Education research: communication skills for neurology residents: structured teaching and reflective practice.

PubMed

Watling, Christopher J; Brown, Judith B

2007-11-27

Despite the importance of communication skills for neurologists, specific training in this area at the residency level is often lacking. This study aimed to enhance learning of these skills and to encourage reflective practice around communication skills. A group of 12 neurology residents participated in a series of six case-based communication skills workshops. Each workshop focused on a particular clinical scenario, including breaking bad news, discussing do-not-resuscitate orders, communicating with "difficult" patients, disclosing medical errors, obtaining informed consent for neurologic tests and procedures, and discussing life-and-death decisions with families of critically ill patients. Residents also kept reflective portfolios in which real examples of these interactions were recorded. The program was well accepted, and residents rated the workshops as effective and relevant to their practice. Analysis of residents' portfolios revealed three themes relevant to patient-physician communication: 1) communication is more successful when adequate time is allowed, 2) the ability to empathize with patients and their families is essential to successful interactions, and 3) the development of specific approaches to challenging scenarios can facilitate effective interactions. The portfolios also demonstrated that residents would engage in reflective practice. Targeting of communication skills training around specific clinical scenarios using neurologic cases was well accepted and was deemed relevant to practice. The use of portfolios may promote lifelong learning in this area.

Qualified nurses' perceptions of nursing graduates' abilities vary according to specific demographic and clinical characteristics. A descriptive quantitative study.

PubMed

Missen, Karen; McKenna, Lisa; Beauchamp, Alison; Larkins, Jo-Ann

2016-10-01

Evidence from the literature and anecdotally from clinical settings suggests that newly graduated nurses are not fully prepared to be independent practitioners in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of qualified nurses in relation to the practice readiness of newly registered nursing graduates and determine whether these views differ according to specific demographic characteristics, clinical settings, and geographical locations. A descriptive quantitative design was used. An online survey tool was used to assess how qualified nurses (n=201) in Victoria, Australia, rated newly graduated nurses' abilities on 51 individual clinical skills/competencies in eight key skill areas. A composite score was calculated for each skill area and a comparative analysis was undertaken on the various cohorts of participants according to their demographic and clinical characteristics using one-way ANOVA and post hoc tests. Newly graduated nurses were found to be lacking competence in two key skill areas and were rated as performing adequately in the remaining six skill areas assessed. Significant differences (p≤0.05) in performance were found according to the age of the nurse, number of years registered, the educational setting in which they undertook their nurse education, their role, and the clinical area in which they worked. There were no significant differences according to whether the nurse worked in the private or public healthcare sector. Few differences were found between nurses working in a metropolitan vs. regional/rural healthcare setting. This is the first study to quantify the scale of this problem. Our findings serve as a reference for both nurse education providers and healthcare settings in better preparing nursing graduates to be competent, safe practitioners in all clinical areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Production, Management, and Services: Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumme, Debbie; Koukel, Sonja

This curriculum guide provides occupationally specific training designed to develop knowledge and skills for employment in the area of food production, management, and services. Contents include the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEAKS); sample course outlines; instructional strategies organized topically by chapters, each containing a…

Services for Older Adults: Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumme, Debbie

This curriculum guide contains materials for a course that provides occupationally specific training designed to develop knowledge and skills for employment in the area of services for older adults. Contents include an introduction, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) covered; sample course outlines; instructional strategies organized…

Teaching foster grandparents to train severely handicapped persons.

PubMed Central

Fabry, P L; Reid, D H

1978-01-01

Five foster grandparents were taught training skills for use in their daily interactions with severely handicapped persons in an institution. Following baseline, specific teaching procedures consisting of teacher instructions, prompts, modelling, and praise were implemented. The grandparents' frequency of training three skill areas increased as the specific teaching was implemented in multiple-baseline format. The total amount of training continued as teacher instructions, prompts, and modelling were terminated and praise continued, although the grandparents spent their training time emphasizing only two of the three skill areas. Teacher presence was gradually reduced over an 11-week period, with no decrease in grandparents' frequency of training. Four of the foster grandchildren, all profoundly retarded and multiply handicapped, demonstrated progress throughout the study. Results were discussed in light of the available contributions of foster grandparents in institutional settings and maintenance of staff training. PMID:148446

The Use of Evidenced-Based Practices in the Provision of Social Skills Training for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder among School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combes, Bertina H.; Chang, Mei; Austin, Jennifer E.; Hayes, Demarquis

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore school psychologists' use of evidence-based practices (EBP), specifically in the area of social skills training, for students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 220 school psychologists practicing in public school settings who provided social skills training to students with ASD. Participants were…

Speech Presented by T. H. Bell, U. S. Secretary of Education, at the Conference on Entrepreneurship Education (Arlington, Virginia, January 27, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, T. H.

The federal role in the teaching of entrepreneurship skills development in the public schools is one of advocacy and leadership and one that will assist states and local education agencies to infuse and include entrepreneurship skills training into broad occupational program areas, career awareness, general training, and specific skills training.…

Selecting and Using Materials for College Disabled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raygor, Betty Ruth; Gotz, Mary

High school graduates too frequently find the routes to their career goals blocked by inadequate reading skills. College instructors can help these academically disabled students by accurately diagnosing students' reading deficiencies and by selecting appropriate materials to strengthen specific skill areas. In selecting materials for learning…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 13: Laser Machining, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 6: Welding, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 12: Instrumentation, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 5: Mold Making, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational speciality areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 3: Machining, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

What population studies can do for business.

PubMed

Hugo, G

1991-05-01

This paper examines how specific skills essential to demography, the scientific study of human populations, can be useful in private and public sector planning. Over the past 2 decades, Australia's population has undergone profound transformations -- a shift to below replacement level fertility and a change in ethnic composition, to name a few. And these changes have reshaped the markets for goods, services, and labor. Because demography seeks to analyze and explain changes in the size, composition, and spatial distribution of people, this discipline requires certain skills that can be particularly valuable to both private and public sector planning. These skills include: 1) a sound knowledge of why and how populations change over time; 2) a wide range of concepts (the "cohort," for example) which allow demographers to analyze the dynamics of change in a population; 3) statistical techniques; and 4) life tables techniques. Having named the specific skills of demographers, the author identifies the areas of business and public administration where these skills can be most useful, areas that include the following: strategic long-term planning, marketing, market segmentation, small area analysis, household and family level analysis, projections and estimates, human resources analysis, and international population trends. Finally, the author discusses the implications of applied population analysis on the training of demographers in Australia, emphasizing the role of the Australian Population Association in improving the status of demography as an important planning tool.

Utilizing doctors' attitudes toward staff training to inform a chiropractic technology curriculum.

PubMed

Eberhart, Catherine A; Martel, Stacie S

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study is to determine attitudes of doctors of chiropractic regarding the importance of staff training in specific skill areas to inform the curriculum management process of a chiropractic technology program. A survey was distributed to registrants of a chiropractic homecoming event. On a 5-point Likert scale, respondents were asked to rate the degree of importance that staff members be trained in specific skills. Descriptive statistics were derived, and a 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test differences between groups based on years in practice and level of staff training. Doctors place a high level of importance on oral communication skills and low importance on nutrition and physical examinations. Comparing groups based on years in practice revealed differences in the areas of passive physiotherapies (F = 3.61, p = .015), legal issues/regulations (F = 3.01, p = .032), occupational safety and health regulation (F = 4.27, p = .006), and marketing (F = 2.67, p = .049). Comparing groups based on level of staff training revealed differences in the areas of occupational safety and health regulations (F = 4.56, p = .005) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (F = 4.91, p = .003). With regard to their assistants, doctors of chiropractic tend to place high importance on office skills requiring effective communication and place less importance on clinical skills such as physical examinations and physiotherapy.

The Northeast Texas Adult Education Rural Workplace Literacy Program. Annual Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Sue; Burns, Kathryn; Bowers, Jana; Pruitt, Jeanni; Pate, Sally

The Northeast Texas Adult Education Rural Education Workplace Literacy Program, which is a partnership between Northeast Texas Community College and area businesses, offers workplace literacy instruction designed around job-specific basic skills. Training is offered in the following: applied workplace technology; applied math skills; measurements…

Sports Skills and Conditioning: Grades K-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD.

The activities and terminology used in this course of study are intended to establish a more uniform and meaningful approach to the teaching of sports skills to elementary school children in the Montgomery County Public Schools. Areas of activity concentration specifically relate to soccer, volleyball, softball, and track and field. A sequential…

Physicians as Managers: Psychiatry Residents' Perceived Gaps in Knowledge and Skills in Administrative Psychiatry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Stergiopoulos, Vicky; Maggi, Julie

2007-01-01

Objective: The authors determine psychiatry residents' perceived needs and educational preferences for a physician-manager curriculum. Method: The authors surveyed 102 psychiatry residents at the University of Toronto for their perceived current and desired knowledge and skills in specific administrative areas, and their educational preferences…

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.…

Kindergarten Impacts of a Preschool Language-Focused Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johanson, Megan; Justice, Laura M.; Logan, Jessica

2016-01-01

Many preschool language-focused interventions attempt to boost language and literacy skills in young children at risk in these areas of development, though the long-term effects of such interventions are not well-established. This study investigated kindergarten language and reading skills, specifically the subcomponents of vocabulary, decoding,…

Kindergarten Impacts of a Preschool Language Focused-Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johanson, Megan; Justice, Laura M.; Logan, Jessica

2016-01-01

Many preschool language-focused interventions attempt to boost language and literacy skills in young children at risk in these areas of development, though the long-term effects of such interventions are not well-established. This study investigated kindergarten language and reading skills, specifically the subcomponents of vocabulary, decoding,…

Agricultural Science I. Supplementary Units. Instructor Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Donna; And Others

These supplementary units are designed to help students with special needs learn and apply agricultural skills in the areas of animal breeding, animal nutrition, leadership, and power tools. Specific competencies are listed as study questions at the beginning of each of the 10 self-paced and self-contained units. Skill sheets, activity sheets, and…

An Inquiry into the Development of Future Speech-Language Pathologists: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotts, Kimberly P.

2017-01-01

Upon graduating college, many students seek employment within the degree area in which they obtained. Employers are seeking skills in individuals that encompass interpersonal, technical, analytical, personal, and professional abilities. As with many careers, the allied health field requires content specific knowledge and specialized skills, which…

"Plays Nice with Others": Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denham, Susanne A.; Brown, Chavaughn

2010-01-01

Research Findings: Social-emotional learning (SEL) is increasingly becoming an area of focus for determining children's school readiness and predicting their academic success. Practice or Policy: The current article outlines a model of SEL, identifies specific SEL skills, and discusses how such skills contribute and relate to academic success.…

Competencies for population-based clinical managers. A survey of managed care medical directors.

PubMed

Halbert, R J; Bokor, A; Castrence-Nazareno, R; Parkinson, M D; Lewis, C E

1998-07-01

The evolution of American health care into integrated systems of delivery and finance requires a specialized set of population-based skills for physicians. The field of preventive medicine represents one source of this expertise. Specific competencies for the emerging area of managerial medicine have not been well delineated. Using concept documents from the Residency Review Committee for Preventive Medicine and the American Board of Preventive Medicine, a list of proposed competencies for managerial medicine was identified. Surveys were mailed to medical directors of all members of the American Association of Health Plans and to a random sample of diplomates of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of these competencies for a population-oriented clinician manager. Areas rated highly by medical directors included health services research (including outcome research), quality assurance and improvement, health risk assessment and reduction, programmatic skills, and clinical preventive skills. Responses from preventive medicine specialists were similar, but placed lower emphasis on these skills. Despite its limited response rate, this survey may be useful in the implementation of specialty training in managerial medicine. Residency training programs may choose to emphasize specific content area that reflect the priorities expressed by physicians actively involved in management.

Role of medial premotor areas in action language processing in relation to motor skills.

PubMed

Courson, Melody; Macoir, Joël; Tremblay, Pascale

2017-10-01

The literature reports that the supplementary motor area (SMA) and pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) are involved in motor planning and execution, and in motor-related cognitive functions such as motor imagery. However, their specific role in action language processing remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over SMA and pre-SMA during an action semantic analogy task (SAT) in relation with fine motor skills (i.e., manual dexterity) and motor imagery abilities in healthy non-expert adults. The impact of rTMS over SMA (but not pre-SMA) on reaction times (RT) during SAT was correlated with manual dexterity. Specifically, results show that rTMS over SMA modulated RT for those with lower dexterity skills. Our results therefore demonstrate a causal involvement of SMA in action language processing, as well as the existence of inter-individual differences in this involvement. We discuss these findings in light of neurolinguistic theories of language processing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 9: Tool and Die, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 8: Sheet Metal & Composites, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 4: Manufacturing Engineering Technology, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 14: Automated Equipment Technician (CIM), of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 10: Computer-Aided Drafting & Design, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 11: Computer-Aided Manufacturing & Advanced CNC, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 2: Career Development, General Education and Remediation, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST). Common Ground: Toward a Standards-Based Training System for the U.S. Machine Tool and Metal Related Industries. Volume 7: Industrial Maintenance Technology, of a 15-Volume Set of Skill Standards and Curriculum Training Materials for the Precision Manufacturing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

This document is intended to help education and training institutions deliver the Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST) curriculum to a variety of individuals and organizations. MAST consists of industry-specific skill standards and model curricula for 15 occupational specialty areas within the U.S. machine tool and metals-related…

What RTI Means for Content Area Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenski, Susan

2012-01-01

Response to Intervention (RTI) has the potential to have a positive impact on adolescent literacy by requiring content-area teachers to provide Tier 1 literacy instruction. This commentary suggests that content-area teachers can help their students improve their content knowledge and literacy skills by providing discipline-specific strategy…

Overcoming Impediments to Learning the Four Language Skills Using Note Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Anne A.

2016-01-01

The level of awareness of the importance of mastering ESL among the local community is poor, particularly in rural areas. A study was conducted to gather information from English as a Second Language (ESL) learners pertaining to the impediments of English Language learning (ELL) by specifically focusing on the four language skills namely…

MedEthEx Online: A Computer-based Learning Program in Medical Ethics and Communication Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleetwood, Janet; Vaught, Wayne; Feldman, Debra; Gracely, Edward; Kassutto, Zach; Novack, Dennis

2000-01-01

Assessed MedEthEx Online, a computer-based learning program, in improving communication skills as part of a required bioethics course for medical students. Exam scores of users were comparable with non-users, although computerized-learning students scored higher in specific exam areas, felt somewhat more clinically prepared, and rated the course…

Get Kids Moving: Simple Activities To Build Gross-Motor Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Child Care, 2003

2003-01-01

Highlights the importance of activities to build gross motor skills and provides hints for encouraging such activities. Specific areas of activities presented are: (1) running and jumping; (2) music games; (3) action games; (4) races; (5) bed sheets or parachutes; (6) hula hoops; (7) balls; (8) batting; (9) balance; and (10) creative movement. (SD)

A Comparison of Performance on a Silent Informal Reading Inventory and Achievement on a Standardized Reading Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birger, Barbara

A study compared performance on a silent informal reading inventory and achievement on a standardized reading test, focusing on students' individual skill needs and how effective tests were in identifying specific strengths and weaknesses in these skill areas. Subjects, 25 students entering fourth grade in a primarily middle class suburban…

Preparing Novice History Teachers to Meet Students' Literacy Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nokes, Jeffery D.

2010-01-01

In spite of calls for increased literacy instruction in secondary content classes, there appears to be little change in practice. One reason for this may be that content area literacy courses inadequately prepared teachers to teach literacy skills specific to their content area. This article describes a program that embeds content area literacy…

The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program: desirable knowledge, skills and attitudes from the perspective of nurses.

PubMed

Happell, Brenda; Palmer, Christine; Tennent, Rebeka

2011-03-01

To enhance the understanding of the skills and attitudes of mental health nurses working in the Australian Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program. The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program places qualified mental health nurses alongside community-based general practitioners, private psychiatric practices and other appropriate organisations to provide clients with mental health conditions with a more integrated treatment plan. An exploratory, qualitative approach was undertaken, given the paucity of relevant research in this area. Exploratory individual interviews were conducted with ten mental health nurses working in this scheme. Data analysis was organised and managed using QSR NVivo qualitative analysis software. Respondents identified specific skills and attitudes required for practice under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program. Eight areas of skill and attitude were identified as essential for mental health nurses working in this field. This study highlights that many of these skills and attitudes are specific to the setting where mental health nurses are working. Mental health nurses working under this programme have a role to play in the dissemination of knowledge about their practice. More needs to be done by governments and other institutions to ensure that general practitioners and other health professionals understand the role played by mental health nurses in the provision of care. The extent to which the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program becomes a sustainable strategy to promote quality and accessible mental health care will depend to some degree on the capacity to identify the skills and attitudes necessary for practice. The findings presented in this paper provide a significant contribution to articulating the essential characteristics required for this area of practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Role of a Reusable Assessment Framework in Designing Computer-Based Learning Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Young; Bauer, Malcolm

This paper introduces the concept of a reusable assessment framework (RAF). An RAF contains a library of linked assessment design objects that express: (1) specific set of proficiencies (i.e. the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students for a given content or skill area); (2) the types of evidence that can be used to estimate those…

University for All Programs (ProUni): Engagement, Satisfaction, and Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felicetti, Vera Lucia

2017-01-01

A training at Higher Education level needs, in addition to improve the skills specific in the area chosen, to develop a set of skills and/or personal attributes that make him or her more likely to succeed in the profession. In this context, this paper was developed and has the objective to identify the relationships between engagement,…

Using Videotape in a Multimedia Approach to Teaching Language Skills to Learning Disabled Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brannan, Pamela J.

Some general approaches to individualized tutorial instruction are described with specific examples of a multimedia model for learning used with one 13 year old learning disabled student deficient in language skills. The model is presented in the form of a wheel, with a topic, theme, concept, or content area at the hub; radiating out from the…

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.

Histotechnologist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.

This document, which is designed for use in developing a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of histotechnologist, lists technical competencies and competency builders for 13 units pertinent to the health technologies cluster in general as well as those specific to the areas of histology and phlebotomy. The following skill areas are…

Biological and communication skills needed for introduced fish biologists

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.

2016-01-01

What skills and knowledge will a new graduate seeking employment need to work with introduced fishes? Clearly, success in introduced species management—similar to other disciplines in fisheries—requires a mixture of scientific and communication skills. However, specific abilities especially important to a biologist who manages introduced fishes should be highlighted. Unlike most other management strategies, stocking an introduced species can result in unintended and irreversible impacts, so particular care must be employed when stocking is considered. Furthermore, fish populations in areas outside of the introduced species management area might also be affected, usually negatively, if the introduced fish escapes. Therefore, rock-solid knowledge of basic aquatic ecology, including risk management; fish taxonomy (so the wrong fish species is not mistakenly stocked!); familiarity with human values of both the time and the place (which requires communication skills); and a strong understanding of human history are all important.

Communication skills for extended duties dental nurses: the childsmile perspective.

PubMed

O'Keefe, Emma

2015-02-01

Good communication and influencing skills are key competency areas for dental nurses and are highly relevant when working with children and their families/carers in Childsmile, a national oral health improvement programme for children in Scotland. The General Dental Council (GDC) identifies communication skills as one of the nine principles for registrants; a large number of complaints seen by the GDC relate to allegations around communication and patient expectations not being fully met. Much time and investment has been spent in researching the role of the Extended Duties Dental Nurse (EDDN) and ensuring appropriate training is provided. While there is specific training for EDDNs delivering the Childsmile programme, the programme appreciates that good communication skills are a core component of all training programmes for dental nurses. This paper sets out to explore the role of EDDNs in Childsmile and specifically looks at the importance of good communication skills and how it facilitates and impacts on the delivery of the Childsmile programme in a variety of settings.

Vividness and transformation of mental images in karate and ballet.

PubMed

Di Corrado, Donatella; Guarnera, Maria; Quartiroli, Alessandro

2014-12-01

While imagery research has become popular in recent years, little research has specifically investigated differences in imagery ability between open- and closed-skill sport activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the type of task, open or closed, affects vividness and controllability differently. Thirty female classic dancers (closed skill), 30 female karate athletes (open skill), and 30 female non-athlete students, between 14 and 20 years of age (M = 17.0, SD = 1.6), participated. They completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire, and the Subtraction of Parts Task. There was no difference in imagery ability between open- and closed-skill sport groups. Furthermore, dancers and karatekas had higher mean scores on imagery ability than the non-athlete group. A positive correlation was observed between the two questionnaires, supporting findings on the componential basis of imagery. This study contributed to increase the research in the specific area of open- and closed-skill sports and imagery ability.

A systematic review of the evidence on service user involvement in interpersonal skills training of mental health students.

PubMed

Perry, J; Watkins, M; Gilbert, A; Rawlinson, J

2013-08-01

Service user involvement has become a common feature of education programmes for mental health students. However, little is known about the effects of this type of education on the interpersonal skills of students taking part. This paper reports findings from a systematic review that formed part of a wider investigation into service user involvement in teaching interpersonal skills. The review aimed to locate and assess the quality of the published evidence relating to the effects of service user involvement on mental health students interpersonal skills and to synthesize results, using a definition of interpersonal skill that includes attitudes, empathy and skills as its key components. Results from this study indicate that the quality of evidence in this area is poor. However, sufficient synthesis of the evidence base was possible to allow conclusions and recommendations for both research and practice. Conclusions were that the involvement of service users in this area is both acceptable and valuable for students and had specific impacts on attitudes, empathy and skills. Some difficulties and reservations about the style of involvement are discussed. Recommendations for the conduct of future research are also made. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munsch, Patty; Cortez, Lori

2014-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the integration of the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners (ACPA/NASPA, 2010) on community college campuses. The competencies provide specific skill sets for a broad range of student affairs practice areas that should be met by professionals throughout their careers.…

Instructional Technology in the Armed Forces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitchens, Howard B., Jr.

Broad areas of communications media used in technical training in specific occupational skills within the armed forces are examined in the first part of this report. These areas include: traditional audiovisual media, television, the techniques of programed instruction and instructional systems development, and the use of computers. In the second…

The Case for Improving and Expanding Time in School: A Review of Key Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farbman, David

2012-01-01

Common sense tells us that when it comes to learning, time matters. An individual simply cannot become more proficient in any given area without committing a certain amount of time to grasping new content, practicing and honing skills, and then applying knowledge and skills to realizing specific aims. Think of the chess master who plays match…

Relating Gap Analysis Results to Information Systems Program Attitudes: The Identification of Gap Priorities and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Auken, Stuart; Chrysler, Earl; Wells, Ludmilla Gricenko; Simkin, Mark

2011-01-01

The authors utilized a gap analysis approach to assess general IS knowledge and skill voids or overages in a specific program context. The authors asked alumni to reveal the emphasis that should have been given to 10 IS knowledge and skill areas and compared the results with the emphasis that was actually given. They proceed by relating the…

Generic Airspace Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mogford, Richard H.; Bridges, Wayne; Gujarl, Vimmy; Lee, Paul U.; Preston, William

2013-01-01

This paper reports on an extension of generic airspace research to explore the amount of memorization and specialized skills required to manage sectors with specific characteristics or factors. Fifty-five retired controllers were given an electronic survey where they rated the amount of memorization or specialized skills needed for sixteen generic airspace factors. The results suggested similarities in the pattern of ratings between different areas of the US (East, Central, and West). The average of the ratings for each area also showed some differences between regions, with ratings being generally higher in the East area. All sixteen factors were rated as moderately to highly important and may be useful for future research on generic airspace, air traffic controller workload, etc.

Inventories of psychological skills for athletic clubs and school life.

PubMed

Ueno, Kohei

2014-02-01

Some students who participate in athletic activities transfer the skills acquired in a sports context into other areas of life, while others do not. To identify the specific skills that are transferred or not from sports to the school environment, two inventories were developed: the "Psychological Skills Inventory for Athletic Clubs" and the "Psychological Skills Inventory for School Life." These inventories enable a comparison of skills in a sport context with skills in a school context. In the first stage, 307 Japanese first-year university students who had participated in high school athletic clubs volunteered to take part in a survey to develop these inventories. Analyses indicated that both inventories comprised identical subscales of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. In the second stage, the reliability and validity of these inventories was confirmed for 531 Japanese high school students who were members of athletic clubs for sports such as soccer and baseball.

Training Manual: Vocational Skills. Vocational Strategies for Special Needs Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanc, Doreen V.

Instructional materials included in this guide were developed to provide vocational services to mildly handicapped special needs students mainstreamed into regular schools. Material represents strategies or directions in specific areas of occupational education, rather than specific curriculum guides; it is addressed to both the teacher and the…

Well-Being for Mentally Retarded Adolescents: A Social, Leisure, and Nutrition Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Phyllis

Intended for those working with moderately mentally retarded adolescents, the manual offers guidelines for social, recreation, and nutrition education. An introduction points out that the program model contains specific program strategies, assessment techniques, and methods to teach specific skills and concepts in the areas of leisure…

Area-specific temporal control of corticospinal motor neuron differentiation by COUP-TFI

PubMed Central

Tomassy, Giulio Srubek; De Leonibus, Elvira; Jabaudon, Denis; Lodato, Simona; Alfano, Christian; Mele, Andrea; Macklis, Jeffrey D.; Studer, Michèle

2010-01-01

Transcription factors with gradients of expression in neocortical progenitors give rise to distinct motor and sensory cortical areas by controlling the area-specific differentiation of distinct neuronal subtypes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this area-restricted control are still unclear. Here, we show that COUP-TFI controls the timing of birth and specification of corticospinal motor neurons (CSMN) in somatosensory cortex via repression of a CSMN differentiation program. Loss of COUP-TFI function causes an area-specific premature generation of neurons with cardinal features of CSMN, which project to subcerebral structures, including the spinal cord. Concurrently, genuine CSMN differentiate imprecisely and do not project beyond the pons, together resulting in impaired skilled motor function in adult mice with cortical COUP-TFI loss-of-function. Our findings indicate that COUP-TFI exerts critical areal and temporal control over the precise differentiation of CSMN during corticogenesis, thereby enabling the area-specific functional features of motor and sensory areas to arise. PMID:20133588

How patients perceive the therapeutic communications skills of their general practitioners, and how that perception affects adherence: use of the TCom-skill GP scale in a specific geographical area.

PubMed

Baumann, Michèle; Baumann, Cédric; Le Bihan, Etienne; Chau, Nearkasen

2008-12-01

To study: (1) the structure and test-retest reliability of a measure of how patients perceive the therapeutic communications skills of their general practitioners (TCom-skill GP), and (2) the associations of that scale with socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, and adherence. A total of 393 people who lived in the same geographic area and invited to attend a preventive medical centre for a check up were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire concerning TCom-skill GP (15 items), socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, and to answer two questions on perceived adherence. The average age of respondents was 46.8 years (SD 14), and 50.4% were men. The TCom-skill GP score was one-dimensional, had high internal coherence (Cronbach alpha 0.92), and good test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.74). The overall score was positively related to increasing age. Respondents aged 60+ were more likely to be adherent. The higher the score, the higher the probability of adherence. Multivariate analysis showed that the TCom-skill score was associated with advancing age and the number of consultations with the GP during the previous 3 months, but not with gender, living alone, being employed, job category or educational level. Multivariate analysis also showed that adherence was associated with TCom-skill GP score which concealed the association between adherence and advancing age observed in univariate analysis. The TCom-skill GP scale probably has value in assessing the quality of doctor-patient relationships and therapeutic communications. The psychometric properties of the TCom-skill GP scale were appropriate for its use in this context. Adherence related to the TCom-skill GP and the latter related to the age of patients and the number of their previous consultations. The TCom-skill GP scale may be a useful way to assess, in a specific geographical location, the impact of medical professional training on therapeutic communication.

The Influence of High Stakes Testing and Test Preparation on High School Students' Perspectives on Education and Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Barbara

2011-01-01

With the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act in January of 2002, curricula in high schools in the United States have adjusted to make room for test preparation activities and high stakes testing. This involves teaching skills and content in the format of the test only, drilling students on specific skills and content areas that will be…

The Importance of Sport in Building Women's Potential.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duquin, Mary E.

1982-01-01

As women engage more actively in sports, they develop skills necessary for successful achievements in other areas of life. Areas of concern to women participating in sports are: (1) sport boundaries; (2) sex-specific sport behavior; (3) definition and designation of sport roles; (4) recognition of injustice; and (5) resistance to exploitation. (JN)

Evidence-based medicine teaching requirements in the USA: taxonomy and themes.

PubMed

Shaughnessy, Allen F; Torro, John R; Frame, Kara A; Bakshi, Munish

2016-05-01

In the USA, recent changes to oversight of residency training codify the requirements for teaching evidence-based medicine and information mastery (lifelong learning) knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The goal of this project is to determine current requirements for teaching of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and information mastery (IM) in specialty residency education in the USA. The project was a qualitative thematic analysis using content analysis. The source of the requirements for EBM and IM were the "milestone" statements for all 28 major specialties and transition year programs. Milestone descriptors related to EBM/IM were extracted and codes were developed and applied to each descriptor by four researchers. The resulting codes were coalesced into themes and tested against the milestone descriptors. The coding process identified 15 content areas comprising five themes. Two themes related to the knowledge and skills of EBM and three themes related to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of IM. EBM themes encompassed basic critical appraisal skills and knowledge of clinical epidemiology principles and statistics. IM themes centered on identifying one's information needs for patient-specific information, using information sources, and using current awareness services to remain abreast of changes in medicine. In general, they align well with the Sicily Statement on Evidence-Based Practice. No specialty required competence in all areas. New training requirements for specialties in the USA require the development of both classic EBM skills as well as skills for managing information. However, there is marked variation in the requirements among specific specialties. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The Patient Safety Leadership Academy at the University of Pennsylvania: the first cohort's learning experience.

PubMed

Wurster, Angela B; Pearson, Kathy; Sonnad, Seema S; Mullen, James L; Kaiser, Larry R

2007-01-01

We based the Patient Safety Leadership Academy (PSLA) on the premise that improving management skills could improve patient safety and employee satisfaction. Fellows completed baseline surveys on leadership skills knowledge, patient safety knowledge, and program goals. They completed the same surveys 7 months later at the final PSLA session. The fellows also completed a survey assessing how PSLA improved expertise and comparing PSLA to other patient safety learning opportunities. Matched pairs t tests were used to compare baseline and postprogram results. Baseline scores indicated appropriateness of focusing on leadership, with average leadership knowledge (2.48) significantly lower than patient safety knowledge (3.22). For patient safety, postprogram results were significant for 8 of 10 questions. All results were significant for leadership. Fellows also rated skills covered by the curriculum on a scale of 1 to 10. For all areas, the median score for knowledge gained was 7. When compared with other patient safety learning experiences, participants rated PSLA as 4 or 5, where 1 indicated the other experience much more valuable and 5 much more valuable. PSLA demonstrates that leadership skills are perceived as important by physicians and managers in surgical areas. This study demonstrated that a leadership skills approach to patient safety training could improve knowledge in specific leadership areas and general patient safety.

Role of Broca's Area in Implicit Motor Skill Learning: Evidence from Continuous Theta-Burst Magnetic Stimulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clerget, Emeline; Poncin, William; Fadiga, Luciano; Olivier, Etienne

2012-01-01

Complex actions can be regarded as a concatenation of simple motor acts, arranged according to specific rules. Because the caudal part of the Broca's region (left Brodmann's area 44, BA 44) is involved in processing hierarchically organized behaviors, we aimed to test the hypothesis that this area may also play a role in learning structured motor…

Researcher perspectives on competencies of return-to-work coordinators.

PubMed

Gardner, Bethany T; Pransky, Glenn; Shaw, William S; Hong, Qua Nha; Loisel, Patrick

2010-01-01

Return-to-work (RTW) coordination programs are successful in reducing long-term work disability, but research reports have not adequately described the role and competencies of the RTW coordinator. This study was conducted to clarify the impact of RTW coordinators, and competencies (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) required to achieve optimal RTW outcomes in injured workers. Studies involving RTW coordination for injured workers were identified through literature review. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 principal investigators to obtain detailed information about the RTW coordinator role and competencies not included in published articles. Interview results were synthesized into principal conceptual groups by affinity mapping. All investigators strongly endorsed the role of RTW coordinator as key to the program's success. Affinity mapping identified 10 groups of essential competencies: (1) individual traits/qualities, (2) relevant knowledge base, (3) RTW focus and attitude, (4) organizational/administrative skills, (5) assessment skills, (6) communication skills, (7) interpersonal relationship skills, (8) conflict resolution skills, (9) problem-solving skills, and (10) RTW facilitation skills. Specific consensus competencies were identified within each affinity group. Most investigators endorsed similar competencies, although there was some variation by setting or scope of RTW intervention. RTW coordinators are essential contributors in RTW facilitation programs. This study identified specific competencies required to achieve success. More emphasis on mentorship and observation will be required to develop and evaluate necessary skills in this area.

Further evaluation of a brief, intensive teacher-training model.

PubMed

Lerman, Dorothea C; Tetreault, Allison; Hovanetz, Alyson; Strobel, Margaret; Garro, Joanie

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the outcomes of a model program that was designed to train current teachers of children with autism. Nine certified special education teachers participating in an intensive 5-day summer training program were taught a relatively large number of specific skills in two areas (preference assessment and direct teaching). The teachers met the mastery criteria for all of the skills during the summer training. Follow-up observations up to 6 months after training suggested that the skills generalized to their classrooms and were maintained for most teachers with brief feedback only.

Developing and delivering clinical pharmacology in pharmaceutical companies.

PubMed

Richards, Duncan

2012-06-01

The challenges of developing new medicines are well known. Effective application of clinical pharmacology expertise is vital to the successful evaluation of potential new medicines. In drug development, this depends on effective integration of diverse skills. Many of these are currently in short supply, but through innovative partnerships between industry and academia there is an opportunity to reinvigorate the discipline by nurturing these key skills to the benefit of both partners. Specific areas of focus should be experimental medicine, modelling and simulation, and translational skills. © 2012 The Author. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society.

Civil forensic psychiatry - Part 2: specific issues.

PubMed

Samuels, Anthony H

2018-06-01

This paper describes the main areas of civil forensic psychiatry (FP) and the skills required by psychiatric experts. Some specific areas of civil FP are discussed, including tort law reform, reliability of psychiatric evidence, contentious psychiatric disorders, and the many domains of civil FP. Civil FP is an important sub-specialty component of forensic psychiatry that requires greater emphasis in the training and continuing education of psychiatrists. A process of accrediting psychiatrists as having competency in advanced civil FP may be of value.

Hand preference patterns in expert basketball players: interrelations between basketball-specific and everyday life behavior.

PubMed

Stöckel, Tino; Vater, Christian

2014-12-01

In the present study we examined the interrelation of everyday life handedness and hand preference in basketball, as an area of expertise that requires individuals being proficient with both their non-dominant and dominant hand. A secondary aim was to elucidate the link between basketball-specific practice, hand preference in basketball and everyday life handedness. Therefore, 176 expert basketball players self-reported their hand preference for activities of daily living and for basketball-specific behavior as well as details about their basketball-specific history via questionnaire. We found that compared to the general population the one-hand bias was significantly reduced for both everyday life and basketball-specific hand preference (i.e., a higher prevalence of mixed-handed individuals), and that both concepts were significantly related. Moreover, only preference scores for lay-up and dribbling skills were significantly related to measures of basketball-specific practice. Consequently, training-induced modulations of lateral preference seem to be very specific to only a few basketball-specific skills, and do not generalize to other skills within the domain of basketball nor do they extend into everyday life handedness. The results are discussed in terms of their relevance regarding theories of handedness and their practical implications for the sport of basketball. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Individualizing the Teaching of Reading through Test Management Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Edward

Test management systems are suggested for individualizing the teaching of reading in the elementary classroom. Test management systems start with a list of objectives or specific goals which cover all or some major areas of the learning to read process. They then develop a large number of criterion referenced tests which match the skill areas at…

50 CFR 100.16 - Customary and traditional use determination process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the community or area; (2) A pattern of use recurring in specific seasons for many years; (3) A... handing down of knowledge of fishing and hunting skills, values, and lore from generation to generation...

Experiences of Elementary Music Teachers in a Subject-Specific Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Amy K.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify ways in which teachers' participation in a subject-specific music professional learning community (PLC) impacts instruction and assessment of musical skills. Previous studies have provided evidence of PLCs' impact on teaching and student learning in many subject areas, but little has been…

Effect of Neuroscience-Based Cognitive Skill Training on Growth of Cognitive Deficits Associated with Learning Disabilities in Children Grades 2-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avtzon, Sarah Abitbol

2012-01-01

Working memory, executive functions, and cognitive processes associated with specific academic areas, are empirically identified as being the core underlying cognitive deficits in students with specific learning disabilities. Using Hebb's theory of neuroplasticity and the principle of automaticity as theoretical bases, this experimental study…

Working Memory and Learning in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder and Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Archibald, Lisa

2008-01-01

The authors compared 6- to 11-year-olds with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and those with specific language impairment (SLI) on measures of memory (verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory) and learning (reading and mathematics). Children with DCD with typical language skills were impaired in all four areas of memory…

Teaching community diagnosis to medical students: evaluation of a case study approach.

PubMed

Bair, C W

1980-01-01

A unique case study approach to training medical students in community diagnosis techniques was initiated at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. This paper describes the five elements of this teaching method: preliminary specification of target community and data base; group problem-solving requirement; specification of desired output; defined performance objectives; and regularly scheduled time for analysis. Experience with the case study method over two years was evaluated to identify specific strengths and weaknesses. The identified strengths include use of limited educational time to introduce community health problems, development of experience in a collegial team work setting, and specific awareness of the types of data useful to the analysis of community health service problems. Negative evaluations suggested that the method was not conducive to the development of skills in three areas: ability to establish the relative importance of health problems in communities; ability to identify an appropriate health system response to a community health problem from feasible alternatives; and ability to anticipate the community impact of health program modifications or improvements. Potential explanations for these deficiencies include: need for increased didactic support in the classroom for particular skill areas; need to establish a direct field experience in community diagnosis; inappropriateness of the data base used for evaluation of particular skills; and the probability that quantitative analysis, as used in this evaluation, may not be sufficient in and of itself to measure the outcome of a community diagnosis experience.

Educational needs of epileptologists regarding psychiatric comorbidities of the epilepsies: a descriptive quantitative survey.

PubMed

Mula, Marco; Cavalheiro, Esper; Guekht, Alla; Kanner, Andres M; Lee, Hyang Woon; Özkara, Çiğdem; Thomson, Alfredo; Wilson, Sarah J

2017-06-01

Psychiatric disorders are relatively frequent comorbidities in epilepsy and they have an impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. This is a report from the Task Force on Education of the ILAE Commission on Neuropsychiatry based on a survey about educational needs of epileptologists regarding management of the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy. The Task Force designed a quantitative questionnaire to survey the self-perceived confidence of child and adult epileptologists and psychiatrists in managing major psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy to identify: (1) critical areas of improvement from a list of skills that are usually considered necessary for effective management of these conditions, and (2) the preferred educational format for improving these skills. A total of 211 respondents from 36 different countries participated in the survey. Confidence and usefulness scores suggest that responders would most value education and training in the management of specific clinical scenarios. Child neurologists identified major Axis I disorders, such as mood and anxiety disorders, while adult neurologists identified attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder as key areas. Both adult and child neurologists identified screening skills as the priority. Psychiatrists mainly valued specific training in the management of psychiatric complications of epilepsy surgery or psychiatric adverse events of antiepileptic drugs. Sessions during congresses and face-to-face meetings represent the preferred educational format, while e-learning modules and review papers were chosen by a minority of respondents. Results of this survey identify key areas for improvement in managing the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy and suggest specific strategies to develop better training for clinicians involved in epilepsy care.

An Introduction to Job Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boydell, T. H.

1970-01-01

Job training involves preparing a job description and specification, and, if necessary, further analyses of skills, knowledge, and attitudes in order to identify areas of difficulty which will affect the choice of what must be learned and appropriate training techniques. (DM)

What's New in Software? Videocassettes for Parenting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedley, Carolyn N.

1989-01-01

Videocassettes useful in creating educational environments in the home are described, focusing specifically on the areas of parenting and living skills, literature for the primary and intermediate grades, and social studies. A list of 66 recommended videocassettes is included. (JDD)

Skill Acquisition and Utilization During Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Childhood Disruptive Behavior Problems: A Review and Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Higa, Janelle; Trentacosta, Christopher J.; Herschell, Amy D.; Kolko, David J.

2013-01-01

We review 85 empirical articles published since 2000 that measured the acquisition and/or utilization of parent management skills and/or child cognitive-behavioral skills in the context of an evidence-based treatment (EBT) for childhood behavior problems. Results showed that: (1) there are no standardized measures of skill acquisition or skill utilization that are used across treatments, (2) little is known about predictors, correlates, or outcomes associated with skill acquisition and utilization, and (3) few studies systematically examined techniques to enhance the acquisition and utilization of specific skills. Meta-analytic results from a subset of 68 articles (59 studies) showed an overall treatment–control ES =.31, p < .01 for skill acquisition and ES =.20, p = ns for skill utilization. We recommend that future research focus on the following three areas: (1) development of standardized measures of skill acquisition and utilization from a “common elements” perspective that can used across EBTs; (2) assessment of the predictors, correlates, and outcomes associated with skill acquisition and utilization; and (3) development of innovative interventions to enhance the acquisition and utilization of cognitive-behavioral and parent management skills. PMID:23649324

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.

Empirically Based Profiles of the Early Literacy Skills of Children With Language Impairment in Early Childhood Special Education.

PubMed

Justice, Laura; Logan, Jessica; Kaderavek, Joan; Schmitt, Mary Beth; Tompkins, Virginia; Bartlett, Christopher

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to empirically determine whether specific profiles characterize preschool-aged children with language impairment (LI) with respect to their early literacy skills (print awareness, name-writing ability, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge); the primary interest was to determine if one or more profiles suggested vulnerability for future reading problems. Participants were 218 children enrolled in early childhood special education classrooms, 95% of whom received speech-language services. Children were administered an assessment of early literacy skills in the fall of the academic year. Based on results of latent profile analysis, four distinct literacy profiles were identified, with the single largest profile (55% of children) representing children with generally poor literacy skills across all areas examined. Children in the two low-risk categories had higher oral language skills than those in the high-risk and moderate-risk profiles. Across three of the four early literacy measures, children with language as their primary disability had higher scores than those with LI concomitant with other disabilities. These findings indicate that there are specific profiles of early literacy skills among children with LI, with about one half of children exhibiting a profile indicating potential susceptibility for future reading problems. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Teaching Students with Asperger Syndrome (and Other Disabilities) in the College Classroom: Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langford-Von Glahn, Sara J.; Zakrajsek, Todd; Pletcher-Rood, Susie

2008-01-01

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder characterized by poor social skills and restricted interests, but also by extensive knowledge in specific areas and an extensive vocabulary, thereby giving college students with AS specific abilities that are desirable in academe. In fact, young individuals with AS are often referred to as "little…

Predictors of employer satisfaction: technical and non-technical skills.

PubMed

Danielson, Jared A; Wu, Tsui-Feng; Fales-Williams, Amanda J; Kirk, Ryan A; Preast, Vanessa A

2012-01-01

Employers of 2007-2009 graduates from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine were asked to respond to a survey regarding their overall satisfaction with their new employees as well as their new employees' preparation in several technical and non-technical skill areas. Seventy-five responses contained complete data and were used in the analysis. Four technical skill areas (data collection, data interpretation, planning, and taking action) and five non-technical skill areas (interpersonal skills, ability to deal with legal issues, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving) were identified. All of the skill area subscales listed above had appropriate reliability (Cronbach's alpha>0.70) and were positively and significantly correlated with overall employer satisfaction. Results of two simultaneous regression analyses indicated that of the four technical skill areas, taking action is the most salient predictor of employer satisfaction. Of the five non-technical skill areas, interpersonal skills, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving were the most important skills in predicting employer satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that all technical skills explained 25% of the variation in employer satisfaction; non-technical skills explained an additional 42% of the variation in employer satisfaction.

Emotional Intelligence in Christian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gliebe, Sudi Kate

2012-01-01

This paper explores the importance of emotional intelligence in Christian higher education. Specifically, it addresses possible implications between emotional intelligence skills and success in the areas of learning, mental health, and career preparation. The paper addresses the following questions: Is there a positive relationship between…

Technical communication. Perspectives for the Eighties, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathes, J. C. (Compiler); Pinelli, T. E. (Compiler)

1981-01-01

The importance of technical writing as a separate discipline is suggested. Some specific areas addressed were: technical writing skills industry needs, definitions of technical writing, the hows and whys of inhouse writing, and the nature of the composing process in technical comunication.

Marketing Occupations. Cluster Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

This cluster guide, which is designed to show teachers what specific knowledge and skills qualify high school students for entry-level employment (or postsecondary training) in marketing occupations, is organized into three sections: (1) cluster organization and implementation, (2) instructional emphasis areas, and (3) assessment. The first…

Expectations of Graduate Communication Skills in Professional Veterinary Practice.

PubMed

Haldane, Sarah; Hinchcliff, Kenneth; Mansell, Peter; Baik, Chi

Good communication skills are an important entry-level attribute of graduates of professional degrees. The inclusion of communication training within the curriculum can be problematic, particularly in programs with a high content load, such as veterinary science. This study examined the differences between the perceptions of students and qualified veterinarians with regards to the entry-level communication skills required of new graduates in clinical practice. Surveys were distributed to students in each of the four year levels of the veterinary science degree at the University of Melbourne and to recent graduates and experienced veterinarians registered in Victoria, Australia. Respondents were asked to rank the relative importance of six different skill sets: knowledge base; medical and technical skills; surgical skills; verbal communication and interpersonal skills; written communication skills; and critical thinking and problem solving. They were then asked to rate the importance of specific communication skills for new graduate veterinarians. Veterinarians and students ranked verbal communication and interpersonal skills as the most important skill set for an entry-level veterinarian. Veterinarians considered many new graduates to be deficient in these skills. Students often felt they lacked confidence in this area. This has important implications for veterinary educators in terms of managing the expectations of students and improving the delivery of communication skills courses within the veterinary curriculum.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Stimulating Phoneme Awareness vs. Other Linguistic Skills in Preschoolers with Co-Occurring Speech and Language Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Ann A.; Gillon, Gail; Macrae, Toby; Johnson, Roberta L.

