Let’s Talk: Alternatives to Traditional Discussion Board

This session will focus on three tools that provide faculty with alternatives to traditional LMS discussion boards. We will learn the basics of Wakelet, Padlet, and Flipgrid for gathering student thoughts, comments, and feedback. All three tools are free and offer a variety of options for student content.https://encompass.eku.edu/pedagogicon_digitalinstallations/1002/thumbnail.jp

Examining the relationship between Vitamin A intake and weight management

Introduction: Treatments of retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A (VA) are shown to induce hyperlipidemia in humans and animals, which may influence adiposity. To understand the role of VA in weight management, two studies, one in animals examining effects of VA combined with high-fat diet (HFD) on body mass (BM) gain and the second in humans comparing dietary VA between participants who were overweight/obese and who had and had not lost 10% of body weight by consuming a hypocaloric, low-fat diet, were conducted. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a HFD containing sufficient VA (HF-VAS) or a HFD deficient in VA (HF-VAD) for eight weeks. BM, liver mass, white adipose mass, brown adipose mass and plasma glucose were measured. The groups were compared with student\u27s t-test. For the second experiment, participants (51.9 ± 8.8 yrs, 35.0 + 4.5 kg/m2, 94.7% white, 59.6% female, 100% non-hispanic) in a lifestyle intervention were categorized as successful weight losers (loss of \u3e 10% body weight) or unsuccessful weight losers (loss of \u3c 10% body weight) after 6 months of treatment on a hypocaloric, low-fat diet. Dietary intake, assessed by three, 24-hour dietary recalls was collected at 6 months. Dietary VA was compared between the groups using analysis of covariance. Results: In the animal study, significant differences were detected in end day BM, liver mass and white adipose mass between the HF-VAS and HFD-VAD groups. No significant difference was detected in dietary VA consumed between participants who had successful 10% weight loss and those who did not have successful weight loss at 6 months. Conclusion: Results from the animal experiment indicate that VA plays a role in adiposity in subjects consuming an obesogenic diet. No difference was detected in VA intake between subjects who successfully lost 10% weight and those who have not. This indicates dietary VA is not related to successful weight loss on a hypocaloric, low-fat diet. Additional studies are needed to understand the role VA plays in obesity development. Also, further investigation on how VA intake while consuming a hypocaloric low fat diet may affect weight loss is needed

The Impact of Medical Marijuana on the Opioid Crisis

• The opioid crisis dictates the need for research into alternative treatments for acute and chronic pain. • Comprehensive literature review was conducted to determine if medical marijuana might play a role in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. • The addiction profiles of medical marijuana and prescription opiates were compared along with the adverse effects and quality of life. • No use for medical marijuana for the treatment of acute pain. • Likely some benefits from medical marijuana for chronic pain. • Addictive profile • Marijuana – marijuana withdrawal syndrome. • Prescription Opiates – highly addictive • Adverse Effects • Prescription Opiates \u3e Marijuanahttps://commons.und.edu/pas-grad-posters/1151/thumbnail.jp

Optimum structural design with static aeroelastic constraints

The static aeroelastic performance characteristics, divergence velocity, control effectiveness and lift effectiveness are considered in obtaining an optimum weight structure. A typical swept wing structure is used with upper and lower skins, spar and rib thicknesses, and spar cap and vertical post cross-sectional areas as the design parameters. Incompressible aerodynamic strip theory is used to derive the constraint formulations, and aerodynamic load matrices. A Sequential Unconstrained Minimization Technique (SUMT) algorithm is used to optimize the wing structure to meet the desired performance constraints

The Attitudes of University Faculty toward Humor as a Pedagogical Tool: Can We Take a Joke?

Faculty members in a College of Education responded to a mixed methods questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward the use of humor as a pedagogical tool. Quantitative data and coding of open response questions revealed that instructors overall considered humor to be an integral part of their teaching plan and that humor relaxes students, contributes to a more enjoyable classroom climate, and helps students make content connections, in both traditional and web based classes. Despite general acceptance, the feedback suggested instructors could benefit from targeted training in how to effectively and consistently use humor as a teaching strategy, particularly in their online courses

ADA Compliance in Online Courses: Free Tools and Resources for Creating an Inclusive Environment for Both Students and Instructors

Online courses must be accessible to students with disabilities, yet instructor training in accessible design is often an afterthought, leading to legal vulnerability and a breakdown in the learning partnership between student and instructor. Based on feedback from faculty members who shared their familiarity with expectations from the American Disabilities Association (ADA) and Section 508 of the Workforce Rehabilitation Act, as well as challenges and perceived barriers, this session demonstrated free tools, practical suggestions, and important design tips for bringing all courses into compliance., even for those instructors with less than sophisticated technological expertise

Faculty Expectations toward Their Online Courses: Are They on the Same Screen with Their Students?

This action research study explored attitudes and expectations of faculty at a Midwestern university who taught at least one fully online course during 2014. The study focused on instructor perceptions toward and experiences with web-based instruction, particularly in the critical areas of assessment and feedback; course organization; interaction with students; course flexibility; and overall communication. Findings were then compared to student responses from the authors’ previous study. A mixed-methods electronic survey blended a quantitative component in the form of 21 fixed response items with a qualitative element accomplished through two narrative response questions where content analysis was used to compress many words of text into content categories based on explicit rules of coding. A total of 134 faculty members participated, and findings revealed that instructors are becoming more deliberate about their actions as they seek to develop “teaching presence” that extends beyond the managerial and technical aspects of their interactions with students. There was growing agreement between faculty and student expectations, with room for further improvement, as both faculty and students adjust to this new delivery system and the need for clarity, timeliness, and course designs that integrate the best of technological possibilities with the preferred “human” qualities of the traditional classroom

A Study of Kentucky School District Websites: They’re Colorful and Informative….but Are They ADA Compliant?

An often-overlooked component of a school district website is the necessity for that website to be accessible to those with disabilities, while following the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Workforce Rehabilitation Act. This study investigated the accessibility of school district websites in Kentucky by selecting a random sample of 50 school districts and analyzing their home pages using WAVE (Web Accessibility Versatile Evaluator), which reports accessibility violations by annotating a copy of the page that was evaluated and presenting embedded icons and indicators to disclose breaches with ADA. Out of 50 districts, 35 had errors that need immediate attention and all 50 districts had alerts of likely violations that ranged from alt-text omissions and empty links to issues with color contrast and font sizes. The article proceeds to give practical suggestions for eradicating many of the errors, even for those shareholders with less than sophisticated technological expertise

Okay, Our Courses Are Online, But Are They ADA Compliant? An Investigation of Faculty Awareness of Accessibility at a Midwestern University

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current extent of our faculty’s familiarity with the rights, responsibilities, and resources pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Workforce Rehabilitation Act insofar as compliance and accommodations for online courses. Through the collection of data we sought to heighten awareness and encourage faculty members to look at and think about how their online programs and courses are consistent with accessible design, thereby providing a real opportunity for continuous improvement in both course design and implementation. An electronic researcher-created survey instrument revealed that accessibility compliance for sensory disabilities within online courses has not been achieved and a lack of familiarity with the requisite expectations is also very much in evidence. Faculty raised topics such as when courses should be designed to be accessible and who bears ultimate responsibility for compliance. We discuss several initiatives we have brought to our university to facilitate expediency on this matter as well as cultivate a more “humanized” instructor presence within online classes