Search

The middle level years (ages 9-15) are particularly critical for young adolescent students as they explore who they are, and how they fit into the world (AMLE, 2020). Developing an awareness and understanding of how genders are sometimes treated inequitably can have a significant impact on young adolescents' self-perceptions and developing sense of academic competency (Parker, 2010; Steensma et al., 2013). This investigation sought to incorporate student voice into the conversation by considering perspectives from both teachers and students, as well as documenting observable behaviors during regular classes. By intersecting these three data sources and analyzing for commonalities and disconnects, a more accurate picture of gender bias in middle level classrooms may result. Observational findings support existing research that teachers interact significantly more often with boys than with girls in general in both positive and negative ways. Teachers are aware and report that they do treat students of different genders differently but tend to focus on behavior/discipline as opposed to academic success. Student responses indicate that they perceive teachers to have a very stereotypical view of the content areas in which boys and girls excel, but this is not reflected in data collected from teachers about their own self-perceptions. Implications for classroom practice and further research are discussed.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the relative physical recovery and symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection between groups confirmed positive or negative to early strains of COVID-19. Methods: A prospective, longitudinal cohort study compared outcomes of metropolitan adults polymerase chain reaction-tested for COVID-19 between March and November 2020 in Western Australia. Control matching was attempted: inpatients (gender, age) and ambulatory clinic (gender, age, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease). One-year follow-up involved three repeated measures: physical function (grip strength and 1-min sit-to-stand) and patient-reported outcomes (Fatigue Severity Scale, modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale and Euroqol-5D-5L). Results: Three hundred and forty-four participants were recruited (154 COVID+, age 54 ± 18 years, 75 females [49%]); 190 COVID−, age 52 ± 16 years, 67 females [35%]) prior to national vaccination roll-out. No between-group differences in physical function measures were evident at any time point. Fatigue (OR 6.62, 95% CI 2.74–15.97) and dyspnoea (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.14–4.30) were higher in the COVID+ group at second assessment (T2). On Euroqol-5D-5L, no between-group differences were evident in the physical function domains of self-care, mobility or usual activities at any time point. However, COVID+ participants were less likely to report an absence of anxiety or depression symptoms at T2 (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19–0.89). Conclusions: Neither statistical nor clinically meaningful differences in physical function were evident between COVID+ and COVID− participants to 12-months after acute illness. Symptoms of fatigue, dyspnoea, anxiety or depression were more prevalent in the COVID+ group til ~8 months after illness with between-group differences no longer evident at 1 year. What is known about the topic? COVID-19 evokes multi-system sequelae including persistent physical and mental health symptoms, functional impairments and poorer quality of life. What does this paper add? A COVID+ group had equivalent physical recovery over 12 months; but higher prevalence of fatigue, dyspnoea and anxiety/depression symptoms at ~8 months compared to a COVID− group. What are the implications for practitioners? Health authorities and employers should know that while adequate physical function may return within months, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 impair sufferers for over 6 months, likely necessitating healthcare support and workplace adjustments to optimise timely return to participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the global aging of the population on social, economic, political, and health care institutions is unequaled. Parallel to this, evolving developments in technology promise opportunities for sales and product development to support positive aging. Older adults are excited to utilize technologies that they perceive as practical. However, age, education, technical knowledge, and technological anxiety affect interest in new technologies, creating a technology divide. Providing more accessible and relevant technologies for today's older adults may make the technology more universally accessible. This article reports the results of a survey on technology and education among a sample of 77 adults between the ages of 52 and 92 who attended a week-long lifelong-learning event at Indiana University. Familiarity with technology, age, education, and gender were found to be correlated with familiarity with new technologies as well as operating and shopping for new electronic devices.

