Uncovering protein-protein interactions through a team-based undergraduate biochemistry course.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Cookmeyer

2017-11-01

Full Text Available How can we provide fertile ground for students to simultaneously explore a breadth of foundational knowledge, develop cross-disciplinary problem-solving skills, gain resiliency, and learn to work as a member of a team? One way is to integrate original research in the context of an undergraduate biochemistry course. In this Community Page, we discuss the development and execution of an interdisciplinary and cross-departmental undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course. We present a template for how a similar course can be replicated at other institutions and provide pedagogical and research results from a sample module in which we challenged our students to study the binding interface between 2 important biosynthetic proteins. Finally, we address the community and invite others to join us in making a larger impact on undergraduate education and the field of biochemistry by coordinating efforts to integrate research and teaching across campuses.

Authentic Science Research Opportunities: How Do Undergraduate Students Begin Integration into a Science Community of Practice?

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Gardner, Grant E.; Forrester, Jennifer H.; Jeffrey, Penny Shumaker; Ferzli, Miriam; Shea, Damian

2015-01-01

The goal of the study described was to understand the process and degree to which an undergraduate science research program for rising college freshmen achieved its stated objectives to integrate participants into a community of practice and to develop students' research identities.

Training Interdisciplinary "Wicked Problem" Solvers: Applying Lessons from HERO in Community-Based Research Experiences for Undergraduates

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Cantor, Alida; DeLauer, Verna; Martin, Deborah; Rogan, John

2015-01-01

Management of "wicked problems", messy real-world problems that defy resolution, requires thinkers who can transcend disciplinary boundaries, work collaboratively, and handle complexity and obstacles. This paper explores how educators can train undergraduates in these skills through applied community-based research, using the example of…

Sample Undergraduate Linguistics Courses. Linguistics in the Undergraduate Curriculum, Appendix 5.

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Linguistic Society of America, Washington, DC.

Thirty-six nontraditional undergraduate courses in linguistics are described. Course topics include: animal communication, bilingualism, sociolinguistics, introductory linguistics, language and formal reasoning, language and human conflict, language and power, language and sex, language and the brain, language planning, language typology and…

Predicting Academic Success and Psychological Wellness in a Sample of Canadian Undergraduate Students

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Chow, Henry P. H.

2010-01-01

Introduction: University students need to cope with a complex new life role and to achieve academic success. This article explores the academic performance and psychological well-being among university students in a western Canadian city. Method: Using a convenience sample, a total of 501 undergraduate students in Regina, Saskatchewan took part in…

The Community Mentoring REU: A Novel Paradigm for Research Experiences for Undergraduates Programs

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Kobulnicky, Henry; Maierhofer, Lara; Kobulnicky, Carol; Dale, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Research Experience for Undergraduates programs were conceived to promote entry of college students into STEM disciplines. Evidence suggests that participating in REUs increases interest in STEM, conveys skills leading to STEM jobs and graduate study, increases science self-efficacy, builds professional networks for young scientists, and cultivates identity as a scientist. Nevertheless, the factors that mediate desired outcomes are still poorly understood, and persistence of negative mentoring experiences among REU participants motivates the design and study of novel approaches to preparing future STEM professionals. During five summers spanning 2012-2016 we implemented a "Community Mentoring" paradigm at the University of Wyoming's 10-week Astronomy REU program. In contrast to "traditional model (TM)" REUs that pair a single senior scientist mentor with a single junior mentee, community mentoring (CM) unites 6-8 undergraduates with 3-5 faculty (perhaps assisted by a graduate student or postdoc) on a collaborative team addressing a single science goal. In CM, students have access to a pool of mentors and a peer group reading the same literature, working in a common location, sharing equipment (in this case the WIRO 2.3 meter telescope), sharing data, and learning the same analysis skills. The community interacts daily, modeling the highly collaborative nature of modern scientific teams. Our study used an electronic survey consisting of 24 questions to compare a cohort of 28 CM students to a national control group of 77 students who conducted REUs elsewhere during the same period, typically under the TM. CM students report a significantly higher level of "learning from their peers", "learning to work on a science team", and "sense of community" compared to the TM cohort. The CM cohort also reports a higher overall level of satisfaction with the REU and a lower level of negative experiences, such as finding it difficult to get time with a mentor. This talk will

Successful Undergraduate Research: Creating Win-Win-Win

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Guswa, A. J.; Rhodes, A. L.

2003-12-01

experimental design to installation of field instrumentation to sampling and analysis of data. At the conclusion, each student produces a report on her work along with a written reflection on the value of her experience and how it affected her knowledge, values, and actions. In this learner-centered way, we look to create successful undergraduate research experiences that benefit the student, our project, and the broader scientific community.

Teaching undergraduate students community nursing: using action research to increase engagement and learning.

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Seib, Charrlotte; English, Rebecca; Barnard, Alan

2011-09-01

Nurses play a pivotal role in responding to the changing needs of community health care. Therefore, nursing education must be relevant, responsive, and evidence based. We report a case study of curriculum development in a community nursing unit embedded within an undergraduate nursing degree. We used action research to develop, deliver, evaluate, and redesign the curriculum. Feedback was obtained through self-reflection, expert opinion from community stakeholders, formal student evaluation, and critical review. Changes made, especially in curriculum delivery, led to improved learner focus and more clearly linked theory and practice. The redesigned unit improved performance, measured with the university's student evaluation of feedback instrument (increased from 0.3 to 0.5 points below to 0.1 to 0.5 points above faculty mean in all domains), and was well received by teaching staff. The process confirmed that improved pedagogy can increase student engagement with content and perception of a unit as relevant to future practice. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Collaborating with Undergraduates to Contribute to Biochemistry Community Resources

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Haas, Kathryn L.; Heemstra, Jennifer M.; Medema, M.H.; Charkoudian, Louise K.

2018-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have gained traction as effective ways to expand the impact of undergraduate research while fulfilling pedagogical goals. In this Perspective, we present innovative ways to incorporate fundamental benefits and principles of CUREs into a

Prevalence and Motives for Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulants in an Undergraduate Student Sample.

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Teter, Christian J.; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Cranford, James A.; Boyd, Carol J.; Guthrie, Sally K.

2005-01-01

To assess the prevalence and motives for illicit use of prescription stimulants and alcohol and other drugs (AODs), associated with these motives, the authors distributed a self-administered Web survey TO a random sample of 9,161 undergraduate college students. Of the study participants, 8.1% reported lifetime and 5.4% reported past-year illicit…

Initiating undergraduate medical students into communities of research practise: what do supervisors recommend?

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Riley Simon C

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Much has been written in the educational literature on the value of communities of practise in enhancing student learning. Here, we take the experience of senior undergraduate medical students involved in short-term research as a member of a team as a paradigm for learning in a community of practise. Based on feedback from experienced supervisors, we offer recommendations for initiating students into the research culture of their team. In so doing, we endeavour to create a bridge between theory and practise through disseminating advice on good supervisory practise, where the supervisor is perceived as an educator responsible for designing the research process to optimize student learning. Methods Using the questionnaire design tool SurveyMonkey and comprehensive lists of contact details of staff who had supervised research projects at the University of Edinburgh during 1995 - 2008, current and previous supervisors were invited to recommend procedures which they had found successful in initiating students into the research culture of a team. Text responses were then coded in the form of derivative recommendations and categorized under general themes and sub-themes. Results Using the chi-square tests of linear trend and association, evidence was found for a positive trend towards more experienced supervisors offering responses (χ2 = 16.833, p 2 = 0.482, p = 0.487, n = 203, respectively. A total of 126 codes were extracted from the text responses of 65 respondents. These codes were simplified to form a complete list of 52 recommendations, which were in turn categorized under seven derivative overarching themes, the most highly represented themes being Connecting the student with others and Cultivating self-efficacy in research competence. Conclusions Through the design of a coding frame for supervisor responses, a wealth of ideas has been captured to make communities of research practise effective mediums for undergraduate

Dynamic Undergraduate Climate Change Affinity Program: University of Delaware Climate Program for Undergraduates (CPUG)

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Merrill, J.

2017-12-01

Multidisciplinary undergraduate climate change education is critical for students entering any sector of the workforce. The University of Delaware has developed a new interdisciplinary affinity program—UD Climate Program for Undergraduates (CPUG)—open to undergraduate students of all majors to provide a comprehensive educational experience designed to educate skilled climate change problem-solvers for a wide range of professional careers. The program is designed to fulfill all General Education requirements, and includes a residential community commitment and experiential learning in community outreach and problem solving. Seminars will introduce current popular press and research materials and provide practice in confirming source credibility, communications training, and psychological support, as well as team building. As undergraduates, members of the UD CPUG team will define, describe, and develop a solution or solutions for a pressing local climate challenge that has the potential for global impact. The choice of a challenge and approach to addressing it will be guided by the student's advisor. Students are expected to develop a practical, multidisciplinary solution to address the challenge as defined, using their educational and experiential training. Solutions will be presented to the UD community during the spring semester of their senior year, as a collaborative team solution, with enhancement through individual portfolios from each team member. The logic model, structure, curricular and co-curricular supports for the CPUG will be provided. Mechanisms of support available through University administration will also be discussed.

Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of service-learning through a school-based community project.

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Bassi, Sherry

2011-01-01

Service-learning (SL) is an experiential teaching method that combines instruction with community service, with the aim of enriching students' academic learning, interpersonal skills and sense of responsibility while making meaningful contributions to the community. However, measuring outcomes of service-learning projects is difficult. This article reports on the perceptions of 18 third-year undergraduate nursing students who took part in a pilot service-learning project targeting tobacco use in a local elementary school. Faculty members evaluated the program's outcomes by engaging students in structured reflection on the program about its relevance to their future careers as practicing professionals, especially in community-based settings. The students' perceptions were elicited through three sets of reflective assignments following the project. Findings from the reflective assignments suggest that the pilot program was successful in enhancing the students' academic, social, and personal development while building a partnership between the school of nursing and key players in the community, including school-based nurses, teachers, administrators, families, and community leaders. The author suggests that service-learning projects can help nursing students accomplish key developmental tasks of the college years (such as building their competence, autonomy, and integrity), while helping impart the skills and values they will need as they graduate and seek professional nursing roles.

