THE IMPACT OF EXPERIENCING IMMERSIVE SIMULATION IN TEACHING

The present study examines the use of Mursion technology in pre-service science education courses. The author describes the concept of Mursion technology, using Virtual Reality in a classroom setting, and benefits of constructivist teaching practices. Case study findings focus on outcomes obtained with a selection of 5 pre-service teachers. The Mursion experiences resulted in a higher sense of self-efficacy in the pre-service teachers. Students were able to support their interview question answers with evidence from the Mursion experiences using specific changes in mindset and classroom management. When comparing pre-interview and post-interview data, the Mursion experiences resulted in improved confidence, as well as stronger understanding of leading classroom discussions. Study limitations and time constraints are detailed and followed by a description of how this research experience impacted the researcher as a future educator

Reflections 1987

The 1987 issue of Reflections is edited by D. David VanHoy with Thirlen Osborn serving as faculty adviser. Cover art is by Janet Curry with additional artwork provided by Mickey Sharpe and Kay Robbins. Award winners of the student writing contest include: D. David VanHoy, Patty Redmon, and Melissa Brown.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/reflections/1012/thumbnail.jp

Reflections 1986

The 1986 issue of Reflections is edited by D. David VanHoy with Thirlen Osborne serving as faculty adviser. Illustrations are by Ted Eaves. Award winners of the student writing contest include: Jack Folk, Roberta Borden, and Danny Reece.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/reflections/1011/thumbnail.jp

The Relationship Between Offseason Testing and Game Performance of Division I Collegiate Football Players

Offseason football strength programs consist of three distinct areas of training: speed/agility/quickness (SAQ); strength/power; and flexibility. These areas have been predetermined to be of most relation to football (Sawyer, Ostarello, Suess, & Dempsey, 2002). The results of these tests determine which players are the best athletes, subsequently labeling them with the potential to be the best football players. Personal football experience has revealed that excellent players may not test well and excellent testers may not perform well in games. It was hypothesized that offseason testing results would not be strongly related to game performance, but the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump would be the best indicators of how players perform. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between offseason testing results and game performance of Division I Collegiate Football players. The football strength staff at East Carolina gave a test battery to the players during the offseason. This study used the data collected to form correlations with game performance from the 2016 East Carolina Football season. Each category of testing was evaluated to determine if certain tests are better indicators of game performance than others. The research focused on a specific position group, defensive backs, in order to improve reliability of results. The hypothesis was not fully supported because the vertical jump produced a strong correlation to game performance (r = 0.76), rejecting the first part of the hypothesis that no offseason test would strongly correlate. The second part of the hypothesis was supported because the vertical jump was the best indicator of game performance. The data suggests previous literature was correct in providing an indication of the results from which the vertical jump test was the strongest correlated offseason test with game performance. The broad jump and flexibility were tests that produced moderate correlations. Z-scores were calculated for all player testing to provide a normalized indication of athletic performance. These correlations could be specific to the defensive back position and other position groups may yield different results

A Comparison of Two Different Treadmill Protocols in Measuring Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Highly Trained Distance Runners

The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the specificity effect of two different treadmill protocols on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in highly-trained distance runners (n=16). The secondary purpose examined if the ventilatory threshold (VT) attained during different protocols occurred at the same percent of VO2max (% VO2max @ VT). After a familiarization session performing the Bruce Protocol, VO2max was evaluated using two graded treadmill protocols; a horizontal (increment in speed only) (SOVO2max) and inclined (constant speed with increment in grade only) (GOVO2max). VO2max values were significantly higher from the GOVO2max in comparison to the SOVO2max protocol (76.1 and 71.2 mLO2/kg/min, p=. 005). The % VO2max @ VT was not significantly different between the GOVO2max and SOVO2max protocols. The results indicate that, based on runner specialty (flat versus hill runners), either SOVO2max or GOVO2max protocols can be used to determine the % VO2max @ VT in highly-trained distance runners

Universal military training : some prevalent ideas behind the post-World War II debate

One of the primary concerns of many Americans in the years immediately following World War II was the new international position of the United States. Prior to this time America had been able to remain somewhat aloof from many world problems. Secure in her isolated geographical position, the United States did not have to fear physical aggression without ample notice. The technology which produced guided missiles, radar , and the nuclear bomb served to alter this air of complacency. Many individuals pointed to traditional American unreadiness for war and proposeed a plan of universal military training as protection for America. This plan, it was argued, would provide the United States with enough military potential that aggressive would be deterred. In addition, such a program would enable America to maintain her dominant position of world power and encourage peace through police action

Lifetimes in \u3csup\u3e124\u3c/sup\u3eTe: Examining Critical-Point Symmetry in the Te Nuclei

The Doppler-shift attenuation method following inelastic neutron scattering was used to determine the lifetimes of nuclear levels to 3.3-MeV excitation in 124Te. Level energies and spins, γ-ray energies and branching ratios, and multipole-mixing ratios were deduced from measured γ-ray angular distributions at incident neutron energies of 2.40 and 3.30 MeV, γ-ray excitation functions, and γγ coincidence measurements. The newly obtained reduced transition probabilities and level energies for 124Te were compared to critical-point symmetry model predictions. The E(5) and β4 potential critical-point symmetries were also investigated in 122Te and 126Te

Inelastic Neutron Scattering Cross Sections for \u3csup\u3e76\u3c/sup\u3eGe Relevant to Background in Neutrinoless Double-\u3cem\u3eβ\u3c/em\u3e Decay Experiments

The experimental signature in searches for the neutrinoless double-β decay of 76Ge is a peak near 2039 keV in the spectrum. Given the low probability of the process, it is important that the background in this region be well understood. Inelastic scattering reactions with neutrons from muon-induced interactions and (α,n) reactions in the surrounding materials or in the detector can provide contributions to the background. We have measured the production cross sections for γ rays from the 76Ge(n,n\u27γ ) reaction in the 2039-keV region at incident neutron energies up to 4.9 MeV. In addition to determining that the cross sections of a previously known 2040.7-keV γ ray from the 3952-keV level in 76Ge are rather small, we find that a larger contribution arises from a 2037.5-keV γ ray which is attributed to a newly identified level at 3147 keV in 76Ge. A third contribution is also possible from another new level at 3577 keV. These results indicate that the 2039-keV region in 76Ge neutrinoless double-β decay searches is more complex than was previously thought

Inelastic Neutron Scattering Studies of \u3csup\u3e76\u3c/sup\u3eGe and \u3csup\u3e76\u3c/sup\u3eSe: Relevance to Elevance to Neutrinoless Double-β Decay

Inelastic neutron scattering measurements were performed at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory on enriched 76Ge and 76Se scattering samples. From measurements at incident neutron energies from 2.0 to 4.0 MeV, many new levels were identified and characterized in each nucleus; level lifetimes, transition probabilities, multipole mixing ratios, and other properties were determined. In addition, γ-ray cross sections for the 76Ge(n,n′γ) reaction were measured at neutron energies up to 5.0 MeV, with the goal of determining the cross sections of γ rays in 2040-keV region, which corresponds to the region of interest in the neutrinoless double β decay of 76Ge. Gamma rays from the three strongest branches from the 3952-keV level were observed, but the previously reported 2041-keV γ ray was not. Population cross sections across the range of incident neutron energies were determined for the 3952-keV level, resulting in a cross section of ~0.1 mb for the 2041-keV branch using the previously determined branching ratios. Beyond this, the data from these experiments indicate that previously unreported γ rays from levels in 76Ge can be found in the 2039-keV region