2011-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an integrated phoneme awareness/speech intervention in comparison to an alternating speech/morphosyntax intervention for specific areas targeted by the different interventions, as well as the extent of indirect gains in nontargeted areas. Method: A total of 30 children with co-occurring…

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Group Skills Training for Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Eisner, Lori; Eddie, David; Harley, Rebecca; Jacobo, Michelle; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Deckersbach, Thilo

2017-07-01

There is growing evidence that the capacity for emotion regulation is compromised in individuals with bipolar disorder. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an empirically supported treatment that specifically targets emotion dysregulation, may be an effective adjunct treatment for improving emotion regulation and residual mood symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder. In this open, proof-of-concept pilot study, 37 participants engaged in a 12-week DBT group skills training program, learning mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance skills. Repeated measures mixed models revealed skill acquisition in the areas of mindfulness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance, as well as improved psychological well-being and decreased emotion reactivity. The results of this study support a burgeoning literature that DBT is a feasible adjunct intervention for patients with bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Generality and specificity in the effects of musical expertise on perception and cognition.

PubMed

Carey, Daniel; Rosen, Stuart; Krishnan, Saloni; Pearce, Marcus T; Shepherd, Alex; Aydelott, Jennifer; Dick, Frederic

2015-04-01

Performing musicians invest thousands of hours becoming experts in a range of perceptual, attentional, and cognitive skills. The duration and intensity of musicians' training - far greater than that of most educational or rehabilitation programs - provides a useful model to test the extent to which skills acquired in one particular context (music) generalize to different domains. Here, we asked whether the instrument-specific and more instrument-general skills acquired during professional violinists' and pianists' training would generalize to superior performance on a wide range of analogous (largely non-musical) skills, when compared to closely matched non-musicians. Violinists and pianists outperformed non-musicians on fine-grained auditory psychophysical measures, but surprisingly did not differ from each other, despite the different demands of their instruments. Musician groups did differ on a tuning system perception task: violinists showed clearest biases towards the tuning system specific to their instrument, suggesting that long-term experience leads to selective perceptual benefits given a training-relevant context. However, we found only weak evidence of group differences in non-musical skills, with musicians differing marginally in one measure of sustained auditory attention, but not significantly on auditory scene analysis or multi-modal sequencing measures. Further, regression analyses showed that this sustained auditory attention metric predicted more variance in one auditory psychophysical measure than did musical expertise. Our findings suggest that specific musical expertise may yield distinct perceptual outcomes within contexts close to the area of training. Generalization of expertise to relevant cognitive domains may be less clear, particularly where the task context is non-musical. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An innovative approach to providing collaborative education to undergraduate students in the area of child maltreatment.

PubMed

Johnson, Lisa

2015-05-01

Frontline workers in the area of child welfare often enter the field without having taken any specialized coursework in the area of child maltreatment. This article discusses an interdisciplinary certificate program that is specifically designed to teach persons from various academic areas the knowledge and skills necessary to work with children who experience maltreatment. The child advocacy studies certificate program specifically focuses on coursework in the area of child maltreatment and child advocacy to better train future frontline workers in their vital roles. This certificate will decrease underreporting of child abuse cases by mandated reporters by making them more aware of the signs and symptoms of child maltreatment and also give students a greater understanding of how to work with individuals from various fields.

Therapist competencies necessary for the delivery of compassion-focused therapy: A Delphi study.

PubMed

Liddell, Alice E; Allan, Steven; Goss, Ken

2017-06-01

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) has shown promising results for a range of clinical presentations. This study explored the therapeutic competencies required to deliver CFT and organized these into a coherent framework. The Delphi method was used to explore and refine competencies for delivering CFT in three rounds of data collection. The first round involved interviews with 12 experts in CFT. Data were analysed using template analysis to generate a draft competency framework. The main competencies were used to create a survey for rounds two and three involving CFT experts and practitioners. Data collected from the surveys were used to refine the competencies. The CFT competency framework (CFT-CF) that was produced comprised 25 main competencies within six key areas of competence. The areas were as follows: competencies in creating safeness, meta-skills, non-phase-specific skills, phase-specific skills, knowledge and understanding and use of supervision. The main competencies included several subcompetencies specifying knowledge, skills and attributes needed to demonstrate the main competence. Overall, there was consensus on 14 competencies and 20 competencies exceeded an 80% agreement level. Some of the CFT competencies overlapped with existing therapies, whilst others were specific to CFT. The CFT-CF provides useful guidance for clinicians, supervisors and training programmes. Further research could develop the CFT-CF into a therapist rating scale in order to measure the outcome of training and to assess treatment fidelity in clinical trials. The compassion-focused therapy competency framework (CFT-CF) identifies therapeutic competencies that overlap with existing treatments as well as those specific to compassion-focused therapy (CFT). The CFT-CF builds guidance for the competencies required to deliver CFT in a range of clinical settings. The CFT-CF provides guidance for those training CFT therapists. The CFT-CF could be used as a basis to develop a therapist rating scale. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Idiots Savants: Retarded and Gifted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yewchuk, Carolyn

The paper reviews the paradoxical nature of idiots savants, persons who, although retarded, have exceptional skills in certain areas. Various explanations for the phenomenon are discussed, such as a specific genetic endowment, a specialized compensatory response to general intellectual deficiency, and possession of an eidetic memory. Various…

Assessing the ACGME Competencies in Psychiatry Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swick, Susan; Hall, Sarah; Beresin, Eugene

2006-01-01

In 2000, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) laid out a definition of competence that included six specific areas of focus: patient care (including clinical reasoning), medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. The…

Core competencies for scientific editors of biomedical journals: consensus statement.

PubMed

Moher, David; Galipeau, James; Alam, Sabina; Barbour, Virginia; Bartolomeos, Kidist; Baskin, Patricia; Bell-Syer, Sally; Cobey, Kelly D; Chan, Leighton; Clark, Jocalyn; Deeks, Jonathan; Flanagin, Annette; Garner, Paul; Glenny, Anne-Marie; Groves, Trish; Gurusamy, Kurinchi; Habibzadeh, Farrokh; Jewell-Thomas, Stefanie; Kelsall, Diane; Lapeña, José Florencio; MacLehose, Harriet; Marusic, Ana; McKenzie, Joanne E; Shah, Jay; Shamseer, Larissa; Straus, Sharon; Tugwell, Peter; Wager, Elizabeth; Winker, Margaret; Zhaori, Getu

2017-09-11

Scientific editors are responsible for deciding which articles to publish in their journals. However, we have not found documentation of their required knowledge, skills, and characteristics, or the existence of any formal core competencies for this role. We describe the development of a minimum set of core competencies for scientific editors of biomedical journals. The 14 key core competencies are divided into three major areas, and each competency has a list of associated elements or descriptions of more specific knowledge, skills, and characteristics that contribute to its fulfillment. We believe that these core competencies are a baseline of the knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed to perform competently the duties of a scientific editor at a biomedical journal.

Satisfaction with ophthalmology residency training from the perspective of recent graduates: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Few studies have evaluated satisfaction with medical residency programs from the perspective of residents or recent graduates. Knowledge of current conditions of teaching might help to identify deficiencies and to provide adequate training. So, the aim of this study was to assess the satisfaction with residency training and to identify deficiencies in this training from the perspective of recent graduates in ophthalmology residency. Methods For this purpose, we developed a questionnaire and gaved it to recent graduates in ophthalmology residency in São Paulo, Brazil, from January to December 2010. The questions contained demographic information (age, sex and time of practice in ophthalmology), a Likert scale to evaluate the level of satisfaction with medical residency concerning clinical knowledge, surgical skills and doctor-patient relationship and questions about deficiency in clinical and surgical areas. Results The areas in which recent residency graduates were very or extremely satisfied were: acquisition of clinical knowledge (89.1%), acquisition of surgical skills (93.4%) and the development of doctor-patient relationship (74.9%). Specific areas of clinical knowledge in which they perceived more deficiency were orbit (48.3%) and ophthalmic pathology (47.9%), and in surgical skills were refractive surgery (65.9%) and orbit (59.2%) Conclusions The assessment of the satisfaction with residency training in ophthalmology from the perspective of recent graduates showed high level of satisfaction and identified specific deficiencies in ophthalmic pathology, refractive surgery and orbit. PMID:23706136

The transition from learner to provider/teacher: the learning needs of new orthopaedic consultants.

PubMed

McKinstry, Brian; Macnicol, Malcolm; Elliot, Katy; Macpherson, Stuart

2005-05-17

Given the relatively sudden change from learner to teacher-provider that new consultants experience and the likely clinical and managerial challenges this may pose, there is a relative dearth of research into the problems they may have in relation to their new roles, or how supported they feel by senior colleagues acting in a mentoring role. This research sought to determine new consultants views on the quality and relevance of their training, its relationship to their confidence in clinical and managerial skills and their views on mentorship by senior colleagues. Detailed postal questionnaire to new consultants using open and closed questions. Open questionnaire to established consultants to validate new consultant responses. Respondents felt their clinical training was good and were generally confident in most clinical skills although some perceived deficiencies in more complex procedures and specialist areas. Most lacked confidence in many managerial skills. These perceptions were verified by established consultants. Although no relationship was found between total training time or quality of training with confidence, extra training in specific sub-specialities improved confidence in these areas. While most established consultants thought that mentorship would be useful for new consultants, only 52% of them shared this view. Training and experience in management should be given greater emphasis. There may be a need for specific, targeted training in complex procedures for doctors who experience lack of confidence in these areas. Mentorship should be offered to new consultants and recognised in the job-plan of the new consultant contract.

Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches.

PubMed

Ditton-Phare, Philippa; Loughland, Carmel; Duvivier, Robbert; Kelly, Brian

2017-07-01

A range of communication skills training programmes have been developed targeting trainees in various medical specialties, predominantly in oncology but to a lesser extent in psychiatry. Effective communication is fundamental to the assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions, but there has been less attention to this in clinical practice for psychiatrists in training. This review examines the outcomes of communication skills training interventions in psychiatric specialty training. The published English-language literature was examined using multiple online databases, grey literature and hand searches. The review was conducted and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Studies examining the efficacy of communication skills training were included. Randomised controlled trials, pseudo-randomised studies and quasi-experimental studies, as well as observational analytical studies and qualitative studies that met criteria, were selected and critically appraised. No limits were applied for date of publication up until 16 July 2016. Total search results yielded 2574 records. Of these, 12 studies were identified and reviewed. Two were randomised controlled trials and the remaining 10 were one-group pretest/posttest designs or posttest-only designs, including self-report evaluations of communication skills training and objective evaluations of trainee skills. There were no studies with outcomes related to behaviour change or patient outcomes. Two randomised controlled trials reported an improvement in clinician empathy and psychotherapeutic interviewing skills due to specific training protocols focused on those areas. Non-randomised studies showed varying levels of skills gains and self-reported trainee satisfaction ratings with programmes, with the intervention being some form of communication skills training. The heterogeneity of communication skills training is a barrier to evaluating the efficacy of different communication skills training programmes. Further validation studies examining specific models and frameworks would support a stronger evidence base for communication skills training in psychiatry. It remains a challenge to develop research to investigate behaviour change over time in clinical practice or to measure patient outcomes due to the effects of communication skills training.

Migration and Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in Europe: Inclusion, Exclusion or Polarisation in the Recognition of Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souto-Otero, Manuel; Villalba-Garcia, Ernesto

2015-01-01

This article explores (1) the degree to which immigrants can be considered dominant groups in the area of validation of non-formal and informal learning and are subject to specific validation measures in 33 European countries; (2) whether country clusters can be identified within Europe with regard to the dominance of immigrants in the area of…

Mastery of fundamental movement skills among children in New South Wales: prevalence and sociodemographic distribution.

PubMed

Okely, A D; Booth, M L

2004-09-01

Fundamental movement skills form the foundation for many of the specific motor skills employed in popular sports and leisure activities. Little data exist on the prevalence and socioeconomic distribution of fundamental movement skill mastery among young children in Australia. This study process-assessed performance on six fundamental movement skills in a randomly selected sample of students from Years 1 through 3 in the Sydney metropolitan area of New South Wales. The prevalence and sociodemographic distribution of mastery and near mastery for each skill and each skill component is reported for boys and girls in each school year. The findings revealed that the prevalence of mastery and near mastery of each of fundamental movement skill was generally low. Boys performed significantly better than girls in the run and in the four object-control skills (throw, catch, kick, and strike) whilst girls performed better than boys in the skip. There was no consistent association between prevalence of skill mastery and socio-economic status (SES), with only the kick and vertical jump for boys and catch, dodge, and vertical jump for girls differing across SES tertiles. Based on these results, we recommend that adequate curriculum time, resources, and professional development continue to be devoted to fundamental movement skills in NSW primary schools.

A formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an instructional strategy in a medical laboratory technician course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Diane Patricia

2002-09-01

This study is a formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an effective course delivery strategy in a second year introductory Medical Laboratory Technician discipline-specific hematology course. This strategy can serve two purposes in this type of course: discipline specific content knowledge and process skills learning. A needs study identified that students required additional workplace skills as they entered the clinical internship. Students tested well on the national registry examinations, discipline-specific content knowledge, but group process skills needed improvement in the areas of collaboration, communication, and critical reasoning. Problem-based learning was identified as an change intervention to help provide these skills. A search of the literature revealed that the Baker College cultural and physical environment would support this intervention. Twelve cases were written, situated in a clinical laboratory environment, addressing learning issues identified in a modified Delphi survey of laboratory personnel e.g. fiscal responsibility, turn-around time, invasiveness of laboratory techniques, and holistic view of healthcare environment. A hematology class of 13 students received the intervention. The cases were structured to proceed from instructor-centered (guided) learning issues to learner-centered learning issues. Observations of the in-group collaboration processes were documented, as well as oral presentations and critical reasoning, with students given periodic feedback on these skills. Student surveys provided data about satisfaction, attitude to PBL process, and self-efficacy. Multiple choice discipline-specific content examinations were given and compared with classes from the previous four years. The study found that students receiving the PBL treatment scored as well as or better than students from previous years on traditional multiple choice exams. Recall questions showed positive significance and application/analysis questions showed no significance from previous years. Clinical correlations end-of-case evaluations addressing the issues of thoroughness of investigation, supporting evidence, accuracy of information, order and clarity of thought showed positive improvement across the intervention, as did the PBL processes of in-group collaboration skills, teamwork skills, and presentation skills. By the end of the intervention, students expressed preference for student-centered learning issues.

The Accounting Undergraduate Capstone: Promoting Synthesis, Reflection, Transition, and Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Grace F.; Halabi, Abdel K.

2011-01-01

The authors review 24 midwestern institutions that have an undergraduate capstone course. Specifically they focus on accounting capstone courses, discovering that these are used to promote personal and functional skill development in 8 areas: research, problem solving, critical thinking, reflection, synthesis, teamwork, communication, and…

Get up and Move!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spicer, Sally

2012-01-01

Assessing children's learning is a key part of teaching. In all curriculum areas it is used for informing planning of future learning experiences and assessing pupil progress. Specifically in science, it identifies knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts, reasoning, and practical skill development. There are various ways to assess,…

Radiographer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.

This document, which is designed for use in developing a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of radiographer, lists technical competencies and competency builders for 18 units pertinent to the health technologies cluster in general as well as those specific to the occupation of radiographer. The following skill areas are covered in the…

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Problem-Orientation Intervention for Suicidal Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Kara; Witte, Tracy K.; Schmidt, Norman B.

2005-01-01

Empirical evaluations suggest that problem orientation, the initial reaction to problems, differentiates suicidal youth from nonclinical controls and nonideating psychiatric controls. One promising area for intervention with suicidal youth relates to enhancing this specific coping skill. Nonclinical participants (N = 110) with active suicidal…

Establishing an NP-staffed minor emergency area.

PubMed

Buchanan, L; Powers, R D

1997-04-01

Patients with problems of high acuity need fully trained emergency physicians and nurses. Some patients with nonurgent problems can be cared for within the emergency department (ED) in a lower-cost setting designed and staffed specifically for this purpose. Staffing a fast track or minor emergency area (MEA) with nurse practitioners (NPs) is one way to satisfy the ED's care needs. One site analysis of the effectiveness of NPs indicates that patients are satisfied with their care, that nurses' interpersonal skills are better than those of physicians, that technical skills are equivalent, that patient outcomes are equivalent or superior and that NPs improve access to care. A nurse practitioner-staffed minor emergency area provides high quality care for approximately 21% of this site's adult emergency department population. Patients are triaged based on set criteria, allowing for short treatment times. The physical layout, triage criteria, and the NPs' scope of practice in the level 1 trauma center's ED are detailed.

A First Look at Decadal Hydrological Predictability by Land Surface Ensemble Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Xing; Zhu, Enda

2018-03-01

The prediction of terrestrial hydrology at the decadal scale is critical for managing water resources in the face of climate change. Here we conducted an assessment by global land model simulations following the design of the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) decadal hindcast experiments, specifically testing for the sensitivity to perfect initial or boundary conditions. The memory for terrestrial water storage (TWS) is longer than 6 years over 11% of global land areas where the deep soil moisture and aquifer water have a long memory and a nonnegligible variability. Ensemble decadal predictions based on realistic initial conditions are skillful over 31%, 43%, and 59% of global land areas for TWS, deep soil moisture, and aquifer water, respectively. The fraction of skillful predictions for TWS increases by 10%-16% when conditioned on Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation indices. This study provides a first look at decadal hydrological predictability, with an improved skill when incorporating low-frequency climate information.

Exploring an educational assessment tool to measure registered nurses' knowledge of hearing impairment and effective communication strategies: A USA study.

PubMed

Ruesch, Amy L

2018-01-01

Poor communication between the Registered Nurse and a hearing impaired patient can affect quality of care and health outcomes. Communication skills training programs for healthcare providers are needed to improve patient centered care. A descriptive research study, using a knowledge assessment tool developed and validated by the researcher, was conducted on 339 Registered Nurses to identify knowledge deficits to be addressed in a communication skills training program being designed. The educational tool measured the Registered Nurses' knowledge across four areas - hearing impairment, hearing aids, communication strategies, and regulations regarding access to care for a person with a hearing disability. Knowledge deficits were detected in all four areas. Using this educational assessment tool may enable nurse educators to tailor communication skills training programs to specifically address the gaps identified regarding hearing impairment and how to effectively communicate with the hearing impaired patient. Post training program, nurse educators can use the tool to evaluate effectiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivating and Evaluating Growth in Ballet Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Julie Hammond

2012-01-01

In teaching young dancers ballet, the utilization of effective assessments in partnership with supportive and creative teaching strategies can transform not only the learning experience, but the dancer as well. In this article, the author shares a "growth grade rubric" that specifically addresses three areas in ballet training: (1) skills and…

Key Competencies: Social Studies, Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia School District, PA. Office of Curriculum and Instruction.

Specific competencies are outlined for social studies education in grades seven through 12 in the Philadelphia school system. The focus of social studies education is seen to be the transmission of knowledge and inculcation of skills and attitudes essential for good citizenship in an interdependent world. Five areas which contribute to good…

Studying Watersheds: A Confluence of Important Ideas. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haury, David L.

This digest explains how the study of watersheds can serve to connect concept and skill development across subject areas and grade levels for curriculum reform and standards-based assessment. Specific resources are organized into watersheds in the curriculum, connections to National Standards, watershed concepts and activities, watershed education…

VISIONS2 Learning for Life Initiative. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Coll., Orangeburg, SC.

During the Learning for Life Initiative, a technical college and an adult education center partnered with two area businesses to develop and deliver job-specific workplace literacy and basic skills training to employees. Major activities of the initiative included the following: comprehensive staff development program for all project instructors,…

Selected Progressive Competencies for Education of the Gifted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Roberta R.; And Others

Progressive competencies were identified for gifted students in grades kindergarten through 12 as a result of a survey of over 600 administrators, classroom teachers, and teachers of the gifted. Competencies were identified for four levels of development in the following six specific skill areas: creativity, affective development, academic…

Measuring Student Performance in General Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Ara C.; Ben-Daat, Hagit; Zhu, Mary; Atkinson, Robert; Barrows, Nathan; Gould, Ian R.

2015-01-01

Student performance in general organic chemistry courses is determined by a wide range of factors including cognitive ability, motivation and cultural capital. Previous work on cognitive factors has tended to focus on specific areas rather than exploring performance across all problem types and cognitive skills. In this study, we have categorized…

Undergraduate Introductory Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory Course: Interdisciplinary Group Projects in Phytoremediation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Engelen, Debra L.; Suljak, Steven W.; Hall, J. Patrick; Holmes, Bert E.

2007-01-01

The laboratory course around the phytoremediation is designed to develop both individual skills and promote cooperative learning while starting students work on projects in a specific area of environmental chemistry and analysis. Many research-active undergraduate institutions have developed courses, which are interdisciplinary in nature that…

Toward an Instructionally Oriented Theory of Example-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renkl, Alexander

2014-01-01

Learning from examples is a very effective means of initial cognitive skill acquisition. There is an enormous body of research on the specifics of this learning method. This article presents an instructionally oriented theory of example-based learning that integrates theoretical assumptions and findings from three research areas: learning from…

Writing Characteristics of Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Steve; Fishman, Evan J.; Reid, Robert; Hebert, Michael

2016-01-01

Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) frequently experience significant difficulty mastering basic academic skills. This meta-analysis focuses on one specific potential area of learning difficulties for these students: namely, writing. To identify the extent and depth of the potential writing challenges faced by students…

Using Writing Tasks to Elicit Adolescents' Historical Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monte-Sano, Chauncey; De La Paz, Susan

2012-01-01

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

Ditties and Dishes: Cooking Connections With Mother Goose.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Terry L.; Anfin, Carol S.

1997-01-01

Argues involving young children in food preparation activities enhances traditional curriculum areas of language arts, math, science, and social skills. Encourages utilization of children's literature as sources replete with references to food and teaching ideas on food via literary tie-ins. Provides specific recipes which relate to Mother Goose…

An Action Research Project Exploring the Psychology Curriculum and Transitions to Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurray, Isabella; Roberts, Pat; Robertson, Ian; Teoh, Kevin

2011-01-01

Within the UK, traditional subject-specific areas are increasingly being complemented by the provision of opportunities to foster students' personal development planning as an aide to support their future employment and lifelong learning. This paper describes an action research project which examined employability skills within a psychology…

Dental Hygienist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.

This document, which is designed for use in developing a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of dental hygienist, lists technical competencies and competency builders for 13 units pertinent to the health technologies cluster in general and 9 units specific to the occupation of dental hygienist. The following skill areas are covered in…

Comprehension Across the Curriculum: Perspectives and Practices K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganske, Kathy, Ed.; Fisher, Douglas, Ed.

2009-01-01

Successful students use comprehension skills and strategies throughout the school day. In this timely book, leading scholars present innovative ways to support reading comprehension across content areas and the full K-12 grade range. Chapters provide specific, practical guidance for selecting rewarding texts and promoting engagement and…

Use of information and communication technology and retention of health workers in rural post-war conflict Northern Uganda: findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Yagos, Walter Onen; Tabo Olok, Geoffrey; Ovuga, Emilio

2017-01-10

Information and communication technologies have become a vital infrastructural asset for use in the retention of rural health workers. However, little is known about the potential influence of ICT use, perceptions of health workers on ICT in healthcare delivery, and contribution of ICT to health care providers' retention in rural and remote areas in rural post-war and conflict situations of northern Uganda. Data from interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed. Participants generally exhibited low confidence, knowledge and low ICT skills. Majority of participants, however, perceived ICT as beneficial in relation to job performance and health care provider retention in rural areas. Common barriers for the implementation and use of ICT in health centres were inadequate ICT knowledge and skills, poor Internet networks, inadequate computers, inadequate power supply, lack of Internet Modems and expensive access to outside computer centres. This qualitative study showed low confidence, poor knowledge and skills in ICT usage but positive perceptions about the benefits and contributions of ICT. These findings suggest the need for specific investment in ICT infrastructural development for health care providers in remote rural areas of northern Uganda.

Female and Male Interns and Their Mentors? Perception of Workforce Skill Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Cathy W.; Pinelli, Thomas E.; Brush, Kimberly M.

2013-01-01

Participants in this study were student interns and mentors taking part in the 2012, 10- week Langley Aerospace Research Student Scholars (LARSS) summer internship program in Hampton, Virginia. The study examined mentors and student interns' ratings of their preparedness in basic knowledge and skills. The study focused on three primary areas: 1) overall evaluation of knowledge and skills by mentors and interns; 2) male and female interns' perceptions of their own skills in these key areas; and 3) mentors' perceptions of their student interns' knowledge and skills in the same areas by gender. Overall mentors were more positive about their interns' improvement in 12 of 17 areas assessed than were the student interns. There were no significant gender differences in how mentors rated their male and female interns' abilities in these workforce skills, but there were four key areas where female interns rated their own abilities lower than did their male peers: analytical thinking, computational skills, computer skills and technical skills. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Migration and validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe: Inclusion, exclusion or polarisation in the recognition of skills?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souto-Otero, Manuel; Villalba-Garcia, Ernesto

2015-10-01

This article explores (1) the degree to which immigrants can be considered dominant groups in the area of validation of non-formal and informal learning and are subject to specific validation measures in 33 European countries; (2) whether country clusters can be identified within Europe with regard to the dominance of immigrants in the area of validation; and (3) whether validation systems are likely to lead to the inclusion of immigrants or foster a process of "devaluation" of their skills and competences in their host countries. Based on the European Inventory on validation of non- formal and informal learning project (chiefly its 2014 update) as well as a review of 124 EU-funded (Lifelong Learning Programme and European Social Fund) validation projects, the authors present the following findings: (1) in the majority of European countries, immigrants are not a dominant group in the area of validation. (2) In terms of country clusters, Central European and Nordic countries tend to consider immigrants a dominant target group for validation to a greater extent than Southern and Eastern European countries. (3) Finally, few initiatives aim to ensure that immigrants' skills and competences are not devalued in their host country, and those initiatives which are in place benefit particularly those defined as "highly skilled" individuals, on the basis of their productive potential. There is, thus, a "low road" and a "high road" to validation, leading to a process of polarisation in the recognition of the skills and competences of immigrants.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during complex whole body motor skill learning.

PubMed

Kaminski, Elisabeth; Hoff, Maike; Sehm, Bernhard; Taubert, Marco; Conde, Virginia; Steele, Christopher J; Villringer, Arno; Ragert, Patrick

2013-09-27

The aim of the study was to investigate tDCS effects on motor skill learning in a complex whole body dynamic balance task (DBT). We hypothesized that tDCS over the supplementary motor area (SMA), a region that is known to be involved in the control of multi-joint whole body movements, will result in polarity specific changes in DBT learning. In a randomized sham-controlled, double-blinded parallel design, we applied 20 min of tDCS over the supplementary motor area (SMA) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) while subjects performed a DBT. Anodal tDCS over SMA with the cathode placed over contralateral PFC impaired motor skill learning of the DBT compared to sham. This effect was still present on the second day of training. Reversing the polarity (cathode over SMA, anode over PFC) did not affect motor skill learning neither on the first nor on the second day of training. To better disentangle whether the impaired motor skill learning was due to a modulation of SMA or PFC, we performed an additional control experiment. Here, we applied anodal tDCS over SMA together with a larger and presumably more ineffective electrode (cathode) over PFC. Interestingly this alternative tDCS electrode setup did not affect the outcome of DBT learning. Our results provide novel evidence that a modulation of the (right) PFC seems to impair complex multi-joint motor skill learning. Hence, future studies should take the positioning of both tDCS electrodes into account when investigating complex motor skill learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decision-making skills and deliberate practice in elite association football referees.

PubMed

MacMahon, Clare; Helsen, Werner F; Starkes, Janet L; Weston, Matthew

2007-01-01

We examined sport expertise as a function of role. In study 1, referees were better than players in a video-based decision-making task. This provides evidence that there are role-specific skills within one domain or sport. In study 2, we examined the training activities that could be influential in the development of skills in sports officials. Elite association football (soccer) referees retrospectively reported time spent in and perceptions of training activities for three periods: their first year of formal refereeing, 1998 (before formal training programmes were available), and the current year (2003). This allowed us to examine an area of skill with a limited culture of practice, where performance simulations with direct feedback are usually not feasible. The results showed that referees specialize early and, as they develop, they engage in greater volumes and types of training. Competitive match refereeing is considered a relevant activity for skill acquisition that does not fit Ericsson and colleagues' (1993) original definition of deliberate practice. Our findings indicate that actual performance is a significant activity for skill acquisition and refinement.

Developmental trajectories of pitch-related music skills in children with Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Martínez-Castilla, Pastora; Rodríguez, Manuel; Campos, Ruth

2016-01-01

The study of music cognition in Williams syndrome (WS) has resulted in theoretical debates regarding cognitive modularity and development. However, no research has previously investigated the development of music skills in this population. In this study, we used the cross-sectional developmental trajectories approach to assess the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS compared with typically developing (TD) peers. Thus, we evaluated the role of change over time on pitch-related music skills and the developmental relationships between music skills and different cognitive areas. In the TD children, the pitch-related music skills improved with chronological age and cognitive development. In the children with WS, developmental relationships were only found between several pitch-related music skills and specific cognitive processes. We also found non-systematic relationships between chronological age and the pitch-related music skills, stabilization in the level reached in music when cognitive development was considered, and uneven associations between cognitive and music skills. In addition, the TD and WS groups differed in their patterns of pitch-related music skill development. These results suggest that the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS is atypical. Our findings stand in contrast with the views that claim innate modularity for music in WS; rather, they are consistent with neuroconstructivist accounts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-fidelity hybrid simulation of allergic emergencies demonstrates improved preparedness for office emergencies in pediatric allergy clinics.

PubMed

Kennedy, Joshua L; Jones, Stacie M; Porter, Nicholas; White, Marjorie L; Gephardt, Grace; Hill, Travis; Cantrell, Mary; Nick, Todd G; Melguizo, Maria; Smith, Chris; Boateng, Beatrice A; Perry, Tamara T; Scurlock, Amy M; Thompson, Tonya M

2013-01-01

Simulation models that used high-fidelity mannequins have shown promise in medical education, particularly for cases in which the event is uncommon. Allergy physicians encounter emergencies in their offices, and these can be the source of much trepidation. To determine if case-based simulations with high-fidelity mannequins are effective in teaching and retention of emergency management team skills. Allergy clinics were invited to Arkansas Children's Hospital Pediatric Understanding and Learning through Simulation Education center for a 1-day workshop to evaluate skills concerning the management of allergic emergencies. A Clinical Emergency Preparedness Team Performance Evaluation was developed to evaluate the competence of teams in several areas: leadership and/or role clarity, closed-loop communication, team support, situational awareness, and scenario-specific skills. Four cases, which focus on common allergic emergencies, were simulated by using high-fidelity mannequins and standardized patients. Teams were evaluated by multiple reviewers by using video recording and standardized scoring. Ten to 12 months after initial training, an unannounced in situ case was performed to determine retention of the skills training. Clinics showed significant improvements for role clarity, teamwork, situational awareness, and scenario-specific skills during the 1-day workshop (all P < .003). Follow-up in situ scenarios 10-12 months later demonstrated retention of skills training at both clinics (all P ≤ .004). Clinical Emergency Preparedness Team Performance Evaluation scores demonstrated improved team management skills with simulation training in office emergencies. Significant recall of team emergency management skills was demonstrated months after the initial training. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Geoscience and the 21st Century Workforce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manduca, C. A.; Bralower, T. J.; Blockstein, D.; Keane, C. M.; Kirk, K. B.; Schejbal, D.; Wilson, C. E.

2013-12-01

Geoscience knowledge and skills play new roles in the workforce as our society addresses the challenges of living safely and sustainably on Earth. As a result, we expect a wider range of future career opportunities for students with education in the geosciences and related fields. A workshop offered by the InTeGrate STEP Center on 'Geoscience and the 21st Century Workforce' brought together representatives from 24 programs with a substantial geoscience component, representatives from different employment sectors, and workforce scholars to explore the intersections between geoscience education and employment. As has been reported elsewhere, employment in energy, environmental and extractive sectors for geoscientists with core geology, quantitative and communication skills is expected to be robust over the next decade as demand for resources grow and a significant part of the current workforce retires. Relatively little is known about employment opportunities in emerging areas such as green energy or sustainability consulting. Employers at the workshop from all sectors are seeking the combination of strong technical, quantitative, communication, time management, and critical thinking skills. The specific technical skills are highly specific to the employer and employment needs. Thus there is not a single answer to the question 'What skills make a student employable?'. Employers at this workshop emphasized the value of data analysis, quantitative, and problem solving skills over broad awareness of policy issues. Employers value the ability to articulate an appropriate, effective, creative solution to problems. Employers are also very interested in enthusiasm and drive. Participants felt that the learning outcomes that their programs have in place were in line with the needs expressed by employers. Preparing students for the workforce requires attention to professional skills, as well as to the skills needed to identify career pathways and land a job. This critical work takes place both inside and outside of the classroom and occurs as a progression throughout the course of study. Professional skills were recognized as an area where outcomes could be strengthened. The challenge faced by geoscience programs is developing pathways into the workforce for students who bring different skills and interests to their studies. Workforce data suggest that in the past only 30% of undergraduate graduates have remained in the geosciences indicating that geoscience programs are playing an important role in developing the workforce beyond the geosciences. A collection of program descriptions describes what is known about career pathways from the programs represented at the workshop.

Canada's Golden Horseshoe: An ESL/Geography Module (Teacher's Guide).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Patrick; Howard, Joan

A teacher's guide to an English as a second language (ESL) and geography module entitled "Canada's Golden Horseshoe" is presented. ESL modules are multimedia kits designed to integrate the study of ESL and communication skills in specific subject areas of the curriculum. This module deals with a geographical region, important both to…

Concepts in Physical Education with Laboratories and Experiments. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbin, Charles B.; And Others

This text is designed for student use in introductory course of physical education at the college level and deals with the specific areas of physical activity, exercise, health, physical fitness, skill learning, and body mechanics. Twenty concepts and thirty accompanying laboratory exercises suitable for both men and women are presented. Two…

Availability of Data on Noncredit Education and Postsecondary Certifications: An Analysis of Selected State-Level Data Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Andrea R.; Szuplat, Mary A.; Decker, Cynthia G.

2014-01-01

Federal policymakers have interest in three specific areas of postsecondary career and technical education (CTE): associate degrees and certificates awarded in CTE, skills and training obtained through noncredit courses, and industry-recognized certifications. Research and data are readily available on students earning degrees and certificates in…

Glogs as Non-Routine Problem Solving Tools in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devine, Matthew T.

2013-01-01

In mathematical problem solving, American students are falling behind their global peers because of a lack of foundational and reasoning skills. A specific area of difficulty with problem solving is working non-routine, heuristic-based problems. Many students are not provided with effective instruction and often grow frustrated and dislike math.…

Health Care Assistant Core. Instructor Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feilner, Veronica; Robling, Jeannine

This document contains the core curriculum for a basic high school course for health care assistants. It is designed as a 1-semester course of study, after which students can take a course in an emphasis area, such as veterinary, nursing, pharmacology, or physical therapy, in which they learn skills for specific entry-level jobs. The curriculum…

Basic Reference Tools for Nursing Research. A Workbook with Explanations and Examples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smalley, Topsy N.

This workbook is designed to introduce nursing students to basic concepts and skills needed for searching the literatures of medicine, nursing, and allied health areas for materials relevant to specific information needs. The workbook introduces the following research tools: (1) the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE searches, including a…

Vocational Exploration and Skill Building in Marine and Related Occupations. Final Report, 1979-1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefer, Larry; And Others

The first year of a project to train high school aged handicapped and/or disadvantaged youth for employment in marine and related trades was considered successful. Specific areas of training included motor mechanics, electrical, woodworking, refinishing, restoration, fiberglass work, and blueprint reading under the direction of skilled…

Australian Wine Tourism: Establishing a Career Path at the Cellar Door

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Kim Marianne

2011-01-01

Wine tourism in Australia has grown substantially in recent years and contributes to employment opportunities in regional areas. To meet the requirements of this growing sector, workers need a considerable degree of skill-specific training; development of wine tourism personnel will be required. This article examines challenging human resource…

Longitudinal Study of Low and High Achievers in Early Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Jose I.; Aguilar, Manuel; Marchena, Esperanza; Ruiz, Gonzalo; Menacho, Inmaculada; Van Luit, Johannes E. H.

2012-01-01

Background: Longitudinal studies allow us to identify, which specific maths skills are weak in young children, and whether there is a continuing weakness in these areas throughout their school years. Aims: This 2-year study investigated whether certain socio-demographic variables affect early mathematical competency in children aged 5-7 years.…

Institutional Maintenance Management and Services. Student Activity Book [and] Reference Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koukel, Sonja D.

These publications are two of three that comprise a course that provides occupationally specific training designed to develop knowledge and skills for employment in the area of institutional maintenance management and services. The reference book is a student text that provides information needed by employees in the institutional maintenance…

Implementation of a Study Skills Program for Entering At-Risk Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cynthia J.

2014-01-01

While the first year of medical school is challenging for all students, there may be specific issues for students from rural areas, economically disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minorities, or nontraditional age groups. A Summer Prematriculation Program (SPP) was created to prepare entering at-risk students for the demands of medical school. For…

An Exploration into Learner Experiences with Mandated Learning Portfolios in Graduate Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Margaret H.

2009-01-01

In 1999, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) began the Outcome Project which re-focused program accreditation decisions. Six competency areas detailed new standards, calling for programs to measure and provide evidence of learner's acquisition of the knowledge and skills for independent practice in a specific specialty.…

Differences in Errors between Students with Language and Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avitia, Maria; Pagirsky, Matthew; Courville, Troy; DeBiase, Emily; Knupp, Tawnya; Ottone-Cross, Karen

2017-01-01

Children with a specific learning disability in reading/writing (LDRW) and/or language impairment (LI) are likely to have difficulties across all areas of academic achievement, as a great deal of teaching and learning depends on intact reading skill and linguistic communication. Despite a large number of studies examining academic difficulties…

Student Preparation for Professional Practice in Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francois, Jennifer R.; Coufal, Kathy L.; Subramanian, Anu

2015-01-01

The preparation of students for professional practice in the field of early intervention has changed as a result of mandates through Part C, Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this survey research was to describe the knowledge and skill areas, specific to early intervention, included in pre-professional curricula…

Systematising the Field of Mobile Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viberg, Olga; Grönlund, Åke

2013-01-01

This study provides a systematic review of mobile assisted language (MALL) research within the specific area of second language acquisition (SLA) during the period of 2005-2012 in terms of research approaches, theories and methods, technology, and the linguistic knowledge and skills' results. The findings show a shift from the prevailing SMS-based…

Space in Change. The Global System, Level 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spicer, Brian, Ed.; And Others

Part of a geography series which stresses understanding of the environment through mastery of specific skills and concepts, the secondary level textbook examines how and why different environments have changed through time. The book is presented in eight chapters organized around the three main themes of change in local areas, land use, and the…

In Designing a Short Course in ESP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chantrupanth, Dhanan

This report describes one teacher's experience in designing and teaching an English course of 15 hours to nursing students specializing in anesthesia. The discussion focuses on how an English teacher can equip students with effective reading skills in such a specific area, and to what extent the teacher can involve the subject content. An…

A Review and Annotated Bibliography of Armor Gunnery Training Device Effectiveness Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

training effectiveness (skill acquisition, skill reten-tion, performance prediction, transfer of training) and (b) research limitations (sample size...standalone, tank-appended, subcaliber, and laser) and four areas of training effectiveness (skill acquisition, skill retention, performance prediction, and...standalone, tank-appended, subcaliber, laser) and areas of training effectiveness (skill acquisition, skill retention, performance prediction, transfer of

Peer-Assisted Analysis of Resident Feedback Improves Clinical Teaching: A Case Report.

PubMed

Mai, Christine L; Baker, Keith

2017-07-01

Anesthesiologists play an important role in educating future clinicians. Yet few residency programs incorporate teaching skills into faculty development. Consequently, many anesthesiologists have limited training to supervise and educate residents. In turn, these attendings may receive negative feedback and poor evaluations from residents without a means to effectively improve. Peer-assisted teaching between faculty members may serve as a strategy to improve teaching skills. We report a case of peer-assisted analysis of resident feedback to identify specific areas of concern that were targeted for improvement. This approach resulted in improved teaching scores and feedback for the faculty member.

Co-occurring development of early childhood communication and motor skills: results from a population-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Wang, M V; Lekhal, R; Aarø, L E; Schjølberg, S

2014-01-01

Communicative and motor development is frequently found to be associated. In the current study we investigate to what extent communication and motor skills at 1½ years predict skills in the same domains at 3 years of age. This study is based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Heath. Data stem from 62,944 children and their mothers. Mothers completed questionnaires on their child's communication and motor skills at ages 1½ and 3. Associations between communication and motor skills were estimated in a cross-lagged model with latent variables. Early communication skills were correlated with early motor skills (0.72). Stability was high (0.81) across time points for motor skills and somewhat lower (0.40) for communication skills. Early motor skills predicted later communication skills (0.38) whereas early communication skills negatively predicted later motor skills (-0.14). Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that these two difficulties are not symptoms of separate disorders, but might rather be different manifestations of a common underlying neurodevelopmental weakness. However, there also seem to be specific developmental pathways for each domain. Besides theoretical interest, more knowledge about the relationship between these early skills might shed light upon early intervention strategies and preventive efforts commonly used with children with problems in these areas. Our findings suggest that the relationship between language and motor skills is not likely to be simple and directional but rather to be complex and multifaceted. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Differential Effects of Task Complexity on Domain-Specific and Peer Assessment Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Zundert, Marjo J.; Sluijsmans, Dominique M. A.; Konings, Karen D.; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2012-01-01

In this study the relationship between domain-specific skills and peer assessment skills as a function of task complexity is investigated. We hypothesised that peer assessment skills were superposed on domain-specific skills and will therefore suffer more when higher cognitive load is induced by increased task complexity. In a mixed factorial…

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

Making information skills meaningful: a case study from occupational therapy.

PubMed

Spring, Hannah

2018-03-01

The effective delivery of information literacy training can be a challenging process, and health library and information professionals are constantly innovating in this area. This article presents a case study of the BHSc (Hons) Occupational therapy degree programme at York St John University to demonstrate ways in which deep integration of information skills into the curriculum can be achieved. The article advises that in the delivery of health and social care related information skills, we should look more broadly at where relevant learning can happen. In particular, contexts of the health care environment are suggested as a consideration rather than the narrow scope of the academic, classroom-based environment. Examples are provided of specific teaching and learning activities used on the programme alongside CPD activity and curriculum design. © 2018 Health Libraries Group.

Guidelines for psychological practice with older adults.

PubMed

2014-01-01

The "Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Older Adults" are intended to assist psychologists in evaluating their own readiness for working with older adults and in seeking and using appropriate education and training to increase their knowledge, skills, and experience relevant to this area of practice. The specific goals of these professional practice guidelines are to provide practitioners with (a) a frame of reference for engaging in clinical work with older adults and (b) basic information and further references in the areas of attitudes, general aspects of aging, clinical issues, assessment, intervention, consultation, professional issues, and continuing education and training relative to work with this group. The guidelines recognize and appreciate that there are numerous methods and pathways whereby psychologists may gain expertise and/or seek training in working with older adults. This document is designed to offer recommendations on those areas of awareness, knowledge, and clinical skills considered as applicable to this work, rather than prescribing specific training methods to be followed. The guidelines also recognize that some psychologists will specialize in the provision of services to older adults and may therefore seek more extensive training consistent with practicing within the formally recognized specialty of Professional Geropsychology (APA, 2010c). PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Developing Canadian physician: the quest for leadership effectiveness.

PubMed

Comber, Scott; Wilson, Lisette; Crawford, Kyle C

2016-07-04

Purpose The purpose of this study is to discern the physicians' perception of leadership effectiveness in their clinical and non-clinical roles (leadership) by identifying their political skill levels. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 209 Canadian physicians was surveyed using the Political Skills Inventory (PSI) during the period 2012-2014. The PSI was chosen because it assesses leadership effectiveness on four dimensions: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and apparent authenticity. Findings Physicians in clinical roles' PSI scores were significantly lower in all four PSI dimensions when compared to all other physicians in non-clinical roles, with the principal difference being in their networking abilities. Practical implications More emphasis is needed on educating and training physicians, specifically in the areas of political skills, in current clinical roles if they are to assume leadership roles and be effective. Originality/value Although this study is located in Canada, the study design and associated findings may have implications to other areas and countries wanting to increase physician leadership effectiveness. Further, replication of this study in other settings may provide insight into the future design of physician leadership training curriculum.

Training oncology and palliative care clinical nurse specialists in psychological skills: evaluation of a pilot study.

PubMed

Clark, Jane E; Aitken, Susan; Watson, Nina; McVey, Joanne; Helbert, Jan; Wraith, Anita; Taylor, Vanessa; Catesby, Sarah

2015-06-01

National guidelines in the United Kingdom recommend training Clinical Nurse Specialists in psychological skills to improve the assessment and intervention with psychological problems experienced by people with a cancer diagnosis (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2004). This pilot study evaluated a three-day training program combined with supervision sessions from Clinical Psychologists that focused on developing skills in psychological assessment and intervention for common problems experienced by people with cancer. Questionnaires were developed to measure participants' levels of confidence in 15 competencies of psychological skills. Participants completed these prior to the program and on completion of the program. Summative evaluation was undertaken and results were compared. In addition, a focus group interview provided qualitative data of participants' experiences of the structure, process, and outcomes of the program. Following the program, participants rated their confidence in psychological assessment and skills associated with providing psychological support as having increased in all areas. This included improved knowledge of psychological theories, skills in assessment and intervention and accessing and using supervision appropriately. The largest increase was in providing psycho-education to support the coping strategies of patients and carers. Thematic analysis of interview data identified two main themes including learning experiences and program enhancements. The significance of the clinical supervision sessions as key learning opportunities, achieved through the development of a community of practice, emerged. Although this pilot study has limitations, the results suggest that a combined teaching and supervision program is effective in improving Clinical Nurse Specialists' confidence level in specific psychological skills. Participants' experiences highlighted suggestions for refinement and development of the program. Opportunities for further research and developments in this area are discussed.

