The sonographic digital portfolio: a longitudinal ultrasound image tracking program

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography (US) at the medical student level is developing. As clinical skills and simulation centers expand, US equipment miniaturizes, and more students are exposed to ultrasound; a digital portfolio comprised of US images and videos may be useful in demonstrating experience and possibly competency. METHODS: Medical students participated in US curricula consisting of didactics and hands-on training. From 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2008, student images and videos were saved. Total images and videos were evaluated and catalogued. RESULTS: A total of 10,074 images and 1,227 videos were saved during the 2-year period. For the academic year 2006 to 2007, 159 medical students obtained 3,641 of the images (84.9%) and 270 of the videos (86.0%). First year students obtained 778 images and 20 videos; second year students, 1,174 images and 64 videos; third year students, 211 images and 20 videos; and fourth year students, 1,478 images and 166 videos. For the academic year 2007 to 2008, 222 medical students obtained 4,340 images (75%) and 619 videos (67.8%). First year students obtained 624 images and 109 videos; second year students, 555 images and 81 videos; third year students, 132 images and 14 videos; and fourth year students, 3,029 images and 415 videos. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound digital portfolio allows medical students to collate and document their ultrasound experience. Currently, there is no requirement for ultrasound training, documentation of competency, or minimum numbers of US exams for medical education. The ultrasound digital portfolio may be a useful tool in documenting ultrasound proficiency

Sparrows can't sing : East End kith and kinship in the 1960s

Sparrows Can’t Sing (1963) was the only feature film directed by the late and much lamented Joan Littlewood. Set and filmed in the East End, where she worked for many years, the film deserves more attention than it has hitherto received. Littlewood’s career spanned documentary (radio recordings made with Ewan MacColl in the North of England in the 1930s) to directing for the stage and the running of the Theatre Royal in London’s Stratford East, often selecting material which aroused memories in local audiences (Leach 2006: 142). Many of the actors trained in her Theatre Workshop subsequently became better known for their appearances on film and television. Littlewood herself directed hardly any material for the screen: Sparrows Can’t Sing and a 1964 series of television commercials for the British Egg Marketing Board, starring Theatre Workshop’s Avis Bunnage, were rare excursions into an area of practice which she found constraining and unamenable (Gable 1980: 32). The hybridity and singularity of Littlewood’s feature may answer, in some degree, for its subsequent neglect. However, Sparrows Can’t Sing makes a significant contribution to a group of films made in Britain in the 1960s which comment generally on changes in the urban and social fabric. It is especially worthy of consideration, I shall argue, for the use which Littlewood made of a particular community’s attitudes – sentimental and critical – to such changes and for its amalgamation of an attachment to documentary techniques (recording an aural landscape on location) with a preference for nonnaturalistic delivery in performance

Suicide inhibition of alpha-oxamine synthases:structures of the covalent adducts of 8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase with trifluoroalanine

The suicide inhibition of the α-oxamine synthases by the substrate analog, L-trifluoroalanine was investigated. The inhibition resulted in the formation of a complex with loss of all three fluorine atoms. Decarboxylation and loss of fluoride occurred immediately after aldimine formation. The inherent flexibility could allow the difluorinated intermediate complex to adopt a suitable conformation. Decarboxylation in the normal mechanism occurs after formation of the ketoacid intermediate.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The Relationship of Self-Efficacy with GPA, Attendance, and College Student Retention

