Graduate Student Perceptions of an Effective Online Class

Online learning is a growing trend within the higher education community. As more universities offer more graduate programs totally online for the convenience of the older student who often has a family and full-time job it is imperative that instructors give attention to what students believe constitutes an effective online class. This paper surveyed 36 graduate students to determine what they considered important in an online course. Students want a professor who uses multimedia effectively, who establishes social interaction among students, who has a well-designed online format, who has an online presence, and who is available to students

Effects of a functional fatigue protocol on maximal softball hitting.

Fatigue can affect athletic performance in many ways, including a decrease in sport specific accuracy, impairments in joint angles, and a decrease in overall muscle performance. In regards to fatigue, little research has been conducted examining the effects of fatigue on baseball and softball performance. The majority of the research stems from examining the effects of fatigue on the overhead throwing motion among collegiate baseball players. Research suggested that as a result of a functional fatigue protocol, baseball pitchers experienced impairments in joint angles in the overhead throwing motion. Among this same population, throwing velocities decreased significantly from the first to last inning pitched, resulting in a great deal of in-game fatigue. Researchers attested that such changes in angles and velocities as a result of fatigue, would negatively affect performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a functional fatigue protocol on softball hitting form. Additional research, examined the effects of fatigue on performance among skilled tennis athletes. A functional fatigue protocol was implemented, which directly simulated tennis matchplay. Results revealed decreases in tennis hitting accuracy, and just as with the baseball players, fatigue resulted in a decrease in performance. A secondary objective was to identify the relationship between hitting variables, muscular power, and body composition. Participants (n = 6) were NCAA Division II softball players with a mean age of 19.5 ± 1.4 years who completed a functional fatigue protocol (FFP). The FFP was filmed using a digital video camera, and results were analyzed using Dartfish motion analysis software. To address the secondary objectives, participants completed the Wingate Anaerobic Power test to assess muscular power and a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to discover body composition values. To detect differences in swing angles pre- and post-fatigue, an ANOVA was conducted revealing significant (p .05) between muscular power and LBEV or BBV, in addition to no significant relationships between percent fatigue as measured by WAnT or the FFP. Meaningful relationships were discovered between peak power and LBEV and BBV. A strong, negative correlation was present between peak power and BBV (r = -.73, p = .097) and a moderate, negative correlation between peak power and LBEV ( r = -.68, p = .138). Additionally, percent body fat was negatively related to percent fatigue in LBEV(r = -.76, p = .082). Results indicated that fatigue did in fact have a negative effect on softball hitting form, with significant decreases in LBEV and BBV, and that peak power and hitting velocities were inversely related. Although no differences were found in swing angles at ball contact, changes in LBEV and BBV could be detrimental to swing timing and performance. Results of this study will be utilized to further understand the effects of fatigue on softball hitting form and the role of muscular power and body composition on hitting performance

Farm adjustment opportunities in the Baxter-Mountview-Bewleyville Soil Association of the Eastern Highland Rim of Tennessee

The purposes and objectives of this study are: 1. To describe the existing patterns of farm organization and resource use in the Baxter-Mountview-Bewleyville Soil Association of the Eastern Highland Rim. 2. To determine the economic optimum farm organization of representative small, medium, and large size farms with land as a fixed resource. 3. To determine economic optimum farm organization and farm size with a fixed resident labor supply of one and two men. 4. To estimate the magnitude of the adjustment gap of farmers and to describe the nature of factors limiting farming adjustments in the area

436 poultry farming : lessening poverty in rural areas

Abstract: The main aim of this study was to try and establish if chicken farming could be utilised for alleviation of rural unemployment and poverty. The study examined the skills and knowledge through education that would be required for successful chicken farming. The population for the study were all experts in poultry industry. This population included established and emerging chicken farmers, government officials who are involved in chicken farming projects in rural areas, veterinarians specialising in poultry and any other individuals with expert knowledge in chicken farming. A semi-structured, open-ended interview questionnaire was designed and used for interviewing purposes. Interviews permit triangulation of information obtained from other sources and thus increase the integrity of study findings