Impairment of a parieto-premotor network specialized for handwriting in writer's cramp

PubMed Central

Najee-ullah, Muslimah 'Ali; Hallett, Mark

2016-01-01

Handwriting with the dominant hand is a highly skilled task singularly acquired in humans. This skill is the isolated deficit in patients with writer's cramp (WC), a form of dystonia with maladaptive plasticity, acquired through intensive and repetitive motor practice. When a skill is highly trained, a motor program is created in the brain to execute the same movement kinematics regardless of the effector used for the task. The task- and effector-specific symptoms in WC suggest that a problem particularly occurs in the brain when the writing motor program is carried out by the dominant hand. In the present MRI study involving 12 WC patients (with symptoms only affecting the right dominant hand during writing) and 15 age matched unaffected controls we showed that: (1) the writing program recruited the same network regardless of the effector used to write in both groups; (2) dominant handwriting recruited a segregated parieto-premotor network only in the control group; (3) local structural alteration of the premotor area, the motor component of this network, predicted functional connectivity deficits during dominant handwriting and symptom duration in the patient group. Dysfunctions and structural abnormalities of a segregated parieto-premotor network in WC patients suggest that network specialization in focal brain areas is crucial for well-learned motor skill. PMID:27466043

Differences in Cortical Representation and Structural Connectivity of Hands and Feet between Professional Handball Players and Ballet Dancers

PubMed Central

Meier, Jessica; Topka, Marlene Sofie; Hänggi, Jürgen

2016-01-01

It is known that intensive training and expertise are associated with functional and structural neuroadaptations. Most studies, however, compared experts with nonexperts; hence it is, specifically for sports, unclear whether the neuroplastic adaptations reported are sport-specific or sport-general. Here we aimed at investigating sport-specific adaptations in professional handball players and ballet dancers by focusing on the primary motor and somatosensory grey matter (GM) representation of hands and feet using voxel-based morphometry as well as on fractional anisotropy (FA) of the corticospinal tract by means of diffusion tensor imaging-based fibre tractography. As predicted, GM volume was increased in hand areas of handball players, whereas ballet dancers showed increased GM volume in foot areas. Compared to handball players, ballet dancers showed decreased FA in both fibres connecting the foot and hand areas, but they showed lower FA in fibres connecting the foot compared to their hand areas, whereas handball players showed lower FA in fibres connecting the hand compared to their foot areas. Our results suggest that structural adaptations are sport-specific and are manifested in brain regions associated with the neural processing of sport-specific skills. We believe this enriches the plasticity research in general and extends our knowledge of sport expertise in particular. PMID:27247805

Differences in Cortical Representation and Structural Connectivity of Hands and Feet between Professional Handball Players and Ballet Dancers.

PubMed

Meier, Jessica; Topka, Marlene Sofie; Hänggi, Jürgen

2016-01-01

It is known that intensive training and expertise are associated with functional and structural neuroadaptations. Most studies, however, compared experts with nonexperts; hence it is, specifically for sports, unclear whether the neuroplastic adaptations reported are sport-specific or sport-general. Here we aimed at investigating sport-specific adaptations in professional handball players and ballet dancers by focusing on the primary motor and somatosensory grey matter (GM) representation of hands and feet using voxel-based morphometry as well as on fractional anisotropy (FA) of the corticospinal tract by means of diffusion tensor imaging-based fibre tractography. As predicted, GM volume was increased in hand areas of handball players, whereas ballet dancers showed increased GM volume in foot areas. Compared to handball players, ballet dancers showed decreased FA in both fibres connecting the foot and hand areas, but they showed lower FA in fibres connecting the foot compared to their hand areas, whereas handball players showed lower FA in fibres connecting the hand compared to their foot areas. Our results suggest that structural adaptations are sport-specific and are manifested in brain regions associated with the neural processing of sport-specific skills. We believe this enriches the plasticity research in general and extends our knowledge of sport expertise in particular.

Competency of new graduate nurses: a review of their weaknesses and strategies for success.

PubMed

Theisen, Janelle L; Sandau, Kristin E

2013-09-01

Because of the ongoing nursing shortage and the increasing acuity of patients, new graduate nurses must master both psychomotor and critical thinking skills rapidly. Inadequate orientation leads to high turnover rates for new graduates. Health care leaders must examine the competencies needed for new graduate nurses to succeed in this environment. A critical review of studies (n = 26) was conducted to identify crucial competencies that are needed for new graduate nurses to be successful. Six areas were identified in which new graduates lacked competence: communication, leadership, organization, critical thinking, specific situations, and stress management. Strategies were identified to improve the transition of new graduates. Hospitals should consider implementing nurse residency programs that include strategies for clear communication and conflict management, prioritization skills, and leadership development. Schools of nursing should add communication strategies to their current focus on critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and simulation scenarios and include situation-specific skills such as end-of-life scenarios. Further research should focus on stress management, leadership, clinical reasoning, and evaluation of measurement tools for new graduates. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Self-assessment of intercultural communication skills: a survey of physicians and medical students in Geneva, Switzerland.

PubMed

Hudelson, Patricia; Perron, Noelle Junod; Perneger, Thomas

2011-09-01

Physicians working with multicultural populations need to know how to elicit the patient's understanding of the illness; determine the patient's sociocultural context and identify any issues that might affect care; communicate effectively across patient-provider social and cultural differences; and collaborate effectively with an interpreter. Skills self-assessment can contribute to identifying training needs and monitoring skills development in these areas. As part of a larger study exploring the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Geneva physicians and medical students regarding the care of immigrant patients, we asked respondents to self-rate their ability to perform a range of common yet challenging intercultural communication tasks. Overall, respondents rated themselves less competent at intercultural tasks than at basic medical skills and less competent at specific intercultural communication skills than at general intercultural skills. Qualified doctors (as opposed to students), those with greater interest in caring for immigrants, and those who rarely encountered difficulties with immigrants rated themselves significantly more competent for all clinical tasks. Having a higher percentage of immigrant patients and previous cultural competence training predicted greater self-rated intercultural communication skills. Our self-assessment results suggest that students and physicians should be provided with the opportunity to practice intercultural skills with immigrant patients as part of their cultural competence training. To strengthen the validity of self-assessment measures, they should ideally be combined with more objective methods to assess actual skills.

Protective Factors for Depression among African American Children of Predominantly Low-Income Mothers with Depression

PubMed Central

Boyd, Rhonda C; Waanders, Christine

2014-01-01

Maternal depression has a deleterious impact on child psychological outcomes, including depression symptoms. However, there is limited research on the protective factors for these children and even less for African Americans. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of positive parenting skills on child depression and the potential protective effects of social skills and kinship support among African American children whose mothers are depressed and low-income. African American mothers (n = 77) with a past year diagnosis of a depressive disorder and one of their children (ages 8–14) completed self-report measures of positive parenting skills, social skills, kinship support, and depression in a cross-sectional design. Regression analyses demonstrated that there was a significant interaction effect of positive parenting skills and child social skills on child depression symptoms. Specifically, parent report of child social skills was negatively associated with child depression symptoms for children exposed to poorer parenting skills; however, this association was not significant for children exposed to more positive and involved parenting. Kinship support did not show a moderating effect, although greater maternal depression severity was correlated with more child-reported kinship support. The study findings have implications for developing interventions for families with maternal depression. In particular, parenting and child social skills are potential areas for intervention to prevent depression among African American youth. PMID:25324678

South Carolina Guide for Mathematics for the Technologies (Applied Vocational Mathematics).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Charles; And Others

In this instructional guide, a third-level, two-semester mathematics course specifically for the student who plans a career in a vocational field is presented. The course is designed to meet the needs of students with varying mathematical backgrounds and to teach the mathematical skills required by various technical areas. In this practical…

Housing, Furnishings, and Equipment Production, Management, and Services. Student Activity Book [and] Reference Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koukel, Sonja D.

These two publications are two of three that comprise a course that provides occupationally specific training designed to develop knowledge and skills for employment in the area of housing, furnishings, and equipment production, management, and services. The reference book is a student text that provides information needed by employees in the…

Enhancing Critical Thinking, Writing and Disposition Preparedness amongst Four-Year University Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane-Patrice, Libra A.

2013-01-01

More and more, critical thinking and writing skills are necessary and of prime significance. Stakeholders across the board are concerned that students are deficient in these vital areas. The purpose of this study was to examine how the employment of specific, targeted and explicit critical thinking and writing instruction could enhance the…

Utah Migrant Council Health Specialist Training Program. Evaluation Report, May 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Tom; Gisler, John

The project involved 14 trainees who were employed by the Utah Migrant Council prior to their training with 8 trainers. Pre-determined by the basic job descriptions for the Health Specialist, the objectives dealt with two basic factors: trainee knowledge and trainee skills in performing specific tasks. Areas covered by the objectives were…

Challenging the Gifted through Problem Solving Experiences: Design and Evaluation of the COMET Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldhusen, John F.; And Others

1992-01-01

The COMET summer residential program at Purdue University (Indiana) offers gifted and talented youth in grades 4-6 a week of intensive study in a single content area. Courses stress specific problem-solving skills and development of a rich knowledge base. Extensive program evaluation by students, teachers, counselors, and parents was highly…

Quality of the ECEC Workforce in Romania: Empirical Evidence from Parents' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matei, Aniela; Ghenta, Mihaela

2018-01-01

The quality of the early childhood workforce is central to service provision in this area, being a major factor in determining children's development over the course of their lives. Specific skills and competencies are expected from early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce. Well-trained staff from ECEC settings are an extremely…

On-Line Quizzes to Evaluate Comprehension and Integration Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badia Valiente, José David; Olmo Cazevieille, Françoise; Navarro Jover, José Manuel

2016-01-01

This work demonstrates the use of a 2.0 tool, namely, Socrative, to evaluate one of the cross-curricular competences indicated by the Universitat Politècnica de València, specifically, comprehension and integration. It has been applied to the courses in different areas: sciences, engineering and languages. As part of its implementation, activities…

Needs Analysis in ESP Context: Saudi Engineering Students as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsamadani, Hashem Ahmed

2017-01-01

Needs analysis can be a vital asset for teachers of English for specific purposes (ESP) to identify their learners' key requirements or needs and determine the areas in which they are lacking skills. Against this background, this study was undertaken during the academic year 2015-16 to define the English language needs of engineering students…

Early Cerebral Constraints on Reading Skills in School-Age Children: An MRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borst, G.; Cachia, A.; Tissier, C.; Ahr, E.; Simon, G.; Houdé, O.

2016-01-01

Reading relies on a left-lateralized network of brain areas that include the pre-lexical processing regions of the ventral stream. Specifically, a region in the left lateral occipitotemporal sulcus (OTS) is consistently more activated for visual presentations of words than for other categories of stimuli. This region undergoes dramatic changes at…

A Guide To Test Instruments for Entry and Exit Assessment in Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Educational Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services.

The 1999 Florida Legislature revised the laws pertaining to the assessment of students in Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities. Revisions identified specific requirements for measuring student academic progress in the basic skill areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. Following the passage of this legislation, the Department of…

How to Use the DX SYSTEM of Diagnostic Testing. Methodology Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, David; Cabello, Beverly

The DX SYSTEM of Diagnostic Testing is an easy-to-use computerized system for developing and administering diagnostic tests. A diagnostic test measures a student's mastery of a specific domain (skill or content area). It examines the necessary subskills hierarchically from the most to the least complex. The DX SYSTEM features tailored testing with…

Beyond Cognitive Increase: Investigating the Influence of Computer Programming on Perception and Application of Mathematical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Peter J.; Bly, Neil; Leatham, Keith R.

2014-01-01

This study aimed to provide first-hand accounts of the perceived long-term effects of learning computer programming on a learner's approach to mathematics. These phenomenological accounts, garnered from individual interviews of seven different programmers, illustrate four specific areas of interest: (1) programming provides context for many…

A Community College in Virginia Attracts Ph.D.'s--as Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gose, Ben

1997-01-01

Over 500 of the 60,000 students at Northern Virginia Community College already have doctorates, but are seeking job-specific training. Some are enhancing current skills and some are changing careers for personal or economic reasons. Proliferation of high-technology companies in the area has influenced this trend. About 15% of the college's…

Oak Knoll School English Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Harriet; And Others

In this detailed survey of the English offerings of a private secondary school for girls, each grade is divided into semester or smaller thematic units. For each of these units, an overview/rationale is followed by a book list and description of how the unit's activities will help the student develop specific skills in the areas of reading,…

Exploring the 'cultural' in cultural competencies in Pacific mental health.

PubMed

Samu, Kathleen Seataoai; Suaalii-Sauni, Tamasailau

2009-02-01

Cultural competency is about the ability of individuals and systems to respond respectfully and effectively to the cultural needs of peoples of all cultures. Its general attributes include knowledge, attitudes, skills and professional judgment. In Pacific mental health, 'the cultural' is generally understood to be ethnic culture. Accordingly, Pacific cultural competencies assume ethnic specific markers. In mental health Pacific cultural competencies has seen a blending of cultural and clinical beliefs and practices. This paper provides an overview of five key theme areas arising from Auckland-based ethnic-specific Pacific workshop data: language, family, tapu relationships, skills and organisation policy. Workshop participants comprised of Pacific mental health providers, Pacific consumers, family members of Pacific consumers and members of the Pacific community members. This paper purports that identifying the perceptions of different Pacific groups on ethnic-specific elements of cultural competencies are necessary to build and strengthen the capacity and capability of mental health services to provide culturally relevant services.

The use of objective structured self-assessment and peer-feedback (OSSP) for learning communication skills: evaluation using a controlled trial.

PubMed

Perera, Jennifer; Mohamadou, Galy; Kaur, Satpal

2010-05-01

Feedback is essential to guide students towards expected performance goals. The usefulness of teacher feedback on improving communication skills (CS) has been well documented. It has been proposed that self-assessment and peer-feedback has an equally important role to play in enhancing learning. This is the focus of this study. Objectively structured self-assessment and peer feedback (OSSP) was incorporated into small group CS teaching sessions of a group of semester one medical students who were learning CS for the first time, to minimise the influence of previous educational interventions. A control group matched for academic performance, gender and age was used to enable parallel evaluation of the innovation. A reflective log containing closed and open ended questions was used for OSSP. Facilitators and simulated patients provided feedback to students in both groups during CS learning as per routine practice. Student perceptions on OSSP and acceptability as a learning method were explored using a questionnaire. CS were assessed in both groups using objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as per routine practice and assessors were blinded as to which group the student belonged. Mean total score and scores for specific areas of interview skills were significantly higher in the experimental group. Analysis of the questionnaire data showed that students gained fresh insights into specific areas such as empathy, addressing patients' concerns and interview style during OSSP which clearly corroborated the specific differences in scores. The free text comments were highly encouraging as to acceptability of OSSP, in spite of 67% being never exposed to formal self- and peer-assessment during pre-university studies. OSSP promotes effective CS learning and learner acceptability is high.

Role modelling in medical education: the importance of teaching skills.

PubMed

Burgess, Annette; Oates, Kim; Goulston, Kerry

2016-04-01

By observation of role models, and participation in activities, students develop their attitudes, values and professional competencies. Literature suggests that clinical skills and knowledge, personality, and teaching skills are three main areas that students consider central to the identification of positive role models. The aim of this study was to explore junior medical students' opinions of the ideal attributes of a good role model in clinical tutors. The study was conducted with one cohort (n = 301) of students who had completed year 1 of the medical programme in 2013. All students were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the ideal attributes of a good role model in a clinical tutor. The questionnaire consisted of seven closed items and one open-ended question. The response rate to the questionnaire was 265/301 (88%). Although students found all three key areas important in a good role model, students emphasised the importance of excellence in teaching skills. Specifically, students see good role models as being able to provide a constructive learning environment, a good understanding of the curriculum and an ability to cater to the learning needs of all students. Students see good role models as being able to provide a constructive learning environment While acknowledging the importance of a patient-centred approach, as well as clinical knowledge and skills, our findings reinforce the importance of the actual teaching abilities of role models within medical education. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

20 CFR 654.8 - Services to firms and individuals in labor surplus areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... initiation of industrial expansion programs in labor surplus areas; (b) Identify upon request the skills and... in such areas; (c) Identify the occupational composition and skill requirements of industries... agencies and resources in the community for purposes of appropriate training and skill development; (d...

Toward an instructionally oriented theory of example-based learning.

PubMed

Renkl, Alexander

2014-01-01

Learning from examples is a very effective means of initial cognitive skill acquisition. There is an enormous body of research on the specifics of this learning method. This article presents an instructionally oriented theory of example-based learning that integrates theoretical assumptions and findings from three research areas: learning from worked examples, observational learning, and analogical reasoning. This theory has descriptive and prescriptive elements. The descriptive subtheory deals with (a) the relevance and effectiveness of examples, (b) phases of skill acquisition, and (c) learning processes. The prescriptive subtheory proposes instructional principles that make full exploitation of the potential of example-based learning possible. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Identifying 21st Century STEM Competencies Using Workplace Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyewon

2016-04-01

Gaps between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and required workplace skills have been identified in industry, academia, and government. Educators acknowledge the need to reform STEM education to better prepare students for their future careers. We pursue this growing interest in the skills needed for STEM disciplines and ask whether frameworks for 21st century skills and engineering education cover all of important STEM competencies. In this study, we identify important STEM competencies and evaluate the relevance of current frameworks applied in education using the standardized job-specific database operated and maintained by the US Department of Labor. Our analysis of the importance of 109 skills, types of knowledge and work activities, revealed 18 skills, seven categories of knowledge, and 27 work activities important for STEM workers. We investigate the perspectives of STEM and non-STEM job incumbents, comparing the importance of each skill, knowledge, and work activity for the two groups. We aimed to condense dimensions of the 52 key areas by categorizing them according to the Katz and Kahn (1978) framework and testing for inter-rater reliability. Our findings show frameworks for 21st century skills and engineering education do not encompass all important STEM competencies. Implications for STEM education programs are discussed, including how they can bridge gaps between education and important workplace competencies.

Learning to Write Like a Scientist: A Writing-Intensive Course for Microbiology/Health Science Students †

PubMed Central

Grzyb, Kimi; Snyder, Wesley; Field, Katharine G.

2018-01-01

Learning the tools and conventions of expert communication in the sciences provides multiple benefits to bioscience students, yet often these skills are not formally taught. To address this need, we designed a writing-intensive microbiology course on emerging infectious diseases to provide upper-division students with science-specific writing skills along with disciplinary course content. The course followed the guidelines of our university’s Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) program. Students wrote a press release, a case study, a controversy/position paper, and a grant prospectus, and revised drafts after feedback. To assess the course, in 2015 and 2016 we administered pre-post surveys and collected writing samples for analysis. Students reported on their experience, training, skills, and knowledge before taking the course. They then rated the extent to which the assignments, lectures, in-class activities, and writing activities contributed to their attainment of the learning outcomes of the course. Students entering the class were inexperienced in tools of science writing and the specific genres covered by the class. Their confidence levels rose in both skills and knowledge. Feedback from instructors was cited as most helpful in the majority of the areas where students reported the most gains. The survey provided evidence that discipline-specific knowledge had been acquired through writing activities. Teaching science writing by allowing the students to write “fiction” (e.g., a case report about a fictional patient) was effective in maintaining a high level of interest, both in learning the conventions of the genre and in seeking out detailed information about emerging infectious diseases. Both the course structure and the specific assignments would be useful at other institutions to teach science writing. PMID:29904515

Predictors of Antenatal Care, Skilled Birth Attendance, and Postnatal Care Utilization among the Remote and Poorest Rural Communities of Zambia: A Multilevel Analysis.

PubMed

Jacobs, Choolwe; Moshabela, Mosa; Maswenyeho, Sitali; Lambo, Nildah; Michelo, Charles

2017-01-01

Optimal utilization of maternal health-care services is associated with reduction of mortality and morbidity for both mothers and their neonates. However, deficiencies and disparity in the use of key maternal health services within most developing countries still persist. We examined patterns and predictors associated with the utilization of specific indicators for maternal health services among mothers living in the poorest and remote district populations of Zambia. A cross-sectional baseline household survey was conducted in May 2012. A total of 551 mothers with children between the ages 0 and 5 months were sampled from 29 catchment areas in four rural and remote districts of Zambia using the lot quality assurance sampling method. Using multilevel modeling, we accounted for individual- and community-level factors associated with utilization of maternal health-care services, with a focus on antenatal care (ANC), skilled birth attendance (SBA), and postnatal care (PNC). Utilization rates of focused ANC, SBA, and PNC within 48 h were 30, 37, and 28%, respectively. The mother's ability to take an HIV test and receiving test results and uptake of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria were positive predictors of focused ANC. Receiving ANC at least once from skilled personnel was a significant predictor of SBA and PNC within 48 h after delivery. Women who live in centralized rural areas were more likely to use SBA than those living in remote rural areas. Utilization of maternal health services by mothers living among the remote and poor marginalized populations of Zambia is much lower than the national averages. Finding that women that receive ANC once from a skilled attendant among the remote and poorest populations are more likely to have a SBA and PNC, suggests the importance of contact with a skilled health worker even if it is just once, in influencing use of services. Therefore, it appears that in order for women in these marginalized communities to benefit from SBA and PNC, it is important for them to have at least one ANC provided by a skilled personnel, rather than non-skilled health-care providers.

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.

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

PubMed

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

2017-07-01

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

Neuropsychologic assessment of long-term survivors of childhood leukemia.

PubMed

Pfefferbaum-Levine, B; Copeland, D R; Fletcher, J M; Ried, H L; Jaffe, N; McKinnon, W R

1984-01-01

Thirty-two long-term survivors of childhood leukemia who were followed up at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital were evaluated with a battery of 17 neuropsychologic tests. These tests were selected to assess the development of cognitive skills and functions associated with brain impairment in children. Statistically significant differences were found between the group of children given CNS irradiation and the nonirradiated group on full-scale IQ and verbal IQ scores, mathematics skills, constructional skills, and memory for spatial material. Of particular interest was the absence of differences in language-based measures of verbal memory and the presence of group differences on measures of memory for spatial material. While the sample size was small, the findings delineate specific areas likely to be affected. These results indicate the need for caution when including cranial irradiation in CNS prophylaxis. When any CNS treatment is given, it seems appropriate that provisions be made for assessment and remediation of affected skills.

The Effects of Skill Training on Social Workers' Professional Competences in Norway: Results of a Cluster-Randomised Study

PubMed Central

Malmberg-Heimonen, Ira; Natland, Sidsel; Tøge, Anne Grete; Hansen, Helle Cathrine

2016-01-01

Using a cluster-randomised design, this study analyses the effects of a government-administered skill training programme for social workers in Norway. The training programme aims to improve social workers' professional competences by enhancing and systematising follow-up work directed towards longer-term unemployed clients in the following areas: encountering the user, system-oriented efforts and administrative work. The main tools and techniques of the programme are based on motivational interviewing and appreciative inquiry. The data comprise responses to baseline and eighteen-month follow-up questionnaires administered to all social workers (n = 99) in eighteen participating Labour and Welfare offices randomised into experimental and control groups. The findings indicate that the skill training programme positively affected the social workers' evaluations of their professional competences and quality of work supervision received. The acquisition and mastering of combinations of specific tools and techniques, a comprehensive supervision structure and the opportunity to adapt the learned skills to local conditions were important in explaining the results. PMID:27559232

How number line estimation skills relate to neural activations in single digit subtraction problems

PubMed Central

Berteletti, I.; Man, G.; Booth, J.R.

2014-01-01

The Number Line (NL) task requires judging the relative numerical magnitude of a number and estimating its value spatially on a continuous line. Children's skill on this task has been shown to correlate with and predict future mathematical competence. Neurofunctionally, this task has been shown to rely on brain regions involved in numerical processing. However, there is no direct evidence that performance on the NL task is related to brain areas recruited during arithmetical processing and that these areas are domain-specific to numerical processing. In this study, we test whether 8- to 14-year-old's behavioral performance on the NL task is related to fMRI activation during small and large single-digit subtraction problems. Domain-specific areas for numerical processing were independently localized through a numerosity judgment task. Results show a direct relation between NL estimation performance and the amount of the activation in key areas for arithmetical processing. Better NL estimators showed a larger problem size effect than poorer NL estimators in numerical magnitude (i.e., intraparietal sulcus) and visuospatial areas (i.e., posterior superior parietal lobules), marked by less activation for small problems. In addition, the direction of the activation with problem size within the IPS was associated to differences in accuracies for small subtraction problems. This study is the first to show that performance in the NL task, i.e. estimating the spatial position of a number on an interval, correlates with brain activity observed during single-digit subtraction problem in regions thought to be involved numerical magnitude and spatial processes. PMID:25497398

Is there any role for community involvement in the community-based health planning and services skilled delivery program in rural Ghana?

PubMed

Sakeah, Evelyn; McCloskey, Lois; Bernstein, Judith; Yeboah-Antwi, Kojo; Mills, Samuel; Doctor, Henry V

2014-08-11

In Ghana, between 1,400 and 3,900 women and girls die annually due to pregnancy related complications and an estimated two-thirds of these deaths occur in late pregnancy through to 48 hours after delivery. The Ghana Health Service piloted a strategy that involved training Community Health Officers (CHOs) as midwives to address the gap in skilled attendance in rural Upper East Region (UER). CHO-midwives collaborated with community members to provide skilled delivery services in rural areas. This paper presents findings from a study designed to assess the extent to which community residents and leaders participated in the skilled delivery program and the specific roles they played in its implementation and effectiveness. We employed an intrinsic case study design with a qualitative methodology. We conducted 29 in-depth interviews with health professionals and community stakeholders. We used a random sampling technique to select the CHO-midwives in three Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) zones for the interviews and a purposive sampling technique to identify and interview District Directors of Health Services from the three districts, the Regional Coordinator of the CHPS program and community stakeholders. Community members play a significant role in promoting skilled delivery care in CHPS zones in Ghana. We found that community health volunteers and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) helped to provide health education on skilled delivery care, and they also referred or accompanied their clients for skilled attendants at birth. The political authorities, traditional leaders, and community members provide resources to promote the skilled delivery program. Both volunteers and TBAs are given financial and non-financial incentives for referring their clients for skilled delivery. However, inadequate transportation, infrequent supply of drugs, attitude of nurses remains as challenges, hindering women accessing maternity services in rural areas. Mutual collaboration and engagement is possible between health professionals and community members for the skilled delivery program. Community leaders, traditional and political leaders, volunteers, and TBAs have all been instrumental to the success of the CHPS program in the UER, each in their unique way. However, there are problems confronting the program and we have provided recommendations to address these challenges.

LEARNING ABOUT LEARNING, A CONFERENCE REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BRUNER, JEROME

TO EXPLORE THE NATURE OF THE LEARNING PROCESS, THREE IMPORTANT PROBLEM AREAS WERE STUDIED. STUDIES IN THE FIRST AREA, ATTITUDINAL AND AFFECTIVE SKILLS, ARE CONCERNED WITH INDUCING A CHILD TO LEARN AND SUSTAINING HIS ATTENTION. STUDIES IN THE SECOND AREA, COGNITIVE SKILLS, SOUGHT TO DISCOVER WHETHER GENERAL IDEAS AND SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED IN SUCH A…

The Use of Simulations in a Teacher Education Program: The Impact on Student Development. A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sottile, James M., Jr.; Brozik, Dallas

2004-01-01

Simulations and games have been used in education for decades, but most of this development has been in the areas of business and economics. Well-designed simulations and games have been shown to improve decision-making and critical thinking skills as well as teaching discipline-specific concepts. Active learning also helps students develop…

The Power of Refutational Text: Changing Intuitions about the Interpretation of Box Plots

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lem, Stephanie; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim

2017-01-01

Graphicacy is an important skill in today's society; however, the interpretation of graphs proofs to be more difficult than it might seem. In this study, we focus on one specific misinterpretation, the area misinterpretation of box plots, which is caused by incorrect heuristic processing of salient features of the box plot. In this study, we tried…

Responding to Today's Mental Health Needs of Children, Families and Schools: Revisiting the Preservice Training and Preparation of School-Based Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koller, James R.; Bertel, Julie M.

2006-01-01

With the alarming increase in the mental health needs of youth today, traditional preservice preparation training programs for school-based personnel in the area of mental health are overwhelmingly insufficient. While school professionals often lack basic specific evidence-based knowledge and skills to identify and intervene with students at risk…

iPad versus Handwriting: Pilot Study Exploring the Writing Abilities of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corkett, Julie K.; Benevides, Tina

2016-01-01

Written expression is an essential skill to actively function in today's society. For many learners, especially those with a learning disability (LD), writing can be a source of frustration. Technology in its various forms, holds promise to assist students in this area. The current study examines the role that tablet technology, specifically,…

Leadership Behaviors at Air War College

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

study has primarily focused on three areas: traits, behaviors, and situational approaches.2 Traits Leadership trait theory addresses specific traits...behavior theory has been prominent for thirty years5; however, more recently situational leadership theories have received primary attention... leadership traits, skills, or behaviors which are relevant.7 This theory is useful to this study because the situation may translate to where one’s level

Writing over Time: An Analysis of Texts Created by Year One Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackenzie, Noella M.; Scull, Janet; Bowles, Terry

2015-01-01

Writing is a key area of literacy in the early years, however writing receives less research attention than reading despite its impact on students' learning generally, and literacy development specifically. Writing skills have also been shown to be quite stable--good writers in the early years stay good writers in the later years. Therefore it is…

Closing the Gap in Education and Technology. World Bank Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Ferranti, David; Perry, Guillermo E.; Gill, Indermit; Guasch, J. Luis; Maloney, William F.; Sanchez-Paramo, Carolina; Schady, Norbert

This document examines the gap between the Latin America and Caribbean region and the world's developed nations in the areas of education and technology. It also examines policies and strategies to close the gap. The following are among the specific topics discussed: (1) skills upgrading and innovation policies (the major actors; the role of…

The Analysis of the Emotional Intelligence Skills and Potential Problem Areas of Elementary Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufhold, John A.; Johnson, Lori R.

2005-01-01

The study's purpose was to examine emotional intelligence skills and potential problem areas of elementary educators. The study provided elementary educators with a self-assessment of emotional intelligence skills to utilize in the workplace and beyond. An improved understanding of personal skills and weaknesses may lessen educator's risk of…

What type of leader am I?: a training needs analysis of health library and information managers.

PubMed

Sutton, Anthea; Booth, Andrew

2012-03-01

Leadership is a necessary facet of professional practice for health library and information managers (HLIMs). Several training needs analyses (TNA) in the health library and information services field have been conducted in recent years, all identifying a need for professional development in leadership skills. However, these previous TNAs have not focused on specific elements of leadership skills required by health library and information managers. The National Library for Health (NLH) commissioned the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield to conduct a TNA where HLIMs assess their current leadership skills and identify any future development needs in this area. The results would inform a programme of influencing skills workshops. HLIMs in the UK were invited to complete a self-assessment online questionnaire. The questionnaire utilised items from Manning and Robertson's Influencing Skills Style Profile (ISSP). This allowed the results to be characterised by influencing 'style'. HLIMs considered themselves to have strengths in the leadership areas of influencing, negotiating, managing change and delivering presentations to decision-makers. They identified significant development needs in communicating with stakeholders, conflict resolution, using body language and being assertive. Most HLIMs demonstrated two collaborative styles identified by the ISSP, namely strategic collaborator and opportunistic collaborator. In difficult times, HLIMs may need to adapt to more of an 'opportunistic-battler' influencing style. It is important that HLIMs not only assess their own leadership skills but also that they take opportunities to employ 360(°) feedback, comprising assessment from subordinates, peers and supervisors. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

Impairment of a parieto-premotor network specialized for handwriting in writer's cramp.

PubMed

Gallea, Cecile; Horovitz, Silvina G; Najee-Ullah, Muslimah 'Ali; Hallett, Mark

2016-12-01

Handwriting with the dominant hand is a highly skilled task singularly acquired in humans. This skill is the isolated deficit in patients with writer's cramp (WC), a form of dystonia with maladaptive plasticity, acquired through intensive and repetitive motor practice. When a skill is highly trained, a motor program is created in the brain to execute the same movement kinematics regardless of the effector used for the task. The task- and effector-specific symptoms in WC suggest that a problem particularly occurs in the brain when the writing motor program is carried out by the dominant hand. In this MRI study involving 12 WC patients (with symptoms only affecting the right dominant hand during writing) and 15 age matched unaffected controls we showed that: (1) the writing program recruited the same network regardless of the effector used to write in both groups; (2) dominant handwriting recruited a segregated parieto-premotor network only in the control group; (3) local structural alteration of the premotor area, the motor component of this network, predicted functional connectivity deficits during dominant handwriting and symptom duration in the patient group. Dysfunctions and structural abnormalities of a segregated parieto-premotor network in WC patients suggest that network specialization in focal brain areas is crucial for well-learned motor skill. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4363-4375, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Self-assessment of intercultural communication skills: a survey of physicians and medical students in Geneva, Switzerland

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Physicians working with multicultural populations need to know how to elicit the patient's understanding of the illness; determine the patient's sociocultural context and identify any issues that might affect care; communicate effectively across patient-provider social and cultural differences; and collaborate effectively with an interpreter. Skills self-assessment can contribute to identifying training needs and monitoring skills development in these areas. Methods As part of a larger study exploring the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Geneva physicians and medical students regarding the care of immigrant patients, we asked respondents to self-rate their ability to perform a range of common yet challenging intercultural communication tasks. Results Overall, respondents rated themselves less competent at intercultural tasks than at basic medical skills and less competent at specific intercultural communication skills than at general intercultural skills. Qualified doctors (as opposed to students), those with greater interest in caring for immigrants, and those who rarely encountered difficulties with immigrants rated themselves significantly more competent for all clinical tasks. Having a higher percentage of immigrant patients and previous cultural competence training predicted greater self-rated intercultural communication skills. Conclusion Our self-assessment results suggest that students and physicians should be provided with the opportunity to practice intercultural skills with immigrant patients as part of their cultural competence training. To strengthen the validity of self-assessment measures, they should ideally be combined with more objective methods to assess actual skills. PMID:21884609

Estimating the market for nursing personnel in North Carolina.

PubMed

Cleary, B L; Lacey, L M; Beck-Warden, M

1998-01-01

To facilitate nurse workforce planning in the United States at the state level, the North Carolina Center for Nursing conducted a statewide survey of nurse employers to describe the current market for nurses; identify the types of nursing personnel in short supply; estimate the effect of organizational changes on nursing demand; examine preferences for RNs with varying levels of education; and identify the specific skills or competencies desired by employers. Descriptive. A geographically stratified random sample of 909 nurse-employing organizations in North Carolina was surveyed in 1996 by telephone. A total of 667 interviews were completed for a response rate of 78%. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses are reported. A nursing labor market was found characterized by uncertainty in hospitals, particularly those undergoing reorganization, but of definite growth outside of hospitals. Demand is increasing for unlicensed assistive personnel, RNs with baccalaureate degrees, some advanced practice RNs, and in hospitals, for RNs with master's degrees in management. Recruitment continues to be a major challenge to hospitals in specialty areas, particularly critical care and surgery. In the community sector, demand is strong for all types of nursing personnel. Tests for substitution of specific types of nursing personnel revealed no systematic substitution by employers. Critical thinking and management skills were competencies most valued by hospital employers while specific clinical competencies, including assessment skills and technical skills, received priority emphasis by community-based employers. Although change is occurring in the health system of North Carolina, there remains a strong demand for nursing personnel. The findings pose a challenge to produce a nursing workforce sufficient in numbers and education.

Language-Independent and Language-Specific Aspects of Early Literacy: An Evaluation of the Common Underlying Proficiency Model.

PubMed

Goodrich, J Marc; Lonigan, Christopher J

2017-08-01

According to the common underlying proficiency model (Cummins, 1981), as children acquire academic knowledge and skills in their first language, they also acquire language-independent information about those skills that can be applied when learning a second language. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relevance of the common underlying proficiency model for the early literacy skills of Spanish-speaking language-minority children using confirmatory factor analysis. Eight hundred fifty-eight Spanish-speaking language-minority preschoolers (mean age = 60.83 months, 50.2% female) participated in this study. Results indicated that bifactor models that consisted of language-independent as well as language-specific early literacy factors provided the best fits to the data for children's phonological awareness and print knowledge skills. Correlated factors models that only included skills specific to Spanish and English provided the best fits to the data for children's oral language skills. Children's language-independent early literacy skills were significantly related across constructs and to language-specific aspects of early literacy. Language-specific aspects of early literacy skills were significantly related within but not across languages. These findings suggest that language-minority preschoolers have a common underlying proficiency for code-related skills but not language-related skills that may allow them to transfer knowledge across languages.

Getting to the Root of Fine Motor Skill Performance in Dentistry: Brain Activity During Dental Tasks in a Virtual Reality Haptic Simulation

PubMed Central

Bridges, Susan M; Zhu, Frank; Leung, W Keung; Burrow, Michael F; Poolton, Jamie; Masters, Rich SW

2017-01-01

Background There is little evidence considering the relationship between movement-specific reinvestment (a dimension of personality which refers to the propensity for individuals to consciously monitor and control their movements) and working memory during motor skill performance. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measuring oxyhemoglobin demands in the frontal cortex during performance of virtual reality (VR) psychomotor tasks can be used to examine this research gap. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the potential relationship between the propensity to reinvest and blood flow to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices of the brain. A secondary aim was to determine the propensity to reinvest and performance during 2 dental tasks carried out using haptic VR simulators. Methods We used fNIRS to assess oxygen demands in 24 undergraduate dental students during 2 dental tasks (clinical, nonclinical) on a VR haptic simulator. We used the Movement-Specific Reinvestment Scale questionnaire to assess the students’ propensity to reinvest. Results Students with a high propensity for movement-specific reinvestment displayed significantly greater oxyhemoglobin demands in an area associated with working memory during the nonclinical task (Spearman correlation, rs=.49, P=.03). Conclusions This small-scale study suggests that neurophysiological differences are evident between high and low reinvesters during a dental VR task in terms of oxyhemoglobin demands in an area associated with working memory. PMID:29233801

Educational audit on drug dose calculation learning in a Tanzanian school of nursing.

PubMed

Savage, Angela Ruth

2015-06-01

Patient safety is a key concern for nurses; ability to calculate drug doses correctly is an essential skill to prevent and reduce medication errors. Literature suggests that nurses' drug calculation skills should be monitored. The aim of the study was to conduct an educational audit on drug dose calculation learning in a Tanzanian school of nursing. Specific objectives were to assess learning from targeted teaching, to identify problem areas in performance and to identify ways in which these problem areas might be addressed. A total of 268 registered nurses and nursing students in two year groups of a nursing degree programme were the subjects for the audit; they were given a pretest, then four hours of teaching, a post-test after two weeks and a second post-test after eight weeks. There was a statistically significant improvement in correct answers in the first post-test, but none between the first and second post-tests. Particular problems with drug calculations were identified by the nurses / students, and the teacher; these identified problems were not congruent. Further studies in different settings using different methods of teaching, planned continuing education for all qualified nurses, and appropriate pass marks for students in critical skills are recommended.

Relationship between AOD and synoptic circulation over the Eastern Mediterranean: A comparison between subjective and objective classifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodenheimer, Shalev; Nirel, Ronit; Lensky, Itamar M.; Dayan, Uri

2018-03-01

The Eastern Mediterranean (EM) Basin is strongly affected by dust originating from two of the largest world sources: The Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula. Climatologically, the distribution pattern of aerosol optical depth (AOD), as proxy to particulate matter (PM), is known to be correlated with synoptic circulation. The climatological relationship between circulation type classifications (CTCs) and AOD levels over the EM Basin ("synoptic skill") was examined for the years 2000-2014. We compared the association between subjective (expert-based) and objective (fully automated) classifications and AOD using autoregressive models. After seasonal adjustment, the mean values of R2 for the different methods were similar. However, the distinct spatial pattern of the R2 values suggests that subjective classifications perform better in their area of expertise, specifically in the southeast region of the study area, while, objective CTCs had better synoptic skill over the northern part of the EM. This higher synoptic skill of subjective CTCs stem from their ability to identify distinct circulation types (e.g. Sharav lows and winter lows) that are infrequent but are highly correlated with AOD. Notably, a simple CTC based on seasonality rather than meteorological parameters predicted well AOD levels, especially over the south-eastern part of the domain. Synoptic classifications that are area-oriented are likely better predictors of AOD and possibly other environmental variables.

The Basic Study Skills Guide for Grades K-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to elementary school students, kindergarten through grade six. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a…

The Basic Study Skills Curriculum Guide for Grades 10-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to high school students, grades ten through twelve. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a kindergarten…

The Basic Study Skills Curriculum Guide for Grades 7-9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to junior high school students, grades seven through nine. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a…

The Case of Composition Questions in the Examinations of Turkish Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taga, Tahir; Unlu, Suleyman; Ozturk, Huseyin

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Writing is a skill area that is difficult to teach and evaluate. The fact that writing is a complex skill including many factors underlies on the basis of these difficulties. Such factors as grammar, writing and punctuation, language and expression, text linguistics and thinking skills, which are knowledge and skill areas all by…

Interactions between dorsal and ventral streams for controlling skilled grasp

PubMed Central

van Polanen, Vonne; Davare, Marco

2015-01-01

The two visual systems hypothesis suggests processing of visual information into two distinct routes in the brain: a dorsal stream for the control of actions and a ventral stream for the identification of objects. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that the dorsal and ventral streams are not strictly independent, but do interact with each other. In this paper, we argue that the interactions between dorsal and ventral streams are important for controlling complex object-oriented hand movements, especially skilled grasp. Anatomical studies have reported the existence of direct connections between dorsal and ventral stream areas. These physiological interconnections appear to be gradually more active as the precision demands of the grasp become higher. It is hypothesised that the dorsal stream needs to retrieve detailed information about object identity, stored in ventral stream areas, when the object properties require complex fine-tuning of the grasp. In turn, the ventral stream might receive up to date grasp-related information from dorsal stream areas to refine the object internal representation. Future research will provide direct evidence for which specific areas of the two streams interact, the timing of their interactions and in which behavioural context they occur. PMID:26169317

The role of imitation in video-based interventions for children with autism.

PubMed

Lindsay, C J; Moore, D W; Anderson, A; Dillenburger, K

2013-08-01

The aim of this paper is to bridge the gap between the corpus of imitation research and video-based intervention (VBI) research, and consider the impact imitation skills may be having on VBI outcomes and highlight potential areas for improving efficacy. A review of the imitation literature was conducted focusing on imitation skill deficits in children with autism followed by a critical review of the video modelling literature focusing on pre-intervention assessment of imitation skills and the impact imitation deficits may have on VBI outcomes. Children with autism have specific imitation deficits, which may impact VBI outcomes. Imitation training or procedural modifications made to videos may accommodate for these deficits. There are only six studies where VBI researchers have taken pre-intervention imitation assessments using an assortment of imitation measures. More research is required to develop a standardised multi-dimensional imitation assessment battery that can better inform VBI.

Selective deficits in verbal working memory associated with a known genetic etiology: The neuropsychological profile of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

PubMed Central

HINTON, VERONICA J.; DE VIVO, DARRYL C.; NEREO, NANCY E.; GOLDSTEIN, EDWARD; STERN, YAAKOV

2007-01-01

Forty-one boys diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) were each compared to an unaffected sibling on a battery of neuropsychological tests. Verbal, visuospatial, attention/memory, abstract thinking, and academic achievement skills were tested. Results indicated the boys with DMD performed similarly to their siblings on the majority of measures, indicating intact verbal, visuospatial, long-term memory, and abstract skills. However, the DMD group did significantly more poorly than their siblings on specific measures of story recall, digit span, and auditory comprehension, as well as in all areas of academic achievement (reading, writing, and math). This profile indicates that verbal working memory skills are selectively impaired in DMD, and that that likely contributes to limited academic achievement. The association between the known impact of the genetic mutation on the development of the central nervous system and boys’ cognitive profile is discussed. PMID:11253841

A review of Savant Syndrome and its possible relationship to epilepsy.

PubMed

Hughes, John R

2010-02-01

The goal of this article is to review Savant Syndrome, characterized by outstanding islands of mental ability in otherwise handicapped individuals. Two forms exist: the congenital form and the acquired form. Among the many examples of the congenital form are the calendar calculators, who can quickly provide the day of the week for any date in the past; the musical savants, who have perfect pitch; and the hyperlexics, who (in one case) can read a page in 8s and recall the text later at a 99% level. Other types of talents and artistic skills involving three-dimensional drawing, map memory, poetry, painting, and sculpturing are also observed. One savant could recite without error the value of Pi to 22,514 places. Persons with the acquired form develop outstanding skills after brain injury or disease, usually involving the left frontotemporal area. This type of injury seems to inhibit the "tyranny of the left hemisphere," allowing the right hemisphere to develop the savant skills. Another way to inhibit the left frontotemporal area is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation in normal subjects; nearly one-half of these subjects can then perform new skills during the stimulation that they could not perform before. This type of finding indicates the potential in all of us for the development of savant skills in special circumstances. Explanations of congenital Savant Syndrome include enhanced local connectivity as a compensation for underconnectivity of long-range fibers, but also weak central coherence, replaced by great attention to detail, enhanced perceptual functioning, and obsessive preoccupation with specific interests. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The comparative accuracy of rapid diagnostic test with microscopy to diagnose malaria in subdistrict lima puluh batubara regency North Sumatera province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezeki, S.; Pasaribu, A. P.

2018-03-01

Indonesia is the country where malaria is still the most common population problem. The high rate of mortality and morbidity occurred due to delays in diagnosis whichis strongly influenced by the availability of diagnostic tools and personnel with required laboratory skill. This diagnostic study aims to compare the accuracy of a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) without skill requirement, to agold standard microscopic method for malaria diagnosis. The study was conducted in Subdistrict Lima Puluh North Sumatera Province from December 2015 to January 2016. The subject was taken cross-sectionally from a population with characteristics typically found in malaria patients in Subdistrict Lima Puluh. The result showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 72.4% with a positive predictive value of 89.9% and a negative predictive value of 100%; the negative likelihood ratio is 0 and the positive likelihood ratio of 27.6 for Parascreen. This research indicates that Parascreen had a high sensitivity and specificity and may be consideredas an alternative for the diagnosis of malaria in Subdistrict Lima Puluh North Sumatera Province especially in areas where no skilled microscopist is available.

Recruiting as much about families as candidate

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

Madison, Alison L.

2011-06-05

Monthly economic diversity column for Tri-City Herald: For businesses large and small, one of the biggest challenges to staying afloat and achieving growth is attracting and retaining key talent. And in an area such as the Tri-Cities, where many of our skilled professionals are geographical transplants and the technology-based economic growth we seek often requires highly specific skill sets, effective recruiting is especially critical. But it isn’t just about matching candidates with open positions and signing on the dotted line. In fact, members of the Three Rivers Entrepreneur Network were reminded at a recent presentation that recruiting is very muchmore » about attracting the family unit.« less

Development in children with achondroplasia: a prospective clinical cohort study.

