Using Response Cards to Increase Student Participation in an Inclusive Classroom

One of the most challenging aspects facing educators today is ensuring academic success for all students in the classroom. Many teachers feel that increasing participation levels of students during instructional time afford students the best chance of academic success. This study analyzed the use of response cards in an eighth grade inclusion math classroom to increase student participation and academic achievement. An AB design study was used to collect data on five students who represented the classroom population of students with and without disabilities. Lesson materials were delivered under two conditions, hand-raising and write-on dry erase board response cards. Results indicated a significant increase in student participation and on-task behaviors during the response card phase. Scores on weekly quizzes and end of unit tests increased after review lessons were conducted with response cards. Recommendations for future studies are included

Beliefs of Efficacy and Elementary Teachers’ Computational Skills

Early mathematics content that is taught in elementary school lays the foundation for students’ advanced mathematics performance. Thus, researchers show it is important that pre-service elementary teachers build a strong background in numbers and operations, as well as efficacy beliefs in mathematics instruction. This study expands the literature in the investigation of pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs and mathematical knowledge by making comparisons of pre-service elementary teachers’ views of efficacy to their overall ability in computation skills. Results show that elementary pre-service teachers who demonstrated lower scores in efficacy beliefs also had significantly lower computation scores. Implications for teacher preparation are also discussed

Exploration of Classroom Seating Arrangement and Student Behavior in a Second Grade Classroom

The purpose of this study was to determine if a specific classroom seating arrangement can contribute to students being on or off-task while completing independent work within the general education setting of an inclusive second grade class. In this study, three classroom seating arrangements were compared in a second grade classroom. These seating arrangements were cluster seating, horseshoe seating, and row seating. There were specific targeted off-task behaviors that were to be observed: inappropriate talking, students out of their seats without permission, students not following directions, and students not starting independent work promptly. Data were collected using three methods: observation/ anecdotal record, teacher behavior checklist, and a behavior tally sheet. Data revealed the number of students who displayed off-task behaviors as well as the specific amount of times these behaviors happened during each seating arrangement. It was determined that row seating had the fewest off-task behaviors for this particular second grade class was row seating. It was also determined that inappropriate talking was the most frequent occurring off-task behavior and not following directions was the least off-task behavior observed. For this particular classroom, row seating was the best classroom arrangement. Implications of differing seating arrangements will be discussed

Lifestyle interventions for people with, and at risk of type 2 diabetes in Polynesian communities : A systematic review and meta-analysis

There is evidence that lifestyle intervention among Polynesian people can reduce diabetes incidence and complications, but this evidence has not been systematically reviewed. The aim of this study was to systematically review the efficacy of lifestyle interventions, targeting the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes among Polynesian people. MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to find randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and pre-post studies. Eight studies (four RCTs and four pre-post studies) with 1590 participants met the inclusion criteria. The data on health outcomes that was reported in these studies included blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, weight, and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The meta-analyses showed that the interventions had resulted in statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) across four of the studies (WMD, −9.93 mmHg; 95% Cl, −10.77 to −9.09; and p < 0.00001). However, the effects on weight across five of the studies (WMD, −1.15 kg; 95% Cl, −2.80 to 0.51; p = 0.18) and the HbA1c levels across two of the studies (WMD, −0.38%; 95% Cl, −1.15 to 0.39; and p = 0.33) were not statistically significant. This review provides evidence that lifestyle interventions may be effective in achieving modest reductions in SBP in Polynesian people. Further research is needed to fully assess the effectiveness of these interventions in this population long-term

Keeping Up with the Joneses: How Snapchat Stays Relevant

The article we chose from Fortune Magazine is entitled “3,2,1 Countdown to the Snapchat Revolution” and is written by Jessi Hempel, Adam Lashinsky, Marty Jones, and Chanelle Bessette. The article discusses the history of Snapchat and the past and present challenges it has had to face. This ranges from the lawsuit brought by one of the original founders to rejecting an acquisition offer from Facebook of over $3 billion. Big businesses are not apt to jump on the bandwagon for marketing purposes because of their lack of data collection. The discussion varies from what the app actually is, “a disappearing-photo-sending service,” the changing demographics of the users, and how the app has evolved over time

Sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk factors among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk factors among individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (n = 391). METHODS: Sleep duration was derived using a combination of questionnaire and objective heart rate and movement sensing in the UK ADDITION-Plus study (2002-2007). Adjusted means were estimated for individual cardiometabolic risk factors and clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCMR) by five categories of sleep duration. RESULTS: We observed a J-shaped association between sleep duration and CCMR - individuals sleeping 7 to <8 h had a significantly better CCMR profile than those sleeping ≥9 h. Independent of physical activity and sedentary time, individuals sleeping 7 to <8 h had lower triacylglycerol (0.62 mmol/l (0.29, 1.06)) and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels (0.23 mmol/l (0.16, 0.30)) compared with those sleeping ≥9 h, and a lower waist circumference (7.87 cm (6.06, 9.68)) and body mass index (BMI) (3.47 kg/m(2) (2.69, 4.25)) than those sleeping <6 h. Although sleeping 7 to <8 h was associated with lower levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, these associations were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration has a J-shaped association with CCMR in individuals with diabetes, independent of potential confounding. Health promotion interventions might highlight the importance of adequate sleep in this high-risk population.The trial is supported by the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council, Diabetes UK and National Health Service R&D support funding. SJG was a member of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research. The General Practice and Primary Care Research Unit was supported by NIHR Research funds. SJG received support from the Department of Health NIHR Programme Grant funding scheme [RP-PG-0606-1259]. ATP is supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2014.10.00

Does stakeholder involvement really benefit biodiversity conservation?