NSU Undergraduate Academic Advising Center

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College of Psychology Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of , dentistry, law, and psychology. Certificate Receive a graduate level certificate to enhance your skills Institute Core Services & Equipment HPD Research Undergraduate Research Community Community Outreach

Undergraduate Events | Nova Southeastern University

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College of Psychology Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of , dentistry, law, and psychology. Certificate Receive a graduate level certificate to enhance your skills Institute Core Services & Equipment HPD Research Undergraduate Research Community Community Outreach

Sexual Harassment Reported Among a Sample of Undergraduate Women in Physics

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Aycock, Lauren M.; Brewe, Eric; Clancy, Kathryn B. H.; Goertzen, Renee Michelle; Hazari, Zarha; Hodapp, Theodore

2016-05-01

The field of physics lags behind most other scientific fields in gender parity of students earning bachelor's degrees. The transition from enrollment in high school physics to graduating with physics degree represents the biggest decrease in the proportion of female students for any step in physics educational attainment. Sexual harassment contributes to an unwelcome climate. It is unknown how prevalent sexual harassment is in the field of physics and whether it's a contributing factor to the field's inability to recruit and retain female students. Our goal was to measure a quantitative baseline for sexual harassment--associated with physics--observed and experienced by a sample of female undergraduate students. As part of a larger conference evaluation survey, we conducted an internet-based survey (n = 632) of attendees of the APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics to measure the extent to which they personally experienced or observed sexual harassment in a context associated with physics. We will present results from this survey. Opinions, findings, or conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF, DOE, or APS. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (PHY-1346627) and by the Department of Energy (DE-SC0011076).

Sampling from complex networks with high community structures.

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Salehi, Mostafa; Rabiee, Hamid R; Rajabi, Arezo

2012-06-01

In this paper, we propose a novel link-tracing sampling algorithm, based on the concepts from PageRank vectors, to sample from networks with high community structures. Our method has two phases; (1) Sampling the closest nodes to the initial nodes by approximating personalized PageRank vectors and (2) Jumping to a new community by using PageRank vectors and unknown neighbors. Empirical studies on several synthetic and real-world networks show that the proposed method improves the performance of network sampling compared to the popular link-based sampling methods in terms of accuracy and visited communities.

Incentives for Improving Undergraduate Teaching in the California Community Colleges. A Report to the Chancellor's Office on Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 39, Hayden.

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McHargue, Michael

This report details the response of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) Number 39 (Hayden), known as "Incentives for Improving Undergraduate Teaching." Part 1 provides the background and recent history of community college faculty development. Part 2 describes the current faculty…

REVISING THE INTOLERANCE OF UNCERTAINTY MODEL OF GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER: EVIDENCE FROM UK AND ITALIAN UNDERGRADUATE SAMPLES

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Gioia Bottesi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The Intolerance of Uncertainty Model (IUM of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD attributes a key role to Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU, and additional roles to Positive Beliefs about Worry (PBW, Negative Problem Orientation (NPO, and Cognitive Avoidance (CA, in the development and maintenance of worry, the core feature of GAD. Despite the role of the IUM components in worry and GAD has been considerably demonstrated, to date no studies have explicitly assessed whether and how PBW, NPO, and CA might turn IU into worry and somatic anxiety. The current studies sought to re-examine the IUM by assessing the relationships between the model’s components on two different non-clinical samples made up of UK and Italian undergraduate students. One-hundred and seventy UK undergraduates and 488 Italian undergraduates completed measures assessing IU, worry, somatic anxiety, depression, and refined measures of NPO, CA, and PBW. In each sample, two mediation models were conducted in order to test whether PBW, NPO, and CA differentially mediate the path from IU to worry and the path from IU to somatic anxiety. Secondly, it was tested whether IU also moderates the mediations. Main findings showed that, in the UK sample, only NPO mediated the path from IU to worry; as far as concern the path to anxiety, none of the putative mediators were significant. Differently, in the Italian sample PBW and NPO were mediators in the path from IU to worry, whereas only CA played a mediational role in the path from IU to somatic anxiety. Lastly, IU was observed to moderate only the association between NPO and worry, and only in the Italian sample. Some important cross-cultural, conceptual, and methodological issues raised from main results are discussed.

Participatory Action Research Experiences for Undergraduates

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Sample McMeeking, L. B.; Weinberg, A. E.

2013-12-01

Research experiences for undergraduates (REU) have been shown to be effective in improving undergraduate students' personal/professional development, ability to synthesize knowledge, improvement in research skills, professional advancement, and career choice. Adding to the literature on REU programs, a new conceptual model situating REU within a context of participatory action research (PAR) is presented and compared with data from a PAR-based coastal climate research experience that took place in Summer 2012. The purpose of the interdisciplinary Participatory Action Research Experiences for Undergraduates (PAREU) model is to act as an additional year to traditional, lab-based REU where undergraduate science students, social science experts, and community members collaborate to develop research with the goal of enacting change. The benefits to traditional REU's are well established and include increased content knowledge, better research skills, changes in attitudes, and greater career awareness gained by students. Additional positive outcomes are expected from undergraduate researchers (UR) who participate in PAREU, including the ability to better communicate with non-scientists. With highly politicized aspects of science, such as climate change, this becomes especially important for future scientists. Further, they will be able to articulate the relevance of science research to society, which is an important skill, especially given the funding climate where agencies require broader impacts statements. Making science relevant may also benefit URs who wish to apply their science research. Finally, URs will gain social science research skills by apprenticing in a research project that includes science and social science research components, which enables them to participate in future education and outreach. The model also positively impacts community members by elevating their voices within and outside the community, particularly in areas severely underserved

The Role of Student-Advisor Interactions in Apprenticing Undergraduate Researchers into a Scientific Community of Practice

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Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.

2011-12-01

Among science educators, current interest in undergraduate research (UR) is influenced both by the traditional role of the research apprenticeship in scientists' preparation and by concerns about replacing the current scientific workforce. Recent research has begun to demonstrate the range of personal, professional, and intellectual benefits for STEM students from participating in UR, yet the processes by which student-advisor interactions contribute to these benefits are little understood. We employ situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger, Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge in 1991) to examine the role of student-advisor interactions in apprenticing undergraduate researchers, particularly in terms of acculturating students to the norms, values, and professional practice of science. This qualitative study examines interviews with a diverse sample of 73 undergraduate research students from two research-extensive institutions. From these interviews, we articulate a continuum of practices that research mentors employed in three domains to support undergraduate scientists-in-training: professional socialization, intellectual support, and personal/emotional support. The needs of novice students differed from those of experienced students in each of these areas. Novice students needed clear expectations, guidelines, and orientation to their specific research project, while experienced students needed broader socialization in adopting the traits, habits, and temperament of scientific researchers. Underrepresented minority students, and to a lesser extent, women, gained confidence from their interactions with their research mentors and broadened their future career and educational possibilities. Undergraduate research at research-extensive universities exemplifies a cycle of scientific learning and practice where undergraduate researchers are mentored by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, who are

Social Connectedness and Life Satisfaction: Comparing Mean Levels for 2 Undergraduate Samples and Testing for Improvement Based on Brief Counseling

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Blau, Gary; DiMino, John; DeMaria, Peter A.; Beverly, Clyde; Chessler, Marcy; Drennan, Rob

2016-01-01

Objectives: Comparing the mean levels of social connectedness and life satisfaction, and analyzing their relationship for 2 undergraduate samples, and testing for an increase in their means for a brief counseling sample. Participants: Between October 2013 and May 2015, 3 samples were collected: not-in-counseling (NIC; n = 941), initial counseling…

NSU Undergraduate Student Tuition and Fees

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College of Psychology Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of , dentistry, law, and psychology. Certificate Receive a graduate level certificate to enhance your skills Institute Core Services & Equipment HPD Research Undergraduate Research Community Community Outreach

HAS THE TIME COME TO CHANGE THE WAY WE TEACH COMMUNITY MEDICINE TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS?

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Rahul Bansal

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Why the need to change ? Substantial increase in the content of subject : The content of the subject has grown by at least 30 % from the time when I was an undergraduate student and we used to read the 7th edition of Preventive and Social Medicine by Park. At that time this book had only 686 pages (size of pages was at least 30 % less than now had only 16 chapters .The 21st edition of the same book has 868 pages and 23 chapters. This goes on to show that the content of subject has increased substantially. 12 weeks of clinical posting added : Medical Council of India has added 12 weeks of clinical posting to the teaching of Community Medicine similar to the postings in major clinical subjects, where in the students are available to us in small groups for approximately 3 hours everyday. In spite of the increase in subject content and the opportunity for small group teaching during postings, I personally feel that we have not been able to inspire students to learn Community Medicine with enthusiasm. Why the subject has not become much popular among under graduate students? Before going into the further details let us look at the following observations made by the WHO -SEARO expert group on “Improving the teaching of Public Health at undergraduate level in medical schools – suggested guidelines.” – Today most of the teaching in public health is carried out using didactic lectures within the ivory tower of an institution with limited exposure to the community .Public health education has to be an active process ,student centered , inquiry driven , evidence based and problem solving as well addressing the needs of the community .The role of the teacher should be to facilitate the student to acquire the competencies through field based experiential learning of public health competencies involving dedicated time for practice , receiving feedback and reflecting on its application in their future role as primary care doctors1.