PubMed

Ireland, Penelope J; Donaghey, Samantha; McGill, James; Zankl, Andreas; Ware, Robert S; Pacey, Verity; Ault, Jenny; Savarirayan, Ravi; Sillence, David; Thompson, Elizabeth; Townshend, Sharron; Johnston, Leanne M

2012-06-01

Achondroplasia is characterized by delays in the development of communication and motor skills. While previously reported developmental profiles exist across gross motor, fine motor, feeding, and communication skills, there has been no prospective study of development across multiple areas simultaneously. This Australasian population-based study utilized a prospective questionnaire to quantify developmental data for skills in children born from 2000 to 2009. Forty-eight families from Australia and New Zealand were asked to report every 3 months on their child's attainment of 41 milestones. Results include reference to previously available prospective information. Information from questionnaires was used to develop an achondroplasia-specific developmental recording form. The 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th centiles were plotted to offer clear guidelines for development across gross motor, fine motor, feeding, and communication skills in children with achondroplasia. Consistent with results from previous research, children with achondroplasia are delayed in development of gross motor and ambulatory skills. Young children with achondroplasia demonstrate a number of unique movement strategies that appear compensatory for the biomechanical changes. While delays were seen in development of later communication items, there were fewer delays seen across development of early communication, fine motor, and feeding skills. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2012 Mac Keith Press.

Annotation: the savant syndrome.

PubMed

Heaton, Pamela; Wallace, Gregory L

2004-07-01

Whilst interest has focused on the origin and nature of the savant syndrome for over a century, it is only within the past two decades that empirical group studies have been carried out. The following annotation briefly reviews relevant research and also attempts to address outstanding issues in this research area. Traditionally, savants have been defined as intellectually impaired individuals who nevertheless display exceptional skills within specific domains. However, within the extant literature, cases of savants with developmental and other clinical disorders, but with average intellectual functioning, are increasingly reported. We thus propose that focus should diverge away from IQ scores to encompass discrepancies between functional impairments and unexpected skills. It has long been observed that savant skills are more prevalent in individuals with autism than in those with other disorders. Therefore, in this annotation we seek to explore the parameters of the savant syndrome by considering these skills within the context of neuropsychological accounts of autism. A striking finding amongst those with savant skills, but without the diagnosis of autism, is the presence of cognitive features and behavioural traits associated with the disorder. We thus conclude that autism (or autistic traits) and savant skills are inextricably linked and we should therefore look to autism in our quest to solve the puzzle of the savant syndrome. Copyright 2004 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Relationships Between Social-Emotional Intelligence and Sexual Risk Behaviors in Adolescent Girls

PubMed Central

Lando-King, Elizabeth; McRee, Annie-Laurie; Gower, Amy L.; Shlafer, Rebecca J.; McMorris, Barbara J.; Pettingell, Sandra; Sieving, Renee E.

2015-01-01

Social-emotional intelligence (SEI) has been linked with a number of health behaviors in adolescent populations. However, little is known about the influence of SEI on sexual behavior. This study examined associations between three indicators of SEI (intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, stress management skills) and adolescent girls’ sexual risk behaviors. Data come from a cross-sectional sample of sexually active adolescent girls (ages 13 to 17 years) at high risk for pregnancy (N = 253), recruited from health care clinics in a Midwest metropolitan area during 2007 and 2008. Results of multivariable regression models controlling for participants’ age and race/ethnicity indicated that each aspect of SEI was related to distinct sexual risk behaviors. Specifically, girls with greater intrapersonal skills had significantly fewer male sex partners in the past six months (b = −0.16). Participants with greater interpersonal skills reported earlier communication with their sexual partner about sexual risk (b = 0.14), and those with a better ability to manage stress reported more consistent condom use (b = 0.31). Study findings suggest that SEI may provide a protective buffer against sexual risk behaviors. Building adolescent girls’ social and emotional skills may be an effective strategy for reducing their risk for early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. PMID:25621508

The role of older siblings in infant motor development.

PubMed

Leonard, Hayley C; Hill, Elisabeth L

2016-12-01

Previous research has suggested that infant motor skills may be affected by older siblings but has not considered whether this is due to specific characteristics of the older sibling or of the quality of the sibling relationship. The current study used a longitudinal diary method to record infant motor milestones from 23 infants with older siblings along with parent reports and standardized assessments of motor skills. Parent reports of the older siblings' motor skills and the sibling relationship were also collected until the infants were 18months old. The motor skills, age, and sex of the older siblings were not significantly related to any measure of infant motor development. A significant correlation was revealed between perceived agonism between siblings and infant fine motor skills at 18months, suggesting the importance of considering reciprocal effects of motor development on sibling relationships. Overall, the suggestion that older siblings may provide a good model of motor skills for infants is not supported by the current data. In the future, it will be important to assess the dynamic interactions between different factors in predicting infant motor development, allowing early identification of motor difficulties, which could affect other areas of cognitive development and health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of cognitive skills between completes and dropouts in a college physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, H. T.

Separate tests of mathematics skills, proportions and translations between words, and mathematical expression given the first week of class were correlated with performance for students who completed a college physics course (completes) and students who dropped the course (drops). None of the measures used discriminated between completes and drops as groups. However, the correlations between score on the test of math skills and on both of the measures involving mathematical reasoning (proportions, and translations) were dramatically different for the two groups. For the completes, these correlations were slightly negative, but not significant. For the drops, the correlation was positive and signficant at the p < 0.01 level. This suggests the possibility that the students who complete the course tend to have independent cognitive skills for the mechanical mathematical operations and for questions requiring some degree of reasoning, while, in contrast, the same skills for students at high risk for dropping overlap significantly. The study also found that when students are given the results of mathematics skills tests in a diagnostic mode, with feedback on specific areas of weakness and time to remediate with self study, the correlation between mathematics and physics is lower than previously reported values.Received: 2 April 1985

Nature Elements and Fundamental Motor Skill Development Opportunities at Five Elementary School Districts in British Columbia

PubMed Central

Lim, Christopher; Donovan, Andrew M.; Naylor, Patti-Jean

2017-01-01

The majority of Canadian children are not physically active enough for healthy development. School playgrounds are a primary location to promote physical activity and motor skill practice. The benefits of children’s play in nature have also been highlighted, but few studies have evaluated children’s access and exposure to nature for play on school grounds. This study examined children’s access to nature on school grounds and the opportunities afforded by those natural elements for motor skill practice. Results: Extensive naturescapes (multiple nature elements in one setting) were not common, and natural elements were limited, ranging from 1.97 to 5.71 elements/school. The most common element was a forested area (26.5% of all natural elements identified). In comparison to built structures, the number of natural elements was low. Some elements differed between school districts and appeared to be related to local geography and terrain (hilly, rocky terrain, tidal flats, etc.). Our assessment showed that naturescape elements afforded opportunities for the development of some key fundamental motor skills (FMS), specifically, locomotor and stability skills, but opportunities to develop manipulative skills were limited. To maximize potential FMS development, physical literacy, and psycho-social benefits, additional elements or more comprehensive multi-element naturescapes and facilitation (social or environmental) are recommended. PMID:29064430

Nature Elements and Fundamental Motor Skill Development Opportunities at Five Elementary School Districts in British Columbia.

PubMed

Lim, Christopher; Donovan, Andrew M; Harper, Nevin J; Naylor, Patti-Jean

2017-10-24

The majority of Canadian children are not physically active enough for healthy development. School playgrounds are a primary location to promote physical activity and motor skill practice. The benefits of children's play in nature have also been highlighted, but few studies have evaluated children's access and exposure to nature for play on school grounds. This study examined children's access to nature on school grounds and the opportunities afforded by those natural elements for motor skill practice. Extensive naturescapes (multiple nature elements in one setting) were not common, and natural elements were limited, ranging from 1.97 to 5.71 elements/school. The most common element was a forested area (26.5% of all natural elements identified). In comparison to built structures, the number of natural elements was low. Some elements differed between school districts and appeared to be related to local geography and terrain (hilly, rocky terrain, tidal flats, etc.). Our assessment showed that naturescape elements afforded opportunities for the development of some key fundamental motor skills (FMS), specifically, locomotor and stability skills, but opportunities to develop manipulative skills were limited. To maximize potential FMS development, physical literacy, and psycho-social benefits, additional elements or more comprehensive multi-element naturescapes and facilitation (social or environmental) are recommended.

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…

An Investigation of Early Career Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Opportunities and Career Advancement for Teachers in Rural and Remote Queensland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motley, Emma; Rossi, Tony; King, Sheila

2005-01-01

It is generally accepted that to live and work in the remote regions of Australia requires specific skills and expertise to accommodate the shifting demands of outback life. For professionals assigned to such areas by employing bodies, this is particularly the case, and teachers are no exception. In addition to such personal attributes,…

Research in Science Education. Volume 13. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Australian Science Education Research Association (14th, University of Waikato, New Zealand, May 1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tisher, Richard P., Ed.

1983-01-01

This publication contains a review of trends in research over the past decade followed by 24 studies focusing on cognitive structure, instructional strategies, curricular issues, and attitudes. Among the specific areas investigated are: concept maps as reflectors of conceptual understanding; equations, translations, and number skills in learning…

Staff Specialist Survival Course

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

acquisition acumen and critical thinking . These areas of expertise add to the staff specialist’s tool box. We enhance the experience with the case study...learner to the documents’ intent and provides an understanding of the formats used. Building Critical Thinking Skills The ability to think ...specifically de- veloped for staff specialists—ATL 900. This course provides not Defense AT&L: March-April 2016 52 only problem-solving solutions, critical

Specification of Training Simulator Fidelity: A Research Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

Knowlede --Dunnette (1976) has recently reviewed the literature in the areas of human skills, abilities, and knowledges. The establishment of what types... management 6. Other than rational user responses to R&D studies and to training simulators 7. Deficiencies in training simulator design 23...proficient at managing the introduction of training innovations by applying those factors that can be controlled to influence acceptance. (p. 19) The

Concept Formation Skills in Long-Term Cochlear Implant Users

PubMed Central

Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G.; Beer, Jessica; Colson, Bethany G.; Henning, Shirley C.; Ditmars, Allison; Pisoni, David B.

2015-01-01

This study investigated if a period of auditory sensory deprivation followed by degraded auditory input and related language delays affects visual concept formation skills in long-term prelingually deaf cochlear implant (CI) users. We also examined if concept formation skills are mediated or moderated by other neurocognitive domains (i.e., language, working memory, and executive control). Relative to normally hearing (NH) peers, CI users displayed significantly poorer performance in several specific areas of concept formation, especially when multiple comparisons and relational concepts were components of the task. Differences in concept formation between CI users and NH peers were fully explained by differences in language and inhibition–concentration skills. Language skills were also found to be more strongly related to concept formation in CI users than in NH peers. The present findings suggest that complex relational concepts may be adversely affected by a period of early prelingual deafness followed by access to underspecified and degraded sound patterns and spoken language transmitted by a CI. Investigating a unique clinical population such as early-implanted prelingually deaf children with CIs can provide new insights into foundational brain–behavior relations and developmental processes. PMID:25583706

Performance Assessment of Counseling Skills Based on Specific Theories: Acquisition, Retention and Transfer to Actual Counseling Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefle, Scott; Smaby, Marlowe H.; Packman, Jill; Maddux, Cleborne D.

2007-01-01

The purposes of the present study were to determine if (a) students trained to demonstrate specific skills learn these skills and transfer them to actual counseling sessions; (b) mastery of counseling skills differs by students' adherence to one of four general counseling theories; (c) mastery of counseling skills is related to counseling goal…

Acquisition of background and technical information and class trip planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackinnon, R. M.; Wake, W. H.

1981-01-01

Instructors who are very familiar with a study area, as well as those who are not, find the field trip information acquisition and planning process speeded and made more effective by organizing it in stages. The stage follow a deductive progression: from the associated context region, to the study area, to the specific sample window sites, and from generalized background information on the study region to specific technical data on the environmental and human use systems to be interpreted at each site. On the class trip and in the follow up laboratory, the learning/interpretive process are at first deductive in applying previously learned information and skills to analysis of the study site, then inductive in reading and interpreting the landscape, imagery, and maps of the site, correlating them with information of other samples sites and building valid generalizations about the larger study area, its context region, and other (similar and/or contrasting) regions.

A protocol for a three-arm cluster randomized controlled superiority trial investigating the effects of two pedagogical methodologies in Swedish preschool settings on language and communication, executive functions, auditive selective attention, socioemotional skills and early maths skills.

PubMed

Gerholm, Tove; Hörberg, Thomas; Tonér, Signe; Kallioinen, Petter; Frankenberg, Sofia; Kjällander, Susanne; Palmer, Anna; Taguchi, Hillevi Lenz

2018-06-19

During the preschool years, children develop abilities and skills in areas crucial for later success in life. These abilities include language, executive functions, attention, and socioemotional skills. The pedagogical methods used in preschools hold the potential to enhance these abilities, but our knowledge of which pedagogical practices aid which abilities, and for which children, is limited. The aim of this paper is to describe an intervention study designed to evaluate and compare two pedagogical methodologies in terms of their effect on the above-mentioned skills in Swedish preschool children. The study is a randomized control trial (RCT) where two pedagogical methodologies were tested to evaluate how they enhanced children's language, executive functions and attention, socioemotional skills, and early maths skills during an intensive 6-week intervention. Eighteen preschools including 28 units and 432 children were enrolled in a municipality close to Stockholm, Sweden. The children were between 4;0 and 6;0 years old and each preschool unit was randomly assigned to either of the interventions or to the control group. Background information on all children was collected via questionnaires completed by parents and preschools. Pre- and post-intervention testing consisted of a test battery including tests on language, executive functions, selective auditive attention, socioemotional skills and early maths skills. The interventions consisted of 6 weeks of intensive practice of either a socioemotional and material learning paradigm (SEMLA), for which group-based activities and interactional structures were the main focus, or an individual, digitally implemented attention and math training paradigm, which also included a set of self-regulation practices (DIL). All preschools were evaluated with the ECERS-3. If this intervention study shows evidence of a difference between group-based learning paradigms and individual training of specific skills in terms of enhancing children's abilities in fundamental areas like language, executive functions and attention, socioemotional skills and early math, this will have big impact on the preschool agenda in the future. The potential for different pedagogical methodologies to have different impacts on children of different ages and with different backgrounds invites a wider discussion within the field of how to develop a preschool curriculum suited for all children.

Motivation and learning styles in young children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Wishart, J

2001-10-01

There are both psychological and biological reasons to expect that certain areas of learning will present young children with Down syndrome with significant problems. Knowledge of the neurological underpinnings of these specific difficulties can often allow compensatory teaching strategies to be put in place, however, and some of these have proved highly effective. The impact of the psychological environment on the progress of development in children with Down syndrome is less well understood. Experience of how others respond to their attempts at understanding the physical and social world and the balance of successes and failures they experience in their early learning are both likely to influence the approach to learning adopted when faced with mastering new skills. Findings from inter-linking studies of cognitive and socio-cognitive development which have explored learning behaviours at different ages and at different developmental stages illustrate how a learning style can sometimes evolve over time in which less than efficient use is made of current levels of cognitive ability. Social ploys are sometimes used to avoid engagement in learning, with the net effect that opportunities to learn new skills are not fully exploited and old skills are sometimes inadequately consolidated. Findings of a misuse of social skills in cognitive contexts do not necessarily provide support for the widely-held view that social understanding is an area of strength in children with Down syndrome and less vulnerable to disruption than cognitive development. Data from a recent study of face-processing abilities suggest that there may in fact be a specific weakness in a fundamental skill normally underpinning the development of social understanding: the ability to recognise differences in emotional expressions. The children with Down syndrome in this study had few problems in correctly identifying individual faces but evidenced difficulties in reliably interpreting the emotional expressions portrayed in these faces. These findings are consistent with the emerging picture of neurological disruption in Down syndrome and with what is known of the neurology underlying this key component in social cognition. As most learning takes place in a social context, the findings have implications for adult-child and child-child learning partnerships and would seem to merit further investigation.

Musical Creativity “Revealed” in Brain Structure: Interplay between Motor, Default Mode, and Limbic Networks

PubMed Central

Bashwiner, David M.; Wertz, Christopher J.; Flores, Ranee A.; Jung, Rex E.

2016-01-01

Creative behaviors are among the most complex that humans engage in, involving not only highly intricate, domain-specific knowledge and skill, but also domain-general processing styles and the affective drive to create. This study presents structural imaging data indicating that musically creative people (as indicated by self-report) have greater cortical surface area or volume in a) regions associated with domain-specific higher-cognitive motor activity and sound processing (dorsal premotor cortex, supplementary and pre-supplementary motor areas, and planum temporale), b) domain-general creative-ideation regions associated with the default mode network (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and temporal pole), and c) emotion-related regions (orbitofrontal cortex, temporal pole, and amygdala). These findings suggest that domain-specific musical expertise, default-mode cognitive processing style, and intensity of emotional experience might all coordinate to motivate and facilitate the drive to create music. PMID:26888383

Specific Early Number Skills Mediate the Association between Executive Functioning Skills and Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuhs, Mary Wagner; Hornburg, Caroline Byrd; McNeil, Nicole M.

2016-01-01

A growing literature reports significant associations between children's executive functioning skills and their mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine if specific early number skills, such as quantity discrimination, number line estimation, number sets identification, fast counting, and number word comprehension, mediate…

The effects of gender, motor skills and play area on the free play activities of 8-11 year old school children.

PubMed

Harten, Nathan; Olds, Tim; Dollman, Jim

2008-09-01

Two studies were conducted to examine the interactions between gender, play area, motor skills and free play activity in 8-11 year old school children. In both studies, boys were more active than girls. In boys, but not in girls, energy expenditure was greater for high-skill than for low-skill children (p = 0.0002), and increased as play area increased (p = 0.01). These results suggest that motor skills and play space are important variables in determining the free play activity of boys, but not of girls. This may be related to widely different play styles among boys and girls.

Identifying nontechnical skills associated with safety in the emergency department: a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Flowerdew, Lynsey; Brown, Ruth; Vincent, Charles; Woloshynowych, Maria

2012-05-01

Understanding the nontechnical skills specifically applicable to the emergency department (ED) is essential to facilitate training and more broadly consider interventions to reduce error. The aim of this scoping review is to first identify and then explore in depth the nontechnical skills linked to safety in the ED. The review was conducted in 2 stages. In stage 1, online databases were searched for published empirical studies linking nontechnical skills to safety and performance in the ED. Articles were analyzed to identify key ED nontechnical skills. In stage 2, these key skills were used to generate additional key words, which enabled a second search of the literature to be undertaken and expand on the evidence available for review. In stage 1, 11 articles were retrieved for data analysis and 9 core emergency medicine nontechnical skills were identified. These were communicating, managing workload, anticipating, situational awareness, supervising and providing feedback, leadership, maintaining standards, using assertiveness, and decisionmaking. In stage 2, a secondary search, using these 9 skills and related terms, uncovered a further 21 relevant articles. Therefore, 32 articles were used to describe the main nontechnical skills linked to safety in the ED. This article highlights the challenges of reviewing a topic for which the terms are not clearly defined in the literature. A novel methodological approach is described that provides a structured and transparent process for reviewing the literature in emerging areas of interest. A series of literature reviews focusing on individual nontechnical skills will provide a clearer understanding of how the skills identified contribute to safety in the ED. Copyright © 2011 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing a National, Simulation-Based, Surgical Skills Bootcamp in General Thoracic Surgery.

PubMed

Schieman, Colin; Ujiie, Hideki; Donahoe, Laura; Hanna, Waël; Malthaner, Richard; Turner, Simon; Czarnecka, Kasia; Yasufuku, Kazuhiro

2017-12-12

The use surgical simulation across all subspecialties has gained widespread adoption in the last decade. A number of factors, including the small number of trainees, identified gaps in surgical skill training from cross-sectional surveys, increased national collaboration, and support from the national specialty committee identified a need to construct a surgical skills "bootcamp" in thoracic surgery in Canada. The goals of the surgical skills bootcamp, as identified by the residency training program directors and the national specialty committee were to create a national, centralized, simulation-based skills workshop that focused on key foundational procedures within thoracic surgery, particularly those identified as areas of weakness by former residents; to smooth the transition to intraoperative teaching; to provide exposure to important but not necessarily universally available procedures such as advanced endoscopy; to teach non-medical expert competencies, and lastly to provide a venue for networking for residents across the country. The curriculum committee has constructed a 3.5 day curriculum, with a focus on hands-on skills simulation, as well as lectures, on a breadth of topics including benign esophageal disorders, lung cancer staging, minimally invasive lung surgery, crisis management and advanced bronchoscopy and endoscopy. All residents across the country attend as well as faculty from a variety of institutions. The course is hosted centrally at the University of Toronto, Ontario over 3.5 days. A combination of auditorium and both animal and human operating room facilities are utilized. A needs-assessment based on a formal meeting of the program directors, as well feedback from surveys identified the target areas for curriculum development. A committee of interested faculty developed the content as well as the local construct and logistics required. Iterative feedback has evolved the duration and content over the initial 3 years. Through formal resident feedback, national subspecialty committee review, and program director meetings the support for the bootcamp has been overwhelmingly positive. Specific resident feedback for structure, content and specific simulations has been favorable, but has also been used to modify the program. In response to identified weaknesses in training, with the support of the national specialty committee, the residency program directors, and the faculty at the University of Toronto, an intensive simulation based thoracic surgery bootcamp has successfully been created for Canadian thoracic surgery residents. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One-year retention of general and sequence-specific skills in a probabilistic, serial reaction time task.

PubMed

Romano, Jennifer C; Howard, James H; Howard, Darlene V

2010-05-01

Procedural skills such as riding a bicycle and playing a musical instrument play a central role in daily life. Such skills are learned gradually and are retained throughout life. The present study investigated 1-year retention of procedural skill in a version of the widely used serial reaction time task (SRTT) in young and older motor-skill experts and older controls in two experiments. The young experts were college-age piano and action video-game players, and the older experts were piano players. Previous studies have reported sequence-specific skill retention in the SRTT as long as 2 weeks but not at 1 year. Results indicated that both young and older experts and older non-experts revealed sequence-specific skill retention after 1 year with some evidence that general motor skill was retained as well. These findings are consistent with theoretical accounts of procedural skill learning such as the procedural reinstatement theory as well as with previous studies of retention of other motor skills.

Ethics skills laboratory experience for surgery interns.

PubMed

Moon, Margaret R; Hughes, Mark T; Chen, Jiin-Yu; Khaira, Kiran; Lipsett, Pamela; Carrese, Joseph A

2014-01-01

Ethics curricula are nearly universal in residency training programs, but the content and delivery methods are not well described, and there is still a relative paucity of literature evaluating the effect of ethics curricula. Several commentators have called for more ethics curriculum development at the postgraduate level, and specifically in surgery training. We detail our development and implementation of a clinical ethics curriculum for surgery interns. We developed curricula and simulated patient cases for 2 core clinical ethics skills--breaking bad news and obtaining informed consent. Educational sessions for each topic included (1) framework development (discussion of interns' current experience, development of a consensus framework for ethical practice, and comparison with established frameworks) and (2) practice with simulated patient followed by peer and faculty feedback. At the beginning and end of each session, we administered a test of confidence and knowledge about the topics to assess the effect of the sessions. A total of 98 surgical interns participated in the ethics skills laboratory from Spring 2008 to Spring 2011. We identified significant improvement in confidence regarding the appropriate content of informed consent (<0.001) and capacity to break bad news (<0.001). We also identified significant improvement in overall knowledge regarding informed consent (<0.01), capacity assessment (<0.05), and breaking bad news (0.001). Regarding specific components of informed consent, capacity assessment, and breaking bad news, significant improvement was shown in some areas, while we failed to improve knowledge in others. Through faculty-facilitated small group discussion, surgery interns were able to develop frameworks for ethical practice that paralleled established frameworks. Skills-based training in clinical ethics resulted in an increase in knowledge scores and self-reported confidence. Evaluation of 4 annual cohorts of surgery interns demonstrates significant successes and some areas for improvement in this educational intervention. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An analysis of opinions from veterinarians in South Africa regarding business management skills.

PubMed

Krecek, R C; Tobin, P

2004-03-01

The changing role of veterinarians in the global market is a current topic of debate and discussion. Few countries including South Africa have formally examined the changing dynamics of this profession. Therefore, the present study addressed 2 objectives. The 1st was to examine basic information about veterinarians in South Africa including their age, gender and distribution across provinces, the percentage whose practice was urban, rural or periurban, the numbers working with specific animal species, and the extent of business management and skills previously gained. The 2nd objective was to obtain opinions and insights from veterinarians in South Africa about the challenges and opportunities facing their business practices to better understand what they considered important dynamics to their businesses today. Several areas of business on which they were questioned and which were included in this study were: marketing, vision, human resources, leadership, financial management, ethics, competition, day-to-day operations, interpersonal skills and information management. This is the 1st known survey to employ a questionnaire to gain insights and opinions from veterinarians about business management skills.

Expressive versus Receptive Language Skills in Specific Reading Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stojanovik, Vesna; Riddell, Patricia

2008-01-01

Despite ample research into the language skills of children with specific reading disorder no studies so far have investigated whether there may be a difference between expressive and receptive language skills in this population. Yet, neuro-anatomical models would predict that children who have specific reading disorder which is not associated…

Domain-Specific Knowledge and Why Teaching Generic Skills Does Not Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricot, André; Sweller, John

2014-01-01

Domain-general cognitive knowledge has frequently been used to explain skill when domain-specific knowledge held in long-term memory may provide a better explanation. An emphasis on domain-general knowledge may be misplaced if domain-specific knowledge is the primary factor driving acquired intellectual skills. We trace the long history of…

Especial Skills: Their Emergence with Massive Amounts of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keetch, Katherine M.; Schmidt, Richard A.; Lee, Timothy D.; Young, Douglas E.

2005-01-01

Differing viewpoints concerning the specificity and generality of motor skill representations in memory were compared by contrasting versions of a skill having either extensive or minimal specific practice. In Experiments 1 and 2, skilled basketball players more accurately performed set shots at the foul line than would be predicted on the basis…

An evidence-based evaluation of transferrable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs

PubMed Central

Brandt, Patrick D.; O’Connell, Anna B.; Hall, Joshua D.; Freeman, Ashalla M.; Harrell, Jessica R.; Cook, Jeanette Gowen; Brennwald, Patrick J.

2017-01-01

PhD recipients acquire discipline-specific knowledge and a range of relevant skills during their training in the life sciences, physical sciences, computational sciences, social sciences, and engineering. Empirically testing the applicability of these skills to various careers held by graduates will help assess the value of current training models. This report details results of an Internet survey of science PhDs (n = 8099) who provided ratings for fifteen transferrable skills. Indeed, analyses indicated that doctoral training develops these transferrable skills, crucial to success in a wide range of careers including research-intensive (RI) and non-research-intensive (NRI) careers. Notably, the vast majority of skills were transferrable across both RI and NRI careers, with the exception of three skills that favored RI careers (creativity/innovative thinking, career planning and awareness skills, and ability to work with people outside the organization) and three skills that favored NRI careers (time management, ability to learn quickly, ability to manage a project). High overall rankings suggested that graduate training imparted transferrable skills broadly. Nonetheless, we identified gaps between career skills needed and skills developed in PhD training that suggest potential areas for improvement in graduate training. Therefore, we suggest that a two-pronged approach is crucial to maximizing existing career opportunities for PhDs and developing a career-conscious training model: 1) encouraging trainees to recognize their existing individual skill sets, and 2) increasing resources and programmatic interventions at the institutional level to address skill gaps. Lastly, comparison of job satisfaction ratings between PhD-trained employees in both career categories indicated that those in NRI career paths were just as satisfied in their work as their RI counterparts. We conclude that PhD training prepares graduates for a broad range of satisfying careers, potentially more than trainees and program leaders currently appreciate. PMID:28931079

An evidence-based evaluation of transferrable skills and job satisfaction for science PhDs.

PubMed

Sinche, Melanie; Layton, Rebekah L; Brandt, Patrick D; O'Connell, Anna B; Hall, Joshua D; Freeman, Ashalla M; Harrell, Jessica R; Cook, Jeanette Gowen; Brennwald, Patrick J

2017-01-01

PhD recipients acquire discipline-specific knowledge and a range of relevant skills during their training in the life sciences, physical sciences, computational sciences, social sciences, and engineering. Empirically testing the applicability of these skills to various careers held by graduates will help assess the value of current training models. This report details results of an Internet survey of science PhDs (n = 8099) who provided ratings for fifteen transferrable skills. Indeed, analyses indicated that doctoral training develops these transferrable skills, crucial to success in a wide range of careers including research-intensive (RI) and non-research-intensive (NRI) careers. Notably, the vast majority of skills were transferrable across both RI and NRI careers, with the exception of three skills that favored RI careers (creativity/innovative thinking, career planning and awareness skills, and ability to work with people outside the organization) and three skills that favored NRI careers (time management, ability to learn quickly, ability to manage a project). High overall rankings suggested that graduate training imparted transferrable skills broadly. Nonetheless, we identified gaps between career skills needed and skills developed in PhD training that suggest potential areas for improvement in graduate training. Therefore, we suggest that a two-pronged approach is crucial to maximizing existing career opportunities for PhDs and developing a career-conscious training model: 1) encouraging trainees to recognize their existing individual skill sets, and 2) increasing resources and programmatic interventions at the institutional level to address skill gaps. Lastly, comparison of job satisfaction ratings between PhD-trained employees in both career categories indicated that those in NRI career paths were just as satisfied in their work as their RI counterparts. We conclude that PhD training prepares graduates for a broad range of satisfying careers, potentially more than trainees and program leaders currently appreciate.

Identifying management competencies for health care executives: review of a series of Delphi studies.

PubMed

Hudak, R P; Brooke, P P; Finstuen, K

2000-01-01

This analysis reviews a selected body of research that identifies the essential areas of management expertise required of future health care executives. To ensure consistency, six studies are analyzed, utilizing the Delphi technique, to query a broad spectrum of experts in different fields and sites of health care management. The analysis identifies a number of management competencies, i.e., managerial capabilities, which current and aspiring health care executives, in various settings and with differing educational backgrounds, should possess to enhance the probability of their success in current and future positions of responsibility. In addition, this review identifies the skills (technical expertise), knowledge (facts and principles) and abilities (physical, mental or legal power) required to support achievement of these competencies. Leadership and resource management, including cost and finance dimensions, are the highest-rated requisite management competencies. The dominant skills, knowledge and abilities (SKAs) are related to interpersonal skills. The lowest-rated SKAs are related to job-specific, technical skills. Recommendations include the review of this research by formal and continuing education programs to determine the content of their courses and areas for future research. Similarly, current health care executives should assess this research to assist in identifying competency gaps. Lastly, this analysis recommends that the Delphi technique, as a valid and replicable methodology, be applied toward the study of non-executive health care managers, e.g., students, clinicians, mid-level managers and integrated systems administrators, to determine their requisite management competencies and SKAs.

Standardizing hysteroscopy teaching: development of a curriculum using the Delphi method.

PubMed

Neveu, Marie-Emmanuelle; Debras, Elodie; Niro, Julien; Fernandez, Hervé; Panel, Pierre

2017-12-01

Hysteroscopy is performed often and in many indications but is challenging to learn. Hands-on training in live patients faces ethical, legal, and economic obstacles. Virtual reality simulation may hold promise as a hysteroscopy training tool. No validated curriculum specific in hysteroscopy exists. The aim of this study was to develop a hysteroscopy curriculum, using the Delphi method to identify skill requirements. Based on a literature review using the key words "curriculum," "simulation," and "hysteroscopy," we identified five technical and non-technical areas in which skills were required. Twenty hysteroscopy experts from different French hospital departments participated in Delphi rounds to select items in these five areas. The rounds were to be continued until 80-100% agreement was obtained for at least 60% of items. A curriculum was built based on the selected items and was evaluated in residents. From November 2014 to April 2015, 18 of 20 invited experts participated in three Delphi rounds. Of the 51 items selected during the first round, only 25 (49%) had 80-100% agreement during the second round, and a third round was therefore conducted. During this last round, 80-100% agreement was achieved for 31 (61%) items, which were used to create the curriculum. All 14 residents tested felt that a simulator training session was acceptable and helped them to improve their skills. We describe a simulation-based hysteroscopy curriculum focusing on skill requirements identified by a Delphi procedure. Its development allows standardization of training programs offered to residents.

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.

Multimedia Design Principles in the Psychomotor Domain: The Effect of Multimedia and Spatial Contiguity on Students' Learning of Basic Life Support with Task Cards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iserbyt, Peter; Mols, Liesbet; Elen, Jan; Behets, Daniel

2012-01-01

This study adds to the literature by introducing multimedia research in the psychomotor area. In this study, 87 freshman students in pedagogy used task cards to learn Basic Life Support (BLS), a psychomotor skill consisting of nine lifesaving actions to be performed in a specific order. Task cards are printed materials and are often implemented…

Field Techniques: Atlantic Barrier System. Field Guidebook. National Association of Geology Teachers Eastern Section Annual Field Conference (Lewes, Delaware, April 26-29, 1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, James V., Ed.; Tormey, Brian B., Ed.

The Atlantic barrier system is used as a focal point in this manual of field exercises. A collection of activities and posed questions provide students with opportunities to develop skills basic to the development of sound field techniques. Investigations can be adapted and modified by teachers to specific subject areas and developmental needs.…

Using an On-Line Test To Assess Reading Skills and Predict the Ability To Successfully Pass a Reading SOL Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Katherine P.

Designing a remediation program to meet students' needs involves finding out what a student knows and needs to know. An online testing program, such as eduTest, may provide the answers. This test is a versatile instrument that offers benchmark tests, grade specific tests, and strand tests in the four content areas for grades K through 8. The…

An Investigation into the Practice of Screen Education. The Introduction of Films and Television into Education as an Essential Area of Study, Phase I. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgkinson, Anthony W.

A variety of screen education courses were designed, implemented, and evaluated in a public school system. Specific objectives of the courses were to teach screen education together with English skills and subject matter, to teach film production to interested students, to teach about media operation and performance, and to demonstrate that media…

Automated Formative Evaluations for Reading Comprehension in an English as a Foreign Language Course: Benefits on Performance, User Satisfaction, and Monitoring of Higher Education Students in Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazzeri, Santos; Cabezas, Ximena; Ojeda, Luis; Leiva, Francisca

2015-01-01

We assess the effect of automated formative evaluations on reading comprehension skills in a course of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in the area of kinesiology at the Universidad Austral de Chile-Valdivia (UACh). The evaluations were implemented using Questionmark's Perception (QMP) (Questionmark-Corporation, 2015). We investigate: (1) Do…

Reliability of Visual and Somatosensory Feedback in Skilled Movement: The Role of the Cerebellum.

PubMed

Mizelle, J C; Oparah, Alexis; Wheaton, Lewis A

2016-01-01

The integration of vision and somatosensation is required to allow for accurate motor behavior. While both sensory systems contribute to an understanding of the state of the body through continuous updating and estimation, how the brain processes unreliable sensory information remains to be fully understood in the context of complex action. Using functional brain imaging, we sought to understand the role of the cerebellum in weighting visual and somatosensory feedback by selectively reducing the reliability of each sense individually during a tool use task. We broadly hypothesized upregulated activation of the sensorimotor and cerebellar areas during movement with reduced visual reliability, and upregulated activation of occipital brain areas during movement with reduced somatosensory reliability. As specifically compared to reduced somatosensory reliability, we expected greater activations of ipsilateral sensorimotor cerebellum for intact visual and somatosensory reliability. Further, we expected that ipsilateral posterior cognitive cerebellum would be affected with reduced visual reliability. We observed that reduced visual reliability results in a trend towards the relative consolidation of sensorimotor activation and an expansion of cerebellar activation. In contrast, reduced somatosensory reliability was characterized by the absence of cerebellar activations and a trend towards the increase of right frontal, left parietofrontal activation, and temporo-occipital areas. Our findings highlight the role of the cerebellum for specific aspects of skillful motor performance. This has relevance to understanding basic aspects of brain functions underlying sensorimotor integration, and provides a greater understanding of cerebellar function in tool use motor control.

Critical features of a curriculum in health care quality and resource management.

PubMed

Norman, D K; Randall, R S; Hornsby, B J

1990-09-01

In response to mounting demands for quality and accountability in health care, a science of health care quality and resource management (QRM) has evolved, but too slowly and without the academic base needed to prepare practitioners to assume new roles and fulfill requirements to regulate their practice. To develop such a base, The University of Houston and The University of Texas Health Science Center sponsored a needs assessment survey to identify areas of knowledge and skills to be included in a master's degree curriculum in QRM. The study used a three-cycle Focus Delphi technique to secure experts' refinement of the survey instrument and consensus among participants, who included practitioner-members of the National Association of Quality Assurance Professionals (NAQAP), of health care administration educational program directors, and hospital administrators. Starting with a listing based on a competency outline obtained from NAQAP, the study identified critical learning needs and elaborated a framework with 12 broad categories and 108 specific knowledge and skill areas.

Women in science, engineering and technology (SET): a report on the Indonesian experience.

PubMed

Hermawati, W; Luhulima, A S

2000-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary results of a study by the Gender Working Group, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, on women's contribution to, and benefits to women from, science, engineering and technology (SET), specifically the benefits accruing to disadvantaged women in urban and rural areas in Indonesia. Previous studies on the participation of women in SET have shown the under-representation of women in all SET activities, including decision-making and advisory positions. However, some studies have shown that if gender perspectives are included in the design and implementation of development activities, disadvantaged women in urban and rural areas could greatly benefit from SET in development projects. The two case studies in North Sulawesi and Central Lombok provinces show that the projects have enabled the expansion of employment opportunities for women and thus increased their technical skills and income. In addition, the projects have also contributed to enhancing women's self-confidence, self-reliance and communication skills.

The savant syndrome and its possible relationship to epilepsy.

PubMed

Hughes, John R

2012-01-01

The goal of this chapter is to review the Savant syndrome (SS), characterized by outstanding islands of mental ability in otherwise handicapped individuals. Two forms exist: The congenital and acquired form. Among the many examples of the congenital form are the calendar calculators, who can quickly provide the day of the week for any date in the past. Other examples are the musical savants with perfect pitch and the hyperlexics, who (in one case) can read a page in 8 seconds and recall the text later at a 99% level. Other types of talents and artistic skills can be found, involving 3-D drawing, map memory, poetry, painting, sculpturing, including one savant who could recite without error the value of Pi to 22,514 places. The acquired form refers to the development of outstanding skills after some brain injury or disease, usually involving the left fronto-temporal area. This type of injury seems to inhibit the 'tyranny of the left hemisphere', allowing the right hemisphere to develop the savant skills. One other way to inhibit the left fronto-temporal area is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation in normal subjects and nearly one-half of these subjects can then perform new skills during the stimulation that they could not perform before. This type of finding indicates the potentiality in all of us for the development of savant skills under special circumstances. Explanations of the congenital SS include enhanced local connectivity as a compensation for underconnectivity of long-range fibers, but also weak central coherence, replaced by great attention to details, enhanced perceptual functioning and obsessive pre-occupation with specific interests. Neurodegenerative Diseases, edited by Shamim I. Ahmad.

Care coordination in accountable care organizations: moving beyond structure and incentives.

PubMed

Press, Matthew J; Michelow, Marilyn D; MacPhail, Lucy H

2012-12-01

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are considered by many to be a key component of healthcare delivery system improvement. One expectation is that the structural elements of the ACO model, including clinical integration and financial accountability, will lead to better coordination of care for patients. But, while structure and incentives may facilitate the delivery of coordinated care, they will not necessarily ensure that care coordination is done well. For that, physicians and other healthcare providers within ACOs must possess and utilize specific skills, particularly in the areas of collaboration, communication, and teamwork. In this article, we present strategies in 3 domains--training, support tools, and organizational culture--that ACOs can implement to foster the development of these skills and support their use in clinical practice.

Mental health nurses' diabetes care skills - a training needs analysis.

PubMed

Nash, Michael

2009-05-28

This article explores mental health nurses' diabetes training needs. A survey of inpatient and community mental health nurses was undertaken using a 16-item self-reporting questionnaire. Two hundred and twenty questionnaires were sent out and 138 returned, providing a response rate of 63%. Analysis shows that mental health nurses are currently involved in a range of diabetes care activities, however, their knowledge and skills may not be up to date. Mental health nurses also report the growing impact of diabetes care on their workload. Areas of identified training needs include taking blood glucose readings, giving dietary advice, liaison with diabetes nurse specialists and weight management. Mental health services and education providers need to consider developing specific training courses for mental health nurses.

Region and task-specific activation of Arc in primary motor cortex of rats following motor skill learning.

PubMed

Hosp, J A; Mann, S; Wegenast-Braun, B M; Calhoun, M E; Luft, A R

2013-10-10

Motor learning requires protein synthesis within the primary motor cortex (M1). Here, we show that the immediate early gene Arc/Arg3.1 is specifically induced in M1 by learning a motor skill. Arc mRNA was quantified using a fluorescent in situ hybridization assay in adult Long-Evans rats learning a skilled reaching task (SRT), in rats performing reaching-like forelimb movement without learning (ACT) and in rats that were trained in the operant but not the motor elements of the task (controls). Apart from M1, Arc expression was assessed within the rostral motor area (RMA), primary somatosensory cortex (S1), striatum (ST) and cerebellum. In SRT animals, Arc mRNA levels in M1 contralateral to the trained limb were 31% higher than ipsilateral (p<0.001), 31% higher than in the contralateral M1 of ACT animals (p<0.001) and 48% higher than in controls (p<0.001). Arc mRNA expression in SRT was positively correlated with learning success between two sessions (r=0.52; p=0.026). For RMA, S1, ST or cerebellum no significant differences in Arc mRNA expression were found between hemispheres or across behaviors. As Arc expression has been related to different forms of cellular plasticity, these findings suggest a link between M1 Arc expression and motor skill learning in rats. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracing the evolution of chiropractic students’ confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship: a multi-methods study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Anecdotal evidence points to variations in individual students’ evolving confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship. A better understanding of the specific aspects of internships that contribute to increasing or decreasing confidence is needed to best support students during the clinical component of their study. Methods A multi-method approach, combining two large-scale surveys with 269 students and three in-depth individual interviews with a sub-sample of 29 students, was used to investigate the evolution of change in student confidence during a 10-month long internship. Change in levels of confidence in patient communication and clinical skills was measured and relationship to demographic factors were explored. The interviews elicited students’ accounts and reflections on what affected the evolution of their confidence during the internship. Results At the start of their internship, students were more confident in their patient communication skills than their clinical skills but prior experience was significantly related to confidence in both. Initial confidence in patient communication skills was also related to age and prior qualification but not gender whilst confidence in clinical skills was related to gender but not age or prior qualification. These influences were maintained over time. Overall, students’ levels of confidence in patient communication and clinical skills confidence increased significantly over the duration of the internship with evidence that change over time in these two aspects were inter-related. To explore how specific aspects of the internship contributed to changing levels of confidence, two extreme sub-groups of interviewees were identified, those with the least increase and those with the highest increase in professional confidence over time. A number of key factors affecting the development of confidence were identified, including among others, interactions with clinicians and patients, personal agency and maturing as a student clinician. Conclusion This study provides insight into the factors perceived by students as affecting the development of professional confidence during internships. One particularly promising area for educational intervention may be the promotion of a pro-active approach to professional learning. PMID:22713168

Tracing the evolution of chiropractic students' confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship: a multi-methods study.

PubMed

Hecimovich, Mark; Volet, Simone

2012-06-19

Anecdotal evidence points to variations in individual students' evolving confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship. A better understanding of the specific aspects of internships that contribute to increasing or decreasing confidence is needed to best support students during the clinical component of their study. A multi-method approach, combining two large-scale surveys with 269 students and three in-depth individual interviews with a sub-sample of 29 students, was used to investigate the evolution of change in student confidence during a 10-month long internship. Change in levels of confidence in patient communication and clinical skills was measured and relationship to demographic factors were explored. The interviews elicited students' accounts and reflections on what affected the evolution of their confidence during the internship. At the start of their internship, students were more confident in their patient communication skills than their clinical skills but prior experience was significantly related to confidence in both. Initial confidence in patient communication skills was also related to age and prior qualification but not gender whilst confidence in clinical skills was related to gender but not age or prior qualification. These influences were maintained over time. Overall, students' levels of confidence in patient communication and clinical skills confidence increased significantly over the duration of the internship with evidence that change over time in these two aspects were inter-related. To explore how specific aspects of the internship contributed to changing levels of confidence, two extreme sub-groups of interviewees were identified, those with the least increase and those with the highest increase in professional confidence over time. A number of key factors affecting the development of confidence were identified, including among others, interactions with clinicians and patients, personal agency and maturing as a student clinician. This study provides insight into the factors perceived by students as affecting the development of professional confidence during internships. One particularly promising area for educational intervention may be the promotion of a pro-active approach to professional learning.

The art of observation: impact of a family medicine and art museum partnership on student education.

PubMed

Elder, Nancy C; Tobias, Barbara; Lucero-Criswell, Amber; Goldenhar, Linda

2006-06-01

Compared to verbal communication, teaching the skill of observation is often shortchanged in medical education. Through a family medicine-art museum collaboration, we developed an elective course for second-year medical students titled the "Art of Observation" (AOO). To evaluate the course's effect on clinical skills, we performed a qualitative evaluation of former students during their clinical rotations. In the spring of 2005, all students who had completed the AOO course in 2003 or 2004 were invited to take part in an online evaluation consisting of eight journaling survey questions. Students were instructed to answer the survey questions with specific examples. Question areas included the most memorable experience, the course's influence on the doctor-patient relationship, usefulness during clinical years of medical school, and skills unique to AOO. The anonymous data were analyzed qualitatively, coding the responses to categories derived from the data, leading to the formation of themes. Of the 19 students eligible, 17 participated. We found three important themes: (1) the AOO positively influenced clinical skills, (2) both art museum exercises and a clinical preceptorship were necessary to achieve those skills, and (3) the AOO led to a sense of personal development as a physician. In addition, students told us that the training in observation and description skills they learned were unique to the AOO. This collaboration between a department of family medicine and an art museum produced a course that facilitated observational skills used in successful doctor-patient relationships.

