An exploratory case study of one department’s teaching culture in order to promote active learning

There is a plethora of research showing the effectiveness of active learning in a variety of academic disciplines; however, very few higher education faculty implement these techniques effectively into their classrooms. Departmental teaching culture influences the use of active learning as faculty’s teaching behaviors often reflect the shared beliefs and assumptions embedded in the department about teaching. Teaching culture is reflected in three interrelated areas including 1) faculty’s teaching perspectives, 2) the actual practice of teaching, and 3) departmental/institutional policies related to teaching. Attempts to promote pedagogical change must be context-specific and take into consideration departmental teaching culture. The purpose of this case study was to explore one department’s teaching culture and, using that information, highlight culturally relevant pathways through which active learning can be promoted. Focus groups, systematic observations, and document analysis were used and analyzed using the constant comparison method. Four themes were revealed under the category of perspectives: constructivist learning environment, social connection, autonomy and independence, and pedagogical solitude. The observed practices revealed that the courses, on average, used didactic styles of teaching; however, the narrative of the observation jottings revealed a variety of teaching strategies being used. Faculty showed an intrinsic motivation to learn about teaching and acknowledged that formal resources existed for professional development but barriers to pedagogical change were also identified. Policies revealed that teaching excellence is expected yet less emphasized for those with research obligations. Findings suggest that active learning in this department should focus on interactive lecturing while promoting social connection. Recommendations for action items include increasing educational development opportunities, increasing peer review, and creating a Teaching Advisory Committee

Association of Accelerometry-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Mobility-Limited Older Adults: The LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) Study.

BACKGROUND:Data are sparse regarding the value of physical activity (PA) surveillance among older adults-particularly among those with mobility limitations. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between objectively measured daily PA and the incidence of cardiovascular events among older adults in the LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) study. METHODS AND RESULTS:Cardiovascular events were adjudicated based on medical records review, and cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for in the analysis. Home-based activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometers at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months postrandomization to either a physical activity or health education intervention. LIFE study participants (n=1590; age 78.9±5.2 [SD] years; 67.2% women) at baseline had an 11% lower incidence of experiencing a subsequent cardiovascular event per 500 steps taken per day based on activity data (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.96; P=0.001). At baseline, every 30 minutes spent performing activities ≥500 counts per minute (hazard ratio, 0.75; confidence interval, 0.65-0.89 [P=0.001]) were also associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Throughout follow-up (6, 12, and 24 months), both the number of steps per day (per 500 steps; hazard ratio, 0.90, confidence interval, 0.85-0.96 [P=0.001]) and duration of activity ≥500 counts per minute (per 30 minutes; hazard ratio, 0.76; confidence interval, 0.63-0.90 [P=0.002]) were significantly associated with lower cardiovascular event rates. CONCLUSIONS:Objective measurements of physical activity via accelerometry were associated with cardiovascular events among older adults with limited mobility (summary score >10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery) both using baseline and longitudinal data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01072500