A Little Help from My Friends: Testing the Utility of Facebook Groups as Online Communities in an Undergraduate Research Internship

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Brobst, Joseph Arthur

2013-01-01

This Executive Position Paper describes the findings of a study investigating the utility of Facebook Groups in fostering community among participants in the Delaware INBRE and EPSCoR undergraduate research internship programs. In the first phase of the study, findings from the existing evaluation of the programs and themes from the literature…

Undergraduate Research at Two-Year Community Colleges

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Schuster, Matthew

2018-01-01

There is a growing movement in academia that focuses on increased efforts at undergraduate research. Historically, this movement has been driven by faculty in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and has only recently become a focus for social sciences in general and political science in particular. For students to…

Beyond Discourse to Emancipatory Action: Lessons from an Undergraduate

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Pasque, Penny A.; Neubauer, Hailey

2013-01-01

One undergraduate's transformational story of self-discovery and personal development frames this discussion of the importance of undergraduate involvement in social justice research. In this article, the authors first share a bit about the national landscape regarding community-university engagement initiatives. They also share research findings…

A call for a community of practice to assess the impact of emerging technologies on undergraduate biology education.

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Jensen, Jamie L; Dario-Becker, Juville; Hughes, Lee E; Amburn, D Sue Katz; Shaw, Joyce A

2012-01-01

Recent recommendations for educational research encourage empirically tested, theory-based, completely transparent, and broadly applicable studies. In light of these recommendations, we call for a research standard and community of practice in the evaluation of technology use in the undergraduate life science classroom. We outline appropriate research methodology, review and critique the past research on technology usage and, lastly, suggest a new and improved focus for research on emerging technologies.

Undergraduate students' perceived academic environmental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study examined the relationship between undergraduates' perception of the academic environment, their attitude to academic work and achievement. A total of 348 undergraduates who formed the sample were drawn from five departments in three universities in Nigeria. The study revealed that four dimensions of the ...

Searching for the Optimal Sampling Solution: Variation in Invertebrate Communities, Sample Condition and DNA Quality.

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Martin M Gossner

Full Text Available There is a great demand for standardising biodiversity assessments in order to allow optimal comparison across research groups. For invertebrates, pitfall or flight-interception traps are commonly used, but sampling solution differs widely between studies, which could influence the communities collected and affect sample processing (morphological or genetic. We assessed arthropod communities with flight-interception traps using three commonly used sampling solutions across two forest types and two vertical strata. We first considered the effect of sampling solution and its interaction with forest type, vertical stratum, and position of sampling jar at the trap on sample condition and community composition. We found that samples collected in copper sulphate were more mouldy and fragmented relative to other solutions which might impair morphological identification, but condition depended on forest type, trap type and the position of the jar. Community composition, based on order-level identification, did not differ across sampling solutions and only varied with forest type and vertical stratum. Species richness and species-level community composition, however, differed greatly among sampling solutions. Renner solution was highly attractant for beetles and repellent for true bugs. Secondly, we tested whether sampling solution affects subsequent molecular analyses and found that DNA barcoding success was species-specific. Samples from copper sulphate produced the fewest successful DNA sequences for genetic identification, and since DNA yield or quality was not particularly reduced in these samples additional interactions between the solution and DNA must also be occurring. Our results show that the choice of sampling solution should be an important consideration in biodiversity studies. Due to the potential bias towards or against certain species by Ethanol-containing sampling solution we suggest ethylene glycol as a suitable sampling solution when

Engineering success: Undergraduate Latina women's persistence in an undergradute engineering program

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Rosbottom, Steven R.

The purpose and focus of this narrative inquiry case study were to explore the personal stories of four undergraduate Latina students who persist in their engineering programs. This study was guided by two overarching research questions: a) What are the lived experiences of undergraduate Latina engineering students? b) What are the contributing factors that influence undergraduate Latina students to persist in an undergraduate engineering program? Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth was used to the analyze data. Findings suggest through Yosso's (2005) aspirational capital, familial capital, social capital, navigational capital, and resistant capital the Latina student persisted in their engineering programs. These contributing factors brought to light five themes that emerged, the discovery of academic passions, guidance and support of family and teachers, preparation for and commitment to persistence, the power of community and collective engagement, and commitment to helping others. The themes supported their persistence in their engineering programs. Thus, this study informs policies, practices, and programs that support undergraduate Latina engineering student's persistence in engineering programs.

Context matters: volunteer bias, small sample size, and the value of comparison groups in the assessment of research-based undergraduate introductory biology lab courses.

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Brownell, Sara E; Kloser, Matthew J; Fukami, Tadashi; Shavelson, Richard J

2013-01-01

The shift from cookbook to authentic research-based lab courses in undergraduate biology necessitates the need for evaluation and assessment of these novel courses. Although the biology education community has made progress in this area, it is important that we interpret the effectiveness of these courses with caution and remain mindful of inherent limitations to our study designs that may impact internal and external validity. The specific context of a research study can have a dramatic impact on the conclusions. We present a case study of our own three-year investigation of the impact of a research-based introductory lab course, highlighting how volunteer students, a lack of a comparison group, and small sample sizes can be limitations of a study design that can affect the interpretation of the effectiveness of a course.

Are individual differences in appetitive and defensive motivation related? A psychophysiological examination in two samples.

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Sarapas, Casey; Katz, Andrea C; Nelson, Brady D; Campbell, Miranda L; Bishop, Jeffrey R; Robison-Andrew, E Jenna; Altman, Sarah E; Gorka, Stephanie M; Shankman, Stewart A

2014-01-01

Appetitive and defensive motivation account for a good deal of variance in personality and mental health, but whether individual differences in these systems are correlated or orthogonal has not been conclusively established. Previous investigations have generally relied on self-report and have yielded conflicting results. We therefore assessed the relation between psychophysiological indices of appetitive and defensive motivation during elicitation of these motivational states: specifically, frontal electroencephalogram asymmetry during reward anticipation and startle response during anticipation of predictable or unpredictable threat of shock. Results in a sample of psychopathology-free community members (n=63), an independent sample of undergraduates with a range of internalising symptoms (n=64), and the combination of these samples (n=127) revealed that differences in responding to the two tasks were not significantly correlated. Average coefficients approached zero in all three samples (community: .04, undergraduate: -.01, combined: .06). Implications of these findings for research on normal and abnormal personality are discussed.

A Call for a Community of Practice to Assess the Impact of Emerging Technologies on Undergraduate Biology Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie L. Jensen

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Recent recommendations for educational research encourage empirically tested, theory-based, completely transparent, and broadly applicable studies. In light of these recommendations, we call for a research standard and community of practice in the evaluation of technology use in the undergraduate life science classroom. We outline appropriate research methodology, review and critique the past research on technology usage and, lastly, suggest a new and improved focus for research on emerging technologies.

Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

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Norcross, John C; Hailstorks, Robin; Aiken, Leona S; Pfund, Rory A; Stamm, Karen E; Christidis, Peggy

2016-01-01

The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceptions of veterinary admissions committee members of undergraduate credits earned from community colleges or online compared to traditional 4-year institutions.

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Kogan, L R; Stewart, S M; Schoenfeld-Tacher, R; Hellyer, P W

2015-01-01

Veterinary admission committees are asked to create and implement a fair, reliable, and valid system to select the candidates most likely to succeed in veterinary school from a large pool of applicants. Although numerous studies have explored grade point average (GPA) as a predictive value of later academic success, there has been little attention paid to how and where an applicant acquires his/her undergraduate coursework. Quality of academic program is an important component of applicant files, and it is suggested that the source of a candidate's coursework might influence admissions committee decisions, perhaps even outside of the committee's immediate awareness. Options for undergraduate education include taking classes at a traditional four-year institution, a community college, or online. This study provides an overview of the current state of online courses and community colleges in the US as a foundation to explore the views of veterinary admissions committee members pertaining to coursework completed at traditional residential 4-year schools or at community colleges and whether they are delivered on campus or online (at either type of institution). Survey participants reported a pattern of preference for traditional four-year residential coursework compared to online or community college courses. These results are interesting given the exponential growth of students taking online courses and data showing community colleges are providing a successful gateway to obtaining a four-year degree. This also points to the need for admission committees to discuss potential biases since the information about type of school and/or course may not be consistently available for all applicants. Finally, at a time when admitting a diverse class of students is a goal of many programs, it is of special concern that there are potential biases against courses taken online or from community colleges - venues that tend to draw a more diverse population than traditional 4-year

Perceptions of veterinary admissions committee members of undergraduate credits earned from community colleges or online compared to traditional 4-year institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.R. Kogan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Veterinary admission committees are asked to create and implement a fair, reliable, and valid system to select the candidates most likely to succeed in veterinary school from a large pool of applicants. Although numerous studies have explored grade point average (GPA as a predictive value of later academic success, there has been little attention paid to how and where an applicant acquires his/her undergraduate coursework. Quality of academic program is an important component of applicant files, and it is suggested that the source of a candidate’s coursework might influence admissions committee decisions, perhaps even outside of the committee’s immediate awareness. Options for undergraduate education include taking classes at a traditional four-year institution, a community college, or online. This study provides an overview of the current state of online courses and community colleges in the US as a foundation to explore the views of veterinary admissions committee members pertaining to coursework completed at traditional residential 4-year schools or at community colleges and whether they are delivered on campus or online (at either type of institution. Survey participants reported a pattern of preference for traditional four-year residential coursework compared to online or community college courses. These results are interesting given the exponential growth of students taking online courses and data showing community colleges are providing a successful gateway to obtaining a four-year degree. This also points to the need for admission committees to discuss potential biases since the information about type of school and/or course may not be consistently available for all applicants. Finally, at a time when admitting a diverse class of students is a goal of many programs, it is of special concern that there are potential biases against courses taken online or from community colleges - venues that tend to draw a more diverse population than

Context Matters: Volunteer Bias, Small Sample Size, and the Value of Comparison Groups in the Assessment of Research-Based Undergraduate Introductory Biology Lab Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara E. Brownell

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The shift from cookbook to authentic research-based lab courses in undergraduate biology necessitates the need for evaluation and assessment of these novel courses. Although the biology education community has made progress in this area, it is important that we interpret the effectiveness of these courses with caution and remain mindful of inherent limitations to our study designs that may impact internal and external validity. The specific context of a research study can have a dramatic impact on the conclusions. We present a case study of our own three-year investigation of the impact of a research-based introductory lab course, highlighting how volunteer students, a lack of a comparison group, and small sample sizes can be limitations of a study design that can affect the interpretation of the effectiveness of a course.

