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Background: Child care centers are important for children's behaviors. Aims: To examine the cross-sectional associations between child care environmental characteristics and physical activity and sedentary time in children. Methods: Participants were 124 toddlers and 118 preschoolers from 19 centers in Alberta and Ontario, Canada, in the supporting Healthy physical AcTive CHildcare setting (HATCH) study. In-care physical activity and sedentary time were assessed using Actigraph accelerometers. Child care environments, including structure (e.g., resources) and process (e.g., activities) quality, were measured using three instruments: (1) the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation and (2) the Children's Physical Environments Rating Scale, and (iii) the Movement Environment Rating Scale. Mixed models were performed to examine the associations between environmental characteristics and children's sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Results: A few structure quality characteristics related to child care policy and indoor environment were associated with higher physical activity and lower sedentary time in toddlers. The overall structure quality (B = 0.04; 95% CI [0.003, 0.08]) and process quality (B = 0.08; 95% CI [0.02, 0.15]) of the child care environment were associated with log moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in preschoolers. Specifically, structure quality characteristics of the outdoor environment and physical activity time, and process quality characteristics relevant to curriculum and pedagogy, were associated with higher physical activity and lower sedentary time in preschoolers. Discussion and Conclusion: The child care structure quality characteristics that are important for children' physical activity and sedentary behavior may vary by age group. Improving the overall process quality, in particular curriculum and pedagogy, of the child care environment, may promote more physical activity in preschoolers.

In December, 2013, revised Alberta child care accreditation standards were released by the Alberta Government in Canada that included a new standard for physical activity and sedentary behavior in accredited child care settings. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the new accreditation standard in increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in a sample of children in Alberta, Canada attending child care. This pre-post design study is based on 86 children aged 19-60 months from across Alberta, Canada. Levels of physical activity [light (LPA) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA)] and sedentary time during child care were accelerometer-derived at baseline (October/November, 2013) and follow-up after a new accreditation standard was implemented (May/June, 2014). Age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores at baseline and follow-up were also calculated. Changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior were moderated by age group (toddler: 19-35 months and preschoolers: 36-60 months). Over an average 6.5 month period, a small decrease in sedentary time (3.1 min/h, P < 0.05) and a moderate increase in MVPA (1.7 min/h, P < 0.05) were observed among toddlers along with a moderate decrease in BMI z-score (0.18 SD, P < 0.05). However, among preschoolers a small increase in sedentary time (1.9 min/h, P < 0.05) and a small decrease in LPA (1.9 min/h, P < 0.05) were observed. The new accreditation standard shows promise for toddlers. Future research with a control group that evaluates the process of implementing the new standard at each center is needed to confirm and expand on these findings of this study.

The majority of teacher education programs in North America require elementary-teacher candidates to complete separate courses in curriculum subject areas. This model to teacher education limits candidates' readiness to engage in interdisciplinary teaching and focuses preservice curriculum on content-specific pedagogies rather than on general, developmentally appropriate pedagogical practices. The purpose of this study was to explore an alternative approach to the preparation of elementary teachers. Specifically, this article examines the benefits and challenges of an integrated curriculum approach. Qualitative data were collected through a survey and focus group with 56 teacher candidates and interviews with 3 course instructors. Findings suggest that an integrated approach contributes to stronger relationships, broader conceptions of integration, greater emphasis on pedagogy, and enhanced efficiency in teaching. Challenges related to perceptions of content coverage and instruction expertise were also identified. Findings from this research provide a basis for reconceptualizing elementary-teacher education toward an integrated approach.

This article researches a relatively new suicide method advanced by right-to-die organizations: oxygen deprivation by breathing helium inside a plastic hood. The article begins with a review of the role of the coroner and the history of oxygen deprivation with helium; it then examines 20 Judgements of Inquiry (JOI) by British Columbia coroners into this form of suicide. The JOI were obtained through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and cover the period of 1999 to 2007. Findings raise concerns about the coding system used by coroners as well as adherence to internal documentation guidelines. The British Columbia Coroners Service (BCCS) has a public safety mandate to investigate all unnatural deaths and to make recommendations to prevent deaths in similar circumstances. It is a concern that BCCS has no recommendations to prevent suicides by oxygen deprivation with helium. More in-depth, systematic research is recommended to determine the prevalence of suicide by oxygen deprivation and to develop strategies to benefit public health and safety. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

There is increasing concern over disengagement of teacher candidates during on-campus periods of pre-service programs due to the perceived disconnect between educational theory and practice. In response, teacher education has been called to engage candidates in praxis through authentic learning. In this paper, we bring together the fields of teacher education, authentic learning, and arts-based learning to articulate a means of enhancing pre-service programs. Specifically, this paper documents and analyzes the process of engaging teacher candidates in an authentic learning experience of a musical theatre production. Data collected from 30 teacher candidates through rehearsal observations, a post-production questionnaire, and focus group interviews indicated that participation created a sense of community and belonging, as well as developed skills necessary to carry forward art-based learning activities into their teaching careers.

The research reported in the present paper explored the architectural features that help to facilitate opportunities for social interactions in the entryways and foyers of elementary and secondary schools. The sites for the study included six elementary and secondary schools in Canada, Germany, and Iceland. The study used photographs of entryways and entrance foyers as the primary data sources for the architectural features of each school. Researcher observations and field notes, as well as interviews with students, teachers, and administrators complemented the content analysis of the photographs and provided information about how the entryways impacted social interactions. The data analysis revealed six core themes of architectural qualities that affected how students, teachers, and administrators experienced their surroundings and interacted with one another. Our research provides evidence that the physical features of entryways and foyers play a role in how children and adults interact, engage, and feel in their schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)