STEM education in the twenty-first century: learning at work-an exploration of design and technology teacher perceptions and practices

Teachers’ knowledge of STEM education, their understanding, and pedagogical application of that knowledge is intrinsically linked to the subsequent effectiveness of STEM delivery within their own practice; where a teacher’s knowledge and understanding is deficient, the potential for pupil learning is ineffective and limited. Set within the context of secondary age phase education in England and Wales (11–16 years old), this paper explores how teachers working within the field of design and technology education acquire new knowledge in STEM; how understanding is developed and subsequently embedded within their practice to support the creation of a diverse STEM-literate society. The purpose being to determine mechanisms by which knowledge acquisition occurs, to reconnoitre potential implications for education and learning at work, including consideration of the role which new technologies play in the development of STEM knowledge within and across contributory STEM subject disciplines. Underpinned by an interpretivist ontology, work presented here builds upon the premise that design and technology is an interdisciplinary educational construct and not viewed as being of equal status to other STEM disciplines including maths and science. Drawing upon the philosophical field of symbolic interactionism and constructivist grounded theory, work embraces an abductive methodology where participants are encouraged to relate design and technology within the context of STEM education. Emergent findings are discussed in relation to their potential to support teachers’ educational development for the advancement of STEM literacy, and help secure design and technology’s place as a subject of value within a twenty-first Century curriculum

Exploring diversity in the relationships between teacher quality and job satisfaction in the Nordic countries : insights from TALIS 2013 and 2018

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Source connectivity patterns in the default mode network differ between elderly golf-novices and non-golfers

Abstract Learning to play golf has high demands on attention and therefore may counteract age-related changes of functional brain networks. This cross-sectional study compared source connectivity in the Default Mode Network (DMN) between elderly golf novices and non-golfers. Four-minute resting-state electroencephalography (128 channels) from 22 elderly people (mean age 67 ± 4.3 years, 55% females) were recorded after completing a 22-week golf learning program or after having continued with normal life. Source connectivity was assessed after co-registration of EEG data with native MRI within pre-defined portions of the DMN in the beta band (14–25 Hz). Non-golfers had significantly higher source connectivity values in the anterior DMN compared to non-golfers. Exploratory correlation analyses did not indicate an association to cognitive performance in either group. Inverse correlations between a marker of external attention with source connectivity of the anterior DMN may suggest a trend in the golf group only, but have to be replicated in future studies. Clinical relevance of these findings remains to be elucidated, but the observed difference in the anterior DMN may provide a starting point to further investigate if and how learning golf may have an impact on physiological age-related cognitive changes

Learning to play golf for elderly people with subjective memory complaints: feasibility of a single-blinded randomized pilot trial

Background: Subjective Memory Complaints (SMC) in elderly people due to preclinical Alzheimer's Disease may be associated with dysregulation of the Kynurenine Pathway (KP), with an increase in neurotoxic metabolites that affect cognition. Golf is a challenging sport with high demands on motor, sensory, and cognitive abilities, which might bear the potential to attenuate the pathological changes of preclinical AD. This trial investigated the feasibility of learning to play golf for elderly with cognitive problems and its effects on cognitive functions and the KP. Methods: In a 22-week single-blinded randomized controlled trial, elderly people with SMC were allocated to the golf (n = 25, 180 min training/week) or control group (n = 21). Primary outcomes were feasibility (golf exam, adherence, adverse events) and general cognitive function (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale). Secondary outcomes include specific cognitive functions (Response Inhibition, Corsi Block Tapping Test, Trail Making Test), KP metabolites and physical performance (6-Minute-Walk-Test). Baseline-adjusted Analysis-of-Covariance was conducted for each outcome. Results: 42 participants were analyzed. All participants that underwent the golf exam after the intervention passed it (20/23). Attendance rate of the golf intervention was 75 %. No adverse events or drop-outs related to the intervention occurred. A significant time*group interaction (p = 0.012, F = 7.050, Cohen's d = 0.89) was found for correct responses on the Response Inhibition task, but not for ADAS-Cog. Moreover, a significant time*group interaction for Quinolinic acid to Tryptophan ratios (p = 0.022, F = 5.769, Cohen's d = 0.84) in favor of the golf group was observed. An uncorrected negative correlation between attendance rate and delta Quinolinic acid to Kynurenic acid ratios in the golf group (p = 0.039, r=-0.443) was found as well. Conclusions: The findings indicate that learning golf is feasible and safe for elderly people with cognitive problems. Preliminary results suggest positive effects on attention and the KP. To explore the whole potential of golfing and its effect on cognitive decline, a larger cohort should be studied over a longer period with higher cardiovascular demands