Service-learning: an integral part of undergraduate public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, Suzanne B; Seifer, Sarena D

2008-09-01

In 2003, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) described public health as "an essential part of the training of citizens," a body of knowledge needed to achieve a public health literate citizenry. To achieve that end, the IOM recommended that "all undergraduates should have access to education in public health." Service-learning, a type of experiential learning, is an effective and appropriate vehicle for teaching public health and developing public health literacy. While relatively new to public health, service-learning has its historical roots in undergraduate education and has been shown to enhance students' understanding of course relevance, change student and faculty attitudes, encourage support for community initiatives, and increase student and faculty volunteerism. Grounded in collaborative relationships, service-learning grows from authentic partnerships between communities and educational institutions. Through emphasizing reciprocal learning and reflective practice, service-learning helps students develop skills needed to be effective in working with communities and ultimately achieve social change. With public health's enduring focus on social justice, introducing undergraduate students to public health through the vehicle of service-learning as part of introductory public health core courses or public health electives will help ensure that our young people are able to contribute to developing healthy communities, thus achieving the IOM's vision.

Undergraduates as Environmental Educators: The Pedal and Paddle Pollution Tour Experience

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Cronje, Ruth Johnson; Neff, Paula Kleintjes; Mowry, Donald; Running, Garry L.

2016-01-01

Undergraduates can become effective agents of environmental outreach when challenged to produce evidence-based messages to inform the public about local environmental issues. We recount our experience partnering our undergraduate students with community organizations dedicated to water stewardship to create a "Pedal and Paddle Pollution…

Cognitive diversity in undergraduate engineering: Dyslexia

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Velvet R.

In the United States, institutions have established multiple programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the diversity of both faculty and students in engineering as means to produce a workforce that will better serve society. However, there are two major problems in addressing engineering student diversity. First, the engineering education research community has paid little attention to date as to how engineering education research characterizes diversity in its broadest sense. Second, research on persons with disabilities in undergraduates engineering, a population of interests within diversity, is minimal. Available disability studies tend to be skewed toward physical disabilities, leading to a neglect of cognitive differences such as learning disabilities (LD). In addition, disability research questions and study designs are inherently steeped in ability bias. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the meaning of ability for students with dyslexia while in undergraduate engineering and establish the significance of cognitive diversity, focusing on LD and more specifically dyslexia, in undergraduate engineering education and answer the following research question: How do undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability while pursuing and persisting in engineering? The motivation was to lay the groundwork for future engineering education studies on undergraduate students with LD in general but dyslexia in specific. The first goal was to conduct a critical literature review pertaining to the academic strengths of undergraduate students with LD, specifically, dyslexia and the second goal was to describe how undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability. The intent was not to redefine dyslexia or disability. The intent is to provide an inclusive account of dyslexia, weakness and strengths, within the field of engineering education. This study was conducted from a qualitative inquiry approach, within the social

Causes of Sexual Promiscuity Among Female Undergraduate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated causes of sexual promiscuity among female undergraduate students in university of Lagos. The sample comprised 150 female undergraduate students randomly selected from all the five female hostels in University of Lagos. A researcher-constructed questionnaire was administered to test the three ...

Impact of enzymatic digestion on bacterial community composition in CF airway samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Kayla M; Wagner, Brandie D; Robertson, Charles E; Johnson, Emily J; Zemanick, Edith T; Harris, J Kirk

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of DNA extraction methods for molecular detection of Staphylococcus, an important bacterial group in cystic fibrosis (CF). We sought to evaluate the effect of enzymatic digestion (EnzD) prior to DNA extraction on bacterial communities identified in sputum and oropharyngeal swab (OP) samples from patients with CF. DNA from 81 samples (39 sputum and 42 OP) collected from 63 patients with CF was extracted in duplicate with and without EnzD. Bacterial communities were determined by rRNA gene sequencing, and measures of alpha and beta diversity were calculated. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) was used to assess differences at the community level and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to compare relative abundance (RA) of individual genera for paired samples with and without EnzD. Shannon Diversity Index (alpha-diversity) decreased in sputum and OP samples with the use of EnzD. Larger shifts in community composition were observed for OP samples (beta-diversity, measured by Morisita-Horn), whereas less change in communities was observed for sputum samples. The use of EnzD with OP swabs resulted in significant increase in RA for the genera Gemella ( p  microbial community composition. We show that the application of EnzD to CF airway samples, particularly OP swabs, results in differences in microbial communities detected by sequencing. Use of EnzD can result in large changes in bacterial community composition, and is particularly useful for detection of Staphylococcus in CF OP samples. The enhanced identification of Staphylococcus aureus is a strong indication to utilize EnzD in studies that use OP swabs to monitor CF airway communities.

Non-destructive sampling of rock-dwelling microbial communities using sterile adhesive tape.

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Cutler, Nick A; Oliver, Anna E; Viles, Heather A; Whiteley, Andrew S

2012-12-01

Building stone provides a habitat for an array of microorganisms, many of which have been demonstrated to have a deleterious effect on the appearance and/or structural integrity of stone masonry. It is essential to understand the composition and structure of stone-dwelling (lithobiontic) microbial communities if successful stone conservation strategies are to be applied, particularly in the face of global environmental change. Ideally, the techniques used to sample such assemblages should be non-destructive due to the sensitive conservation status of many stone buildings. This paper quantitatively assesses the performance of sterile adhesive tape as a non-destructive sampling technique and compares the results of tape sampling with an alternative, destructive, sampling method. We used DNA fingerprinting (TRFLP) to characterise the algal, fungal and bacterial communities living on a stone slab. Our results demonstrate that tape sampling may be used to collect viable quantities of microbial DNA from environmental samples. This technique is ideally suited to the sampling of microbial biofilms, particularly when these communities are dominated by green algae. It provides a good approximation of total community diversity (i.e. the aggregate diversity of epilithic and endolithic communities). Tape sampling is straightforward, rapid and cost effective. When combined with molecular analytical techniques, this sampling method has the potential to make a major contribution to efforts to understand the structure of lithobiontic microbial communities and our ability to predict the response of such communities to future environmental change. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emotional Intelligence and Cognitive Moral Development in Undergraduate Business Students

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McBride, Elizabeth A.

2010-01-01

This study examines relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and cognitive moral development (CMD) in undergraduate business students. The ability model of emotional intelligence was used in this study, which evaluated possible relationships between EI and CMD in a sample of 82 undergraduate business students. The sample population was…

Dietary intakes of pesticides based on community duplicate diet samples.

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Melnyk, Lisa Jo; Xue, Jianping; Brown, G Gordon; McCombs, Michelle; Nishioka, Marcia; Michael, Larry C

2014-01-15

The calculation of dietary intake of selected pesticides was accomplished using food samples collected from individual representatives of a defined demographic community using a community duplicate diet approach. A community of nine participants was identified in Apopka, FL from which intake assessments of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides were made. From these nine participants, sixty-seven individual samples were collected and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations were used to estimate dietary intakes for individuals and for the community. Individual intakes of total OP and pyrethroid pesticides ranged from 6.7 to 996 ng and 1.2 to 16,000 ng, respectively. The community intake was 256 ng for OPs and 3430 ng for pyrethroid pesticides. The most commonly detected pesticide was permethrin, but the highest overall intake was of bifenthrin followed by esfenvalerate. These data indicate that the community in Apopka, FL, as represented by the nine individuals, was potentially exposed to both OP and pyrethroid pesticides at levels consistent with a dietary model and other field studies in which standard duplicate diet samples were collected. Higher levels of pyrethroid pesticides were measured than OPs, which is consistent with decreased usage of OPs. The diversity of pyrethroid pesticides detected in food samples was greater than expected. Continually changing pesticide usage patterns need to be considered when determining analytes of interest for large scale epidemiology studies. The Community Duplicate Diet Methodology is a tool for researchers to meet emerging exposure measurement needs that will lead to more accurate assessments of intake which may enhance decisions for chemical regulation. Successfully determining the intake of pesticides through the dietary route will allow for accurate assessments of pesticide exposures to a community of individuals, thereby significantly enhancing the research benefit

Comparing two sampling methods to engage hard-to-reach communities in research priority setting.

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Valerio, Melissa A; Rodriguez, Natalia; Winkler, Paula; Lopez, Jaime; Dennison, Meagen; Liang, Yuanyuan; Turner, Barbara J

2016-10-28

Effective community-partnered and patient-centered outcomes research needs to address community priorities. However, optimal sampling methods to engage stakeholders from hard-to-reach, vulnerable communities to generate research priorities have not been identified. In two similar rural, largely Hispanic communities, a community advisory board guided recruitment of stakeholders affected by chronic pain using a different method in each community: 1) snowball sampling, a chain- referral method or 2) purposive sampling to recruit diverse stakeholders. In both communities, three groups of stakeholders attended a series of three facilitated meetings to orient, brainstorm, and prioritize ideas (9 meetings/community). Using mixed methods analysis, we compared stakeholder recruitment and retention as well as priorities from both communities' stakeholders on mean ratings of their ideas based on importance and feasibility for implementation in their community. Of 65 eligible stakeholders in one community recruited by snowball sampling, 55 (85 %) consented, 52 (95 %) attended the first meeting, and 36 (65 %) attended all 3 meetings. In the second community, the purposive sampling method was supplemented by convenience sampling to increase recruitment. Of 69 stakeholders recruited by this combined strategy, 62 (90 %) consented, 36 (58 %) attended the first meeting, and 26 (42 %) attended all 3 meetings. Snowball sampling recruited more Hispanics and disabled persons (all P research, focusing on non-pharmacologic interventions for management of chronic pain. Ratings on importance and feasibility for community implementation differed only on the importance of massage services (P = 0.045) which was higher for the purposive/convenience sampling group and for city improvements/transportation services (P = 0.004) which was higher for the snowball sampling group. In each of the two similar hard-to-reach communities, a community advisory board partnered with researchers

Learning Communities: Foundations for First-Year Students' Development of Pluralistic Outcomes

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Soria, Krista M.; Mitchell, Tania D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between first-year undergraduates' (n = 1,701) participation in learning communities and their development of leadership and multicultural competence. The sample included first-year students who were enrolled at six large, public research universities in 2012 and completed the Student…

Is community-based electrocardiography education feasible in the early phase of an undergraduate medical curriculum?