Economics and Management Sciences for Teachers 1B

Exam paper for second semester (Supplementary) Economics and Management Sciences for Teachers 1

Early stage dental caries detection using near infrared spatial frequency domain imaging

Early stage dental caries can be remineralized without the need for “drill-and-fill” treatments that are more invasive and less permanent. However, early stage caries lesions typically present as a white spot on a white background, resulting in many lesions only being identified after they have developed beyond the point of remineralization as cavities. We present a spatial frequency domain imaging technique to characterize the optical properties of dental tissue. This technique enables different dental tissue types (healthy enamel, healthy dentin and damaged or demineralized enamel) to be easily distinguished from one another and allows quantification of the reduced scattering coefficients of dental tissue. The use of near-infrared light at 850 nm allows high depth penetration into the tissue and suppression of absorption effects, ensuring only changes in the reduced scattering coefficient that result directly from demineralization of enamel are observed and simplifying the analysis method. This technique provides a tool to both guide the attention of dentists to areas of interest and potential demineralization, and to provide longitudinal quantified assessments to monitor caries lesion behaviour over time

Fishes of the Fourche River in Northcentral Arkansas

A survey of the fishes of Fourche River in northcentral Arkansas was made between June 1974 and March 1976. Field collections and literature records revealed that the river system was inhabited by 94 species of fish representing 21 families. The collected fishes represent both the Ozark and the lowland faunal groups. Fourteen species of Etheostoma and four species of Percina were collected. The records of Etheostoma asprigene and Elassoma zonatum represent extensions of the previously known ranges of these species within the state. Noturus gyrinus and Etheostoma histrio were recorded from the Black River system in Arkansas for the first time since 1894. Predominant highland species of minnows included Campostoma anomalum, Dionda nubila, Notropis boops, Notropis cornutus chrysocephalus, Notropis telescopus, and Notropis zonatus. Predominant lowland species of minnows were Hybognathus nuchalis, Notemigonus crysoleucas, Notropis texanus, and Notropis venustus

Growth strategies and implementation in a higher institution

Abstract: The role played by higher institutions goes beyond education and research, but also procreation of new business ventures and solving current socio-economic problems. These social obligations of tertiary education serve as the underpinning for its actuality and existence. Strategy implementation, particularly in higher institutions, is one of the current areas of research and the importance of dynamic capabilities as a catalyst of growth imperatives is important. The aim of this research was to investigate the process of implementing growth strategies and how higher institutions can overcome inertia by enhancing transformation capacities. This research drew on dynamic capabilities theory, for clues as to how institutions become dynamic through bolstering transformation capacities. The study followed a qualitative approach, with a single case as the research strategy. Furthermore, it preserved the originality of interviewees’ interpretation regarding the catalytic role of dynamic capabilities on strategy implementation. Content analysis was utilised to analyse the rich textual data generated from the semi-structured interviews conducted. The findings of this research seem to resonate with the general problems associated with implementation of growth strategies and it may be prudent for the institution to consider approaches that refine dynamic capabilities; particularly the transformation capacity. The conclusion reached in the study was that dynamic capabilities are catalytic in nature and therefore the implementation of strategy should balance the three capacities namely, sensing, seizing and transforming

Fishes of Randolph County, Arkansas

A survey of the fishes of Randolph County in northcentral Arkansas was made between June 1973 and March 1977. Field collections, literature records, and museum specimens revealed the ichthyofauna of Randolph County to be composed of 128 species distributed among 24 families. Cyprinidae was the largest family, being represented by 34 species while Percidae was represented by 24 species. Randolph County is composed of Ozark Uplands and Coastal Plain areas. All of the stream systems flow into the Black River system with the exception of Village Creek in the southeastern corner of the county which flows into White River. The major streams in the county are Black, Current, Eleven Point, Fourche, and Spring Rivers, and Jane\u27s Creek