification of the necessary competencies for learning of reading and writing can provide teachers and educational audiology professionals with conditions for evaluation and early intervention in certain abilities for the development of reading and writing.

A training program for novice paramedics provides initial laryngeal mask airway insertion skill and improves skill retention at 6 months.

PubMed

Hein, Cindy; Owen, Harry; Plummer, John

2010-02-01

Major resuscitation councils endorse the use of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) by paramedics for lifesaving airway interventions. Learning and maintaining adequate skill level is important for patient safety. The aim of this project was to develop a training program that provides student paramedics with initial knowledge and experience in LMA insertion skills but equally important to provide ongoing skill retention. After ethics approval and informed consent, 55 first year Paramedic degree students watched a manufacturer's LMA instruction video and practiced insertion in three different part task trainers. Six months later, subjects were randomized to an intervention (reviewing the video and 10 minutes unsupervised practice) or control group before participating in a high-fidelity simulated clinical scenario. For equity of training, the control group received the intervention after the scenario. Main outcomes measured were time to insertion; success rate; and LMA skill retention (sum of LMA orientation; cuff inflation; bite block; securing; patient positioning; and overall subject performance). Fifty subjects completed the study. Those in the intervention group displayed significantly shorter insertion times (P = 0.029), fewer attempts to achieve success (P = 0.033), and had significantly higher LMA skill performance levels (P = 0.019) at 6 months. We devised a short intervention based on our training program using a video and practice in part task trainers. In an assessment using high-fidelity simulation, we demonstrated significant improvements in maintenance of LMA insertion skills in student paramedics at 6 months. Our model of just-in-time assessment and reinforcement of training prevents skill decay and has implications for healthcare skills training in general.

Assessing Arthroscopic Skills Using Wireless Elbow-Worn Motion Sensors.

PubMed

Kirby, Georgina S J; Guyver, Paul; Strickland, Louise; Alvand, Abtin; Yang, Guang-Zhong; Hargrove, Caroline; Lo, Benny P L; Rees, Jonathan L

2015-07-01

Assessment of surgical skill is a critical component of surgical training. Approaches to assessment remain predominantly subjective, although more objective measures such as Global Rating Scales are in use. This study aimed to validate the use of elbow-worn, wireless, miniaturized motion sensors to assess the technical skill of trainees performing arthroscopic procedures in a simulated environment. Thirty participants were divided into three groups on the basis of their surgical experience: novices (n = 15), intermediates (n = 10), and experts (n = 5). All participants performed three standardized tasks on an arthroscopic virtual reality simulator while wearing wireless wrist and elbow motion sensors. Video output was recorded and a validated Global Rating Scale was used to assess performance; dexterity metrics were recorded from the simulator. Finally, live motion data were recorded via Bluetooth from the wireless wrist and elbow motion sensors and custom algorithms produced an arthroscopic performance score. Construct validity was demonstrated for all tasks, with Global Rating Scale scores and virtual reality output metrics showing significant differences between novices, intermediates, and experts (p < 0.001). The correlation of the virtual reality path length to the number of hand movements calculated from the wireless sensors was very high (p < 0.001). A comparison of the arthroscopic performance score levels with virtual reality output metrics also showed highly significant differences (p < 0.01). Comparisons of the arthroscopic performance score levels with the Global Rating Scale scores showed strong and highly significant correlations (p < 0.001) for both sensor locations, but those of the elbow-worn sensors were stronger and more significant (p < 0.001) than those of the wrist-worn sensors. A new wireless assessment of surgical performance system for objective assessment of surgical skills has proven valid for assessing arthroscopic skills. The elbow-worn sensors were shown to achieve an accurate assessment of surgical dexterity and performance. The validation of an entirely objective assessment of arthroscopic skill with wireless elbow-worn motion sensors introduces, for the first time, a feasible assessment system for the live operating theater with the added potential to be applied to other surgical and interventional specialties. Copyright © 2015 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Initial laparoscopic basic skills training shortens the learning curve of laparoscopic suturing and is cost-effective.

PubMed

Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Hope, William W; Korndorffer, James R; Markley, Sarah; Scott, Daniel J

2010-04-01

Laparoscopic suturing is an advanced skill that is difficult to acquire. Simulator-based skills curricula have been developed that have been shown to transfer to the operating room. Currently available skills curricula need to be optimized. We hypothesized that mastering basic laparoscopic skills first would shorten the learning curve of a more complex laparoscopic task and reduce resource requirements for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery suturing curriculum. Medical students (n = 20) with no previous simulator experience were enrolled in an IRB-approved protocol, pretested on the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery suturing model, and randomized into 2 groups. Group I (n = 10) trained (unsupervised) until proficiency levels were achieved on 5 basic tasks; Group II (n = 10) received no basic training. Both groups then trained (supervised) on the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery suturing model until previously reported proficiency levels were achieved. Two weeks later, they were retested to evaluate their retention scores, training parameters, instruction requirements, and cost between groups using t-test. Baseline characteristics and performance were similar for both groups, and 9 of 10 subjects in each group achieved the proficiency levels. The initial performance on the simulator was better for Group I after basic skills training, and their suturing learning curve was shorter compared with Group II. In addition, Group I required less active instruction. Overall time required to finish the curriculum was similar for both groups; but the Group I training strategy cost less, with a savings of $148 per trainee. Teaching novices basic laparoscopic skills before a more complex laparoscopic task produces substantial cost savings. Additional studies are needed to assess the impact of such integrated curricula on ultimate educational benefit. Copyright (c) 2010 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of the use of critical thinking teaching methods.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Nina; Hackworth, Ruth; Case-Smith, Jane

2012-01-01

To identify the perceived level of competence in teaching and assessing critical thinking skills and the difficulties facing radiologic science program directors in implementing student-centered teaching methods. A total of 692 program directors received an invitation to complete an electronic survey soliciting information regarding the importance of critical thinking skills, their confidence in applying teaching methods and assessing student performance, and perceived obstacles. Statistical analysis included descriptive data, correlation coefficients, and ANOVA. Responses were received from 317 participants indicating program directors perceive critical thinking to be an essential element in the education of the student; however, they identified several areas for improvement. A high correlation was identified between the program directors' perceived level of skill and their confidence in critical thinking, and between their perceived level of skill and ability to assess the students' critical thinking. Key barriers to implementing critical thinking teaching strategies were identified. Program directors value the importance of implementing critical thinking teaching methods and perceive a need for professional development in critical thinking educational methods. Regardless of the type of educational institution in which the academic program is located, the level of education held by the program director was a significant factor regarding perceived confidence in the ability to model critical thinking skills and the ability to assess student critical thinking skills.

Initiating technical refinements in high-level golfers: Evidence for contradictory procedures.

PubMed

Carson, Howie J; Collins, Dave; Richards, Jim

2016-01-01

When developing motor skills there are several outcomes available to an athlete depending on their skill status and needs. Whereas the skill acquisition and performance literature is abundant, an under-researched outcome relates to the refinement of already acquired and well-established skills. Contrary to current recommendations for athletes to employ an external focus of attention and a representative practice design,  Carson and  Collins' (2011) [Refining and regaining skills in fixation/diversification stage performers: The Five-A Model. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 4, 146-167. doi: 10.1080/1750984x.2011.613682 ] Five-A Model requires an initial narrowed internal focus on the technical aspect needing refinement: the implication being that environments which limit external sources of information would be beneficial to achieving this task. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to (1) provide a literature-based explanation for why techniques counter to current recommendations may be (temporarily) appropriate within the skill refinement process and (2) provide empirical evidence for such efficacy. Kinematic data and self-perception reports are provided from high-level golfers attempting to consciously initiate technical refinements while executing shots onto a driving range and into a close proximity net (i.e. with limited knowledge of results). It was hypothesised that greater control over intended refinements would occur when environmental stimuli were reduced in the most unrepresentative practice condition (i.e. hitting into a net). Results confirmed this, as evidenced by reduced intra-individual movement variability for all participants' individual refinements, despite little or no difference in mental effort reported. This research offers coaches guidance when working with performers who may find conscious recall difficult during the skill refinement process.

A suggested emergency medicine boot camp curriculum for medical students based on the mapping of Core Entrustable Professional Activities to Emergency Medicine Level 1 milestones.

PubMed

Lamba, Sangeeta; Wilson, Bryan; Natal, Brenda; Nagurka, Roxanne; Anana, Michael; Sule, Harsh

2016-01-01

An increasing number of students rank Emergency Medicine (EM) as a top specialty choice, requiring medical schools to provide adequate exposure to EM. The Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for Entering Residency by the Association of American Medical Colleges combined with the Milestone Project for EM residency training has attempted to standardize the undergraduate and graduate medical education goals. However, it remains unclear as to how the EPAs correlate to the milestones, and who owns the process of ensuring that an entering EM resident has competency at a certain minimum level. Recent trends establishing specialty-specific boot camps prepare students for residency and address the variability of skills of students coming from different medical schools. Our project's goal was therefore to perform a needs assessment to inform the design of an EM boot camp curriculum. Toward this goal, we 1) mapped the core EPAs for graduating medical students to the EM residency Level 1 milestones in order to identify the possible gaps/needs and 2) conducted a pilot procedure workshop that was designed to address some of the identified gaps/needs in procedural skills. In order to inform the curriculum of an EM boot camp, we used a systematic approach to 1) identify gaps between the EPAs and EM milestones (Level 1) and 2) determine what essential and supplemental competencies/skills an incoming EM resident should ideally possess. We then piloted a 1-day, three-station advanced ABCs procedure workshop based on the identified needs. A pre-workshop test and survey assessed knowledge, preparedness, confidence, and perceived competence. A post-workshop survey evaluated the program, and a posttest combined with psychomotor skills test using three simulation cases assessed students' skills. Students (n=9) reported increased confidence in the following procedures: intubation (1.5-2.1), thoracostomy (1.1-1.9), and central venous catheterization (1.3-2) (a three-point Likert-type scale, with 1= not yet confident/able to perform with supervision to 3= confident/able to perform without supervision). Psychomotor skills testing showed on average, 26% of students required verbal prompting with performance errors, 48% with minor performance errors, and 26% worked independently without performance errors. All participants reported: 1) increased knowledge and confidence in covered topics and 2) overall satisfaction with simulation experience. Mapping the Core EPAs for Entering Residency to the EM milestones at Level 1 identifies educational gaps for graduating medical students seeking a career in EM. Educators designing EM boot camps for medical students should consider these identified gaps, procedures, and clinical conditions during the development of a core standardized curriculum.

Exploring individual differences in children's mathematical skills: a correlational and dimensional approach.

PubMed

Sigmundsson, H; Polman, R C J; Lorås, H

2013-08-01

Individual differences in mathematical skills are typically explained by an innate capability to solve mathematical tasks. At the behavioural level this implies a consistent level of mathematical achievement that can be captured by strong relationships between tasks, as well as by a single statistical dimension that underlies performance on all mathematical tasks. To investigate this general assumption, the present study explored interrelations and dimensions of mathematical skills. For this purpose, 68 ten-year-old children from two schools were tested using nine mathematics tasks from the Basic Knowledge in Mathematics Test. Relatively low-to-moderate correlations between the mathematics tasks indicated most tasks shared less than 25% of their variance. There were four principal components, accounting for 70% of the variance in mathematical skill across tasks and participants. The high specificity in mathematical skills was discussed in relation to the principle of task specificity of learning.

Cognitive skills assessment during robot-assisted surgery: separating the wheat from the chaff.

PubMed

Guru, Khurshid A; Esfahani, Ehsan T; Raza, Syed J; Bhat, Rohit; Wang, Katy; Hammond, Yana; Wilding, Gregory; Peabody, James O; Chowriappa, Ashirwad J

2015-01-01

To investigate the utility of cognitive assessment during robot-assisted surgery (RAS) to define skills in terms of cognitive engagement, mental workload, and mental state; while objectively differentiating between novice and expert surgeons. In all, 10 surgeons with varying operative experience were assigned to beginner (BG), combined competent and proficient (CPG), and expert (EG) groups based on the Dreyfus model. The participants performed tasks for basic, intermediate and advanced skills on the da Vinci Surgical System. Participant performance was assessed using both tool-based and cognitive metrics. Tool-based metrics showed significant differences between the BG vs CPG and the BG vs EG, in basic skills. While performing intermediate skills, there were significant differences only on the instrument-to-instrument collisions between the BG vs CPG (2.0 vs 0.2, P = 0.028), and the BG vs EG (2.0 vs 0.1, P = 0.018). There were no significant differences between the CPG and EG for both basic and intermediate skills. However, using cognitive metrics, there were significant differences between all groups for the basic and intermediate skills. In advanced skills, there were no significant differences between the CPG and the EG except time (1116 vs 599.6 s), using tool-based metrics. However, cognitive metrics revealed significant differences between both groups. Cognitive assessment of surgeons may aid in defining levels of expertise performing complex surgical tasks once competence is achieved. Cognitive assessment may be used as an adjunct to the traditional methods for skill assessment during RAS. © 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.

Relationship between social competence and neurocognitive performance in children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Raud, Triin; Kaldoja, Mari-Liis; Kolk, Anneli

2015-11-01

Epilepsy may affect a child's social skills and social cognition. The purpose of the study was to examine associations between sociocognitive skills and neurocognitive performance in children with epilepsy. Thirty-five children with epilepsy between the ages of 7 and 12 years (25 with partial and 10 with generalized epilepsy) and 30 controls participated. Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks, Social Cognition Questionnaire proposed by Saltzman-Benaiah and Lalonde (2007), and Social Skills Rating System were used to assess social competence and sociocognitive skills. Neurocognitive performance was assessed using the NEPSY battery. Children with epilepsy demonstrated more difficulties in understanding false belief (p<.001) and intentional lying (p<.05) and exhibited more behavioral problems (p<.05). Notably, their social skills were at the same level as typically developing peers. Children with epilepsy performed significantly worse in attention, executive, verbal, and fine motor tasks (p<.05). We found positive correlations between the understanding of false belief and in executive (r=.6, p<.05), verbal (r=.45-.49, p<.05), and visuospatial skills (r=.34-.48, p<0.01). Children with generalized epilepsy had more problems in memory tasks (p<.05) and understanding of sarcasm (p<.05) compared with children with partial epilepsy. An age of onset over 9.1 years was positively associated with ToM skills (r=.42, p<.05). In conclusion, better ToM in children with better executive functions, and language and visuospatial skills was revealed. The type of epilepsy and age of onset significantly affected ToM skills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feedforward Self-Modeling Enhances Skill Acquisition in Children Learning Trampoline Skills

PubMed Central

Ste-Marie, Diane M.; Vertes, Kelly; Rymal, Amanda M.; Martini, Rose

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine whether children would benefit from a feedforward self-modeling (FSM) video and to explore possible explanatory mechanisms for the potential benefits, using a self-regulation framework. To this end, children were involved in learning two five-skill trampoline routines. For one of the routines, a FSM video was provided during acquisition, whereas only verbal instructions were provided for the alternate routine. The FSM involved editing video footage such that it showed the learner performing the trampoline routine at a higher skill level than their current capability. Analyses of the data showed that while physical performance benefits were observed for the routine that was learned with the FSM video, no differences were obtained in relation to the self-regulatory measures. Thus, the FSM video enhanced motor skill acquisition, but this could not be explained by changes to the varied self-regulatory processes examined. PMID:21779270

The manipulation of vision during the powerlift squat: exploring the boundaries of the specificity of learning hypothesis.

PubMed

Bennett, S; Davids, K

1995-09-01

The available information for controlling a multidegree-of-freedom sport action was manipulated in 2 experiments. In the first, 10 intermediate lifters were participants; for the second, 8 skilled and 8 less skilled lifters were observed. Three single repetitions of a powerlift squat were performed under 3 vision conditions (i.e., full, ambient, no vision). The less skilled and intermediate lifters' technical performance decreased significantly with the removal of visual information. There was no detrimental effect in the skilled group. Despite the differing information constraints, skilled lifters exhibited a high level of positioning accuracy and timing consistency across conditions. These data fail to support the theoretical predictions of the specificity of learning hypothesis. The differences between the task constraints in this study and those in manual aiming investigations may represent a boundary to the current propositions of the specificity of learning hypothesis.

Feedforward self-modeling enhances skill acquisition in children learning trampoline skills.

PubMed

Ste-Marie, Diane M; Vertes, Kelly; Rymal, Amanda M; Martini, Rose

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine whether children would benefit from a feedforward self-modeling (FSM) video and to explore possible explanatory mechanisms for the potential benefits, using a self-regulation framework. To this end, children were involved in learning two five-skill trampoline routines. For one of the routines, a FSM video was provided during acquisition, whereas only verbal instructions were provided for the alternate routine. The FSM involved editing video footage such that it showed the learner performing the trampoline routine at a higher skill level than their current capability. Analyses of the data showed that while physical performance benefits were observed for the routine that was learned with the FSM video, no differences were obtained in relation to the self-regulatory measures. Thus, the FSM video enhanced motor skill acquisition, but this could not be explained by changes to the varied self-regulatory processes examined.

Predictors of individual player match performance in junior Australian football.

PubMed

Tangalos, Christie; Robertson, Samuel J; Spittle, Michael; Gastin, Paul B

2015-10-01

Player match statistics in junior Australian football (AF) are not well documented, and contributors to success are poorly understood. A clearer understanding of the relationships between fitness and skill in younger players participating at the foundation level of the performance pathway in AF has implications for the development of coaching priorities (eg, physical or technical). To investigate the relationships between indices of fitness (speed, power, and endurance) and skill (coach rating) on player performance (disposals and effective disposals) in junior AF. Junior male AF players (N = 156, 10-15 y old) were recruited from 12 teams of a single amateur recreational AF club located in metropolitan Victoria. All players were tested for fitness (20-m sprint, vertical jump, 20-m shuttle run) and rated by their coach on a 6-point Likert scale for skill (within a team in comparison with their teammates). Player performance was assessed during a single match in which disposals and their effectiveness were coded from a video recording. Coach rating of skill displayed the strongest correlations and, combined with 20-m shuttle test, showed a good ability to predict the number of both disposals and effective disposals. None of the skill or fitness attributes adequately explained the percentage of effective disposals. The influence of team did not meaningfully contribute to the performance of any of the models. Skill development should be considered a high priority by coaches in junior AF.

Decontamination training: with and without virtual reality simulation.

PubMed

Farra, Sharon Lee; Smith, Sherrill; Gillespie, Gordon Lee; Nicely, Stephanie; Ulrich, Deborah L; Hodgson, Eric; French, DeAnne

2015-01-01

Nurses must be prepared to care for patients following a disaster, including patients exposed to hazardous contaminants. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of virtual reality simulation (VRS) to teach the disaster-specific skill of decontamination. A quasi-experimental design was used to assign nursing students from 2 baccalaureate nursing programs to 1 of 2 groups to learn the disaster skill of decontamination-printed written directions or VRS. Performance, knowledge, and self-efficacy were outcome measures. Although students in the treatment group had significantly lower performance scores than the control group (p = 0.004), students taking part in VRS completed the skill in a significantly shorter amount of time (p = 0.008). No significant group differences were found for self-efficacy (p = 0.172) or knowledge (p = 0.631). However, students in the VRS treatment group reported high levels of satisfaction with VRS as a training method. The disaster-specific skill of decontamination is a low-volume, high-risk skill that must be performed with accuracy to protect both exposed patients and providers performing decontamination. As frontline providers for casualties following a disaster event, emergency nurses must be prepared to perform this skill when needed. Preparation requires cost-effective, timely, and evidence-based educational opportunities that promote positive outcomes. Further investigation is needed to determine the benefits and long-term effects of VRS for disaster education.

Do medical students like communication? Validation of the German CSAS (Communication Skills Attitude Scale).

PubMed

Busch, Anne-Kathrin; Rockenbauch, Katrin; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Brähler, Elmar

2015-01-01

Attitudes towards communication skills of medical undergraduates can be gathered using the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS). We aimed to develop a German version of the CSAS (CSAS-G) in order to explore attitudes towards communication skills in a German cohort. Additionally the potential influence of demographic factors was examined. We realized the CSAS-G and conducted a survey with 529 participants from 3 different years of study. We then carried out an explorative as well as confirmatory factor analysis and compared the attitudinal scores. Multiple regression analysis was performed. The confirmatory analysis confirmed the two-subscale system revealed by the explorative factor analysis. Students indicate low levels of negative attitudes and moderate levels of positive attitudes. Attitudinal scores differ significantly in relation to gender. The CSAS-G can be used in German cohorts to evaluate attitudes towards communication skills. Medical students in our study show basically a positive approach. Further investigation is necessary to explore and understand attitudes towards communication skills of German medical students.

Small Unit Decision Making (SUDM) Assessment Battery

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-21

largest contribution towards differentiating between the performance level of the NCO and Lt groups participating in the project. Two additional...Situational Judgment Test, made the largest contribution towards differentiating between the performance level of NCOs and Lts. Additionally, two other...basic perceptual skills. For the construct of cognitive flexibility we suggest the development of a performance instrument in line with our definition

Fundamental movement skill performance of preschool children in relation to family context.

PubMed

Cools, Wouter; De Martelaer, Kristine; Samaey, Christiane; Andries, Caroline

2011-04-01

Evidence suggests the development of fundamental movement skill (FMS) is a key factor in promoting long-term physical activity. Low levels of activity among preschool children and the relationship between physical activity and the development of fundamental movement skills underline the need to determine the factors associated with children's development of such skills. As parents play an important role in the socialization process, the aim of this study was to examine correlates of family and neighbourhood characteristics as well as parental behaviour and beliefs on FMS performance in 4- to 6-year-old preschool children. Relationships between preschool children's FMS performance and family contextual variables were examined within a sample of 846 preschool children. Results identified positive associations of FMS performance with parental education, father's physical activity, transport to school by bicycle, and the high value placed by parents high on sport-specific aspects of children's physical activity. Variables negatively associated with preschool children's FMS performance included father-child interaction in TV-viewing and reading books, the high importance placed by parents on winning and performance in children's physical activity. Furthermore, the ambiguity of associations between FMS performance and parental beliefs underlined its complexity.

Effect of information and communication technology on nursing performance.

PubMed

Fujino, Yuriko; Kawamoto, Rieko

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of information and communication technology use and skills on nursing performance. Questionnaires were prepared relating to using the technology, practical skills in utilizing information, the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance, and demographics. In all, 556 nurses took part (response rate, 72.6%). A two-way analysis of variance was used to determine the influence of years of nursing experience on the relationship between nursing performance and information and communication technology use. The results showed that the group possessing high technological skills had greater nursing ability than the group with low skills; the level of nursing performance improved with years of experience in the former group, but not in the latter group. Regarding information and communication technology use, the results showed that nursing performance improved among participants who used computers for sending and receiving e-mails, but it decreased for those who used cell phones for e-mail. The results suggest that nursing performance may be negatively affected if information and communication technology are inappropriately used. Informatics education should therefore be provided for all nurses, and it should include information use relating to cell phones and computers.

Relationship between binocular vision, visual acuity, and fine motor skills.

PubMed

O'Connor, Anna R; Birch, Eileen E; Anderson, Susan; Draper, Hayley

2010-12-01

The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between the performance on fine motor skills tasks and peripheral and bifoveal sensory fusion, phasic and tonic motor fusion, the level of visual acuity (VA) in the poorer seeing eye, and the interocular VA difference. Subjects aged 12 to 28 years with a range of levels of binocular vision and VA performed three tasks: Purdue pegboard (number of pegs placed in 30 s), bead threading task (with two sizes of bead to increase the difficulty, time taken to thread a fixed number of beads), and a water pouring task (accuracy and time to pour a fixed quantity into five glass cylinders). Ophthalmic measures included peripheral (Worth 4 dot) and bifoveal (4 prism diopter) sensory fusion, phasic (prism bar) and tonic (Risley rotary prism) motor fusion ranges, and monocular VA. One hundred twenty-one subjects with a mean age of 18.8 years were tested; 18.2% had a manifest strabismus. Performance on fine motor skills tasks was significantly better in subjects with sensory and motor fusion compared with those without for most tasks, with significant differences between those with and without all measures of fusion on the pegboard and bead task. Both the acuity in the poorer seeing eye (highest r value of all motor tasks = 0.43) and the interocular acuity difference were statistically significantly related to performance on the motor skill tasks. Both sensory and motor fusion and good VA in both eyes are of benefit in the performance of fine motor skills tasks, with the presence of some binocular vision being beneficial compared with no fusion on certain sensorimotor tasks. This evidence supports the need to maximize fusion and VA outcomes.

Clinical skills-related learning goals of senior medical students after performance feedback.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Chou, Calvin L; Teherani, Arianne; Hauer, Karen E

2011-09-01

Lifelong learning is essential for doctors to maintain competence in clinical skills. With performance feedback, learners should be able to formulate specific and achievable learning goals in areas of need. We aimed to determine: (i) the type and specificity of medical student learning goals after a required clinical performance examination; (ii) differences in goal setting among low, average and high performers, and (iii) whether low performers articulate learning goals that are concordant with their learning needs. We conducted a single-site, multi-year, descriptive comparison study. Senior medical students were given performance benchmarks, individual feedback and guidelines on learning goals; each student was subsequently instructed to write two clinical skills learning goals. Investigators coded the learning goals for specificity, categorised the goals, and performed statistical analyses to determine their concordance with student performance level (low, average or high) in data gathering (history taking and physical examination) or communication skills. All 208 students each wrote two learning goals and most (n=200, 96%) wrote two specific learning goals. Nearly two-thirds of low performers in data gathering wrote at least one learning goal that referred to history taking or physical examination; one-third wrote learning goals pertaining to the organisation of the encounter. High performers in data gathering wrote significantly more patient education goals and significantly fewer history-taking goals than average or low performers. Only 50% of low performers in communication wrote learning goals related to communication skills. Low performers in communication were significantly more likely than average or high performers to identify learning goals related to improving performance in future examinations. The provision of performance benchmarking, individual feedback and brief written guidelines helped most senior medical students in our study to write specific clinical skills learning goals. Many low-performing students did not write learning goals concordant with their areas of weakness. Future work might focus on enhancing low performers' continued learning in areas of performance deficits. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Validity and reliability of the robotic objective structured assessment of technical skills

PubMed Central

Siddiqui, Nazema Y.; Galloway, Michael L.; Geller, Elizabeth J.; Green, Isabel C.; Hur, Hye-Chun; Langston, Kyle; Pitter, Michael C.; Tarr, Megan E.; Martino, Martin A.

2015-01-01

Objective Objective structured assessments of technical skills (OSATS) have been developed to measure the skill of surgical trainees. Our aim was to develop an OSATS specifically for trainees learning robotic surgery. Study Design This is a multi-institutional study in eight academic training programs. We created an assessment form to evaluate robotic surgical skill through five inanimate exercises. Obstetrics/gynecology, general surgery, and urology residents, fellows, and faculty completed five robotic exercises on a standard training model. Study sessions were recorded and randomly assigned to three blinded judges who scored performance using the assessment form. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing scores between participants with different levels of surgical experience; inter- and intra-rater reliability were also assessed. Results We evaluated 83 residents, 9 fellows, and 13 faculty, totaling 105 participants; 88 (84%) were from obstetrics/gynecology. Our assessment form demonstrated construct validity, with faculty and fellows performing significantly better than residents (mean scores: 89 ± 8 faculty; 74 ± 17 fellows; 59 ± 22 residents, p<0.01). In addition, participants with more robotic console experience scored significantly higher than those with fewer prior console surgeries (p<0.01). R-OSATS demonstrated good inter-rater reliability across all five drills (mean Cronbach's α: 0.79 ± 0.02). Intra-rater reliability was also high (mean Spearman's correlation: 0.91 ± 0.11). Conclusions We developed an assessment form for robotic surgical skill that demonstrates construct validity, inter- and intra-rater reliability. When paired with standardized robotic skill drills this form may be useful to distinguish between levels of trainee performance. PMID:24807319

A mixed-methods study of interprofessional learning of resuscitation skills.

PubMed

Bradley, Paul; Cooper, Simon; Duncan, Fiona

2009-09-01

This study aimed to identify the effects of interprofessional resuscitation skills teaching on medical and nursing students' attitudes, leadership, team-working and performance skills. Year 2 medical and nursing students learned resuscitation skills in uniprofessional or interprofessional settings, prior to undergoing observational ratings of video-recorded leadership, teamwork and skills performance and subsequent focus group interviews. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered pre- and post-intervention and again 3-4 months later. There was no significant difference between interprofessional and uniprofessional teams for leadership, team dynamics or resuscitation tasks performance. Gender, previous interprofessional learning experience, professional background and previous leadership experience had no significant effect. Interview analysis showed broad support for interprofessional education (IPE) matched to clinical reality with perceived benefits for teamwork, communication and improved understanding of roles and perspectives. Concerns included inappropriate role adoption, hierarchy issues, professional identity and the timing of IPE episodes. The RIPLS subscales for professional identity and team-working increased significantly post-intervention for interprofessional groups but returned to pre-test levels by 3-4 months. However, interviews showed interprofessional groups retained a 'residual positivity' towards IPE, more so than uniprofessional groups. An intervention based on common, relevant, shared learning outcomes set in a realistic educational context can work with students who have differing levels of previous IPE and skills training experience. Qualitatively, positive attitudes outlast quantitative changes measured using the RIPLS. Further quantitative and qualitative work is required to examine other domains of learning, the timing of interventions and impact on attitudes towards IPE.

Simulator training to automaticity leads to improved skill transfer compared with traditional proficiency-based training: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Scerbo, Mark W; Montero, Paul N; Acker, Christina E; Smith, Warren D

2012-01-01

We hypothesized that novices will perform better in the operating room after simulator training to automaticity compared with traditional proficiency based training (current standard training paradigm). Simulator-acquired skill translates to the operating room, but the skill transfer is incomplete. Secondary task metrics reflect the ability of trainees to multitask (automaticity) and may improve performance assessment on simulators and skill transfer by indicating when learning is complete. Novices (N = 30) were enrolled in an IRB-approved, blinded, randomized, controlled trial. Participants were randomized into an intervention (n = 20) and a control (n = 10) group. The intervention group practiced on the FLS suturing task until they achieved expert levels of time and errors (proficiency), were tested on a live porcine fundoplication model, continued simulator training until they achieved expert levels on a visual spatial secondary task (automaticity) and were retested on the operating room (OR) model. The control group participated only during testing sessions. Performance scores were compared within and between groups during testing sessions. : Intervention group participants achieved proficiency after 54 ± 14 and automaticity after additional 109 ± 57 repetitions. Participants achieved better scores in the OR after automaticity training [345 (range, 0-537)] compared with after proficiency-based training [220 (range, 0-452; P < 0.001]. Simulator training to automaticity takes more time but is superior to proficiency-based training, as it leads to improved skill acquisition and transfer. Secondary task metrics that reflect trainee automaticity should be implemented during simulator training to improve learning and skill transfer.

A multilevel modeling approach to examining individual differences in skill acquisition for a computer-based task.

PubMed

Nair, Sankaran N; Czaja, Sara J; Sharit, Joseph

2007-06-01

This article explores the role of age, cognitive abilities, prior experience, and knowledge in skill acquisition for a computer-based simulated customer service task. Fifty-two participants aged 50-80 performed the task over 4 consecutive days following training. They also completed a battery that assessed prior computer experience and cognitive abilities. The data indicated that overall quality and efficiency of performance improved with practice. The predictors of initial level of performance and rate of change in performance varied according to the performance parameter assessed. Age and fluid intelligence predicted initial level and rate of improvement in overall quality, whereas crystallized intelligence and age predicted initial e-mail processing time, and crystallized intelligence predicted rate of change in e-mail processing time over days. We discuss the implications of these findings for the design of intervention strategies.

Human Performance Technology and HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carliner, Saul

2014-01-01

Performance--the achievement of results--is central to definitions of HRD. Performance Technology (HPT) refers to a systematic methodology for developing performance in individuals and organizations. Through a systematic process, HPT explores issues at the organizational, unit, and individual level, and with skills and knowledge, resources, and…

The fourth dimension: A motoric perspective on the anxiety-performance relationship.