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Carol O. Larson

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Accreditation authorities expect medical schools to increase their teaching standards and civic engagement, despite limited resources. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of community-based (CB electrocardiography (ECG instruction in semesters 4and/or 5 of the undergraduate MBChB programme at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. A literature review and 34 structured interviews were employed, using a mixed-methods QUAN (þqual research design. Regarding the preclinical phase, 18 interviewees strongly supported community-based learning (CBL and 21strongly supported task-based (TB CBL. Responses were more conservative regarding the practicability of TB CBL. Twenty-two interviewees supported preclinical phase ECG-specific CBL. There was more support for implementing CB ECG in the clinical phase than in the preclinical phase. Challenges identified included finances, transport, personnel availability, clinic space, curriculum time constraints, student and driver absenteeism, and ethical aspects. Solutions for the preclinical phase included combining electrocardiography with other CBL tasks. Many interviewees supported preclinical phase TB CBL, although several factors determine its feasibility. Availability of human and other resources and curriculum time significantly impact CB ECG learning. Solutions necessitate additional location-specific research.

Comparing two sampling methods to engage hard-to-reach communities in research priority setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa A. Valerio

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Effective community-partnered and patient-centered outcomes research needs to address community priorities. However, optimal sampling methods to engage stakeholders from hard-to-reach, vulnerable communities to generate research priorities have not been identified. Methods In two similar rural, largely Hispanic communities, a community advisory board guided recruitment of stakeholders affected by chronic pain using a different method in each community: 1 snowball sampling, a chain- referral method or 2 purposive sampling to recruit diverse stakeholders. In both communities, three groups of stakeholders attended a series of three facilitated meetings to orient, brainstorm, and prioritize ideas (9 meetings/community. Using mixed methods analysis, we compared stakeholder recruitment and retention as well as priorities from both communities’ stakeholders on mean ratings of their ideas based on importance and feasibility for implementation in their community. Results Of 65 eligible stakeholders in one community recruited by snowball sampling, 55 (85 % consented, 52 (95 % attended the first meeting, and 36 (65 % attended all 3 meetings. In the second community, the purposive sampling method was supplemented by convenience sampling to increase recruitment. Of 69 stakeholders recruited by this combined strategy, 62 (90 % consented, 36 (58 % attended the first meeting, and 26 (42 % attended all 3 meetings. Snowball sampling recruited more Hispanics and disabled persons (all P < 0.05. Despite differing recruitment strategies, stakeholders from the two communities identified largely similar ideas for research, focusing on non-pharmacologic interventions for management of chronic pain. Ratings on importance and feasibility for community implementation differed only on the importance of massage services (P = 0.045 which was higher for the purposive/convenience sampling group and for city improvements

Impact of enzymatic digestion on bacterial community composition in CF airway samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayla M. Williamson

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of DNA extraction methods for molecular detection of Staphylococcus, an important bacterial group in cystic fibrosis (CF. We sought to evaluate the effect of enzymatic digestion (EnzD prior to DNA extraction on bacterial communities identified in sputum and oropharyngeal swab (OP samples from patients with CF. Methods DNA from 81 samples (39 sputum and 42 OP collected from 63 patients with CF was extracted in duplicate with and without EnzD. Bacterial communities were determined by rRNA gene sequencing, and measures of alpha and beta diversity were calculated. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA was used to assess differences at the community level and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to compare relative abundance (RA of individual genera for paired samples with and without EnzD. Results Shannon Diversity Index (alpha-diversity decreased in sputum and OP samples with the use of EnzD. Larger shifts in community composition were observed for OP samples (beta-diversity, measured by Morisita-Horn, whereas less change in communities was observed for sputum samples. The use of EnzD with OP swabs resulted in significant increase in RA for the genera Gemella (p < 0.01, Streptococcus (p < 0.01, and Rothia (p < 0.01. Staphylococcus (p < 0.01 was the only genus with a significant increase in RA from sputum, whereas the following genera decreased in RA with EnzD: Veillonella (p < 0.01, Granulicatella (p < 0.01, Prevotella (p < 0.01, and Gemella (p = 0.02. In OP samples, higher RA of Gram-positive taxa was associated with larger changes in microbial community composition. Discussion We show that the application of EnzD to CF airway samples, particularly OP swabs, results in differences in microbial communities detected by sequencing. Use of EnzD can result in large changes in bacterial community composition, and is particularly useful for detection of Staphylococcus in CF OP

Community participation and mental health during retirement in community sample of Australians.

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Olesen, Sarah C; Berry, Helen L

2011-03-01

This study considered whether community participation during later adulthood is more strongly associated with mental health during retirement than it is while in employment; i.e. in the absence of paid work. Participants were 322 men and 311 women aged 45 years and older, who were part of a random sample of an Australian coastal community. The frequency of participation across 14 types of community-based activities was assessed. Overall mental health was measured on a 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Linear regression models tested the multivariate associations between distress and community participation, and whether this association differed for retired and working people. Retirees did not participate in their communities more than working people. The association between community participation and psychological distress did not differ by retirement status when people of all ages were considered together; however, stronger associations between several activities and (less) distress were found for retirees compared to their working peers in a younger cohort (aged 45 to 54). This cohort coincides with the average age of transition to retirement in Australia. These findings offer some support for the view that community participation may assist in managing the mental health implications of the transition from work to retirement.

Developing Undergraduate Coursework in Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Masterson, Tracy Loye; Dimitriou, Francine; Turko, Kristine; McPartland, James

2014-01-01

With rates of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) continuing to rise alongside improvements in early identification and treatment, service providers are in great demand. Providing undergraduate students with opportunities for education and applied experiences with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can help fill a valuable niche in the autism community.…

Teaching about genetic testing issues in the undergraduate classroom: a case study.

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Rogers, Jill Cellars; Taylor, Ann T S

2011-06-01

Educating undergraduates about current genetic testing and genomics can involve novel and creative teaching practices. The higher education literature describes numerous pedagogical approaches in the laboratory designed to engage science and liberal arts students. Often these experiences involve students analyzing their own genes for various polymorphisms, some of which are associated with disease states such as an increased risk for developing cancer. While the literature acknowledges possible ethical ramifications of such laboratory exercises, authors do not present recommendations or rubrics for evaluating whether or not the testing is, in fact, ethical. In response, we developed a laboratory investigation and discussion which allowed undergraduate science students to explore current DNA manipulation techniques to isolate their p53 gene, followed by a dialogue probing the ethical implications of examining their sample for various polymorphisms. Students never conducted genotyping on their samples because of ethical concerns, so the discussion served to replace actual genetic testing in the class. A basic scientist led the laboratory portion of the assignment. A genetic counselor facilitated the discussion, which centered around existing ethical guidelines for clinical genetic testing and possible challenges of human genotyping outside the medical setting. In their final papers, students demonstrated an understanding of the practice guidelines established by the genetics community and acknowledged the ethical considerations inherent in p53 genotyping. Given the burgeoning market for personalized medicine, teaching undergraduates about the psychosocial and ethical dimensions of human gene testing seems important and timely, and introduces an additional role genetic counselors can play in educating consumers about genomics.

Genus-Specific Primers for Study of Fusarium Communities in Field Samples

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Edel-Hermann, Véronique; Gautheron, Nadine; Durling, Mikael Brandström; Kolseth, Anna-Karin; Steinberg, Christian; Persson, Paula; Friberg, Hanna

2015-01-01

Fusarium is a large and diverse genus of fungi of great agricultural and economic importance, containing many plant pathogens and mycotoxin producers. To date, high-throughput sequencing of Fusarium communities has been limited by the lack of genus-specific primers targeting regions with high discriminatory power at the species level. In the present study, we evaluated two Fusarium-specific primer pairs targeting translation elongation factor 1 (TEF1). We also present the new primer pair Fa+7/Ra+6. Mock Fusarium communities reflecting phylogenetic diversity were used to evaluate the accuracy of the primers in reflecting the relative abundance of the species. TEF1 amplicons were subjected to 454 high-throughput sequencing to characterize Fusarium communities. Field samples from soil and wheat kernels were included to test the method on more-complex material. For kernel samples, a single PCR was sufficient, while for soil samples, nested PCR was necessary. The newly developed primer pairs Fa+7/Ra+6 and Fa/Ra accurately reflected Fusarium species composition in mock DNA communities. In field samples, 47 Fusarium operational taxonomic units were identified, with the highest Fusarium diversity in soil. The Fusarium community in soil was dominated by members of the Fusarium incarnatum-Fusarium equiseti species complex, contradicting findings in previous studies. The method was successfully applied to analyze Fusarium communities in soil and plant material and can facilitate further studies of Fusarium ecology. PMID:26519387

Undergraduate Teacher Candidate Perceptions Integrating Technology in Classroom Instruction

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Anderson, Charlise Askew

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze undergraduate teacher candidates' perceptions on integrating technology in the classroom. The study was embedded in the "Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge" theoretical model. A sample of 143 undergraduate teacher candidates participated in the study. They were asked to address items on a…

Perception of undergraduates of University of Port Harcourt towards ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: To assess the perception of undergraduates in University of Port Harcourt towards the use of condom. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey on the knowledge and use of condom among undergraduates of University of Port Harcourt. A systematic random sampling method was employed. Data collected was ...

Lot quality assurance sampling for screening communities hyperendemic for Schistosoma mansoni.