Effectiveness of oncogenetics training on general practitioners' consultation skills: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Houwink, Elisa J.F.; Muijtjens, Arno M.M.; van Teeffelen, Sarah R.; Henneman, Lidewij; Rethans, Jan Joost; van der Jagt, Liesbeth E.J.; van Luijk, Scheltus J.; Dinant, Geert Jan; van der Vleuten, Cees; Cornel, Martina C.

2014-01-01

Purpose: General practitioners are increasingly called upon to deliver genetic services and could play a key role in translating potentially life-saving advancements in oncogenetic technologies to patient care. If general practitioners are to make an effective contribution in this area, their genetics competencies need to be upgraded. The aim of this study was to investigate whether oncogenetics training for general practitioners improves their genetic consultation skills. Methods: In this pragmatic, blinded, randomized controlled trial, the intervention consisted of a 4-h training (December 2011 and April 2012), covering oncogenetic consultation skills (family history, familial risk assessment, and efficient referral), attitude (medical ethical issues), and clinical knowledge required in primary-care consultations. Outcomes were measured using observation checklists by unannounced standardized patients and self-reported questionnaires. Results: Of 88 randomized general practitioners who initially agreed to participate, 56 completed all measurements. Key consultation skills significantly and substantially improved; regression coefficients after intervention were equivalent to 0.34 and 0.28 at 3-month follow-up, indicating a moderate effect size. Satisfaction and perceived applicability of newly learned skills were highly scored. Conclusion: The general practitioner–specific training proved to be a feasible, satisfactory, and clinically applicable method to improve oncogenetics consultation skills and could be used as an educational framework to inform future training activities with the ultimate aim of improving medical care. PMID:23722870

Learning Activities for the Young Handicapped Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Don; And Others

Presented is a collection of learning activities for the young handicapped child covering 295 individual learning objectives in six areas of development: gross motor skills, fine motor skills, social skills, self help skills, cognitive skills, and language skills. Provided for each learning activity are the teaching objective, teaching procedures,…

Getting Skills Right: France

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in France. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; policies stimulating skills demand and skills use; policies…

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.

Transforming LEND leadership training curriculum through the maternal and child health leadership competencies.

PubMed

Humphreys, Betsy P; Couse, Leslie J; Sonnenmeier, Rae M; Kurtz, Alan; Russell, Susan M; Antal, Peter

2015-02-01

The purpose of this article is to describe how the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership Competencies (v 3.0) were used to examine and improve an MCH Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) training curriculum for New Hampshire and Maine. Over 15 % of the nation's children experience neurodevelopmental disabilities or special health care needs and estimates suggest 1 in every 68 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Across the Unites States critical shortages of qualified MCH professionals exist, particularly in poor and rural areas. A continued investment in training interdisciplinary leaders is critical. The MCH Leadership Competencies provide an effective foundation for leadership training through identification of requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of MCH leaders. This paper describes a three-step process, which began in 2010 and included utilizing the MCH Leadership Competencies as a tool to reflect on, develop, and evaluate the NH LEND leadership curriculum. Curriculum development was further supported through participation in a multi-state learning collaborative. Through a series of intentional decisions, the curriculum design of NH LEND utilized the competencies and evidence-based principles of instruction to engage trainees in the development of specific MCH content knowledge and leadership skills. The LEND network specifically, and MCH leadership programs more broadly, may benefit from the intentional use of the MCH competencies to assist in curriculum development and program evaluation, and as a means to support trainees in identifying specific leadership goals and evaluating their leadership skill development.

Psychological Strategies Included by Strength and Conditioning Coaches in Applied Strength and Conditioning.

PubMed

Radcliffe, Jon N; Comfort, Paul; Fawcett, Tom

2015-09-01

This study provided the basis by which professional development needs can be addressed and add to the applied sport psychology literature from an underresearched sport domain. This study endeavored to use qualitative methods to explore the specific techniques applied by the strength and conditioning professional. Eighteen participants were recruited for interview, through convenience sampling, drawn from a previously obtained sample. Included in the study were 10 participants working within the United Kingdom, 3 within the United States, and 5 within Australia offering a cross section of experience from ranging sport disciplines and educational backgrounds. Participants were interviewed using semistructured interviews. Thematic clustering was used by interpretative phonological analysis to identify common themes. The practitioners referred to a wealth of psychological skills and strategies that are used within strength and conditioning. Through thematic clustering, it was evident that a significant emphasis is on the development or maintenance of athlete self-confidence specifically with a large focus on goal setting. Similarly, albeit to a lesser extent, there was a notable attention on skill acquisition and arousal management strategies. The strategies used by the practitioners consisted of a combination of cognitive strategies and behavioral strategies. It is important to highlight the main psychological strategies that are suggested by strength and conditioning coaches themselves to guide professional development toward specific areas. Such development should strive to develop coaches' awareness of strategies to develop confidence, regulate arousal, and facilitate skill and technique development.

Usefulness of the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA) for Predicting Residential Independence in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Mausbach, Brent T.; Bowie, Christopher R.; Harvey, Philip D.; Twamley, Elizabeth W.; Goldman, Sherrill R.; Jeste, Dilip V.; Patterson, Thomas L.

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity of a performance-based measure of functional capacity, the UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA) for the prediction of independent living status in patients with chronic schizophrenia-related conditions. A sample of 434 adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder was administered the UPSA and assessed for independent living status. Participants were classified as “independent” if they were living alone in an apartment, house, or single-resident occupancy (e.g., hotel room) and non-independent if they resided in a care facility (e.g., Board-and-Care home, Skilled Nursing Facility). Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated with the UPSA and Mattis’ Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) scores as predictor variables and residential independence as the state variable. Of the 434 participants, 99 (23%) were living independently at the time of assessment. The discriminant validity of the UPSA was adequate (ROC area under the curve = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.68–0.79), with greatest dichotomization for the UPSA at a cutoff score of 75 (68% accuracy, 69% sensitivity, 66% specificity), or 80 (68% accuracy, 59% sensitivity, 76% specificity). The UPSA was also a significantly better predictor of living status than was the DRS, based on ROC (z = 2.43, p = .015). The UPSA is a brief measure of functional capacity that predicts the ability of patients with schizophrenia to reside independently in the community. PMID:17303168

Engineering graduates' skill sets in the MENA region: a gap analysis of industry expectations and satisfaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramadi, Eric; Ramadi, Serge; Nasr, Karim

2016-01-01

This study explored gaps between industry expectations and perceptions of engineering graduates' skill sets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study measured the importance that managers of engineers placed on 36 skills relevant to engineers. Also measured was managers' satisfaction with engineering graduates' skill sets. Importance and satisfaction were used to calculate skill gaps for each skill. A principal components analysis was then performed, consolidating the 36 skills into 8 categories. The means of importance, satisfaction, and skill gaps were ranked to determine the areas in which graduates needed improvement. Results showed significant gaps between managers' expectations of and satisfaction with all 36 skills. The areas in which managers felt that graduates needed most improvement were communication, time management, and continuous learning. Managers reported that recent engineering graduates exhibited low overall preparedness for employment. These findings may help to inform curricular reform in engineering education.

Adolescent literacy: learning and understanding content.

PubMed

Goldman, Susan R

2012-01-01

Learning to read--amazing as it is to small children and their parents--is one thing. Reading to learn, explains Susan Goldman of the University of Illinois at Chicago, is quite another. Are today's students able to use reading and writing to acquire knowledge, solve problems, and make decisions in academic, personal, and professional arenas? Do they have the literacy skills necessary to meet the demands of the twenty-first century? To answer these questions, Goldman describes the increasingly complex comprehension, reasoning skills, and knowledge that students need as they progress through school and surveys what researchers and educators know about how to teach those skills. Successfully reading to learn requires the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from multiple sources, Goldman writes. Effective readers must be able to apply different knowledge, reading, and reasoning processes to different types of content, from fiction to history and science, to news accounts and user manuals. They must assess sources of information for relevance, reliability, impartiality, and completeness. And they must connect information across multiple sources. In short, successful readers must not only use general reading skills but also pay close attention to discipline-specific processes. Goldman reviews the evidence on three different instructional approaches to reading to learn: general comprehension strategies, classroom discussion, and disciplinary content instruction. She argues that building the literacy skills necessary for U.S. students to read comprehensively and critically and to learn content in a variety of disciplines should be a primary responsibility for all of the nation's teachers. But outside of English, few subject-area teachers are aware of the need to teach subject-area reading comprehension skills, nor have they had opportunities to learn them themselves. Building the capacity of all teachers to meet the literacy needs of today's students requires long-term investment and commitment from the education community as well as society as a whole.

Training the next generation of research mentors: the University of California, San Francisco, Clinical & Translational Science Institute Mentor Development Program.

PubMed

Feldman, Mitchell D; Huang, Laurence; Guglielmo, B Joseph; Jordan, Richard; Kahn, James; Creasman, Jennifer M; Wiener-Kronish, Jeanine P; Lee, Kathryn A; Tehrani, Ariane; Yaffe, Kristine; Brown, Jeanette S

2009-06-01

Mentoring is a critical component of career development and success for clinical translational science research faculty. Yet few programs train faculty in mentoring skills. We describe outcomes from the first two faculty cohorts who completed a Mentor Development Program (MDP) at UCSF. Eligibility includes having dedicated research time, expertise in a scientific area and a desire to be a lead research mentor. A post-MDP survey measured the program's impact on enhancement of five key mentoring skills, change in the Mentors-in-Training (MIT) self-rated importance of being a mentor to their career satisfaction, and overall confidence in their mentoring skills. Since 2007, 29 MITs participated in and 26 completed the MDP. Only 15% of the MITs reported any previous mentor training. Overall, 96% of MITs felt that participation in the MDP helped them to become better mentors. A majority reported a significant increase in confidence in mentoring skills and most reported an increased understanding of important mentoring issues at UCSF. MITs reported increased confidence in overall and specific mentoring skills after completion of the MDP. The MDP can serve as a model for other institutions to develop the next generation of clinical-translational research mentors.

Early visual ERPs are influenced by individual emotional skills

PubMed Central

Roux, Sylvie; Batty, Magali

2014-01-01

Processing information from faces is crucial to understanding others and to adapting to social life. Many studies have investigated responses to facial emotions to provide a better understanding of the processes and the neural networks involved. Moreover, several studies have revealed abnormalities of emotional face processing and their neural correlates in affective disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether early visual event-related potentials (ERPs) are affected by the emotional skills of healthy adults. Unfamiliar faces expressing the six basic emotions were presented to 28 young adults while recording visual ERPs. No specific task was required during the recording. Participants also completed the Social Skills Inventory (SSI) which measures social and emotional skills. The results confirmed that early visual ERPs (P1, N170) are affected by the emotions expressed by a face and also demonstrated that N170 and P2 are correlated to the emotional skills of healthy subjects. While N170 is sensitive to the subject’s emotional sensitivity and expressivity, P2 is modulated by the ability of the subjects to control their emotions. We therefore suggest that N170 and P2 could be used as individual markers to assess strengths and weaknesses in emotional areas and could provide information for further investigations of affective disorders. PMID:23720573

A Meta-analysis of universal mental health prevention programs for higher education students.

PubMed

Conley, Colleen S; Durlak, Joseph A; Kirsch, Alexandra C

2015-05-01

This meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of universal mental health prevention programs for higher education students on a range of adjustment outcomes. A systematic literature search identified 103 controlled published and unpublished interventions involving college, graduate, or professional students. As hypothesized, skill-training programs that included a supervised practice component were significantly more effective overall (mean effect size = 0.45, confidence interval (CI) = 0.39 to 0.52) compared to skill-training programs without supervised practice (0.11, CI = -0.01 to 0.22) and psychoeducational (information-only) programs (0.13, CI = 0.06 to 0.21). When comparisons on specific outcomes were possible, skill-training programs including supervised practice were significantly more effective than the other two groups of programs in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress, and in improving social-emotional skills, self-perceptions, and academic behaviors and performance. The magnitude of effects achieved in several outcome areas is comparable to or higher than that reported in other reviews of universal programs, suggesting that skill-training programs for higher education students that incorporate supervised practice now join the ranks of other effective preventive mental health interventions. This review offers several recommendations to improve the experimental rigor of future research.

Educating the adult brain: How the neuroscience of learning can inform educational policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knowland, Victoria C. P.; Thomas, Michael S. C.

2014-05-01

The acquisition of new skills in adulthood can positively affect an individual's quality of life, including their earning potential. In some cases, such as the learning of literacy in developing countries, it can provide an avenue to escape from poverty. In developed countries, job retraining in adulthood contributes to the flexibility of labour markets. For all adults, learning opportunities increase participation in society and family life. However, the popular view is that adults are less able to learn for an intrinsic reason: their brains are less plastic than in childhood. This article reviews what is currently known from neuroscientific research about how brain plasticity changes with age, with a particular focus on the ability to acquire new skills in adulthood. Anchoring their review in the examples of the adult acquisition of literacy and new motor skills, the authors address five specific questions: (1) Are sensitive periods in brain development relevant to learning complex educational skills like literacy? (2) Can adults become proficient in a new skill? (3) Can everyone learn equally effectively in adulthood? (4) What is the role of the learning environment? (5) Does adult education cost too much? They identify areas where further research is needed and conclude with a summary of principles for enhancing adult learning now established on a neuroscience foundation.

Small-sided games in team sports training: a brief review.

PubMed

Halouani, Jamel; Chtourou, Hamdi; Gabbett, Tim; Chaouachi, Anis; Chamari, Karim

2014-12-01

Small-sided games (SSGs) incorporating skills, sport-specific movements, at intensities sufficient to promote aerobic adaptations, are being increasingly implemented in professional team sport environments. Small-sided games are often employed by coaches based on the premise that the greatest training benefits occur when training simulates the specific movement patterns and physiological demands of the sport. At present, there is relatively little information regarding how SSG can best be used to improve physical capacities and technical and tactical skills in team sports. It is possible that with some modifications (e.g., number of players, pitch size, coach encouragement, and wrestling), such games may be physiologically beneficial for athletes with relatively high initial aerobic fitness levels. For instance, it has been shown that 3-a-side soccer SSG resulted in higher intensity (i.e., greater overall distance, less jogging and walking, higher heart rate, and more tackling, dribbling, goal attempts, and passes) than 5-a-side SSG. Likewise, when player numbers were kept constant, a larger playing area increased the intensity of the SSG with a smaller playing area having the opposite effect. It has also been demonstrated that energy expenditure was similar between badminton and volleyball courts, but lower than that obtained in a basketball court. Moreover, it has been demonstrated in rugby that wrestling can increase the physical demands of SSG. Consistent coach encouragement can also increase training intensity, although most rule changes have trivial or no effect on exercise intensity. Further research is required to examine the optimal periodization strategies of SSG training for the long-term development of physiological capacity, technical skill, and tactical proficiency, while also minimizing the associated risk of injuries.

Examining neural correlates of skill acquisition in a complex videogame training program.

PubMed

Prakash, Ruchika S; De Leon, Angeline A; Mourany, Lyla; Lee, Hyunkyu; Voss, Michelle W; Boot, Walter R; Basak, Chandramallika; Fabiani, Monica; Gratton, Gabriele; Kramer, Arthur F

2012-01-01

Acquisition of complex skills is a universal feature of human behavior that has been conceptualized as a process that starts with intense resource dependency, requires effortful cognitive control, and ends in relative automaticity on the multi-faceted task. The present study examined the effects of different theoretically based training strategies on cortical recruitment during acquisition of complex video game skills. Seventy-five participants were recruited and assigned to one of three training groups: (1) Fixed Emphasis Training (FET), in which participants practiced the game, (2) Hybrid Variable-Priority Training (HVT), in which participants practiced using a combination of part-task training and variable priority training, or (3) a Control group that received limited game play. After 30 h of training, game data indicated a significant advantage for the two training groups relative to the control group. The HVT group demonstrated enhanced benefits of training, as indexed by an improvement in overall game score and a reduction in cortical recruitment post-training. Specifically, while both groups demonstrated a significant reduction of activation in attentional control areas, namely the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, participants in the control group continued to engage these areas post-training, suggesting a sustained reliance on attentional regions during challenging task demands. The HVT group showed a further reduction in neural resources post-training compared to the FET group in these cognitive control regions, along with reduced activation in the motor and sensory cortices and the posteromedial cortex. Findings suggest that training, specifically one that emphasizes cognitive flexibility can reduce the attentional demands of a complex cognitive task, along with reduced reliance on the motor network.

Examining neural correlates of skill acquisition in a complex videogame training program

PubMed Central

Prakash, Ruchika S.; De Leon, Angeline A.; Mourany, Lyla; Lee, Hyunkyu; Voss, Michelle W.; Boot, Walter R.; Basak, Chandramallika; Fabiani, Monica; Gratton, Gabriele; Kramer, Arthur F.

2012-01-01

Acquisition of complex skills is a universal feature of human behavior that has been conceptualized as a process that starts with intense resource dependency, requires effortful cognitive control, and ends in relative automaticity on the multi-faceted task. The present study examined the effects of different theoretically based training strategies on cortical recruitment during acquisition of complex video game skills. Seventy-five participants were recruited and assigned to one of three training groups: (1) Fixed Emphasis Training (FET), in which participants practiced the game, (2) Hybrid Variable-Priority Training (HVT), in which participants practiced using a combination of part-task training and variable priority training, or (3) a Control group that received limited game play. After 30 h of training, game data indicated a significant advantage for the two training groups relative to the control group. The HVT group demonstrated enhanced benefits of training, as indexed by an improvement in overall game score and a reduction in cortical recruitment post-training. Specifically, while both groups demonstrated a significant reduction of activation in attentional control areas, namely the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, participants in the control group continued to engage these areas post-training, suggesting a sustained reliance on attentional regions during challenging task demands. The HVT group showed a further reduction in neural resources post-training compared to the FET group in these cognitive control regions, along with reduced activation in the motor and sensory cortices and the posteromedial cortex. Findings suggest that training, specifically one that emphasizes cognitive flexibility can reduce the attentional demands of a complex cognitive task, along with reduced reliance on the motor network. PMID:22615690

Working memory and language: skill-specific or domain-general relations to mathematics?

PubMed

Purpura, David J; Ganley, Colleen M

2014-06-01

Children's early mathematics skills develop in a cumulative fashion; foundational skills form a basis for the acquisition of later skills. However, non-mathematical factors such as working memory and language skills have also been linked to mathematical development at a broad level. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted to evaluate the specific relations of these two non-mathematical factors to individual aspects of early mathematics. Thus, the focus of this study was to determine whether working memory and language were related to only individual aspects of early mathematics or related to many components of early mathematics skills. A total of 199 4- to 6-year-old preschool and kindergarten children were assessed on a battery of early mathematics tasks as well as measures of working memory and language. Results indicated that working memory has a specific relation to only a few-but critically important-early mathematics skills and language has a broad relation to nearly all early mathematics skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Examination of Job Skills Posted on Internet Databases: Implications for Information Systems Degree Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xia; Liu, Lai C.; Koong, Kai S.; Lu, June

2003-01-01

Analysis of 300 information technology job postings in two Internet databases identified the following skill categories: programming languages (Java, C/C++, and Visual Basic were most frequent); website development (57% sought SQL and HTML skills); databases (nearly 50% required Oracle); networks (only Windows NT or wide-area/local-area networks);…

Teaching Basic Caregiver Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenk, Susan, Ed.; Harrah, Doris, Ed.

This instructor's guide provides materials for a nursing skills course designed to teach basic home nursing skills to families who plan to care for a chronically ill or elderly family member at home. It may be taught by a registered nurse with knowledge of all areas or by a team, with each instructor concentrating on his/her area of expertise.…

Three Authentic Curriculum-Integration Approaches to Bird Adaptations That Incorporate Technology and Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Barrera, Manuel T., III

2008-01-01

Integration of subject areas with technology and thinking skills is a way to help teachers cope with today's overloaded curriculum and to help students see the connectedness of different curriculum areas. This study compares three authentic approaches to teaching a science unit on bird adaptations for habitat that integrate thinking skills and…

A Guide for the Teacher of the Trainable Mentally Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenfeld, Jane; And Others

The guide for teachers of trainable mentally handicapped children describes behavioral objectives, activities, and instructional materials (primary, intermediate, and prevocational levels) for the following curriculum areas: self help skills, social skills, perceptual motor skills, communication skills, functional academic skills, economic…

The Relationship between Fundamental Motor Skill Proficiency and Participation in Organized Sports and Active Recreation in Middle Childhood

PubMed Central

Field, Stephanie C.; Temple, Viviene A.

2017-01-01

Motor skill proficiency in middle childhood is associated with higher physical activity levels at that age and is predictive of adolescent physical activity levels. Much of the previous research in this area has used accelerometry in determining these relationships, and as a result, little is known about what physical activities the children are engaging in. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine rates of participation in physical activities, the relationships between motor proficiency and how often children participate, and if there were gender-based differences in participation, motor skills, or the relationship between these variables. Participants were 400 boys and girls (Mean age = 9 years 6 months) in grade 4. Motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and physical activity participation was measured using the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analyses, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used to examine activity patterns and whether these patterns differed by gender. Correlation coefficients were used to estimate the relationships between fundamental motor skill proficiency and participation. The boys and girls participated in many of the same activities, but girls were more likely to participate in most of the informal physical activities. More boys than girls participated in team sports, boys participated more frequently in team sports, and the boys’ object control and locomotor skill proficiency were significantly associated with participation in team sports. There were some significant associations between motor skills and participation in specific activities; however it is not clear if participation is developing skillfulness or those who are more skilled are engaging and persisting with particular activities.

Enabling performance skills: Assessment in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrone, Jenny Kristina

Current reform in engineering education is part of a national trend emphasizing student learning as well as accountability in instruction. Assessing student performance to demonstrate accountability has become a necessity in academia. In newly adopted criterion proposed by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), undergraduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in outcomes considered essential for graduating engineers. The case study was designed as a formative evaluation of freshman engineering students to assess the perceived effectiveness of performance skills in a design laboratory environment. The mixed methodology used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess students' performance skills and congruency among the respondents, based on individual, team, and faculty perceptions of team effectiveness in three ABET areas: Communications Skills. Design Skills, and Teamwork. The findings of the research were used to address future use of the assessment tool and process. The results of the study found statistically significant differences in perceptions of Teamwork Skills (p < .05). When groups composed of students and professors were compared, professors were less likely to perceive student's teaming skills as effective. The study indicated the need to: (1) improve non-technical performance skills, such as teamwork, among freshman engineering students; (2) incorporate feedback into the learning process; (3) strengthen the assessment process with a follow-up plan that specifically targets performance skill deficiencies, and (4) integrate the assessment instrument and practice with ongoing curriculum development. The findings generated by this study provides engineering departments engaged in assessment activity, opportunity to reflect, refine, and develop their programs as it continues. It also extends research on ABET competencies of engineering students in an under-investigated topic of factors correlated with team processes, behavior, and student learning.

Course Resource Lists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

England, Robert G.

The Mountain-Plains Course Resource List is presented by job title for 26 curriculum areas. For each area the printed materials, audiovisual aids, and equipment needed for the course are listed. The 26 curriculum areas are: mathematics skills, communication skills, office education, lodging services, food services, marketing and distribution,…

Sollims Sampler Targeting Peace & Stability Operations Lessons & Best Practices. Volume 1, Issue 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

training, human trafficking, and civil strife, all of which have damaging spillover effects for the entire world. Second, genocide and mass atrocities...deployed to a conflict or post-conflict area. [ Read More ... ] • The military can be part of a whole-of-government response to threats of genocide and...mass atrocities. Although most militaries do not train specifically for counter- genocide operations, they often have the skills and capabilities to

Study skills and habits in Shiraz dental students; strengths and weaknesses.

PubMed

Zarshenas, Ladan; Danaei, Shahla Momeni; Mazarei, Elham; Zarif Najafi, Hooman; Shakour, Mahsa

2014-01-01

The dental students, the same as other students, during their academic courses are required to learn a wide range of scientific subjects. Obviously, choosing the inappropriate method of study leads to confuse and disenchantment of students and it causes wasting of their energy. The purpose of this study was to assess the existing strengths and weaknesses of the skills and study habits in Dental Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2009-10. In this cross-sectional study, all of the dental students (n = 274), who studied at the time of study at all levels in the academic year of 2009-10, were selected by the census. Data were collected by using the Huston University questionnaire consisted of two parts of demographic questions and 64 specific areas of study skills in eight domains of time management, concentration/memory, study aids/note taking, test strategies, information processing, motivation, self-assessment/reading, and writing skills. Following the retranslation of the questionnaire, the validity was confirmed by using the content validity method. The reliability was obtained by using the Cronbach's Alpha of 0.92. The data were analyzed with SPSS software version 17 and using analytical statistic tests. Students who have previously participated in the study skills workshops had stronger skills in comparison with the students who had not participated in these workshops. Time management skills (P = 0.04), motivation (P = 0.0001) and information processing (P = 0.03) in students with professional status were in a more favorable position and showed significant differences in terms of educational levels. The study skills mean score of the students living in student housings in comparison with the other students were significantly higher (P = 0.04). Marital status showed no significant differences in reading skills. The review of study skills in the undergraduate and post-graduate dental students indicated that the residents had higher reading skills. By recognizing the existing strengths and weaknesses and holding programs through counseling centers can develop the study skills in the students.

Core components of the rural nurse specialist role in New Zealand.

PubMed

Bell, Jennie; Crawford, Ruth; Holloway, Kathy

2018-06-01

New Zealand has a rural population with unique healthcare needs. Traditionally, rural health care has been provided by medical general practitioners (GPs); however, as the number of GPs declines, the rural nurse specialist (RNS) role has emerged. The RNS is a registered nurse with advanced nursing skills that enable independent, autonomous practice within rural areas. The health needs of each rural community are specific to that area and the RNS role has been developed according to local healthcare needs. The purpose of this research was to provide a description of the RNS role in New Zealand. A descriptive exploratory approach was used in this qualitative study. The study was conducted in two parts. Phase 1 consisted of document content analysis of RNS position descriptions and phase 2 comprised four semi-structured interviews with RNSs. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The Modified Strong Model of Advanced Practice was utilised as a framework for thematic analysis during both phases. Rural nurse specialists demonstrated a wide variance in the understanding of the term 'RNS'. The RNS role was found to include provision of care across a wide range of settings according to local needs. Advanced assessment skills were expected by employers and considered a major component of the role by RNSs. Advanced assessments skills were utilised to enhance communication and thus increase collaboration with other health professionals. The ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with other health professionals was found to be a high priority. However, RNSs perceived that collaboration and thus patient care was affected by a lack of role clarity. The nurse practitioner (NP) role in New Zealand was considered more effective, with greater role recognition for the NP. Education was considered essential to maintain advanced assessment skills. RNSs identified providing education in the form of health promotion relevant to local needs as important. There was a lack of information regarding publication and professional leadership, highlighting this as an area for development. Another issue was the importance of stress management in an isolated area. The RNS role requires advanced knowledge to provide independent patient care. Advanced skills utilised include assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients. RNSs must have postgraduate education to develop the advanced skills required in this role. RNSs perceive the NP role as having better role clarity; therefore, all participants were considering becoming an NP. There are barriers to becoming an NP, thus an expansion of the current RNS role is recommended. Further recommendations from this study include increased professional leadership to improve RNS visibility and further continued interprofessional education to enhance collaboration.

DOE handbook: Guide to good practices for training and qualification of maintenance personnel

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

NONE

1996-03-01

The purpose of this Handbook is to provide contractor training organizations with information that can be used to verify the adequacy of and/or modify existing maintenance training programs, or to develop new training programs. This guide, used in conjunction with facility-specific job analyses, provides a framework for training and qualification programs for maintenance personnel at DOE reactor and nonreactor nuclear facilities. Recommendations for qualification are made in four areas: education, experience, physical attributes, and training. The functional positions of maintenance mechanic, electrician, and instrumentation and control technician are covered by this guide. Sufficient common knowledge and skills were found tomore » include the three disciplines in one guide to good practices. Contents include: qualifications; on-the-job training; trainee evaluation; continuing training; training effectiveness evaluation; and program records. Appendices are included which relate to: administrative training; industrial safety training; fundamentals training; tools and equipment training; facility systems and component knowledge training; facility systems and component skills training; and specialized skills training.« less

Improving and validating children's nurses communication skills with standardized patients in end of life care.

PubMed

Kenny, Gerard; Cargil, Jamie; Hamilton, Catherine; Sales, Rachel

2016-06-01

Children's nurse education is experiencing increases in recruitment targets at the same time that clinical placements are decreasing. With regard to end-of-life care, it is has become a challenge to ensure that all students come into contact with a satisfactory range of experience as part of the requirement for competency at the point of registration. The aim of our study was to find out if students at the end of their course were able to use communication skills acquired in their three years of training and adapt and transfer them to a specific palliative care context even if they had never worked in that area of care. Focus groups were conducted after the simulations which explored the students' experiences of being involved in the scenarios. Four themes emerged that students identified either inhibited or enabled their communication skills, which included anxiety and fear, the need for professional props, the experience of it being real and feeling empowered. © The Author(s) 2014.

Public Health Workforce Self-Identified Training Needs by Jurisdiction and Job Type.

PubMed

Yeager, Valerie A; Wisniewski, Janna M; Chapple-McGruder, Theresa; Castrucci, Brian; Gould, Elizabeth

2018-06-21

Ensuring adequate and appropriate training of the workforce is a crucial priority for governmental public health. This is particularly important, given the diverse backgrounds of the public health workforce; the vast majority (approximately 83%) do not have formal training in public health, and those that do have formal training in public health have limited training in management and other essential organizational skills. The purpose of this article is to identify training needs among public health workers in specific job types and settings. This cross section study used 2014 data from the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey. Qualitative analyses were used to code open-ended responses to questions about training needs. Needs are stratified across job types and jurisdiction. Eight main themes or skill areas were identified with the largest proportion indicating a need for management/leadership skills (28.2%). The second most frequent need was communication skills (21.3%). Across the 9 job types examined, general management skills were either the first or second training need for 7 job types. Among individuals who already have leadership/management positions, budgeting was the most common training need. Findings from this study can inform targeted strategies to address training needs for specific types of employees. Such strategies can influence the efficiency and effectiveness of public health efforts and employee satisfaction. As new public health frameworks-like Public Health 3.0 and the Chief Health Strategist-are advanced nationally, it is necessary to ensure that the workforce has the skills and abilities to implement these frameworks.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

Music identification skills of children with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Mari, Giorgia; Scorpecci, Alessandro; Reali, Laura; D'Alatri, Lucia

2016-03-01

To date very few studies have investigated the musical skills of children with specific language impairment (SLI). There is growing evidence that SLI affects areas other than language, and it is therefore reasonable to hypothesize that children with this disorder may have difficulties in perceiving musical stimuli appropriately. To compare melody and song identification skills in a group of children with SLI and in a control group of children with typical language development (TD); and to study possible correlations between music identification skills and language abilities in the SLI group. This is a prospective case control study. Two groups of children were enrolled: one meeting DSM-IV-TR(®) diagnostic criteria for SLI and the other comprising an age-matched group of children with TD. All children received a melody and a song identification test, together with a test battery assessing receptive and productive language abilities. 30 children with SLI (mean age = 56 ± 9 months) and 23 with TD (mean age = 60 ± 10 months) were included. Melody and song identification scores among SLI children were significantly lower than those of TD children, and in both groups song identification scores were significantly higher than melody identification scores. Song identification skills bore a significant correlation to chronological age in both groups (TD: r = 0.529, p = 0.009; SLI: r = 0.506, p = 0.004). Whereas no other variables were found explaining the variability of melody or song identification scores in either group, the correlation between language comprehension and song identification in the SLI group approached significance (r = 0.166, p = 0.076). The poorer music perception skills of SLI children as compared with TD ones suggests that SLI may also affect music perception. Therefore, training programmes that simultaneously stimulate via language and music may prove useful in the rehabilitation of children affected by SLI. © 2015 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Reconstructing paleoclimate fields using online data assimilation with a linear inverse model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, Walter A.; Hakim, Gregory J.

2017-05-01

We examine the skill of a new approach to climate field reconstructions (CFRs) using an online paleoclimate data assimilation (PDA) method. Several recent studies have foregone climate model forecasts during assimilation due to the computational expense of running coupled global climate models (CGCMs) and the relatively low skill of these forecasts on longer timescales. Here we greatly diminish the computational cost by employing an empirical forecast model (linear inverse model, LIM), which has been shown to have skill comparable to CGCMs for forecasting annual-to-decadal surface temperature anomalies. We reconstruct annual-average 2 m air temperature over the instrumental period (1850-2000) using proxy records from the PAGES 2k Consortium Phase 1 database; proxy models for estimating proxy observations are calibrated on GISTEMP surface temperature analyses. We compare results for LIMs calibrated using observational (Berkeley Earth), reanalysis (20th Century Reanalysis), and CMIP5 climate model (CCSM4 and MPI) data relative to a control offline reconstruction method. Generally, we find that the usage of LIM forecasts for online PDA increases reconstruction agreement with the instrumental record for both spatial fields and global mean temperature (GMT). Specifically, the coefficient of efficiency (CE) skill metric for detrended GMT increases by an average of 57 % over the offline benchmark. LIM experiments display a common pattern of skill improvement in the spatial fields over Northern Hemisphere land areas and in the high-latitude North Atlantic-Barents Sea corridor. Experiments for non-CGCM-calibrated LIMs reveal region-specific reductions in spatial skill compared to the offline control, likely due to aspects of the LIM calibration process. Overall, the CGCM-calibrated LIMs have the best performance when considering both spatial fields and GMT. A comparison with the persistence forecast experiment suggests that improvements are associated with the linear dynamical constraints of the forecast and not simply persistence of temperature anomalies.

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Future Strategic Strike Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

25 Figure 11: Re - entry Systems – Critical Skills...SKILLS___________________________________________________25 Figure 9: Guidance – Critical Skills Figure 10: Re - entry Systems – Critical Skills ICBMS/BASING...ability to survive intercontinental ballistic missile re - entry and then to operate effectively thereafter, is another area where current skills are

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

Specific Oral Communication Skills Desired in New Accountancy Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, F. Elizabeth

2010-01-01

International research findings and anecdotal evidence alike suggest that new accountancy graduates often begin their careers with inadequate oral communication skills. However, there is a lack of well-grounded empirical data concerning precisely what accountancy employers mean by "oral communication" and what specific skills they value…

Teaching Independent Community Social Skills to the Multihandicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaulac, Pauline F.

Ten multihandicapped high-school students in the Dayton (Ohio) Public Schools were trained using a curriculum of independent community social skills, focusing specifically on restaurant skills, travel skills, shopping skills, self-care skills, and skills for visiting a business or government agency. The students made weekly trips into the…

"To speak or not to speak - that is the question". Oral communication skills in a broader profile of literacy: A high school teacher's quest for communicative competence in his chemistry classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuleja, Elizabeth A.

The goal of any school is to help its students become literate. Broadly speaking, to be literate means to be well informed and educated. More specifically, literacy---or the ability to read and write---is encouraged through the language arts, which is usually characterized by activities that focus primarily on reading and writing skills. While reading and writing are absolutely essential to the academic success of any student, the aspect of speaking skills---or effective communication skills---is often considered ancillary instruction, something to do "if there is enough time," since speaking is assumed to be an innate skill. This research focused on the place of oral communication skills in a broader profile for literacy and its place in every course across the curriculum. The research for this study took place over a nine month period and focused on documenting what one high school science teacher called, "reading, writing, research and recitation" in his 10th and 11 th grade chemistry class. His objective was to teach his chemistry students about the significance of developing oral communication competencies (specifically presentation skills), in the content course of chemistry. Through a descriptive, interpretive, and naturalistic study, I sought to better understand three questions. First, how did this particular teacher integrate oral communication skills into the content area of science? Second, how did the students react to this process and what did they learn from it. Third, what happened when an intervention took place whereby an experienced instructor in the field of communication education partnered with this science teacher in order to help integrate oral communication competencies into the curriculum? The focus of this research was to understand the process that this teacher went through as he attempted to integrate oral speech skills into the curriculum, as well as what the students did with this information while they developed their oral presentations. This study has provided a rich description for understanding the process of integrating oral communication skills into one high school science teacher's chemistry course. It has also looked at the issues of professional development, curriculum, and assessment, which were related concerns regarding this integration. This study may provide a much needed example for bringing together both secondary and higher education professionals who are concerned about what and how to teach oral communication skills in a broader profile of literacy in grades 9--12.

Auditory sequence analysis and phonological skill

PubMed Central

Grube, Manon; Kumar, Sukhbinder; Cooper, Freya E.; Turton, Stuart; Griffiths, Timothy D.

2012-01-01

This work tests the relationship between auditory and phonological skill in a non-selected cohort of 238 school students (age 11) with the specific hypothesis that sound-sequence analysis would be more relevant to phonological skill than the analysis of basic, single sounds. Auditory processing was assessed across the domains of pitch, time and timbre; a combination of six standard tests of literacy and language ability was used to assess phonological skill. A significant correlation between general auditory and phonological skill was demonstrated, plus a significant, specific correlation between measures of phonological skill and the auditory analysis of short sequences in pitch and time. The data support a limited but significant link between auditory and phonological ability with a specific role for sound-sequence analysis, and provide a possible new focus for auditory training strategies to aid language development in early adolescence. PMID:22951739

The impact of case specificity and generalisable skills on clinical performance: a correlated traits-correlated methods approach.

PubMed

Wimmers, Paul F; Fung, Cha-Chi

2008-06-01

The finding of case or content specificity in medical problem solving moved the focus of research away from generalisable skills towards the importance of content knowledge. However, controversy about the content dependency of clinical performance and the generalisability of skills remains. This study aimed to explore the relative impact of both perspectives (case specificity and generalisable skills) on different components (history taking, physical examination, communication) of clinical performance within and across cases. Data from a clinical performance examination (CPX) taken by 350 Year 3 students were used in a correlated traits-correlated methods (CTCM) approach using confirmatory factor analysis, whereby 'traits' refers to generalisable skills and 'methods' to individual cases. The baseline CTCM model was analysed and compared with four nested models using structural equation modelling techniques. The CPX consisted of three skills components and five cases. Comparison of the four different models with the least-restricted baseline CTCM model revealed that a model with uncorrelated generalisable skills factors and correlated case-specific knowledge factors represented the data best. The generalisable processes found in history taking, physical examination and communication were responsible for half the explained variance, in comparison with the variance related to case specificity. Conclusions Pure knowledge-based and pure skill-based perspectives on clinical performance both seem too one-dimensional and new evidence supports the idea that a substantial amount of variance contributes to both aspects of performance. It could be concluded that generalisable skills and specialised knowledge go hand in hand: both are essential aspects of clinical performance.

Design and Implementation of an Assessment Model for Students Entering Vocational Education Programs in the State of Colorado. Welding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Nancy K.; And Others

This basic vocational related skills assessment module in welding is one of sixteen modules designed to help teachers assess and identify some of the areas in which special needs students may encounter learning difficulties. The materials in the module allow for informal assessment in three basic areas: academic skills, motor skills, and…

An evaluation of Appalachian Trail hikers' knowledge of minimum impact skills and practices

Treesearch

Peter Newman; Robert Manning; Jim Bacon; Alan Graefe; Gerard Kyle

2002-01-01

As the number of visitors to national parks and related areas continues to rise and the types of visitors and activities continue to diversify, educating visitors in minimum skills can help to protect parks and related areas. Educating visitors in these skills can be a challenge, especially on the Appalachian Trail (AT) that travels through state, federal, municipal...

Face Patch Resting State Networks Link Face Processing to Social Cognition

PubMed Central

Schwiedrzik, Caspar M.; Zarco, Wilbert; Everling, Stefan; Freiwald, Winrich A.

2015-01-01

Faces transmit a wealth of social information. How this information is exchanged between face-processing centers and brain areas supporting social cognition remains largely unclear. Here we identify these routes using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in macaque monkeys. We find that face areas functionally connect to specific regions within frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices, as well as subcortical structures supporting emotive, mnemonic, and cognitive functions. This establishes the existence of an extended face-recognition system in the macaque. Furthermore, the face patch resting state networks and the default mode network in monkeys show a pattern of overlap akin to that between the social brain and the default mode network in humans: this overlap specifically includes the posterior superior temporal sulcus, medial parietal, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, areas supporting high-level social cognition in humans. Together, these results reveal the embedding of face areas into larger brain networks and suggest that the resting state networks of the face patch system offer a new, easily accessible venue into the functional organization of the social brain and into the evolution of possibly uniquely human social skills. PMID:26348613

Growth of Reading Skills in Children with a History of Specific Language Impairment: The Role of Autistic Symptomatology and Language-Related Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Clair, Michelle C.; Durkin, Kevin; Conti-Ramsden, Gina; Pickles, Andrew

2010-01-01

Individuals with a history of specific language impairment (SLI) often have subsequent problems with reading skills, but there have been some discrepant findings as to the developmental time course of these skills. This study investigates the developmental trajectories of reading skills over a 9-year time-span (from 7 to 16 years of age) in a…

Recipes for Reading: A Teacher's Handbook for Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching, or the Reading Teacher's Cookbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, Barbara J., Ed.; And Others

A coding system for categorizing reading skills was developed in order to provide manuals for each grade level (preprimer through 6) that would aid teachers in locating materials on a particular skill by page number in a specific text. A skill code key of the skills usually taught at a given reading grade level is based on specific basal test…

Recipes for Reading: A Teacher's Handbook for Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching, or the Reading Teacher's "Cookbook."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, Barbara J., Ed.; And Others

A coding system for categorizing reading skills was developed in order to provide manuals for each grade level (preprimer through 6) that would aid teachers in locating materials on a particular skill by page number in a specific text. A skill code key of the skills usually taught at a given reading grade level is based on specific basal test…

Evaluating the impact of library user training programmes across Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority in the UK.

PubMed

Trinder, Valerie M; Fleet, Geoffrey E; Gray, Anne E

2007-03-01

This study was undertaken to provide evidence that library outreach projects in the NHS in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area were effective and could justify continued funding. The object was to assess whether information literacy skills training taken up by health professionals impacts on their confidence and skills in using electronic sources of health information. A total of 487 health professionals taking up training on a voluntary basis were assessed by completing a self-assessment questionnaire prior to and after training to establish their information literacy skills and confidence levels. Of these, 223 trainees (46%) also returned 6-week follow-up questionnaires. Results showed that 464 trainees (95%) intended to apply what they had learnt in a variety of ways; use of specific resources greatly increased after training and confidence in using them increased substantially. Use of search techniques increased considerably overall, whereas use of Google decreased. The major findings of this research are that training health-care personnel in the use of electronic resources impacts positively on their information literacy skills and confidence, and that the information available to them is considered to have potential value across health-care practice.

The relation between cognitive and motor performance and their relevance for children's transition to school: a latent variable approach.

PubMed

Roebers, Claudia M; Röthlisberger, Marianne; Neuenschwander, Regula; Cimeli, Patrizia; Michel, Eva; Jäger, Katja

2014-02-01

Both theoretically and empirically there is a continuous interest in understanding the specific relation between cognitive and motor development in childhood. In the present longitudinal study including three measurement points, this relation was targeted. At the beginning of the study, the participating children were 5-6-year-olds. By assessing participants' fine motor skills, their executive functioning, and their non-verbal intelligence, their cross-sectional and cross-lagged interrelations were examined. Additionally, performance in these three areas was used to predict early school achievement (in terms of mathematics, reading, and spelling) at the end of participants' first grade. Correlational analyses and structural equation modeling revealed that fine motor skills, non-verbal intelligence and executive functioning were significantly interrelated. Both fine motor skills and intelligence had significant links to later school achievement. However, when executive functioning was additionally included into the prediction of early academic achievement, fine motor skills and non-verbal intelligence were no longer significantly associated with later school performance suggesting that executive functioning plays an important role for the motor-cognitive performance link. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifying Opportunities for Virtual Reality Simulation in Surgical Education: A Review of the Proceedings from the Innovation, Design, and Emerging Alliances in Surgery (IDEAS) Conference: VR Surgery.

PubMed

Olasky, Jaisa; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Seymour, Neal E; Magee, J Harvey; Enquobahrie, Andinet; Lin, Ming C; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Brunt, L Michael; Schwaitzberg, Steven D; Cao, Caroline G L; De, Suvranu; Jones, Daniel B

2015-10-01

To conduct a review of the state of virtual reality (VR) simulation technology, to identify areas of surgical education that have the greatest potential to benefit from it, and to identify challenges to implementation. Simulation is an increasingly important part of surgical training. VR is a developing platform for using simulation to teach technical skills, behavioral skills, and entire procedures to trainees and practicing surgeons worldwide. Questions exist regarding the science behind the technology and most effective usage of VR simulation. A symposium was held to address these issues. Engineers, educators, and surgeons held a conference in November 2013 both to review the background science behind simulation technology and to create guidelines for its use in teaching and credentialing trainees and surgeons in practice. Several technologic challenges were identified that must be overcome in order for VR simulation to be useful in surgery. Specific areas of student, resident, and practicing surgeon training and testing that would likely benefit from VR were identified: technical skills, team training and decision-making skills, and patient safety, such as in use of electrosurgical equipment. VR simulation has the potential to become an essential piece of surgical education curriculum but depends heavily on the establishment of an agreed upon set of goals. Researchers and clinicians must collaborate to allocate funding toward projects that help achieve these goals. The recommendations outlined here should guide further study and implementation of VR simulation. © The Author(s) 2015.

