Nurturing Cultures - A Cross-Cultural Perspective on the Intersection of Parenting and Teaching

Every society invests enormous resources to ensure that children grow up with the skills, knowledge, and values that will enable them to be successful. Yet cultures vary in their beliefs about what effective parenting and teaching require. Nurturing children involves a collaboration among parents, teachers, and students and reflects cultural beliefs about how to best foster learning. This dissertation consists of three studies that used different methods to reveal cultural beliefs about teaching and learning. Study 1 used PISA parent survey and achievement data to examine whether there are cultural differences in the kinds of parental involvement in schooling that predict children’s success. We found important cross-national differences in the types of parental involvement that predicts academic success, suggesting that not all types of parental involvement are equally effective and its utility depends on the cultural context in which it occurs. We argue that these different patterns of effective parental involvement exist because school systems vary in what they expect of students, the ways in which they are open to parental participation, and the extent to which learning opportunities exist outside of schools. Study 2 used the same international dataset to cross-culturally compare students’ and parents’ perspectives on parental involvement in education and how these different perceptions relate to academic achievement. We found that the extent to which parent and child perceptions of parental support agree depends on both the type of parental involvement examined and the cultural context involved. Cross-national differences were particularly pronounced in one type of parental involvement – parental educational spending – suggesting that parental financial investment in education has different psychological and academic consequences for students in each cultural context. Study 3 used an experimental approach and a new paradigm to obtain real-time data on how college students experience and learn from various aspects of teaching. We examined how students process initial perceptions and/or judgments of teachers as well as learn from the teaching quality they receive. Our results suggest that overall quality of instruction, as well as the specific teaching strategies and behaviors included in a lesson have significant consequences on both student learning and evaluation of the instruction. And contrary to what past research suggests, first impressions that teachers make in the first few minutes of a class do not matter as much as the quality of the lesson that follows. Most importantly, the continuous data collection technique used in this study has the potential to identify ways of improving and/or reinforcing various aspects instructional strategies that could in turn change the way students learn from classroom lessons. By using such a wide range of methodological approaches, we were able to identify how different cultures organize the collaborative process of nurturing students into competent adults, and how students experience the education they receive. Taken together, the three studies examined the broader cultural context in which these nurturing efforts take place and how these different cultural models influence student learning. The results shed light on aspects of teaching and learning that are universal and also identify unique beliefs and practices that could be used to improve our own nurturing process in the U.S.PHDEducation & PsychologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145828/1/inahpark_1.pd

No Second Chance to Make a First Impression: The “Thin‐Slice” Effect on Instructor Ratings and Learning Outcomes in Higher Education

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134071/1/jedm12116_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134071/2/jedm12116.pd

Functional Relationships between the Hippocampus and Dorsomedial Striatum in Learning a Visual Scene-Based Memory Task in Rats

The hippocampus is important for contextual behavior, and the striatum plays key roles in decision making. When studying the functional relationships with the hippocampus, prior studies have focused mostly on the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), emphasizing the antagonistic relationships between the hippocampus and DLS in spatial versus response learning. By contrast, the functional relationships between the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and hippocampus are relatively unknown. The current study reports that lesions to both the hippocampus and DMS profoundly impaired performance of rats in a visual scene-based memory task in which the animals were required to make a choice response by using visual scenes displayed in the background. Analysis of simultaneous recordings of local field potentials revealed that the gamma oscillatory power was higher in the DMS, but not in CA1, when the rat performed the task using familiar scenes than novel ones. In addition, the CA1-DMS networks increased coherence at γ, but not at θ, rhythm as the rat mastered the task. At the single-unit level, the neuronal populations in CA1 and DMS showed differential firing patterns when responses were made using familiar visual scenes than novel ones. Such learning-dependent firing patterns were observed earlier in the DMS than in CA1 before the rat made choice responses. The present findings suggest that both the hippocampus and DMS process memory representations for visual scenes in parallel with different time courses and that flexible choice action using background visual scenes requires coordinated operations of the hippocampus and DMS at γ frequencies

