Generic health literacy measurement instruments for children and adolescents:a systematic review of the literature

Background Health literacy is an important health promotion concern and recently children and adolescents have been the focus of increased academic attention. To assess the health literacy of this population, researchers have been focussing on developing instruments to measure their health literacy. Compared to the wider availability of instruments for adults, only a few tools are known for younger age groups. The objective of this study is to systematically review the field of generic child and adolescent health literacy measurement instruments that are currently available. Method A systematic literature search was undertaken in five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycNET, ERIC, and FIS) on articles published between January 1990 and July 2015, addressing children and adolescents ?18 years old. Eligible articles were analysed, data was extracted, and synthesised according to review objectives. Results Fifteen generic health literacy measurement instruments for children and adolescents were identified. All, except two, are self-administered instruments. Seven are objective measures (performance-based tests), seven are subjective measures (self-reporting), and one uses a mixed-method measurement. Most instruments applied a broad and multidimensional understanding of health literacy. The instruments were developed in eight different countries, with most tools originating in the United States (n =?6). Among the instruments, 31 different components related to health literacy were identified. Accordingly, the studies exhibit a variety of implicit or explicit conceptual and operational definitions, and most instruments have been used in schools and other educational contexts. While the youngest age group studied was 7-year-old children within a parent-child study, there is only one instrument specifically designed for primary school children and none for early years. Conclusions Despite the reported paucity of health literacy research involving children and adolescents, an unexpected number of health literacy measurement studies in children?s populations was found. Most instruments tend to measure their own specific understanding of health literacy and not all provide sufficient conceptual information. To advance health literacy instruments, a much more standardised approach is necessary including improved reporting on the development and validation processes. Further research is required to improve health literacy instruments for children and adolescents and to provide knowledge to inform effective interventionspublishersversionPeer reviewe

Conceptions of mathematics: A case study of three high school mathematics teachers

This study analyzed and categorized the conceptions of mathematics of three high school mathematics teachers. The complex ways in which mathematics teachers conceptualize their content area has been unintentionally oversimplified in the existing literature. This study presents a new framework for classifying the conceptions of mathematics for high school teachers. The framework includes three domains: the teacher\u27s perspective on the nature of mathematics, the teacher\u27s orientation toward mathematical knowledge, and the teacher\u27s theory of teaching and learning. Two findings emerged from the case studies. First, the configuration of the domains of the teacher\u27s conception of mathematics was as important to the teacher\u27s overall conception as the teacher\u27s views within each domain. Second, the inclusion of two domains in the framework dedicated to mathematics allowed for the examination of similarities and differences between the teacher\u27s beliefs, views, values, meanings, rules, and preferences about mathematics at a large scale and a small scale. The findings suggests that the potential for a teacher to change his or her practice relies greatly on whether or not the teacher experiences dissonance between his or her conception of mathematics and his or her instructional practice

Conceptions of mathematics: A case study of three high school mathematics teachers

This study analyzed and categorized the conceptions of mathematics of three high school mathematics teachers. The complex ways in which mathematics teachers conceptualize their content area has been unintentionally oversimplified in the existing literature. This study presents a new framework for classifying the conceptions of mathematics for high school teachers. The framework includes three domains: the teacher\u27s perspective on the nature of mathematics, the teacher\u27s orientation toward mathematical knowledge, and the teacher\u27s theory of teaching and learning. Two findings emerged from the case studies. First, the configuration of the domains of the teacher\u27s conception of mathematics was as important to the teacher\u27s overall conception as the teacher\u27s views within each domain. Second, the inclusion of two domains in the framework dedicated to mathematics allowed for the examination of similarities and differences between the teacher\u27s beliefs, views, values, meanings, rules, and preferences about mathematics at a large scale and a small scale. The findings suggests that the potential for a teacher to change his or her practice relies greatly on whether or not the teacher experiences dissonance between his or her conception of mathematics and his or her instructional practice

Conceptions of mathematics: A case study of three high school mathematics teachers

This study analyzed and categorized the conceptions of mathematics of three high school mathematics teachers. The complex ways in which mathematics teachers conceptualize their content area has been unintentionally oversimplified in the existing literature. This study presents a new framework for classifying the conceptions of mathematics for high school teachers. The framework includes three domains: the teacher\u27s perspective on the nature of mathematics, the teacher\u27s orientation toward mathematical knowledge, and the teacher\u27s theory of teaching and learning. Two findings emerged from the case studies. First, the configuration of the domains of the teacher\u27s conception of mathematics was as important to the teacher\u27s overall conception as the teacher\u27s views within each domain. Second, the inclusion of two domains in the framework dedicated to mathematics allowed for the examination of similarities and differences between the teacher\u27s beliefs, views, values, meanings, rules, and preferences about mathematics at a large scale and a small scale. The findings suggests that the potential for a teacher to change his or her practice relies greatly on whether or not the teacher experiences dissonance between his or her conception of mathematics and his or her instructional practice

Sexuality and the Body: Dr. Mike Jessup and Linda Manganello

Sexuality and the Body chapels feature members of the Taylor Community sharing their thoughts, stories, and experiences. Dr. Michael Jessup is a professor of Sociology, and celebrating his 20th year at Taylor. Dr. Jessup teaches classes on Marriage and Family and Children and Family. He received all of his degrees in “I” states: Idaho, Iowa, and Illinois, and of course, now lives in Indiana. He has been married for 32 years, and has two daughters, both TU alumnae. Dr. Linda Manganello graduated from Taylor with a B.S. in Communication Education, received her M.A. in Interpersonal and Public Communication from Central Michigan University, and earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Capella University. As an Assistant Professor in the Communication Department, Linda encourages students to think critically about identity, value, communication, gender, and culture while discovering and living out their God given gifts and abilities. Dr. Manganello lives in Upland with her husband Tony, also a TU grad, and their two daughters Lucy and Sophie

Seasonal forecasts of tropical cyclone activity in a high-atmospheric-resolution coupled prediction system

Seasonal forecast skill of the basinwide and regional tropical cyclone (TC) activity in an experimental coupled prediction system based on the ECMWF System 4 is assessed. As part of a collaboration between the Center for Ocean–Land–Atmosphere Studies (COLA) and the ECMWF called Project Minerva, the system is integrated at the atmospheric horizontal spectral resolutions of T319, T639, and T1279. Seven-month hindcasts starting from 1 May for the years 1980–2011 are produced at all three resolutions with at least 15 ensemble members. The Minerva system demonstrates statistically significant skill for retrospective forecasts of TC frequency and accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) in the North Atlantic (NA), eastern North Pacific (EP), and western North Pacific. While the highest scores overall are achieved in the North Pacific, the skill in the NA appears to be limited by an overly strong influence of the tropical Pacific variability. Higher model resolution improves skill scores for the ACE and, to a lesser extent, the TC frequency, even though the influence of large-scale climate variations on these TC activity measures is largely independent of resolution changes. The biggest gain occurs in transition from T319 to T639. Significant skill in regional TC forecasts is achieved over broad areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The highest-resolution hindcasts exhibit additional locations with skill in the NA and EP, including land-adjacent areas. The feasibility of regional intensity forecasts is assessed. In the presence of the coupled model biases, the benefits of high resolution for seasonal TC forecasting may be underestimated