Effects of chess instruction on the intellectual development of grade R leaners

Text in EnglishThe literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009.PsychologyM.A. (Psychology

The effects of piano-keyboard instruction on cognitive abilities of female and male kindergarten children

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.In several studies, children who received piano instruction achieved better results on spatial-temporal tasks than various control group children did. This difference, though, was not always statistically significant. Gender differences favouring boys in spatial abilities appear to exist in children as young as 4 1/2 years old. However, research linking piano instruction to spatial abilities did not report gender differences. This thesis had three main investigative objectives: to control if children would show significant improvement in cognitive test scores following piano-keyboard instruction; to compare if certain cognitive tasks such as the spatial tasks would show greater improvement than other, non-spatial, tasks; to examine if the effects of pianokeyboard training on spatial tasks are gender differentiated. Sixty-one kindergarten children, aged five to six years, participated in this research receiving two piano-keyboard lessons weekly during the school year 2001-2002. Six subtests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children were administered before and after the instruction period. Results revealed that participants improved significantly in the Hand Movements, Gestalt Closure, Triangles, Spatial Memory, and Arithmetic tasks following pianokeyboard instruction. No significant improvement was found in the Matrix Analogies task. Pre-tests in all sub-tests showed no significant gender differences. At post-testing though, boys significantly outperformed girls in the Hand Movements task while their gain scores were significantly higher than girls' scores in the Triangles task. This research has demonstrated that piano-keyboard instruction produced enhanced spatial-temporal test scores in kindergarten children, and that these scores were gender differentiated. These findings are unique in presenting a gender difference in gain scores following piano-keyboard instruction favouring boys. It is hoped that these findings contribute to the growing body of research investigating the extra-musical effects of music instruction and that in the future, kindergarten program administrators might consider music and piano-keyboard instruction as an integral part of kindergarten education

Gatherings in biosemiotics

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The effects of piano-keyboard instruction on cognitive abilities of female and male kindergarten children

In several studies, children who received piano instruction achieved better results on spatial-temporal tasks than various control group children did. This difference, though, was not always statistically significant. Gender differences favouring boys in spatial abilities appear to exist in children as young as 4 1/2 years old. However, research linking piano instruction to spatial abilities did not report gender differences. This thesis had three main investigative objectives: to control if children would show significant improvement in cognitive test scores following piano-keyboard instruction; to compare if certain cognitive tasks such as the spatial tasks would show greater improvement than other, non-spatial, tasks; to examine if the effects of pianokeyboard training on spatial tasks are gender differentiated. Sixty-one kindergarten children, aged five to six years, participated in this research receiving two piano-keyboard lessons weekly during the school year 2001-2002. Six subtests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children were administered before and after the instruction period. Results revealed that participants improved significantly in the Hand Movements, Gestalt Closure, Triangles, Spatial Memory, and Arithmetic tasks following pianokeyboard instruction. No significant improvement was found in the Matrix Analogies task. Pre-tests in all sub-tests showed no significant gender differences. At post-testing though, boys significantly outperformed girls in the Hand Movements task while their gain scores were significantly higher than girls' scores in the Triangles task. This research has demonstrated that piano-keyboard instruction produced enhanced spatial-temporal test scores in kindergarten children, and that these scores were gender differentiated. These findings are unique in presenting a gender difference in gain scores following piano-keyboard instruction favouring boys. It is hoped that these findings contribute to the growing body of research investigating the extra-musical effects of music instruction and that in the future, kindergarten program administrators might consider music and piano-keyboard instruction as an integral part of kindergarten education.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Aerosol therapy in young children

Inhalation of aerosolized drugs has become an established means for treatment of pulmonary diseases in the last fifiy years. The majoriry of aerosol therapy in childhood concerns inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators in the management of asthma. Administration of drugs via the inhaled route has major advantages over the oral route. The drug is targeted directly to its site of action, which results in a more rapid effect and a lower dose needed with less systemic side effects. However, to deliver the drug into the lungs reliably and reproducibly is difficult, especially in children. It requires understanding of the mechanisms of aerosol deposition in the lungs and knowledge about the factors affecting delivery and deposition of aerosols. There are several ways to deliver therapeutic aerosols to the lungs. The current methods can be classified in three categoties: nebulizers, pressurized metered dose inhales (pMDI's) with or without spacer, and dry powder inhalers (DPT's). Not all systems are suirable for use in young children. Application of aerosol therapy in young children requires a different approach compared vvith adults and older children. Factors such as age, co-operation, breathing pattern, nose breathing and size of the airways should be raken into account as they can have substantial effect on the dose delivered to the lungs. Nebulizers have long been the mainstay of aerosol therapy in children. Currently, the pMDI combined with spacer is recommended as the first choice for asthma therapy in young children. However, the pMDIIspacer and most other aerosol delivery systems were primarily designed for use in adults, and subsequently adapted for use in children. Furthermore, studying efficiency of aerosol delivery systems in young children is difficult and has ethical limitations. This explains why there is extended information available on the performance of aerosol delivery systems in adults, but only limited data in children. The use of drugs with potential side effects, such as corticosteroids, requires precise dosing with the administration of the lowest effective dose. Therefore, knowledge about the dose inhaled and factors affecting this dose for each particular drug, device and patient is necessary for optimal application of aerosol therapy. Better understanding of aerosol therapy in children is urgently needed