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Rabarijaona, L P; Boisier, P; Ravaoalimalala, V E; Jeanne, I; Roux, J F; Jutand, M A; Salamon, R

2003-04-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) was evaluated for rapid low cost identification of communities where Schistosoma mansoni infection was hyperendemic in southern Madagascar. In the study area, S. mansoni infection shows very focused and heterogeneous distribution requiring multifariousness of local surveys. One sampling plan was tested in the field with schoolchildren and several others were simulated in the laboratory. Randomization and stool specimen collection were performed by voluntary teachers under direct supervision of the study staff and no significant problem occurred. As expected from Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, all sampling plans allowed correct identification of hyperendemic communities and of most of the hypoendemic ones. Frequent misclassifications occurred for communities with intermediate prevalence and the cheapest plans had very low specificity. The study confirmed that LQAS would be a valuable tool for large scale screening in a country with scarce financial and staff resources. Involving teachers, appeared to be quite feasible and should not lower the reliability of surveys. We recommend that the national schistosomiasis control programme systematically uses LQAS for identification of communities, provided that sample sizes are adapted to the specific epidemiological patterns of S. mansoni infection in the main regions.

If These Walls Could Talk: Reflective Practice in Addiction Studies among Undergraduates in New Zealand

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Shepherd, Robin

2010-01-01

This exploratory study examined reflective practice among a class of students studying a "communities and addictions" course as part of the undergraduate health science degree. Most reflective practice publications are focused on medical or teachers' training rather than undergraduates in general. This is surprising given that reflective…

Attitude of Niger Delta university undergraduates towards HIV/AIDS

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Emeka Egbochuku

that undergraduates had a positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS campaigns with the attitude of female .... print/audio media and also visual media. Also in the schools peer .... use. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 3(1), 53-58.

A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate-Postgraduate-Faculty Triads.

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Aikens, Melissa L; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T; Dolan, Erin L

2016-01-01

Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as "postgraduates") and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the undergraduate's research. Using a social capital theory framework, we hypothesized that different triad structures provide undergraduates with varying resources (e.g., information, advice, psychosocial support) from the postgraduates and/or faculty, which would affect the undergraduates' research outcomes. To test this, we collected data from a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about their mentoring triad structure and a range of outcomes associated with research experiences, such as perceived gains in their abilities to think and work like scientists, science identity, and intentions to enroll in a PhD program. Undergraduates mentored by postgraduates alone reported positive outcomes, indicating that postgraduates can be effective mentors. However, undergraduates who interacted directly with faculty realized greater outcomes, suggesting that faculty interaction is important for undergraduates to realize the full benefits of research. The "closed triad," in which undergraduates, postgraduates, and faculty all interact directly, appeared to be uniquely beneficial; these undergraduates reported the highest gains in thinking and working like a scientist. © 2016 M. L. Aikens et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

36-B: Microbiology Outreach in an AP Biology Classroom Using Undergraduates as Facilitators Increases High School Student Knowledge and Appreciation for Microbiology Topics

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Balke, V.L.; McDowell, J.V.; Bennett, J.A.; Hayes, C.J.; Tansey, J.T.; Bernhard, A.E.; Boomer, S.M.; Baltzley, M.J.; Latham, K.L.; Morgan, S.K.; Briggs, A.G.; Choudhary, M.; Myagmarjav, B.; Trahan, C.; Bavishi, A.

2013-01-01

Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) is one of the pilot schools involved in the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI) which is responding to the call for reform of undergraduate science education. The major tenet of this initiative is to engage students early in their course of study by embedding undergraduate research into the curriculum. At DTCC this is accomplished by incorporating research-based laboratories, case studies, and problem-based learning activitie...

Undergraduate Peer Mentors as Teacher Leaders: Successful Starts

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Wallin, Dawn; DeLathouwer, Erin; Adilman, Jordan; Hoffart, Jessie; Prior-Hildebrandt, Kathy

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a qualitative study that examined the professional growth of undergraduate peer mentors as teacher leaders during an innovative Learning Community initiative designed for a teacher education program at the University of Saskatchewan. The paper describes the extent to which peer mentors exhibited characteristics…

Learning by Helping? Undergraduate Communication Outcomes Associated with Training or Service-Learning Experiences

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Katz, Jennifer; DuBois, Melinda; Wigderson, Sara

2014-01-01

This study investigated communication outcomes after training or applied service-learning experiences. Pre-practicum trainees learned active listening skills over 10 weeks. Practicum students were successful trainees who staffed a helpline. Community interns were trained and supervised at community agencies. Undergraduate students in psychology…

Relationship between Internet Addiction and Academic Performance among University Undergraduates

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Akhter, Noreen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between Internet addiction and academic performance among university undergraduates. The study also focused to examine the gender differences among students on internet addiction. The sample comprised of 359 university undergraduates. Their responses to the "Internet Addiction…

Comparison of DNA preservation methods for environmental bacterial community samples.

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Gray, Michael A; Pratte, Zoe A; Kellogg, Christina A

2013-02-01

Field collections of environmental samples, for example corals, for molecular microbial analyses present distinct challenges. The lack of laboratory facilities in remote locations is common, and preservation of microbial community DNA for later study is critical. A particular challenge is keeping samples frozen in transit. Five nucleic acid preservation methods that do not require cold storage were compared for effectiveness over time and ease of use. Mixed microbial communities of known composition were created and preserved by DNAgard(™), RNAlater(®), DMSO-EDTA-salt (DESS), FTA(®) cards, and FTA Elute(®) cards. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis and clone libraries were used to detect specific changes in the faux communities over weeks and months of storage. A previously known bias in FTA(®) cards that results in lower recovery of pure cultures of Gram-positive bacteria was also detected in mixed community samples. There appears to be a uniform bias across all five preservation methods against microorganisms with high G + C DNA. Overall, the liquid-based preservatives (DNAgard(™), RNAlater(®), and DESS) outperformed the card-based methods. No single liquid method clearly outperformed the others, leaving method choice to be based on experimental design, field facilities, shipping constraints, and allowable cost. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a regional distributed medical education program on an underserved community: perceptions of community leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Toomey, Patricia; Lovato, Chris Y; Hanlon, Neil; Poole, Gary; Bates, Joanna

2013-06-01

To describe community leaders' perceptions regarding the impact of a fully distributed undergraduate medical education program on a small, medically underserved host community. The authors conducted semistructured interviews in 2007 with 23 community leaders representing, collectively, the education, health, economic, media, and political sectors. They reinterviewed six participants from a pilot study (2005) and recruited new participants using purposeful and snowball sampling. The authors employed analytic induction to organize content thematically, using the sectors as a framework, and they used open coding to identify new themes. The authors reanalyzed transcripts to identify program outcomes (e.g., increased research capacity) and construct a list of quantifiable indicators (e.g., number of grants and publications). Participants reported their perspectives on the current and anticipated impact of the program on education, health services, the economy, media, and politics. Perceptions of impact were overwhelmingly positive (e.g., increased physician recruitment), though some were negative (e.g., strains on health resources). The authors identified new outcomes and confirmed outcomes described in 2005. They identified 16 quantifiable indicators of impact, which they judged to be plausible and measureable. Participants perceive that the regional undergraduate medical education program in their community has broad, local impacts. Findings suggest that early observed outcomes have been maintained and may be expanding. Results may be applicable to medical education programs with distributed or regional sites in similar rural, remote, and/or underserved regions. The areas of impact, outcomes, and quantifiable indicators identified will be of interest to future researchers and evaluators.

Research Experiences in Community College Science Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Beauregard, A.

2011-12-01

The benefits of student access to scientific research opportunities and the use of data in curriculum and student inquiry-driven approaches to teaching as effective tools in science instruction are compelling (i.e., Ledley, et al., 2008; Gawel & Greengrove, 2005; Macdonald, et al., 2005; Harnik & Ross. 2003). Unfortunately, these experiences are traditionally limited at community colleges due to heavy faculty teaching loads, a focus on teaching over research, and scarce departmental funds. Without such hands-on learning activities, instructors may find it difficult to stimulate excitement about science in their students, who are typically non-major and nontraditional. I present two different approaches for effectively incorporating research into the community college setting that each rely on partnerships with other institutions. The first of these is a more traditional approach for providing research experiences to undergraduate students, though such experiences are limited at community colleges, and involves student interns working on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member. Specifically, students participate in a water quality assessment study of two local bayous. Students work on different aspects of the project, including water sample collection, bio-assay incubation experiments, water quality sample analysis, and collection and identification of phytoplankton. Over the past four years, nine community college students, as well as two undergraduate students and four graduate students from the local four-year university have participated in this research project. Aligning student and faculty research provides community college students with the unique opportunity to participate in the process of active science and contribute to "real" scientific research. Because students are working in a local watershed, these field experiences provide a valuable "place-based" educational opportunity. The second approach links cutting-edge oceanographic

Community-based survey versus sentinel site sampling in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

rural children. Implications for nutritional surveillance and the development of nutritional programmes. G. c. Solarsh, D. M. Sanders, C. A. Gibson, E. Gouws. A study of the anthropometric status of under-5-year-olds was conducted in the Nqutu district of Kwazulu by means of a representative community-based sample and.

Teaching Undergraduate Mathematics Using CAS Technology: Issues and Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Tobin, Patrick C.; Weiss, Vida

2016-01-01

The use of handheld CAS technology in undergraduate mathematics courses in Australia is paradoxically shrinking under sustained disapproval or disdain from the professional mathematics community. Mathematics education specialists argue with their mathematics colleagues over a range of issues in course development and this use of CAS or even…

Influence of Achievement Motivation on Nigerian Undergraduates' Attitude towards Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Adegboyega, Lateef Omotosho

2018-01-01

This paper investigated the influence of achievement motivation on Nigerian undergraduates' attitude towards examination. Descriptive survey of the correlational type was employed for the study. One thousand, five hundred and thirty-six (1,536) undergraduates in Nigeria were drawn using purposive and stratified sampling techniques. Four research…

Effect Of Gender And Lifestyle Behaviors On BMI Trends In A Sample Of The First State's Undergraduate Population.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Malcolm J; Walls, Karri-Jo E; Rojas, Christine; Everett, Lynn M; Wentzien, Derald E

2015-06-01

The 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report indicates that 63.4% of Delaware's adult population is overweight and 28% is obese. Here, the authors reveal analyses acquired from detailed investigations about the importance of gender, and other lifestyle factors and behaviors on the Body Mass Index (BMI) trends amongst an indiscriminate sample of the Wesley College (Wesley) undergraduate population. A 25-question paper-format survey was distributed to 307 randomly chosen Wesley undergraduates. The accrued qualitative (or categorical) data were transferred to an Excel spreadsheet to construct and observe frequency distributions. A Chi-square test of independence (χ 2 ) was performed between BMI status (normal, overweight, obese) and the following factors: gender, diet plan, adherence to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate nutrition guide, use of the seasonal flu shot, weekly workout schedule, supplement usage, participation on athletic teams, questioning of label nutritional facts, and the use of added salt in food. A 2-sample proportion test was performed between students who were overweight or obese for the same factors. Also performed were t-tests for mean BMI for those who followed USDA MyPlate guidelines and for those who did not. An analysis of 278 completed surveys show that 29.5% of the Wesley respondents are overweight and 19.8% are obese. The mean BMI for males was statistically higher than the mean BMI for females. The mean BMI for students living on-campus was statistically higher than the mean BMI for students living off-campus. The results also demonstrate that adhering to the USDA dietary recommendations for fruit and dairy can be important factors in reducing the risk of obesity.