Neural Signals Related to Outcome Evaluation Are Stronger in CA1 than CA3

We have shown previously that CA1 conveys significant neural signals necessary to update value of the chosen target, namely chosen value and reward signals. To better understand hippocampal neural processes related to valuation, we compared chosen value- and reward-related neural activity between the CA3 and CA1 regions. Single units were recorded with tetrodes from the dorsal CA3 and CA1 regions of rats performing a dynamic foraging task, and chosen value- and reward-related neural activity was estimated using a reinforcement learning model and multiple regression analyses. Neural signals for chosen value and reward converged in both CA3 and CA1 when a trial outcome was revealed. However, these neural signals were stronger in CA1 than CA3. Consequently, neural signals for reward prediction error and updated chosen value were stronger in CA1 than CA3. Together with our previous finding that CA1 conveys stronger value signals than the subiculum, our results raise the possibility that CA1 might play a particularly important role among hippocampal subregions in evaluating experienced events

Subicular neurons represent multiple variables of a hippocampal-dependent task by using theta rhythm

The subiculum is positioned at a critical juncture at the interface of the hippocampus with the rest of the brain. However, the exact roles of the subiculum in most hippocampal-dependent memory tasks remain largely unknown. One obstacle to make comparisons of neural firing patterns between the subiculum and hippocampus is the broad firing fields of the subicular cells. Here, we used spiking phases in relation to theta rhythm to parse the broad firing field of a subicular neuron into multiple subfields to find the unique functional contribution of the subiculum while male rats performed a hippocampal-dependent visual scene memory task. Some of the broad firing fields of the subicular neurons were successfully divided into multiple subfields similar to those in the CA1 by using the theta phase precession cycle. The new paradigm significantly improved the detection of task-relevant information in subicular cells without affecting the information content represented by CA1 cells. Notably, we found that multiple fields of a single subicular neuron, unlike those in the CA1, carried heterogeneous task-related information such as visual context and choice response. Our findings suggest that the subicular cells integrate multiple task-related factors by using theta rhythm to associate environmental context with action.N

Mental Health Status of New Police Trainees before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to investigate the mental health of new police trainees during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Korea. Two groups of police trainees were surveyed considering the distribution of gender, age, and education level: those who joined the school before COVID-19 and those who joined during the outbreak. Mental health indicators, including insomnia, depression, and anxiety, were compared between the two groups. The prevalence of insomnia, depression, and anxiety significantly varied in the group that joined during COVID-19 compared with the group that joined before. Specifically, insomnia showed a significant change in women, with a higher rate of 2.6%. Although the prevalence of depression was initially low, it increased from 0.4% to 1.3% during the pandemic. Anxiety rates also showed notable differences, particularly among women, with a higher rate of 4.7%. The highest differences in prevalence were observed in the low-income group, with a rate of 7.7% for anxiety. The findings highlight the vulnerability of police officers to psychosocial effects during disasters such as pandemics. Disaster preparedness programs or education can be integrated into new police officer training institutions to help manage mental health changes and promote overall well-being

Functional Relationships between the Hippocampus and Dorsomedial Striatum in Learning a Visual Scene-Based Memory Task in Rats

The hippocampus is important for contextual behavior, and the striatum plays key roles in decision making. When studying the functional relationships with the hippocampus, prior studies have focused mostly on the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), emphasizing the antagonistic relationships between the hippocampus and DLS in spatial versus response learning. By contrast, the functional relationships between the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and hippocampus are relatively unknown. The current study reports that lesions to both the hippocampus and DMS profoundly impaired performance of rats in a visual scene-based memory task in which the animals were required to make a choice response by using visual scenes displayed in the background. Analysis of simultaneous recordings of local field potentials revealed that the gamma oscillatory power was higher in the DMS, but not in CA1, when the rat performed the task using familiar scenes than novel ones. In addition, the CA1-DMS networks increased coherence at, but not at, rhythm as the rat mastered the task. At the single-unit level, the neuronal populations in CA1 and DMS showed differential firing patterns when responses were made using familiar visual scenes than novel ones. Such learning-dependent firing patterns were observed earlier in theDMSthan inCA1before the rat made choice responses. The present findings suggest that both the hippocampus and DMS process memory representations for visual scenes in parallel with different time courses and that flexible choice action using background visual scenes requires coordinated operations of the hippocampus and DMS at frequencies.121311Nsciescopu