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-efficacy or belief in one’s capability (Bandura 1977b, 1986, 1993, 1997) and first-term GPA, attendance, and retention using a modified version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) (Schwarzer, 1992, 1993, 2005; Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1993). The study “College” is part of one of the world’s largest for-profit career education organizations. At the College, 100% of the students commute to classes and live in the metropolitan area. A large percentage of students live in difficult urban neighborhoods and grow up with low family income, abuse, gang violence, drugs, health problems, poor English, and academic underachievement. A study of student responsibility indicated that 54% of community college students are under the age of 25 and are not prepared academically or psychologically for what will be expected (Howell, 2001). They work to support dependents, frequently require childcare assistance, question their academic ability and perceive teachers as experts who dispense information and wisdom, and are frequently first-generation students. First-term student success at the College is measured by academic achievement (a required minimum GPA of 1.5 on a scale of 0 to 4.0). Many students receive formal academic warnings at the end of their first term because of poor academic performance in terms of GPA (1.5-2.0) or are involuntarily withdrawn for a GPA less than 1.5. The College has an open-admissions policy. Only a high school diploma or a GED is required for entry. Admissions representatives have a quota of students to recruit each term. Consequently, admission standards are flexible, as would be expected in a for-profit college. In this business context, being able to predict those students likely to earn a GPA of 1.5, consistently attend classes, and return for the next term translates into institutional success because continuing students generate future cash flow and profitability. The educational issue is being able to identify those students who need academic support to succeed. The purpose of this study was to determine if the construct of self-efficacy (Bandura 1977b, 1986, 1993, 1997) can predict student success and identify “at risk” students at the start of their first term at the College

Self-Efficacy and Post-Secondary First-Term Student Achievement

Generalized self-efficacy is the overall belief in one’s ability and Specific self-efficacy is task related. The study examined the extent and manner in which self-efficacy explains variation in first-term GPA. The General Self-Efficacy Scale was adapted and used with a sample of N = 194 students (34% male and 66% female) enrolled in a for-profit career education urban college. The data from two factors derived using an exploratory factor analysis, General self-efficacy and Specific self-efficacy, had alpha reliabilities of .73 and .75, respectively. General self-efficacy was correlated r = .18 with GPA and multiple regression analysis demonstrated that General incremented the explanation of variance 5% in GPA (p \u3c .01). Specific correlated r = .17 with GPA (p \u3c .05). General and Specific were significantly correlated (r = .42, p \u3c .001). The two independent variables were equal predictors of success

Parental Involvement in Students’ Safe Use of the Internet

The purpose of this study was to investigate if parental involvement in digital activities relates to middle school students’ knowledge of appropriate use of the Internet and social networking sites. Parental involvement, measured using a three-item dimension on the 40 item instrument, asked students to report on their knowledge of their parent’s involvement with their internet activity. The aggregate score on this dimension was used to measure the relationship among several dimensions. Furthermore, demographic items, such as grade level, having an older sibling, and getting in trouble at school, were also investigated. Over 71% of adults in the United States use the Internet (Horigan, 2007). Research suggests that adolescence (namely teens), are heavier users than adults (Subrahmanyam, Kraut, Greenfield, & Gross, 2001). Actually, in the United States, it is estimated that 21 million teens use the Internet. This represents 87% of this age group (Lenhart, 2005). Student have access to the Internet readily available, be it school, home, or library. This ease of access may increase the potential for students to become victims of Internet sexual predators or other students who engage in inappropriate cyberbullying behaviors. Rainie (2008) found that 32% of teens reported being contacted on-line by a stranger. Furthermore, 23% (of the 32%) stated that the contact made them feel scared or uncomfortable. There is a myriad of evidence to support the need for parental involvement in a child’s internet activities, from filtering access to monitoring activity, supervision is paramount (Lenhardt, 2005; Raine, 2008; Shariff 2008). Aside from the fact that predators are seeking young predators, teens are also reporting inappropriate behaviors. In fact, Lenhardt found that 81% of parents and 79% of teens agreed that “teens are not careful enough when sharing personal information on-line” (pii). Furthermore, when asked if “teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about” (pii), 65% of the parents and 64% of the teens agreed with the statement. The knowledge of the issue is evident from both parties, so now what do we do with it? This line of research aims to understand the status of behaviors and views of middle school students and the influence parents have on these behaviors. It is hoped that the results may assist schools in developing educational programs and safeguards to protect students

Virtual Coaching for Novice Teachers

Virtual bug-in-the-ear technology presents one tool that allows practitioners and university educators can use to attract, prepare, and retain high-quality teachers. The experience of Project TEEACH based at the University of Alabama suggests that simple technology tools could be used effectively to support teachers through their most challenging instructional situations. Such coaching provides the kind of at-the-elbow support that can be most beneficial to young teachers