The role of the microcomputer as a diagnostic, prescriptive and learning instrument in remedial education

Bibliography: pages 222-229.The number of pupils with learning disabilities is on the increase and effective ways of attempting to remediate such pupils are always being sought. Current technology has presented remedial teachers with a potentially dynamic aid in the form of the microcomputer. Many of the attributes of computer-aided learning closely parallel the principles of remedial teaching and to this end it was attempted to establish the role of the microcomputer in remedial education. An in-depth study of the literature was undertaken. In the practical sphere, a survey was conducted to obtain the views of practicing remedial teachers as well as to establish the extent of applications in schools. Learning disabled pupils were observed interacting with microcomputers. The study revealed that the prognosis for embracing microcomputers in remedial education is encouraging. Applications exist for diagnosis and prescription of specific deficits as well as for prescribing the microcomputer in the sphere of general educational development of learning disabled pupils. Further applications for administrative and management purposes have reached-an advanced stage of development. With the development of appropriate software and proper "teacher education" the microcomputer has the potential to become a dynamic educational aid for the learning disabled; especially because of its motivational and user-friendly nature

Muscle activation patterns in shoulder impingement patients

Introduction: Shoulder impingement is one of the most common presentations of shoulder joint problems 1. It appears to be caused by a reduction in the sub-acromial space as the humerus abducts between 60o -120o – the 'painful arc'. Structures between the humeral head and the acromion are thus pinched causing pain and further pathology 2. Shoulder muscle activity can influence this joint space but it is unclear whether this is a cause or effect in impingement patients. This study aimed to observe muscle activation patterns in normal and impingement shoulder patients and determine if there were any significant differences. Method: 19 adult subjects were asked to perform shoulder abduction in their symptomatic arm and non-symptomatic. 10 of these subjects (age 47.9 ± 11.2) were screened for shoulder impingement, and 9 subjects (age 38.9 ± 14.3) had no history of shoulder pathology. Surface EMG was used to collect data for 6 shoulder muscles (Upper, middle and lower trapezius, serratus anterior, infraspinatus, middle deltoids) which was then filtered and fully rectified. Subjects performed 3 smooth unilateral abduction movements at a cadence of 16 beats of a metronome set at 60bpm, and the mean of their results was recorded. T-tests were used to indicate any statistical significance in the data sets. Significance was set at P<0.05. Results: There was a significant difference in muscle activation with serratus anterior in particular showing a very low level of activation throughout the range when compared to normal shoulder activation patterns (<30%). Middle deltoid recruitment was significantly reduced between 60-90o in the impingement group (30:58%).Trends were noted in other muscles with upper trapezius and infraspinatus activating more rapidly and erratically (63:25%; 60:27% respectively), and lower trapezius with less recruitment (13:30%) in the patient group, although these did not quite reach significance. Conclusion: There appears to be some interesting alterations in muscle recruitment patterns in impingement shoulder patients when compared against their own unaffected shoulders and the control group. In particular changes in scapula control (serratus anterior and trapezius) and lateral rotation (infraspinatus), which have direct influence on the sub-acromial space, should be noted. It is still not clear whether these alterations are causative or reactionary, but this finding gives a clear indication to the importance of addressing muscle reeducation as part of a rehabilitation programme in shoulder impingement patients

Investigation of mobile devices usage and mobile augmented reality applications among older people

Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones have allow users to communicate, entertainment, access information and perform productivity. However, older people are having issues to utilise mobile devices that may affect their quality of life and wellbeing. There are some potentials of mobile Augmented Reality (AR) applications to increase older users mobile usage by enhancing their experience and learning. The study aims to investigate mobile devices potential barriers and influence factors in using mobile devices. It also seeks to understand older people issues in using AR applications