Occupational cancer claims in Korea from 2010 to 2016

Abstract Background Research on carcinogens causing occupational cancer has been updated. Further, social interest in occupational cancer has increased. In addition, the standard for recognizing cancer as a work-related disease has also been revised. The present study aims to describe the distribution of occupational cancer claims or its approval rate and their association with work-related variables. Methods We analyzed 1299 claim cases for occupational cancer from 2010 to 2016 provided by the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service (KCOMWEL). The status of approval rate was shown by year, sex, industry, occupation, age of diagnosis, duration from employment to diagnosis, and cancer site. Results The approval rate was 39.0% from 2010 to 2016 and tended to increase annually since 2011. Both the number of claims and the approval rate were higher in men. Mining and quarrying showed the highest approval rate (78.4%). The approval rates by age of diagnosis and duration from employment to diagnosis increased as the time periods increased. Respiratory organ had the highest number of claims and the highest approval rate by cancer site. Conclusions The approval rate of occupational cancer has shown an increasing trend since 2011. The increase of occupational carcinogens and cancer sites and the improvement of social awareness about occupational cancer could have resulted in this trend. The present study provides unique, and the latest and most accurate findings on occupational cancer data of recent 7 years that could be helpful to researchers or policy makers on occupational cancer

A skeletal Sr/Ca record preserved inDipsastraea(Favia)speciosaand implications for coral Sr/Ca thermometry in mid-latitude regions

[1] A core (900 mm long) of the scleractinian coral Dipsastraea (Favia) speciosa was collected from Iki Island (∼33°48′N), Japan, one of the highest latitude coral reefs known to exist at present, where winter monthly mean sea surface temperature (SST) drops to 13°C. The Sr/Ca profile was constructed using a bulk sampling method for the uppermost 280 mm interval of the core, which grew between 1966 and 2007, to test whether it could act as a suitable proxy for SST in a harsh environmental setting where reef-building coral do not usually survive. The Sr/Ca-SST relationship derived from the annual Sr/Ca and SST extremes predicted the observed monthly averaged summer SST extremes within an error range of ±1.1°C (1 s.d., n = 40). The obtained Sr/Ca-SST calibration was also found to be valid for subtropical Dipsastraea (Favia) corals, proving its broad applicability. However, low-amplitude winter peaks were observed in the slow-growing intervals, which we confirmed (using individual spot analysis along a continuous growth line) result from the mixing of theca grown at different times. Our bulk sampling approach, across multiple growth lines in the skeleton of D. (F.) speciosa, led to the mixing of asynchronous skeletal part. At the study site, D. (F.) speciosa grows continuously, even during the cold season, suggesting that the skeletal Sr/Ca obtained from specimens of D. (F.) speciosa can be used as an SST proxy in the northwest Pacific marginal seas

Geochemical composition of inorganic silicate fraction of surface sediment samples collected along a 131.5°W transect in the central Pacific

This dataset includes neodymium isotope ratios and La, Yb, Sc, and Th concentrations of inorganic silicate fractions of surface sediments from the central Pacific, with relevant sampling information. The aim of the study is to identify latitudinal changes in hemispheric dust provenance. 16 sediment cores were collected along a 131.5°W transect from the equator to 16°N at ~1º intervals using a multiple corer and a piston corer on the R/V Onnuri during KODOS03-03 cruise (2003.07.03-2003.08.01; Chief Scientist: Woong-Seo Kim) and KODOS05-01 cruise (2005.07.17-2005.08.15; Chief Scientist: Woong-Seo Kim). Subsamples were taken at 1 cm intervals from the split cores, and those obtained within the top 10 cm of the cores (usually within the top 3 cm) were used to extract the inorganic silicate fraction. The inorganic silicate fractions of bulk sediments were isolated by sequential dissolution with 25% acetic acid, hot sodium citrate-sodium dithionite solution buffered with sodium bicarbonate, and hot sodium hydroxide solution. The elemental composition of the inorganic silicate fraction was determined using a quadrupole ICP-MS following conventional acid digestion. 143Nd/144Nd ratios were determined via multi-collector thermal ionization mass spectrometer using standard cation exchange techniques