Recent research has touted the benefits of learner-centered instruction, problem-based learning, and a focus on complex learning. Instructors often struggle to put these goals into practice as well as to measure the effectiveness of these new teaching strategies in terms of mastery of course objectives. Enter the course evaluation, often a standardized tool that yields little practical information for an instructor, but is nonetheless utilized in making high-level career decisions, such as tenure and monetary awards to faculty. The present researchers have developed a new instrument to measure teaching and learning quality (TALQ). In the current study of 464 students in 12 courses, if students agreed that their instructors used First Principles of Instruction and also agreed that they experienced academic learning time (ALT), then students were about 5 times more likely to achieve "high levels" of mastery of course objectives and 26 times less likely to achieve "low levels" of mastery, according to independent instructor assessments. TALQ can measure improvements in use of First Principles in teaching and course design. The feedback from this instrument can assist teachers who wish to implement the recommendation made by Kuh et al. (2007) that universities and colleges should focus their assessment efforts on factors that influence student success.

Numerous instructional design models have been proposed over the past several decades. Instead of focusing on the design process (means), this study investigated how learners perceived the quality of instruction they experienced (ends). An electronic survey instrument containing nine a priori scales was developed. Students responded from 89 different undergraduate and graduate courses at multiple institutions (n = 140). Data analysis indicated strong correlations between student self-reports on academic learning time, how much they learned, First Principles of Instruction, their satisfaction with the course, perceptions of their mastery of course objectives, and global course ratings. Most importantly, these scales measure principles with which instructional developers and teachers can evaluate their products and courses, regardless of design processes used: provide authentic tasks for students to do; activate prior learning; demonstrate what is to be learned; provide repeated opportunities for students to successfully complete authentic tasks with coaching and feedback; and help students integrate what they have learned into their personal lives.

This article describes a qualitative research project that examined pen pal letters exchanged between children in Virginia, USA, and Malawi in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal was to study the nature of communication between students living in these two very different cultural contexts. The results of this study indicated that there were three primary themes within the pen pal letters between the primary and elementary students: daily life and culture, language, and connections. The students enjoyed sharing information about all aspects of their daily life and culture with their pen pals, and they were able to communicate meaningfully with one another on these topics. The students followed the language patterns established by one another in their letters, and they made attempts to use terminology that would be readily understandable to one another. Each theme found in the study is explored, and the value of using pen pal exchanges to support the development of literacy and cultural understandings is discussed. Recommendations are made for establishing pen pal exchanges in international contexts.

Reviews the ethical standards of the American School Counselor Association and those of the American Association of Counseling and Development relating to confidentiality and discusses the dilemma for school counselors of applying ethical standards for client confidentiality. Encourages counselor awareness of the legal scope of confidentiality in their states and makes recommendations for preserving confidentiality in school settings. (PVV)

Mental capacity for treatment decisions in psychiatry inpatients is an important ethical and legal concern, especially in light of changes in mental capacity legislation in many jurisdictions. To conduct a systematic review of literature examining the prevalence of mental capacity for treatment decisions among voluntary and involuntary psychiatry inpatients, and to assess any correlations between research tools used to measure mental capacity and binary judgements using criteria such as those in capacity legislation. We searched PsycINFO, Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies assessing mental capacity for treatment decisions in people admitted voluntarily and involuntarily to psychiatric hospitals. Forty-five papers emanating from 33 studies were identified. There was huge variability in study methods and often selective populations, but the prevalence of decision-making capacity varied between 5% and 83.7%. These figures resulted from studies using cut-off scores or categorical criteria only. The prevalence of decision-making capacity among involuntary patients ranged from 7.7% to 42%, and among voluntary patients ranged from 29% to 97.9%. Two papers showed positive correlations between clinicians' judgement of decision-making capacity and scores on the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment; two papers showed no such correlation. Not all voluntary psychiatry inpatients possess mental capacity and many involuntary patients do. This paradox needs to be clarified and resolved in mental health legislation; supported decision-making can help with this task. Legislative changes for mental capacity are taking place in many jurisdictions. This is an important human rights issue for many people, including psychiatry inpatients. In our review, we found the prevalence of decision-making capacity varies between 5% and 83.7% in psychiatry inpatients. Not all voluntary inpatients have decision-making capacity. Many involuntary inpatients have mental capacity to make decisions. Supported decision-making can help those with impairments in their mental capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]