PubMed

Carson, Howie J; Collins, Dave

2016-01-01

This article focuses on raising concern that anxiety-performance relationship theory has insufficiently catered for motoric issues during, primarily, closed and self-paced skill execution (e.g., long jump and javelin throw). Following a review of current theory, we address the under-consideration of motoric issues by extending the three-dimensional model put forward by Cheng, Hardy, and Markland (2009) ('Toward a three-dimensional conceptualization of performance anxiety: Rationale and initial measurement development, Psychology of Sport and Exercise , 10 , 271-278). This fourth dimension, termed skill establishment , comprises the level and consistency of movement automaticity together with a performer's confidence in this specific process, as providing a degree of robustness against negative anxiety effects. To exemplify this motoric influence, we then offer insight regarding current theories' misrepresentation that a self-focus of attention toward an already well-learned skill always leads to a negative performance effect. In doing so, we draw upon applied literature to distinguish between positive and negative self-foci and suggest that on what and how a performer directs their attention is crucial to the interaction with skill establishment and, therefore, performance. Finally, implications for skill acquisition research are provided. Accordingly, we suggest a positive potential flow from applied/translational to fundamental/theory-generating research in sport which can serve to freshen and usefully redirect investigation into this long-considered but still insufficiently understood concept.

The fourth dimension: A motoric perspective on the anxiety–performance relationship

PubMed Central

Carson, Howie J.; Collins, Dave

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT This article focuses on raising concern that anxiety–performance relationship theory has insufficiently catered for motoric issues during, primarily, closed and self-paced skill execution (e.g., long jump and javelin throw). Following a review of current theory, we address the under-consideration of motoric issues by extending the three-dimensional model put forward by Cheng, Hardy, and Markland (2009) (‘Toward a three-dimensional conceptualization of performance anxiety: Rationale and initial measurement development, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10, 271–278). This fourth dimension, termed skill establishment, comprises the level and consistency of movement automaticity together with a performer's confidence in this specific process, as providing a degree of robustness against negative anxiety effects. To exemplify this motoric influence, we then offer insight regarding current theories’ misrepresentation that a self-focus of attention toward an already well-learned skill always leads to a negative performance effect. In doing so, we draw upon applied literature to distinguish between positive and negative self-foci and suggest that on what and how a performer directs their attention is crucial to the interaction with skill establishment and, therefore, performance. Finally, implications for skill acquisition research are provided. Accordingly, we suggest a positive potential flow from applied/translational to fundamental/theory-generating research in sport which can serve to freshen and usefully redirect investigation into this long-considered but still insufficiently understood concept. PMID:26692896

Adaptive Virtual Reality Training to Optimize Military Medical Skills Acquisition and Retention.

PubMed

Siu, Ka-Chun; Best, Bradley J; Kim, Jong Wook; Oleynikov, Dmitry; Ritter, Frank E

2016-05-01

The Department of Defense has pursued the integration of virtual reality simulation into medical training and applications to fulfill the need to train 100,000 military health care personnel annually. Medical personnel transitions, both when entering an operational area and returning to the civilian theater, are characterized by the need to rapidly reacquire skills that are essential but have decayed through disuse or infrequent use. Improved efficiency in reacquiring such skills is critical to avoid the likelihood of mistakes that may result in mortality and morbidity. We focus here on a study testing a theory of how the skills required for minimally invasive surgery for military surgeons are learned and retained. Our adaptive virtual reality surgical training system will incorporate an intelligent mechanism for tracking performance that will recognize skill deficiencies and generate an optimal adaptive training schedule. Our design is modeling skill acquisition based on a skill retention theory. The complexity of appropriate training tasks is adjusted according to the level of retention and/or surgical experience. Based on preliminary work, our system will improve the capability to interactively assess the level of skills learning and decay, optimizes skill relearning across levels of surgical experience, and positively impact skill maintenance. Our system could eventually reduce mortality and morbidity by providing trainees with the reexperience they need to help make a transition between operating theaters. This article reports some data that will support adaptive tutoring of minimally invasive surgery and similar surgical skills. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Effectiveness of cognitive orientation to (daily) occupational performance (CO-OP) on children with cerebral palsy: A mixed design.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Neda; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Izadi-Najafabadi, Sara; Yazdani, Farzaneh; Akbarfahimi, Nazila; Havaei, Naser; Gharebaghy, Soraya

2017-12-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disabilities during childhood. Therapeutic interventions mainly focus on impairment reduction to address motor-based difficulties. In contrast, Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a cognitive approach, providing intervention at the level of activity and participation. This study aims to determine whether the CO-OP approach improves motor skills and achievement in motor-based occupational performance goals in children with CP. In this mixed design research (i.e., a multiple baseline single case experimental design and a one-group pretest-posttest design), five children with CP participated in 12 CO-OP intervention sessions. Repeated measures of motor skills for the multiple baseline single case experimental design were taken using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP); pre- and post-measures of parent/child perception of performance and satisfaction were identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM); level of achievement was identified using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). According to the BOTMP results, all children were able to engage in the CO-OP intervention to improve motor performance. Significant differences after treatment were found in both performance and performance satisfaction ratings using the COPM as rated by parents and children. The GAS results showed progress in achievement levels for all children; all goals were achieved or exceeded. CO-OP intervention can be helpful in improving motor skills and achieving self-identified, motor-based goals in children with CP. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Discriminative validity of the Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer in Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) using criteria levels based on expert performance.

PubMed

Gallagher, A G; Lederman, A B; McGlade, K; Satava, R M; Smith, C D

2004-04-01

Increasing constraints on the time and resources needed to train surgeons have led to a new emphasis on finding innovative ways to teach surgical skills outside the operating room. Virtual reality training has been proposed as a method to both instruct surgical students and evaluate the psychomotor components of minimally invasive surgery ex vivo. The performance of 100 laparoscopic novices was compared to that of 12 experienced (>50 minimally invasive procedures) and 12 inexperienced (<10 minimally invasive procedures) laparoscopic surgeons. The values of the experienced surgeons' performance were used as benchmark comparators (or criterion measures). Each subject completed six tasks on the Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer-Virtual Reality (MIST-VR) three times. The outcome measures were time to complete the task, number of errors, economy of instrument movement, and economy of diathermy. After three trials, the mean performance of the medical students approached that of the experienced surgeons. However, 7-27% of the scores of the students fell more than two SD below the mean scores of the experienced surgeons (the criterion level). The MIST-VR system is capable of evaluating the psychomotor skills necessary in laparoscopic surgery and discriminating between experts and novices. Furthermore, although some novices improved their skills quickly, a subset had difficulty acquiring the psychomotor skills. The MIST-VR may be useful in identifying that subset of novices.

Development and Evaluation of Job Reading Task Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sticht, Thomas G.; Caylor, John S.

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

Biomechanical and Psychological Analysis of High School, Intercollegiate, and Elite Long-Distance Runners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solorio, Claribel; Hickey, Ann

2015-01-01

It is undeniable that efficiency and mentality are crucial to achieving optimal athletic performance during competition. However, development of psychological skills is often neglected, particularly in lower levels of competition. The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the biomechanical efficiency and psychological skills use among…

Differences between Workers on Different Shifts in Rating of Client Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gampel, Ezra S.

The study sought to determine if there are differences between shifts of workers in Intermediate Care Facilities in their ratings of the daily living skills of mentally retarded residents, and whether these differences reflect actual differences in performance by the residents. Staff were interviewed concerning the level of prompt required to…

Measuring Literacy: Performance Levels for Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Robert M., Ed.; Edley, Christopher F., Jr., Ed.; Koenig, Judith Anderson, Ed.; Elliott, Stuart W., Ed.

2005-01-01

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) is a household survey conducted periodically by the Department of Education that evaluates the literacy skills of a sample of adults in the United Stages ages 16 and older. NAAL results are used to characterize adults literacy skills and to inform policy and programmatic decisions. The Committee on…

Professional Notes: Reaching All Students via Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Deborah

2013-01-01

Music teachers are often the Pied Pipers of their schools, attracting the interest of students by the nature of the subject they teach. Their students who excel are often the best and brightest, since music reading and music production demand higher-level thinking skills, motor ability, and in the case of ensemble performance, social skills. As…

Music Perception Influences Language Acquisition: Melodic and Rhythmic-Melodic Perception in Children with Specific Language Impairment.

PubMed

Sallat, Stephan; Jentschke, Sebastian

2015-01-01

Language and music share many properties, with a particularly strong overlap for prosody. Prosodic cues are generally regarded as crucial for language acquisition. Previous research has indicated that children with SLI fail to make use of these cues. As processing of prosodic information involves similar skills to those required in music perception, we compared music perception skills (melodic and rhythmic-melodic perception and melody recognition) in a group of children with SLI (N = 29, five-year-olds) to two groups of controls, either of comparable age (N = 39, five-year-olds) or of age closer to the children with SLI in their language skills and about one year younger (N = 13, four-year-olds). Children with SLI performed in most tasks below their age level, closer matching the performance level of younger controls with similar language skills. These data strengthen the view of a strong relation between language acquisition and music processing. This might open a perspective for the possible use of musical material in early diagnosis of SLI and of music in SLI therapy.

Music Perception Influences Language Acquisition: Melodic and Rhythmic-Melodic Perception in Children with Specific Language Impairment

PubMed Central

Sallat, Stephan; Jentschke, Sebastian

2015-01-01

Language and music share many properties, with a particularly strong overlap for prosody. Prosodic cues are generally regarded as crucial for language acquisition. Previous research has indicated that children with SLI fail to make use of these cues. As processing of prosodic information involves similar skills to those required in music perception, we compared music perception skills (melodic and rhythmic-melodic perception and melody recognition) in a group of children with SLI (N = 29, five-year-olds) to two groups of controls, either of comparable age (N = 39, five-year-olds) or of age closer to the children with SLI in their language skills and about one year younger (N = 13, four-year-olds). Children with SLI performed in most tasks below their age level, closer matching the performance level of younger controls with similar language skills. These data strengthen the view of a strong relation between language acquisition and music processing. This might open a perspective for the possible use of musical material in early diagnosis of SLI and of music in SLI therapy. PMID:26508812

Pushing typists back on the learning curve: revealing chunking in skilled typewriting.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Motonori; Logan, Gordon D

2014-04-01

Theories of skilled performance propose that highly trained skills involve hierarchically structured control processes. The present study examined and demonstrated hierarchical control at several levels of processing in skilled typewriting. In the first two experiments, we scrambled the order of letters in words to prevent skilled typists from chunking letters, and compared typing words and scrambled words. Experiment 1 manipulated stimulus quality to reveal chunking in perception, and Experiment 2 manipulated concurrent memory load to reveal chunking in short-term memory (STM). Both experiments manipulated the number of letters in words and nonwords to reveal chunking in motor planning. In the next two experiments, we degraded typing skill by altering the usual haptic feedback by using a laser-projection keyboard, so that typists had to monitor keystrokes. Neither the number of motor chunks (Experiment 3) nor the number of STM items (Experiment 4) was influenced by the manipulation. The results indicate that the utilization of hierarchical control depends on whether the input allows chunking but not on whether the output is generated automatically. We consider the role of automaticity in hierarchical control of skilled performance.

Especial skill effect across age and performance level: the nature and degree of generalization.

PubMed

Czyż, S H; Breslin, G; Kwon, O; Mazur, M; Kobiałka, K; Pizlo, Z

2013-01-01

It has been claimed that an especial skill emerges after massive amounts of basketball practice. Despite this no direct evidence is available to support this claim. The authors aimed to shed light on this question. Thirty-seven male basketball players took part representing four groups: 2 groups of senior players, a cadet group, and a group of juniors. Players performed free throw shots from 7 distances including shots from the free throw line (15 ft). It was shown that an especial skill was present in senior players, but not in junior players who had only 3 years of playing experience. The authors present a descriptive model of especial skill and express it using the formalism of a hierarchical Bayesian model to fit the data and estimate the parameters. This model can account not only for the results, which indicate the presence and a substantial degree of generalizability of especial skill to nearby distances, but also for results of the original study on especial skill where it was proposed that specificity in practice leads to the emergence of the especial skill.

Crystallized verbal skills in schizophrenia: relationship to neurocognition, symptoms, and functional status.

PubMed

Kurtz, Matthew M; Donato, Jad; Rose, Jennifer

2011-11-01

To study the relationship of superior (i.e., ≥ 90th percentile), average (11th-89th percentile) or extremely low (i.e., ≤ 10th percentile) crystallized verbal skills to neurocognitive profiles, symptoms and everyday life function in schizophrenia. Crystallized verbal skill was derived from Vocabulary subtest scores from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Out of a sample of 165 stable outpatients with schizophrenia we identified 25 participants with superior crystallized verbal skill, 104 participants with average verbal skill, and 36 participants with extremely low crystallized verbal skill. Each participant was administered measures of attention, working memory, verbal learning and memory, problem-solving and processing speed, as well as symptom and performance-based adaptive life skill assessments. The magnitude of neuropsychological impairment across the three groups was different, after adjusting for group differences in education and duration of illness. Working memory, and verbal learning and memory skills were different across all three groups, while processing speed differentiated the extremely low verbal skill group from the other two groups and problem-solving differentiated the very low verbal skill group from the superior verbal skill group. There were no group differences in sustained attention. Capacity measures of everyday life skills were different across each of the three groups. Crystallized verbal skill in schizophrenia is related to the magnitude of impairment in neurocognitive function and performance-based skills in everyday life function. Patterns of neuropsychological impairment were similar across different levels of crystallized verbal skill.

How to improve essential skills in introductory physics through brief, spaced, online practice.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckler, Andrew; Mikula, Brendon

2017-01-01

We developed and implemented a set of online ``essential skills'' tasks to help students achieve and retain a core level of mastery and fluency in basic skills necessary for their coursework. The task design is based on our research on student understanding and difficulties as well as three well-established cognitive principles: 1) spaced practice, to promote retention, 2) interleaved practice, to promote the ability to recognize when the learned skill is needed, and 3) mastery practice mastery practice, to promote a base level of performance. We report on training on a variety of skills with vector math. Students spent a relatively small amount of time, 10-20 minutes in practice each week, answering relevant questions online until a mastery level was achieved. Results indicate significant and often dramatic gains, often with average gains of over one standard deviation. Notably, these large gains are retained at least several months after the final practice session, including for less-prepared students. Funding for this research was provided by the Center for Emergent Materials: an NSF MRSEC under Award Number DMR-1420451.

Fine motor skills and expressive language: a study with children with congenital hypotyreoidism.

PubMed

Frezzato, Renata Camargo; Santos, Denise Castilho Cabrera; Goto, Maura Mikie Fukujima; Ouro, Michelle Prado Cabral do; Santos, Carolina Taddeo Mendes Dos; Dutra, Vivian; Lima, Maria Cecília Marconi Pinheiro

2017-03-09

To screen the global development of children with and without congenital hypothyroidism and to investigate the association between fine motor skills and expressive language development in both groups. This is a prospective study of a cohort of children diagnosed with Congenital Hypothyroidism and monitored in a reference service for congenital hypothyroidism of a public hospital and of children without this disorder. The screening was performed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III in the cognitive, gross and fine motor skills, and receptive and expressive language domains. The children's performance was expressed in three categories: competent, and non-competent. We screened 117 children with average age of 21 months diagnosed with Congenital Hypothyroidism at birth, with the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level normalized during screening, and 51 children without the condition. The children with Congenital Hypothyroidism presented lower performance in gross and fine motor skills upon comparison between the two groups, and no differences were found in the cognitive and receptive and expressive language domains. The association between fine motor skills and language persisted in the group with Hypothyroidism, demonstrating that the interrelationship of skills is present in all individuals, although this group is two times more likely to present expressive language impairment when fine motor skills are already compromised. In the development process, both skills - motor and expressive language - might be associated and/or dependent on each other in the sample assessed.

Logical Reasoning Ability and Student Performance in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, Lillian

2010-01-01

Logical reasoning skills of students enrolled in a general chemistry course at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras were measured using the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test. The results were used to determine the students' cognitive level (concrete, transitional, formal) as well as their level of performance by logical…

Cities and Regions in the New Learning Economy. Education and Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Centre for Educational Research and Innovation.

This publication analyzes relationships between various forms of learning and economic performance at the regional level and provides rather strong evidence of the importance of individual and firm-level organizational learning for regions' economic performance. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 maps out a conceptual framework for the…

Investigating Student Choices in Performing Higher-Level Comprehension Tasks Using TED

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bianchi, Francesca; Marenzi, Ivana

2016-01-01

The current paper describes a first experiment in the use of TED talks and open tagging exercises to train higher-level comprehension skills, and of automatic logging of the student's actions to investigate the student choices while performing analytical tasks. The experiment took advantage of an interactive learning platform--LearnWeb--that…

Assessing Motor Skill Competency in Elementary School Students: A Three-Year Study.

PubMed

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

2016-03-01

This study was to examine how well fourth- and fifth-grade students demonstrated motor skill competency assessed with selected PE Metrics assessment rubrics (2009). Fourth- and fifth-grade students (n = 1,346-1,926) were assessed on their performance of three manipulative skills using the PE Metrics Assessment Rubrics during the pre-intervention year, the post-intervention year 1, and the post-intervention year 3. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and follow-up comparisons were conducted for data analysis. The results indicated that the post-intervention year 2 cohort performed significantly more competent than the pre-intervention cohort and the post-intervention year 1 cohort on the three manipulative skill assessments. The post-intervention year 1 cohort significantly outperformed the pre-intervention cohort on the soccer dribbling, passing, and receiving and the striking skill assessments, but not on the throwing skill assessment. Although the boys in the three cohorts performed significantly better than the girls on all three skills, the girls showed substantial improvement on the overhand throwing and the soccer skills from baseline to the post-intervention year 1 and the post-intervention year 2. However, the girls, in particular, need to improve striking skill. The CTACH PE was conducive to improving fourth- and fifth-grade students' motor skill competency in the three manipulative skills. This study suggest that PE Metrics assessment rubrics are feasible tools for PE teachers to assess levels of students' demonstration of motor skill competency during a regular PE lesson. Key pointsCATCH PE is an empirically-evidenced quality PE curricular that is conducive to improving students' manipulative skill competency.Boys significantly outperformed than girls in all three manipulative skills.Girls need to improve motor skill competency in striking skill. PE Metrics are feasible assessment rubrics that can be easily used by trained physical education teachers to assess students' manipulative skill competency.

Assessing Motor Skill Competency in Elementary School Students: A Three-Year Study

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

This study was to examine how well fourth- and fifth-grade students demonstrated motor skill competency assessed with selected PE Metrics assessment rubrics (2009). Fourth- and fifth-grade students (n = 1,346-1,926) were assessed on their performance of three manipulative skills using the PE Metrics Assessment Rubrics during the pre-intervention year, the post-intervention year 1, and the post-intervention year 3. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and follow-up comparisons were conducted for data analysis. The results indicated that the post-intervention year 2 cohort performed significantly more competent than the pre-intervention cohort and the post-intervention year 1 cohort on the three manipulative skill assessments. The post-intervention year 1 cohort significantly outperformed the pre-intervention cohort on the soccer dribbling, passing, and receiving and the striking skill assessments, but not on the throwing skill assessment. Although the boys in the three cohorts performed significantly better than the girls on all three skills, the girls showed substantial improvement on the overhand throwing and the soccer skills from baseline to the post-intervention year 1 and the post-intervention year 2. However, the girls, in particular, need to improve striking skill. The CTACH PE was conducive to improving fourth- and fifth-grade students’ motor skill competency in the three manipulative skills. This study suggest that PE Metrics assessment rubrics are feasible tools for PE teachers to assess levels of students’ demonstration of motor skill competency during a regular PE lesson. Key points CATCH PE is an empirically-evidenced quality PE curricular that is conducive to improving students’ manipulative skill competency. Boys significantly outperformed than girls in all three manipulative skills. Girls need to improve motor skill competency in striking skill. PE Metrics are feasible assessment rubrics that can be easily used by trained physical education teachers to assess students’ manipulative skill competency. PMID:26957932

Non-technical skills evaluation in the critical care air ambulance environment: introduction of an adapted rating instrument--an observational study.

PubMed

Myers, Julia A; Powell, David M C; Psirides, Alex; Hathaway, Karyn; Aldington, Sarah; Haney, Michael F

2016-03-08

In the isolated and dynamic health-care setting of critical care air ambulance transport, the quality of clinical care is strongly influenced by non-technical skills such as anticipating, recognising and understanding, decision making, and teamwork. However there are no published reports identifying or applying a non-technical skills framework specific to an intensive care air ambulance setting. The objective of this study was to adapt and evaluate a non-technical skills rating framework for the air ambulance clinical environment. In the first phase of the project the anaesthetists' non-technical skills (ANTS) framework was adapted to the air ambulance setting, using data collected directly from clinician groups, published literature, and field observation. In the second phase experienced and inexperienced inter-hospital transport clinicians completed a simulated critical care air transport scenario, and their non-technical skills performance was independently rated by two blinded assessors. Observed and self-rated general clinical performance ratings were also collected. Rank-based statistical tests were used to examine differences in the performance of experienced and inexperienced clinicians, and relationships between different assessment approaches and assessors. The framework developed during phase one was referred to as an aeromedical non-technical skills framework, or AeroNOTS. During phase two 16 physicians from speciality training programmes in intensive care, emergency medicine and anaesthesia took part in the clinical simulation study. Clinicians with inter-hospital transport experience performed more highly than those without experience, according to both AeroNOTS non-technical skills ratings (p = 0.001) and general performance ratings (p = 0.003). Self-ratings did not distinguish experienced from inexperienced transport clinicians (p = 0.32) and were not strongly associated with either observed general performance (r(s) = 0.4, p = 0.11) or observed non-technical skills performance (r(s) = 0.4, p = 0.1). This study describes a framework which characterises the non-technical skills required by critical care air ambulance clinicians, and distinguishes higher and lower levels of performance. The AeroNOTS framework could be used to facilitate education and training in non-technical skills for air ambulance clinicians, and further evaluation of this rating system is merited.

The effect of haptic guidance and visual feedback on learning a complex tennis task.

PubMed

Marchal-Crespo, Laura; van Raai, Mark; Rauter, Georg; Wolf, Peter; Riener, Robert

2013-11-01

While haptic guidance can improve ongoing performance of a motor task, several studies have found that it ultimately impairs motor learning. However, some recent studies suggest that the haptic demonstration of optimal timing, rather than movement magnitude, enhances learning in subjects trained with haptic guidance. Timing of an action plays a crucial role in the proper accomplishment of many motor skills, such as hitting a moving object (discrete timing task) or learning a velocity profile (time-critical tracking task). The aim of the present study is to evaluate which feedback conditions-visual or haptic guidance-optimize learning of the discrete and continuous elements of a timing task. The experiment consisted in performing a fast tennis forehand stroke in a virtual environment. A tendon-based parallel robot connected to the end of a racket was used to apply haptic guidance during training. In two different experiments, we evaluated which feedback condition was more adequate for learning: (1) a time-dependent discrete task-learning to start a tennis stroke and (2) a tracking task-learning to follow a velocity profile. The effect that the task difficulty and subject's initial skill level have on the selection of the optimal training condition was further evaluated. Results showed that the training condition that maximizes learning of the discrete time-dependent motor task depends on the subjects' initial skill level. Haptic guidance was especially suitable for less-skilled subjects and in especially difficult discrete tasks, while visual feedback seems to benefit more skilled subjects. Additionally, haptic guidance seemed to promote learning in a time-critical tracking task, while visual feedback tended to deteriorate the performance independently of the task difficulty and subjects' initial skill level. Haptic guidance outperformed visual feedback, although additional studies are needed to further analyze the effect of other types of feedback visualization on motor learning of time-critical tasks.

Exploring temporal patterning of psychological skills usage during the week leading up to competition: Lessons for developing intervention programmes

PubMed Central

Pollmann, Dietmar; Schack, Thomas

2017-01-01

Background and purpose Although sport psychology literature focuses on psychological skills use to promote proficiency, it is still puzzling that current research has focused on psychological skills use only during competition. There remains a scarcity of empirical evidence to support the timing, and content of psychological skill application during the time preceding competition. This study examined the extent to which psychological skills usage are dynamic or stable over a 7-day pre-competitive period and whether any natural learning experiences might have accounted for the acquisition of these skills across gender and skill level. Methods and results Ninety elite and sub-elite table tennis players completed the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) at three different periods (7 days, 2 days, 1 hour) before competition. A MANOVA repeated measures with follow-up analyses revealed significant multivariate main effects for only skill level and time-to-competition with no interactions. Specifically, elite (international) athletes reported more usage than sub-elite (national) counterparts for self-talk, imagery and relaxation respectively. Time-to-competition effects showed imagery use decreased steadily across the three time points while reported usage of relaxation were almost at the same level on two time points (7 days and 1 hour) but decreased 2 days before competition. Conclusions Findings suggest an implementation of formalized and periodized psychological skills training programs over continuous training cycles. This may foster a positive long-term athletes’ psychological state prior to the onset of competition. PMID:28786998

The Importance of Spatial Reasoning Skills in Undergraduate Geology Students and the Effect of Weekly Spatial Skill Trainings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gold, Anne; Pendergast, Philip; Stempien, Jennifer; Ormand, Carol

2016-04-01

Spatial reasoning is a key skill for student success in STEM disciplines in general and for students in geosciences in particular. However, spatial reasoning is neither explicitly trained, nor evenly distributed, among students and by gender. This uneven playing field allows some students to perform geoscience tasks easily while others struggle. A lack of spatial reasoning skills has been shown to be a barrier to success in the geosciences, and for STEM disciplines in general. Addressing spatial abilities early in the college experience might therefore be effective in retaining students, especially females, in STEM disciplines. We have developed and implemented a toolkit for testing and training undergraduate student spatial reasoning skills in the classroom. In the academic year 2014/15, we studied the distribution of spatial abilities in more than 700 undergraduate Geology students from 4 introductory and 2 upper level courses. Following random assignment, four treatment groups received weekly online training and intermittent hands-on trainings in spatial thinking while four control groups only participated in a pre- and a posttest of spatial thinking skills. In this presentation we summarize our results and describe the distribution of spatial skills in undergraduate students enrolled in geology courses. We first discuss the factors that best account for differences in baseline spatial ability levels, including general intelligence (using standardized test scores as a proxy), major, video gaming, and other childhood play experiences, which help to explain the gender gap observed in most research. We found a statistically significant improvement of spatial thinking still with large effect sizes for the students who received the weekly trainings. Self-report data further shows that students improve their spatial thinking skills and report that their improved spatial thinking skills increase their performance in geoscience courses. We conclude by discussing the effects of the training modules on development of spatial skills, which helps to shed light on what types of interventions may be useful in leveling the playing field for students going into the geosciences and other STEM fields.

Aerobic conditioning for team sport athletes.

PubMed

Stone, Nicholas M; Kilding, Andrew E

2009-01-01

Team sport athletes require a high level of aerobic fitness in order to generate and maintain power output during repeated high-intensity efforts and to recover. Research to date suggests that these components can be increased by regularly performing aerobic conditioning. Traditional aerobic conditioning, with minimal changes of direction and no skill component, has been demonstrated to effectively increase aerobic function within a 4- to 10-week period in team sport players. More importantly, traditional aerobic conditioning methods have been shown to increase team sport performance substantially. Many team sports require the upkeep of both aerobic fitness and sport-specific skills during a lengthy competitive season. Classic team sport trainings have been shown to evoke marginal increases/decreases in aerobic fitness. In recent years, aerobic conditioning methods have been designed to allow adequate intensities to be achieved to induce improvements in aerobic fitness whilst incorporating movement-specific and skill-specific tasks, e.g. small-sided games and dribbling circuits. Such 'sport-specific' conditioning methods have been demonstrated to promote increases in aerobic fitness, though careful consideration of player skill levels, current fitness, player numbers, field dimensions, game rules and availability of player encouragement is required. Whilst different conditioning methods appear equivalent in their ability to improve fitness, whether sport-specific conditioning is superior to other methods at improving actual game performance statistics requires further research.

Computer-Aided Techniques for Providing Operator Performance Measures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connelly, Edward M.; And Others

This report documents the theory, structure, and implementation of a performance processor (written in FORTRAN IV) that can accept performance demonstration data representing various levels of operator's skill and, under user control, analyze data to provide candidate performance measures and validation test results. The processor accepts two…

Internet skills performance tests: are people ready for eHealth?

PubMed

van Deursen, Alexander J A M; van Dijk, Jan A G M

2011-04-29

Despite the amount of online health information, there are several barriers that limit the Internet's adoption as a source of health information. One of these barriers is highlighted in conceptualizations of the digital divide which include the differential possession of Internet skills, or "eHealth literacy". Most measures of Internet skills among populations at large use self-assessments. The research discussed here applies a multifaceted definition of Internet skills and uses actual performance tests. The purpose of this study was to assess how ready a sample of the general population is for eHealth. More specifically, four types of Internet skills were measured in a performance test in which subjects had to complete health-related assignments on the Internet. From November 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010, 88 subjects participated in the study. Subjects were randomly selected from a telephone directory. A selective quota sample was used divided over equal subsamples of gender, age, and education. Each subject had to accomplish assignments on the Internet. The Internet skills accounted for were categorized as operational (basic skills to use the Internet), formal (navigation and orientation), information (finding information), and strategic (using the information for personal benefits). The tests took approximately 1.5 hours and were conducted in a University office, making the setting equally new for all. Successful completion and time spent on the assignments-the two main outcomes-were directly measured by the test leader. The subjects successfully completed an average of 73% (5.8/8) of the operational Internet skill tasks and an average of 73% (2.9/4) of the formal Internet skill tasks. Of the information Internet skills tasks, an average of 50% (1.5/3) was completed successfully and, of the strategic Internet skills tasks, 35% (0.7/2). Only 28% (25/88) of the subjects were able to successfully complete all operational skills tasks, 39% (34/88), all formal skills tasks, 13% (11/88), all information skills tasks, and 20% (18/88), both the strategic skill tasks. The time spent on the assignments varied substantially. Age and education were the most important contributors to the operational and formal Internet skills. Regarding the formal Internet skills, years of Internet experience also had some influence. Educational level of attainment was the most important contributor to the information and strategic Internet skills. Although the amount of online health-related information and services is consistently growing, it appears that the general population lacks the skills to keep up. Most problematic appear to be the lack of information and strategic Internet skills, which, in the context of health, are very important. The lack of these skills is also problematic for members of younger generations, who are often considered skilled Internet users. This primarily seems to account for the operational and formal Internet skills. The results of the study strongly call for policies to increase the level of Internet skills.

Internet Skills Performance Tests: Are People Ready for eHealth?

PubMed Central

van Dijk, Jan A G M

2011-01-01

Background Despite the amount of online health information, there are several barriers that limit the Internet’s adoption as a source of health information. One of these barriers is highlighted in conceptualizations of the digital divide which include the differential possession of Internet skills, or “eHealth literacy”. Most measures of Internet skills among populations at large use self-assessments. The research discussed here applies a multifaceted definition of Internet skills and uses actual performance tests. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess how ready a sample of the general population is for eHealth. More specifically, four types of Internet skills were measured in a performance test in which subjects had to complete health-related assignments on the Internet. Methods From November 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010, 88 subjects participated in the study. Subjects were randomly selected from a telephone directory. A selective quota sample was used divided over equal subsamples of gender, age, and education. Each subject had to accomplish assignments on the Internet. The Internet skills accounted for were categorized as operational (basic skills to use the Internet), formal (navigation and orientation), information (finding information), and strategic (using the information for personal benefits). The tests took approximately 1.5 hours and were conducted in a University office, making the setting equally new for all. Successful completion and time spent on the assignments—the two main outcomes—were directly measured by the test leader. Results The subjects successfully completed an average of 73% (5.8/8) of the operational Internet skill tasks and an average of 73% (2.9/4) of the formal Internet skill tasks. Of the information Internet skills tasks, an average of 50% (1.5/3) was completed successfully and, of the strategic Internet skills tasks, 35% (0.7/2). Only 28% (25/88) of the subjects were able to successfully complete all operational skills tasks, 39% (34/88) all formal skills tasks, 13% (11/88) all information skills tasks, and 20% (18/88) both the strategic skill tasks. The time spent on the assignments varied substantially. Age and education were the most important contributors to the operational and formal Internet skills. Regarding the formal Internet skills, years of Internet experience also had some influence. Educational level of attainment was the most important contributor to the information and strategic Internet skills. Conclusions Although the amount of online health-related information and services is consistently growing, it appears that the general population lacks the skills to keep up. Most problematic appear to be the lack of information and strategic Internet skills, which, in the context of health, are very important. The lack of these skills is also problematic for members of younger generations, who are often considered skilled Internet users. This primarily seems to account for the operational and formal Internet skills. The results of the study strongly call for policies to increase the level of Internet skills. PMID:21531690

Increase in counselling communication skills after basic and advanced microskills training.