PRIME: An Integrated and Sustainable Undergraduate International Research Program

Science.gov (United States)

Arzberger, Peter; Wienhausen, Gabriele; Abramson, David; Galvin, Jim; Date, Susumu; Lin, Fang-Pang; Nan, Kai; Shimojo, Shinji

2010-01-01

Recently we have seen an increase in the calls for universities and the education community to re-think undergraduate education and create opportunities that prepare students as effective global professionals. The key motivator is the need to build a research and industrial workforce that works collaboratively across cultures and disciplines to…

Undergraduate Research as a Primary Pathway to STEM Careers: Perspectives from the Council on Undergraduate Research

Science.gov (United States)

Manley, P. L.; Ambos, E. L.

2012-12-01

international UR community are particularly important to considerations of broadening and strengthening the pipeline of students entering careers in geosciences and other STEM disciplines: (1) embedding UR more effectively and systematically throughout the undergraduate curriculum, (2) connecting UR experiences with student developmental arcs in content knowledge and skill integration, and, (3) growing the scholarship of study of impact of UR on student success and professional achievements. Case studies of institutions, particularly those that represent collaborations between two and four year colleges and universities, that are successfully addressing these focus areas will be presented, along with specific challenges to expanding the use of UR in lower division curricula.

Factors Influencing Substance Abuse among Undergraduate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the factors influencing substance abuse amongundergraduate students in Osun State; Nigeria. A sample of 1, 200undergraduate students were randomly selected from three tertiaryinstitution in Osun State. Factors Influencing Substance Abuse Questionnaire (FISA) was developed by the researcher ...

Sexual Values of 783 Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Richey, Emily; Knox, David; Zusman, Marty

2009-01-01

The sexual values of absolutism (abstinence until marriage), relativism (sexual decisions made in reference to the nature of the relationship), and hedonism ("if it feels good, do it") were assessed in a convenience sample of 783 undergraduate students at a large southeastern university. Results revealed that relativism (62.1%) was the predominate…

The Search for the Great Community: The Multicultural Community and Its Problems. Draft.

Science.gov (United States)

Aleman, Ana M. Martinez

This paper addresses issues surrounding the ideal of community in American undergraduate education and the challenge of multiculturalism in the context of a feminist interpretation of the pragmatism of John Dewey. A contradictory relationship is seen to exist between higher education's definition of community and multiculturalism; and this paper's…

Self-sampling for human papillomavirus in a community setting: feasibility in Hispanic women.

Science.gov (United States)

De Alba, Israel; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Hubbell, F Allan; Ziogas, Argyrios; Hess, James R; Bracho, America; Arias, Caleb; Manetta, Alberto

2008-08-01

The aim of the study was (a) to assess sensitivity and specificity of self-sampling in a community setting for identifying high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and (b) to assess satisfaction with this collection method among Hispanic women. Lay health workers distributed self-collection kits to Hispanic women in the community. Participants collected an unsupervised vaginal sample at home or in the place and time of their preference. A total of 1,213 Hispanics were included and provided a self-sample for HPV testing and were invited for a Pap smear; 662 (55%) of them had a Pap smear and the first 386 of these also had a physician-collected sample for HPV retesting. Using physician collection as the gold standard, unsupervised self-collection had a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 88% for identifying high-risk HPV. Compared with physician sampling, self-sampling in a community setting had comparable sensitivity for identifying a low-grade lesions or greater in the Pap smear (50% versus 55%; P = 0.45) but lower specificity (94% versus 79%). Overall experience with self-sampling was reported as excellent or very good by 64% and only 2.6% reported a poor or fair experience. Unsupervised self-collection of vaginal samples for HPV testing in a community setting has a high sensitivity for identifying high-risk HPV and a high satisfaction among Hispanics. This approach may benefit populations with limited access to health care or with cultural barriers to cervical cancer screening.

Exploring Students' Perceptions of Service-Learning Experiences in an Undergraduate Web Design Course

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang Joon; Wilder, Charlie; Yu, Chien

2018-01-01

Service-learning is an experiential learning experience where students learn and develop through active participation in community service to meet the needs of a community. This study explored student learning experiences in a service-learning group project and their perceptions of service-learning in an undergraduate web design course. The data…

The Polaris Project: Undergraduate Research Catalyzing Advances in Arctic Science

Science.gov (United States)

Schade, J. D.; Holmes, R. M.; Natali, S.; Mann, P. J.; Bunn, A. G.; Frey, K. E.

2017-12-01

With guidance and sufficient resources, undergraduates can drive the exploration of new research directions, lead high impact scientific products, and effectively communicate the value of science to the public. As mentors, we must recognize the strong contribution undergraduates make to the advancement of scientific understanding and their unique ability and desire to be transdisciplinary and to translate ideas into action. Our job is to be sure students have the resources and tools to successfully explore questions that they care about, not to provide or lead them towards answers we already have. The central goal of the Polaris Project is to advance understanding of climate change in the Arctic through an integrated research, training, and outreach program that has at its heart a research expedition for undergraduates to a remote field station in the Arctic. Our integrative approach to training provides undergraduates with strong intellectual development and they bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and a unique willingness to take risks on new ideas that have an energizing effect on research and outreach. Since the projects inception in summer 2008, we have had >90 undergraduates participate in high-impact field expeditions and outreach activities. Over the years, we have also been fortunate enough to attract an ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse group of students, including students from Puerto Rico, Hispanic-, African- and Native-Americans, members of the LGBT community, and first-generation college students. Most of these students have since pursued graduate degrees in ecology, and many have received NSF fellowships and Fulbright scholarships. One of our major goals is to increase the diversity of the scientific community, and we have been successful in our short-term goal of recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students. The goal of this presentation is to provide a description of the mentoring model at the heart of the Polaris Project

Marital status as a candidate moderator variable of male-female differences in sexual jealousy: the need for representative population samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Voracek, M

2001-04-01

Evolutionary psychological theories predict pronounced and universal male-female differences in sexual jealousy. Recent cross-cultural research, using the forced-choice jealousy items pioneered by Buss, et al., 1992, repeatedly found a large sex differential on these self-report measures: men significantly more often than women choose their mate's imagined sexual infidelity to be more distressing or upsetting to them than an imagined emotional infidelity. However, this body of evidence is solely based on undergraduate samples and does not take into account demographic factors. This study examined male-female differences in sexual jealousy in a community sample (N = 335, Eastern Austria). Within a logistic regression model, with other variables controlled for, marital status was a stronger predictor for sexual jealousy than respondents' sex. Contrary to previous research, the sex differential's effect size was only modest. These findings stress the pitfalls of prematurely generalizing evidence from undergraduate samples to the general population and the need for representative population samples in this research area.

Brain literate: making neuroscience accessible to a wider audience of undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Salomon, Danielle; Martin-Harris, Laurel; Mullen, Brian; Odegaard, Brian; Zvinyatskovskiy, Aleksey; Chandler, Scott H

2015-01-01

The ability to critically evaluate neuroscientific findings is a skill that is rapidly becoming important in non-science professions. As neuroscience research is increasingly being used in law, business, education, and politics, it becomes imperative to educate future leaders in all areas of society about the brain. Undergraduate general education courses are an ideal way to expose students to issues of critical importance, but non-science students may avoid taking a neuroscience course because of the perception that neuroscience is more challenging than other science courses. A recently developed general education cluster course at UCLA aims to make neuroscience more palatable to undergraduates by pairing neuroscientific concepts with philosophy and history, and by building a learning community that supports the development of core academic skills and intellectual growth over the course of a year. This study examined the extent to which the course was successful in delivering neuroscience education to a broader undergraduate community. The results indicate that a majority of students in the course mastered the basics of the discipline regardless of their major. Furthermore, 77% of the non-life science majors (approximately two-thirds of students in the course) indicated that they would not have taken an undergraduate neuroscience course if this one was not offered. The findings also demonstrate that the course helped students develop core academic skills and improved their ability to think critically about current events in neuroscience. Faculty reported that teaching the course was highly rewarding and did not require an inordinate amount of time.

Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students: A Study of Design Undergraduates in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Ubierna, Francisco; Arranz, Nieves; Fdez de Arroyabe, J. C.