Identifying Opportunities for Virtual Reality Simulation in Surgical Education: A Review of the Proceedings from the Innovation, Design, and Emerging Alliances in Surgery (IDEAS) Conference: VR Surgery

PubMed Central

Olasky, Jaisa; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Seymour, Neal E.; Magee, J. Harvey; Enquobahrie, Andinet; Lin, Ming C.; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Brunt, L. Michael; Schwaitzberg, Steven D.; Cao, Caroline G. L.; De, Suvranu; Jones, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

Objectives To conduct a review of the state of virtual reality (VR) simulation technology, to identify areas of surgical education that have the greatest potential to benefit from it, and to identify challenges to implementation. Background Data Simulation is an increasingly important part of surgical training. VR is a developing platform for using simulation to teach technical skills, behavioral skills, and entire procedures to trainees and practicing surgeons worldwide. Questions exist regarding the science behind the technology and most effective usage of VR simulation. A symposium was held to address these issues. Methods Engineers, educators, and surgeons held a conference in November 2013 both to review the background science behind simulation technology and to create guidelines for its use in teaching and credentialing trainees and surgeons in practice. Results Several technologic challenges were identified that must be overcome in order for VR simulation to be useful in surgery. Specific areas of student, resident, and practicing surgeon training and testing that would likely benefit from VR were identified: technical skills, team training and decision-making skills, and patient safety, such as in use of electrosurgical equipment. Conclusions VR simulation has the potential to become an essential piece of surgical education curriculum but depends heavily on the establishment of an agreed upon set of goals. Researchers and clinicians must collaborate to allocate funding toward projects that help achieve these goals. The recommendations outlined here should guide further study and implementation of VR simulation. PMID:25925424

Attracting Cutting-Edge Skills Through Reserve Component Participation

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

specific recruitment pool of faculty and students within these institutions who possess the state-of-the- art science and technical skills or the most...identify a specific recruitment pool of faculty and students within these institutions who possess the state-of-the- art science and technical skills or

Comparison of motor delays in young children with fetal alcohol syndrome to those with prenatal alcohol exposure and with no prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed

Kalberg, Wendy O; Provost, Beth; Tollison, Sean J; Tabachnick, Barbara G; Robinson, Luther K; Eugene Hoyme, H; Trujillo, Phyllis M; Buckley, David; Aragon, Alfredo S; May, Philip A

2006-12-01

Researchers are increasingly considering the importance of motor functioning of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The purpose of this study was to assess the motor development of young children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) to determine the presence and degree of delay in their motor skills and to compare their motor development with that of matched children without FAS. The motor development of 14 children ages 20 to 68 months identified with FAS was assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). In addition, 2 comparison groups were utilized. Eleven of the children with FAS were matched for chronological age, gender, ethnicity, and communication age to: (1) 11 children with prenatal alcohol exposure who did not have FAS and (2) 11 matched children without any reported prenatal alcohol exposure. The motor scores on the VABS were compared among the 3 groups. Most of the young children with FAS in this study showed clinically important delays in their motor development as measured on the VABS Motor Domain, and their fine motor skills were significantly more delayed than their gross motor skills. In the group comparisons, the young children with FAS had significantly lower Motor Domain standard (MotorSS) scores than the children not exposed to alcohol prenatally. They also had significantly lower Fine Motor Developmental Quotients than the children in both the other groups. No significant group differences were found in gross motor scores. For MotorSS scores and Fine Motor Developmental Quotients, the means and standard errors indicated a continuum in the scores from FAS to prenatal alcohol exposure to nonexposure. These findings strongly suggest that all young children with FAS should receive complete developmental evaluations that include assessment of their motor functioning, to identify problem areas and provide access to developmental intervention programs that target deficit areas such as fine motor skills. Fine motor delays in children with FAS may be related to specific neurobehavioral deficits that affect fine motor skills. The findings support the concept of an FASD continuum in some areas of motor development.

Constructions of Literacy: A Study of Reading Instruction in Middle School Content Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Louise Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Today's adolescents are expected to read and write well at highly competent levels and the content area literacy skills they will acquire in adolescence are necessary for academic achievement as well as life-long learning. In the middle grades, content area literacy skills are perfected through work in various curricular areas, which are housed in…

Managers' perceptions of radiographers' skills: current and future needs.

PubMed

Akroyd, D; Wold, B

1996-01-01

As the healthcare delivery system changes, it is imperative to assess the skills of practitioners to ensure consistency between educational preparation and work place needs. The purpose of this study was to examine radiology managers' perception of selected workplace skills and new radiography graduates' ability to perform them. A random sample of 1,932 members of the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA) received a questionnaire containing 35 skills categorized as basic, intermediate or advanced. Skills were ranked by the magnitude of the difference between managers' rating of importance of each skill and their rating of graduates' ability to perform that skill satisfactorily. In the basic skill area, the four top-ranked skills represented problem-solving ability or critical thinking. Of the five highest-ranked intermediate skills, the top three were patient care skills: venipuncture, taking vital signs and monitoring patient equipment. In the advanced skill area, six skills exhibited high values for the difference between importance and ability. Two of those related to patient care, three were non-technical and the sixth was the ability to perform CT in addition to basic radiography. Employers and educators should work together to seek educational methods that produce radiographers who are better prepared for the fast-changing workplace.

Finger-Based Numerical Skills Link Fine Motor Skills to Numerical Development in Preschoolers.

PubMed

Suggate, Sebastian; Stoeger, Heidrun; Fischer, Ursula

2017-12-01

Previous studies investigating the association between fine-motor skills (FMS) and mathematical skills have lacked specificity. In this study, we test whether an FMS link to numerical skills is due to the involvement of finger representations in early mathematics. We gave 81 pre-schoolers (mean age of 4 years, 9 months) a set of FMS measures and numerical tasks with and without a specific finger focus. Additionally, we used receptive vocabulary and chronological age as control measures. FMS linked more closely to finger-based than to nonfinger-based numerical skills even after accounting for the control variables. Moreover, the relationship between FMS and numerical skill was entirely mediated by finger-based numerical skills. We concluded that FMS are closely related to early numerical skill development through finger-based numerical counting that aids the acquisition of mathematical mental representations.

[New simulation technologies in neurosurgery].

PubMed

Byvaltsev, V A; Belykh, E G; Konovalov, N A

2016-01-01

The article presents a literature review on the current state of simulation technologies in neurosurgery, a brief description of the basic technology and the classification of simulation models, and examples of simulation models and skills simulators used in neurosurgery. Basic models for the development of physical skills, the spectrum of available computer virtual simulators, and their main characteristics are described. It would be instructive to include microneurosurgical training and a cadaver course of neurosurgical approaches in neurosurgery training programs and to extend the use of three-dimensional imaging. Technologies for producing three-dimensional anatomical models and patient-specific computer simulators as well as improvement of tactile feedback systems and display quality of virtual models are promising areas. Continued professional education necessitates further research for assessing the validity and practical use of simulators and physical models.

Caseload management methods for use within district nursing teams: a literature review.

PubMed

Roberson, Carole

2016-05-01

Effective and efficient caseload management requires extensive skills to ensure that patients receive the right care by the right person at the right time. District nursing caseloads are continually increasing in size and complexity, which requires specialist district nursing knowledge and skills. This article reviews the literature related to caseload management with the aim of identifying the most effective method for district nursing teams. The findings from this review are that there are different styles and methods of caseload management. The literature review was unable to identify a single validated tool or method, but identified themes for implementing effective caseload management, specifically caseload analysis; workload measurement; work allocation; service and practice development and workforce planning. This review also identified some areas for further research.

[Ergonomic movement in dentistry].

PubMed

Bos-Huizer, J J A; Bolderman, F W

2014-02-01

'Ergonomic movement in dentistry' is a recently developed ergonomic programme for dental healthcare professionals which is intended to prevent work-related complaints and assist in recovering from them. The programme is recommended by disability insurers in cases of specific physical complaints, limitations or disability, as a consequence of which a dental healthcare professional is unable to carry out his or her work. In a four-day training programme, in one's own workplace, skills are taught in the areas of work organization, work attitude and movement. These skills are directly applied in the treatment ofpatients and, if necessary, further improved. In this way, one advances step by step to an ergonomic way of working. Evaluations have shown that the programme is advantageous for the attitude toward work, the workplace and the work organization as well as the reduction of disability.

Teaching Basic Reading Skills in Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnine, Linda

1980-01-01

This document presents diagnostic and prescriptive techniques that will enable teachers to enhance secondary school students' learning through reading in content areas. Three terms used in the document are defined in Section I: "vocabulary skills" include word attack skills, sight word skills, and word meanings; "comprehension skills" are literal,…

ENSO Predictions in an Intermediate Coupled Model Influenced by Removing Initial Condition Errors in Sensitive Areas: A Target Observation Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Ling-Jiang; Gao, Chuan; Zhang, Rong-Hua

2018-07-01

Previous studies indicate that ENSO predictions are particularly sensitive to the initial conditions in some key areas (socalled "sensitive areas"). And yet, few studies have quantified improvements in prediction skill in the context of an optimal observing system. In this study, the impact on prediction skill is explored using an intermediate coupled model in which errors in initial conditions formed to make ENSO predictions are removed in certain areas. Based on ideal observing system simulation experiments, the importance of various observational networks on improvement of El Niño prediction skill is examined. The results indicate that the initial states in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are important to improve El Ni˜no prediction skill effectively. When removing the initial condition errors in the central equatorial Pacific, ENSO prediction errors can be reduced by 25%. Furthermore, combinations of various subregions are considered to demonstrate the efficiency on ENSO prediction skill. Particularly, seasonally varying observational networks are suggested to improve the prediction skill more effectively. For example, in addition to observing in the central equatorial Pacific and its north throughout the year, increasing observations in the eastern equatorial Pacific during April to October is crucially important, which can improve the prediction accuracy by 62%. These results also demonstrate the effectiveness of the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation approach on detecting sensitive areas for target observations.

Are gross motor skills and sports participation related in children with intellectual disabilities?

PubMed

Westendorp, Marieke; Houwen, Suzanne; Hartman, Esther; Visscher, Chris

2011-01-01

This study compared the specific gross motor skills of 156 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) (50 ≤ IQ ≥ 79) with that of 255 typically developing children, aged 7-12 years. Additionally, the relationship between the specific gross motor skills and organized sports participation was examined in both groups. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and a self-report measure were used to assess children's gross motor skills and sports participation, respectively. The children with ID scored significantly lower on almost all specific motor skill items than the typically developing children. Children with mild ID scored lower on the locomotor skills than children with borderline ID. Furthermore, we found in all groups that children with higher object-control scores participated more in organized sports than children with lower object-control scores. Our results support the importance of attention for well-developed gross motor skills in children with borderline and mild ID, especially to object-control skills, which might contribute positively to their sports participation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exemplar Training for Battalion Visualization (CD-ROM)

DTIC Science & Technology

cognitive task analysis to identify important visualization skill at a battalion level of command. The cognitive task analysis consisted of a review of...findings from the cognitive task analysis , 11 skill areas were identified as potential focal points of future training development. The findings from the... cognitive task analysis were used to design and develop exemplar training exercises for two skill areas; identify key problem elements employing the

The Leadership Improvement Modules of the Precommissioning Leadership Assessment Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-01

Institute - Patricia Knight Davis Development Dimensions International DTIC ELECTE SEP 0 3W U5 D Leadership and Management Technical Area Manpower and... Management skills Development Management training Interpersonal skills Remedial training Leadership skills Role playing IL ASISRACT (Cl -ewi rebb emem II by...Burke Army Research Institute Patricia Knight Davis Development Dimensions International Leadership and Management Technical Area William W. Haythorn

Design and Implementation of an Assessment Model for Students Entering Vocational Education Programs in the State of Colorado. Automotive.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Northern Colorado, Greeley.

This basic vocational related skills assessment module in automotive mechanics is one of sixteen modules designed to help teachers assess and identify some of the areas in which special needs students may encounter learning difficulties. The materials in the module allow for informal assessment in three basic areas: academic skills, motor skills,…

Design and Implementation of an Assessment Model for Students Entering Vocational Education Programs in the State of Colorado. Graphic Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Nancy K.; And Others

This basic vocational related skills assessment module in graphic arts is one of sixteen modules designed to help teachers assess and identify some of the areas in which special needs students may encounter learning difficulties. The materials in the module allow for informal assessment in three basic areas: academic skills, motor skills, and…

A Pilot Intervention to Increase Women’s Coping Skills in Family Reintegration After Deployment in Combat Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

phase of this study (Authors, 2014), and the impact of deployment on these variables. Specifically, we hypothesized women’s post -deployment...reintegration experience is challenging for all soldiers, the goal of this study was to document the post -deployment family reintegration experiences of women... posted , what their roles were, and how the family functioned in their absence (Waldman, 2009). The purpose of this study was to document the

A Pilot Intervention to Increase Women’s Coping Skills in Family Reintegration after Deployment in Combat Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Document specific challenges and facilitators involved in family reintegration for women and 2) Develop and pilot test a telephone- delivered coping...for women in the National Guard and Reserves who have recently returned from deployment, and 2) Develop and pilot test a telephone-delivered coping...as a framework for the development of an economical and viable coping intervention to facilitate family relationships during reintegration? 4. How

An Assessment of the Factors in Office Automation Systems Affecting Air Force Middle Managers and Clerical Workers in the Information Management Career Field

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

Implementation..........14 Advantages of OA ............... 20 Social Impact of CA. ........... Effect of OA on Users ............. 25 Conclusion...discussed include social impacts , specific Air Force studies, job skills, supervision, and changes in employment. 10 Chapter III contains the... social impact of OA on managers and clerical workers. The final area examined effects of OA on users in their environments. General Review Review of

Getting to the Root of Fine Motor Skill Performance in Dentistry: Brain Activity During Dental Tasks in a Virtual Reality Haptic Simulation.

PubMed

Perry, Suzanne; Bridges, Susan M; Zhu, Frank; Leung, W Keung; Burrow, Michael F; Poolton, Jamie; Masters, Rich Sw

2017-12-12

There is little evidence considering the relationship between movement-specific reinvestment (a dimension of personality which refers to the propensity for individuals to consciously monitor and control their movements) and working memory during motor skill performance. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measuring oxyhemoglobin demands in the frontal cortex during performance of virtual reality (VR) psychomotor tasks can be used to examine this research gap. The aim of this study was to determine the potential relationship between the propensity to reinvest and blood flow to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices of the brain. A secondary aim was to determine the propensity to reinvest and performance during 2 dental tasks carried out using haptic VR simulators. We used fNIRS to assess oxygen demands in 24 undergraduate dental students during 2 dental tasks (clinical, nonclinical) on a VR haptic simulator. We used the Movement-Specific Reinvestment Scale questionnaire to assess the students' propensity to reinvest. Students with a high propensity for movement-specific reinvestment displayed significantly greater oxyhemoglobin demands in an area associated with working memory during the nonclinical task (Spearman correlation, r s =.49, P=.03). This small-scale study suggests that neurophysiological differences are evident between high and low reinvesters during a dental VR task in terms of oxyhemoglobin demands in an area associated with working memory. ©Suzanne Perry, Susan M Bridges, Frank Zhu, W Keung Leung, Michael F Burrow, Jamie Poolton, Rich SW Masters. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 12.12.2017.

[Participation, sharing, communication: a compatence based on culture not on professional skills].

PubMed

Tognoni, Gianni

2005-01-01

The increasing emphasis on the importance of a more direct and active role of citizen and patients not only in the processes of care, but more broadly in the definition of goals and in the formulation of health choices, can be considered one of the most interesting trends in medicine and society. There is also a consensus on the need that nurses should have a protagonist role in this scenario. The hypothesis which has guided the selection and the development of the topics of this dossier is specifically discussed in the Editorial: the quality and the yield of participation do not depend on "another" skill which could be thaught, but on the openess-readiness of the health care personnel to a lay listening, understanding, sharing of the background culture, voices, needs of the cultural contexts and of the variability of individuals and of poprilations. The different contributions have two complementary objectives: a) to outline what could be the overall philosophy and the main components of a culture of a non directive communication, b) to document with model cases how broad and stimulating on one side is the challenge, and on the other the richness of opportunities. Along the varions contributions it is stressed that: This is an area at risk of being dominated by conceptualizations and declarations of intents, while its credibility and contribution are strictly dependent on the robustness of experiences; Nurses must consider this area as a specifically important field of research, with strategies and tools which must be tailored to the specificity of the situations where participation-communication are considered a priority.

Skill mix in the health care workforce: reviewing the evidence.

PubMed Central

Buchan, James; Dal Poz, Mario R.

2002-01-01

This paper discusses the reasons for skill mix among health workers being important for health systems. It examines the evidence base (identifying its limitations), summarizes the main findings from a literature review, and highlights the evidence on skill mix that is available to inform health system managers, health professionals, health policy-makers and other stakeholders. Many published studies are merely descriptive accounts or have methodological weaknesses. With few exceptions, the published analytical studies were undertaken in the USA, and the findings may not be relevant to other health systems. The results from even the most rigorous of studies cannot necessarily be applied to a different setting. This reflects the basis on which skill mix should be examined--identifying the care needs of a specific patient population and using these to determine the required skills of staff. It is therefore not possible to prescribe in detail a "universal" ideal mix of health personnel. With these limitations in mind, the paper examines two main areas in which investigating current evidence can make a significant contribution to a better understanding of skill mix. For the mix of nursing staff, the evidence suggests that increased use of less qualified staff will not be effective in all situations, although in some cases increased use of care assistants has led to greater organizational effectiveness. Evidence on the doctor-nurse overlap indicates that there is unrealized scope in many systems for extending the use of nursing staff. The effectiveness of different skill mixes across other groups of health workers and professions, and the associated issue of developing new roles remain relatively unexplored. PMID:12163922

The relationship between gross motor skills and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities.

PubMed

Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

2011-01-01

The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading, spelling, and mathematics were examined in children with learning disabilities. As expected, the children with learning disabilities scored poorer on both the locomotor and object-control subtests than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, in children with learning disabilities a specific relationship was observed between reading and locomotor skills and a trend was found for a relationship between mathematics and object-control skills: the larger children's learning lag, the poorer their motor skill scores. This study stresses the importance of specific interventions facilitating both motor and academic abilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attention and driving in traumatic brain injury: a question of coping with time-pressure.

PubMed

Brouwer, Wiebo H; Withaar, Frederiec K; Tant, Mark L M; van Zomeren, Adriaan H

2002-02-01

Diffuse and focal traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in perceptual, cognitive, and motor dysfunction possibly leading to activity limitations in driving. Characteristic dysfunctions for severe diffuse TBI are confronted with function requirements derived from the hierarchical task analysis of driving skill. Specifically, we focus on slow information processing, divided attention, and the development of procedural knowledge. Also the effects of a combination of diffuse and focal dysfunctions, specifically homonymous hemianopia and the dysexecutive syndrome, are discussed. Finally, we turn to problems and challenges with regard to assessment and rehabilitation methods in the areas of driving and fitness to drive.

Applying an innovative educational program for the education of today's engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kans, M.

2012-05-01

Engineers require a broad spectrum of knowledge and skills: basic skills in mathematics and physics, skills and competencies within the major subject area as well as more general knowledge about business and enterprise contexts, society regulations and understanding of the future professions' characteristics. In addition, social, intercultural, analytical and managing competencies are desired. The CDIO educational program was initiated as a means to come closer to practice and to assure the training of engineering skills that are required of today's engineers. CDIO is short for Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate and describes the full life cycle understanding of a system or asset that engineering students should reach during education. The CDIO initiative is formulated in a program consisting of two important documents: the CDIO standards and the CDIO syllabus. The standards describe a holistic approach on education, from knowledge and skills to be trained, how to train and assess them, to how to develop the teaching staff and the work places for enabling the goals. The specific knowledge and skills to be achieved are accounted for in the syllabus. In this paper we share our more than 15 years of experiences in problem and project based learning from the perspective of the CDIO standards. For each standard, examples of how to set up the education and overcome challenges connected to the standard are given. The paper concludes with recommendations to others wishing to work toward problem and real-life based education without compromising the requirements of a scientific approach.

Relational skill assets and anti-immigrant sentiments.

PubMed

Lee, Naeyun; Lee, Cheol-Sung

2015-07-01

This study introduces the role of relational skill assets in accounting for attitudes toward immigrants: relational skill assets. Drawing upon stratification researchers' notion of "non-cognitive skills," we build a theoretical framework highlighting the role of occupational skill requirements in explaining anti-immigrant sentiment. Then, utilizing two occupation-specific measures, interpersonal skill requirement and instrumental skill requirement, we construct an explanatory factor, relational skill specificity. We test its effect on anti-immigrant attitudes as well as on the concentration of foreign-born workers in occupations, using the 2004 national identity module of General Social Survey. The findings confirm our argument that workers with a higher possession of interpersonal skill assets relative to instrumental skill assets are exposed to less intense competitions with immigrants, and are therefore less likely to express anti-immigrant sentiments. Our findings suggest that occupational-level relational skill assets based on sociocultural differences play an important role in shaping native workers' attitudes' toward immigrants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracurricular Activities and the Development of Social Skills in Children with Intellectual and Specific Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, B. A.; Floyd, F.; Robins, D. L.; Chan, W. Y.

2015-01-01

Background: Children with intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities often lack age-appropriate social skills, which disrupts their social functioning. Because of the limited effectiveness of classroom mainstreaming and social skills training for these children, it is important to explore alternative opportunities for social skill…

User's Manual for the Basic Math Mastery Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, David J.; Trombley, Robert J.

This user manual introduces and explains the Basic Math Mastery Tests (BMMT), a collection of 10 tests of specific mathematics skills. The tests were designed to assess mastery of specific skills required for successful performance in vocational education or in occupations requiring mathematics skills. All 10 tests are administered and scored by…

Use of videos to support teaching and learning of clinical skills in nursing education: A review.

PubMed

Forbes, Helen; Oprescu, Florin I; Downer, Terri; Phillips, Nicole M; McTier, Lauren; Lord, Bill; Barr, Nigel; Alla, Kristel; Bright, Peter; Dayton, Jeanne; Simbag, Vilma; Visser, Irene

2016-07-01

Information and communications technology is influencing the delivery of education in tertiary institutions. In particular, the increased use of videos for teaching and learning clinical skills in nursing may be a promising direction to pursue, yet we need to better document the current research in this area of inquiry. The aim of this paper was to explore and document the current areas of research into the use of videos to support teaching and learning of clinical skills in nursing education. The four main areas of current and future research are effectiveness, efficiency, usage, and quality of videos as teaching and learning materials. While there is a clear need for additional research in the area, the use of videos seems to be a promising, relevant, and increasingly used instructional strategy that could enhance the quality of clinical skills education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The European nanometrology landscape.

PubMed

Leach, Richard K; Boyd, Robert; Burke, Theresa; Danzebrink, Hans-Ulrich; Dirscherl, Kai; Dziomba, Thorsten; Gee, Mark; Koenders, Ludger; Morazzani, Valérie; Pidduck, Allan; Roy, Debdulal; Unger, Wolfgang E S; Yacoot, Andrew

2011-02-11

This review paper summarizes the European nanometrology landscape from a technical perspective. Dimensional and chemical nanometrology are discussed first as they underpin many of the developments in other areas of nanometrology. Applications for the measurement of thin film parameters are followed by two of the most widely relevant families of functional properties: measurement of mechanical and electrical properties at the nanoscale. Nanostructured materials and surfaces, which are seen as key materials areas having specific metrology challenges, are covered next. The final section describes biological nanometrology, which is perhaps the most interdisciplinary applications area, and presents unique challenges. Within each area, a review is provided of current status, the capabilities and limitations of current techniques and instruments, and future directions being driven by emerging industrial measurement requirements. Issues of traceability, standardization, national and international programmes, regulation and skills development will be discussed in a future paper.

The European nanometrology landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leach, Richard K.; Boyd, Robert; Burke, Theresa; Danzebrink, Hans-Ulrich; Dirscherl, Kai; Dziomba, Thorsten; Gee, Mark; Koenders, Ludger; Morazzani, Valérie; Pidduck, Allan; Roy, Debdulal; Unger, Wolfgang E. S.; Yacoot, Andrew

2011-02-01

This review paper summarizes the European nanometrology landscape from a technical perspective. Dimensional and chemical nanometrology are discussed first as they underpin many of the developments in other areas of nanometrology. Applications for the measurement of thin film parameters are followed by two of the most widely relevant families of functional properties: measurement of mechanical and electrical properties at the nanoscale. Nanostructured materials and surfaces, which are seen as key materials areas having specific metrology challenges, are covered next. The final section describes biological nanometrology, which is perhaps the most interdisciplinary applications area, and presents unique challenges. Within each area, a review is provided of current status, the capabilities and limitations of current techniques and instruments, and future directions being driven by emerging industrial measurement requirements. Issues of traceability, standardization, national and international programmes, regulation and skills development will be discussed in a future paper.

Recommended observational skills training for IAEA safeguards inspections. Final report: Recommended observational skills training for IAEA safeguards inspections

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

Toquam, J.L.; Morris, F.A.

This is the second of two reports prepared to assist the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA or Agency) in enhancing the effectiveness of its international safeguards inspections through inspector training in {open_quotes}Observational Skills{close_quotes}. The first (Phase 1) report was essentially exploratory. It defined Observational Skills broadly to include all appropriate cognitive, communications, and interpersonal techniques that have the potential to help IAEA safeguards inspectors function more effectively. It identified 10 specific Observational Skills components, analyzed their relevance to IAEA safeguards inspections, and reviewed a variety of inspection programs in the public and private sectors that provide training in one ormore » more of these components. The report concluded that while it should be possible to draw upon these other programs in developing Observational Skills training for IAEA inspectors, the approaches utilized in these programs will likely require significant adaption to support the specific job requirements, policies, and practices that define the IAEA inspector`s job. The overall objective of this second (Phase 2) report is to provide a basis for the actual design and delivery of Observational Skills training to IAEA inspectors. The more specific purposes of this report are to convey a fuller understanding of the potential application of Observational Skills to the inspector`s job, describe inspector perspectives on the relevance and importance of particular Observational Skills, identify the specific Observational Skill components that are most important and relevant to enhancing safeguards inspections, and make recommendations as to Observational Skills training for the IAEA`s consideration in further developing its Safeguards training program.« less

The extended object-grasping network.

PubMed

Gerbella, Marzio; Rozzi, Stefano; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

2017-10-01

Grasping is the most important skilled motor act of primates. It is based on a series of sensorimotor transformations through which the affordances of the objects to be grasped are transformed into appropriate hand movements. It is generally accepted that a circuit formed by inferior parietal areas AIP and PFG and ventral premotor area F5 represents the core circuit for sensorimotor transformations for grasping. However, selection and control of appropriate grip should also depend on higher-order information, such as the meaning of the object to be grasped, and the overarching goal of the action in which grasping is embedded. In this review, we describe recent findings showing that specific sectors of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex are instrumental in controlling higher-order aspects of grasping. We show that these prefrontal sectors control the premotor cortex through two main gateways: the anterior subdivision of ventral area F5-sub-area F5a-, and the pre-supplementary area (area F6). We then review functional studies showing that both F5a and F6, besides being relay stations of prefrontal information, also play specific roles in grasping. Namely, sub-area F5a is involved in stereoscopic analysis of 3D objects, and in planning cue-dependent grasping activity. As for area F6, this area appears to play a crucial role in determining when to execute the motor program encoded in the parieto-premotor circuit. The recent discovery that area F6 contains a set of neurons encoding specific grip types suggests that this area, besides controlling "when to go", also may control the grip type, i.e., "how to go". We conclude by discussing clinical syndromes affecting grasping actions and their possible mechanisms.

Improving Outcomes for Youth with ADHD: A Conceptual Framework for Combined Neurocognitive and Skill-Based Treatment Approaches

PubMed Central

Chacko, Anil; Kofler, Michael; Jarrett, Matthew

2014-01-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and chronic mental health condition that often results in substantial impairments throughout life. Although evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial treatments exist for ADHD, effects of these treatments are acute, do not typically generalize into non-treated settings, rarely sustain over time, and insufficiently affect key areas of functional impairment (i.e., family, social, and academic functioning) and executive functioning. The limitations of current evidence-based treatments may be due to the inability of these treatments to address underlying neurocognitive deficits that are related to the symptoms of ADHD and associated areas of functional impairment. Although efforts have been made to directly target the underlying neurocognitive deficits of ADHD, extant neurocognitive interventions have shown limited efficacy, possibly due to misspecification of training targets and inadequate potency. We argue herein that despite these limitations, next-generation neurocognitive training programs that more precisely and potently target neurocognitive deficits may lead to optimal outcomes when used in combination with specific skill-based psychosocial treatments for ADHD. We discuss the rationale for such a combined treatment approach, prominent examples of this combined treatment approach for other mental health disorders, and potential combined treatment approaches for pediatric ADHD. Finally, we conclude with directions for future research necessary to develop a combined neurocognitive + skill-based treatment for youth with ADHD. PMID:25120200

The use of the nominal group technique as an evaluative tool in the teaching and summative assessment of the inter-personal skills of student mental health nurses.

PubMed

Perry, Jonathan; Linsley, Sue

2006-05-01

Nominal group technique is a semi-quantitative/qualitative evaluative methodology. It has been used in health care education for generating ideas to develop curricula and find solutions to problems in programme delivery. This paper aims to describe the use of nominal group technique and present the data from nominal group evaluations of a developing module which used novel approaches to the teaching and assessment of interpersonal skills. Evaluations took place over 3 years. Thirty-six students took part in annual groups. Analysis of the data produced the following themes based on items generated in the groups: role play, marking, course content, teaching style and user involvement. Findings indicate that students valued the role play, feedback from service users and emphasis on engagement and collaboration elements of the module. The areas which participants found difficult and desired change included anxiety during experiential practice, the "snap shot" nature of assessment and the use of specific interventions. Indications are also given regarding the impact of changes made by teaching staff over the 3 year evaluation period. The findings support themes within the existing literature on the teaching of interpersonal skills and may to some extent point the way toward best practice in this area. The paper discusses these findings and their implications for nurse education.

Career Pathways Skill-Building Activities Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Community Coll. of Rhode Island, Warwick.

In an effort to relate academic skills with workplace skills and facilitate the transition from school to work, the Community College of Rhode Island developed a skill-based instructional model targeted at 9th through 12th graders and consisting of 6 instructional areas, or strands, and 31 related skills. This guide provides suggested activities…

Electromyography and the study of sports movements: a review.

PubMed

Clarys, J P; Cabri, J

1993-10-01

Within electromyography (EMG), a particular specialty has been developed wherein the aim is to use EMG for the study of muscular function and co-ordination. This area of research is usually called kinesiological EMG. The general aims of kinesiological EMG are to analyse the function and co-ordination of muscles in different movements and postures, in healthy subjects as well as in the disabled, in skilled actions as well as during training, in humans as well as in animals, under laboratory conditions as well as during daily or vocational activities. This is often done by a combination of electromyographical and kinesiological or biomechanical measurement techniques. Because there are over 400 skeletal muscles in the human body and both irregular and complex involvement of the muscles may occur in neuromuscular diseases and in voluntary occupational or sports movements, it is impossible to sample all of the muscles of the entire body during the performance of complex motor skills. In addition, the measurement of kinesiological EMG in sport and specific field circumstances, such as the track and/or soccer field, the alpine ski slope, the swimming pool and the ice rink, demands a specific technological and methodological approach, adaptable to both the field and the sport circumstances. Sport movement techniques and skills, training approaches and methods, ergonomic verification of the human-machine interaction have, amongst others, a highly specialized muscular activity in common. The knowledge of such muscular action in all its aspects, its evaluation and its feedback should allow for the optimization of movement, of sports materials, of training possibilities and, in the end, of sports performance. Drawing conclusions from a review of the EMG research of 32 sports, covering over 100 different complex skills, including methodological approaches, is an impossible task. We have attempted to set standards concerning the EMG methodology at the beginning of this review. Electromyography and sports is a vast area and a complete review is impossible, as information will be found scattered in many different journals, including those on the sports sciences, ergonomics, biomechanics, applied physiology, in different congress proceedings, and so on. Consequently, many important aspects and possibly important publications may have been omitted from this review.

Check-list for the assessment of functional impairment in children with congenital aural atresia.

PubMed

Montino, Silvia; Agostinelli, Anna; Trevisi, Patrizia; Martini, Alessandro; Ghiselli, Sara

2017-11-01

Congenital Aural Atresia (CAA) is a deformity of the external ear and it is commonly associated with malformations of middle and inner ear and, in some cases, with other facial deformities. Very few assessment measures exist for evaluating the functional impairment in children with CAA. Purpose of this study is to introduce and describe an assessment Checklist, (nominated FOS Checklist) that covers feeding abilities (F), oralmotor skills (O), communication/language development (S) in children with CAA. FOS wants to offer a range of assessment providing a profile of the child in comparison to hearing peers and it aims to make clinicians able to identify additional problems and areas of difficulties as well as specific abilities and skills. Secondary, we want to investigate the presence of correlations between disorders and side of CAA. a new Checklist (FOS Checklist) was administered to 68 children with CAA. Feeding abilities are age-adequate in 94,3% of all patients. 54,4% of all patients are in need for further assessment of their oral-motor skills; delays in language development were found in 44,1% of cases. Orofacial development delays have been observed in 57.2% of subjects among the bilateral CAA group, in 53.9% among the right CAA group and in 53.4% among the left CAA group. Patients referred for further language evaluation were 42,9% in the bilateral CAA group, 33.3% in the right CAA group and 33.3% in the left CAA group. According to the χ 2 analysis, referral for further assessment is independent from side of aural atresia. Subjects with bilateral CAA are more likely to be referred for further assessment, both for oral motor aspects and for speech perception and language development. However, there is not a significant statistical difference between the performances of children with bilateral or unilateral CAA. FOS Checklist is simple, reliable and time effective and can be used in everyday clinical practice. FOS enable clinicians to identify additional problems and areas of difficulties as well as specific abilities and skills; moreover, FOS allows to determine appropriate referrals and intervention strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Early visual ERPs are influenced by individual emotional skills.

PubMed

Meaux, Emilie; Roux, Sylvie; Batty, Magali

2014-08-01

Processing information from faces is crucial to understanding others and to adapting to social life. Many studies have investigated responses to facial emotions to provide a better understanding of the processes and the neural networks involved. Moreover, several studies have revealed abnormalities of emotional face processing and their neural correlates in affective disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether early visual event-related potentials (ERPs) are affected by the emotional skills of healthy adults. Unfamiliar faces expressing the six basic emotions were presented to 28 young adults while recording visual ERPs. No specific task was required during the recording. Participants also completed the Social Skills Inventory (SSI) which measures social and emotional skills. The results confirmed that early visual ERPs (P1, N170) are affected by the emotions expressed by a face and also demonstrated that N170 and P2 are correlated to the emotional skills of healthy subjects. While N170 is sensitive to the subject's emotional sensitivity and expressivity, P2 is modulated by the ability of the subjects to control their emotions. We therefore suggest that N170 and P2 could be used as individual markers to assess strengths and weaknesses in emotional areas and could provide information for further investigations of affective disorders. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Does a brief suicide prevention gatekeeper training program enhance observed skills?

PubMed

Cross, Wendi; Matthieu, Monica M; Lezine, Dequincy; Knox, Kerry L

2010-01-01

Suicide is a significant public health problem worldwide that requires evidence-based prevention efforts. One approach to prevention is gatekeeper training. Gatekeeper training programs for community members have demonstrated positive changes in knowledge and attitudes about suicide. Changes in gatekeeper skills have not been well established. To assess and to predict the impact of a brief, gatekeeper training on community members' observed skills. Participants in a community gatekeeper training were employees at US universities. 50 participants were randomly selected for skills assessment and videotaped interacting with a standardized actor prior to and following training. Tapes were reliably rated for general and suicide-specific skills. Gatekeeper skills increased from pre- to posttest: 10% of participants met criteria for acceptable gatekeeper skills before training, while 54% met criteria after training. Pretraining variables did not predict increased skills. Results do not provide conclusions about the relationship between observed gatekeeper skills and actual use of those skills in the future. Gatekeeper training enhances suicide-specific skills for the majority of participants. Other strategies, such as behavioral rehearsal, may be necessary to enhance skills in the remaining participants.

Hue-specific colour memory impairment in an individual with intact colour perception and colour naming.

PubMed

Jakobson, L S; Pearson, P M; Robertson, B

2008-01-15

Cases of hue-selective dyschomatopsias, together with the results of recent optical imaging studies [Xiao, Y., Casti, A. R. R., Xiao, J., & Kaplan, E. (2006). A spatially organized representation of colour in macaque primary visual cortex. Perception, 35, ECVP Abstract Supplement; Xiao, Y., Wang, Y., & Felleman, D. J. (2003). A spatially organized representation of colour in macaque cortical area V2. Nature, 421, 535-539], have provided support for the idea that different colours are processed in spatially distinct regions of extrastriate cortex. In the present report, we provide evidence suggesting that a similar, but distinct, map may exist for representations of colour in memory. This evidence comes from observations of a young woman (QP) who demonstrates an isolated deficit in colour memory secondary to a concussive episode. Despite having normal colour perception and colour naming skills, and above-average memory skills in other domains, QP's ability to recall visually encoded colour information over short retention intervals is dramatically impaired. Her long-term memory for colour and her colour imagery skills are also abnormal. Surprisingly, however, these impairments are not seen with all hues; specifically, her ability to remember or imagine blue shades is spared. This interesting case contributes to the literature suggesting that colour perception, naming, and memory can be clinically dissociated, and provides insights into the organization of colour information in memory.

Impact of a Revised Curriculum Focusing on Clinical Neurology and Musculoskeletal Care on a Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship

PubMed Central

Faulk, Clinton E.; Harrell, Kelly M.; Lawson, Luan E.; Moore, Daniel P.

2016-01-01

Background. A Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Clerkship was found to increase students' knowledge of PM&R; however the students' overall rotation evaluations were consistently lower than the other 8 required clerkships at the medical school. Objective. To describe the impact of a revised curriculum based upon Entrustable Professional Activities and focusing on basic pain management, musculoskeletal care, and neurology. Setting. Academic Medical Center. Participants. 73 fourth-year medical students. Methods. The curriculum changes included a shift in the required readings from rehabilitation specific topics toward more general content in the areas of clinical neurology and musculoskeletal care. Hands-on workshops on neurological and musculoskeletal physical examination techniques, small group case-based learning, an anatomy clinical correlation lecture, and a lecture on pain management were integrated into the curriculum. Main Outcome Measurements. Student evaluations of the clerkship. Results. Statistically significant improvements were found in the students' evaluations of usefulness of lecturers, development of patient interviewing skills, and diagnostic and patient management skills (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions. This study suggests that students have a greater satisfaction with a required PM&R clerkship when lecturers utilize a variety of pedagogic methods to teach basic pain, neurology and musculoskeletal care skills in the rehabilitation setting rather than rehabilitation specific content. PMID:28025624

Impact of a Revised Curriculum Focusing on Clinical Neurology and Musculoskeletal Care on a Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship.

PubMed

Norbury, John W; Faulk, Clinton E; Harrell, Kelly M; Lawson, Luan E; Moore, Daniel P

2016-01-01

Background . A Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Clerkship was found to increase students' knowledge of PM&R; however the students' overall rotation evaluations were consistently lower than the other 8 required clerkships at the medical school. Objective . To describe the impact of a revised curriculum based upon Entrustable Professional Activities and focusing on basic pain management, musculoskeletal care, and neurology. Setting . Academic Medical Center. Participants . 73 fourth-year medical students. Methods . The curriculum changes included a shift in the required readings from rehabilitation specific topics toward more general content in the areas of clinical neurology and musculoskeletal care. Hands-on workshops on neurological and musculoskeletal physical examination techniques, small group case-based learning, an anatomy clinical correlation lecture, and a lecture on pain management were integrated into the curriculum. Main Outcome Measurements . Student evaluations of the clerkship. Results . Statistically significant improvements were found in the students' evaluations of usefulness of lecturers, development of patient interviewing skills, and diagnostic and patient management skills ( p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions . This study suggests that students have a greater satisfaction with a required PM&R clerkship when lecturers utilize a variety of pedagogic methods to teach basic pain, neurology and musculoskeletal care skills in the rehabilitation setting rather than rehabilitation specific content.

Traumatic brain injury: analysis of functional deficits and posthospital rehabilitation outcomes.

PubMed

Lewis, Frank D; Horn, Gordon J

2013-01-01

Advances in emergency medicine, both in the field and in trauma centers, have dramatically increased survival rates of persons sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, these advances have come with the realization that many survivors are living with significant residual deficits in multiple areas of functioning, which make the resumption of a quality lifestyle extremely difficult. To this point, TBI has recently been characterized as a chronic disease. As with other chronic diseases, TBI is often causative of persistent disabling symptoms in multiple organ systems. Therefore, posthospital residential rehabilitation programs have emerged to treat these symptoms with the goal of helping these individuals regain function and live more productive and independent lives. This study examined the nature and severity of residual deficits experienced by a group of 285 brain-injured individuals and evaluate the efficacy of posthospital residential rehabilitation programs in treating those deficits. Participants consisted of 285 individuals who had sustained a TBI and, due to multiple residual deficits, were unable to care for themselves, necessitating admission to residential posthospital rehabilitation programs. All participants were evaluated at admission and discharge on the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory?Version 4 (MPAI-4). The MPAI-4, developed specifically for persons with acquired brain injury, measures 29 areas of function often affected by TBI. From the 29 skills evaluated, the 12 most often rated as causing the greatest interference with function were identified. Of these skills, the cognitive deficits including memory, attention/concentration, novel problem solving, and awareness of deficits were highly correlated with disruption in performing everyday societal roles. The impact of treatment for reducing the level of disability in these areas was statistically significant, t(284) = 17.43, p < .0001. Improvement was significant even for participants admitted more than 1 year postinjury, t(78) = 8.05, p < .0001. Skill deficits interfering with reintegration into home and community are highly interrelated and should be treated with the understanding that progress in one area may be dependent on change in another area. Cognitive skills including memory, attention/ concentration, novel problem solving, and awareness of deficits were highly correlated with measures of overall functional outcome. Posthospital programs using a multidisciplinary treatment approach achieved significant reduction in disability from program admission to discharge. The benefits of these programs were realized even for the most chronically-impaired participants. 2013.

A Model of Developing Communication Skills among Adolescents with Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novik, Natalia N.; Podgórecki, Józef

2015-01-01

The urgency of the problem under investigation is determined by the need to help the adolescents with behavioral problems to develop communication skills in the specific bilingual conditions in such regions as the Republic of Tatarstan where education should consider not only the specific skills of verbal behavior but also take into account the…

An Examination of Specific Daily Living Skills Deficits in Adults with Profound Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belva, Brian C.; Matson, Johnny L.

2013-01-01

While some researchers have investigated daily living skills deficits in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) as a whole, research on specific daily living skills in a profound ID population is limited. Two hundred and four adults with profound ID residing in two large developmental centers in the southeast portion of the United States…

The Gravity of High-Skilled Migration Policies.

PubMed

Czaika, Mathias; Parsons, Christopher R

2017-04-01

Combining unique, annual, bilateral data on labor flows of highly skilled immigrants for 10 OECD destinations between 2000 and 2012, with new databases comprising both unilateral and bilateral policy instruments, we present the first judicious cross-country assessment of policies aimed to attract and select high-skilled workers. Points-based systems are much more effective in attracting and selecting high-skilled migrants than requiring a job offer, labor market tests, and shortage lists. Offers of permanent residency, while attracting the highly skilled, overall reduce the human capital content of labor flows because they prove more attractive to non-high-skilled workers. Bilateral recognition of diploma and social security agreements foster greater flows of high-skilled workers and improve the skill selectivity of immigrant flows. Conversely, double taxation agreements deter high-skilled migrants, although they do not alter overall skill selectivity. Our results are robust to a variety of empirical specifications that account for destination-specific amenities, multilateral resistance to migration, and the endogeneity of immigration policies.

Promoting a skills-based agenda in Olympic sports: the role of skill-acquisition specialists.

PubMed

Williams, A Mark; Ford, Paul R

2009-11-01

We highlight the importance of promoting a skills-based agenda in the development and preparation of Olympic athletes. The role that specialists with a background in skill acquisition can play is illustrated and the need to move towards a culture where evidence-based practice permeates all aspects of this process reiterated. We provide examples from contemporary research to illustrate how skill-acquisition theory and practice can help inform and guide practitioners, coaches, and administrators in their quest to develop Olympic athletes. Although the acquisition and refinement of skills are essential to performance in most Olympic sports, paradoxically the area of skill acquisition has not impacted in a concerted and meaningful way on this agenda. Skill-acquisition specialists need to be more proactive in forging links with elite sport, whereas practitioners, coaches, and administrators need to appreciate the important role that sports scientists with a background in this area can play in helping to develop future generations of podium athletes.

Obesity and Skill Attainment in Early Childhood. NBER Working Paper No. 13997

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cawley, John; Spiess, C. Katharina

2008-01-01

This paper investigates the association between obesity and skill attainment in early childhood (aged 2-4 years). Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study are used to estimate models of developmental functioning in four critical areas (verbal skills, activities of daily living, motor skills, and social skills) as a function of various…

The Dynamics of Life Skills Coaching. Life Skills Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtiss, Paul R.; Warren, Phillip W.

This book is to be used in a Life Skills Coach Training course. Life skills are defined as problem-solving behaviors appropriately and responsibly used in the management of personal affairs. They apply to the following areas of responsibility: self, family, leisure, community, and job. A course aimed at training people in the life skills implies…

Competence areas of nursing students in Europe.

PubMed

Satu, Kajander-Unkuri; Leena, Salminen; Mikko, Saarikoski; Riitta, Suhonen; Helena, Leino-Kilpi

2013-06-01

The focus of this study is on European nursing education, where there have been several reforms over the last two decades attempting to harmonise curricula and degree structures. One of the most powerful reforms was started by the Bologna Declaration in 1999; since then, significant progress has been made towards achieving the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in education practice. The Directive of recognition of professional qualifications (2005/36/EC) regulates nursing education. All these strategies aim to harmonise nursing education, but specific competence areas in nursing are still missing within the European Union (EU). The purpose of this review was to seek competence areas for nursing students within the EU as identified in previous studies and other documents. Altogether, 67 competence areas were identified and classified into eight main categories: (1) professional and ethical values and practice, (2) nursing skills and intervention, (3) communication and interpersonal skills, (4) knowledge and cognitive ability, (5) assessment and improving quality in nursing, (6) professional development, (7) leadership, management and teamwork, and (8) research utilisation. In order to obtain a comprehensive concept of competence, more research is needed on nursing students' competence areas across the EU due to the fact that the EU is a common labour market and nurses are educated for the EU as a whole. Nursing is a global profession and nurse competence is central to patient care outcomes, so it is also internationally important that nurses have good competence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abnormal functional lateralization and activity of language brain areas in typical specific language impairment (developmental dysphasia)

PubMed Central

De Guibert, Clément; Maumet, Camille; Jannin, Pierre; Ferré, Jean-Christophe; Tréguier, Catherine; Barillot, Christian; Le Rumeur, Elisabeth; Allaire, Catherine; Biraben, Arnaud

2011-01-01

Atypical functional lateralization and specialization for language have been proposed to account for developmental language disorders, yet results from functional neuroimaging studies are sparse and inconsistent. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study compared children with a specific subtype of specific language impairment affecting structural language (n=21), to a matched group of typically-developing children using a panel of four language tasks neither requiring reading nor metalinguistic skills, including two auditory lexico-semantic tasks (category fluency and responsive naming) and two visual phonological tasks based on picture naming. Data processing involved normalizing the data with respect to a matched pairs pediatric template, groups and between-groups analysis, and laterality indexes assessment within regions of interest using single and combined task analysis. Children with specific language impairment exhibited a significant lack of left lateralization in all core language regions (inferior frontal gyrus-opercularis, inferior frontal gyrus-triangularis, supramarginal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus), across single or combined task analysis, but no difference of lateralization for the rest of the brain. Between-group comparisons revealed a left hypoactivation of Wernicke’s area at the posterior superior temporal/supramarginal junction during the responsive naming task, and a right hyperactivation encompassing the anterior insula with adjacent inferior frontal gyrus and the head of the caudate nucleus during the first phonological task. This study thus provides evidence that this specific subtype of specific language impairment is associated with atypical lateralization and functioning of core language areas. PMID:21719430

Should psychiatrists write fiction?