The establishment of protected areas, such as Natura 2000, is a common approach to curbing biodiversity loss. But many of these areas are owned or managed by private actors. Policies indicate that their involvement should be encouraged to ensure long term success. However, to date there have been no systematic evaluations of whether local actor involvement in the management of protected areas does in fact contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, which is the expressed policy goal. Research incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data was carried out in three case studies in Scotland where local actor input was required in the development and/or implementation of Natura 2000 management plans. No relationship was found between the characteristics of the process of stakeholder involvement and stakeholders’ perceptions of future biodiversity outcomes. Social outcomes of increased stakeholder involvement, such as increased trust, did however increase the perceived likelihood of positive future biodiversity outcomes. The findings indicate that efforts aimed at increasing stakeholder involvement in the management of protected areas need to consider making processes more independent, and acknowledge and address underlying biodiversity conflicts. The findings also emphasise the need to evaluate multi-level conservation efforts in terms of processes, social outcomes and biodiversity outcomes

Effects of lifestyle interventions on weight amongst Pasifika communities : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Pasifika populations experience high incidence and prevalence of obesity and T2DM. However, no international review of lifestyle intervention studies amongst Pasifika communities exists. This study seeks to identify the effect and translatability of lifestyle strategies on weight amongst Pasifika populations. Methods Lifestyle studies involving ≥90% adult Pasifika participants measuring weight change were eligible for inclusion. Database searching was carried out up to December 2021. Databases searched were MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost) and ProQuest Central. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB2 (RCTs) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) quality assessment tool. Meta-analysis and meta-regression used a bivariate random-effects model. Strategies were coded against pre-identified components of the newly proposed Cultural and Sustainability Assessment of Intervention (CSAI) framework. Findings Twenty-three studies (n = 4258 participants) met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-two lifestyle strategies targeting weight loss (WL) and 7 targeting weight maintenance (WM) were extracted. Meta-analysis estimates small but significant effect of -0.26 standard deviations (95% CI -0.51 to -0.02), with RCTs demonstrating a non-significant effect of -0.23 standard deviations (95% CI -0.49 to 0.035). Culturally relevant strategies included community and peer support facilitators and team-based activities. The CSAI identified 14 out of 23 studies with low cultural competency and sustainability scores (<60%). Interpretation Qualitative and quantitative analysis show tailored lifestyle interventions has had an estimated small but beneficial effect on WL amongst Pasifika communities. Potential for tailored interventions design to incorporate psychosocial and behavioural considerations. The CSAI has the potential for systematically identifying cultural and sustainability components of efficacy in interventions

Megalith quarries for Stonehenge’s bluestones. Review

Geologists and archaeologists have long known that the bluestones of Stonehenge came from the Preseli Hills of west Wales, 230km away, but only recently have some of their exact geological sources been identified. Two of these quarries - Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin - have now been excavated to reveal evidence of megalith quarrying around 3000 BC - the same period as the first stage of the construction of Stonehenge. The authors present evidence for the extraction of the stone pillars and consider how they were transported, including the possibility that they were erected in a temporary monument close to the quarries, before completing their journey to Stonehenge

Prospective associations between sedentary time, physical activity, fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to examine the prospective associations between objectively measured physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE), sedentary time, moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cardiometabolic risk factors over 4 years in individuals with recently diagnosed diabetes. METHODS: Among 308 adults (mean age 61.0 [SD 7.2] years; 34% female) with type 2 diabetes from the Anglo-Danish-Dutch Study of Intensive Treatment in People with Screen Detected Diabetes in Primary Care (ADDITION)-Plus study, we measured physical activity using individually calibrated combined heart rate and movement sensing. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to examine the associations between baseline PAEE, sedentary time, MVPA, CRF and cardiometabolic risk factors and clustered cardiometabolic risk (CCMR) at follow-up, and change in these exposures and change in CCMR and its components over 4 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Individuals who increased their PAEE between baseline and follow-up had a greater reduction in waist circumference (-2.84 cm, 95% CI -4.84, -0.85) and CCMR (-0.17, 95% CI -0.29, -0.04) compared with those who decreased their PAEE. Compared with individuals who decreased their sedentary time, those who increased their sedentary time had a greater increase in waist circumference (3.20 cm, 95% CI 0.84, 5.56). Increases in MVPA were associated with reductions in systolic blood pressure (-6.30 mmHg, 95% CI -11.58, -1.03), while increases in CRF were associated with reductions in CCMR (-0.23, 95% CI -0.40,-0.05) and waist circumference (-3.79 cm, 95% CI -6.62, -0.96). Baseline measures were generally not predictive of cardiometabolic risk at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Encouraging people with recently diagnosed diabetes to increase their physical activity and decrease their sedentary time may have beneficial effects on their waist circumference, blood pressure and CCMR.The trial is supported by the Medical Research Council (grant reference no. G0001164), the Wellcome Trust (grant reference no. G061895), National Health Service R&D support funding (including the Primary Care Research and Diabetes Research Networks) and National Institute of Health Research under its Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme (RP-PG-0606-1259). SJG is a member of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Health Service, the NIHR, or the UK Department of Health. We are grateful to Diabetes UK for providing patient information materials.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00125-015-3756-