PubMed

Kuntze, Jeroen; van der Molen, Henk T; Born, Marise P

2009-03-01

Mastering counselling communication skills is one of the requirements that lead to the diploma of a registered European psychologist. The microcounseling method proves to be effective in training these skills. Research into the effectiveness of the microcounseling method often reports overall effect sizes only. The aim of this study was to investigate the adequate use of separate counselling communication skills (seven basic skills: minimal encouragements; asking questions; paraphrasing; reflection of feeling; concreteness; summarizing; and situation clarification and five advanced skills: advanced accurate empathy; confrontation; positive relabelling; examples of one's own; and directness) after respectively a basic and an advanced training in these skills. Participants were 583 first year or second year bachelor students in psychology who took the counselling communication skills progress test (CSPT). The participants are divided in a group of freshmen, who had not received any training in counselling communication skills; first year students, who had received a training in basic skills; second year students who had followed a training in advanced skills and a control group. A between-subject design, a within-subject design and a pre-test-post-test-control group design were used to examine the scores on these skills. Seven basic skills and four advanced skills had large effect sizes. One advanced skill had a moderate effect size. The microcounseling method is very effective on the level of separate microskills. However, students perform better on the basic skills than on the advanced skills. More training seems to be needed in the latter to achieve the same level of mastery.

Simulation-based training in flexible fibreoptic intubation: A randomised study.

PubMed

Nilsson, Philip M; Russell, Lene; Ringsted, Charlotte; Hertz, Peter; Konge, Lars

2015-09-01

Flexible fibreoptic intubation (FOI) is a key element in difficult airway management. Training of FOI skills is an important part of the anaesthesiology curriculum. Simulation-based training has been shown to be effective when learning FOI, but the optimal structure of the training is debated. The aspect of dividing the training into segments (part-task training) or assembling into one piece (whole-task training) has not been studied. The aims of this study were to compare the effect of training the motor skills of FOI as part-task training or as whole-task training and to relate the performance levels achieved by the novices to the standard of performance of experienced FOI practitioners. A randomised controlled study. Centre for Clinical Education, University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, between January and April 2013. Twenty-three anaesthesia residents in their first year of training in anaesthesiology with no experience in FOI, and 10 anaesthesia consultants experienced in FOI. The novices to FOI were allocated randomly to receive either part-task or whole-task training of FOI on virtual reality simulators. Procedures were subsequently trained on a manikin and assessed by an experienced anaesthesiologist. The experienced group was assessed in the same manner with no prior simulation-based training. The primary outcome measure was the score of performance on testing FOI skills on a manikin. A positive learning effect was observed in both the part-task training group and the whole-task training group. There was no statistically significant difference in final performance scores of the two novice groups (P = 0.61). Furthermore, both groups of novices were able to improve their skill level significantly by the end of manikin training to levels comparable to the experienced anaesthesiologists. Part-task training did not prove more effective than whole-task training when training novices in FOI skills. FOI is very suitable for simulation-based training and segmentation of the procedure during training is not necessary.

Do resident's leadership skills relate to ratings of technical skill?

PubMed

Gannon, Samantha J; Law, Katherine E; Ray, Rebecca D; Nathwani, Jay N; DiMarco, Shannon M; D'Angelo, Anne-Lise D; Pugh, Carla M

2016-12-01

This study sought to compare general surgery research residents' survey information regarding self-efficacy ratings to their observed performance during a simulated small bowel repair. Their observed performance ratings were based on their leadership skills in directing their assistant. Participants were given 15 min to perform a bowel repair using bovine intestines with standardized injuries. Operative assistants were assigned to help assist with the repair. Before the procedure, participants were asked to rate their expected skills decay, task difficulty, and confidence in addressing the small bowel injury. Interactions were coded to identify the number of instructions given by the participants to the assistant during the repair. Statistical analyses assessed the relationship between the number of directional instructions and participants' perceptions self-efficacy measures. Directional instructions were defined as any dialog by the participant who guided the assistant to perform an action. Thirty-six residents (58.3% female) participated in the study. Participants who rated lower levels of decay in their intraoperative decision-making and small bowel repair skills were noted to use their assistant more by giving more instructions. Similarly, a higher number of instructions correlated with lower perceived difficulty in selecting the correct suture, suture pattern, and completing the entire surgical task. General surgery research residents' intraoperative leadership skills showed significant correlations to their perceptions of skill decay and task difficulty during a bowel repair. Evaluating resident's directional instructions may provide an additional individualized intraoperative assessment metric. Further evaluation relating to operative performance outcomes is warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resident self-other assessor agreement: influence of assessor, competency, and performance level.

PubMed

Lipsett, Pamela A; Harris, Ilene; Downing, Steven

2011-08-01

To review the literature on self-assessment in the context of resident performance and to determine the correlation between self-assessment across competencies in high- and low-performing residents and assessments performed by raters from a variety of professional roles (peers, nurses, and faculty). Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected anonymous self-assessment and multiprofessional (360) performance assessments by competency and overall. University-based academic general surgical program. Sixty-two residents rotating in general surgery. Mean difference for each self-assessment dyad (self-peer, self-nurse, and self-attending physician) by resident performance quartile, adjusted for measurement error, correlation coefficients, and summed differences across all competencies. Irrespective of self-other dyad, residents asked to rate their global performance overestimated their skills. Residents in the upper quartile underestimated their specific skills while those in the lowest-performing quartile overestimated their abilities when compared with faculty, peers, and especially nurse raters. Moreover, overestimation was greatest in competencies related to interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork, and professionalism. Rater, level of performance, and the competency being assessed all influence the comparison of the resident's self-assessment and those of other raters. Self-assessment of competencies related to behavior may be inaccurate when compared with raters from various professions. Residents in the lowest-performing quartile are least able to identify their weakness. These data have important implications for residents, program directors, and the public and suggest that strategies that help the lowest-performing residents recognize areas in need of improvement are needed.

An Analysis of Final Course Grades in Two Different Entry Level Mathematics Courses between and among First Year College Students with Different Levels of High School Mathematics Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Carrie

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of first year college students with similar high school mathematics backgrounds in two introductory level college mathematics courses, "Fundamentals and Techniques of College Algebra and Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Skills," and to compare the performance of students…

Contributions of Morphological Skill to Children's Essay Writing

PubMed Central

Northey, Mary; McCutchen, Deborah; Sanders, Elizabeth A.

2015-01-01

Morphological skills have previously been found to reliably predict reading skill, including word reading, vocabulary, and comprehension. However, less is known about how morphological skills might contribute to writing skill, aside from its well-documented role in the development of spelling. This correlational study examines whether morphological skill, as measured by a sentence generation task tapping both derivational morphology and meta-syntactic skills, predicts performance on a standardized essay writing task for fifth- and eighth-grade U.S. students (N = 233), after controlling for grade level, comprehension, and writing fluency. Multilevel analyses indicated that morphological skill and writing fluency were each uniquely predictive of essay quality, and this finding was consistent regardless of whether accurate spelling was required in the morphological task. Our results suggest that morphological skills play an important role in writing, as has been previously documented in reading and spelling. PMID:26957783

Musical aptitude and second language pronunciation skills in school-aged children: neural and behavioral evidence.

PubMed

Milovanov, Riia; Huotilainen, Minna; Välimäki, Vesa; Esquef, Paulo A A; Tervaniemi, Mari

2008-02-15

The main focus of this study was to examine the relationship between musical aptitude and second language pronunciation skills. We investigated whether children with superior performance in foreign language production represent musical sound features more readily in the preattentive level of neural processing compared with children with less-advanced production skills. Sound processing accuracy was examined in elementary school children by means of event-related potential (ERP) recordings and behavioral measures. Children with good linguistic skills had better musical skills as measured by the Seashore musicality test than children with less accurate linguistic skills. The ERP data accompany the results of the behavioral tests: children with good linguistic skills showed more pronounced sound-change evoked activation with the music stimuli than children with less accurate linguistic skills. Taken together, the results imply that musical and linguistic skills could partly be based on shared neural mechanisms.

Improving residency training in arthroscopic knee surgery with use of a virtual-reality simulator. A randomized blinded study.

PubMed

Cannon, W Dilworth; Garrett, William E; Hunter, Robert E; Sweeney, Howard J; Eckhoff, Donald G; Nicandri, Gregg T; Hutchinson, Mark R; Johnson, Donald D; Bisson, Leslie J; Bedi, Asheesh; Hill, James A; Koh, Jason L; Reinig, Karl D

2014-11-05

There is a paucity of articles in the surgical literature demonstrating transfer validity (transfer of training). The purpose of this study was to assess whether skills learned on the ArthroSim virtual-reality arthroscopic knee simulator transferred to greater skill levels in the operating room. Postgraduate year-3 orthopaedic residents were randomized into simulator-trained and control groups at seven academic institutions. The experimental group trained on the simulator, performing a knee diagnostic arthroscopy procedure to a predetermined proficiency level based on the average proficiency of five community-based orthopaedic surgeons performing the same procedure on the simulator. The residents in the control group continued their institution-specific orthopaedic education and training. Both groups then performed a diagnostic knee arthroscopy procedure on a live patient. Video recordings of the arthroscopic surgery were analyzed by five pairs of expert arthroscopic surgeons blinded to the identity of the residents. A proprietary global rating scale and a procedural checklist, which included visualization and probing scales, were used for rating. Forty-eight (89%) of the fifty-four postgraduate year-3 residents from seven academic institutions completed the study. The simulator-trained group averaged eleven hours of training on the simulator to reach proficiency. The simulator-trained group performed significantly better when rated according to our procedural checklist (p = 0.031), including probing skills (p = 0.016) but not visualization skills (p = 0.34), compared with the control group. The procedural checklist weighted probing skills double the weight of visualization skills. The global rating scale failed to reach significance (p = 0.061) because of one extreme outlier. The duration of the procedure was not significant. This lack of a significant difference seemed to be related to the fact that residents in the control group were less thorough, which shortened their time to completion of the arthroscopic procedure. We have demonstrated transfer validity (transfer of training) that residents trained to proficiency on a high-fidelity realistic virtual-reality arthroscopic knee simulator showed a greater skill level in the operating room compared with the control group. We believe that the results of our study will stimulate residency program directors to incorporate surgical simulation into the core curriculum of their residency programs. Copyright © 2014 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Mobile robot exploration and navigation of indoor spaces using sonar and vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kortenkamp, David; Huber, Marcus; Koss, Frank; Belding, William; Lee, Jaeho; Wu, Annie; Bidlack, Clint; Rodgers, Seth

1994-01-01

Integration of skills into an autonomous robot that performs a complex task is described. Time constraints prevented complete integration of all the described skills. The biggest problem was tuning the sensor-based region-finding algorithm to the environment involved. Since localization depended on matching regions found with the a priori map, the robot became lost very quickly. If the low level sensing of the world is not working, then high level reasoning or map making will be unsuccessful.

Impact of fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery training during medical school on performance by first year surgical residents.

PubMed

Edelman, David A; Mattos, Mark A; Bouwman, David L

2011-09-01

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) certification is a high stakes examination. The best training methods to enable successful certification are undetermined. We hypothesized that first year surgical residents (R01s) who had been pretrained as medical students would perform better during skills training than previously un-trained R01s. This is an IRB-approved, retrospective review of FLS training data generated from a single surgical skills laboratory from July 2007 through June 2010. During the study period, there were 24 R01s with no previous FLS exposure (NOVICE group) and seven R01s who had undergone FLS task training while medical students (MS4 group). All R01s practiced the FLS skill tasks weekly for portions of the training sessions with informal feedback and teaching. Performance goals were proposed for each task based on local and national proficiency figures. The performance outcome measure was task completion time (TCT). Pretraining performance was designated iTCT and post-training fTCT. The MS4 group began with iTCTs for all four tasks that were significantly lower than the NOVICE iTCTs. At completion of the 16-wk training period, the MS4 group continued to demonstrate mean fTCTs that were lower for all four FLS skill tasks but only significantly for PEG, CIRCLE, and INTRA skill tasks. Both NOVICE and MS4 groups showed significant improvement for all four skill tasks (P < 0.05). In the current milieu of work-hour limitations, the integration of FLS skill training into medical school curriculum provided a durable advantage to the pretrained R01s, which was associated with higher levels of final performance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Entry Level Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document provides a standard that defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society to certify entry-level welders. The certification of entry-level welders requires performance qualification and practical knowledge tests that require a minimum of reading, computation, and manual skills to complete. The Entry-Level Welder…

The Architecture of the Golfer's Brain

PubMed Central

Jäncke, Lutz; Koeneke, Susan; Hoppe, Ariana; Rominger, Christina; Hänggi, Jürgen

2009-01-01

Background Several recent studies have shown practice-dependent structural alterations in humans. Cross-sectional studies of intensive practice of specific tasks suggest associated long-term structural adaptations. Playing golf at a high level of performance is one of the most demanding sporting activities. In this study, we report the relationship between a particular level of proficiency in playing golf (indicated by golf handicap level) and specific neuroanatomical features. Principal Findings Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of grey (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes and fractional anisotropy (FA) measures of the fibre tracts, we identified differences between skilled (professional golfers and golfers with an handicap from 1–14) and less-skilled golfers (golfers with an handicap from 15–36 and non-golfer). Larger GM volumes were found in skilled golfers in a fronto-parietal network including premotor and parietal areas. Skilled golfers revealed smaller WM volume and FA values in the vicinity of the corticospinal tract at the level of the internal and external capsule and in the parietal operculum. However, there was no structural difference within the skilled and less-skilled golfer group. Conclusion There is no linear relationship between the anatomical findings and handicap level, amount of practice, and practice hours per year. There was however a strong difference between highly-practiced golfers (at least 800–3,000 hours) and those who have practised less or non-golfers without any golfing practise, thus indicating a step-wise structural and not a linear change. PMID:19277116

Perceiving the affordance of string tension for power strokes in badminton: expertise allows effective use of all string tensions.

PubMed

Zhu, Qin

2013-01-01

Affordances mean opportunities for action. These affordances are important for sports performance and relevant to the abilities developed by skilled athletes. In racquet sports such as badminton, different players prefer widely different string tension because it is believed to provide opportunities for effective strokes. The current study examined whether badminton players can perceive the affordance of string tension for power strokes and whether the perception of affordance itself changed as a function of skill level. The results showed that string tension constrained the striking performance of both novice and recreational players, but not of expert players. When perceptual capability was assessed, perceptual mode did not affect perception of the optimal string tension. Skilled players successfully perceived the affordance of string tension, but only experts were concerned about saving energy. Our findings demonstrated that perception of the affordance of string tension in badminton was determined by action abilities. Furthermore, experts could adjust the action to maintain a superior level of performance based on the perception of affordance.

Analysis of the Structure of Surgical Activity for a Suturing and Knot-Tying Task

PubMed Central

Vedula, S. Swaroop; Malpani, Anand O.; Tao, Lingling; Chen, George; Gao, Yixin; Poddar, Piyush; Ahmidi, Narges; Paxton, Christopher; Vidal, Rene; Khudanpur, Sanjeev; Hager, Gregory D.; Chen, Chi Chiung Grace

2016-01-01

Background Surgical tasks are performed in a sequence of steps, and technical skill evaluation includes assessing task flow efficiency. Our objective was to describe differences in task flow for expert and novice surgeons for a basic surgical task. Methods We used a hierarchical semantic vocabulary to decompose and annotate maneuvers and gestures for 135 instances of a surgeon’s knot performed by 18 surgeons. We compared counts of maneuvers and gestures, and analyzed task flow by skill level. Results Experts used fewer gestures to perform the task (26.29; 95% CI = 25.21 to 27.38 for experts vs. 31.30; 95% CI = 29.05 to 33.55 for novices) and made fewer errors in gestures than novices (1.00; 95% CI = 0.61 to 1.39 vs. 2.84; 95% CI = 2.3 to 3.37). Transitions among maneuvers, and among gestures within each maneuver for expert trials were more predictable than novice trials. Conclusions Activity segments and state flow transitions within a basic surgical task differ by surgical skill level, and can be used to provide targeted feedback to surgical trainees. PMID:26950551

Increased Complexities in Visual Search Behavior in Skilled Players for a Self-Paced Aiming Task

PubMed Central

Chia, Jingyi S.; Burns, Stephen F.; Barrett, Laura A.; Chow, Jia Y.

2017-01-01

The badminton serve is an important shot for winning a rally in a match. It combines good technique with the ability to accurately integrate visual information from the shuttle, racket, opponent, and intended landing point. Despite its importance and repercussive nature, to date no study has looked at the visual search behaviors during badminton service in the singles discipline. Unlike anticipatory tasks (e.g., shot returns), the serve presents an opportunity to explore the role of visual search behaviors in movement control for self-paced tasks. Accordingly, this study examined skill-related differences in visual behavior during the badminton singles serve. Skilled (n = 12) and less skilled (n = 12) participants performed 30 serves to a live opponent, while real-time eye movements were captured using a mobile gaze registration system. Frame-by-frame analyses of 662 serves were made and the skilled players took a longer preparatory time before serving. Visual behavior of the skilled players was characterized by significantly greater number of fixations on more areas of interest per trial than the less skilled. In addition, the skilled players spent a significantly longer time fixating on the court and net, whereas the less skilled players found the shuttle to be more informative. Quiet eye (QE) duration (indicative of superior sports performance) however, did not differ significantly between groups which has implications on the perceived importance of QE in the badminton serve. Moreover, while visual behavior differed by skill level, considerable individual differences were also observed especially within the skilled players. This augments the need for not just group-level analyses, but individualized analysis for a more accurate representation of visual behavior. Findings from this study thus provide an insight to the possible visual search strategies as players serve in net-barrier games. Moreover, this study highlighted an important aspect of badminton relating to deception and the implications of interpreting visual behavior of players. PMID:28659850

Increased Complexities in Visual Search Behavior in Skilled Players for a Self-Paced Aiming Task.

PubMed

Chia, Jingyi S; Burns, Stephen F; Barrett, Laura A; Chow, Jia Y

2017-01-01

The badminton serve is an important shot for winning a rally in a match. It combines good technique with the ability to accurately integrate visual information from the shuttle, racket, opponent, and intended landing point. Despite its importance and repercussive nature, to date no study has looked at the visual search behaviors during badminton service in the singles discipline. Unlike anticipatory tasks (e.g., shot returns), the serve presents an opportunity to explore the role of visual search behaviors in movement control for self-paced tasks. Accordingly, this study examined skill-related differences in visual behavior during the badminton singles serve. Skilled ( n = 12) and less skilled ( n = 12) participants performed 30 serves to a live opponent, while real-time eye movements were captured using a mobile gaze registration system. Frame-by-frame analyses of 662 serves were made and the skilled players took a longer preparatory time before serving. Visual behavior of the skilled players was characterized by significantly greater number of fixations on more areas of interest per trial than the less skilled. In addition, the skilled players spent a significantly longer time fixating on the court and net, whereas the less skilled players found the shuttle to be more informative. Quiet eye (QE) duration (indicative of superior sports performance) however, did not differ significantly between groups which has implications on the perceived importance of QE in the badminton serve. Moreover, while visual behavior differed by skill level, considerable individual differences were also observed especially within the skilled players. This augments the need for not just group-level analyses, but individualized analysis for a more accurate representation of visual behavior. Findings from this study thus provide an insight to the possible visual search strategies as players serve in net-barrier games. Moreover, this study highlighted an important aspect of badminton relating to deception and the implications of interpreting visual behavior of players.

Attentional Focus Effects in Balance Acrobats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wulf, Gabriele

2008-01-01

Performing and learning motor skills has been shown to be enhanced if the performer adopts an external relative to internal focus (or no focus) of attention (Wulf, 2007). The present study examined the generalizability of this effect to top-level performers (balance acrobats). Participants performed a balance task (standing on an inflated rubber…

Factors affecting utilization of skilled maternal care in Northwest Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Worku, Abebaw Gebeyehu; Yalew, Alemayehu Worku; Afework, Mesganaw Fantahun

2013-04-15

The evaluation of all potential sources of low skilled maternal care utilization is crucial for Ethiopia. Previous studies have largely disregarded the contribution of different levels. This study was planned to assess the effect of individual, communal, and health facility characteristics in the utilization of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care by a skilled provider. A linked facility and population-based survey was conducted over three months (January - March 2012) in twelve "kebeles" of North Gondar Zone, Amhara Region. A total of 1668 women who had births in the year preceding the survey were selected for analysis. Using a multilevel modelling, we examined the effect of cluster variation and a number of individual, communal (kebele), and facility-related variables for skilled maternal care utilization. About 32.3%, 13.8% and 6.3% of the women had the chance to get skilled providers for their antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, respectively. A significant heterogeneity was observed among clusters for each indicator of skilled maternal care utilization. At the individual level, variables related to awareness and perceptions were found to be much more relevant for skilled maternal service utilization. Preference for skilled providers and previous experience of antenatal care were consistently strong predictors of all indicators of skilled maternal health care utilizations. Birth order, maternal education, and awareness about health facilities to get skilled professionals were consistently strong predictors of skilled antenatal and delivery care use. Communal factors were relevant for both delivery and postnatal care, whereas the characteristics of a health facility were more relevant for use of skilled delivery care than other maternity services. Factors operating at individual and "kebele" levels play a significant role in determining utilization of skilled maternal health services. Interventions to create better community awareness and perception about skilled providers and their care, and ensuring the seamless performance of health care facilities have been considered crucial to improve skilled maternal services in the study area. Such interventions should target underprivileged women.

Detecting Native Language Group Differences at the Subskills Level of Reading: A Differential Skill Functioning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hongli; Suen, Hoi K.

2013-01-01

Differential skill functioning (DSF) exists when examinees from different groups have different probabilities of successful performance in a certain subskill underlying the measured construct, given that they have the same ability on the overall construct. Using a DSF approach, this study examined the differences between two native language…

Assessing the Success of a Discipline-Based Communication Skills Development and Enhancement Program in a Graduate Accounting Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt, Catherine; Hanlon, Dean; Rankin, Michaela

2011-01-01

In this paper we present results of the impact diagnostic testing and associated context-specific workshops have on students' written communication skills in a graduate-level accounting course. We find that students who undertook diagnostic testing performed better in their first semester accounting subject. This improvement is positively…

Influence of a Physical Education Methods Course on Elementary Education Majors' Knowledge of Fundamental Movement Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Melanie A.

2005-01-01

With an increase concern for childhood obesity, many individuals and organizations are emphasizing the importance of quality physical education. The need for quality physical education at the elementary level is extremely important as research has shown a relationship between the performance of fundamental movement skills and children's body…

Spatial Abilities of Medical Graduates and Choice of Residency Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langlois, Jean; Wells, George A.; Lecourtois, Marc; Bergeron, Germain; Yetisir, Elizabeth; Martin, Marcel

2015-01-01

Spatial abilities have been related in previous studies to three-dimensional (3D) anatomy knowledge and the performance in technical skills. The objective of this study was to relate spatial abilities to residency programs with different levels of content of 3D anatomy knowledge and technical skills. The hypothesis was that the choice of residency…

Robotic Challenges: Robots Bring New Life to Gifted Classes, Teach Students Hands-On Problem Solving, Computer Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Ruth Baynard

1994-01-01

Intermediate level academically talented students learn essential elements of computer programming by working with robots at enrichment workshops at Dwight-Englewood School in Englewood, New Jersey. The children combine creative thinking and problem-solving skills to program the robots' microcomputers to perform a variety of movements. (JDD)

Can Earlier Literacy Skills Have a Negative Impact on Future Home Literacy Activities? Evidence from Japanese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inoue, Tomohiro; Georgiou, George K.; Muroya, Naoko; Maekawa, Hisao; Parrila, Rauno

2018-01-01

We examined the cross-lagged relations between the home literacy environment and literacy skills in Japanese, and whether child's gender, parents' education and child's level of literacy performance moderate the relations. One hundred forty-two Japanese children were followed from Grades 1 to 2 and assessed on character knowledge, reading fluency…

Schooling, Cognitive Skills, and the Latin American Growth Puzzle. NBER Working Paper No. 15066

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.; Woessmann, Ludger

2009-01-01

Economic development in Latin America has trailed most other world regions over the past four decades despite its relatively high initial development and school attainment levels. This puzzle can be resolved by considering the actual learning as expressed in tests of cognitive skills, on which Latin American countries consistently perform at the…

Critical Thinking Skills and Academic Maturity: Emerging Results from a Five-Year Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toppin, Ian N.; Chitsonga, Shadreck

2016-01-01

The QEP that was implemented in this study focused on enhancing students' critical thinking skills. A pretest/posttest approach was used to assess students' critical thinking progress in freshman level core English and Math courses. An intervention was performed involving intensive instruction and assignments relating to a set of reasoning…

Employability Skills Initiatives in Higher Education: What Effects Do They Have on Graduate Labour Market Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Geoff; Williams, Gareth; Cranmer, Sue

2009-01-01

The present paper makes use of detailed information gathered at university department level, combined with graduate survey data, to assess the impact of different kinds of employability skills initiative on graduate labour market performance. We find that structured work experience and employer involvement in degree course design and delivery have…

Reading comprehension and immersion schooling: evidence from component skills.

PubMed

Hansen, Laura Birke; Morales, Julia; Macizo, Pedro; Duñabeitia, Jon Andoni; Saldaña, David; Carreiras, Manuel; Fuentes, Luis J; Bajo, M Teresa

2017-01-01

The present research aims to assess literacy acquisition in children becoming bilingual via second language immersion in school. We adopt a cognitive components approach, assessing text-level reading comprehension, a complex literacy skill, as well as underlying cognitive and linguistic components in 144 children aged 7 to 14 (72 immersion bilinguals, 72 controls). Using principal component analysis, a nuanced pattern of results was observed: although emergent bilinguals lag behind their monolingual counterparts on measures of linguistic processing, they showed enhanced performance on a memory and reasoning component. For reading comprehension, no between-group differences were evident, suggesting that selective benefits compensate costs at the level of underlying cognitive components. Overall, the results seem to indicate that literacy skills may be modulated by emerging bilingualism even when no between-group differences are evident at the level of complex skill, and the detection of such differences may depend on the focus and selectivity of the task battery used. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effect of different training exercises on the performance outcome on the da Vinci Skills Simulator.

PubMed

Walliczek-Dworschak, U; Schmitt, M; Dworschak, P; Diogo, I; Ecke, A; Mandapathil, M; Teymoortash, A; Güldner, C

2017-06-01

Increasing usage of robotic surgery presents surgeons with the question of how to acquire the special skills required. This study aimed to analyze the effect of different exercises on their performance outcomes. This prospective study was conducted on the da Vinci Skills Simulator from December 2014 till August 2015. Sixty robotic novices were included and randomized to three groups of 20 participants each. Each group performed three different exercises with comparable difficulty levels. The exercises were performed three times in a row within two training sessions, with an interval of 1 week in between. On the final training day, two new exercises were added and a questionnaire was completed. Technical metrics of performance (overall score, time to complete, economy of motion, instrument collisions, excessive instrument force, instruments out of view, master work space range, drops, missed targets, misapplied energy time, blood loss and broken vessels) were recorded by the simulator software for further analysis. Training with different exercises led to comparable results in performance metrics for the final exercises among the three groups. A significant skills gain was recorded between the first and last exercises, with improved performance in overall score, time to complete and economy of motion for all exercises in all three groups. As training with different exercises led to comparable results in robotic training, the type of exercise seems to play a minor role in the outcome. For a robotic training curriculum, it might be important to choose exercises with comparable difficulty levels. In addition, it seems to be advantageous to limit the duration of the training to maintain the concentration throughout the entire session.

Using web-based video to enhance physical examination skills in medical students.

PubMed

Orientale, Eugene; Kosowicz, Lynn; Alerte, Anton; Pfeiffer, Carol; Harrington, Karen; Palley, Jane; Brown, Stacey; Sapieha-Yanchak, Teresa

2008-01-01

Physical examination (PE) skills among U.S. medical students have been shown to be deficient. This study examines the effect of a Web-based physical examination curriculum on first-year medical student PE skills. Web-based video clips, consisting of instruction in 77 elements of the physical examination, were created using Microsoft Windows Moviemaker software. Medical students' PE skills were evaluated by standardized patients before and after implementation of the Internet-based video. Following implementation of this curriculum, there was a higher level of competency (from 87% in 2002-2003 to 91% in 2004-2005), and poor performances on standardized patient PE exams substantially diminished (from a 14%-22%failure rate in 2002-2003, to 4% in 2004-2005. A significant improvement in first-year medical student performance on the adult PE occurred after implementing Web-based instructional video.

Essential managerial skills for financial and budgetary management in medical universities: The top managers' perspective

PubMed Central

Javani, Ali; Abolhallaje, Masoud; Jafari, Javad; Fazl Hashemi, Seyed Mohammad Esmaeil

2017-01-01

Background: Achieving organizational objectives depends on the effectiveness of administrators. However, managerial efficacy largely depends on the knowledge and skills of managers. This study aimed at assessing the skills of financial and budget management of the Ministry of Health from the perspective of resource development assistants of universities of medical sciences nationwide. Methods: This cross- sectional study was conducted in 2012. Study participants were resource development assistants of universities of medical sciences in Iran. We adopted simple random sampling method in locating participants. Data were collected using pretested questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney test (as a non-parametric test) and Friedman test. Results: The highest mean recorded under financial management skills was technical skills (3.58±0.50), followed by human skills (3.50±.048), and perceptual skills (3.32±0.52). With regards to financial and budget management and performance monitoring, the means of technical skills, as prioritized by directors, was 3.72±0.71, followed by human skills (3.72±0.70), and perceptual skills (3.66±0.75). A significant association was found between perceptual skills of financial managers and budgeting and performance monitoring managers (p= 0.014). Conclusion: Operational level managers, such as financial and budgetary managers, need to acquire more technical skills. Therefore, we support activities that promote technical skills and awareness of managers within organizations, such as organizational training courses and distribution of educational materials like brochures.

The retention of manual flying skills in the automated cockpit.

PubMed

Casner, Stephen M; Geven, Richard W; Recker, Matthias P; Schooler, Jonathan W

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to understand how the prolonged use of cockpit automation is affecting pilots' manual flying skills. There is an ongoing concern about a potential deterioration of manual flying skills among pilots who assume a supervisory role while cockpit automation systems carry out tasks that were once performed by human pilots. We asked 16 airline pilots to fly routine and nonroutine flight scenarios in a Boeing 747-400 simulator while we systematically varied the level of automation that they used, graded their performance, and probed them about what they were thinking about as they flew. We found pilots' instrument scanning and manual control skills to be mostly intact, even when pilots reported that they were infrequently practiced. However, when pilots were asked to manually perform the cognitive tasks needed for manual flight (e.g., tracking the aircraft's position without the use of a map display, deciding which navigational steps come next, recognizing instrument system failures), we observed more frequent and significant problems. Furthermore, performance on these cognitive tasks was associated with measures of how often pilots engaged in task-unrelated thought when cockpit automation was used. We found that while pilots' instrument scanning and aircraft control skills are reasonably well retained when automation is used, the retention of cognitive skills needed for manual flying may depend on the degree to which pilots remain actively engaged in supervising the automation.

Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Total 472 healthy Kindergarten children (237 males, 235 females) of 2016-2017 academic year from four schools in urban area and four schools in rural area of Myanmar were recruited. The gross motor skill development of all subjects was assessed with the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded and scored. The assessment procedures were done according to the standardized guidelines of TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had average level of gross motor skill rank. The significant differences were found on the run and gallop of locomotor skills and the most of object control skills except the catch between males and females. The significant differences were also found between subjects from urban and rural areas. [Conclusion] Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar had gender-based and region-based differences on both locomotor and object control skills. This study added a valuable information to the establishment of a normative reference of Kindergarten aged children for future studies.

Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Total 472 healthy Kindergarten children (237 males, 235 females) of 2016–2017 academic year from four schools in urban area and four schools in rural area of Myanmar were recruited. The gross motor skill development of all subjects was assessed with the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded and scored. The assessment procedures were done according to the standardized guidelines of TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had average level of gross motor skill rank. The significant differences were found on the run and gallop of locomotor skills and the most of object control skills except the catch between males and females. The significant differences were also found between subjects from urban and rural areas. [Conclusion] Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar had gender-based and region-based differences on both locomotor and object control skills. This study added a valuable information to the establishment of a normative reference of Kindergarten aged children for future studies. PMID:29184287

Selling students short: Racial differences in teachers' evaluations of high, average, and low performing students.

