A Descriptive Analysis of Selected Personality Traits of Student Teachers in Physical Education

This study investigated changes in six personality traits over a course of a teaching semester. The personality traits measured included anxiety, concentration, confidence, mental preparation, motivation, and cooperation. An adapted Psychological Skills Inventory for Sport (PSIS) questionnaire was administered to student teachers before (PRE), at mid-term (MID), and immediate after (POST) a student teaching period. Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance (rm MANOVA) and rm ANOVA and t-test of Scheffe were used to analyze differences for each the selected personality traits in terms of time (PRE, MID, and POST). The results reported significant differences in anxiety, concentration, confidence in terms of PRE, MID, and POST. It was also found that mental preparation changes significantly in terms of the time of PRE and POST. Significant differences in terms of time were not found for motivation and cooperation

Mindfully Navigating the Wind and Water: Defining the Currents of Metaphors that Interfere with Excellence in Mathematics Education

We bring to the forefront of educational thought a specific attitude toward the COVID-19 crisis that harnesses the symbolism of wind and water to navigate the cultural storm interfering upon our mathematical and pedagogical craft. The purpose of our paper is to open up space for opportunities in mathematics education using integral mindfulness as the rudder to readjust our bearings. More specifically, through conceptual analyses and making explicit the currents of change, disorder, and technology, we can apply discernment to these metaphors that intersect our pedagogy to re-align efforts and attitudes toward an integrated (aperspectival) culture of mathematics education. Through shared responsibility during these tumultuous times, we can once again strive toward the pursuit of excellence in mathematics education

Teaching and/or learning Chinese as an additional language: Challenging terminology and proposed solutions

The Chinese language is becoming one of the most important languages in the world. The demands and interests in learning Chinese as an additional language are rapidly growing, but research in this area has not kept up with the accelerated development of this promising field. A key issue immediately faced in this area of research is the variety of identifying or descriptive terms (e.g., Chinese as a second, foreign, international, heritage, subsequent, additional language) that are inconsistently used. As will be expanded on below, this has created confusion and difficulty in research and teaching and learning practice. This paper details the examination of these perplexing terms, and the proposal of teaching and/or learning Chinese as an additional language as a viable term, as it is politically and pedagogically appropriate. The purpose of the study is to identify terminology that can be used to deepen our understanding and enhance the quality of teaching and/or learning Chinese as an additional language in the present global culture

Verification of {\Gamma}7_{7} symmetry assignment for the top valence band of ZnO by magneto-optical studies of the free A exciton state

The circularly-polarized and angular-resolved magneto-photoluminescence spectroscopy was carried out to study the free A exciton 1S state in wurtzite ZnO at 5 K.Comment: 4 figures, 16 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:0706.396

Contextualising Postmodernity in Daoist Symbolism: Toward a mindful education embracing eastern wisdom

In cultivating a Western inclination toward Eastern wisdom, it is important to seek the foundations that sustain traditional practices toward such end. In a secularised and modern world view, the tendency has been to extract and abstract foundational practices such as mindfulness meditation and contemplation within an objectivist or scientistic prejudice. While leading to interesting results, it cannot ascertain a wisdom that is quantified and decontextualised. In response, contextual effort in postmodern pedagogical literature—while well placed—is often marred with confusions concerning Eastern and metaphysical foundations. As a result, one is led away from the very wisdom being qualified; furthermore, conceptual and theoretical paradoxes arise and consequently elude those that formulate them. Thus, in feeling secure in response to a particular ‘yáng’ world view of modernity, many postmodern criticisms suffer an exclusively ‘yῑn’ character. For us, imbalance in any direction forfeits the path Eastern education approaches wisdom. In our conceptual analysis, we contextualise that modernity was never too yáng, but too yáng-in-yῑn. Therefore, what is missing in pedagogical theory is not the yῑn element, as presumed by postmodern critique, but the yáng element, in continual balance with the yῑn, and vice versa

Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) in Canada

The purpose of this study was to identify physical education (PE) teacher educators and examine physical education teacher education (PETE) programs presently offered at undergraduate degree-granting Canadian universities. The investigation was conceptualized by issues related to the dislodging of PETE from a central to a marginal role in higher education, contrasting discourses, and the education of children and youth in a post-modern society. In an effort to examine the worldview orientation, underpinning discourses, curricula, structure, and organization of Canada's programs, 36 PE teacher educators from 20 universities completed an online survey. Results enabled a profile of Canada's PE teacher educators and the PETE programs in which they work. Collectively, the findings suggest a need for critical consideration and/or revisiting of programs in light of changing societal and student needs for global, socially, and culturally responsive PETE.Key words: physical education teacher education (PETE), teacher educatio

Role of salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies for diagnosing primary Sjögren’s syndrome

The diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is complex, and the saliva test is a potential method to improve the existing diagnostic criteria. Objective: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), and to analyze their correlations with clinical and laboratory profiles. Study Design: This study enrolled 100 pSS patients and 140 non-pSS controls, including 40 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, 40 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and 60 healthy controls. Unstimulated whole saliva and stimulated parotid saliva samples were collected from the subjects. Salivary anti-SSA/B antibodies were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical and laboratory data were retrieved from the medical records. Results: In the pSS group, the sensitivity of anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies in whole saliva was 49% and 29%, respectively, and the specificity was 87.5% and 95%. The sensitivity of anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies in parotid saliva was 32% and 8%, respectively, and the specificity was 95.52% and 97.86%, respectively. In the pSS group, the diagnostic accuracy of anti-SSA/B antibodies in whole saliva was significantly higher than in parotid saliva ( p <0.05), but was significantly lower than in serum ( p <0.05). The salivary flow rate in the pSS group posi - tive for whole salivary anti-SSA was significantly lower than in the negative group ( p <0.05). The prevalence of rheumatoid factor and antinuclear factor were significantly higher in salivary SSB-positive pSS patients than in SSB-negative patients ( p <0.05). Conclusions: Compared to parotid saliva, whole saliva is a more suitable diagnostic fluid. Using salivary anti- SSA/B antibodies as a single test item is insufficient given the relatively low sensitivity. Further studies should investigate the possibility of combining tests for different salivary autoantibodies as a method for diagnosing pSS