PubMed

Bladon, Henry

2018-04-01

This paper looks at the relationship between fiction and psychiatry. Specifically, the idea of psychiatrists as fiction writers is explored, and reference is made to various fictional texts to illustrate the problems of stigma and negative imagery. These two main areas of focus are highlighted as ones that the practice of writing fiction might address, and some potential pitfalls are discussed. The paper suggests how psychiatrists might ameliorate the present problems by incorporating their unique clinical skills and knowledge into fictional narratives. Declaration of interest None.

Engineering and Technology in Wheelchair Sport.

PubMed

Cooper, Rory A; Tuakli-Wosornu, Yetsa A; Henderson, Geoffrey V; Quinby, Eleanor; Dicianno, Brad E; Tsang, Kalai; Ding, Dan; Cooper, Rosemarie; Crytzer, Theresa M; Koontz, Alicia M; Rice, Ian; Bleakney, Adam W

2018-05-01

Technologies capable of projecting injury and performance metrics to athletes and coaches are being developed. Wheelchair athletes must be cognizant of their upper limb health; therefore, systems must be designed to promote efficient transfer of energy to the handrims and evaluated for simultaneous effects on the upper limbs. This article is brief review of resources that help wheelchair users increase physiologic response to exercise, develop ideas for adaptive workout routines, locate accessible facilities and outdoor areas, and develop wheelchair sports-specific skills. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Into the Curriculum. Reading/Language Arts: Three Little Kittens and the Lost Mittens; Reading/Language Arts: A Caldecott Archaeological Dig; Science: Discovering the Periodic Table of Elements; Science: The Red-Eyed Tree Frog Jumps into Nonfiction; Social Studies: Our Nation's Beginnings-Jamestown and Plymouth Settlements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherry, Carolyn; Louk, Cathy; Barwick, Martha; Kidd, Gentry E.

2001-01-01

Provides five fully developed school library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills objectives, curriculum (subject area) objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and…

The development of aerobic and skill assessment in soccer.

PubMed

O'Reilly, John; Wong, Stephen H S

2012-12-01

Methods of assessing soccer players' performance have developed significantly in recent times. The fitness profiles and skill levels of a prospective elite soccer player is a valuable resource for coaches in the process of identifying talent. Traditional means to measure aerobic fitness have centred on the 'aerobic capacity' or '&OV0312;O(2max)' test (also known as the maximal oxygen consumption test) but, over time, this has been shown not to be a sensitive measure for specific aspects of soccer in a match situation. Therefore, numerous soccer-specific simulations have been designed to re-create exercise patterns similar to those experienced during a match. Some of these studies have yet to be validated, while others have been shown to result in a similar physiological load to that encountered during regular match play. Further developments have led to specifically designed intermittent sprint tests, which are used as a sensitive tool to accurately measure the fluctuations in players' ability both between and within soccer seasons. Testing procedures have also been developed that incorporate elements of both skill and physical ability. Soccer-specific field tests have been designed, incorporating skill and dynamic movements, and this opens up the possibility of teams testing the aerobic capacity of their elite players using soccer-specific movements. Valid studies assessing soccer-specific skills in an ecologically sound environment have been quite rare until recently. Some test protocols have been deemed largely irrelevant to soccer match play, while others have had limited impact on scientific literature. More recently, skill tests have been developed and shown to be valid and reliable methods of assessing soccer skill performance. Many new skill tests continue to be developed, and some have been shown to be highly reliable, but further study of these relatively novel concepts is required before a more solid recommendation can be made. Overall, while significant work has been completed to date, there is still a need for further focused investigations, which can more closely assess the physiological demands of an elite soccer player, with a particular emphasis on sport-specific exercises during the execution of soccer skills. In this regard, more reliable and specific performance tests can be designed to more efficiently assess soccer players in the future.

Relationship between general and specific coordination in 8- to 17-year-old male basketball players.

PubMed

Kamandulis, Sigitas; Venckūnas, Tomas; Masiulis, Nerijus; Matulaitis, Kestutis; Balciūnas, Mindaugas; Peters, Derek; Skurvydas, Albertas

2013-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between general coordination, sport-specific coordination, and sport-specific fitness of 8- to 17-year-old male basketball players. 312 males with training experience ranging from one year in the 8-year-old cohort up to 10 years for the 17-year-olds performed basketball-specific fitness (20 m sprint, Illinois, countermovement jump), general coordination (20 m run with three obstacles), semi-basketball-specific coordination (20 m sprint dribbling two balls, countermovement jump with arm swing) and basketball-specific coordination (Illinois ball dribbling) tests. There were moderate to large correlations between the results of both general and basketball-specific coordination with the results of most basketball-specific coordination tests in all age groups. Correlations between general and basketball-specific coordination were large in four age groups (11-14 yr., r = .52 to r = .76), moderate in five groups (8-10, 15 & 16 yr., r = .37 to r = .46), while not significant in the 17-year-olds. These results suggest that the importance of general coordination for sport-specific skills improvements during a sports-specific skill acquisition phase, remains high at the skill refinement phase, and decreases when sport-specific skills have been mastered to near-perfection.

What Writing Skills Should Accounting Students Be Taught?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Douglas C.; Nelson, Sandra J.; Moncada, Susan M.

1998-01-01

Responses from 150 public accountants and 108 management accountants identified communication skills needed in accounting. Top writing skills areas included working papers, memoranda, business letters, instructions and procedures, and systems documentation. (SK)

Motor Skill Development in Italian Pre-School Children Induced by Structured Activities in a Specific Playground.

PubMed

Tortella, Patrizia; Haga, Monika; Loras, Håvard; Sigmundsson, Hermundur; Fumagalli, Guido

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects and specificity of structured and unstructured activities played at the playground Primo Sport 0246 in Northern Italy on motor skill competence in five years old children. The playground was specifically designed to promote gross motor skills in preschool children; in this study 71 children from local kindergartens came to the park once a week for ten consecutive weeks and were exposed to 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes of structured activities. Before and after the ten visits, each child completed nine tests to assess levels of motor skills, three for fine-motor skills and six for gross-motor skills. As control, motor skills were also assessed on 39 children from different kindergartens who did not come to the park. The results show that the experimental group who practiced gross-motor activities in the playground for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks improved significantly in 4 out of the 6 gross motor tasks and in none of the fine motor tasks. The data indicate that limited transfer occurred between tasks referring to different domains of motor competences while suggesting cross feeding for improvement of gross-motor skills between different exercises when domains related to physical fitness and strength of specific muscle groups are involved. These results are relevant to the issue of condition(s) appropriate for maintaining and developing motor skills in this age group as well as for the planning, organization and implementation of play and physical activities in kindergartens.

Motor Skill Development in Italian Pre-School Children Induced by Structured Activities in a Specific Playground

PubMed Central

Tortella, Patrizia; Haga, Monika; Loras, Håvard

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects and specificity of structured and unstructured activities played at the playground Primo Sport 0246 in Northern Italy on motor skill competence in five years old children. The playground was specifically designed to promote gross motor skills in preschool children; in this study 71 children from local kindergartens came to the park once a week for ten consecutive weeks and were exposed to 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes of structured activities. Before and after the ten visits, each child completed nine tests to assess levels of motor skills, three for fine-motor skills and six for gross-motor skills. As control, motor skills were also assessed on 39 children from different kindergartens who did not come to the park. The results show that the experimental group who practiced gross-motor activities in the playground for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks improved significantly in 4 out of the 6 gross motor tasks and in none of the fine motor tasks. The data indicate that limited transfer occurred between tasks referring to different domains of motor competences while suggesting cross feeding for improvement of gross-motor skills between different exercises when domains related to physical fitness and strength of specific muscle groups are involved. These results are relevant to the issue of condition(s) appropriate for maintaining and developing motor skills in this age group as well as for the planning, organization and implementation of play and physical activities in kindergartens. PMID:27462985

Basic Learning Skills Grades K-6. Minimum Statewide Educational Objectives Approved by the Board of Education May 27, 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virginia State Dept. of Education, Richmond. Div. of Elementary Education.

The specific educational objectives or basic learning skills are listed for the Virginia elementary school grades. Minimum skills are listed in reading, communications, and mathematics. Terminal objectives for reading include skills in word identification or decoding, comprehension, and study skills. Communication skills include listening,…

Exploring employer job requirements: An analysis of pharmacy job announcements.

PubMed

Wheeler, James S; Ngo, Tien; Cecil, Jasmine; Borja-Hart, Nancy

Postgraduate training, dual degrees, and board certifications are credentials viewed by academic pharmacy communities and professional organizations as positive assets for those seeking pharmacist jobs; however, a key question merits further investigation: do these views match employer expectations? The primary objective of this study was to identify the most common qualifications employers require as stated in job advertisements. Pharmacist job postings from the aggregate jobs website Indeed.com were evaluated for the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Search criteria included: pharmacist, full-time, and within a 50-mile radius of the metropolitan area. Positions were excluded if they were not pharmacist specific, did not require a pharmacy degree, were part-time, or were temporary. Required and preferred qualifications were collected in the following categories: practice type, experience needed, training, certification, and desired skills. Six hundred and eleven of 1356 postings met inclusion criteria. Positions were classified as community (113), health-system (264), industry (149), academia (9), or other (76). Four hundred and six (66.4%) required a minimum of a Bachelor's of Pharmacy degree, while 174 (28.4%) required a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Experience was required for 467 positions (range of 6 months to 14 years). Postgraduate training was required for 73 positions (66 residency/7 fellowship). One job required a Master's degree, type unspecified. BPS certifications were required for 7 positions (1.1%) and preferred for 22 positions (3.6%). Certifications and skills most required by employers were verbal and written skills (248), Microsoft Office proficiency (93), immunization certifications (51), and Basic Life Support/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation certifications (37). Postgraduate training, dual degrees, and board certification were not significant factors in the qualification criteria for the positions identified. The qualifications most often required by employers were experience and skills. Our findings indicated that employers wanted many soft skills that cannot be quantified. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Management Knowledge and Skills Required in the Health Care System of the Federation Bosnia and Herzegovina

PubMed Central

Slipicevic, Osman; Masic, Izet

2012-01-01

Extremely complex health care organizations, by their structure and organization, operate in a constantly changing business environment, and such situation implies and requires complex and demanding health management. Therefore, in order to manage health organizations in a competent manner, health managers must possess various managerial skills and be familiar with problems in health care. Research, identification, analysis, and assessment of health management education and training needs are basic preconditions for the development and implementation of adequate programs to meet those needs. Along with other specific activities, this research helped to determine the nature, profile, and level of top-priority needs for education. The need for knowledge of certain areas in health management, as well as the need for mastering concrete managerial competencies has been recognized as top-priorities requiring additional improvement and upgrading. PMID:23922519

The effects of inquiry-based science on the social and communicative skills of students with low-incidence disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Angelo, Heather Hopkins

This research utilized inquiry based science as a vehicle to implement and maintain social skills training for secondary students, ages 14 to 20, with low-incidence disabilities in a self-contained classroom. This three year action research study examined the effects of an inquiry based science curriculum on the level and quantity of social skills used by students with one or more of the following challenges: significant learning disability (functioning more than two grade levels below grade level), emotional/social disability, mental retardation, Autism, and/or varying degrees of brain damage. Through the use of video recording, the students in the study were analyzed based on the level of social interaction and the amount of socialization that took place during inquiry based science. The skills sought were based on the social and communication skills earmarked in the students' weekly social skills training class and their Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Based on previous research in social skills training it has been determined that where social skills training is lacking are in the areas of transfer and maintenance of skills. Due to the natural social behavior that must take place in inquiry based science this group of students were found to exhibit gains in (1) quantity of social interactions on topic; (2) developing higher levels of social interactions (sharing, taking other's suggestions, listening and responding appropriately, etc.); and (3) maintenance of social skills taught outside of formal social skills training. These gains were seen overall in the amount of student involvement during inquiry based science verses teacher involvement. Such increases are depicted through students' verbal exchanges, excerpts from field notes, and student reflections. The findings of this research is expected to guide special educators, administrators and directors of curriculum as to how to better create curriculum for this specific population where social skills training is utilized and maintained in all aspects of the academic day, thus helping this population of student achieve more independence and appropriate interactions in their live as citizens of society.

Study skills and habits in Shiraz dental students; strengths and weaknesses

PubMed Central

Zarshenas, Ladan; Danaei, Shahla Momeni; Mazarei, Elham; Najafi, Hooman Zarif; Shakour, Mahsa

2014-01-01

Introduction: The dental students, the same as other students, during their academic courses are required to learn a wide range of scientific subjects. Obviously, choosing the inappropriate method of study leads to confuse and disenchantment of students and it causes wasting of their energy. The purpose of this study was to assess the existing strengths and weaknesses of the skills and study habits in Dental Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2009-10. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all of the dental students (n = 274), who studied at the time of study at all levels in the academic year of 2009-10, were selected by the census. Data were collected by using the Huston University questionnaire consisted of two parts of demographic questions and 64 specific areas of study skills in eight domains of time management, concentration/memory, study aids/note taking, test strategies, information processing, motivation, self-assessment/reading, and writing skills. Following the retranslation of the questionnaire, the validity was confirmed by using the content validity method. The reliability was obtained by using the Cronbach's Alpha of 0.92. The data were analyzed with SPSS software version 17 and using analytical statistic tests. Results: Students who have previously participated in the study skills workshops had stronger skills in comparison with the students who had not participated in these workshops. Time management skills (P = 0.04), motivation (P = 0.0001) and information processing (P = 0.03) in students with professional status were in a more favorable position and showed significant differences in terms of educational levels. The study skills mean score of the students living in student housings in comparison with the other students were significantly higher (P = 0.04). Marital status showed no significant differences in reading skills. Conclusion and Recommendations: The review of study skills in the undergraduate and post-graduate dental students indicated that the residents had higher reading skills. By recognizing the existing strengths and weaknesses and holding programs through counseling centers can develop the study skills in the students. PMID:25013837

Intercomparison of different operational oceanographic forecast products in the CMEMS IBI area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorente, Pablo; Sotillo, Marcos G.; Dabrowski, Tomasz; Amo-Baladrón, Arancha; Aznar, Roland; De Pascual, Alvaro; Levier, Bruno; Bowyer, Peter; Cossarini, Gianpiero; Salon, Stefano; Tonani, Marina; Alvarez-Fanjul, Enrique

2017-04-01

The development of skill assessment software packages and dedicated web applications is a relatively novel theme in operational oceanography. Within the CMEMS IBI-MFC, the quality of IBI (Iberia-Biscay-Ireland) forecast products is assessed by means of NARVAL (North Atlantic Regional VALidation) web-based tool. The validation of IBI against independent in situ and remote-sensing measurements is routinely conducted to evaluate model's veracity and prognostic capabilities. Noticeable efforts are in progress to define meaningful skill scores and statistical metrics to quantitatively assess the quality and reliability of the IBI model solution. Likewise, the IBI-MFC compares the IBI forecast products with other model solutions by setting up specific intercomparison exercises on overlapping areas at diverse timescales. In this context, NARVAL web tool already includes a specific module to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of IBI versus other CMEMS operational ocean forecasting systems (OOFSs). In particular, the IBI physical ocean solution is compared against the CMEMS MED and NWS OOFSs. These CMEMS regional services delivered for the Mediterranean and the North West Shelves include data assimilation schemes in their respective operational chains and generate analogous ocean forecast products to the IBI ones. A number of physical parameters (i.e. sea surface temperature, salinity and current velocities) are evaluated through NARVAL on a daily basis in the overlapping areas existing between these three regional systems. NARVAL is currently being updated in order to extend this intercomparison of ocean model parameters to the biogeochemical solutions provided by the aforementioned OOFSs. More specifically, the simulated chlorophyll concentration is evaluated over several subregions of particular concern by using as benchmark the CMEMS satellite-derived observational products. In addition to this IBI comparison against other regional CMEMS products on overlapping areas, a specific intercomparison between the CMEMS GLOBAL solution and the IBI (regional application dynamically embedded in the former) is conducted in order to check its consistency and ability to outperform the parent model solution. Particular emphasis is placed on the comparison of time-series at specified locations (class-2 metrics). The standardized validation methodology presented here is particularly useful and could encompass the intercomparison of the regional application (IBI) and other nested higher resolution models at coastal/shelf scales to quantify the added value of downscaling in local downstream approaches.

Are Gross Motor Skills and Sports Participation Related in Children with Intellectual Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westendorp, Marieke; Houwen, Suzanne; Hartman, Esther; Visscher, Chris

2011-01-01

This study compared the specific gross motor skills of 156 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) (50 less than or equal to IQ greater than or equal to 79) with that of 255 typically developing children, aged 7-12 years. Additionally, the relationship between the specific gross motor skills and organized sports participation was examined in…

The Effect of Blogging and Electronic Journaling on Writing Skills Development in High School Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Dianne Bruce

2010-01-01

Blogging and computerized journaling are effective tools for writing skill development; however, research has not revealed which specific populations of students are aided by blogging or journaling, nor has research revealed the specific writing skills that are most likely to be improved by these practices. The purpose of the study was to discover…

Transfer or Specificity? An Applied Investigation into the Relationship between Fundamental Overarm Throwing and Related Sport Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keeffe, S. L.; Harrison, A. J.; Smyth, P. J.

2007-01-01

Background: Optimum sequencing of skills so that learners can benefit from the transfer of previous learning is an important issue in teaching and learning of motor skills. There is a lack of empirical evidence on the specificity and transfer of learning and its application to teaching/coaching situations. Purpose: To investigate the concepts of…

ConfChem Conference on Select 2016 BCCE Presentations: Specifications Grading in the Flipped Organic Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Joshua

2017-01-01

Specifications Grading is a system of course-long student assessment based on the division of learning objectives into clearly defined skill tests or assignments. Each skill is evaluated at a mastery level, with opportunities for students to learn from their mistakes and then be re-evaluated for skill tests, or resubmit assignments. Specifications…

Position paper: appropriate use of pharmacotherapeutic agents by the orofacial pain dentist.

PubMed

Heir, Gary M; Haddox, J David; Crandall, Jeffrey; Eliav, Eli; Radford, Steven Graff; Schwartz, Anthony; Jaeger, Bernadette; Ganzberg, Steven; Aquino, Carlos M; Benoliel, Rafael

2011-01-01

Orofacial Pain Dentistry is concerned with the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of persistent and recurrent orofacial pain disorders. The American Dental Association, through the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), now recognizes Orofacial Pain as an area of advanced education in Dentistry. It is mandated by CODA that postgraduate orofacial pain programs be designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills beyond those of the standard curriculum leading to the DDS or DMD degrees. Postgraduate programs in orofacial pain must include specific curricular content to comply with CODA standards. The intent of CODA standards is to assure that training programs develop specific educational goals and objectives that describe the student/resident’s expected knowledge and skills upon successful completion of the program. A standardized core curriculum, required for accreditation of dental orofacial pain training programs, has now been adopted.Among the various topics mandated in the curriculum are pharmacology and, specifically, pharmacotherapeutics. The American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP) recommends, and the American Board of Orofacial Pain (ABOP) requires, that the minimally competent orofacial pain dentist* be knowledgeable in the management of orofacial pain conditions using medications when indicated. Basic knowledge of the appropriate use of pharmacotherapeutics is essential for the orofacial pain dentist and, therefore, constitutes part of the examination specifications of the ABOP. The minimally competent orofacial pain clinician must demonstrate knowledge, diagnostic skills, and treatment expertise in many areas, such as musculoskeletal, neurovascular, and neuropathic pain syndromes; sleep disorders related to orofacial pain; orofacial dystonias; and intraoral, intracranial, extracranial, and systemic disorders that cause orofacial pain or dysfunction. The orofacial pain dentist has the responsibility to diagnose and treat patients in pain that is often chronic, multifactorial, and complex. Failure to understand pain mechanisms can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective, delayed, or harmful treatment. It is the responsibility of the orofacial pain dentist to accurately diagnose the cause(s) of the pain and decide if treatment should be dentally, medically, or psychologically oriented, or if optimal management requires a combination of all three treatment approaches. Management may consist of a number of interdisciplinary modalities including, eg, physical medicine, behavioral medicine, and pharmacology or, in rare instances, surgical interventions. Among the essential armamentarium is the knowledge and proper use of pharmacologic agents.

Developing a Communication Curriculum and Workshop for an Internal Medicine Residency Program.

PubMed

Salib, Sherine; Glowacki, Elizabeth M; Chilek, Lindsay A; Mackert, Michael

2015-06-01

Learning effective communication is essential for physicians. Effective communication has been shown to affect healthcare outcomes, including patient safety, adherence rates, patient satisfaction, and enhanced teamwork. The importance of these skills has become even more apparent in recent years, with value-based purchasing programs and federal measures of patient satisfaction in the form of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores becoming an important part of measuring the performance of a healthcare facility. We conducted a communication workshop for internal medicine residents at the University of Texas. Topics covered included the Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thank You framework; managing up; resolving conflicts; error disclosure; new medication and discharge counseling; intercultural communication; understanding Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores; and avoiding burnout. Because it would have been logistically difficult to block whole days for the workshop, the various topics were offered to residents during their regular noon conference hour for several consecutive days. After the workshop, the residents completed an anonymous questionnaire regarding their perception of the importance of various aspects of communication in patient care. The majority of the participating residents perceived the various communication skills explored during the workshop to be highly important in patient care. Concurrently, however, most residents believed that they had initially overestimated their knowledge about these various communication issues. Some demographic differences in the responses also were noted. Our findings demonstrate a needs gap and an area of potential improvement in medical education. We anticipate that with the growing understanding of the importance of communication skills in the healthcare setting, there will be an enhanced role for teaching these skills at all levels of medical education. More studies are needed to further elucidate the specific areas of communication in health care where additional training is necessary.

Parent-Implemented Behavioral Skills Training of Social Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Rebecca K.; King, Melissa L.; Fischetti, Anthony T.; Lake, Candice M.; Mathews, Therese L.; Warzak, William J.

2017-01-01

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…

Helwan University Project Developing Primary School Pupils' Abilities and Skills at Some Egyptian Underprivileged Areas (Slums). (Field Study)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Tayeb, Mahmoud N.; El Nashar, Mohamed; Zeid, Mai M.; El-Sayed, Magda; Ramadan, Mohamed A.; Hamdi, Safia M.; El-Affy, Nabila; Ebeid, Amina K.; El-Marasi, Sonia S.; Abou-Elmahty, Maher

2010-01-01

Through directing concerted efforts and educational services of seven Faculties of Helwan University towards socially underprivileged pupils in slum areas (EL-Marg area in big Cairo) this research project had two main aims: firstly, modifying a set of arbitrary behaviors of those pupils, in a trial to develop some behavior skills associated with…

Getting Skills Right: Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in Italy. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; the design of education and training systems and their…

A Guide to Employability Skills Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kromhout, Ora M.; And Others

This guide identifies existing employability skills materials and provides annotations to assist the reader in selecting materials. To assist Florida educators in relating employability skills to educational goals, Florida goals and standards are presented. A Topic Index to Titles first provides a topic outline of skills areas based on The Florida…

The Instructional Guide for Abbott Skills Enhancement Classes. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballinger, Ronda; Gee, Mary Kay

This guide, which integrates adult basic education (ABE) curriculum, job skills for Abbott Laboratories, and work-related foundation skills, is designed for an instructional program in the skill areas of reading, writing, oral communications, mathematics, and problem solving. In addition to creating a uniform process and product to promote…

Getting Skills Right: South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in South Africa. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment of skills acquisitions with labour market needs; education and training policies targeting skills…

Getting Skills Right: United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

This report identifies effective strategies to tackle skills imbalances in the United Kingdom. It provides an assessment of practices and policies in the following areas: the collection and use of information on skill needs to foster a better alignment between skills acquisition and labour market needs; education and training policies targeting…

A Review of Treatments for Deficits in Social Skills and Self-Help Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Lorna; Healy, Olive

2012-01-01

Deficits in social skills and self-help skills present significant challenges for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Much research in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been devoted to treatments for deficits in social skills and there exist a number of extensive reviews on the research in this area. Some research has…

A comparison of visual search strategies of elite and non-elite tennis players through cluster analysis.

PubMed

Murray, Nicholas P; Hunfalvay, Melissa

2017-02-01

Considerable research has documented that successful performance in interceptive tasks (such as return of serve in tennis) is based on the performers' capability to capture appropriate anticipatory information prior to the flight path of the approaching object. Athletes of higher skill tend to fixate on different locations in the playing environment prior to initiation of a skill than their lesser skilled counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine visual search behaviour strategies of elite (world ranked) tennis players and non-ranked competitive tennis players (n = 43) utilising cluster analysis. The results of hierarchical (Ward's method) and nonhierarchical (k means) cluster analyses revealed three different clusters. The clustering method distinguished visual behaviour of high, middle-and low-ranked players. Specifically, high-ranked players demonstrated longer mean fixation duration and lower variation of visual search than middle-and low-ranked players. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that cluster analysis is a useful tool for detecting and analysing the areas of interest for use in experimental analysis of expertise and to distinguish visual search variables among participants'.

Robot-mediated Imitation Skill Training for Children with Autism

PubMed Central

Zheng, Zhi; Young, Eric M.; Swanson, Amy R.; Weitlauf, Amy S.; Warren, Zachary E.; Sarkar, Nilanjan

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts 1 in 68 children in the US, with tremendous individual and societal costs. Technology-aided intervention, more specifically robotic intervention, has gained momentum in recent years due to the inherent affinity of many children with ASD towards technology. In this paper we present a novel robot-mediated intervention system for imitation skill learning, which is considered a core deficit area for children with ASD. The Robot-mediated Imitation Skill Training Architecture (RISTA) is designed in such a manner that it can operate either completely autonomously or in coordination with a human therapist depending on the intervention need. Experimental results are presented from small user studies validating system functionality, assessing user tolerance, and documenting subject performance. Preliminary results show that this novel robotic system draws more attention from the children with ASD and teaches gestures more effectively as compared to a human therapist. While no broad generalized conclusions can be made about the effectiveness of RISTA based on our small user studies, initial results are encouraging and justify further exploration in the future. PMID:26353376

Skills based evaluation of alternative input methods to command a semi-autonomous electric wheelchair.

PubMed

Rojas, Mario; Ponce, Pedro; Molina, Arturo

2016-08-01

This paper presents the evaluation, under standardized metrics, of alternative input methods to steer and maneuver a semi-autonomous electric wheelchair. The Human-Machine Interface (HMI), which includes a virtual joystick, head movements and speech recognition controls, was designed to facilitate mobility skills for severely disabled people. Thirteen tasks, which are common to all the wheelchair users, were attempted five times by controlling it with the virtual joystick and the hands-free interfaces in different areas for disabled and non-disabled people. Even though the prototype has an intelligent navigation control, based on fuzzy logic and ultrasonic sensors, the evaluation was done without assistance. The scored values showed that both controls, the head movements and the virtual joystick have similar capabilities, 92.3% and 100%, respectively. However, the 54.6% capacity score obtained for the speech control interface indicates the needs of the navigation assistance to accomplish some of the goals. Furthermore, the evaluation time indicates those skills which require more user's training with the interface and specifications to improve the total performance of the wheelchair.

Response to "Transfer or Specificity?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Judith

2007-01-01

This article presents the author's response to "Transfer or Specificity?" and reports a research that supports a strong case for a fundamental motor skill as a precursor to two sport specific skills as in Gallahue and Ozmun's (2002) theoretical model of motor development. Reported changes in performance of the overarm throw are…

Specific Cognitive Predictors of Early Math Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Scott L.; Roberts, Alycia M.

2015-01-01

Development of early math skill depends on a prerequisite level of cognitive development. Identification of specific cognitive skills that are important for math development may not only inform instructional approaches but also inform assessment approaches to identifying children with specific learning problems in math. This study investigated the…

Dyslexia and Specific Language Impairment: The Role of Phonology and Auditory Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Jill; Goswami, Usha; Conti-Ramsden, Gina

2010-01-01

We explore potential similarities between developmental dyslexia (specific reading disability [SRD]) and specific language impairment (SLI) in terms of phonological skills, underlying auditory processing abilities, and nonphonological language skills. Children aged 9 to 11 years with reading and/or language difficulties were recruited and compared…

Domain-Specific Knowledge and General Skills in Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhara-Kojima, Keiko; Hatano, Giyoo

A study examined whether the reading comprehension of students with rich domain-specific knowledge will be better than that of students without it and whether assessed general skills will be correlated significantly with reading comprehension performance for students without specific knowledge, but negligible for the students with much specific…

78 FR 26621 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-07

... provide funding for students to study abroad to improve their cultural and language skills in areas... Defense for Personnel and Readiness provides Boren scholarships and fellowships for students to study abroad to improve their cultural and language skills in areas critical to national security. In exchange...

Family Income, Parental Education and Brain Structure in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Noble, Kimberly G.; Houston, Suzanne M.; Brito, Natalie H.; Bartsch, Hauke; Kan, Eric; Kuperman, Joshua M.; Akshoomoff, Natacha; Amaral, David G.; Bloss, Cinnamon S.; Libiger, Ondrej; Schork, Nicholas J.; Murray, Sarah S.; Casey, B. J.; Chang, Linda; Ernst, Thomas M.; Frazier, Jean A.; Gruen, Jeffrey R.; Kennedy, David N.; Zijl, Peter Van; Mostofsky, Stewart; Kaufmann, Walter E.; Kenet, Tal; Dale, Anders M.; Jernigan, Terry L.; Sowell, Elizabeth R.

2015-01-01

Socioeconomic disparities are associated with differences in cognitive development. The extent to which this translates to disparities in brain structure is unclear. Here, we investigated relationships between socioeconomic factors and brain morphometry, independently of genetic ancestry, among a cohort of 1099 typically developing individuals between 3 and 20 years. Income was logarithmically associated with brain surface area. Specifically, among children from lower income families, small differences in income were associated with relatively large differences in surface area, whereas, among children from higher income families, similar income increments were associated with smaller differences in surface area. These relationships were most prominent in regions supporting language, reading, executive functions and spatial skills; surface area mediated socioeconomic differences in certain neurocognitive abilities. These data indicate that income relates most strongly to brain structure among the most disadvantaged children. Potential implications are discussed. PMID:25821911

Setting the Stage with Geometry: Lessons & Worksheets to Build Skills in Measuring Perimeter, Area, Surface Area, and Volume. Poster/Teaching Guide. Expect the Unexpected with Math[R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Actuarial Foundation, 2013

2013-01-01

"Setting the Stage with Geometry" is a new math program aligned with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards that is designed to help students in grades 6-8 build and reinforce basic geometry skills for measuring 2D and 3D shapes. Developed by The Actuarial Foundation, this program seeks to provide skill-building math…

Short-duration virtual reality simulation training positively impacts performance during laparoscopic colectomy in animal model: results of a single-blinded randomized trial : VR warm-up for laparoscopic colectomy.

PubMed

Araujo, Sergio E A; Delaney, Conor P; Seid, Victor E; Imperiale, Antonio R; Bertoncini, Alexandre B; Nahas, Sergio C; Cecconello, Ivan

2014-09-01

Several studies have demonstrated skills transfer after virtual reality (VR) simulation training in laparoscopic surgery. However, the impact of VR simulation training on transfer of skills related to laparoscopic colectomy remains not investigated. The present study aimed at determining the impact of VR simulation warm-up on performance during laparoscopic colectomy in the porcine model. Fourteen residents naive to laparoscopic colectomy as surgeons were randomly assigned in block to two groups. Seven trainees completed a 2-h VR simulator training in the laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy module (study group). The remaining seven surgeons (control group) underwent no intervention. On the same day, all participants performed a sigmoid colectomy with anastomosis on a pig. All operations were video recorded. Two board-certified expert colorectal surgeons independently assessed performance during the colectomy on the swine. Examiners were blinded to group assignment. The two examiners used a previously validated clinical instrument specific to laparoscopic colectomy. The primary outcome was the generic and specific skills score values. Surgeons undergoing short-duration training on the VR simulator performed significantly better during laparoscopic colectomy on the pig regarding general and specific technical skills evaluation. The average score of generic skills was 17.2 (16.5-18) for the control group and 20.1 (16.5-22) for the study group (p = 0.002). The specific skills average score for the control group was 20.2 (19-21.5) and 24.2 (21-27.5) for the study group (p = 0.001). There was acceptable concordance (Kendall's W) regarding the video assessment of generic (W = 0.78) and specific skills (W = 0.84) between the two examiners. A single short-duration VR simulator practice positively impacted surgeons' generic and specific skills performance required to accomplish laparoscopic colectomy in the swine model.

Findings from a study of aspiring nursing student leaders.

PubMed

Waite, Roberta; McKinney, Nicole S

2015-12-01

Transformational leadership skills are critical to operate effectively in today's healthcare environment. Prelicensure nurses do not often practice these skills in a meaningful way during their undergraduate educational experience. This paper describes quantitative pre-post findings from the Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory to examine students' leadership attributes pre-post engagement in an 18 month undergraduate leadership program. This is a non-experimental convenience study that used a quantitative pre-post survey design collecting data from participants and observers using the 360 Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory. A private university in the northeastern region of the United States. Fourteen junior level nursing students who concurrently participated in a leadership program while concurrently completing their required academic courses for their bachelor's degree in nursing. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine if there was statistical significance among student participants' and observers' perceptions of specific leadership behaviors and skills of students at the onset (pretest) and at the conclusion (posttest) of the leadership program. Participant and observer scores were positively correlated and statistical significance was identified in several practice areas. It is important to integrate transformation leadership skills into undergraduate curriculum since it supports students' engagement in their own learning and instills foundational knowledge critical to their leadership trajectory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Education and employment levels among Jamaican patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Burgess, Bertilee; Curtis-Downes, Desdemona; Gibson, Roger C

2013-05-01

Comparisons between persons with bipolar disorder and those with schizophrenia are not well researched in the Caribbean. To compare the educational and occupational attainments in Jamaicans diagnosed with these two disorders. Data on diagnosis, educational level, type of employment and other basic socio-demographic variables were collected from Jamaican hospital patients who were newly diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Fisher's exact and χ2 tests, as well as binary logistic regression, were used to explore how these characteristics varied according to diagnosis. Statistical significance was taken at p < .05. Schizophrenia was associated with significantly lower educational attainment than bipolar disorder (p = .022 for educational level attained; p = .026 for completion of secondary school). The majority (87.1%) of the 93 patients included in the analysis had no specific marketable job skills. However, the proportion of persons with bipolar disorder who had such skills was three times the corresponding proportion of persons with schizophrenia. The low educational achievement among persons with schizophrenia makes education a potentially important area for interventions targeted at this group. Because gross deficiencies in job skills were common to both patient groups, improvement in job skill levels is an important goal for persons with either of these disorders.

Exhibit Positive Work Attitudes. Work Skills: Work Maturity Skills Competency 2.0. Connections. School and Work Transitions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lankard, Bettina A.

This learning module is one of a series that teaches the competencies of "Job Search Skills," part of the "Work Skills" package--a set of competency-based instructional materials written for low-level readers that prepares students with specific job search and job keeping skills. ("Work Skills" is part of the "Connections" package, which…

The Effect of the Cherry Hill Study Skills Program on Eighth Grade Students' Reading Comprehension and Study Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Marca, Marilyn Tierney

A study was conducted to determine the effects of the "Cherry Hill Study Skills Program" on eighth grade students' reading comprehension and study skills. The "Cherry Hill Study Skills Program" is a process oriented course dealing with the sequential development of nine specific skills deemed essential to the retrieval and retention of information…

Do pattern recognition skills transfer across sports? A preliminary analysis.

PubMed

Smeeton, Nicholas J; Ward, Paul; Williams, A Mark

2004-02-01

The ability to recognize patterns of play is fundamental to performance in team sports. While typically assumed to be domain-specific, pattern recognition skills may transfer from one sport to another if similarities exist in the perceptual features and their relations and/or the strategies used to encode and retrieve relevant information. A transfer paradigm was employed to compare skilled and less skilled soccer, field hockey and volleyball players' pattern recognition skills. Participants viewed structured and unstructured action sequences from each sport, half of which were randomly represented with clips not previously seen. The task was to identify previously viewed action sequences quickly and accurately. Transfer of pattern recognition skill was dependent on the participant's skill, sport practised, nature of the task and degree of structure. The skilled soccer and hockey players were quicker than the skilled volleyball players at recognizing structured soccer and hockey action sequences. Performance differences were not observed on the structured volleyball trials between the skilled soccer, field hockey and volleyball players. The skilled field hockey and soccer players were able to transfer perceptual information or strategies between their respective sports. The less skilled participants' results were less clear. Implications for domain-specific expertise, transfer and diversity across domains are discussed.

Does a brief suicide prevention gatekeeper training program enhance observed skills?

PubMed Central

Cross, Wendi; Matthieu, Monica M.; Lezine, DeQuincy; Knox, Kerry L.

2010-01-01

Background Suicide is a significant public health problem worldwide that requires evidence-based prevention efforts. One approach to prevention is gatekeeper training. Gatekeeper training programs for community members have demonstrated positive changes in knowledge and attitudes about suicide. Changes in gatekeeper skills have not been well established. Aims To assess and predict the impact of a brief, gatekeeper training on community members’ observed skills. Methods Participants in a community gatekeeper training were employees at US universities. 50 participants were randomly selected for skills assessment and videotaped interacting with a standardized actor prior to and following training. Tapes were reliability rated for general and suicide-specific skills. Results Gatekeeper skills increased from pre- to posttest: 10% of participants met criteria for acceptable gatekeeper skills before training, while 54% met criteria after training. Pretraining variables did not predict increased skills. Limitations Results do not provide conclusions about the relationship between observed gatekeeper skills and actual use of those skills in the future. Conclusions Gatekeeper training enhances suicide-specific skills for the majority of participants. Other strategies, such as behavioral rehearsal, may be necessary to enhance skills in the remaining participants. PMID:20573609

Novel aptamer-linked nanoconjugate approach for detection of waterborne bacterial pathogens: an update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Gulshan; Manohar, Murli; Adegoke, Anthony Ayodeji; Stenström, Thor Axel; Shanker, Rishi

2017-01-01

The lack of microbiologically safe water in underdeveloped nations is the prime cause of infectious disease outbreaks. The need for the specific identification and detection of microorganisms encourages the development of advanced, rapid, sensitive and highly specific methods for the monitoring of pathogens and management of potential risk to human health. The rapid molecular assays based on detection of specific molecular signatures offer advantages over conventional methods in terms of specificity and sensitivity but require complex instrumentation and skilled personnel. Nanotechnology is an emerging area and provides a robust approach for the identification of pathogenic microorganism utilizing the peculiar properties of nanomaterials, i.e. small size (1-100 nm) and large surface area. This emerging technology promises to fulfill the urgent need of a novel strategy to enhance the bacterial identification and quantitation in the environment. In this context, the peculiar properties of gold nanoparticles, their plasmonic shifts, and changes in magnetic properties have been utilized for the simple and cost-effective detection of bacterial nucleic acids, antigens and toxins with quite improved sensitivity. One of the promising leads to develop an advance detection method might be the coupling of nucleic acid aptamers (capable of interacting specifically with bacteria, protozoa, and viruses) with nanomaterials. Such aptamer-nano conjugate can be used for the specific recognition of infectious agents in different environmental matrices. This review summarizes the application of nanotechnology in the area of pathogen detection and discusses the prospects of coupling nucleic acid aptamers with nanoparticles for the specific detection of targeted pathogens.

A Feasibility Study on the Effectiveness of a Full-Body Videogame Intervention for Decreasing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms.

PubMed

Weerdmeester, Joanneke; Cima, Maaike; Granic, Isabela; Hashemian, Yasaman; Gotsis, Marientina

2016-08-01

The current study assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a full-body-driven intervention videogame targeted at decreasing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, specifically inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and motor deficiency. The game was tested in a Dutch sample (N = 73) of school-aged children with elevated ADHD symptoms. Children assigned to the intervention condition played "Adventurous Dreaming Highflying Dragon," and those in the control condition played a comparable full-body-driven game without ADHD-focused training components. Games were played during six 15-minute sessions. Outcomes were teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and scores on neuropsychological tasks assessing motor skills, impulsivity, and sustained attention. There was some indication of greater improvement in the intervention group in comparison to the control group in terms of teacher-rated ADHD symptoms. Both groups showed equal indication of improvement in fine motor skills, but no change was found in gross motor skills. Additionally, both groups showed a deterioration in number of hits (assessing sustained attention) on the go/no-go task. Last, the intervention group showed a greater increase in false alarms (assessing impulsivity) than the control group. Dragon seems promising as a game-based intervention for children with ADHD. Children who played Dragon improved in several areas with only a short amount of gameplay (1.5 hours in total), and their satisfaction with the game was high. For future research, it is recommended to further inspect Dragon's influence on impulsivity and gross motor skills. Furthermore, it is recommended to disentangle, examine, and evaluate specific properties of videogames that might lead to positive behavioral change.

Real-Time Strategy Video Game Experience and Visual Perceptual Learning.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Hwan; Kang, Dong-Wha; Kim, Dongho; Kim, Hye-Jin; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo

2015-07-22

Visual perceptual learning (VPL) is defined as long-term improvement in performance on a visual-perception task after visual experiences or training. Early studies have found that VPL is highly specific for the trained feature and location, suggesting that VPL is associated with changes in the early visual cortex. However, the generality of visual skills enhancement attributable to action video-game experience suggests that VPL can result from improvement in higher cognitive skills. If so, experience in real-time strategy (RTS) video-game play, which may heavily involve cognitive skills, may also facilitate VPL. To test this hypothesis, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and elucidated underlying structural and functional neural mechanisms. Healthy young human subjects underwent six training sessions on a texture discrimination task. Diffusion-tensor and functional magnetic resonance imaging were performed before and after training. VGPs performed better than NVGPs in the early phase of training. White-matter connectivity between the right external capsule and visual cortex and neuronal activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were greater in VGPs than NVGPs and were significantly correlated with RTS video-game experience. In both VGPs and NVGPs, there was task-related neuronal activity in the right IFG, ACC, and striatum, which was strengthened after training. These results indicate that RTS video-game experience, associated with changes in higher-order cognitive functions and connectivity between visual and cognitive areas, facilitates VPL in early phases of training. The results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur without involvement of only visual areas. Significance statement: Although early studies found that visual perceptual learning (VPL) is associated with involvement of the visual cortex, generality of visual skills enhancement by action video-game experience suggests that higher-order cognition may be involved in VPL. If so, real-time strategy (RTS) video-game experience may facilitate VPL as a result of heavy involvement of cognitive skills. Here, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and investigated the underlying neural mechanisms. VGPs showed better performance in the early phase of training on the texture discrimination task and greater level of neuronal activity in cognitive areas and structural connectivity between visual and cognitive areas than NVGPs. These results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur beyond the visual cortex. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3510485-08$15.00/0.

The assessment of surgical skills as a complement to the training method. Revision.

PubMed

Sánchez-Fernández, J; Bachiller-Burgos, J; Serrano-Pascual, Á; Cózar-Olmo, J M; Díaz-Güemes Martín-Portugués, I; Pérez-Duarte, F J; Hernández-Hurtado, L; Álvarez-Ossorio, J L; Sánchez-Margallo, F M

2016-01-01

The acquisition and improvement of surgical skills constitute a fundamental element in the training of any practitioner. At present, however, the assessment of these skills is a scarcely developed area of research. The aim of this study was to analyse the peculiarities of the various assessment systems and establish the minimum criteria that a skills and knowledge assessment system should meet as a method for assessing surgical skills in urological surgery. Scientific literature review aimed at the various currently available assessment systems for skills and competencies (technical and nontechnical), with a special focus on the systematic reviews and prospective studies. After conducting the review, we found that the various assessment systems for surgical competence have, in our opinion, a number of shortcomings. There is a certain degree of subjectivity in the assessment of surgeons by the evaluators. The assessment of nontechnical competencies is not formally recorded. There is no description of a follow-up assessment or any basic parameters associated with healthcare quality. There is no registration of associated competencies associated with the various surgical techniques. There is also no ranking of these competencies and the specific peculiarities for their application. We believe that the development of a new assessment system for surgical competencies (technical and nontechnical) aimed at assessing urologists in the various surgical techniques is necessary. To this end, our team has worked on developing the Evaluation System for Surgical Competencies on Laparoscopy, which is based on the definition, ranking and assessment of competencies demonstrated by surgeons. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The value of EHR-based assessment of physician competency: An investigative effort with internal medicine physicians.

PubMed

Venta, Kimberly; Baker, Erin; Fidopiastis, Cali; Stanney, Kay

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of developing an EHR-based model of physician competency, named the Skill Deficiency Evaluation Toolkit for Eliminating Competency-loss Trends (Skill-DETECT), which presents the opportunity to use EHR-based models to inform selection of Continued Medical Education (CME) opportunities specifically targeted at maintaining proficiency. The IBM Explorys platform provided outpatient Electronic Health Records (EHRs) representing 76 physicians with over 5000 patients combined. These data were used to develop the Skill-DETECT model, a predictive hybrid model composed of a rule-based model, logistic regression model, and a thresholding model, which predicts cognitive clinical skill deficiencies in internal medicine physicians. A three-phase approach was then used to statistically validate the model performance. Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel reviews resulted in a 100% overall approval rate of the rule based model. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves calculated for each logistic regression curve resulted in values between 0.76 and 0.92, which indicated exceptional performance. Normality, skewness, and kurtosis were determined and confirmed that the distribution of values output from the thresholding model were unimodal and peaked, which confirmed effectiveness and generalizability. The validation has confirmed that the Skill-DETECT model has a strong ability to evaluate EHR data and support the identification of internal medicine cognitive clinical skills that are deficient or are of higher likelihood of becoming deficient and thus require remediation, which will allow both physician and medical organizations to fine tune training efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sophistry, the Sophists and modern medical education.