PubMed

Irizarry, Yasmiyn

2015-07-01

Education scholars document notable racial differences in teachers' perceptions of students' academic skills. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, this study advances research on teacher perceptions by investigating whether racial differences in teachers' evaluations of first grade students' overall literacy skills vary for high, average, and low performing students. Results highlight both the overall accuracy of teachers' perceptions, and the extent and nature of possible inaccuracies, as demonstrated by remaining racial gaps net literacy test performance. Racial differences in teachers' perceptions of Black, non-White Latino, and Asian students (compared to White students) exist net teacher and school characteristics and vary considerably across literacy skill levels. Skill specific literacy assessments appear to explain the remaining racial gap for Asian students, but not for Black and non-White Latino students. Implications of these findings for education scholarship, gifted education, and the achievement gap are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Single Bout of High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Motor Skill Retention in Individuals With Stroke.

PubMed

Nepveu, Jean-Francois; Thiel, Alexander; Tang, Ada; Fung, Joyce; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Boyd, Lara A; Roig, Marc

2017-08-01

One bout of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise performed immediately after practicing a motor skill promotes changes in the neuroplasticity of the motor cortex and facilitates motor learning in nondisabled individuals. To determine if a bout of exercise performed at high intensity is sufficient to induce neuroplastic changes and improve motor skill retention in patients with chronic stroke. Twenty-two patients with different levels of motor impairment were recruited. On the first session, the effects of a maximal graded exercise test on corticospinal and intracortical excitability were assessed from the affected and unaffected primary motor cortex representational area of a hand muscle with transcranial magnetic stimulation. On the second session, participants were randomly assigned to an exercise or a nonexercise control group. Immediately after practicing a motor task, the exercise group performed 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training while the control group rested. Twenty-four hours after motor practice all participants completed a test of the motor task to assess skill retention. The graded exercise test reduced interhemispheric imbalances in GABA A -mediated short-interval intracortical inhibition but changes in other markers of excitability were not statistically significant. The group that performed high-intensity interval training showed a better retention of the motor skill. The performance of a maximal graded exercise test triggers only modest neuroplastic changes in patients with chronic stroke. However, a single bout of high-intensity interval training performed immediately after motor practice improves skill retention, which could potentially accelerate motor recovery in these individuals.

Self-regulated learning of basic arithmetic skills: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Throndsen, Inger

2011-12-01

Several studies have examined young primary school children's use of strategies when solving simple addition and subtraction problems. Most of these studies have investigated students' strategy use as if they were isolated processes. To date, we have little knowledge about how math strategies in young students are related to other important aspects in self-regulated learning. The main purpose of this study was to examine relations between young primary school children's basic mathematical skills and their use of math strategies, their metacognitive competence and motivational beliefs, and to investigate how students with basic mathematics skills at various levels differ in respect to the different self-regulation components. The participants were comprised of 27 Year 2 students, all from the same class. The data were collected in three stages (autumn Year 2, spring Year 2, and autumn Year 3). The children's arithmetic skills were measured by age relevant tests, while strategy use, metacognitive competence, and motivational beliefs were assessed through individual interviews. The participants were divided into three performance groups; very good students, good students, and not-so-good students. Analyses revealed that young primary school children at different levels of basic mathematics skill may differ in several important aspects of self-regulated learning. Analyses revealed that a good performance in addition and subtraction was related not only to the children's use of advanced mathematics strategies, but also to domain-specific metacognitive competence, ability attribution for success, effort attribution for failure, and high perceived self-efficacy when using specific strategies. The results indicate that instructional efforts to facilitate self-regulated learning of basic arithmetic skills should address cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational aspects of self-regulation. This is particularly important for low-performing students. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Impact of Educational Level on Performance on Auditory Processing Tests.

PubMed

Murphy, Cristina F B; Rabelo, Camila M; Silagi, Marcela L; Mansur, Letícia L; Schochat, Eliane

2016-01-01

Research has demonstrated that a higher level of education is associated with better performance on cognitive tests among middle-aged and elderly people. However, the effects of education on auditory processing skills have not yet been evaluated. Previous demonstrations of sensory-cognitive interactions in the aging process indicate the potential importance of this topic. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of middle-aged and elderly people with different levels of formal education on auditory processing tests. A total of 177 adults with no evidence of cognitive, psychological or neurological conditions took part in the research. The participants completed a series of auditory assessments, including dichotic digit, frequency pattern and speech-in-noise tests. A working memory test was also performed to investigate the extent to which auditory processing and cognitive performance were associated. The results demonstrated positive but weak correlations between years of schooling and performance on all of the tests applied. The factor "years of schooling" was also one of the best predictors of frequency pattern and speech-in-noise test performance. Additionally, performance on the working memory, frequency pattern and dichotic digit tests was also correlated, suggesting that the influence of educational level on auditory processing performance might be associated with the cognitive demand of the auditory processing tests rather than auditory sensory aspects itself. Longitudinal research is required to investigate the causal relationship between educational level and auditory processing skills.

Predictors of laparoscopic simulation performance among practicing obstetrician gynecologists.

PubMed

Mathews, Shyama; Brodman, Michael; D'Angelo, Debra; Chudnoff, Scott; McGovern, Peter; Kolev, Tamara; Bensinger, Giti; Mudiraj, Santosh; Nemes, Andreea; Feldman, David; Kischak, Patricia; Ascher-Walsh, Charles

2017-11-01

While simulation training has been established as an effective method for improving laparoscopic surgical performance in surgical residents, few studies have focused on its use for attending surgeons, particularly in obstetrics and gynecology. Surgical simulation may have a role in improving and maintaining proficiency in the operating room for practicing obstetrician gynecologists. We sought to determine if parameters of performance for validated laparoscopic virtual simulation tasks correlate with surgical volume and characteristics of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists. All gynecologists with laparoscopic privileges (n = 347) from 5 academic medical centers in New York City were required to complete a laparoscopic surgery simulation assessment. The physicians took a presimulation survey gathering physician self-reported characteristics and then performed 3 basic skills tasks (enforced peg transfer, lifting/grasping, and cutting) on the LapSim virtual reality laparoscopic simulator (Surgical Science Ltd, Gothenburg, Sweden). The association between simulation outcome scores (time, efficiency, and errors) and self-rated clinical skills measures (self-rated laparoscopic skill score or surgical volume category) were examined with regression models. The average number of laparoscopic procedures per month was a significant predictor of total time on all 3 tasks (P = .001 for peg transfer; P = .041 for lifting and grasping; P < .001 for cutting). Average monthly laparoscopic surgical volume was a significant predictor of 2 efficiency scores in peg transfer, and all 4 efficiency scores in cutting (P = .001 to P = .015). Surgical volume was a significant predictor of errors in lifting/grasping and cutting (P < .001 for both). Self-rated laparoscopic skill level was a significant predictor of total time in all 3 tasks (P < .0001 for peg transfer; P = .009 for lifting and grasping; P < .001 for cutting) and a significant predictor of nearly all efficiency scores and errors scores in all 3 tasks. In addition to total time, there was at least 1 other objective performance measure that significantly correlated with surgical volume for each of the 3 tasks. Higher-volume physicians and those with fellowship training were more confident in their laparoscopic skills. By determining simulation performance as it correlates to active physician practice, further studies may help assess skill and individualize training to maintain skill levels as case volumes fluctuate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social-cognitive functioning and social skills in patients with early treated phenylketonuria: a PKU-COBESO study.

PubMed

Jahja, Rianne; van Spronsen, Francjan J; de Sonneville, Leo M J; van der Meere, Jaap J; Bosch, Annet M; Hollak, Carla E M; Rubio-Gozalbo, M Estela; Brouwers, Martijn C G J; Hofstede, Floris C; de Vries, Maaike C; Janssen, Mirian C H; van der Ploeg, Ans T; Langendonk, Janneke G; Huijbregts, Stephan C J

2016-05-01

Early treatment of phenylketonuria (ET-PKU) prevents mental retardation, but many patients still show cognitive and mood problems. In this study, it was investigated whether ET-PKU-patients have specific phenylalanine (Phe-)related problems with respect to social-cognitive functioning and social skills. Ninety five PKU-patients (mean age 21.6 ± 10.2 years) and 95 healthy controls (mean age 19.6 ± 8.7 years) were compared on performance of computerized and paper-and-pencil tasks measuring social-cognitive abilities and on parent- and self-reported social skills, using multivariate analyses of variance, and controlling for general cognitive ability (IQ-estimate). Further comparisons were made between patients using tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4, N = 30) and patients not using BH4. Associations with Phe-levels on the day of testing, during childhood, during adolescence and throughout life were examined. PKU-patients showed poorer social-cognitive functioning and reportedly had poorer social skills than controls (regardless of general cognitive abilities). Quality of social-cognitive functioning was negatively related to recent Phe-levels and Phe-levels between 8 and 12 years for adolescents with PKU. Quality of social skills was negatively related to lifetime phenylalanine levels in adult patients, and specifically to Phe-levels between 0 and 7, and between 8 and 12 years. There were no differences with respect to social outcome measures between the BH4 and non-BH4 groups. PKU-patients have Phe-related difficulties with social-cognitive functioning and social skills. Problems seem to be more evident among adolescents and adults with PKU. High Phe-levels during childhood and early adolescence seem to be of greater influence than current and recent Phe-levels for these patients.

Master Maker: Understanding Gaming Skill Through Practice and Habit From Gameplay Behavior.

PubMed

Huang, Jeff; Yan, Eddie; Cheung, Gifford; Nagappan, Nachiappan; Zimmermann, Thomas

2017-04-01

The study of expertise is difficult to do in a laboratory environment due to the challenge of finding people at different skill levels and the lack of time for participants to acquire mastery. In this paper, we report on two studies that analyze naturalistic gameplay data using cohort analysis to better understand how skill relates to practice and habit. Two cohorts are analyzed, each from two different games (Halo Reach and StarCraft 2). Our work follows skill progression through 7 months of Halo matches for a holistic perspective, but also explores low-level in-game habits when controlling game units in StarCraft 2. Players who played moderately frequently without long breaks were able to gain skill the most efficiently. What set the highest performers apart was their ability to gain skill more rapidly and without dips compared to other players. At the beginning of matches, top players habitually warmed up by selecting and re-selecting groups of units repeatedly in a meaningless cycle. They exhibited unique routines during their play that aided them when under pressure. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Do medical students like communication? Validation of the German CSAS (Communication Skills Attitude Scale)

PubMed Central

Busch, Anne-Kathrin; Rockenbauch, Katrin; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Brähler, Elmar

2015-01-01

Objectives: Attitudes towards communication skills of medical undergraduates can be gathered using the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS). We aimed to develop a German version of the CSAS (CSAS-G) in order to explore attitudes towards communication skills in a German cohort. Additionally the potential influence of demographic factors was examined. Methods: We realized the CSAS-G and conducted a survey with 529 participants from 3 different years of study. We then carried out an explorative as well as confirmatory factor analysis and compared the attitudinal scores. Multiple regression analysis was performed. Results: The confirmatory analysis confirmed the two-subscale system revealed by the explorative factor analysis. Students indicate low levels of negative attitudes and moderate levels of positive attitudes. Attitudinal scores differ significantly in relation to gender. Conclusion: The CSAS-G can be used in German cohorts to evaluate attitudes towards communication skills. Medical students in our study show basically a positive approach. Further investigation is necessary to explore and understand attitudes towards communication skills of German medical students. PMID:25699103

Assessing nursing clinical skills competence through objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for open distance learning students in Open University Malaysia.

PubMed

Oranye, Nelson Ositadimma; Ahmad, Che'an; Ahmad, Nora; Bakar, Rosnida Abu

2012-06-01

The objective structured clinical skills examination (OSCE) has over the years emerged as a method of evaluating clinical skills in most medical and allied professions. Although its validity and objectivity has evoked so much debate in the literature, little has been written about its application in non-traditional education systems such as in distance learning. This study examined clinical skills competence among practising nursing students who were enrolled in a distance learning programme. The study examined the effect of work and years of nursing practice on nurses' clinical skills competence. This study used observational design whereby nursing students' clinical skills were observed and scored in five OSCE stations. Two instruments were used for the data collection - A self-administered questionnaire on the students' bio-demographic data, and a check list on the clinical skills which the examiners rated on a four point scale. The findings revealed that 14% of the nurses had level four competence, which indicated that they could perform the tasks correctly and complete. However, 12% failed the OSCE, even though they had more than 10 years experience in nursing and post basic qualifications. Inter-rater reliability was 0.92 for the five examiners. Factor analysis indicated that five participant factors accounted for 74.1% of the variations in clinical skills performance. An OSCE is a necessary assessment tool that should be continuously applied in nursing education, regardless of the mode of the education program, the student's years of experience or his/her clinical placement. This study validates the need for OSCE in both the design of tertiary nursing degree programs and the assessment of nurses' clinical competency level.

Relationships between body composition and fundamental movement skills among children and adolescents.

PubMed

Okely, Anthony D; Booth, Michael L; Chey, Tien

2004-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine associations of fundamental movement skills (FMS) with measures of body composition among children and adolescents. Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data collected from 4,363 children and adolescents in Grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 as part of the 1997 New South Wales Schools Fitness and Physical Activity Survey were conducted. Six FMS (run, vertical jump, throw, catch, kick, and strike) were assessed by observation. Height and weight (used to calculate body mass index; BMI) and waist circumference were directly measured. Results indicated that the children's and adolescents' ability to perform FMS was significantly related to BMI and waist circumference. Specifically, BMI and waist circumference were significant predictors for FMS in six of the eight demographic groups. Adjusted odds ratios revealed that overweight boys and girls in all grades were less likely to possess high levels of FMS and more likely to possess low levels of FMS than those who weren't overweight. When FMS were partitioned into locomotor and object-control skills, nonoverweight boys and girls in each grade were two to three times more likely to possess more advanced locomotor skills than overweight boys and girls. However, for object-control skills, the only demographic groups in which nonoverweight students possessed a greater number of advanced skills than overweight students were boys in Grades 6 and 10. There appear to be significant and important associations between performance of locomotor skills and weight status among children and adolescents. This would suggest that intervention strategies to prevent unhealthy weight gain among children and youth might usefully include increasing proficiency of locomotor skills as a key component.

Social problem solving and social performance after a group social skills intervention for childhood brain tumor survivors.

PubMed

Schulte, Fiona; Vannatta, Kathryn; Barrera, Maru

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to explore the ability of a group social skills intervention program for childhood brain tumor survivors to effect two steps of the social information processing model: social problem solving and social performance. Participants were 15 survivors (eight men and seven women) aged 7-15 years. The intervention consisted of eight 2-h weekly sessions focused on social skills including friendship making. Social problem solving, using hypothetical scenarios, was assessed during sessions 1 and 8. Social performance was observed during intervention sessions 1, 4, and 8. Compared with session 1, significant increases were found in social performance: frequency of maintaining eye contact and social conversations with peers over the course of the intervention. No significant changes in social problem solving were noted. This pilot study is the first to report improvements related to group social skills intervention at the level of observed social performance over the course of intervention. The lack of change in social problem solving suggests that survivors may possess the social knowledge required for social situations but have difficulty enacting social behaviors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improvement of Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Pediatric Residents by Recorded Video Feedbacks.

PubMed

Anantasit, Nattachai; Vaewpanich, Jarin; Kuptanon, Teeradej; Kamalaporn, Haruitai; Khositseth, Anant

2016-11-01

To evaluate the pediatric residents' cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, and their improvements after recorded video feedbacks. Pediatric residents from a university hospital were enrolled. The authors surveyed the level of pediatric resuscitation skill confidence by a questionnaire. Eight psychomotor skills were evaluated individually, including airway, bag-mask ventilation, pulse check, prompt starting and technique of chest compression, high quality CPR, tracheal intubation, intraosseous, and defibrillation. The mock code skills were also evaluated as a team using a high-fidelity mannequin simulator. All the participants attended a concise Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) lecture, and received video-recorded feedback for one hour. They were re-evaluated 6 wk later in the same manner. Thirty-eight residents were enrolled. All the participants had a moderate to high level of confidence in their CPR skills. Over 50 % of participants had passed psychomotor skills, except the bag-mask ventilation and intraosseous skills. There was poor correlation between their confidence and passing the psychomotor skills test. After course feedback, the percentage of high quality CPR skill in the second course test was significantly improved (46 % to 92 %, p = 0.008). The pediatric resuscitation course should still remain in the pediatric resident curriculum and should be re-evaluated frequently. Video-recorded feedback on the pitfalls during individual CPR skills and mock code case scenarios could improve short-term psychomotor CPR skills and lead to higher quality CPR performance.

Can we teach core clinical obstetrics and gynaecology skills using low fidelity simulation in an interprofessional setting?

PubMed

Kumar, Arunaz; Gilmour, Carole; Nestel, Debra; Aldridge, Robyn; McLelland, Gayle; Wallace, Euan

2014-12-01

Core clinical skills acquisition is an essential component of undergraduate medical and midwifery education. Although interprofessional education is an increasingly common format for learning efficient teamwork in clinical medicine, its value in undergraduate education is less clear. We present a collaborative effort from the medical and midwifery schools of Monash University, Melbourne, towards the development of an educational package centred around a core skills-based workshop using low fidelity simulation models in an interprofessional setting. Detailed feedback on the package was positive with respect to the relevance of the teaching content, whether the topic was well taught by task trainers and simulation models used, pitch of level of teaching and perception of confidence gained in performing the skill on a real patient after attending the workshop. Overall, interprofessional core skills training using low fidelity simulation models introduced at an undergraduate level in medicine and midwifery had a good acceptance. © 2014 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The weak relationship between anatomy competence and clinical skills in junior medical students.

PubMed

Schoeman, Scarpa; Chandratilake, Madawa

2012-01-01

In modern curricula, the early integration of anatomy and clinical skills education at undergraduate level is seen as important. However, the direct relationship between medical students' competence in anatomy, and their clinical proficiency during early undergraduate years, has scarcely been studied. In this study, the marks for anatomy and clinical skills of three consecutive cohorts of medical students (n = 538 in total) during their first two years were correlated. The anatomy competence was measured using a new marker, the Anatomy Competence Score (ACS) which was calculated with equal contributions from theory knowledge and its practical and clinical application. Proficiency in clinical skills was determined by OSCE performance marks for stations which examined physical examination and practical procedural skills. The possible compounding effect of students' general academic ability was investigated by using the overall performance mark for each student based on their performance in all subjects over the first two years of the medical curriculum. We found that the correlation between anatomy and clinical skills marks was weak to moderate. However, this correlation was virtually nullified once the effect of academic ability was accounted for. Although these findings suggest that anatomy education does not compliment early clinical education, the lack of complexity of clinical problems used in clinical skills assessments (OSCEs) during the early stages may well be the primary contributing factor to this finding. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.

Comparing growth in linguistic comprehension and reading comprehension in school-aged children with autism versus typically developing children.

PubMed

Grimm, Ryan P; Solari, Emily J; McIntyre, Nancy S; Zajic, Matthew; Mundy, Peter C

2018-04-01

Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle with reading comprehension. Linguistic comprehension is an important predictor of reading comprehension, especially as children progress through elementary school and later grades. Yet, there is a dearth of research examining longitudinal relations between linguistic comprehensions in school-age children with ASD compared to typically-developing peers (TD). This study compared the developmental trajectories of linguistic and reading comprehension in samples of children with ASD and age-matched TD peers. Both groups were administered measures of linguistic and reading comprehension multiple times over a 30-month period. Latent growth curve modeling demonstrated children with ASD performed at significantly lower levels on both measures at the first timepoint and these deficits persisted across time. Children with ASD exhibited growth in both skills comparable to their TD peers, but this was not sufficient to enable them to eventually achieve at a level similar to the TD group. Due to the wide age range of the sample, age was controlled and displayed significant effects. Findings suggest linguistic comprehension skills are related to reading comprehension in children with ASD, similar to TD peers. Further, intervention in linguistic comprehension skills for children with ASD should begin early and there may be a finite window in which these skills are malleable, in terms of improving reading comprehension skills. Autism Res 2018, 11: 624-635. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. There is relatively little research concerning reading comprehension development in children with ASD and how they compare to TD peers. This study found children with ASD began at lower achievement levels of linguistic comprehension and reading comprehension than TD peers, but the skills developed at a similar rate. Intervening early and raising initial levels of linguistic and reading comprehension may enable children with ASD to perform similarly to TD peers over time. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Surgical Virtual Reality Simulator Distinguishes Between Expert Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgeons and Perinatologists

PubMed Central

von Dadelszen, Peter; Allaire, Catherine

2011-01-01

Background: Concern regarding the quality of surgical training in obstetrics and gynecology residency programs is focusing attention on competency based education. Because open surgical skills cannot necessarily be translated into laparoscopic skills and with minimally invasive surgery becoming standard in operative gynecology, the discrepancy in training between obstetrics and gynecology will widen. Training on surgical simulators with virtual reality may improve surgical skills. However, before incorporation into training programs for gynecology residents the validity of such instruments needs to first be established. We sought to prove the construct validity of a virtual reality laparoscopic simulator, the SurgicalSimTM, by showing its ability to distinguish between surgeons with different laparoscopic experience. Methods: Eleven gynecologic surgeons (experts) and 11 perinatologists (controls) completed 3 tasks on the simulator, and 10 performance parameters were compared. Results: The experts performed faster, more efficiently, and with fewer errors, proving the construct validity of the SurgicalSim. Conclusions: Laparoscopic virtual reality simulators can measure relevant surgical skills and so distinguish between subjects having different skill levels. Hence, these simulators could be integrated into gynecology resident endoscopic training and utilized for objective assessment. Second, the skills required for competency in obstetrics cannot necessarily be utilized for better performance in laparoscopic gynecology. PMID:21985726

Modeling developmental changes in functional capacities and soccer-specific skills in male players aged 11-17 years.

PubMed

Valente-dos-Santos, João; Coelho-e-Silva, Manuel J; Simões, Filipe; Figueiredo, Antonio J; Leite, Neiva; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Malina, Robert M; Sherar, Lauren

2012-11-01

This study evaluates the contributions of age, growth, skeletal maturation, playing position and training to longitudinal changes in functional and skill performance in male youth soccer. Players were annually followed over 5 years (n = 83, 4.4 measurements per player). Composite scores for functional and skill domains were calculated to provide an overall estimate of performance. Players were also classified by maturity status and playing position at baseline. After testing for multicollinearity, two-level multilevel (longitudinal) regression models were obtained for functional and skill composite scores. The scores improved with age and training. Body mass was an additional predictor in both models [functional (late maturing): 13.48 + 1.05 × centered on chronological age (CA)-0.01 × centered CA(2)-0.19 × fat mass (FM) + 0.004 × annual volume training-1.04 × dribbling speed; skills (defenders): 7.62 + 0.62 × centered CA-0.06 × centered CA(2) + 0.04 × fat-free mass-0.03 x FM + 0.005 × annual volume training-0.19 × repeated-sprint ability + 0.02 × aerobic endurance]. Skeletal maturity status was a significant predictor of functional capacities and playing position of skill performance. Sound accuracy of each multilevel model was demonstrated on an independent cross-sectional sample (n = 52).

Assessing fundamental motor skills in Belgian children aged 3-8 years highlights differences to US reference sample.

PubMed

Bardid, Farid; Huyben, Floris; Lenoir, Matthieu; Seghers, Jan; De Martelaer, Kristine; Goodway, Jacqueline D; Deconinck, Frederik J A

2016-06-01

This study aimed to understand the fundamental motor skills (FMS) of Belgian children using the process-oriented Test of Gross Motor Development, Second Edition (TGMD-2) and to investigate the suitability of using the United States (USA) test norms in Belgium. FMS were assessed using the TGMD-2. Gender, age and motor performance were examined in 1614 Belgian children aged 3-8 years (52.1% boys) and compared with the US reference sample. More proficient FMS performance was found with increasing age, from 3 to 6 years for locomotor skills and 3 to 7 years for object control skills. Gender differences were observed in object control skills, with boys performing better than girls. In general, Belgian children had lower levels of motor competence than the US reference sample, specifically for object control skills. The score distribution of the Belgian sample was skewed, with 37.4% scoring below average and only 6.9% scoring above average. This study supported the usefulness of the TGMD-2 as a process-oriented instrument to measure gross motor development in early childhood in Belgium. However, it also demonstrated that caution is warranted when using the US reference norms. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interrelations between three fine motor skills in young adults.

PubMed

Lorås, Håvard; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2012-08-01

Motor skills are typically considered to be highly specific, although some researchers have attempted to identify evidence for general motor aptitude. The present study tested these contentions by assessing the extent of relationship between fine motor tasks, using correlations between selected performance measures for three fine motor skills. University students ages 18 to 35 years (N = 305; 147 men, 158 women) completed three fine motor tasks with both right and left hands (placing pegs, posting coins, and placing bricks). Performance was assessed by time to complete each individual task. The intercorrelations between the three tasks were generally low and at a level that can be expected by chance (r < or = .3), indicating that performance was quite specific to the individual skills rather than attributable to a general ability. As a further test for evidence for a general motor ability, the dimensionality of the data set was analyzed using a principal component analysis on the correlation matrix. A three-factor solution explaining approximately 80% of the total variance in performance on the fine motor tasks was identified, where each factor could be associated with each fine motor task. These findings provide further support for the high specificity in fine motor skills and against the existence of a general aptitude for motor ability.

Parent-implemented behavioral skills training of social skills.

PubMed

Dogan, Rebecca K; King, Melissa L; Fischetti, Anthony T; Lake, Candice M; Mathews, Therese L; Warzak, William J

2017-10-01

Impairment in social skills is a primary feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Research indicates that social skills are intimately tied to social development and negative social consequences can persist if specific social behaviors are not acquired. The present study evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on teaching four parents of children with ASDs to be social skills trainers. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across parent-child dyads was employed and direct observation was used to assess parent and child behaviors Results demonstrated substantial improvement in social skills teaching for all participants for trained and untrained skills. Ancillary measures of child performance indicated improvement in skills as well. High levels of correct teaching responses were maintained at a 1 month follow-up. This study extends current literature on BST while also providing a helpful, low-effort strategy to modify how parents can work with their children to improve their social skills. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Teacher Research at the Middle Level: Strengthening the Essential Attributes of Education for Young Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiLucchio, Connie; Leaman, Heather; Elicker, Kathleen; Mathisen, Denise

2014-01-01

Teacher research (practitioner inquiry) is an effective form of professional development for middle level teachers. Through teacher research, classroom teachers develop the skills needed to demonstrate mastery of the performance standards for middle level master teacher candidates. Using well-established research methods, middle level educators…

Focus of attention and automaticity in handwriting.

PubMed

MacMahon, Clare; Charness, Neil

2014-04-01

This study investigated the nature of automaticity in everyday tasks by testing handwriting performance under single and dual-task conditions. Item familiarity and hand dominance were also manipulated to understand both cognitive and motor components of the task. In line with previous literature, performance was superior in an extraneous focus of attention condition compared to two different skill focus conditions. This effect was found only when writing with the dominant hand. In addition, performance was superior for high familiarity compared to low familiarity items. These findings indicate that motor and cognitive familiarity are related to the degree of automaticity of motor skills and can be manipulated to produce different performance outcomes. The findings also imply that the progression of skill acquisition from novel to novice to expert levels can be traced using different dual-task conditions. The separation of motor and cognitive familiarity is a new approach in the handwriting domain, and provides insight into the nature of attentional demands during performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Within-person relationship between self-efficacy and performance across trials. Effect of task objective and task type.

PubMed

Hepler, Teri J; Ritchie, Jason; Hill, Christopher R

2017-07-05

Self-efficacy has been shown to be a consistent, positive predictor of between-persons performance in sport. However, there have been equivocal results regarding the influence of self-efficacy on a person's performance over time. This study investigated the influence of self-efficacy on motor skill performance across trials with respect to two different task objectives and task types. Participants (N=84) performed 4 blocks of 10 trials of a dart throwing (closed skill) and a hitting (open skill) task under 2 different task objectives: competitive and goal-striving. For the goal-striving condition, success was defined as reaching a pre-determined performance level. The competitive condition involved competing against an opponent. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the influence of past performance and self-efficacy on the within-person performance across multiple trials. Previous performance was negatively related with subsequent performance on all conditions. Self-efficacy was not a significant predictor of performance on any of the conditions. While task objective and task type did not moderate the efficacy-performance relationship in the current study, it is important to consider the role of other moderators in future research.

Objective assessment of operator performance during ultrasound-guided procedures.

PubMed

Tabriz, David M; Street, Mandie; Pilgram, Thomas K; Duncan, James R

2011-09-01

Simulation permits objective assessment of operator performance in a controlled and safe environment. Image-guided procedures often require accurate needle placement, and we designed a system to monitor how ultrasound guidance is used to monitor needle advancement toward a target. The results were correlated with other estimates of operator skill. The simulator consisted of a tissue phantom, ultrasound unit, and electromagnetic tracking system. Operators were asked to guide a needle toward a visible point target. Performance was video-recorded and synchronized with the electromagnetic tracking data. A series of algorithms based on motor control theory and human information processing were used to convert raw tracking data into different performance indices. Scoring algorithms converted the tracking data into efficiency, quality, task difficulty, and targeting scores that were aggregated to create performance indices. After initial feasibility testing, a standardized assessment was developed. Operators (N = 12) with a broad spectrum of skill and experience were enrolled and tested. Overall scores were based on performance during ten simulated procedures. Prior clinical experience was used to independently estimate operator skill. When summed, the performance indices correlated well with estimated skill. Operators with minimal or no prior experience scored markedly lower than experienced operators. The overall score tended to increase according to operator's clinical experience. Operator experience was linked to decreased variation in multiple aspects of performance. The aggregated results of multiple trials provided the best correlation between estimated skill and performance. A metric for the operator's ability to maintain the needle aimed at the target discriminated between operators with different levels of experience. This study used a highly focused task model, standardized assessment, and objective data analysis to assess performance during simulated ultrasound-guided needle placement. The performance indices were closely related to operator experience.

Identifying Students' Mathematical Skills from a Multiple-Choice Diagnostic Test Using an Iterative Technique to Minimise False Positives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, S.; Dix, A.

2008-01-01

There is anecdotal evidence that a significant number of students studying computing related courses at degree level have difficulty with sub-GCE mathematics. Testing of students' skills is often performed using diagnostic tests and a number of computer-based diagnostic tests exist, which work, essentially, by testing one specific diagnostic skill…

Remedial Coursetaking at U.S. Public 2- and 4-Year Institutions: Scope, Experiences, and Outcomes. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2016-405

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei

2016-01-01

Every year, millions of new college students arrive on campus lacking the necessary academic skills to perform at the college level. Postsecondary institutions address this problem with extensive remedial programs designed to strengthen students' basic skills. While much research on the effectiveness of remedial education has been conducted,…

Communication Behaviors of Principals at High Performing Title I Elementary Schools in Virginia: School Leaders, Communication, and Transformative Efforts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Dawn E.

2016-01-01

Principals of modern Title I elementary schools, where at least half of the student population lives in poverty, must possess a broader set of leadership skills than has been historically necessary. The ability to motivate teachers utilizing effective communication is one such skill set. This qualitative research proposes a division-level training…

Modeling relationships between traditional preadmission measures and clinical skills performance on a medical licensure examination.

PubMed

Roberts, William L; Pugliano, Gina; Langenau, Erik; Boulet, John R

2012-08-01

Medical schools employ a variety of preadmission measures to select students most likely to succeed in the program. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the undergraduate college grade point average (uGPA) are two academic measures typically used to select students in medical school. The assumption that presently used preadmission measures can predict clinical skill performance on a medical licensure examination was evaluated within a validity argument framework (Kane 1992). A hierarchical generalized linear model tested relationships between the log-odds of failing a high-stakes medical licensure performance examination and matriculant academic and non-academic preadmission measures, controlling for student-and school-variables. Data includes 3,189 matriculants from 22 osteopathic medical schools tested in 2009-2010. Unconditional unit-specific model expected average log-odds of failing the examination across medical schools is -3.05 (se = 0.11) or 5%. Student-level estimated coefficients for MCAT Verbal Reasoning scores (0.03), Physical Sciences scores (0.05), Biological Sciences scores (0.04), uGPA(science) (0.07), and uGPA(non-science) (0.26) lacked association with the log-odds of failing the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, controlling for all other predictors in the model. Evidence from this study shows that present preadmission measures of academic ability are not related to later clinical skill performance. Given that clinical skill performance is an important part of medical practice, selection measures should be developed to identify students who will be successful in communication and be able to demonstrate the ability to systematically collect a medical history, perform a physical examination, and synthesize this information to diagnose and manage patient conditions.

