It\u27s All Fun and Games... Until Students Learn

Faculty are often frustrated by student preparedness (or lack thereof) for exams and review sessions. This may be partially attributed to passive involvement during lectures and the failure of students to discuss and reflect on topics as they are introduced. Active learning refers to techniques that move students beyond listening to lectures to activities (in and out of the classroom) that engage students in topics (e.g., discussion, reflection). The purpose of this teaching tip is to describe the use of games as active learning techniques to encourage students to review materials over the life of a course and engage them in review sessions. Through a study conducted in two different information systems courses, we provide evidence of effectiveness including impact on exam performance and feedback from students derived from a questionnaire

The development of a model for assessing quality learning experiences in elementary physical education : an inquiry

A theoretical, movement learning model with major emphasis geared toward assessing quality in movement learning experiences in the entirety of elementary school physical education was developed for use in professional preparation. The completed model exhibited the reflective and reflexive knowledges in the nature of the thought processes involved in the creative process of model designing. Professional leaders in a number of disciplines, but particularly curriculum leaders, have indicated a need for models concerned with the processes of model designing. The development of the model was based on a conceptualization of a quality, movement learning experience. Model components and subcomponents accrued primarily from curriculum literature in education and physical education. Thrusts from philosophy, psychology, and art were evident as well. New data or emerging knowledges which dealt with assessment and movement learning theory evolved through the functioning of personal meanings of the writer in relation to the distinctive philosophical stance of movement education (AAHPER:1975). The emerging knowledges within the study represented the capacity of the model to be extended

Effect of Prolonged Sitting and Breaks in Sitting Time on Endothelial Function

Sitting time (ST) is associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors, whereas breaking ST has been reported to be beneficial for reducing cardiovascular risk. Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine the effects of breaking ST on superficial femoral artery (SFA) endothelial function. Hypotheses: 1) Prolonged sitting would induce endothelial dysfunction and changes in shear forces, and 2) breaking ST with brief periods of activity would prevent attenuation in endothelial function. Methods: Twelve nonobese men (24.2 ± 4.2 yr) participated in two randomized 3-h sitting trials. In the sitting (SIT) trial, subjects were seated on a firmly cushioned chair for 3 h without moving their lower extremities. In the breaking ST trial (ACT), subjects sat similar to the SIT trial but walked on a treadmill for 5 min at 2 mph at 30 min, 1 h 30 min, and 2 h 30 min during the sitting interval. SFA flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed at baseline, 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h in each trial. Statistical analyses were performed using dependent variables SFA FMD and shear rates. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: In the SIT trial, there was a significant decline in SFA FMD from baseline to 3 h (baseline, 4.72% ± 3.78%; 1 h, 0.52% ± 0.85%; 2 h, 1.66% ± 1.11%; 3 h, 2.2% ± 2.15; P < 0.05 by ANOVA) accompanied by a decline in mean shear rate and antegrade shear rate but no difference in shear rate (area under the curve). By two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, ACT prevented the sitting-induced decline in FMD (baseline, 4.5% ± 2.3%; 1 h, 5.04% ± 2.85%; 2 h, 5.28% ± 5.05%; 3 h, 6.9% ± 4.5%) along with no decline in shear rates. Conclusion: Three hours of sitting resulted in a significant impairment in shear rate and SFA FMD. When light activity breaks were introduced hourly during sitting, the decline in FMD was prevented

The Challenge Of Negation In Searches And Queries

Negation poses certain challenges for queries and searches. This paper deals with exclusionary queries implemented using the ISO database language SQL and a dialog-based interface and with retrieval searches involving negation. This research arose because instructors in database courses noticed a large proportion of students making mistakes on certain queries. The paper explores underlying comprehension issues and makes practical recommendations on identifying potential sources of error and avoiding incorrect or misleading results. Proposed actions include changes in general education and database training and encouraging implementation of the new SQL:1999 standard

Change in Physical Activity and Sitting Time After Myocardial Infarction and Mortality Among Postmenopausal Women in the Women\u27s Health Initiative-Observational Study

BACKGROUND: How physical activity (PA) and sitting time may change after first myocardial infarction (MI) and the association with mortality in postmenopausal women is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants included postmenopausal women in the Women\u27s Health Initiative-Observational Study, aged 50 to 79 years who experienced a clinical MI during the study. This analysis included 856 women who had adequate data on PA exposure and 533 women for sitting time exposures. Sitting time was self-reported at baseline, year 3, and year 6. Self-reported PA was reported at baseline through year 8. Change in PA and sitting time were calculated as the difference between the cumulative average immediately following MI and the cumulative average immediately preceding MI. The 4 categories of change were: maintained low, decreased, increased, and maintained high. The cut points were \u3e /=7.5 metabolic equivalent of task hours/week versus /=8 h/day versus /day for sitting time. Cox proportional hazard models estimated hazard ratios and 95% CIs for all-cause, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease mortality. Compared with women who maintained low PA (referent), the risk of all-cause mortality was: 0.54 (0.34-0.86) for increased PA and 0.52 (0.36-0.73) for maintained high PA. Women who had pre-MI levels of sitting time /day, every 1 h/day increase in sitting time was associated with a 9% increased risk (hazard ratio=1.09, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.19) of all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Meeting the recommended PA guidelines pre- and post-MI may have a protective role against mortality in postmenopausal women

The effects of pioglitazone, a PPARγ receptor agonist, on the abuse liability of oxycodone among nondependent opioid users

Aims: Activation of PPARγ by pioglitazone (PIO) has shown some efficacy in attenuating addictive-like responses in laboratory animals. The ability of PIO to alter the effects of opioids in humans has not been characterized in a controlled laboratory setting. The proposed investigation sought to examine the effects of PIO on the subjective, analgesic, physiological and cognitive effects of oxycodone (OXY). Methods: During this investigation, nondependent prescription opioid abusers (N = 17 completers) were maintained for 2-3 weeks on ascending daily doses of PIO (0 mg, 15 mg, 45 mg) prior to completing a laboratory session assessing the aforementioned effects of OXY [using a within-session cumulative dosing procedure (0, 10, and 20 mg, cumulative dose = 30 mg)]. Results: OXY produced typical mu opioid agonist effects: miosis, decreased pain perception, and decreased respiratory rate. OXY also produced dose-dependent increases in positive subjective responses. Yet, ratings such as: drug "liking," "high," and "good drug effect," were not significantly altered as a function of PIO maintenance dose. Discussion: These data suggest that PIO may not be useful for reducing the abuse liability of OXY. These data were obtained with a sample of nondependent opioid users and therefore may not be applicable to dependent populations or to other opioids. Although PIO failed to alter the abuse liability of OXY, the interaction between glia and opioid receptors is not well understood so the possibility remains that medications that interact with glia in other ways may show more promise