PubMed

Macsuibhne, S P

2010-01-01

The term 'sophist' has become a term of intellectual abuse in both general discourse and that of educational theory. However the actual thought of the fifth century BC Athenian-based philosophers who were the original Sophists was very different from the caricature. In this essay, I draw parallels between trends in modern medical educational practice and the thought of the Sophists. Specific areas discussed are the professionalisation of medical education, the teaching of higher-order characterological attributes such as personal development skills, and evidence-based medical education. Using the specific example of the Sophist Protagoras, it is argued that the Sophists were precursors of philosophical approaches and practices of enquiry underlying modern medical education.

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.

Development and psychometric validation of the Task-Specific Self-Efficacy Scale for Chinese people with mental illness.

PubMed

Chou, Chih Chin; Cardoso, Elizabeth Da Silva; Chan, Fong; Tsang, Hector W H; Wu, Mingyi

2007-12-01

The aim of this study was to validate a Task-Specific Self-Efficacy Scale for Chinese people with mental illness. The study included 79 men and 77 women with chronic mental illness. The Task-Specific Self-Efficacy Scale for People with Mental Illness (TSSES-PMI) and Change Assessment Questionnaire for People with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness were used as measures for the study. Factor analysis of the TSSES-PMI resulted in four subscales: Symptom Management Skills, Work-Related Skills, Help-Seeking Skills, and Self-Emotional-Regulation Skills. These community living skills were found to be related to the level of readiness for psychiatric rehabilitation among Chinese people with mental illness. In conclusion the results support the construct validity of the TSSES-PMI for the Chinese population and the TSSES-PMI can be a useful instrument for working with Chinese people with mental illnesses.

Development of Phonological Processing Skills in Children with Specific Language Impairment with and without Literacy Delay: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandewalle, Ellen; Boets, Bart; Ghesquiere, Pol; Zink, Inge

2012-01-01

Purpose: To compare the development of phonological skills in children with specific language impairment (SLI) with and without literacy delay and to examine whether kindergarten phonological skills could discriminate these 2 groups. Method: In a longitudinal study, 8 children with SLI and literacy delay, 10 children with SLI and normal literacy,…

Written and Computer-Mediated Accounting Communication Skills: An Employer Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Christopher G.

2011-01-01

Communication skills are a fundamental personal competency for a successful career in accounting. What is not so obvious is the specific written communication skill set employers look for and the extent those skills are computer mediated. Using survey research, this article explores the particular skills employers desire and their satisfaction…

Athletic Training Students Demonstrate Airway Management Skill Decay, but Retain Knowledge over 6 Months

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popp, Jennifer K.; Berry, David C.

2016-01-01

Context: Airway management (AM) knowledge and skills are taught in all athletic training programs; however, research suggests that skill decay occurs with acute care skills as length of nonpractice increases. Objective: Evaluate retention of AM knowledge and skills, specifically oropharyngeal airway (OPA) and nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) use, in…

Preschool Children's Interest, Social-Emotional Skills, and Emergent Mathematics Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doctoroff, Greta L.; Fisher, Paige H.; Burrows, Bethany M.; Edman, Maria Tsepilovan

2016-01-01

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between interest, social-emotional skills, and early math skills in preschool children. Math-specific interest and global interest in learning were measured using teacher report and a play-based observation task. Math skills were assessed with a test of math achievement, and social-emotional…

Working Memory and Language: Skill-Specific or Domain-General Relations to Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purpura, David J.; Ganley, Colleen M.

2014-01-01

Children's early mathematics skills develop in a cumulative fashion; foundational skills form a basis for the acquisition of later skills. However, non-mathematical factors such as working memory and language skills have also been linked to mathematical development at a broad level. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted to evaluate the…

Parent- and Self-Reported Social Skills Importance in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rankin, James A.; Weber, Rebecca J.; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

While social skills are commonly assessed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little is known about individuals' and families' beliefs regarding importance of these skills. Seventy-four parents and their children with ASD rated social skills importance and severity, as well as ASD-specific deficit severity. Parents and youth rated social skills as…

Recent Empirical Studies of the Pedagogical Effects of Interactive Video Instruction in "Soft Skill" Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Michael W.; Cronin, Karen A.

1992-01-01

Recent empirical research has identified significant advantages for interactive video instruction over traditional teaching methods in "soft skill" (humanities and social sciences) areas, including cognitive achievement, transfer of learning to performance, learning motivation, student achievement across uncontrolled student characteristics, user…

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

Hillmer, Kurt T.

This course presents information on radiological work permits (RWPs), various types of postings used in radiological areas, radiological area setups, access controls, and releases of material from radiological areas. All of these are fundamental duties of RCTs. This course will prepare the student with the skills necessary for radiological control technician (RCT) qualification by passing quizzes, tests, and the RCT Comprehensive Phase 1, Unit 2 Examination (TEST 27566) and providing in-thefield skills.

Exploring Work-Based Foundation Skills in the ABLE Classroom. Instructional Activities and Resources for the Adult Learner [and] Supplemental Handouts for Modules. Version 1.2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carman, Priscilla; Van Horn, Barbara; Hamilton, KayLynn; Williams, Mary Kay

This guide contains activities and resources to help adult learners develop the work-based foundation skills and knowledge areas included on the Foundation Skills Framework wheel (Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy 2000). Its four sections (basic employability skills, basic workplace knowledge, basic workplace skills, and lifelong learning…

Evidence-Based Social Skills Training for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The UCLA PEERS Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laugeson, Elizabeth A.; Frankel, Fred; Gantman, Alexander; Dillon, Ashley R.; Mogil, Catherine

2012-01-01

The present study examines the efficacy and durability of the PEERS Program, a parent-assisted social skills group intervention for high-functioning adolescents with ASD. Results indicate that teens receiving PEERS significantly improved their social skills knowledge, social responsiveness, and overall social skills in the areas of social…

Aural Dictation Affects High Achievement in Sight Singing, Performance and Composition Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Melissa

2013-01-01

The nature of skill acquisition has long been of interest to music educators. This study considers the research context for relationships between aural dictation, sight singing, performance and composition skills. Then, relationships between these skill areas are quantitatively investigated using data from the Australian New South Wales Music 2…

Generic ICT Skills Profiles: Future Skills for Tomorrow's World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Co-operation Europe Ltd. (ICEL), Brussels, Belgium.

This document describes generic skills profiles relevant to key jobs in information and communications technology (ICT). The profiles cover the main job areas for which the ICT industry is experiencing skills shortages. These types of information are provided for 18 generic job profiles: job description (vision, role, lifestyle); examples of job…

Increasing Effective Self-Advocacy Skills in Elementary Age Children with Physical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avant, Mary Jane Thompson

2013-01-01

For students with physical and health disabilities, the development of self-advocacy skills is critical to their future success. Characteristics that may inhibit the development of self-advocacy skills in this population include reliance on others for assistance across multiple areas requiring physical abilities, deficits in communication skills,…

Higher Order Skills, Job Design, and Incentives: An Analysis and Proposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannaway, Jane

1992-01-01

The current imbalance between teaching basic skills and higher order skills can be addressed by redesigning teaching into two specialized areas. Using the principal-agent model and applying ideas from organization theory, the advantages of restructuring teaching to increase emphasis on problem-solving and higher order skills are discussed. (SLD)

An initial reliability and validity study of the Interaction, Communication, and Literacy Skills Audit.

PubMed

El-Choueifati, Nisrine; Purcell, Alison; McCabe, Patricia; Heard, Robert; Munro, Natalie

2014-06-01

Early childhood educators (ECEs) have an important role in promoting positive outcomes for children's language and literacy development. This paper reports the development of a new tool, The Interaction Communication and Literacy (ICL) Skills Audit, and pilots its reliability and validity. Intra- and inter-rater reliability was examined by three speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Five skill areas relating to ECE language and literacy practice were rated. The face and content validity of the ICL Skills Audit was examined by expert SLPs (n = 8) and expert ECEs (n = 4) via questionnaire. The overall intra-rater reliability for the ICL Skills Audit was excellent with percentage close agreement (PCA) of 91-94. Inter-rater agreement was PCA 68-80. Expert SLPs and ECEs agreed that the content was comprehensive and practical. Based on this preliminary study, the ICL Skills Audit appears to be a promising tool that can be used by SLPs and ECEs in collaboration to measure the skills of ECEs in the areas of language and literacy support. Future psychometric and outcome research on the revised ICL Skills Audit is warranted.

What nurses involved in a Medical Emergency Teams consider the most vital areas of knowledge and skill when delivering care to the deteriorating ward patient. A nurse-oriented curriculum development project.

PubMed

Currey, Judy; Massey, Debbie; Allen, Josh; Jones, Daryl

2018-08-01

Critical care nurses have been involved in Rapid Response Teams since their inception, particularly in medically led RRTs, known as Medical Emergency Teams. It is assumed that critical care skills are required to escalate care for the deteriorating ward patient. However, evidence to support critical care nurses' involvement in METs is anecdotal. Currently, little is known about the educational requirements for nurses involved in RRT or METs. We aimed to identify and describe what nurses involved in a MET consider the most vital areas of knowledge and skill when delivering care to the deteriorating ward patient. An exploratory descriptive design was used and data was collected at a session of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Rapid Response Team (ANZICS-RRT) Conference held at The Gold Coast, Australia in July 2015. All conference delegates were eligible to take part. Conference delegates totalled 293; 194 nurses, 89 doctors and 10 allied health professionals. Data collection took place in three phases, over a 90-minute period. First, demographic data were collected from all participants at the start of data collection. These data were collected using paper-based surveys. Second, extended response surveys; that is, paper-based surveys that asked open-ended questions to elicit free text responses, were used to collect participants' individual responses to the question: "What are the specific theoretical knowledge, skills and behavioural attributes required in a curricula to prepare nurses to be high functioning members of a MET?" Demographic, educational and work characteristics were descriptively analysed using SPSS (version 22). Participants perceptions of what knowledge, skills and attributes are required for nurses to recognise and respond to clinical deterioration were thematically analysed. Participants were predominantly female (88.3%, n = 91) with 54.4% (n = 56) holding a Bachelor of Nursing. Participants had a median of 20 years (IQR 16) experience as RNs, and a median of 14 years (IQR 13) experience in critical care. Participants formed part of METs frequently, with nearly half the cohort seeing clinically deteriorating patients more than once per day (37.9%, n = 33) or daily (10%, n = 9). Thematic analysis of survey responses revealed four main themes desired in Rapid Response Team Curricula: Clinical Deterioration Theory, Clinical Deterioration Skills, Rapid Response System Governance, and Professionalism and Teamwork. We suggest that a curriculum that educates nurses on the specific requirements of assessing, managing and evaluating all aspects of clinical deterioration is now required. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hemispheric contributions to language reorganisation: An MEG study of neuroplasticity in chronic post stroke aphasia.

PubMed

Mohr, Bettina; MacGregor, Lucy J; Difrancesco, Stephanie; Harrington, Karen; Pulvermüller, Friedemann; Shtyrov, Yury

2016-12-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that efficient neurorehabilitation in post stroke aphasia leads to clinical language improvements and promotes neuroplasticity. Brain areas frequently implicated in functional restitution of language after stroke comprise perilesional sites in the left hemisphere and homotopic regions in the right hemisphere. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying therapy-induced language restitution are still largely unclear. In this study, magnetoencephalography was used to investigate neurophysiological changes in a group of chronic aphasia patients who underwent intensive language action therapy (ILAT), also known as constraint-induced aphasia therapy (CIAT). Before and immediately after ILAT, patients' language and communication skills were assessed and their brain responses were recorded during a lexical magnetic mismatch negativity (MMNm) paradigm, presenting familiar spoken words and meaningless pseudowords. After the two-week therapy interval, patients showed significant clinical improvements of language and communication skills. Spatio-temporal dynamics of neuronal changes revealed a significant increase in word-specific neuro-magnetic MMNm activation around 200ms after stimulus identification points. This enhanced brain response occurred specifically for words and was most pronounced over perilesional areas in the left hemisphere. Therapy-related changes in neuromagnetic activation for words in both hemispheres significantly correlated with performance on a clinical language test. The findings indicate that functional recovery of language in chronic post stroke aphasia is associated with neuroplastic changes in both cerebral hemispheres, with stronger left-hemispheric contribution during automatic stages of language processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation on the improvement and transfer of dual-task coordination skills.

PubMed

Strobach, Tilo; Frensch, Peter A; Soutschek, Alexander; Schubert, Torsten

2012-11-01

Recent research has demonstrated that dual-task performance in situations with two simultaneously presented tasks can be substantially improved with extensive practice. This improvement was related to the acquisition of task coordination skills. Earlier studies provided evidence that these skills result from hybrid practice, including dual and single tasks, but not from single-task practice. It is an open question, however, whether task coordination skills are independent from the specific practice situation and are transferable to new situations or whether they are non-transferable and task-specific. The present study, therefore, tested skill transfer in (1) a dual-task situation with identical tasks in practice and transfer, (2) a dual-task situation with two tasks changed from practice to transfer, and (3) a task switching situation with two sequentially presented tasks. Our findings are largely consistent with the assumption that task coordination skills are non-transferable and task-specific. We cannot, however, definitively reject the assumption of transferable skills when measuring error rates in the dual-task situation with two changed tasks after practice. In the task switching situation, single-task and hybrid practice both led to a transfer effect on mixing costs.

Parent- and Self-Reported Social Skills Importance in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Rankin, James A; Weber, Rebecca J; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D

2016-01-01

While social skills are commonly assessed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little is known about individuals' and families' beliefs regarding importance of these skills. Seventy-four parents and their children with ASD rated social skills importance and severity, as well as ASD-specific deficit severity. Parents and youth rated social skills as important overall; however, parents reported assertion and self-control to be more important than their children did. Severity and importance did not correlate overall. However, parent-report of responsibility deficits and importance were positively correlated, while youth-report of assertiveness deficits and importance were negatively correlated. Finally, ASD-specific social deficits were positively correlated with parent reported importance, but negatively correlated with child reported importance. Social skills importance ratings merit consideration in ASD assessment.

Danish general practitioners' self-reported competences in end-of-life care.

PubMed

Winthereik, Anna; Neergaard, Mette; Vedsted, Peter; Jensen, Anders

2016-12-01

General practitioners (GPs) are pivotal in end-of-life (EOL) care. This study aimed to assess GP-reported provision of EOL care and to assess associations with GP characteristics. Population-based questionnaire study. Central Denmark Region with approximately 1.3 million inhabitants. All 843 active GPs in the Central Denmark Region were sent a questionnaire by mail. Responses to 18 items concerning four aspects: provision of EOL care to patients with different diagnosis, confidence with being a key worker, organisation of EOL care and EOL skills (medical and psychosocial). In total, 573 (68%) GPs responded. Of these, 85% often/always offered EOL care to cancer patients, which was twice as often as to patients with non-malignancies (34-40%). Moreover, 76% felt confident about being a key worker, 60% had a proactive approach, and 58% talked to their patients about dying. Only 9% kept a register of patients with EOL needs, and 19% had specific EOL procedures. GP confidence with own EOL skills varied; from 55% feeling confident using terminal medications to 90% feeling confident treating nausea/vomiting. Increasing GP age was associated with increased confidence about being a key worker and provision of EOL care to patients with non-malignancies. In rural areas, GPs were more confident about administering medicine subcutaneously than in urban areas. We found considerable diversity in self-reported EOL care competences. Interventions should focus on increasing GPs' provision of EOL care to patients with non-malignancies, promoting better EOL care concerning organisation and symptom management. KEY POINTS GPs are pivotal in end-of-life (EOL) care, but their involvement has been questioned. Hence, GPs' perceived competencies were explored. GPs were twice as likely to provide EOL care for patients with cancer than for patients with non-malignancies. EOL care was lacking clear organisation in general practice in terms of registering palliative patients and having specific EOL procedures. GPs were generally least confident with their skills in terminal medical treatment, for example, using medicine administered subcutaneously.

"Learning Landscapes": A Form of Formative Assessment Supporting Assessment without Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, Brian

2017-01-01

"Learning Landscapes" are assessment tools that can be used formatively to map progress in specific skills in the classroom and can contribute to learning without levels. "Learning Landscapes" can help both teachers and students recognise specific aspects of behaviour linked to a specific skill that provide evidence of their…

Cognitive Development and Reading: The Relation of Reading-Specific Multiple Classification Skill to Reading Comprehension in Elementary School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Kelly B.

2002-01-01

A reading-specific multiple classification task was designed that required children to classify printed words along phonological and semantic dimensions simultaneously. Reading-specific multiple classification skill made a unique contribution to children's reading comprehension over contributions made by age, domain-general multiple classification…

Treating childhood pneumonia in hard-to-reach areas: a model-based comparison of mobile clinics and community-based care.

PubMed

Pitt, Catherine; Roberts, Bayard; Checchi, Francesco

2012-01-10

Where hard-to-access populations (such as those living in insecure areas) lack access to basic health services, relief agencies, donors, and ministries of health face a dilemma in selecting the most effective intervention strategy. This paper uses a decision mathematical model to estimate the relative effectiveness of two alternative strategies, mobile clinics and fixed community-based health services, for antibiotic treatment of childhood pneumonia, the world's leading cause of child mortality. A "Markov cycle tree" cohort model was developed in Excel with Visual Basic to compare the number of deaths from pneumonia in children aged 1 to 59 months expected under three scenarios: 1) No curative services available, 2) Curative services provided by a highly-skilled but intermittent mobile clinic, and 3) Curative services provided by a low-skilled community health post. Parameter values were informed by literature and expert interviews. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted for several plausible scenarios. We estimated median pneumonia-specific under-5 mortality rates of 0.51 (95% credible interval: 0.49 to 0.541) deaths per 10,000 child-days without treatment, 0.45 (95% CI: 0.43 to 0.48) with weekly mobile clinics, and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.29 to 0.32) with CHWs in fixed health posts. Sensitivity analyses found the fixed strategy superior, except when mobile clinics visited communities daily, where rates of care-seeking were substantially higher at mobile clinics than fixed posts, or where several variables simultaneously differed substantially from our baseline assumptions. Current evidence does not support the hypothesis that mobile clinics are more effective than CHWs. A CHW strategy therefore warrants consideration in high-mortality, hard-to-access areas. Uncertainty remains, and parameter values may vary across contexts, but the model allows preliminary findings to be updated as new or context-specific evidence becomes available. Decision analytic modelling can guide needed field-based research efforts in hard-to-access areas and offer evidence-based insights for decision-makers.

Technologies in Use for Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Mike

2009-01-01

This article describes the technologies in use for second language learning, in relation to the major language areas and skills. In order, these are grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, pronunciation, listening, speaking, and culture. With each language area or skill, the relevant technologies are discussed with examples that illustrate how…

Junior High Student Responsibilities for Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Charles C.

This paper advances the thesis that students should be trained to recognize acceptable and unacceptable performances in basic skill areas and should assume responsibility for attaining proficiency in these areas. Among the topics discussed are the value of having junior high school students check their own assignments, discover their errors, and…

Ohio's Resource Guide for Voluntary Skill Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springfield-Clark Joint Vocational School, Springfield, OH.

Voluntary skill standards are industry-based, industry-verified performance specifications that identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities individuals need for success in an industry. This resource guide is designed to raise awareness of voluntary skill standards, identify their benefits, and encourage stakeholder involvement in implementation…

Promoting Inter-Agency Readiness through Standardized Training and Education of Front Line Responders

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Management (Regular Basic Course Training Specifications, 2010). It synthesizes the knowledge , skills, and abilities necessary to interdict a terrorist...way of recognizing emergency managers for the work that they do and it certifies them for their knowledge , skills, and abilities. This certification... the same to provide a foundation that supports continuous output and feedback specific to knowledge , skills, and procedures. New York DCJS manages

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 role of language in Concern and Disregard for others in the first years of life

PubMed Central

Rhee, Soo Hyun; Boeldt, Debra L.; Friedman, Naomi P.; Corley, Robin P.; Hewitt, John K.; Young, Susan E.; Knafo, Ariel; Robinson, JoAnn; Waldman, Irwin D.; Van Hulle, Carol A.; Zahn-Waxler, Carolyn

2012-01-01

We examined the associations between language skills and Concern and Disregard for Others in young children assessed longitudinally at ages 14, 20, 24, and 36 months, testing the hypothesis that language skills have a specific role (distinct from that of general cognitive ability) in the development of Concern and Disregard for Others. We found that higher language skills predicted higher Concern for Others and lower Disregard for Others even after controlling for general cognitive ability, whereas the association between general cognitive ability and Concern/Disregard for Others was not significant after controlling for language skills. Language skills at 14 months predicted Concern for Others at 36 months, and results suggested that the relations between language skills and Concern and Disregard for Others begin early in development. Gender differences in Concern and Disregard for Others were at least partially explained by differences in language skills. These results support the specific role of language skills in Concern and Disregard for Others. PMID:22545842

The role of language in concern and disregard for others in the first years of life.

PubMed

Rhee, Soo Hyun; Boeldt, Debra L; Friedman, Naomi P; Corley, Robin P; Hewitt, John K; Young, Susan E; Knafo, Ariel; Robinson, Joann; Waldman, Irwin D; Van Hulle, Carol A; Zahn-Waxler, Carolyn

2013-02-01

We examined the associations between language skills and concern and disregard for others in young children assessed longitudinally at ages 14, 20, 24, and 36 months, testing the hypothesis that language skills have a specific role (distinct from that of general cognitive ability) in the development of concern and disregard for others. We found that higher language skills predicted higher concern for others and lower disregard for others even after controlling for general cognitive ability, whereas the association between general cognitive ability and concern/disregard for others was not significant after controlling for language skills. Language skills at 14 months predicted concern for others at 36 months, and results suggested that the relations between language skills and concern and disregard for others begin early in development. Gender differences in concern and disregard for others were at least partially explained by differences in language skills. These results support the specific role of language skills in concern and disregard for others. (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The use of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII): parental and professional perceptions of self-care mastery and autonomy in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Weissberg-Benchell, Jill; Goodman, Shirley S; Antisdel Lomaglio, Jeanne; Zebracki, Kathy

2007-01-01

To describe parent-perceived mastery of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) specific skills and level of autonomy for these tasks among youth with type 1 diabetes. One hundred and sixty-three parents of youth using CSII and 142 diabetes clinicians participated. Parents reported their child's mastery and autonomy of CSII-specific skills. Clinicians indicated the age at which 50% of their patients mastered these skills. Parents report CSII skill mastery between 10.9 and 12.8 years. Very few achieved skill mastery on all CSII-related tasks. Parent- and clinician-expectations for age of skill acquisition were consistent with one another. Parents shared CSII task responsibility with their children even after their children have attained skill mastery. The recent emphasis on maintaining parental involvement in diabetes care seems to have been translated into clinical practice. Parents remain involved in their child's CSII care even after they believe their child has mastered these skills.

Evaluation of Simulated Clinical Breast Exam Motion Patterns Using Marker-Less Video Tracking

PubMed Central

Azari, David P.; Pugh, Carla M.; Laufer, Shlomi; Kwan, Calvin; Chen, Chia-Hsiung; Yen, Thomas Y.; Hu, Yu Hen; Radwin, Robert G.

2016-01-01

Objective This study investigates using marker-less video tracking to evaluate hands-on clinical skills during simulated clinical breast examinations (CBEs). Background There are currently no standardized and widely accepted CBE screening techniques. Methods Experienced physicians attending a national conference conducted simulated CBEs presenting different pathologies with distinct tumorous lesions. Single hand exam motion was recorded and analyzed using marker-less video tracking. Four kinematic measures were developed to describe temporal (time pressing and time searching) and spatial (area covered and distance explored) patterns. Results Mean differences between time pressing, area covered, and distance explored varied across the simulated lesions. Exams were objectively categorized as either sporadic, localized, thorough, or efficient for both temporal and spatial categories based on spatiotemporal characteristics. The majority of trials were temporally or spatially thorough (78% and 91%), exhibiting proportionally greater time pressing and time searching (temporally thorough) and greater area probed with greater distance explored (spatially thorough). More efficient exams exhibited proportionally more time pressing with less time searching (temporally efficient) and greater area probed with less distance explored (spatially efficient). Just two (5.9 %) of the trials exhibited both high temporal and spatial efficiency. Conclusions Marker-less video tracking was used to discriminate different examination techniques and measure when an exam changes from general searching to specific probing. The majority of participants exhibited more thorough than efficient patterns. Application Marker-less video kinematic tracking may be useful for quantifying clinical skills for training and assessment. PMID:26546381

Competent for Unsupervised Practice: Use of Pediatric Residency Training Milestones to Assess Readiness.

PubMed

Li, Su-Ting T; Tancredi, Daniel J; Schwartz, Alan; Guillot, Ann P; Burke, Ann E; Trimm, R Franklin; Guralnick, Susan; Mahan, John D; Gifford, Kimberly A

2017-03-01

To describe clinical skills progression during pediatric residency using the distribution of pediatric milestone assessments by subcompetency and year of training and to determine reasonable milestone expectations at time of graduation. Multi-institutional cohort study of the milestones reported to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for all 21 pediatric subcompetencies. Most subcompetencies were measured using five milestone levels (1 = novice, 2 = advanced beginner, 3 = competent, 4 = proficient, 5 = master); 3 subcompetencies had only four levels defined. Milestone assessments for 2,030 pediatric residents in 47 programs during academic year 2013-2014 were obtained. There was significant variation in end-of-year milestone ratings for residents within each level of training, which decreased as training level increased. Most (78.9%; 434/550) graduating third-year pediatric residents received a milestone rating of ≥ 3 in all 21 subcompetencies; fewer (21.1%; 116/550) received a rating of ≥ 4 in all subcompetencies. Across all training levels, professionalism and interpersonal communication skills were rated highest; quality improvement was rated lowest. Trainees entered residency with a wide range of skills. As they advanced, skill variability within a training level decreased. Most graduating pediatric residents were still advancing on the milestone continuum toward proficiency and mastery, and an expectation of milestone ratings ≥ 4 in all categories upon graduation is unrealistic; milestone ratings ≥ 3 upon graduation may be more realistic. Understanding current pediatric residents' and graduates' skills can help to identify key areas that should be specifically targeted during training.

A Coordinated Approach to Curricular Review and Development in Undergraduate Geoscience Programs: Using a Matrix to Identify and Track Skills and Skill Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, R.; Savina, M. E.

2003-12-01

One approach to curriculum review and development is to construct a matrix of the desired skills versus courses in the departmental curriculum. The matrix approach requires faculty to articulate their goals, identify specific skills, and assess where in the curriculum students will learn and practice these skills and where there are major skills gaps. Faculty members in the Geology Department at Carleton College developed a matrix of skills covered in geology courses with the following objectives: 1) Geology majors should begin their "senior integrative exercise" having practiced multiple times all of the formal steps in the research process (recognizing problems, writing proposals, carrying out a project, reporting a project in several ways); 2) Geology majors should learn and practice a variety of professional and life skills life (e.g. computer skills, field skills, lab skills, and interpretive skills).The matrix was used to identify where in the curriculum various research methods and skills were addressed and to map potential student experiences to the objectives. In Carleton's non-hierarchical curriculum, the matrix was used to verify that students have many opportunities to practice research and life skills regardless of the path they take to completion of the major. In William and Mary's more structured curriculum, the matrix was used to ensure that skills build upon each other from course to course. Faculty members in the Geology Department at the College of William and Mary first used this approach to focus on teaching quantitative skills across the geology curriculum, and later used it in terms of teaching research, communication, and information literacy skills. After articulating goals and skills, faculty members in both departments developed more specific skill lists within each category of skills, then described the current assignments and activities in each course relative to the specific components of the matrix and discussed whether to add assignment or activities. We have found that much conversation among faculty and change within courses happens simply as a result of compiling the matrix. One effect of the use of the matrix is that faculty in the department know fairly specifically what skills students are learning and practicing in their other geology courses. Moreover, some faculty members are better suited by background or inclination to teach certain sets of skills. This coordinated approach avoids unnecessary duplication and allows faculty to build on skills and topics developed in previous courses. The matrix can also be used as a planning tool to identify gaps in the curriculum. In our experience, the skills matrix is a powerful organizational and communication tool. The skills matrix is a representation of what the department believes actually happens in the curriculum. Thus, development of a skills matrix provides a basis for departmental discussions of student learning goals and objectives as well as for describing the existing curriculum. The matrix is also a graphic representation, to college administrators and outside evaluators, of the "intentionality" of an entire curriculum, going beyond single courses and their syllabi. It can be used effectively to engage administration in discussions of departmental planning and needs analysis.

"Because Sometimes Your Failures Can Also Teach You Certain Skills": Lecturer and Student Perceptions of Employability Skills at a Transnational University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paterson, Richard

2017-01-01

This exploratory study investigates lecturers' and students' understanding of the concepts and language underpinning higher education strategies of developing employability skills. While a solid grounding in discipline-specific knowledge and skills is what most graduate degrees aim at providing, employability skills are increasingly becoming an…

Exploring Deliberate Practice & the Use of Skill Sheets in the Collegiate Leadership Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Scott J.; Jenkins, Daniel M.; Krizanovic, Bela

2018-01-01

Little has been written about the use of skill sheets in leadership education and this paper demonstrates how they have been implemented in one specific context. Used in a number of domains (e.g., karate, cardiopulmonary resuscitation) skill sheets are checklists or rubrics that record skill performance. The use of skill sheets in leadership…

21st Century-Based Soft Skills: Spotlight on Non-Cognitive Skills in a Cognitive-Laden Dentistry Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quieng, Marjorie C.; Lim, Pearly P.; Lucas, Maria Rita D.

2015-01-01

Teaching and learning in the 21st century aims to produce students proficient in content knowledge, specific abilities, literacy, numeracy, and technology uses. From these 21st century skills, soft skills were delineated from these learning outcomes; and defined as intra- and interpersonal skills vital for personal development, social…

Multidisciplinary approach to increasing Resilience in communities versus the hydrogeological and volcanic risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avvisati, Gala; Colucci, Orazio; Marotta, Enrica; Masucci, Armando; Nave, Rosella; Peluso, Rosario; Tomasone, Mario

2017-04-01

A given area may be exposed to different natural hazards, such as landslides, floods, earthquakes, volcanic events etc. which could affect usual human activities at many levels. The goal of our work is to increase the resilience level in communities exposed to natural hazards through an innovative and multidisciplinary research approach integrating engineering, geological, medical and sociological skills. We are going to use an analytical approach to consider simultaneously the Natural Environment and their dwellers, taking into account the sanitary protocols. We'll start by studying the hazards to which the Natural Environment could be exposed evaluating the deriving risks level trough technical studies. For each scenario it's vital to assess the defining aspects such as magnitude and frequency, through a statistical analysis of the specific data-bases in possession of relevant Authorities in charge. Regarding the Inhabitants, it's also vital to analyse the dwellers Risk Perception and their Historical Resilience through a sociological and psychological approach, in order to define the specific information and education program on natural risks. This study is of particular relevance, as even the most advanced risk management plan could fail if locals are not aware and informed about it. A correct disaster management policy must consider the medics role as paramount. Emergency first aid and emergency medicine are to be considered specific field of partitioning, and to be seen as the most appropriate way to deal with a dire situation, especially when the resources vs. magnitude of event ratio is low. The study of best practices helping to improve the resilience and reaction of areas exposed to different natural hazards with different socio-cultural layers is hence crucial. A possible model is to directly involve the residents into controlling the environment and improving/detailing the risks' and emergency areas mapping. These make the population more aware of both risks and reaction measures, with a correspondent increase in resilience. Some municipalities in Campania Region (Italy) have already undergone the phase of assessment of risks perception and historical resilience trough questionnaires submitted to residents. In some District of Campania Region (Italy), apps for mobile devices have been developed, in order to activate a bi-directional flow of information between local authorities and single citizens. Another level of participated monitoring could be issuing to residents low-cost, specifically designed devices, such as seismic micro-sensor and/or CO2 gauges to be positioned in schools. With advantage both information/education and monitoring. Local authorities have recently started to consider medical emergency assistance in disaster-affected areas as a specific tool to activate and use to handle such situations as best as possible. The results of these studies will result in: the development of an early warning network specifically targeted on each area and run by specifically trained operators; specific skills for medical personnel to be mastered to handle civilian casualties and/or shocked people in huge numbers; the locals in a condition of improved knowledge and preparedness, to the point to be involved actively in the program in a community-based monitoring procedure (participated monitoring).

Visually Impaired: Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton.

The curriculum guide provides guidelines for developing academic and living vocational skills in visually handicapped students from preschool to adolescence. The document, divided into two sections, outlines objectives, teaching strategies, and materials for each skill area. Section 1 covers the following academic skills: communication,…

Project EASE II. Workplace Education Curricula: From Teaching Basic Skills to Training the Trainer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northern Illinois Univ., De Kalb.

This curriculum guide was created to guide workplace basic skills instructors in the design of customized curricula for Project Employment Assistance and Skill Enhancement (EASE II), an on-the-job literacy and basic skills improvement project for employees of small companies in the metal working industry in the Chicago area. The guide contains…

Assistive Technology for Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children with Disabilities. Alliance Action Information Sheets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, 2006

2006-01-01

Research shows that assistive technology (AT) can help young children with disabilities to learn developmental skills. Its use may help infants and toddlers to improve in many areas: (1) social skills including sharing and taking turns; (2) communication skills; (3) attention span; (4) fine and gross motor skills; and (5) self confidence and…

Stickybear's Math Splash: Adventures in Math Fun for Ages 5-10! School Version with Lesson Plans. [CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highsmith, Joni Bitman

Stickybear's Math Splash is a CD-ROM-based software tool for teaching mathematics skills beyond simple number recognition to elementary students. The accompanying printed lesson plans are designed to complement mathematics skills with other methods and areas of emphasis including kinesthetic learning, listening skills, decision making skills, and…

Generalization of Literacy Skills through Portable Technology for Students with Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spooner, Fred; Kemp-Inman, Amy; Ahlgrim-Delzell, Lynn; Wood, Leah; Ley Davis, Luann

2015-01-01

Literacy is an important skill for accessing all academic content areas, and there has been an increased focus on using a variety of assistive technology (AT) to support the acquisition of literacy skills for students with severe disabilities. Literacy also provides these students with skills to increase community participation, with independence,…

The Writing Skill in the Contemporary Society: The Kenyan Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okari, Florence Mokeira

2016-01-01

This paper is an overview of the writing skill in the lower levels of learning in the contemporary society. The following areas of writing are highlighted: the writing programme and its goals, the basic methodology for writing tasks, broad groups of writing skills, the teaching of the writing skills in pre-primary and primary schools where…

Using the Academic Skills Inventory to Assess the Biology Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seifert, Kyle; Hurney, Carol A.; Wigtil, Clifton J.; Sundre, Donna L.

2009-01-01

The Academic Skills Inventory (Kruger and Zechmeister, 2001) was developed at Loyola University of Chicago and originally designed for use with psychology majors. It was later extended for use in a variety of academic programs. The Academic Skills Inventory (ASI) assesses student self-reports of behaviors in 10 skill areas: (1) written and oral…

Group Intervention: Improving Social Skills of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Court, Deborah; Givon, Sarah

2003-01-01

This article describes the Life Skills program used to improve the social skills of 12 students with learning disabilities in an Israeli middle school. Each of two groups (girls or boys) met weekly for 5 months to address social skills topics. The article notes gender differences in reactions and participation, and outcomes in such areas as…

Profiles of Learning. The Basic Skills Testing Program in New South Wales: 1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masters, Geofferey; And Others

This publication on the New South Wales' Basic Skills Testing Program (BSTP) describes the development of the program's tests, the analysis of students' results, and the communication of results to parents, teachers, and schools. In BSTP tests, basic skills are defined not as low-level, rudimentary survival skills, but as major areas of learning…

Fixing Holes Where the Rain Gets in: Problem Areas in the Development of Generic Skills in Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calma, Angelito

2013-01-01

Purpose: Little attention is paid to understanding generic skills in business. Even less attention is paid to collecting evidence of students' development of these skills. This paper aims to fill this gap. Design/methodology/approach: Four generic skills in business undergraduate and graduate programs are examined--written communication; critical…

Response of a veterinary college to career development needs identified in the KPMG LLP study and the executive summary of the Brakke study: a combined MBA/DVM program, business certificate program, and curricular modifications.

PubMed

Kogan, Lori R; McConnell, Sherry L; Schoenfeld-Tacher, Regina

2005-04-01

In the present market, veterinarians with a strong background in career development, practice management, and business skills have a clear advantage in achieving financial success. Although there is ample evidence that the scientific and clinical skills of veterinary college graduates are high, there are also data that suggest that additional capabilities in the business realm may promote greater economic success. As noted in the KPMG executive summary, the field of veterinary medicine must make changes in its "current business practices and attitudes" to be successful in the future. Furthermore, the KPMG study found that 36% of industry employers reported that some jobs within their companies had specific job requirements that were not met by a veterinarian with only a veterinary medical degree. The areas of additional training most often cited included business, administration, personnel management, sales and marketing, and financial skills. Yet, Lewis and Klausner found that veterinarians reported challenges in the business realm, such as "how business works and how business goals are translated into action. This challenge held true for veterinarians in industry, academia, government, and private practice." The present gender trends in the field of veterinary medicine provide additional impetus to make career development and business skills training more prevalent. Presently, women comprise >65% of the veterinary student population and approximately 45% of all practicing veterinarians. In some areas of practice, the rate is much higher. For example, in 2002, women comprised 48.2% of all small animal exclusive private practitioners. Unfortunately, the KPMG study found that female veterinarians in private practice report lower self-evaluation of business management and financial skills, compared with their male cohorts. Female veterinarians in nonprivate practice report lower self-evaluation in communication, personnel management, business management, and marketing skills than that reported by males. As a result of these pressing needs, CSU CVMBS has undertaken a major initiative to improve the veterinary practice management and business skills training of veterinary students by offering a variety of options to gain this knowledge: a combined MBA/DVM degree program, a Business Certificate Program for Health Professions, and core curriculum courses. In this way, students can select the amount of focus they want to place on career development and business skills as they earn their DVM degree, to best ensure that they become successful veterinarians.

Nontechnical skill training and the use of scenarios in modern surgical education.

PubMed

Brunckhorst, Oliver; Khan, Muhammad S; Dasgupta, Prokar; Ahmed, Kamran

2017-07-01

Nontechnical skills are being increasingly recognized as a core reason of surgical errors. Combined with the changing nature of surgical training, there has therefore been an increase in nontechnical skill research in the literature. This review therefore aims to: define nontechnical skillsets, assess current training methods, explore assessment modalities and suggest future research aims. The literature demonstrates an increasing understanding of the components of nontechnical skills within surgery. This has led to a greater availability of validated training methods for its training, including the use of didactic teaching, e-learning and simulation-based scenarios. In addition, there are now various extensively validated assessment tools for nontechnical skills including NOTSS, the Oxford NOTECHS and OTAS. Finally, there is now more focus on the development of tools which target individual nontechnical skill components and an attempt to understand which of these play a greater role in specific procedures such as laparoscopic or robotic surgery. Current evidence demonstrates various training methods and tools for the training of nontechnical skills. Future research is likely to focus increasingly on individual nontechnical skill components and procedure-specific skills.

Computer Sciences Applied to Management at Open University of Catalonia: Development of Competences of Teamworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisa, Carlos Cabañero; López, Enric Serradell

Teamwork is considered one of the most important professional skills in today's business environment. More specifically, the collaborative work between professionals and information technology managers from various functional areas is a strategic key in competitive business. Several university-level programs are focusing on developing these skills. This article presents the case of the course Computer Science Applied to Management (hereafter CSAM) that has been designed with the objective to develop the ability to work cooperatively in interdisciplinary teams. For their design and development have been addressed to the key elements of efficiency that appear in the literature, most notably the establishment of shared objectives and a feedback system, the management of the harmony of the team, their level of autonomy, independence, diversity and level of supervision. The final result is a subject in which, through a working virtual platform, interdisciplinary teams solve a problem raised by a case study.

High-dependency care: experiences of the psychosocial work environment.

PubMed

Rahman, Hanif Abdul; Naing, Lin; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah

2017-11-23

to explore high-dependency care nurses' experiences of their psychosocial work environment. four focus groups were conducted with 23 emergency and critical care hospital nurses in Brunei. All sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive-approach thematic analysis. three major themes were identified. 'Specialisation/specific skills' explained a fundamental requirement for the high-dependency care nurses to work effectively and efficiently in their workplace. 'Task completion' narrated the pressure they experienced to complete their tasks within time constraints exacerbated by a reduced number of staff. 'Acknowledgement' signified their need for fair and adequate reward for their hard work through career progression and promotion. this study facilitates the design of future interventions and policies that promote a healthy psychosocial work environment by ensuring nurses working in these areas have the required specialisation skills, there is a balance of workload and nurse-to-patient ratios, and they are offered fairness and equity in career progression and promotion.

Applying Erikson’s Wisdom to Self-Management Practices of Older Adults: Findings from Two Field Studies

PubMed Central

Perry, Tam E.; Hassevoort, Luke; Ruggiano, Nicole; Shtompel, Natalia

2014-01-01

According to Erik Erikson’s theory on the stages of human development, achieving wisdom later in life involves revisiting previous crises and renewing psychosocial accomplishments. However, few studies have used Erikson’s theory as a framework for examining how older adults self-manage physical and mental health changes that commonly occur later in life. This paper presents findings from two qualitative studies that demonstrate how older adults apply wisdom in new domains. Specifically, it was found that older adults (1) reasserted autonomy by initiating creative problem solving; and 2) applied skills gained from productive activities earlier in life to new health-related problems that arise later in life. These findings highlight the importance of engaging older adults to repurpose their life skills, and thus reapply wisdom to new areas of their lives. Implications for practice are discussed. PMID:25651571

Preparing Students for Middle School Through After-School STEM Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Nancy P.; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Vogt, Gregory; Newell, Alana D.; Burnett, Christopher A.

2016-12-01

The middle school years are a crucial time for cultivating students' interest in and preparedness for future STEM careers. However, not all middle school children are provided opportunities to engage, learn and achieve in STEM subject areas. Engineering, in particular, is neglected in these grades because it usually is not part of science or mathematics curricula. This study investigates the effectiveness of an engineering-integrated STEM curriculum designed for use in an after-school environment. The inquiry-based activities comprising the unit, Think Like an Astronaut, were intended to introduce students to STEM careers—specifically engineering and aerospace engineering—and enhance their skills and knowledge applicable related to typical middle school science objectives. Results of a field test with a diverse population of 5th grade students in nine schools revealed that Think Like an Astronaut lessons are appropriate for an after-school environment, and may potentially help increase students' STEM-related content knowledge and skills.

A neural circuit mechanism for regulating vocal variability during song learning in zebra finches.

PubMed

Garst-Orozco, Jonathan; Babadi, Baktash; Ölveczky, Bence P

2014-12-15

Motor skill learning is characterized by improved performance and reduced motor variability. The neural mechanisms that couple skill level and variability, however, are not known. The zebra finch, a songbird, presents a unique opportunity to address this question because production of learned song and induction of vocal variability are instantiated in distinct circuits that converge on a motor cortex analogue controlling vocal output. To probe the interplay between learning and variability, we made intracellular recordings from neurons in this area, characterizing how their inputs from the functionally distinct pathways change throughout song development. We found that inputs that drive stereotyped song-patterns are strengthened and pruned, while inputs that induce variability remain unchanged. A simple network model showed that strengthening and pruning of action-specific connections reduces the sensitivity of motor control circuits to variable input and neural 'noise'. This identifies a simple and general mechanism for learning-related regulation of motor variability.

Applying Erikson's wisdom to self-management practices of older adults: findings from two field studies.

PubMed

Perry, Tam E; Ruggiano, Nicole; Shtompel, Natalia; Hassevoort, Luke

2015-04-01

According to Erik Erikson's theory on the stages of human development, achieving wisdom later in life involves revisiting previous crises and renewing psychosocial accomplishments. However, few studies have used Erikson's theory as a framework for examining how older adults self-manage physical and mental health changes that commonly occur later in life. This article presents findings from two qualitative studies that demonstrate how older adults apply wisdom in new domains. Specifically, it was found that older adults (1) reasserted autonomy by initiating creative problem solving and (2) applied skills gained from productive activities earlier in life to new health-related problems that arise later in life. These findings highlight the importance of engaging older adults to repurpose their life skills and thus reapply wisdom to new areas of their lives. Implications for practice are discussed. © The Author(s) 2014.

A pilot study exploring the relationship between lifelong learning and factors associated with evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Mi, Misa; Halalau, Alexandra

2016-07-03

To explore possible relationships between residents' lifelong learning orientation, skills in practicing evidence-based medicine (EBM), and perceptions of the environment for learning and practicing EBM. This was a pilot study with a cross-sectional survey design. Out of 60 residents in a medical residency program, 29 participated in the study. Data were collected using a survey that comprised three sections: the JeffSPLL Scale, EBM Environment Scale, and an EBM skill questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS and were reported with descriptive and inferential statistics (mean, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation, and a two-sample t-test). Mean scores on the JeffSPLL Scale were significantly correlated with perceptions of the EBM Scale and use of EBM resources to keep up to date or solve a specific patient care problem. There was a significant correlation between mean scores on the EBM Scale and hours per week spent in reading medical literature to solve a patient care problem. Two-sample t-tests show that residents with previous training in research methods had significantly higher scores on the JeffSPLL Scale (p=0.04), EBM Scale (p=0.006), and self-efficacy scale (p =0.024). Given the fact that physicians are expected to be lifelong learners over the course of their professional career, developing residents' EBM skills and creating interventions to improve specific areas in the EBM environment would likely foster residents' lifelong learning orientation.

Emotions in communication skills training - experiences from general practice to Porsche maintenance.

PubMed

Lundeby, Tonje; Jacobsen, Henrik Børsting; Lundeby, Paul Andreas; Loge, Jon Håvard

2017-11-01

The emphasis on skills in communication training of physicians has gained momentum over the last 30 years. Furthermore, a specific focus on skills to address emotions has been suggested and more recently supported by empirical studies. In this paper we use the Expanded Four Habits Model to illustrate how a structured consultation model supplemented with specific skills to address emotions is considered useful in medical and non-medical settings. The primacy of emotions in different types of professional encounters is discussed in relation to education and practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.