Technical and physical determinants of soccer match-play performance in elite youth soccer players.

PubMed

Rowat, Owain; Fenner, Jonathan; Unnithan, Viswanath

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether physical performance characteristics could be a better predictor than technical skills in determining the technical level of county soccer players in a match situation. With institutional ethics approval, 25 male youth soccer players aged 16-18.5 years from a professional soccer academy in South East Asia were selected and height and body mass were recorded. Players were tested for sexual maturity (pubertal development scale [PDS] self-assessment), aerobic capacity (yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 1 [YYIR1]), repeated sprint ability (7 x 35 m sprints) acceleration (15 m sprint) and four soccer skills tests (dribble with pass, dribbling speed, passing and shooting accuracy). Players' technical ability during match play was assessed in small-sided games of soccer (5 v 5) using a novel game technical scoring chart (scoring chart completed by coaches to assess technical performance in a match situation) developed from criteria (e.g., first touch, dribbling and two footedness) used by youth soccer coaches for talent identification. A Spearman's rank correlation showed the YYIR1 test and 15 m sprint test were limited in predicting technical match performance (r=0.03, P=0.88, r=-0.23, P=0.32 respectively). A Pearson product moment correlation showed that the repeated sprint test was also limited in predicting technical match performance (r=-0.34, P=0.14). A dribbling skill with a pass was found to be the best determinant of a player's technical ability in a match (r=-0.57, P=0.00). Talent identification and selection programs in Asian youth soccer should include a dribbling skill performed with a pass.

Rater Training to Support High-Stakes Simulation-Based Assessments

PubMed Central

Feldman, Moshe; Lazzara, Elizabeth H.; Vanderbilt, Allison A.; DiazGranados, Deborah

2013-01-01

Competency-based assessment and an emphasis on obtaining higher-level outcomes that reflect physicians’ ability to demonstrate their skills has created a need for more advanced assessment practices. Simulation-based assessments provide medical education planners with tools to better evaluate the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) core competencies by affording physicians opportunities to demonstrate their skills within a standardized and replicable testing environment, thus filling a gap in the current state of assessment for regulating the practice of medicine. Observational performance assessments derived from simulated clinical tasks and scenarios enable stronger inferences about the skill level a physician may possess, but also introduce the potential of rater errors into the assessment process. This article reviews the use of simulation-based assessments for certification, credentialing, initial licensure, and relicensing decisions and describes rater training strategies that may be used to reduce rater errors, increase rating accuracy, and enhance the validity of simulation-based observational performance assessments. PMID:23280532

Retention of laparoscopic procedural skills acquired on a virtual-reality surgical trainer.

PubMed

Maagaard, Mathilde; Sorensen, Jette Led; Oestergaard, Jeanett; Dalsgaard, Torur; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Ottesen, Bent S; Larsen, Christian Rifbjerg

2011-03-01

Virtual-reality (VR) simulator training has been shown to improve surgical performance in laparoscopic procedures in the operating room. We have, in a randomised controlled trial, demonstrated transferability to real operations. The validity of the LapSim virtual-reality simulator as an assessment tool has been demonstrated in several reports. However, an unanswered question regarding simulator training is the durability, or retention, of skills acquired during simulator training. The aim of the present study is to assess the retention of skills acquired using the LapSim VR simulator, 6 and 18 months after an initial training course. The investigation was designed as a 6- and 18-month follow-up on a cohort of participants who earlier participated in a skills training programme on the LapSim VR. The follow-up cohort consisted of trainees and senior consultants allocated to two groups: (1) novices (experience < 5 procedures, n = 9) and (2) experts (experience > 200 procedures during the past 3 years, n = 10). Each participant performed ten sessions. Assessment of skills was based on time, economy of movement and the error parameter "bleeding". The novice group were re-tested after 6 and 18 months, whereas the expert group were only retested once, after 6 months. None of the novices performed laparoscopic surgery in the follow-up period. The experts continued their daily work with laparoscopic surgery. Novices showed retention of skills after 6 months. After 18 months, novices' laparoscopic skills had returned to the pre-training level. This indicates that laparoscopic skills seemed to deteriorate in the period between 6 and 18 months without training. Experts showed consistent performance over time. This information can be included when planning training curricula in minimal invasive surgery.

Relationship of candidate communication and organization skills to oral certification examination scores.

PubMed

Houston, James E; Smith, Everett V

2008-12-01

This study investigated the relationship between candidate's proficiency in communication/organization and ability measures derived from judges' oral examination ratings on a medical specialty certification examination. Judges who rated candidates on the oral examination also provided a separate rating for candidates' communication/organization skills. ANOVA was used to examine differences among levels of communication/organizational skills with respect to candidates' ability measures on the oral examination. There was a statistically significant increase in oral examination measures for candidates with higher levels of communication/organization skills. This supports the hypothesis that candidates who were more proficient in organizing and presenting their responses were more likely to have better performance on the oral examination. Given communication and oral examination ratings were provided by the same judges, future research should investigate whether these preliminary findings generalize to situations in which communication ratings are obtained from independent ratings during and outside the oral examination.

Mathematics skills in good readers with hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Barnes, Marcia A; Pengelly, Sarah; Dennis, Maureen; Wilkinson, Margaret; Rogers, Tracey; Faulkner, Heather

2002-01-01

Children with hydrocephalus have poor math skills. We investigated the nature of their arithmetic computation errors by comparing written subtraction errors in good readers with hydrocephalus, typically developing good readers of the same age, and younger children matched for math level to the children with hydrocephalus. Children with hydrocephalus made more procedural errors (although not more fact retrieval or visual-spatial errors) than age-matched controls; they made the same number of procedural errors as younger, math-level matched children. We also investigated a broad range of math abilities, and found that children with hydrocephalus performed more poorly than age-matched controls on tests of geometry and applied math skills such as estimation and problem solving. Computation deficits in children with hydrocephalus reflect delayed development of procedural knowledge. Problems in specific math domains such as geometry and applied math, were associated with deficits in constituent cognitive skills such as visual spatial competence, memory, and general knowledge.

Examining Predictive Validity of Oral Reading Fluency Slope in Upper Elementary Grades Using Quantile Regression.

PubMed

Cho, Eunsoo; Capin, Philip; Roberts, Greg; Vaughn, Sharon

2017-07-01

Within multitiered instructional delivery models, progress monitoring is a key mechanism for determining whether a child demonstrates an adequate response to instruction. One measure commonly used to monitor the reading progress of students is oral reading fluency (ORF). This study examined the extent to which ORF slope predicts reading comprehension outcomes for fifth-grade struggling readers ( n = 102) participating in an intensive reading intervention. Quantile regression models showed that ORF slope significantly predicted performance on a sentence-level fluency and comprehension assessment, regardless of the students' reading skills, controlling for initial ORF performance. However, ORF slope was differentially predictive of a passage-level comprehension assessment based on students' reading skills when controlling for initial ORF status. Results showed that ORF explained unique variance for struggling readers whose posttest performance was at the upper quantiles at the end of the reading intervention, but slope was not a significant predictor of passage-level comprehension for students whose reading problems were the most difficult to remediate.

The Effect of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on A Throwing Task Depends on Individual Level of Task Performance.

PubMed

Mizuguchi, Nobuaki; Katayama, Takashi; Kanosue, Kazuyuki

2018-02-10

The effect of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor performance remains controversial. Some studies suggest that the effect of tDCS depends upon task-difficulty and individual level of task performance. Here, we investigated whether the effect of cerebellar tDCS on the motor performance depends upon the individual's level of performance. Twenty-four naïve participants practiced dart throwing while receiving a 2-mA cerebellar tDCS for 20 min under three stimulus conditions (anodal-, cathodal-, and sham-tDCS) on separate days with a double-blind, counter-balanced cross-over design. Task performance was assessed by measuring the distance between the center of the bull's eye and the dart's position. Although task performance tended to improve throughout the practice under all stimulus conditions, improvement within a given day was not significant as compared to the first no-stimulus block. In addition, improvement did not differ among stimulation conditions. However, the magnitude of improvement was associated with an individual's level of task performance only under cathodal tDCS condition (p < 0.05). This resulted in a significant performance improvement only for the sub-group of participants with lower performance levels as compared to that with sham-tDCS (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the facilitation effect of cerebellar cathodal tDCS on motor skill learning of complex whole-body movements depends on the level of an individual's task performance. Thus, cerebellar tDCS would facilitate learning of a complex motor skill task only in a subset of individuals. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of explicit instruction on the acquisition of students' science inquiry skills in grades 5 and 6 of primary education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruit, P. M.; Oostdam, R. J.; van den Berg, E.; Schuitema, J. A.

2018-03-01

In most primary science classes, students are taught science inquiry skills by way of learning by doing. Research shows that explicit instruction may be more effective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of explicit instruction on the acquisition of inquiry skills. Participants included 705 Dutch fifth and sixth graders. Students in an explicit instruction condition received an eight-week intervention of explicit instruction on inquiry skills. In the lessons of the implicit condition, all aspects of explicit instruction were absent. Students in the baseline condition followed their regular science curriculum. In a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design, two paper-and-pencil tests and three performance assessments were used to examine the acquisition and transfer of inquiry skills. Additionally, questionnaires were used to measure metacognitive skills. The results of a multilevel analysis controlling for pre-tests, general cognitive ability, age, gender and grade level indicated that explicit instruction facilitates the acquisition of science inquiry skills. Specifically on the performance assessment with an unfamiliar topic, students in the explicit condition outperformed students of both the implicit and baseline condition. Therefore, this study provides a strong argument for including an explicit teaching method for developing inquiry skills in primary science education.

A Team, Case-based Examination and Its Impact on Student Performance in a Patient Safety and Informatics Course

PubMed Central

Etheridge, Kierstan; DeLellis, Teresa

2017-01-01

Objective. To describe the redesigned assessment plan for a patient safety and informatics course and assess student pharmacist performance and perceptions. Methods. The final examination of a patient safety course was redesigned from traditional multiple choice and short answer to team-based, open-ended, and case-based. Faculty for each class session developed higher level activities, focused on developing key skills or attitudes deemed essential for practice, for a progressive patient case consisting of nine activities. Student performance and perceptions were analyzed with pre- and post-surveys using 5-point scales. Results. Mean performance on the examination was 93.6%; median scores for each assessed course outcome ranged from 90% to 100%. Eighty-five percent of students completed both surveys. Confidence performing skills and demonstrating attitudes improved for each item on post-survey compared with pre-survey. Eighty-one percent of students indicated the experience of taking the examination was beneficial for their professional development. Conclusion. A team, case-based examination was associated with high student performance and improved self-confidence in performing medication safety-related skills. PMID:28970618

Computational Fluency Performance Profile of High School Students with Mathematics Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calhoon, Mary Beth; Emerson, Robert Wall; Flores, Margaret; Houchins, David E.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to develop a computational fluency performance profile of 224 high school (Grades 9-12) students with mathematics disabilities (MD). Computational fluency performance was examined by grade-level expectancy (Grades 2-6) and skill area (whole numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division;…

Virtual reality bronchoscopy simulation: a revolution in procedural training.

PubMed

Colt, H G; Crawford, S W; Galbraith, O

2001-10-01

In the airline industry, training is costly and operator error must be avoided. Therefore, virtual reality (VR) is routinely used to learn manual and technical skills through simulation before pilots assume flight responsibilities. In the field of medicine, manual and technical skills must also be acquired to competently perform invasive procedures such as flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB). Until recently, training in FFB and other endoscopic procedures has occurred on the job in real patients. We hypothesized that novice trainees using a VR skill center could rapidly acquire basic skills, and that results would compare favorably with those of senior trainees trained in the conventional manner. We prospectively studied five novice bronchoscopists entering a pulmonary and critical care medicine training program. They were taught to perform inspection flexible bronchoscopy using a VR bronchoscopy skill center; dexterity, speed, and accuracy were tested using the skill center and an inanimate airway model before and after 4 h of group instruction and 4 h of individual unsupervised practice. Results were compared to those of a control group of four skilled physicians who had performed at least 200 bronchoscopies during 2 years of training. Student's t tests were used to compare mean scores of study and control groups for the inanimate model and VR bronchoscopy simulator. Before-training and after-training test scores were compared using paired t tests. For comparisons between after-training novice and skilled physician scores, unpaired two-sample t tests were used. Novices significantly improved their dexterity and accuracy in both models. They missed fewer segments after training than before training, and had fewer contacts with the bronchial wall. There was no statistically significant improvement in speed or total time spent not visualizing airway anatomy. After training, novice performance equaled or surpassed that of the skilled physicians. Novices performed more thorough examinations and missed significantly fewer segments in both the inanimate and virtual simulation models. A short, focused course of instruction and unsupervised practice using a virtual bronchoscopy simulator enabled novice trainees to attain a level of manual and technical skill at performing diagnostic bronchoscopic inspection similar to those of colleagues with several years of experience. These skills were readily reproducible in a conventional inanimate airway-training model, suggesting they would also be translatable to direct patient care.

Do soft skills predict surgical performance?: a single-center randomized controlled trial evaluating predictors of skill acquisition in virtual reality laparoscopy.

PubMed

Maschuw, K; Schlosser, K; Kupietz, E; Slater, E P; Weyers, P; Hassan, I

2011-03-01

Virtual reality (VR) training in minimal invasive surgery (MIS) is feasible in surgical residency and beneficial for the performance of MIS by surgical trainees. Research on stress-coping of surgical trainees indicates the additional impact of soft skills on VR performance in the surgical curriculum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of structured VR training and soft skills on VR performance of trainees. The study was designed as a single-center randomized controlled trial. Fifty first-year surgical residents with limited experience in MIS ("camera navigation" in laparoscopic cholecystectomy only) were randomized for either 3 months of VR training or no training. Basic VR performance and defined soft skills (self-efficacy, stress-coping, and motivation) were assessed prior to randomization using basic modules of the VR simulator LapSim(®) and standardized psychological questionnaires. Three months after randomization VR performance was reassessed. Outcome measurement was based on the results derived from the most complex of the basic VR modules ("diathermy cutting") as the primary end point. A correlation analysis of the VR end-point performance and the psychological scores was done in both groups. Structured VR training enhanced VR performance of surgical trainees. An additional correlation to high motivational states (P < 0.05) was found. Low levels of self-efficacy and negative stress-coping were related to poor VR performance in the untrained control group (P < 0.05). This correlation was absent in the trained intervention group (P > 0.05). Low self-efficacy and negative stress-coping strategies seem to predict poor VR performance. However, structured training along with high motivational states is likely to balance out this impairment.

Video self-assessment of basic suturing and knot tying skills by novice trainees.

PubMed

Hu, Yinin; Tiemann, Debbie; Michael Brunt, L

2013-01-01

Self-assessment is important to learning but few studies have utilized video self-assessment of basic surgical skills. We compared a video self-assessment of suturing and knot tying skills by novice trainees to the assessment by a senior attending surgeon. Sixteen senior medical students and 7 beginner surgical interns were video-recorded while performing five suturing and knot tying tasks. All videos were analyzed using an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) metrics (1-5 scale; 1 = novice, 5 = expert). Video self-assessment was carried out within 4 weeks of an instructional session and subsequently by one senior surgery instructor (blinded to the individual). Both a Global score and total combined OSATS scores were analyzed. Total possible OSATS scores were: interrupted suture-30, subcuticular closure-30, one and two-handed knot tying-25 each, tying in a restricted space 20; maximum combined score-130 points). Confidence levels in performing the tasks pre-test and the value of video self-assessment were rated on a 1-5 Likert scale (1 = low and 5 = high). Data are mean±SD and statistical significance was evaluated using Friedman's test. Self-assessment scoring was significantly higher than the assessment by a senior instructor for three tasks by global score and all five tasks by combined OSATS score (self-assessment 71.8±16.7 vs attending assessment 56.7±11.0, p = 0.007). Mean self-assessment Global scores ranged from 2.5 to 2.8 for all tasks performed compared to 1.8-2.3 for attending surgeon assessment (p<0.05). Confidence levels demonstrated no correlation to performance speed or proficiency. The video self-assessment was rated as a highly valuable (mean 4.3±0.8) component to skills training. Novice trainees over-estimate their basic technical skills performance compared to the assessment by a senior surgeon. Video self-assessment may be a valuable addition to a pre-residency and surgical internship preparatory curriculum in basic suturing and knot tying. Copyright © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study on the effect of varying sequence of lab performance skills on lab performance of high school physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bournia-Petrou, Ethel A.

The main goal of this investigation was to study how student rank in class, student gender and skill sequence affect high school students' performance on the lab skills involved in a laboratory-based inquiry task in physics. The focus of the investigation was the effect of skill sequence as determined by the particular task. The skills considered were: Hypothesis, Procedure, Planning, Data, Graph, Calculations and Conclusion. Three physics lab tasks based on the simple pendulum concept were administered to 282 Regents physics high school students. The reliability of the designed tasks was high. Student performance was evaluated on individual student written responses and a scoring rubric. The tasks had high discrimination power and were of moderate difficulty (65%). It was found that, student performance was weak on Conclusion (42%), Hypothesis (48%), and Procedure (51%), where the numbers in parentheses represent the mean as a percentage of the maximum possible score. Student performance was strong on Calculations (91%), Data (82%), Graph (74%) and Plan (68%). Out of all seven skills, Procedure had the strongest correlation (.73) with the overall task performance. Correlation analysis revealed some strong relationships among the seven skills which were grouped in two distinct clusters: Hypothesis, Procedure and Plan belong to one, and Data, Graph, Calculations, and Conclusion belong to the other. This distinction may indicate different mental processes at play within each skill cluster. The effect of student rank was not statistically significant according to the MANOVA results due to the large variation of rank levels among the participating schools. The effect of gender was significant on the entire test because of performance differences on Calculations and Graph, where male students performed better than female students. Skill sequence had a significant effect on the skills of Procedure, Plan, Data and Conclusion. Students are rather weak in proposing a sensible, detailed procedure for the inquiry task which involves the "novel" concept. However they perform better on Procedure and Plan, if the "novel" task is not preceded by another, which explicitly offers step-by-step procedure instructions. It was concluded that the format of detailed, structured instructions often adopted by many commercial and school-developed lab books and conventional lab practices, fails to prepare students to propose a successful, detailed procedure when faced with a slightly "novel", lab-based inquiry task. Student performance on Data collection was higher in the tasks that involved the more familiar experimental arrangement than in the tasks using the slightly "novel" equipment. Student performance on Conclusion was better in tasks where they had to collect the Data themselves than in tasks, where all relevant Data information was given to them.

Early motor skill competence as a mediator of child and adult physical activity

PubMed Central

Loprinzi, Paul D.; Davis, Robert E.; Fu, Yang-Chieh

2015-01-01

Objective: In order to effectively promote physical activity (PA) during childhood, and across the lifespan, a better understanding of the role of early motor skill development on child and adult PA is needed. Methods: Here, we propose a conceptual model delineating the hypothesized influence of motor skill development on child and adult PA, while providing an overview of the current empirical research related to this model. Results: There is consistent and emerging evidence showing that adequate motor skill competence, particularly locomotor and gross motor skills, is associated with increased PA levels during the preschool, child, and adolescent years, with early motor skill development also influencing enjoyment of PA as well as long-term PA and motor skill performance. The physical education setting appears to be a well-suited environment for motor skill development. Conclusion: Employing appropriate strategies to target motor skill development across the childhood years is of paramount interest in helping shape children's PA behavior, their experiences related to PA, as well as maintain their PA. PMID:26844157

Motorized mobility scooters – The use of training/intervention and technology for improving driving skills in aging adults - A Mini-Review

PubMed Central

Toosizadeh, Nima; Bunting, Matthew; Howe, Carol; Mohler, Jane; Sprinkle, Jonathan; Najafi, Bijan

2014-01-01

Background Motorized mobility scooters (MMS) have become the most acceptable powered assistive device for those with impaired mobility, who have sufficient upper body strength and dexterity, and postural stability. Although several benefits have been attributed to MMS usage, there are likewise risks of use, including injuries and even deaths. Objective The aim of the current review was to summarize results from clinical studies regarding the enhancement of MMS driver safety with a primary focus on improving driving skills/performance using clinical approaches. We addressed three main objectives: 1) to identify and summarize any available evidence (strong, moderate, or weak evidence based on the quality of studies) regarding improved driving skills/performance following training/intervention; 2) to identify types of driving skills/performance that might be improved by training/intervention; and 3) to identify the use of technology in improving MMS performance or training procedure. Methods Articles were searched for in the following medical and engineering electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, EI Compendix, IEEE Explore, and REHABDATA. Inclusion criteria included: aging adults or those with ambulatory problems; intervention or targeted training; and clinical trial. Outcomes included: MMS skills/performance. Results Six articles met the inclusion criteria and are analyzed in this review. Four of the six articles contained training approaches for MMS drivers including skill trainings using real MMS inside and outside (i.e., in community) and in a 3D virtual environment. The other two studies contain infrastructural assessments (i.e., the minimum space required for safe maneuverability of MMS users) and additional mobility assistance tools to improve maneuverability and to enhance driving performance. Conclusions Results from the current review showed improved driving skills/performance by training, infrastructural assessments, and incorporating mobility assistance tools. MMS driving skills that can be improved through driver training include: weaving, negotiating with and avoiding pedestrian interference, simultaneous reading of signs and obstacle avoidance in path, level driving, forward and reverse driving, figure 8s, turning in place, crossing left slope, maneuvering down a 2-inch curb, and driving up and down inclines. However, several limitations exist in the available literature regarding evidence of improved driving skills/performance following training/intervention, such as small sample sizes, lack of control groups and statistical analysis. PMID:24481257

Radiology residents' skill level in chest x-ray reading.

PubMed

Fabre, C; Proisy, M; Chapuis, C; Jouneau, S; Lentz, P-A; Meunier, C; Mahé, G; Lederlin, M

2018-05-04

To evaluate the mean skill level of radiology residents in chest X-ray (CXR) reading, with regard to cognitive mechanisms involved in this task and to investigate for potential factors influencing residents' skill. Eighty-one residents were evaluated through a test set including CXR expected to mobilize detection skills (n=10), CXR expected to mobilize interpretation skills (n=10) and normal CXR (n=4). For each radiograph, residents were asked to answer three questions: Does this radiograph show normal or abnormal findings? Does it require complementary computed tomography study? What is your diagnosis? Residents' answers were evaluated against an experts' consensus and analyzed according to year of residency, attendance at CXR training course during residency and the average number of CXR read per week. Residents' mean success rate was 90.4%, 76.6% and 52.7% for the three questions, respectively. Year of residency was associated with better diagnostic performances in the detection CXR category (P=0.025), while attendance at CXR training course was associated with better performances in the interpretation CXR category (P=0.031). There was no influence of the number of CXR read per week. These results may suggest promoting systematic CXR theoretical training course in the curriculum of radiology residents. Copyright © 2018 Société française de radiologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of advanced laparoscopic skills tasks for validity evidence.

PubMed

Nepomnayshy, Dmitry; Whitledge, James; Birkett, Richard; Delmonico, Theodore; Ruthazer, Robin; Sillin, Lelan; Seymour, Neal E

2015-02-01

Since fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) represents a minimum proficiency standard for laparoscopic surgery, more advanced proficiency standards are required to address the needs of current surgical training. We wanted to evaluate the acceptance and discriminative ability of a novel set of skills building on the FLS model that could represent a more advanced proficiency standard-advanced laparoscopic surgery (ALS). Qualitative and quantitative analyses were employed. Quantitative analysis involved comparison of expert (PGY 5+), intermediate (PGY 3-4) and novice (PGY 1-2) surgeons on FLS and ALS tasks. Composite scores included time and errors. Standard FLS errors were added to task time to create the composite score. Qualitative analysis involved thematic review of open-ended questions provided to experts participating in the study. Out of 48 participants, there were 15 (31 %) attendings, 3 (6 %) fellows and 30 (63 %) residents. By specialty, 54 % were general/MIS/bariatric/colorectal (GMBC) and 46 % were other (urology and gynecology). There was no difference between experience level and performance on FLS and ALS tasks for the entire cohort. However, looking at the GMBC subgroup, experts performed better than novices (p = 0.012) and intermediates performed better than novices (p = 0.057) on ALS tasks. There was no difference for the same group in FLS performance. Also, GMBC subgroup performed significantly better on FLS (p = 0.0035) and ALS (p = 0.0027) than the other subgroup. Thematic analysis revealed that the majority of experts felt that ALS was more realistic, challenging and clinically relevant for specific situations compared to FLS. For GMBC surgeons, we were able to show evidence of validity for a series of advanced laparoscopic tasks and their relationship to surgeon skill level. This study may represent the first step in the development of an advanced laparoscopic skills curriculum. Given the high degree of specialization in surgery, different advanced skills curricula will need to be developed for each specialty.

The impact of constructive feedback on training in gastrointestinal endoscopy using high-fidelity Virtual-Reality simulation: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Kruglikova, Irina; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Drewes, Asbjorn M; Funch-Jensen, Peter

2010-02-01

Recently, virtual reality computer simulators have been used to enhance traditional endoscopy teaching. Previous studies have demonstrated construct validity of these systems and transfer of virtual skills to the operating room. However, to date no simulator-training curricula have been designed and there is very little evidence on the impact of external feedback on acquisition of endoscopic skills. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of external feedback on the learning curves on a VR colonoscopy simulator using inexperienced trainees. 22 trainees, without colonoscopy experience were randomised to a group which received structured feedback provided by an experienced supervisor and a controlled group. All participants performed 15 repetitions of task 3 from the Introduction colonoscopy module of the Accu Touch Endoscopy simulator. Retention/transfer tests on simulator were performed 4-6 weeks after the last repetition. The proficiency levels were based on the performance of eight experienced colonoscopists. All subjects were able to complete the procedure on the simulator. There were no perforations in the feedback group versus seven in the non-feedback group. Subjects in the feedback group reached expert proficiency levels in percentage of mucosa visualised and time to reach the caecum significantly faster compared with the control group. None of the groups demonstrated significant degradation of performance in simulator retention/transfer tests. Concurrent feedback given by supervisor concur an advantage in acquisition of basic colonoscopy skills and achieving of proficiency level as compared to independent training.

The relationship between form and function level receptive prosodic abilities in autism.

PubMed

Järvinen-Pasley, Anna; Peppé, Susan; King-Smith, Gavin; Heaton, Pamela

2008-08-01

Prosody can be conceived as having form (auditory-perceptual characteristics) and function (pragmatic/linguistic meaning). No known studies have examined the relationship between form- and function-level prosodic skills in relation to the effects of stimulus length and/or complexity upon such abilities in autism. Research in this area is both insubstantial and inconclusive. Children with autism and controls completed the receptive tasks of the Profiling Elements of Prosodic Systems in Children (PEPS-C) test, which examines both form- and function-level skills, and a sentence-level task assessing the understanding of intonation. While children with autism were unimpaired in both form and function tasks at the single-word level, they showed significantly poorer performance in the corresponding sentence-level tasks than controls. Implications for future research are discussed.

Quantification of pilot workload via instrument scan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tole, J. R.; Stephens, A. T.; Harris, R. L., Sr.; Ephrath, A.

1982-01-01

The use of visual scanning behavior as an indicator of pilot workload is described. The relationship between level of performance on a constant piloting task under simulated IFR conditions, the skill of the pilot the level of mental workload induced by an additional verbal task imposed on the basic control task, and visual scanning behavior is investigated. An increase in fixation dwell times, especially on the primary instrument with increased mental loading is indicated. Skilled subjects 'stared' less under increased loading than did novice pilots. Sequences of instrument fixations were also examined. The percentage occurrence of the subject's most used sequences decreased with increased task difficulty for novice subjects but not for highly skilled subjects. Entropy rate (bits/sec) of the sequence of fixations was also used to quantify the scan pattern. It consistently decreased for most subjects as the four loading levels used increased.

The Army Needs to Improve Individual Soldier Training in Its Units. Report to the Congress by the Comptroller General of the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

A study was conducted to determine whether unit level individual skill training is being provided to prepare Army enlisted personnel to perform critical job tasks within their military occupational specialty (MOS). The General Accounting Office reviewed the Army's skill training programs at 10 active units in the continental United States and five…

Relationships Between School District Level Inputs and the Output Performance of Students on the Missouri Basic Essential Skills Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Vera E.; Hatley, Richard V.

Missouri requires the testing of all eighth grade students on their competence in reading and language arts, mathematics, and government and economics. This statewide assessment is referred to as the Missouri Basic Essential Skills Test (BEST) and has been given in the spring of each year since 1978. A study was undertaken to determine which…

Reading and Reading-Related Skills in Children Using Cochlear Implants: Prospects for the Influence of Cued Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouton, Sophie; Bertoncini, Josiane; Serniclaes, Willy; Cole, Pascale

2011-01-01

We assessed the reading and reading-related skills (phonemic awareness and phonological short-term memory) of deaf children fitted with cochlear implants (CI), either exposed to cued speech early (before 2 years old) (CS+) or never (CS-). Their performance was compared to that of 2 hearing control groups, 1 matched for reading level (RL), and 1…

Improving Tenth-Grade Students' Five-Paragraph Essay Writing Skills Using Various Writing Strategies, Guided Assignments, and Portfolios for Growth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Carolyn

This project was implemented and developed to assist low-achieving tenth grade students' essay writing skills. According to examinations administered during the first part of the 2002 school term, many tenth-grade students were not performing on their grade level in regards to the writing process. The overall goal was to have students be able to…

Evaluation of medical command and control using performance indicators in a full-scale, major aircraft accident exercise.

PubMed

Gryth, Dan; Rådestad, Monica; Nilsson, Heléne; Nerf, Ola; Svensson, Leif; Castrén, Maaret; Rüter, Anders

2010-01-01

Large, functional, disaster exercises are expensive to plan and execute, and often are difficult to evaluate objectively. Command and control in disaster medicine organizations can benefit from objective results from disaster exercises to identify areas that must be improved. The objective of this pilot study was to examine if it is possible to use performance indicators for documentation and evaluation of medical command and control in a full-scale major incident exercise at two levels: (1) local level (scene of the incident and hospital); and (2) strategic level of command and control. Staff procedure skills also were evaluated. Trained observers were placed in each of the three command and control locations. These observers recorded and scored the performance of command and control using templates of performance indicators. The observers scored the level of performance by awarding 2, 1, or 0 points according to the template and evaluated content and timing of decisions. Results from 11 performance indicators were recorded at each template and scores greater than 11 were considered as acceptable. Prehospital command and control had the lowest score. This also was expressed by problems at the scene of the incident. The scores in management and staff skills were at the strategic level 15 and 17, respectively; and at the hospital level, 17 and 21, respectively. It is possible to use performance indicators in a full-scale, major incident exercise for evaluation of medical command and control. The results could be used to compare similar exercises and evaluate real incidents in the future.

Factors affecting utilization of skilled maternal care in Northwest Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The evaluation of all potential sources of low skilled maternal care utilization is crucial for Ethiopia. Previous studies have largely disregarded the contribution of different levels. This study was planned to assess the effect of individual, communal, and health facility characteristics in the utilization of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care by a skilled provider. Methods A linked facility and population-based survey was conducted over three months (January - March 2012) in twelve “kebeles” of North Gondar Zone, Amhara Region. A total of 1668 women who had births in the year preceding the survey were selected for analysis. Using a multilevel modelling, we examined the effect of cluster variation and a number of individual, communal (kebele), and facility-related variables for skilled maternal care utilization. Result About 32.3%, 13.8% and 6.3% of the women had the chance to get skilled providers for their antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, respectively. A significant heterogeneity was observed among clusters for each indicator of skilled maternal care utilization. At the individual level, variables related to awareness and perceptions were found to be much more relevant for skilled maternal service utilization. Preference for skilled providers and previous experience of antenatal care were consistently strong predictors of all indicators of skilled maternal health care utilizations. Birth order, maternal education, and awareness about health facilities to get skilled professionals were consistently strong predictors of skilled antenatal and delivery care use. Communal factors were relevant for both delivery and postnatal care, whereas the characteristics of a health facility were more relevant for use of skilled delivery care than other maternity services. Conclusion Factors operating at individual and “kebele” levels play a significant role in determining utilization of skilled maternal health services. Interventions to create better community awareness and perception about skilled providers and their care, and ensuring the seamless performance of health care facilities have been considered crucial to improve skilled maternal services in the study area. Such interventions should target underprivileged women. PMID:23587369

Intensive skills week for military medical students increases technical proficiency, confidence, and skills to minimize negative stress.

PubMed

Mueller, Genevieve; Hunt, Bonnie; Wall, Van; Rush, Robert; Molof, Alan; Schoeff, Jonathan; Wedmore, Ian; Schmid, James; Laporta, Anthony

2012-01-01

The effects of stress induced cortisol on learning and memory is well documented in the literature.1-3 Memory and learning are enhanced at low levels while high levels are detrimental. Repetitive training in stressful situations enables management of the stress response4 as demonstrated by the high intensity training military members undergo to prepare for tactical situations. Appropriate management of one?s stress response is critical in the medical field, as the negative effects of stress can potentially hinder life-saving procedures and treatments. This also applies to physicians-in-training as they learn and practice triage, emergency medicine, and surgical skills prior to graduation. Rocky Vista University?s Military Medicine Honor?s Track (MMHT) held a week long high-intensity emergency medicine and surgical Intensive Skills Week (ISW), facilitated by military and university physicians, to advance students? skills and maximize training using the Human Worn Partial Surgical Task Simulator (Cut Suit). The short-term goal of the ISW was to overcome negative stress responses to increase confidence, technical and non-technical knowledge, and skill in surgery and emergency medicine in an effort to improve performance as third-year medical students. The long-term goal was to enhance performance and proficiency in residency and future medical practice. The metrics for the short-term goals were the focus of this pilot study. Results show an increase in confidence and decrease in perceived stress as well as statistically significant improvements in technical and non-technical skills and surgical instrumentation knowledge throughout the week. There is a correlative benefit to physician and non-physician military personnel, especially Special Operations Forces (SOF) medical personnel, from developing and implementing similar training programs when live tissue or cadaver models are unavailable or unfeasible. 2012.

A mixed methods investigation into the use of non-technical skills by community and hospital pharmacists.

PubMed

Irwin, A; Weidmann, A E

2015-01-01

Non-technical skills refer to the social and cognitive factors that may influence efficient and safe job performance. Non-technical skills are an important element of patient safety in a variety of health care disciplines, including surgery, anesthesia and nursing. However, the use of non-technical skills in pharmacy practice has not yet been fully assessed. To examine attitudes toward, and use of, non-technical skills by pharmacy personnel. A mixed methods approach was used: An attitude survey explored pharmacy personnel attitudes towards non-technical skills and inter-professional collaboration, with community and hospital pharmacy staff (n = 62). Qualitative interviews were then conducted using the critical incident technique, with community pharmacists (n = 11). The survey results demonstrated differences in the opinions of community and hospital pharmacists on three non-technical skill constructs: team structure, mutual support, and situation monitoring, with community pharmacists reporting significantly more positive attitudes about all three constructs. Both groups reported low levels of collaboration with primary care physicians. The interviews identified five non-technical skills as key elements of successful pharmacist performance from the interview transcripts: teamwork; leadership; task management; situation awareness; decision-making. The survey and interviews identified the non-technical skills that are important to pharmacists. This represents the first step towards the development of a behavioral rating system for training purposes that could potentially improve the non-technical skills of pharmacists and enhance patient safety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of construct validity of a virtual reality laparoscopy simulator.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Rachel; Gantert, Walter A; Hamel, Christian; Hahnloser, Dieter; Metzger, Juerg; Kocher, Thomas; Vogelbach, Peter; Scheidegger, Daniel; Oertli, Daniel; Clavien, Pierre-Alain

2007-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess whether virtual reality (VR) can discriminate between the skills of novices and intermediate-level laparoscopic surgical trainees (construct validity), and whether the simulator assessment correlates with an expert's evaluation of performance. Three hundred and seven (307) participants of the 19th-22nd Davos International Gastrointestinal Surgery Workshops performed the clip-and-cut task on the Xitact LS 500 VR simulator (Xitact S.A., Morges, Switzerland). According to their previous experience in laparoscopic surgery, participants were assigned to the basic course (BC) or the intermediate course (IC). Objective performance parameters recorded by the simulator were compared to the standardized assessment by the course instructors during laparoscopic pelvitrainer and conventional surgery exercises. IC participants performed significantly better on the VR simulator than BC participants for the task completion time as well as the economy of movement of the right instrument, not the left instrument. Participants with maximum scores in the pelvitrainer cholecystectomy task performed the VR trial significantly faster, compared to those who scored less. In the conventional surgery task, a significant difference between those who scored the maximum and those who scored less was found not only for task completion time, but also for economy of movement of the right instrument. VR simulation provides a valid assessment of psychomotor skills and some basic aspects of spatial skills in laparoscopic surgery. Furthermore, VR allows discrimination between trainees with different levels of experience in laparoscopic surgery establishing construct validity for the Xitact LS 500 clip-and-cut task. Virtual reality may become the gold standard to assess and monitor surgical skills in laparoscopic surgery.

A study of the effects of English language proficiency and scientific reasoning skills on the acquisition of science content knowledge of Hispanic English language learners and native English language-speaking students participating in grade 10 science classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, Hector Neftali, Sr.

2000-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of English language proficiency and levels of scientific reasoning skills of Hispanic English language learners and native English language speaking students on their acquisition of science content knowledge as measured by a state-wide standardized science test. The researcher studied a group of high school Hispanic English language learners and native English language speaking students participating in Grade 10 science classes. The language proficiency of the students was to be measured through the use of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) instrument. A Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning developed by Lawson (1978) was administered in either English or Spanish to the group of Hispanic English language learners and in English to the group of native English language-speaking students in order to determine their levels of scientific reasoning skills. The students' acquisition of science content knowledge was measured through the use of statewide-standardized science test developed by the State's Department of Education. This study suggests that the levels of English language proficiency appear to influence the acquisition of science content knowledge of Hispanic English language learners in the study. The results of the study also suggest that with regards to scientific reasoning skills, students that showed high levels or reflective reasoning skills for the most part performed better on the statewide-standardized science test than students with intuitive or transitional reasoning skills. This assertion was supported by the studies conducted by Lawson and his colleagues, which showed that high levels of reasoning or reflective reasoning skills are prerequisite for most high school science courses. The findings in this study imply that high order English language proficiency combined with high levels of reasoning skills enhances students' abilities to learn science content subject matter. This lends support to Cummins' theoretical framework, which indicates that learning science content subject matter requires cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). The study also indicates that CALP maybe the combination of high order English language proficiency and high levels of reasoning skills. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

“Old Dogs” and New Skills: How Clinician Characteristics Relate to Motivational Interviewing Skills Before, During, and After Training

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Kenneth M.; Cheng, Wendy Y.; Smith, Jennifer L.; Brooks, Adam C.; Amrhein, Paul C.; Wain, R. Morgan; Nunes, Edward V.

2012-01-01

Objective The relationships between the occupational, educational, and verbal-cognitive characteristics of health care professionals and their Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills before, during, and after training were investigated. Method Fifty-eight community-based addiction clinicians (M = 42.1 yrs., SD =10.0; 66% Female) were assessed prior to enrolling in a two-day MI training workshop and being randomized to one of three post-workshop supervision programs: live supervision via tele-conferencing (TCS), standard tape-based supervision (Tape), or workshop training alone. Audiotaped sessions with clients were rated for MI skillfulness with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) coding system v 2.0 at pre-workshop and 1, 8, and 20 weeks post-workshop. Correlation coefficients and generalized linear models were used to test the relationships between clinician characteristics and MI skill at each assessment point. Results Baseline MI skill levels were the most robust predictors of pre- and post-supervision performances. Clinician characteristics were associated with MI Spirit and reflective listening skill throughout training and moderated the effect of post-workshop supervision method on MI skill. TCS, which provided immediate feedback during practice sessions, was most effective for increasing MI Spirit and reflective listening among clinicians with no graduate degree and stronger vocabulary performances. Tape supervision was more effective for increasing these skills among clinicians with a graduate degree. Further, TCS and Tape were most likely to enhance MI Spirit among clinicians with low average to average verbal and abstract reasoning performances. Conclusions Clinician attributes influence the effectiveness of methods used to promote the acquisition of evidence-based practices among community-based practitioners. PMID:22563640

Visual arts training is linked to flexible attention to local and global levels of visual stimuli.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Rebecca; Wagemans, Johan

2015-10-01

Observational drawing skill has been shown to be associated with the ability to focus on local visual details. It is unclear whether superior performance in local processing is indicative of the ability to attend to, and flexibly switch between, local and global levels of visual stimuli. It is also unknown whether these attentional enhancements remain specific to observational drawing skill or are a product of a wide range of artistic activities. The current study aimed to address these questions by testing if flexible visual processing predicts artistic group membership and observational drawing skill in a sample of first-year bachelor's degree art students (n=23) and non-art students (n=23). A pattern of local and global visual processing enhancements was found in relation to artistic group membership and drawing skill, with local processing ability found to be specifically related to individual differences in drawing skill. Enhanced global processing and more fluent switching between local and global levels of hierarchical stimuli predicted both drawing skill and artistic group membership, suggesting that these are beneficial attentional mechanisms for art-making in a range of domains. These findings support a top-down attentional model of artistic expertise and shed light on the domain specific and domain-general attentional enhancements induced by proficiency in the visual arts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emotional Intelligence of Instructors and the Quality of Their Instructional Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dev, Smitha; Nair, Sreethi; Dwivedi, Anand

2016-01-01

Quality of instructional performance is the key skill needed for every teaching faculty for achieving the level of pedigree in the present educational scenario. However, the truth is that there are minimal studies to analyze the competency linking emotional intelligence to quality of instructional performance. Therefore the present attempt is to…

Further Education Performance Indicators: A Motivational or a Performative Tool?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boocock, Andrew

2013-01-01

Ethnographic research in a further education College (Borough College) between 2000 and 2005 assessed the impact of performance indicators (PIs) within a department teaching GCSEs and A-levels. Research focused on PIs integral to the Learning and Skills Council funding formula, the Common Inspection Framework and newspaper league tables, and the…

Objective Assessment of Bimanual Laparoscopic Surgical Skills via Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemani, Arun

Surgical simulators are effective methods for training and assessing surgical technical skills, particularly those that are bimanual. These simulators are now ubiquitous in surgical training and assessment programs for residents. Simulators are used in programs such as the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) and Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES), which are pre-requisites for Board certification in general surgery. Although these surgical simulators have been validated for clinical use, they have significant limitations, such as subjectivity in assessment metrics, poor correlation of transfer from simulation to clinically relevant environments, poor correlation of task performance scores to learning motor skill levels, and ultimately inconsistent reliability of these assessment methods as an indicator of positive patient outcomes. These limitations present an opportunity for more objective and analytical approaches to assess surgical motor skills. To address these surgical skill assessment limitations, we present functional near-infrared spectroscopic (fNIRS), a non-invasive brain imaging method, to objectively differentiate and classify subjects with varying degrees of laparoscopic surgical motor skill levels based on measurements of functional activation changes. In this work, we show that fNIRS based metrics can objectively differentiate and classify surgical motor skill levels with significantly more accuracy than established metrics. Using classification approaches such as multivariate linear discriminant analysis, we show evidence that fNIRS metrics reduce the misclassification error, defined as the probability that a trained subject is misclassified as an untrained subject and vice versa, from 53-61% to 4.2-4.4% compared to conventional metrics for surgical skill assessment. This evidence also translates to surgical skill transfer metrics, where such metrics assess surgical motor skill transfer from simulation to clinically relevant environments. Results indicate that fNIRS based metrics can successfully differentiate and classify surgical motor skill transfer levels by reducing the misclassification errors from 20-41 % to 2.2-9.1%, when compared to conventional surgical skill transfer assessment metrics. Furthermore, this work also shows evidence of high functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex regions correlated to increases in surgical motor skill levels, addressing the gap in current literature in underlying neurophysiological responses to surgical motor skill learning. This work is the first to show conclusive evidence that fNIRS based metrics can significantly improve subject classification for surgical motor skill assessment compared to metrics currently used in Board certification in general surgery. Our approach brings robustness, objectivity, and accuracy in not only assessing surgical motor skill levels but also validating the effectiveness of future surgical trainers in assessing and translating surgical motor skills to more clinically relevant environments. This non-invasive imaging approach for objective quantification for complex bimanual surgical motor skills will bring about a paradigm change in surgical certification and assessment, that may lead to significantly reduced negative patient outcomes. Ultimately, this approach can be generally applied for bimanual motor skill assessment and can be applied for other fields, such as brain computer interfaces (BCI), robotics, stroke and rehabilitation therapy.

High-fidelity, low-cost, automated method to assess laparoscopic skills objectively.

PubMed

Gray, Richard J; Kahol, Kanav; Islam, Gazi; Smith, Marshall; Chapital, Alyssa; Ferrara, John

2012-01-01

We sought to define the extent to which a motion analysis-based assessment system constructed with simple equipment could measure technical skill objectively and quantitatively. An "off-the-shelf" digital video system was used to capture the hand and instrument movement of surgical trainees (beginner level = PGY-1, intermediate level = PGY-3, and advanced level = PGY-5/fellows) while they performed a peg transfer exercise. The video data were passed through a custom computer vision algorithm that analyzed incoming pixels to measure movement smoothness objectively. The beginner-level group had the poorest performance, whereas those in the advanced group generated the highest scores. Intermediate-level trainees scored significantly (p < 0.04) better than beginner trainees. Advanced-level trainees scored significantly better than intermediate-level trainees and beginner-level trainees (p < 0.04 and p < 0.03, respectively). A computer vision-based analysis of surgical movements provides an objective basis for technical expertise-level analysis with construct validity. The technology to capture the data is simple, low cost, and readily available, and it obviates the need for expert human assessment in this setting. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standardization of Clinical Skill Evaluation in Physical/Occupational Therapist Education –Effects of Introduction of an Education System Using OSCE–

PubMed Central

Sakurai, Hiroaki; Kanada, Yoshikiyo; Sugiura, Yoshito; Motoya, Ikuo; Yamada, Masayuki; Tomita, Masao; Naka, Toru; Teranishi, Toshio; Tanabe, Shigeo; Tsujimura, Toru; Okanishi, Tetsuo

2013-01-01

[Purpose] A major issue in physical/occupational therapist education is the improvement of students' clinical techniques. In this study, we introduced an education system using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and made an attempt at standardization of its evaluation. [Subjects] The subjects were 227 students in the classes of 2008 to 2010 who enrolled at our university between 2004 and 2006, before the introduction of the education system using OSCE, and 221 students in the classes of 2011 to 2013 who enrolled between 2007 and 2009, after the introduction. [Methods] Performances in attitude and skills (performance in clinical training and OSCE) were compared between before and after the introduction of OSCE. OSCE results were compared between before and after clinical trainings at each OSCE Level; and the correlation of between performances in clinical training and OSCE was examined. [Results] Performances in OSCE and clinical training (attitude, skills) were improved by the introduction of the education system using OSCE, but no significant correlation was observed in the relationship between performances in OSCE and clinical training. [Conclusion] Further studies should be conducted aiming at the standardization of clinical skill evaluation in postgraduate education to establish an education system using OSCE. PMID:24259918

Relationships between hand laterality and verbal and spatial skills in 436 healthy adults balanced for handedness.

PubMed

Mellet, E; Jobard, G; Zago, L; Crivello, F; Petit, L; Joliot, M; Mazoyer, B; Tzourio-Mazoyer, N

2014-01-01

The relationship between manual laterality and cognitive skills remains highly controversial. Some studies have reported that strongly lateralised participants had higher cognitive performance in verbal and visuo-spatial domains compared to non-lateralised participants; however, others found the opposite. Moreover, some have suggested that familial sinistrality and sex might interact with individual laterality factors to alter cognitive skills. The present study addressed these issues in 237 right-handed and 199 left-handed individuals. Performance tests covered various aspects of verbal and spatial cognition. A principal component analysis yielded two verbal and one spatial factor scores. Participant laterality assessments included handedness, manual preference strength, asymmetry of motor performance, and familial sinistrality. Age, sex, education level, and brain volume were also considered. No effect of handedness was found, but the mean factor scores in verbal and spatial domains increased with right asymmetry in motor performance. Performance was reduced in participants with a familial history of left-handedness combined with a non-maximal preference strength in the dominant hand. These results elucidated some discrepancies among previous findings in laterality factors and cognitive skills. Laterality factors had small effects compared to the adverse effects of age for spatial cognition and verbal memory, the positive effects of education for all three domains, and the effect of sex for spatial cognition.

Fundamental movement skills and weight status in British primary school children.

PubMed

Bryant, Elizabeth S; Duncan, Michael J; Birch, Samantha L

2014-01-01

Weight status has been shown to have a negative impact on children's competence in performing fundamental movement skills (FMSs). Following ethics approval and informed consent, 281 children in years 2-6 from a school in central England volunteered to participate. Each child performed eight FMSs (run, hop, gallop, jump, balance, kick, throw and catch) three times, all attempts were video-recorded. Video analysis was performed (Quintic Biomechanics software) using the Process Orient Checklist (subjective measurement). Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and weight status was determined. Results highlighted that year group (age) had a significant effect on seven out of the eight skills (not kick). Year 4 (aged 8-9 years) significantly scored lower in all three locomotor skills (run, hop and gallop) at this age, whereas Year 5 (aged 9-10 years) all significantly peaked at the object control skills (catch and throw) at this age. Weight status (BMI) significantly affected the run, identifying that a child with a larger BMI will have a lower mastery level of the run. Gender significantly affected the kick, throw and balance, with girls outperforming in the balance and the boys in the kick and throw. By highlighting that children at different ages will have a lower score in different skills, the effect of BMI and gender on certain FMS is important knowledge for the target of intervention in primary school children.

The LapSim virtual reality simulator: promising but not yet proven.

PubMed

Fairhurst, Katherine; Strickland, Andrew; Maddern, Guy

2011-02-01

The acquisition of technical skills using surgical simulators is an area of active research and rapidly evolving technology. The LapSim is a virtual reality simulator that currently allows practice of basic laparoscopic skills and some procedures. To date, no reviews have been published with reference to a single virtual reality simulator. A PubMed search was performed using the keyword "LapSim," with further papers identified from the citations of original search articles. Use of the LapSim to develop surgical skills has yielded overall results, although inconsistencies exist. Data regarding the transferability of learned skills to the operative environment are encouraging as is the validation work, particularly the use of a combination of measured parameters to produce an overall comparative performance score. Although the LapSim currently does not have any proven significant advantages over video trainers in terms of basic skills instruction and although the results of validation studies are variable, the potential for such technology to have a huge impact on surgical training is apparent. Work to determine standardized learning curves and proficiency criteria for different levels of trainees is incomplete. Moreover, defining which performance parameters measured by the LapSim accurately determine laparoscopic skill is complex. Further technological advances will undoubtedly improve the efficacy of the LapSim, and the results of large multicenter trials are anticipated.

Using the preschool language scale, fourth edition to characterize language in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Volden, Joanne; Smith, Isabel M; Szatmari, Peter; Bryson, Susan; Fombonne, Eric; Mirenda, Pat; Roberts, Wendy; Vaillancourt, Tracy; Waddell, Charlotte; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Georgiades, Stelios; Duku, Eric; Thompson, Ann

2011-08-01

The Preschool Language Scale, Fourth Edition (PLS-4; Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond, 2002) was used to examine syntactic and semantic language skills in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to determine its suitability for use with this population. We expected that PLS-4 performance would be better in more intellectually able children and that receptive skills would be relatively more impaired than expressive abilities, consistent with previous findings in the area of vocabulary. Our sample consisted of 294 newly diagnosed preschool children with ASD. Children were assessed via a battery of developmental measures, including the PLS-4. As expected, PLS-4 scores were higher in more intellectually able children with ASD, and overall, expressive communication was higher than auditory comprehension. However, this overall advantage was not stable across nonverbal developmental levels. Expressive skills were significantly better than receptive skills at the youngest developmental levels, whereas the converse applied in children with more advanced development. The PLS-4 can be used to obtain a general index of early syntax and semantic skill in young children with ASD. Longitudinal data will be necessary to determine how the developmental relationship between receptive and expressive language skills unfolds in children with ASD.

Exploring communication and interaction skills at work among participants in individual placement and support.

PubMed

Lexén, Annika; Bejerholm, Ulrika

2016-07-01

Not all people with severe mental illness who attend Individual Placement and Support (IPS) gain and keep their jobs or work full time. Research has indicated a relationship between social disabilities and work performance in this group, and that support provided is often directed towards the social work environment. However, relationships between social skills performed in an authentic work setting and vocational outcomes have not been explored. To explore relationships between social communication and interaction skills and vocational outcomes among IPS service users in a Swedish context. Twenty-nine participants were appraised with the Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills (ACIS-S) instrument, and their vocational data were registered. Correlations were estimated using Spearman's rho test with Bonferroni corrections at item level. Better communication and interaction skills were significantly correlated with increased working hours (rs = 0.64) and higher income (rs = 0.45). Increased working hours were related to assuming postures, asking questions, sharing information, and sustaining conversation in an appropriate manner. The results indicate that occupational therapists need to focus on social skills and accommodation of the social work environment in order to promote sustainable working careers among people with severe mental illness.

[Use of physical assessment skills and education needs of advanced practice nurses and nurse specialists].

PubMed

Shin, Hyunsook; Kim, Bog-Ja; Kang, Hee Sun

2009-10-01

The study was done to investigate physical assessment skills used by, and educational needs of, advanced practice nurses (APNs) and nurse specialists in Korea. A total of 123 APNs and nurse specialists working in five major hospitals in Seoul were surveyed from July 15 to August 20, 2007. Fourteen skills out of 126 items were reported as being performed on a regular basis by participants. The majority of these skills involved general observation. Forty-six skills were rarely used. Some participants showed a lack of confidence in certain assessment skills, such as in doing a rectal or pelvic exam, and the use of some assessment equipment. Over 90% of participants required in-depth education on health assessment provided by specialists or nursing professional organizations. More educational opportunities in physical assessment should be provided including education programs based on the nurses' skill levels and needs. This effort will help to increase confidence of APNs and nurse specialists in physical assessment skills, ultimately resulting in better nursing outcomes.

14 CFR 1260.12 - Choice of award instrument.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... improving student performance in science, mathematics, technology, or related fields; (ii) Enhancing the skill, knowledge, or ability of teachers or faculty members in science, mathematics, or technology; (iii... participation and/or to enhance performance in science, mathematics, or technology education at all levels; and...

14 CFR 1260.12 - Choice of award instrument.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... improving student performance in science, mathematics, technology, or related fields; (ii) Enhancing the skill, knowledge, or ability of teachers or faculty members in science, mathematics, or technology; (iii... participation and/or to enhance performance in science, mathematics, or technology education at all levels; and...

14 CFR 1260.12 - Choice of award instrument.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... improving student performance in science, mathematics, technology, or related fields; (ii) Enhancing the skill, knowledge, or ability of teachers or faculty members in science, mathematics, or technology; (iii... participation and/or to enhance performance in science, mathematics, or technology education at all levels; and...

Assessing Skill in Educational Gymnastics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilges-Charles, Lynda M.

2008-01-01

The "National Standards for Physical Education" (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], 2004) provides, at each grade level, sample performance outcomes that identify students' progress toward achieving each standard. Many of the performance outcomes indicated for standard one identify movement competency in gymnastics as a…

Automated video-based assessment of surgical skills for training and evaluation in medical schools.

PubMed

Zia, Aneeq; Sharma, Yachna; Bettadapura, Vinay; Sarin, Eric L; Ploetz, Thomas; Clements, Mark A; Essa, Irfan

2016-09-01

Routine evaluation of basic surgical skills in medical schools requires considerable time and effort from supervising faculty. For each surgical trainee, a supervisor has to observe the trainees in person. Alternatively, supervisors may use training videos, which reduces some of the logistical overhead. All these approaches however are still incredibly time consuming and involve human bias. In this paper, we present an automated system for surgical skills assessment by analyzing video data of surgical activities. We compare different techniques for video-based surgical skill evaluation. We use techniques that capture the motion information at a coarser granularity using symbols or words, extract motion dynamics using textural patterns in a frame kernel matrix, and analyze fine-grained motion information using frequency analysis. We were successfully able to classify surgeons into different skill levels with high accuracy. Our results indicate that fine-grained analysis of motion dynamics via frequency analysis is most effective in capturing the skill relevant information in surgical videos. Our evaluations show that frequency features perform better than motion texture features, which in-turn perform better than symbol-/word-based features. Put succinctly, skill classification accuracy is positively correlated with motion granularity as demonstrated by our results on two challenging video datasets.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Public Health Leadership Training: The NEPHLI Experience

PubMed Central

Saleh, Shadi S.; Williams, Dwight; Balougan, Modinat

2004-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the effect of public health leadership training on the capacity of public health leaders to perform competencies derived from the list of “Ten Essential Public Health Services” presented in 1994 by the steering committee of the Public Health Functions Project. Methods. Graduating scholars of the Northeast Public Health Leadership Institute were surveyed to determine differences in skill level in 15 competency areas before and after training. Surveys were completed after program completion. Results. The training program improved the skill levels of participants in all 15 competency areas. A relation also was detected between the frequency of use of the competency and the improvement experienced. Conclusions. Public health leadership training programs are effective in improving the skills of public health workers. PMID:15226150

Effects of a skill demonstration video delivered by smartphone on facilitating nursing students' skill competencies and self-confidence: A randomized controlled trial study.

PubMed

Chuang, Yeu-Hui; Lai, Fu-Chih; Chang, Chia-Chi; Wan, Hsu-Tien

2018-07-01

The correct and appropriate performance of nursing skills by students can ensure patient safety and care quality. However, developing appropriate teaching and learning strategies to enhance nursing students' nursing skills and knowledge are challenging tasks for nursing faculty members. Nowadays, smartphones are popular mobile devices that are used on campuses by students and could be considered a potential tool to deliver learning materials to nursing students. This study aimed to examine the effects of a skill demonstration video delivered by smartphone on facilitating nursing students' nursing skill competency and confidence. A randomized controlled trial study design was used. A convenience sample of nursing students at a university was recruited. After receiving a regular nursing skills lab demonstration, pre-test data were collected from nursing students in an intervention group (n = 44) and a comparison group (n = 43). Then, students in the intervention group downloaded the skill demonstration video onto their smartphones, while the comparison group did not. Post-test data were collected at 2 weeks after the intervention. There were significant differences in students' urinary catheterization knowledge (F = 4.219, p = 0.04) and skills (F = 6.739, p = 0.013), but there was no difference in students' confidence level (F = 2.201, p = 0.142) between the two groups after the intervention. Furthermore, the average score of the satisfaction level regarding the intervention was 4.46 (SD = 0.43) on a scale of 1-5. This study found that delivering learning materials through smartphones to nursing students is suitable. Although there was no significant difference in students' self-confidence level, students' knowledge and skills were improved by the intervention. Smartphones can serve as a supplemental tool for learning nursing skills. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation Strategies of Osteopathic Medical Students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

PubMed

Sandella, Jeanne M; Peters, Alex; Smith, Larissa L; Gimpel, John R

2016-04-01

Since 2002, osteopathic medical schools have made curricular changes to further enhance the clinical skills of their students, to prepare them for residency training, and to pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE). To report how students at osteopathic medical schools prepare for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, and to investigate the effect of these techniques on examination performance. A standardized survey was given to students before the beginning of their examination to assess the preparation of osteopathic medical students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, such as coursework, orientation materials, and standardized patient (SP) encounters. Surveys that were completed by first-time test takers during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 test cycles were included in this study. Of 9120 surveys administered, 8733 were completed, achieving a response rate of 95.8%. Of those 8733 respondents, 8706 students (99.7%) reported having SP encounters during the first and second year of medical school, and 7379 (84%) reported having at least 1 SP encounter in years 3 and 4. Of 8733 students, 6079 (70%) reported receiving feedback from an osteopathic physician on their SP encounters, and 6049 (69%) and 6253 (72%) reported having viewed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE orientation video online and having read the examination's orientation guide, respectively. The largest difference in preparation between students who passed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and students who did not was a prerequisite SP examination at their school, with 5574 students (68.9%) who passed reporting having participated compared with 364 students (56.5%) who failed. None of the differences in clinical skills training and test preparation was associated with statistically significant differences in pass or fail status. Osteopathic medical students use a variety of methods to enhance their clinical skills in preparation for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, with universal use of SP programs since the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE was implemented in 2004. Educators should continue to foster ways to develop students' clinical skills that reflect new advances in education and assessment to ensure that future osteopathic physicians can demonstrate competency in fundamental clinical skills before beginning postgraduate training.

Laparoscopic skills suffer on the first shift of sequential night shifts: program directors beware and residents prepare.

PubMed

Leff, Daniel R; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Rana, Mariam; Nakhjavani, Batool; Purkayastha, Sanjay; Khullar, Vik; Darzi, Ara W

2008-03-01

Research evaluating fatigue-induced skills decline has focused on acute sleep deprivation rather than the effects of circadian desynchronization associated with multiple shifts. As a result, the number of consecutive night shifts that residents can safely be on duty without detrimental effects to their technical skills remains unknown. A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to assess the impact of 7 successive night shifts on the technical surgical performance of junior residents. The interventional strategy included training 21 residents from surgery and allied disciplines on a virtual reality surgical simulator, towards the achievement of preset benchmark scores, followed by 294 technical skills assessments conducted over 1764 manpower night shift hours. Primary outcomes comprised serial technical skills assessments on 2 tasks of a virtual reality surgical simulator. Secondary outcomes included assessments of introspective fatigue, duration of sleep, and prospective recordings of activity (number of "calls" received, steps walked, and patients evaluated). Maximal deterioration in performance was observed following the first night shift. Residents took significantly longer to complete the first (P = 0.002) and second tasks (P = 0.005) compared with baseline. They also committed significantly greater numbers of errors (P = 0.025) on the first task assessed. Improved performance was observed across subsequent shifts towards baseline levels. Newly acquired technical surgical skills deteriorate maximally after the first night shift, emphasizing the importance of adequate preparation for night rotas. Performance improvements across successive shifts may be due to ongoing learning or adaptation to chronic fatigue. Further research should focus on assessments of both technical procedural skills and cognitive abilities to determine the rotas that best minimize errors and maximize patient safety.

Da Vinci© Skills Simulator™: is an early selection of talented console surgeons possible?

PubMed

Meier, Mark; Horton, Kevin; John, Hubert

2016-12-01

To investigate whether the learning curve of robotic surgery simulator training depends on the probands' characteristics, such as age and prior experience, we conducted a study of six distinct proband groups, using the da Vinci Skills Simulator: experienced urological robotic surgeons, surgeons with experience as da Vinci tableside assistants, urological surgeons with laparoscopic experience, urological surgeons without laparoscopic experience, and complete novices aged 25 and younger and 40 and older. The results showed that all experienced robotic surgeons reached expert level (>90 %, as defined previously in the literature) within the first three repetitions and remained on a high level of performance. All other groups performed worse. Tableside assistants, laparoscopically experienced surgeons, and younger novices showed a better performance in all exercises than surgeons without laparoscopic experience and older novices. A linear mixed-effects model analysis demonstrated no significant difference in learning curves between proband groups in all exercises except the RW1 exercise for the younger proband group. In summary, we found that performance in robotic surgery, measured by performance scores in three virtual simulator modules using the EndoWrist techniques, was dependent on age and prior experience with robotic and laparoscopic surgery. However, and most importantly, the learning curve was not significantly affected by these factors. This suggests that the da Vinci Skills Simulator™ is a useful practice tool for everyone learning or performing robotic surgery, and that early selection of talented surgeons is neither possible nor necessary.

Genetics Home Reference: Barth syndrome

MedlinePlus

... intelligence but often have difficulty performing tasks involving math or visual-spatial skills such as puzzles. Males with Barth syndrome have increased levels of a substance called 3-methylglutaconic acid in ...

Numerical Relations and Skill Level Constrain Co-Adaptive Behaviors of Agents in Sports Teams

PubMed Central

Silva, Pedro; Travassos, Bruno; Vilar, Luís; Aguiar, Paulo; Davids, Keith; Araújo, Duarte; Garganta, Júlio

2014-01-01

Similar to other complex systems in nature (e.g., a hunting pack, flocks of birds), sports teams have been modeled as social neurobiological systems in which interpersonal coordination tendencies of agents underpin team swarming behaviors. Swarming is seen as the result of agent co-adaptation to ecological constraints of performance environments by collectively perceiving specific possibilities for action (affordances for self and shared affordances). A major principle of invasion team sports assumed to promote effective performance is to outnumber the opposition (creation of numerical overloads) during different performance phases (attack and defense) in spatial regions adjacent to the ball. Such performance principles are assimilated by system agents through manipulation of numerical relations between teams during training in order to create artificially asymmetrical performance contexts to simulate overloaded and underloaded situations. Here we evaluated effects of different numerical relations differentiated by agent skill level, examining emergent inter-individual, intra- and inter-team coordination. Groups of association football players (national – NLP and regional-level – RLP) participated in small-sided and conditioned games in which numerical relations between system agents were manipulated (5v5, 5v4 and 5v3). Typical grouping tendencies in sports teams (major ranges, stretch indices, distances of team centers to goals and distances between the teams' opposing line-forces in specific team sectors) were recorded by plotting positional coordinates of individual agents through continuous GPS tracking. Results showed that creation of numerical asymmetries during training constrained agents' individual dominant regions, the underloaded teams' compactness and each team's relative position on-field, as well as distances between specific team sectors. We also observed how skill level impacted individual and team coordination tendencies. Data revealed emergence of co-adaptive behaviors between interacting neurobiological social system agents in the context of sport performance. Such observations have broader implications for training design involving manipulations of numerical relations between interacting members of social collectives. PMID:25191870

Numerical relations and skill level constrain co-adaptive behaviors of agents in sports teams.

PubMed

Silva, Pedro; Travassos, Bruno; Vilar, Luís; Aguiar, Paulo; Davids, Keith; Araújo, Duarte; Garganta, Júlio

2014-01-01

Similar to other complex systems in nature (e.g., a hunting pack, flocks of birds), sports teams have been modeled as social neurobiological systems in which interpersonal coordination tendencies of agents underpin team swarming behaviors. Swarming is seen as the result of agent co-adaptation to ecological constraints of performance environments by collectively perceiving specific possibilities for action (affordances for self and shared affordances). A major principle of invasion team sports assumed to promote effective performance is to outnumber the opposition (creation of numerical overloads) during different performance phases (attack and defense) in spatial regions adjacent to the ball. Such performance principles are assimilated by system agents through manipulation of numerical relations between teams during training in order to create artificially asymmetrical performance contexts to simulate overloaded and underloaded situations. Here we evaluated effects of different numerical relations differentiated by agent skill level, examining emergent inter-individual, intra- and inter-team coordination. Groups of association football players (national--NLP and regional-level--RLP) participated in small-sided and conditioned games in which numerical relations between system agents were manipulated (5v5, 5v4 and 5v3). Typical grouping tendencies in sports teams (major ranges, stretch indices, distances of team centers to goals and distances between the teams' opposing line-forces in specific team sectors) were recorded by plotting positional coordinates of individual agents through continuous GPS tracking. Results showed that creation of numerical asymmetries during training constrained agents' individual dominant regions, the underloaded teams' compactness and each team's relative position on-field, as well as distances between specific team sectors. We also observed how skill level impacted individual and team coordination tendencies. Data revealed emergence of co-adaptive behaviors between interacting neurobiological social system agents in the context of sport performance. Such observations have broader implications for training design involving manipulations of numerical relations between interacting members of social collectives.

[Low back load reduction using mechanical lift during transfer of patients].

PubMed

Tomioka, Kimiko; Sakae, Kenichiro; Yasuda, Junko

2008-07-01

In Japanese care-work sites, care-workers (CWs) have lacked basic health risk awareness for transferring patients. Knowledge of lifting equipment and skills for transfer of patients have not been disseminated and many CWs have suffered from work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially low back pain (LBP). In order to find better ways of patient transfer which reduce and prevent LBP, we conducted a study of low back loads and operation time during the transfer of a simulated patient, who was totally dependent from bed to wheelchair, using a mechanical lift (Lift) and manual handling (handling). Moreover we examined the levels of skill which CWs had acquired in transfer by Lift and the effects of acquired skill on low back loads and operation time. We explored low back load using surface electromyography (EMG) of the lumbar paraspinals between L3 and L4 and the trunk inclination angle (TIA) measurement method. The subjects were 5 caregivers who performed the task of transferring a simulated patient from lying on the bed to sitting in a wheelchair using the Lift and by handling. Handling transfer was assisted by two-persons at the head and foot. A 'simulated' patient (a 70 kg healthy male; instructed to keep whole body relaxed) was used in all transfer tasks. When subjects used the Lift, we made an ergonomics checklist for reduction of low back load of caregivers. Subjects performed the task 4 times and were evaluated with the checklist. The level of acquired skill was significantly improved by the guidance of the checklist. TIA was observed to be significantly lower in Lift than in handling, but with EMG no significant differences were seen between Lift and handling. The effects of acquired skill on low back loads showed that TIA was statistically reduced at high skill as compared to low skill. However, there were no significant differences between both skills in Lift and handling by EMG. Operation time of Lift showed significant shortening of operation time with high skill as compared to low skill. Operation time of Lift was about 10 times longer than handling. Thus, we suggest that transfer by Lift is a valid way of reducing the burden on CWs low back. Additionally, this study found that for reduction of LBP risk for CWs, it will be important not only to use the Lift but also to observe proper procedure and raise CW skill levels in patient transfer.

Educational Needs Assessment Highlights Several Areas of Emphasis in Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine Skills to Physician Assistant Students.

PubMed

Kuntz, Susan; Ali, Syed Haris; Hahn, Emily

2016-08-03

An assessment of educational needs is essential for curricular reform in medical education. Using the conceptual framework of needs assessment, this study aimed to determine which content should be emphasized in teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills to physician assistant (PA) students. Key content areas were identified from the published literature and objectives for previous courses. A questionnaire-type needs assessment instrument was created and given to a graduating class of PA students (n = 21) at the University of North Dakota. The response format had two 5-option scales, one to assess current skill levels and the other to assess ideal skill levels. Means for each category were calculated, and a mean difference analysis was performed. An average mean difference of 0.5 was noted in 3 domains (information retrieval skills, writing skills, and overall gains), and a mean difference of 0.7 was noted in one domain (statistical skills). Items with a mean difference of ≥ 0.7 were identified for prioritization for curricular reform. Open-ended input from respondents substantiated the need for greater emphasis on these content areas. Several content areas related to EBM skills can be identified and prioritized through a systematically conducted educational needs assessment. This method can be used to identify discrepancies between the existing and ideal states of affairs in PA education.

Box- or Virtual-Reality Trainer: Which Tool Results in Better Transfer of Laparoscopic Basic Skills?-A Prospective Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Brinkmann, Christian; Fritz, Mathias; Pankratius, Ulrich; Bahde, Ralf; Neumann, Philipp; Schlueter, Steffen; Senninger, Norbert; Rijcken, Emile

Simulation training improves laparoscopic performance. Laparoscopic basic skills can be learned in simulators as box- or virtual-reality (VR) trainers. However, there is no clear recommendation for either box or VR trainers as the most appropriate tool for the transfer of acquired laparoscopic basic skills into a surgical procedure. Both training tools were compared, using validated and well-established curricula in the acquirement of basic skills, in a prospective randomized trial in a 5-day structured laparoscopic training course. Participants completed either a box- or VR-trainer curriculum and then applied the learned skills performing an ex situ laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a pig liver. The performance was recorded on video and evaluated offline by 4 blinded observers using the Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) score. Learning curves of the various exercises included in the training course were compared and the improvement in each exercise was analyzed. Surgical Skills Lab of the Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University Hospital Muenster. Surgical novices without prior surgical experience (medical students, n = 36). Posttraining evaluation showed significant improvement compared with baseline in both groups, indicating acquisition of laparoscopic basic skills. Learning curves showed almost the same progression with no significant differences. In simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy, total GOALS score was significantly higher for the box-trained group than the VR-trained group (box: 15.31 ± 3.61 vs. VR: 12.92 ± 3.06; p = 0.039; Hedge׳s g* = 0.699), indicating higher technical skill levels. Despite both systems having advantages and disadvantages, they can both be used for simulation training for laparoscopic skills. In the setting with 2 structured, validated and almost identical curricula, the box-trained group appears to be superior in the better transfer of basic skills into an experimental but structured surgical procedure. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical students' clerkship experiences and self-perceived competence in clinical skills.

PubMed

Katowa-Mukwato, P; Andrews, B; Maimbolwa, M; Lakhi, S; Michelo, C; Mulla, Y; Banda, S S

2014-01-01

In a traditional curriculum, medical students are expected to acquire clinical competence through the apprenticeship model using the Halstedian "see one, do one, and teach one, approach". The University of Zambia School of Medicine used a traditional curriculum model from 1966 until 2011 when a competence-based curriculum was implemented. To explore medical students' clerkships experiences and self-perceived competence in clinical skills. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 5th, 6 th , and 7 th year medical students of the University of Zambia, School of Medicine two months prior to final examinations. Students were asked to rate their clerkship experiences with respect to specific skills on a scale of 1 to 4 and their level of self-perceived competence on a scale of 1 to 3. Skills evaluated were in four main domains: history taking and communication, physical examination, procedural, and professionalism, team work and medical decision making. Using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS), correlations were performed between experiences and self-perceived competence on specific skills, within domains and overall. Out of 197 clinical students 138 (70%) participated in the survey. The results showed significant increase in the proportion of students performing different skills and reporting feeling very competent with each additional clinical year. Overall correlations between experience and self-perceived competence were moderate (0.55). On individual skills, the highest correlation between experience and self-perceived competence were observed on mainly medical and surgical related procedural skills with the highest at 0.82 for nasal gastric tube insertion and 0.76 for endotracheal intubation. Despite the general improvement in skills experiences and self-perceived competence, some deficiencies were noted as significant numbers of final year students had never attempted common important procedures especially those performed in emergency situations. Deficiencies in certain skills may call for incorporation of teaching/learning methods that broaden students' exposure to such skills.

Load- and skill-related changes in segmental contributions to a weightlifting movement.

PubMed

Enoka, R M

1988-04-01

An exemplary short duration, high-power, weightlifting event was examined to determine whether the ability to lift heavier loads and whether variations in the level of skill were accompanied by quantitative changes in selected aspects of lower extremity joint power-time histories. Six experienced weightlifters, three skilled and three less skilled, performed the double-knee-bend execution of the pull in Olympic weightlifting, a movement which lasted almost 1 s. Analysis-of-variance statistics were performed on selected peak and average values of power generated by the three skilled subjects as they lifted three loads (69, 77, and 86% of their competition maximum). The results indicated that the skilled subjects lifted heavier loads by increasing the average power, but not the peak power, about the knee and ankle joints. In addition, the changes with load were more subtle than a mere quantitative scaling and also seemed to be associated with a skill element in the form of variation in the duration of the phases of power production and absorption. Similarly, statistical differences (independent t-test) due to skill did not involve changes in the magnitude of power but rather the temporal organization of the movement. Thus, the ability to successfully execute the double-knee-bend movement depends on an athlete's ability to both generate a sufficient magnitude of joint power and to organize the phases of power production and absorption into an appropriate temporal sequence.

First aid skill retention of first responders within the workplace

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Recent literature states that many necessary skills of CPR and first aid are forgotten shortly after certification. The purpose of this study was to determine the skill and knowledge decay in first aid in those who are paid to respond to emergency situations within a workplace. Methods Using a choking victim scenario, the sequence and accuracy of events were observed and recorded in 257 participants paid to act as first responders in large industrial or service industry settings. A multiple choice exam was also written to determine knowledge retention. Results First aid knowledge was higher in those who were trained at a higher level, and did not significantly decline over time. Those who had renewed their certificate one or more times performed better than those who had learned the information only once. During the choking scenario many skills were performed poorly, regardless of days since last training, such as hand placement and abdominal thrusts. Compressions following the victim becoming unconscious also showed classic signs of skill deterioration after 30 days. Conclusions As many skills deteriorate rapidly over the course of the first 90 days, changing frequency of certification is not necessarily the most obvious choice to increase retention of skill and knowledge. Alternatively, methods of regularly "refreshing" a skill should be explored that could be delivered at a high frequency - such as every 90 days. PMID:21303536

The Contribution of Verbal Working Memory to Deaf Children’s Oral and Written Production

PubMed Central

Arfé, Barbara; Rossi, Cristina; Sicoli, Silvia

2015-01-01

This study investigated the contribution of verbal working memory to the oral and written story production of deaf children. Participants were 29 severely to profoundly deaf children aged 8–13 years and 29 hearing controls, matched for grade level. The children narrated a picture story orally and in writing and performed a reading comprehension test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition forward digit span task, and a reading span task. Oral and written stories were analyzed at the microstructural (i.e., clause) and macrostructural (discourse) levels. Hearing children’s stories scored higher than deaf children’s at both levels. Verbal working memory skills contributed to deaf children’s oral and written production over and above age and reading comprehension skills. Verbal rehearsal skills (forward digit span) contributed significantly to deaf children’s ability to organize oral and written stories at the microstructural level; they also accounted for unique variance at the macrostructural level in writing. Written story production appeared to involve greater verbal working memory resources than oral story production. PMID:25802319

Using assessments to investigate and compare the nature of learning in undergraduate science courses.

PubMed

Momsen, Jennifer; Offerdahl, Erika; Kryjevskaia, Mila; Montplaisir, Lisa; Anderson, Elizabeth; Grosz, Nate

2013-06-01

Assessments and student expectations can drive learning: students selectively study and learn the content and skills they believe critical to passing an exam in a given subject. Evaluating the nature of assessments in undergraduate science education can, therefore, provide substantial insight into student learning. We characterized and compared the cognitive skills routinely assessed by introductory biology and calculus-based physics sequences, using the cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Our results indicate that both introductory sequences overwhelmingly assess lower-order cognitive skills (e.g., knowledge recall, algorithmic problem solving), but the distribution of items across cognitive skill levels differs between introductory biology and physics, which reflects and may even reinforce student perceptions typical of those courses: biology is memorization, and physics is solving problems. We also probed the relationship between level of difficulty of exam questions, as measured by student performance and cognitive skill level as measured by Bloom's taxonomy. Our analyses of both disciplines do not indicate the presence of a strong relationship. Thus, regardless of discipline, more cognitively demanding tasks do not necessarily equate to increased difficulty. We recognize the limitations associated with this approach; however, we believe this research underscores the utility of evaluating the nature of our assessments.

Rasmussen's model of human behavior in laparoscopy training.

PubMed

Wentink, M; Stassen, L P S; Alwayn, I; Hosman, R J A W; Stassen, H G

2003-08-01

Compared to aviation, where virtual reality (VR) training has been standardized and simulators have proven their benefits, the objectives, needs, and means of VR training in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) still have to be established. The aim of the study presented is to introduce Rasmussen's model of human behavior as a practical framework for the definition of the training objectives, needs, and means in MIS. Rasmussen distinguishes three levels of human behavior: skill-, rule-, and knowledge-based behaviour. The training needs of a laparoscopic novice can be determined by identifying the specific skill-, rule-, and knowledge-based behavior that is required for performing safe laparoscopy. Future objectives of VR laparoscopy trainers should address all three levels of behavior. Although most commercially available simulators for laparoscopy aim at training skill-based behavior, especially the training of knowledge-based behavior during complications in surgery will improve safety levels. However, the cost and complexity of a training means increases when the training objectives proceed from the training of skill-based behavior to the training of complex knowledge-based behavior. In aviation, human behavior models have been used successfully to integrate the training of skill-, rule-, and knowledge-based behavior in a full flight simulator. Understanding surgeon behavior is one of the first steps towards a future full-scale laparoscopy simulator.

Using Assessments to Investigate and Compare the Nature of Learning in Undergraduate Science Courses

PubMed Central

Momsen, Jennifer; Offerdahl, Erika; Kryjevskaia, Mila; Montplaisir, Lisa; Anderson, Elizabeth; Grosz, Nate

2013-01-01

Assessments and student expectations can drive learning: students selectively study and learn the content and skills they believe critical to passing an exam in a given subject. Evaluating the nature of assessments in undergraduate science education can, therefore, provide substantial insight into student learning. We characterized and compared the cognitive skills routinely assessed by introductory biology and calculus-based physics sequences, using the cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Our results indicate that both introductory sequences overwhelmingly assess lower-order cognitive skills (e.g., knowledge recall, algorithmic problem solving), but the distribution of items across cognitive skill levels differs between introductory biology and physics, which reflects and may even reinforce student perceptions typical of those courses: biology is memorization, and physics is solving problems. We also probed the relationship between level of difficulty of exam questions, as measured by student performance and cognitive skill level as measured by Bloom's taxonomy. Our analyses of both disciplines do not indicate the presence of a strong relationship. Thus, regardless of discipline, more cognitively demanding tasks do not necessarily equate to increased difficulty. We recognize the limitations associated with this approach; however, we believe this research underscores the utility of evaluating the nature of our assessments. PMID:23737631

Frankfurt microsurgery course: the first 175 trainees.

PubMed

Perez-Abadia, G; Janko, M; Pindur, L; Sauerbier, M; Barker, J H; Joshua, I; Marzi, I; Frank, J

2017-06-01

Microsurgery courses, taught external to surgical training programs, are essential for acquiring the high level of technical skill required for clinical proficiency. The Frankfurt microsurgery course is a 5-day, intensive course that teaches arterial and venous anastomosis using end-to-end, end-to-side, one-way-up, continuous-suture, and vessel graft techniques. During the course, the instructor records the level of skill (in-course data) achieved by each trainee by assessing anastomosis completion and patency. Demographic information is also collected. Post-course trainees are invited to complete an online survey (post-course data) to get their opinions of the courses' effectiveness. The in-course "skill achievement" and post-course "course effectiveness" data are presented below. In-course data: 94.8 and 59.9% of participants completed patent end-to-end arterial and venous anastomoses, respectively, while 85.4% performed a patent end-to-side anastomosis. 96.1 and 57.1% of participants who attempted arterial and venous anastomoses using the one-way-up technique were successful, as were 90.9% of those attempting continuous-suture technique. Patent venous grafts were performed by 54.7% of participants. All respondents indicated significant improvement of their microsurgical skills after taking the course. 66.7% of respondents considered the full-time presence of the instructor to be the most valuable aspect of the course. All respondents would highly recommend the course to colleagues. The microcourse significantly increased trainees' clinical microsurgery skills, confidence, and the number of clinical cases they perform. Of all the anastomosis techniques taught, venous anastomosis and grafting were the most difficult to learn. The presence of a full-time experienced instructor was most important.

Evaluation of skill level between trainees and community orthopaedic surgeons using a virtual reality arthroscopic knee simulator.

PubMed

Cannon, W Dilworth; Nicandri, Gregg T; Reinig, Karl; Mevis, Howard; Wittstein, Jocelyn

2014-04-02

Several virtual reality simulators have been developed to assist orthopaedic surgeons in acquiring the skills necessary to perform arthroscopic surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the construct validity of the ArthroSim virtual reality arthroscopy simulator by evaluating whether skills acquired through increased experience in the operating room lead to improved performance on the simulator. Using the simulator, six postgraduate year-1 orthopaedic residents were compared with six postgraduate year-5 residents and with six community-based orthopaedic surgeons when performing diagnostic arthroscopy. The time to perform the procedure was recorded. To ensure that subjects did not sacrifice the quality of the procedure to complete the task in a shorter time, the simulator was programmed to provide a completeness score that indicated whether the surgeon accurately performed all of the steps of diagnostic arthroscopy in the correct sequence. The mean time to perform the procedure by each group was 610 seconds for community-based orthopaedic surgeons, 745 seconds for postgraduate year-5 residents, and 1028 seconds for postgraduate year-1 residents. Both the postgraduate year-5 residents and the community-based orthopaedic surgeons performed the procedure in significantly less time (p = 0.006) than the postgraduate year-1 residents. There was a trend toward significance (p = 0.055) in time to complete the procedure when the postgraduate year-5 residents were compared with the community-based orthopaedic surgeons. The mean level of completeness as assigned by the simulator for each group was 85% for the community-based orthopaedic surgeons, 79% for the postgraduate year-5 residents, and 71% for the postgraduate year-1 residents. As expected, these differences were not significant, indicating that the three groups had achieved an acceptable level of consistency in their performance of the procedure. Higher levels of surgeon experience resulted in improved efficiency when performing diagnostic knee arthroscopy on the simulator. Further validation studies utilizing the simulator are currently under way and the additional simulated tasks of arthroscopic meniscectomy, meniscal repair, microfracture, and loose body removal are being developed.

A procedural skills OSCE: assessing technical and non-technical skills of internal medicine residents.

PubMed

Pugh, Debra; Hamstra, Stanley J; Wood, Timothy J; Humphrey-Murto, Susan; Touchie, Claire; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Bordage, Georges

2015-03-01

Internists are required to perform a number of procedures that require mastery of technical and non-technical skills, however, formal assessment of these skills is often lacking. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and gather validity evidence for a procedural skills objective structured clinical examination (PS-OSCE) for internal medicine (IM) residents to assess their technical and non-technical skills when performing procedures. Thirty-five first to third-year IM residents participated in a 5-station PS-OSCE, which combined partial task models, standardized patients, and allied health professionals. Formal blueprinting was performed and content experts were used to develop the cases and rating instruments. Examiners underwent a frame-of-reference training session to prepare them for their rater role. Scores were compared by levels of training, experience, and to evaluation data from a non-procedural OSCE (IM-OSCE). Reliability was calculated using Generalizability analyses. Reliabilities for the technical and non-technical scores were 0.68 and 0.76, respectively. Third-year residents scored significantly higher than first-year residents on the technical (73.5 vs. 62.2%) and non-technical (83.2 vs. 75.1%) components of the PS-OSCE (p < 0.05). Residents who had performed the procedures more frequently scored higher on three of the five stations (p < 0.05). There was a moderate disattenuated correlation (r = 0.77) between the IM-OSCE and the technical component of the PS-OSCE scores. The PS-OSCE is a feasible method for assessing multiple competencies related to performing procedures and this study provides validity evidence to support its use as an in-training examination.

Relationship between NCE III Business Education Students Computational Skill and Their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in Colleges of Education in Bauchi and Gombe States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chadi, Aishatu Muhammad

2017-01-01

The study aimed at establishing the relationship and prediction power of Business Education students' computational skill (CPS) on their academic performance (CGPA) at college of education level. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. The design of the study was a correlational survey design. The population of the…

Research on the Management Training, and Utilization of Low-Aptitude Personnel: An Annotated Bibliography

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-01

intercorrelated, resulting in several significant relationships involving verbal andtarithmetic skills , particularly the AFQT, GCT, ARI, and the Navy Literacy ...training in literacy and basic arithmetic skills for Category IV personnel would play a role at least as important as course modifications. When... relationship between reading level and performance is, at best, only partially uncovered. Other studies have dealt with concerns related to literacy but

Involvement of the right hemisphere in reading comprehension: a DTI study

PubMed Central

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Wang, Yingying; Plante, Elena; Holland, Scott K.

2014-01-01

The Simple View of reading emphasizes the critical role of two factors in normal reading skills: word recognition and reading comprehension. The current study aims to identify the anatomical support for aspects of reading performance that fall within these two components. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were obtained from Diffusion Tensor images in twenty-one typical adolescents and young adults using the Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) method. We focused on the Arcuate Fasciculus (AF) and Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus (ILF) as fiber tracts that connect regions already implicated in the distributed cortical network for reading. Our results demonstrate dissociation between word-level and narrative-level reading skills: the FA values for both left and right ILF were correlated with measures of word reading, while only the left ILF correlated with reading comprehension scores. FA in the AF, however, correlated only with reading comprehension scores, bilaterally. Correlations with the right AF were particularly robust, emphasizing the contribution of the right hemisphere, especially the frontal lobe, to reading comprehension performance on the particular passage comprehension test used in this study. The anatomical dissociation between these reading skills is supported by the Simple View theory and may shed light on why these two skills dissociate in those with reading disorders. PMID:24909792

Using Lego robots to estimate cognitive ability in children who have severe physical disabilities.

PubMed

Cook, Albert M; Adams, Kim; Volden, Joanne; Harbottle, Norma; Harbottle, Cheryl

2011-01-01

To determine whether low-cost robots provide a means by which children with severe disabilities can demonstrate understanding of cognitive concepts. Ten children, ages 4 to 10, diagnosed with cerebral palsy and related motor conditions, participated. Participants had widely variable motor, cognitive and receptive language skills, but all were non-speaking. A Lego Invention 'roverbot' was used to carry out a range of functional tasks from single-switch replay of pre-stored movements to total control of the movement in two dimensions. The level of sophistication achieved on hierarchically arranged play tasks was used to estimate cognitive skills. The 10 children performed at one of the six hierarchically arranged levels from 'no interaction' through 'simple cause and effect' to 'development and execution of a plan'. Teacher interviews revealed that children were interested in the robot, enjoyed interacting with it and demonstrated changes in behaviour and social and language skills following interaction. Children with severe physical disabilities can control a Lego robot to perform un-structured play tasks. In some cases, they were able to display more sophisticated cognitive skills through manipulating the robot than in traditional standardised tests. Success with the robot could be a proxy measure for children who have cognitive abilities but cannot demonstrate them in standard testing.

Outlining face processing skills of portrait artists: Perceptual experience with faces predicts performance.

PubMed

Devue, Christel; Barsics, Catherine

2016-10-01

Most humans seem to demonstrate astonishingly high levels of skill in face processing if one considers the sophisticated level of fine-tuned discrimination that face recognition requires. However, numerous studies now indicate that the ability to process faces is not as fundamental as once thought and that performance can range from despairingly poor to extraordinarily high across people. Here we studied people who are super specialists of faces, namely portrait artists, to examine how their specific visual experience with faces relates to a range of face processing skills (perceptual discrimination, short- and longer term recognition). Artists show better perceptual discrimination and, to some extent, recognition of newly learned faces than controls. They are also more accurate on other perceptual tasks (i.e., involving non-face stimuli or mental rotation). By contrast, artists do not display an advantage compared to controls on longer term face recognition (i.e., famous faces) nor on person recognition from other sensorial modalities (i.e., voices). Finally, the face inversion effect exists in artists and controls and is not modulated by artistic practice. Advantages in face processing for artists thus seem to closely mirror perceptual and visual short term memory skills involved in portraiture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An evidence-based virtual reality training program for novice laparoscopic surgeons.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Rajesh; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Eriksen, Jens R; Blirup, Dorthe; Kristiansen, Viggo B; Funch-Jensen, Peter; Darzi, Ara

2006-08-01

To develop an evidence-based virtual reality laparoscopic training curriculum for novice laparoscopic surgeons to achieve a proficient level of skill prior to participating in live cases. Technical skills for laparoscopic surgery must be acquired within a competency-based curriculum that begins in the surgical skills laboratory. Implementation of this program necessitates the definition of the validity, learning curves and proficiency criteria on the training tool. The study recruited 40 surgeons, classified into experienced (performed >100 laparoscopic cholecystectomies) or novice groups (<10 laparoscopic cholecystectomies). Ten novices and 10 experienced surgeons were tested on basic tasks, and 11 novices and 9 experienced surgeons on a procedural module for dissection of Calot triangle. Performance of the 2 groups was assessed using time, error, and economy of movement parameters. All basic tasks demonstrated construct validity (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.05), and learning curves for novices plateaued at a median of 7 repetitions (Friedman's test, P < 0.05). Expert surgeons demonstrated a learning rate at a median of 2 repetitions (P < 0.05). Performance on the dissection module demonstrated significant differences between experts and novices (P < 0.002); learning curves for novice subjects plateaued at the fourth repetition (P < 0.05). Expert benchmark criteria were defined for validated parameters on each task. A competency-based training curriculum for novice laparoscopic surgeons has been defined. This can serve to ensure that junior trainees have acquired prerequisite levels of skill prior to entering the operating room, and put them directly into practice.

Mathematical literacy in Plant Physiology undergraduates: results of interventions aimed at improving students' performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vila, Francisca; Sanz, Amparo

2013-09-01

The importance of mathematical literacy in any scientific career is widely recognized. However, various studies report lack of numeracy and mathematical literacy in students from various countries. In the present work, we present a detailed study of the mathematical literacy of Spanish undergraduate students of Biology enrolled in a Plant Physiology course. We have performed individual analyses of results obtained during the period 2000-2011, for questions in the examinations requiring and not requiring mathematical skills. Additionally, we present the outcome of two interventions introduced with the aim of helping students improve their prospects for success in the course. Our results confirm previous research showing students' deficiencies in mathematical skills. However, the scores obtained for mathematical questions in the examinations are good predictors of the final grades attained in Plant Physiology, as there are strong correlations at the individual level between results for questions requiring and not requiring mathematical skills. The introduction of a laboratory session devoted to strengthening the application of students' previously acquired mathematical knowledge did not change significantly the results obtained for mathematical questions. Since mathematical abilities of students entering university have declined in recent years, this intervention may have helped to maintain students' performance to a level comparable to that of previous years. The outcome of self-assessment online tests indicates that although Mathematics anxiety is lower than during examinations, the poor results obtained for questions requiring mathematical skills are, at least in part, due to a lack of self-efficacy.

The Other Side of Stage Fright.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Donald L.

1985-01-01

Anxiety assessment research based on the trait-state anxiety theory suggests that musicians should not reduce anxiety in performance. A reduction in anxiety levels, especially for musicians with extensive formal training, may actually diminish performance quality. Musicians with low task-mastery skills might consider taking more formal training.…

Effect of Preoperative Warm-up Exercise Before Laparoscopic Gynecological Surgery: A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Polterauer, Stephan; Husslein, Heinrich; Kranawetter, Marlene; Schwameis, Richard; Reinthaller, Alexander; Heinze, Georg; Grimm, Christoph

2016-01-01

Laparoscopic surgical procedures require a high level of cognitive and psychomotoric skills. Thus, effective training methods to acquire an adequate level of expertise are crucial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preoperative warm up training on surgeon׳s performance during gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. In this randomized controlled trial, surgeons performed a preoperative warm up training using a virtual reality simulator before laparoscopic unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Serving as their own controls, each subject performed 2 pairs of laparoscopic cases, each pair consisting of 1 case with and 1 without warm up before surgery. Surgeries were videotaped and psychomotoric skills were rated using objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) and the generic error rating tool by a masked observer. Perioperative complications were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using a mixed model, and mean OSATS scores were compared between both the groups. In total, data of 10 surgeons and 17 surgeries were available for analysis. No differences between educational level and surgical experiences were observed between the groups. Mean standard error psychomotoric and task-specific OSATS scores of 19.8 (1.7) and 3.7 (0.2) were observed in the warm up group compared with 18.6 (1.7) and 3.8 (0.2) in the no warm up group, respectively (p = 0.51 and p = 0.29). Using generic error rating tool, the total number of errors was 8.75 (2.15) in the warm up group compared with 10.8 (2.18) in the no warm-up group (p = 0.53). Perioperative complications and operating time did not differ between both the groups. The present study suggests that warm-up before laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy does not increase psychomotoric skills during surgery. Moreover, it does not influence operating time and complication rates. (Medical University of Vienna-IRB approval number, 1072/2011, ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01712607). Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying context factors explaining physician's low performance in communication assessment: an explorative study in general practice.

PubMed

Essers, Geurt; van Dulmen, Sandra; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees; Kramer, Anneke

2011-12-13

Communication is a key competence for health care professionals. Analysis of registrar and GP communication performance in daily practice, however, suggests a suboptimal application of communication skills. The influence of context factors could reveal why communication performance levels, on average, do not appear adequate. The context of daily practice may require different skills or specific ways of handling these skills, whereas communication skills are mostly treated as generic. So far no empirical analysis of the context has been made. Our aim was to identify context factors that could be related to GP communication. A purposive sample of real-life videotaped GP consultations was analyzed (N = 17). As a frame of reference we chose the MAAS-Global, a widely used assessment instrument for medical communication. By inductive reasoning, we analyzed the GP behaviour in the consultation leading to poor item scores on the MAAS-Global. In these cases we looked for the presence of an intervening context factor, and how this might explain the actual GP communication behaviour. We reached saturation after having viewed 17 consultations. We identified 19 context factors that could potentially explain the deviation from generic recommendations on communication skills. These context factors can be categorized into doctor-related, patient-related, and consultation-related factors. Several context factors seem to influence doctor-patient communication, requiring the GP to apply communication skills differently from recommendations on communication. From this study we conclude that there is a need to explicitly account for context factors in the assessment of GP (and GP registrar) communication performance. The next step is to validate our findings.

The Effect of Stereotype Threat on Performance of a Rhythmic Motor Skill

PubMed Central

Huber, Meghan E.; Seitchik, Allison E.; Brown, Adam J.; Sternad, Dagmar; Harkins, Stephen G.

2015-01-01

Many studies using cognitive tasks have found that stereotype threat, or concern about confirming a negative stereotype about one's group, debilitates performance. The few studies that documented similar effects on sensorimotor performance have used only relatively coarse measures to quantify performance. Three experiments tested the effect of stereotype threat on a rhythmic ball bouncing task, both at the novice and skilled level. Previous analysis of the task dynamics afforded more detailed quantification of the effect of threat on motor control. In this task, novices hit the ball with positive racket acceleration, indicative of unstable performance. With practice, they learn to stabilize error by changing their ball-racket impact from positive to negative acceleration. Results showed that for novices, stereotype threat potentiated hitting the ball with positive racket acceleration, leading to poorer performance of stigmatized females. However, when the threat manipulation was delivered after having acquired some skill, reflected by negative racket acceleration, the stigmatized females performed better. These findings are consistent with the mere effort account that argues that stereotype threat potentiates the most likely response on the given task. The study also demonstrates the value of identifying the control mechanisms through which stereotype threat has its effects on outcome measures. PMID:25706769

Integrating technical and non-technical skills coaching in an acute trauma surgery team training: Is it too much?

PubMed

Alken, Alexander; Luursema, Jan-Maarten; Weenk, Mariska; Yauw, Simon; Fluit, Cornelia; van Goor, Harry

2017-08-25

Research on effective integration of technical and non-technical skills in surgery team training is sparse. In a previous study we found that surgical teachers predominantly coached on technical and hardly on non-technical skills during the Definitive Surgical and Anesthetic Trauma Care (DSATC) integrated acute trauma surgery team training. This study aims to investigate whether the priming of teachers could increase the amount of non-technical skills coaching during such a training. Coaching activities of 12 surgical teachers were recorded on audio and video. Six teachers were primed on non-technical skills coaching prior to the training. Six others received no priming and served as controls. Blind observers reviewed the recordings of 2 training scenario's and scored whether the observed behaviors were directed on technical or non-technical skills. We compared the frequency of the non-technical skills coaching between the primed and the non-primed teachers and analyzed for differences according to the trainees' level of experience. Surgical teachers coached trainees during the highly realistic DSATC integrated acute trauma surgery team training. Trainees performed damage control surgery in operating teams on anesthetized porcine models during 6 training scenario's. Twelve experienced surgical teachers participated in this study. Coaching on non-technical skills was limited to about 5%. The primed teachers did not coach more often on non-technical skills than the non-primed teachers. We found no differences in the frequency of non-technical skills coaching based on the trainees' level of experience. Priming experienced surgical teachers does not increase the coaching on non-technical skills. The current DSATC acute trauma surgery team training seems too complex for integrating training on technical and non-technical skills. Patient care, Practice based learning and improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching Spatial Thinking in Undergraduate Geology Courses Using Tools and Strategies from Cognitive Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ormand, C. J.; Shipley, T. F.; Dutrow, B. L.; Goodwin, L. B.; Hickson, T. A.; Tikoff, B.; Atit, K.; Gagnier, K. M.; Resnick, I.

2015-12-01

Spatial visualization is an essential skill in the STEM disciplines, including the geological sciences. Undergraduate students, including geoscience majors in upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. Students with weak spatial skills may struggle to understand fundamental concepts and to solve geological problems with a spatial component. However, spatial thinking skills are malleable. Using strategies that have emerged from cognitive science research, we developed a set of curricular materials that improve undergraduate geology majors' abilities to reason about 3D concepts and to solve spatially complex geological problems. Cognitive science research on spatial thinking demonstrates that predictive sketching, making visual comparisons, gesturing, and the use of analogy can be used to develop students' spatial thinking skills. We conducted a three-year study of the efficacy of these strategies in strengthening the spatial skills of students in core geology courses at three universities. Our methodology is a quasi-experimental quantitative design, utilizing pre- and post-tests of spatial thinking skills, assessments of spatial problem-solving skills, and a control group comprised of students not exposed to our new curricular materials. Students taught using the new curricular materials show improvement in spatial thinking skills. Further analysis of our data, to be completed prior to AGU, will answer additional questions about the relationship between spatial skills and academic performance, spatial skills and gender, spatial skills and confidence, and the impact of our curricular materials on students who are struggling academically. Teaching spatial thinking in the context of discipline-based exercises has the potential to transform undergraduate education in the geological sciences by removing one significant barrier to success.

Impact of a Simulated Clinical Day With Peer Coaching and Deliberate Practice: Promoting a Culture of Safety.

PubMed

Badowski, Donna M; Oosterhouse, Kimberly J

Nursing education is challenged to shift from task-based proficiencies to higher level competencies with patient safety as a priority. Using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design, a simulation-based, peer-coached, deliberate practice clinical substitution was implemented to compare nursing students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes for promoting safety. Our findings demonstrated improved knowledge and skill acquisition in the intervention and control groups. The former trended toward improved team communication attitudes and enteral medication skill performance. Additional research with larger samples is needed to further investigate this innovative strategy.

Evaluation of simulation-based training on the ability of birth attendants to correctly perform bimanual compression as obstetric first aid.

PubMed

Andreatta, Pamela; Gans-Larty, Florence; Debpuur, Domitilla; Ofosu, Anthony; Perosky, Joseph

2011-10-01

Maternal mortality from postpartum hemorrhage remains high globally, in large part because women give birth in rural communities where unskilled (traditional birth attendants) provide care for delivering mothers. Traditional attendants are neither trained nor equipped to recognize or manage postpartum hemorrhage as a life-threatening emergent condition. Recommended treatment includes using uterotonic agents and physical manipulation to aid uterine contraction. In resource-limited areas where Obstetric first aid may be the only care option, physical methods such as bimanual uterine compression are easily taught, highly practical and if performed correctly, highly effective. A simulator with objective performance feedback was designed to teach skilled and unskilled birth attendants to perform the technique. To evaluate the impact of simulation-based training on the ability of birth attendants to correctly perform bimanual compression in response to postpartum hemorrhage from uterine atony. Simulation-based training was conducted for skilled (N=111) and unskilled birth attendants (N=14) at two regional (Kumasi, Tamale) and two district (Savelugu, Sene) medical centers in Ghana. Training was evaluated using Kirkpatrick's 4-level model. All participants significantly increased their bimanual uterine compression skills after training (p=0.000). There were no significant differences between 2-week delayed post-test performances indicating retention (p=0.52). Applied behavioral and clinical outcomes were reported for 9 months from a subset of birth attendants in Sene District: 425 births, 13 postpartum hemorrhages were reported without concomitant maternal mortality. The results of this study suggest that simulation-based training for skilled and unskilled birth attendants to perform bi-manual uterine compression as postpartum hemorrhage Obstetric first aid leads to improved applied procedural skills. Results from a smaller subset of the sample suggest that these skills could potentially lead to improved clinical outcomes and additional study is merited. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An investigation of gender and grade-level differences in middle school students' attitudes about science, in science process skills ability, and in parental expectations of their children's science performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Terri Renee'

The primary purpose of the study was to examine different variables (i.e. science process skill ability, science attitudes, and parents' levels of expectation for their children in science, which may impinge on science education differently for males and females in grades five, seven, and nine. The research question addressed by the study was: What are the differences between science process skill ability, science attitudes, and parents' levels of expectation in science on the academic success of fifth, seventh, and ninth graders in science and do effects differ according to gender and grade level? The subjects included fifth, seven, and ninth grade students ( n = 543) and their parents (n = 474) from six rural, public elementary schools and two rural, public middle schools in Southern Mississippi. A two-way (grade x gender) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the differences in science process skill abilities of females and males in grade five, seven, and nine. An additional separate two-way multivariate analysis of variance (grade x gender) was also used to determine the differences in science attitudes of males and females in grade five, seven, and nine. A separate analysis of variance (PPSEX [parent's gender]) with the effects being parents' gender was used to determine differences in parents' levels of expectation for their childrens' performance in science. An additional separate analysis of variance (SSEX [student's gender]) with the effects being the gender of the student was also used to determine differences in parents' levels of expectation for their childrens' performance in science. Results of the analyses indicated significant main effects for grade level (p < .001) and gender (p < .001) on the TIPS II. There was no significant grade by gender interaction on the TIPS II. Results for the TOSRA also indicated a significant main effect for grade (p < .001) and the interaction of grade by sex ( p < .001). On variable ATT 5 (enjoyment of science lessons), males' attitudes toward science decreased across the grade levels; whereas, females decreased from grade five to seven, but showed a significant increase from grade seven to nine. Results from the analysis of variance with the parent's gender as the main effect showed no significant difference. The analysis of variance with student's gender as the main effect showed no significant difference.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the General Surgery Intern Boot Camp.

PubMed

Schoolfield, Clint S; Samra, Navdeep; Kim, Roger H; Shi, Runhua; Zhang, Wayne W; Tan, Tze-Woei

2016-03-01

The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of newly implemented general surgery intern boot camp. A 2-day didactic and skills-based intern boot camp was implemented before the start of clinical duties. Participants who did not attend all boot camp activities and had prior postgraduate training were excluded. A survey utilizing a 5-point Likert scale scoring system was used to assess the participants' confidence to perform intern-level tasks before and after the boot camp. Subgroup analyses were performed comparing changes in confidence among graduates from home institution versus others and general surgery versus other subspecialties. In the analysis, 21 participants over two years were included. Among them, 7 were graduates from home institution (4 general surgery, 3 subspecialty) and 14 were from other institutions (6 general surgery and 8 subspecialty). There were significant increases in overall confidence levels (pre = 2.79 vs post = 3.43, P < 0.001) after the boot camp. Additionally, there were improvements for all subcategories including medical knowledge (2.65 vs 3.36, P < 0.001), technical skill (3.02 vs 3.51, P < 0.001), interpersonal skills and communication (3.04 vs 3.53, P = 0.001), and practice-based learning (2.65 vs 3.41, P = 0.001). There was an improvement in confidence level for both home institution graduates (2.89 vs 3.53, P = 0.022) and other graduates (2.74 vs 3.34, P < 0.001). Similarly, participants from general surgery (2.78 vs 3.46, P = 0.001) and other specialties (2.74 vs 3.34, P < 0.001) reported significant improvement in confidence. General surgery intern boot camp before the start of official rotation is effective in improving confidence level in performing level-appropriate tasks of the incoming new interns.

Fundamental arthroscopic skill differentiation with virtual reality simulation.

PubMed

Rose, Kelsey; Pedowitz, Robert

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use and validity of virtual reality modules as part of the educational approach to mastering arthroscopy in a safe environment by assessing the ability to distinguish between experience levels. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate whether experts have greater ambidexterity than do novices. Three virtual reality modules (Swemac/Augmented Reality Systems, Linkoping, Sweden) were created to test fundamental arthroscopic skills. Thirty participants-10 experts consisting of faculty, 10 intermediate participants consisting of orthopaedic residents, and 10 novices consisting of medical students-performed each exercise. Steady and Telescope was designed to train centering and image stability. Steady and Probe was designed to train basic triangulation. Track and Moving Target was designed to train coordinated motions of arthroscope and probe. Metrics reflecting speed, accuracy, and efficiency of motion were used to measure construct validity. Steady and Probe and Track a Moving Target both exhibited construct validity, with better performance by experts and intermediate participants than by novices (P < .05), whereas Steady and Telescope did not show validity. There was an overall trend toward better ambidexterity as a function of greater surgical experience, with experts consistently more proficient than novices throughout all 3 modules. This study represents a new way to assess basic arthroscopy skills using virtual reality modules developed through task deconstruction. Participants with the most arthroscopic experience performed better and were more consistent than novices on all 3 virtual reality modules. Greater arthroscopic experience correlates with more symmetry of ambidextrous performance. However, further adjustment of the modules may better simulate fundamental arthroscopic skills and discriminate between experience levels. Arthroscopy training is a critical element of orthopaedic surgery resident training. Developing techniques to safely and effectively train these skills is critical for patient safety and resident education. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cadaver-Based Simulation Increases Resident Confidence, Initial Exposure to Fundamental Techniques, and May Augment Operative Autonomy.

PubMed

Kim, Steven C; Fisher, Jeremy G; Delman, Keith A; Hinman, Johanna M; Srinivasan, Jahnavi K

Surgical simulation is an important adjunct in surgical education. The majority of operative procedures can be simplified to core components. This study aimed to quantify a cadaver-based simulation course utility in improving exposure to fundamental maneuvers, resident and attending confidence in trainee capability, and if this led to earlier operative independence. A list of fundamental surgical procedures was established by a faculty panel. Residents were assigned to a group led by a chief resident. Residents performed skills on cadavers appropriate for PGY level. A video-recorded examination where they narrated and demonstrated a task independently was then graded by attendings using standardized rubrics. Participants completed surveys regarding improvements in knowledge and confidence. The course was conducted at the Emory University School of Medicine and the T3 Laboratories in Atlanta, GA. A total of 133 residents and 41 attendings participated in the course. 133 (100%) participating residents and 32 (78%) attendings completed surveys. Resident confidence in completing the assigned skill independently increased from 3 (2-3) to 4 (3-4), p < 0.01. Residents stated that a median of 40% (interquartile range: 20%-60%) of procedures were performed for the first time in the course, and the same number had been performed only in the course. The percentage of skills attendings believed residents could perform independently increased from 40% (40%-60%) to 60% (60%->80%), p < 0.04. Attendings were more likely to grant autonomy in the operating room after this exercise (4 [3-5]). A cadaveric skills course focused on fundamental maneuvers with objective confirmation of success is a viable adjunct to clinical operative experience. Residents were formally exposed to fundamental surgical maneuvers earlier as a result of this course. This activity improved both resident and attending confidence in trainee operative skill, resulting in increased attending willingness to grant a higher level of autonomy in the operating room. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationships of Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Mathematics Performance of Adult Basic Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Beverly Kinsey

2011-01-01

Competent mathematical skills are needed in the workplace as well as in the college setting. Adults in Adult Basic Education classes and programs generally perform below high school level competency, but very few studies have been performed investigating the predictors of mathematical success for adults. The current study contributes to the…

Physical Performance Comparison between Under 15 Elite and Sub-Elite Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Trecroci, Athos; Milanović, Zoran; Frontini, Matteo; Iaia, F. Marcello; Alberti, Giampietro

2018-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the physical performance profile among young soccer players of different competitive levels. Two teams of elite (n = 22) and sub-elite (n = 22) soccer players at national (highly skilled) and regional (moderately skilled) level were recruited in the study. All participants were tested using a modified Illinois change of direction speed test, a T-drill with and without a ball, a countermovement jump, and a 10-m sprint. The analysis revealed significant differences in favor of elite players in sprint (d = 1.54, large) and vertical jump (d = 2.03, very large) outcomes, while no differences were observed in both modified Illinois change of direction speed (d = 0.16, trivial) and T-drill (d = 0.20, small) tests between the groups. The ability to change direction and speed with and without a ball was found not to be suitable enough to highlight the difference among youth players with moderate-to-high level of play. In conclusion, multi-testing approach based on task-related power should include vertical jump and sprint performance to delineate players of a higher level. PMID:29599873

Face Recognition by Metropolitan Police Super-Recognisers.

PubMed

Robertson, David J; Noyes, Eilidh; Dowsett, Andrew J; Jenkins, Rob; Burton, A Mike

2016-01-01

Face recognition is used to prove identity across a wide variety of settings. Despite this, research consistently shows that people are typically rather poor at matching faces to photos. Some professional groups, such as police and passport officers, have been shown to perform just as poorly as the general public on standard tests of face recognition. However, face recognition skills are subject to wide individual variation, with some people showing exceptional ability-a group that has come to be known as 'super-recognisers'. The Metropolitan Police Force (London) recruits 'super-recognisers' from within its ranks, for deployment on various identification tasks. Here we test four working super-recognisers from within this police force, and ask whether they are really able to perform at levels above control groups. We consistently find that the police 'super-recognisers' perform at well above normal levels on tests of unfamiliar and familiar face matching, with degraded as well as high quality images. Recruiting employees with high levels of skill in these areas, and allocating them to relevant tasks, is an efficient way to overcome some of the known difficulties associated with unfamiliar face recognition.

Retention of Vaginal Breech Delivery Skills Taught in Simulation.

PubMed

Stone, Heather; Crane, Joan; Johnston, Kathy; Craig, Catherine

2018-02-01

The optimal frequency of conducting simulation training for high-acuity, low-frequency events in obstetrics and gynaecology residency programs is unknown. This study evaluated retention over time of vaginal breech delivery skills taught in simulation, by comparing junior and senior residents. In addition, the residents' subjective comfort level to perform this skill clinically was assessed. This prospective cohort study included 22 obstetrics and gynaecology residents in a Canadian residency training program. Digital recordings were completed for pre-training, immediate post-training, and delayed (10-26 weeks later) post-training intervals of a vaginal breech delivery simulation, with skill assessment by a blinded observer using a binary checklist. Residents also completed questionnaires to assess their subjective comfort level at each interval. Junior and senior residents had significant improvements in vaginal breech delivery skills from the pre-training assessment to both the immediate post-training assessment (junior, P <0.001; senior, P <0.001) and the delayed post-training assessment (P <0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). There was a significant decline in skills between the immediate and delayed post-training sessions for junior and senior residents (P = 0.003 and P <0.001, respectively). Both junior and senior residents gained more comfort immediately after the training (P <0.001 and P <0.001, respectively), without a significant change between immediate post-training and delayed post-training comfort levels (P = 0.19 and P = 0.11, respectively). Residents retained vaginal breech delivery skills taught in simulation 10-26 weeks later, although a decline in skills occurred over this time period. Comfort level was positively affected and retained. These results will aid in determining the frequency of simulation teaching for high-acuity, low-frequency events in a residency simulation curriculum. Copyright © 2018 Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subjective rating scales as a workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bird, K. L.

1981-01-01

A multidimensional bipolar-adjective rating scale is employed as a subjective measure of operator workload in the performance of a one-axis tracking task. The rating scale addressed several dimensions of workload, including cognitive, physical, and perceptual task loading as well as fatigue and stress effects. Eight subjects performed a one-axis tracking task (with six levels of difficulty) and rated these tasks on several workload dimensions. Performance measures were tracking error RMS (root-mean square) and the standard deviation of control stick output. Significant relationships were observed between these performance measures and skill required, task complexity, attention level, task difficulty, task demands, and stress level.

Medical students' experiences learning intimate physical examination skills: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Dabson, Andra M; Magin, Parker J; Heading, Gaynor; Pond, Dimity

2014-02-28

Intimate physical examination skills are essential skills for any medical graduate to have mastered to an appropriate level for the safety of his or her future patients. Medical schools are entrusted with the complex task of teaching and assessing these skills for their students. The objectives of this study were to explore a range of medical students' experiences of learning intimate physical examination skills and to explore their perceptions of factors which impede or promote the learning of these skills. Individual semi-structured interviews (N = 16) were conducted with medical students in years two to five from the University of Newcastle, as part of a larger research project investigating how medical students develop their attitudes to gender and health. This was a self-selected sample of the entire cohort who were all invited to participate. A thematic analysis of the transcribed data was performed. Students reported differing levels of discomfort with their learning experiences in the area of intimate physical examination and differing beliefs about the helpfulness of these experiences. The factors associated with levels of discomfort and the helpfulness of the experience for learning were: satisfaction with teaching techniques, dealing with an uncomfortable situation and perceived individual characteristics in both the patients and the students. The examination causing the greatest reported discomfort was the female pelvic examination by male students. Student discomfort with the experience of learning intimate physical examination skills may be common and has ongoing repercussions for students and patients. Recommendations are made of ways to modify teaching technique to more closely match students' perceived needs.

Medical students’ experiences learning intimate physical examination skills: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Intimate physical examination skills are essential skills for any medical graduate to have mastered to an appropriate level for the safety of his or her future patients. Medical schools are entrusted with the complex task of teaching and assessing these skills for their students. The objectives of this study were to explore a range of medical students’ experiences of learning intimate physical examination skills and to explore their perceptions of factors which impede or promote the learning of these skills. Methods Individual semi-structured interviews (N = 16) were conducted with medical students in years two to five from the University of Newcastle, as part of a larger research project investigating how medical students develop their attitudes to gender and health. This was a self-selected sample of the entire cohort who were all invited to participate. A thematic analysis of the transcribed data was performed. Results Students reported differing levels of discomfort with their learning experiences in the area of intimate physical examination and differing beliefs about the helpfulness of these experiences. The factors associated with levels of discomfort and the helpfulness of the experience for learning were: satisfaction with teaching techniques, dealing with an uncomfortable situation and perceived individual characteristics in both the patients and the students. The examination causing the greatest reported discomfort was the female pelvic examination by male students. Conclusions Student discomfort with the experience of learning intimate physical examination skills may be common and has ongoing repercussions for students and patients. Recommendations are made of ways to modify teaching technique to more closely match students’ perceived needs. PMID:24575827

Predicting Students' Skills in the Context of Scientific Inquiry with Cognitive, Motivational, and Sociodemographic Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nehring, Andreas; Nowak, Kathrin H.; Belzen, Annette Upmeier zu; Tiemann, Rüdiger

2015-06-01

Research on predictors of achievement in science is often targeted on more traditional content-based assessments and single student characteristics. At the same time, the development of skills in the field of scientific inquiry constitutes a focal point of interest for science education. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to investigate to which extent multiple student characteristics contribute to skills of scientific inquiry. Based on a theoretical framework describing nine epistemological acts, we constructed and administered a multiple-choice test that assesses these skills in lower and upper secondary school level (n = 780). The test items contained problem-solving situations that occur during chemical investigations in school and had to be solved by choosing an appropriate inquiry procedure. We collected further data on 12 cognitive, motivational, and sociodemographic variables such as conceptual knowledge, enjoyment of chemistry, or language spoken at home. Plausible values were drawn to quantify students' inquiry skills. The results show that students' characteristics predict their inquiry skills to a large extent (55%), whereas 9 out of 12 variables contribute significantly on a multivariate level. The influence of sociodemographic traits such as gender or the social background becomes non-significant after controlling for cognitive and motivational variables. Furthermore, the performance advance of students from upper secondary school level can be explained by controlling for cognitive covariates. We discuss our findings with regard to curricular aspects and raise the question whether the inquiry skills can be considered as an autonomous trait in science education research.

Can video games be used to predict or improve laparoscopic skills?

PubMed

Rosenberg, Bradley H; Landsittel, Douglas; Averch, Timothy D

2005-04-01

Performance of laparoscopic surgery requires adequate hand-eye coordination. Video games are an effective way to judge one's hand-eye coordination, and practicing these games may improve one's skills. Our goal was to see if there is a correlation between skill in video games and skill in laparoscopy. Also, we hoped to demonstrate that practicing video games can improve one's laparoscopic skills. Eleven medical students (nine male, two female) volunteered to participate. On day 1, each student played three commercially available video games (Top Spin, XSN Sports; Project Gotham Racing 2, Bizarre Creations; and Amped 2, XSN Sports) for 30 minutes on an X-box (Microsoft, Seattle, WA) and was judged both objectively and subjectively. Next, the students performed four laparoscopic tasks (object transfer, tracing a figure-of-eight, suture placement, and knot-tying) in a swine model and were assessed for time to complete the task, number of errors committed, and hand-eye coordination. The students were then randomized to control (group A) or "training" (i.e., video game practicing; group B) arms. Two weeks later, all students repeated the laparoscopic skills laboratory and were reassessed. Spearman correlation coefficients demonstrated a significant relation between many of the parameters, particularly time to complete each task and hand-eye coordination at the different games. There was a weaker association between video game performance and both laparoscopic errors committed and hand-eye coordination. Group B subjects did not improve significantly over those in group A in any measure (P >0.05 for all). Video game aptitude appears to predict the level of laparoscopic skill in the novice surgeon. In this study, practicing video games did not improve one's laparoscopic skill significantly, but a larger study with more practice time could prove games to be helpful.

Technical skills assessment toolbox: a review using the unitary framework of validity.

PubMed

Ghaderi, Iman; Manji, Farouq; Park, Yoon Soo; Juul, Dorthea; Ott, Michael; Harris, Ilene; Farrell, Timothy M

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to create a technical skills assessment toolbox for 35 basic and advanced skills/procedures that comprise the American College of Surgeons (ACS)/Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) surgical skills curriculum and to provide a critical appraisal of the included tools, using contemporary framework of validity. Competency-based training has become the predominant model in surgical education and assessment of performance is an essential component. Assessment methods must produce valid results to accurately determine the level of competency. A search was performed, using PubMed and Google Scholar, to identify tools that have been developed for assessment of the targeted technical skills. A total of 23 assessment tools for the 35 ACS/APDS skills modules were identified. Some tools, such as Operative Performance Rating System (OSATS) and Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OPRS), have been tested for more than 1 procedure. Therefore, 30 modules had at least 1 assessment tool, with some common surgical procedures being addressed by several tools. Five modules had none. Only 3 studies used Messick's framework to design their validity studies. The remaining studies used an outdated framework on the basis of "types of validity." When analyzed using the contemporary framework, few of these studies demonstrated validity for content, internal structure, and relationship to other variables. This study provides an assessment toolbox for common surgical skills/procedures. Our review shows that few authors have used the contemporary unitary concept of validity for development of their assessment tools. As we progress toward competency-based training, future studies should provide evidence for various sources of validity using the contemporary framework.

Assessors for communication skills: SPs or healthcare professionals?

PubMed

Liew, Siaw-Cheok; Dutta, Susmita; Sidhu, Jagmohni Kaur; De-Alwis, Ranjit; Chen, Nicole; Sow, Chew-Fei; Barua, Ankur

2014-07-01

The complexity of modern medicine creates more challenges for teaching and assessment of communication skills in undergraduate medical programme. This research was conducted to study the level of communication skills among undergraduate medical students and to determine the difference between simulated patients and clinical instructors' assessment of communication skills. This comparative study was conducted for three months at the Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre of the International Medical University in Malaysia. The modified Calgary-Cambridge checklist was used to assess the communication skills of 50 first year and 50 second year medical students (five-minutes pre-recorded interview videos on the scenario of sore throat). These videos were reviewed and scored by simulated patients (SPs), communication skills instructors (CSIs) and non-communication skills instructors (non-CSIs). Better performance was observed among the undergraduate medical students, who had formal training in communication skills with a significant difference in overall scores detected among the first and second year medical students (p = 0.0008). A non-significant difference existed between the scores of SPs and CSIs for Year 1 (p = 0.151). The SPs could be trained and involved in assessment of communication skills. Formal training in communication skills is necessary in the undergraduate medical programme.

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Level II - Advanced Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society (AWS) to certify advanced-level welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the…

Do medical students and young physicians assess reliably their self-efficacy regarding communication skills? A prospective study from end of medical school until end of internship.

PubMed

Gude, Tore; Finset, Arnstein; Anvik, Tor; Bærheim, Anders; Fasmer, Ole Bernt; Grimstad, Hilde; Vaglum, Per

2017-06-30

This prospective study from end of medical school through internship investigates the course and possible change of self- reported self-efficacy in communication skills compared with observers' ratings of such skills in consultations with simulated patients. Sixty-two medical students (43 females) from four Norwegian universities performed a videotaped consultation with a simulated patient immediately before medical school graduation (T1) and after internship (internal medicine, surgery and family medicine, half a year each - T2). Before each consultation, the participants assessed their general self-efficacy in communication skills. Trained observers scored the videos and applied a well-validated instrument to rate the communication behaviour. Results from the two assessment methods were correlated at both time points and possible differences from T1 to T2 were explored. A close to zero correlation between self-efficacy and observed communication skills were found at T1. At T2, participants' self-efficacy scores were inversely correlated with levels of observed skills, demonstrating a lack of concordance between young physicians' own assessment of self-efficacy and observers' assessment. When dividing the sample in three groups based on the observers' scores (low <1/3-, medium 1/3 to 2/3-, high competence >2/3), the group of male physicians showed higher levels of self-efficacy than females in all the three performance groups at T1. At T2, those having a high performance score yielded a low self-efficacy, regardless of gender. The lack of positive correlations between self-efficacy assessment and expert ratings points to limitations in the applicability of self-assessment measures of communication skills. Due to gender differences, groups of female and male physicians should be investigated separately. Those obtaining high-performance ratings from observers, through the period of internship, may become more conscious of how demanding clinical communication with patients may be. This insight may represent a potential for growth, but could in some physicians represent too much of a self-critical attitude. Active supervision of young physicians throughout internship is important in order to help physicians to be more aware of their strengths and weaknesses, in order to gain increased mastery in the art of doctoring.

Opening the black box in nursing work and management practice: the role of ward managers.

PubMed

Townsend, Keith; Wilkinson, Adrian; Kellner, Ashlea

2015-03-01

This paper aims to identify and explore key obstacles preventing ward managers from effectively performing the human resource management (HRM) responsibilities required in their role. In the context of increasing costs and the decentralisation of responsibility to ward level, the relevance of the ward manager role within the 'black box' between human resource management and firm performance is becoming increasingly pertinent. This paper presents an intensive case study including 37 interviews across all levels of a hospital where senior management attempted to shift to a high performance model of human resource management. The findings indicated that ward managers played a critical role in maintaining and improving employee performance, although they were restricted from effectively performing their responsibilities due to budget pressure and limited managerial skill development. Our findings support the contention that hospitals would benefit from focusing on the critical role of the ward manager as the central locus of influence in high performance human resource management (HPHRM) systems. Investment into high performance human resource management is discouraged if the hospital cannot adequately enable ward managers who are responsible for implementation. Introduction of managerial skills training to potential and existing ward managers is critical. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An examination of gender bias on the eighth-grade MEAP science test as it relates to the Hunter Gatherer Theory of Spatial Sex Differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong-Hall, Judy Gail

The purpose of this study was to apply the Hunter-Gatherer Theory of sex spatial skills to responses to individual questions by eighth grade students on the Science component of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) to determine if sex bias was inherent in the test. The Hunter-Gatherer Theory on Spatial Sex Differences, an original theory, that suggested a spatial dimorphism concept with female spatial skill of pattern recall of unconnected items and male spatial skills requiring mental movement. This is the first attempt to apply the Hunter-Gatherer Theory on Spatial Sex Differences to a standardized test. An overall hypothesis suggested that the Hunter-Gatherer Theory of Spatial Sex Differences could predict that males would perform better on problems involving mental movement and females would do better on problems involving the pattern recall of unconnected items. Responses to questions on the 1994-95 MEAP requiring the use of male spatial skills and female spatial skills were analyzed for 5,155 eighth grade students. A panel composed of five educators and a theory developer determined which test items involved the use of male and female spatial skills. A MANOVA, using a random sample of 20% of the 5,155 students to compare male and female correct scores, was statistically significant, with males having higher scores on male spatial skills items and females having higher scores on female spatial skills items. Pearson product moment correlation analyses produced a positive correlation for both male and female performance on both types of spatial skills. The Hunter-Gatherer Theory of Spatial Sex Differences appears to be able to predict that males could perform better on the problems involving mental movement and females could perform better on problems involving the pattern recall of unconnected items. Recommendations for further research included: examination of male/female spatial skill differences at early elementary and high school levels to determine impact of gender on difficulties in solving spatial problems; investigation of the relationship between dominant female spatial skills for students diagnosed with ADHD; study effects of teaching male spatial skills to female students starting in early elementary school to determine the effect on standardized testing.

Homemade Bienzymatic-Amperometric Biosensor for Beverages Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanco-Lopez, M. C.; Lobo-Castanon, M. J.; Miranda-Ordieres, A. J.

2007-01-01

The construction of an amperometric biosensor for glucose analysis is described demonstrating that the analysis is easy to perform and the biosensor gives good analytical performance. This experiment helped the students to acquire problem-solving and teamwork skills, allowing them to reach a high level of independent and critical thought.

Masonry. Performance Objectives. Intermediate Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Moses

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of 13 terminal objectives for an intermediate masonry course. These materials, developed for a two-semester (3 hours daily) course, are designed to provide the student with the skills and knowledge necessary for entry level employment in the field…