2014-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of the entrepreneurial intentions of university undergraduate students, with particular regard to those studying design. Attitudinal, social and capabilities variables are analysed in order to determine the profile of an entrepreneur. Using a sample of 521 undergraduate students, the findings show that design…

Early Detection of At-Risk Undergraduate Students through Academic Performance Predictors

Science.gov (United States)

Rowtho, Vikash

2017-01-01

Undergraduate student dropout is gradually becoming a global problem and the 39 Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) are no exception to this trend. The purpose of this research was to develop a method that can be used for early detection of students who are at-risk of performing poorly in their undergraduate studies. A sample of 279 students…

An Approach to Integrating Health Disparities within Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Vazquez, Maribel; Marte, Otto; Barba, Joseph; Hubbard, Karen

2017-11-01

Health disparities are preventable differences in the incidence, prevalence and burden of disease among communities targeted by gender, geographic location, ethnicity and/or socio-economic status. While biomedical research has identified partial origin(s) of divergent burden and impact of disease, the innovation needed to eradicate health disparities in the United States requires unique engagement from biomedical engineers. Increasing awareness of the prevalence and consequences of health disparities is particularly attractive to today's undergraduates, who have undauntedly challenged paradigms believed to foster inequality. Here, the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY) has leveraged its historical mission of access-and-excellence to integrate the study of health disparities into undergraduate BME curricula. This article describes our novel approach in a multiyear study that: (i) Integrated health disparities modules at all levels of the required undergraduate BME curriculum; (ii) Developed opportunities to include impacts of health disparities into undergraduate BME research projects and mentored High School summer STEM training; and (iii) Established health disparities-based challenges as BME capstone design and/or independent entrepreneurship projects. Results illustrate the rising awareness of health disparities among the youngest BMEs-to-be, as well as abundant undergraduate desire to integrate health disparities within BME education and training.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms related to community violence and children's diurnal cortisol response in an urban community-dwelling sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Suglia, Shakira Franco; Staudenmayer, John; Cohen, Sheldon; Wright, Rosalind J

2010-03-01

While community violence has been linked to psychological morbidity in urban youth, data on the physiological correlates of violence and associated posttraumatic stress symptoms are sparse. We examined the influence of child posttraumatic stress symptoms reported in relationship to community violence exposure on diurnal salivary cortisol response in a population based sample of 28 girls and 15 boys ages 7-13, 54% self-identified as white and 46% as Hispanic. Mothers' reported on the child's exposure to community violence using the Survey of Children's Exposure to Community Violence and completed the Checklist of Children's Distress Symptoms (CCDS) which captures factors related to posttraumatic stress; children who were eight years of age or greater reported on their own community violence exposure. Saliva samples were obtained from the children four times a day (after awakening, lunch, dinner and bedtime) over three days. Mixed models were used to assess the influence of posttraumatic stress symptoms on cortisol expression, examined as diurnal slope and area under the curve (AUC), calculated across the day, adjusting for socio-demographics. In adjusted analyses, higher scores on total traumatic stress symptoms (CCDS) were associated with both greater cortisol AUC and with a flatter cortisol waking to bedtime rhythm. The associations were primarily attributable to differences on the intrusion, arousal and avoidance CCDS subscales. Posttraumatic stress symptomatology reported in response to community violence exposure was associated with diurnal cortisol disruption in these community-dwelling urban children.

Undergraduates' Attitudes toward Dating Violence: Its Relationship with Sexism and Narcissism

Science.gov (United States)

Erdem, Ahmet; Sahin, Rukiye

2017-01-01

In this research, whether the undergraduates' attitude levels towards the dating violence differed in terms of gender, dating relationship status, being exposed to the dating violence and resorting to the dating violence was investigated. The sample of the study was composed of 1171 undergraduates. In the research, "The Attitudes toward…

The Use of Economic Impact Studies as a Service Learning Tool in Undergraduate Business Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Misner, John M.

2004-01-01

This paper examines the use of community based economic impact studies as service learning tools for undergraduate business programs. Economic impact studies are used to measure the economic benefits of a variety of activities such as community redevelopment, tourism, and expansions of existing facilities for both private and public producers.…

The importance of community building for establishing data management and curation practices for physical samples

Science.gov (United States)

Ramdeen, S.; Hangsterfer, A.; Stanley, V. L.

2017-12-01

There is growing enthusiasm for curation of physical samples in the Earth Science community (see sessions at AGU, GSA, ESIP). Multiple federally funded efforts aim to develop best practices for curation of physical samples; however, these efforts have not yet been consolidated. Harmonizing these concurrent efforts would enable the community as a whole to build the necessary tools and community standards to move forward together. Preliminary research indicate the various groups focused on this topic are working in isolation, and the development of standards needs to come from the broadest view of `community'. We will investigate the gaps between communities by collecting information about preservation policies and practices from curators, who can provide a diverse cross-section of the grand challenges to the overall community. We will look at existing reports and study results to identify example cases, then develop a survey to gather large scale data to reinforce or clarify the example cases. We will be targeting the various community groups which are working on similar issues, and use the survey to improve the visibility of developed best practices. Given that preservation and digital collection management for physical samples are both important and difficult at present (GMRWG, 2015; NRC, 2002), barriers to both need to be addressed in order to achieve open science goals for the entire community. To address these challenges, EarthCube's iSamples, a research coordination network established to advance discoverability, access, and curation of physical samples using cyberinfrastructure, has formed a working group to collect use cases to examine the breadth of earth scientists' work with physical samples. This research team includes curators of state survey and oceanographic geological collections, and a researcher from information science. In our presentation, we will share our research and the design of the proposed survey. Our goal is to engage the audience in a

National Genome Research Initiative: A New Paradigm For Teaching Research To Undergraduates In South America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Ovalle

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: From 2007 to 2011, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI recruited professors across the US to test a new paradigm in undergraduate education: the National Genome Research Initiative (NGRI. Undergraduates were taught to isolate bacteriophages, characterize their findings, and report to the scientific community.Objective: The educational goal of the NGRI program was to expose science undergraduates to an authentic research experience to increase graduation rates. The scientific goal was to isolate mycobacteriophages to be used as therapeutic agents against disease-causing mycobacteria.Materials and Methods: In a one-semester lab course undergraduates are taught to find, grow, and purify bacteriophages. In the second semester, students use bioinformatic software to annotate sequences of their bacteriophages.Results: Ahead of data on student graduation rates, the NGRI program has generated expanded productivity for US undergraduates. Over a four year period, thousands of participants were taught to collect bacteriophages, annotate sequences, and present their findings. Those undergraduates will have isolated 2300+ phages, annotated 250+ sequences, presented hundreds of posters at conferences across the US, and are co-authors on papers published by labs participating in the NGRI program.Discussion: Many professors in the US academic community are convinced that the NGRI program will have lasting impact on the US educational system. Several professors have banded together to form the Phage Galaxy Consortium to continue HHMI’s goal of implementation of the NGRI program at all US colleges.Conclusions: HHMI’s paradigm is ready for distribution to Central and South America.

Microbial community analysis of shallow subsurface samples with PCR-DGGE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Itaevaara, M.; Suihko, M. -L.; Kapanen, A.; Piskonen, R.; Juvonen, R. [VTT Biotechnology, Espoo (Finland)

2005-11-15

This work is part of the site investigations for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Olkiluoto bedrock. The purpose of the research was to study the suitability of PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction - denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) method for monitoring of hydrogeomicrobiology of Olkiluoto repository site. PCR-DGGE method has been applied for monitoring microbial processes in several applications. The benefit of the method is that microorganisms are not cultivated but the presence of microbial communities can be monitored by direct DNA extractions from the environmental samples. Partial 16SrDNA gene sequence is specifically amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) which detect bacteria as a group. The gene sequences are separated in DGGE, and the nucleotide bands are then cut out, extracted, sequenced and identified by the genelibraries by e.g. Blast program. PCR-DGGE method can be used to detect microorganisms which are present abundantly in the microbial communities because small quantities of genes cannot be separated reliably. However, generally the microorganisms involved in several environmental processes are naturally enriched and present as major population. This makes it possible to utilize PCRDGGE as a monitoring method. In this study, we studied the structure of microbial communities in ten ground water samples originating from Olkiluoto. Two universal bacterial primer sets were compared which amplified two different regions of the 16SrDNA gene. The longer sequence amplified resulted in fewer bands in DGGE, in addition there were problems with purification of the sequences after DGGE. The shorter sequence gave more bands in DGGE and more clear results without any amplification problems. Comparison of the sequences from the gene-libraries resulted in the detection of the same species by both primer sets, in addition some different species were detected. Several species were anaerobic bacteria, such as acetogenic and sulphate reducing

Microbial community analysis of shallow subsurface samples with PCR-DGGE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itaevaara, M.; Suihko, M.-L.; Kapanen, A.; Piskonen, R.; Juvonen, R.

2005-11-01

This work is part of the site investigations for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Olkiluoto bedrock. The purpose of the research was to study the suitability of PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction - denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) method for monitoring of hydrogeomicrobiology of Olkiluoto repository site. PCR-DGGE method has been applied for monitoring microbial processes in several applications. The benefit of the method is that microorganisms are not cultivated but the presence of microbial communities can be monitored by direct DNA extractions from the environmental samples. Partial 16SrDNA gene sequence is specifically amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) which detect bacteria as a group. The gene sequences are separated in DGGE, and the nucleotide bands are then cut out, extracted, sequenced and identified by the genelibraries by e.g. Blast program. PCR-DGGE method can be used to detect microorganisms which are present abundantly in the microbial communities because small quantities of genes cannot be separated reliably. However, generally the microorganisms involved in several environmental processes are naturally enriched and present as major population. This makes it possible to utilize PCRDGGE as a monitoring method. In this study, we studied the structure of microbial communities in ten ground water samples originating from Olkiluoto. Two universal bacterial primer sets were compared which amplified two different regions of the 16SrDNA gene. The longer sequence amplified resulted in fewer bands in DGGE, in addition there were problems with purification of the sequences after DGGE. The shorter sequence gave more bands in DGGE and more clear results without any amplification problems. Comparison of the sequences from the gene-libraries resulted in the detection of the same species by both primer sets, in addition some different species were detected. Several species were anaerobic bacteria, such as acetogenic and sulphate reducing

Agents of change: undergraduate students' attitudes following observations of speech-language pathology service delivery: preliminary findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Suzanne M; Ciocci, Sandra R

2013-01-01

Undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students' attitudes toward speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical services to children and adults prior to and following community-based observations were examined. Participants (n=25) completed an online survey to elicit their opinions regarding their perceptions of their observation experiences. Findings revealed that after completion of community-based SLP clinical observations, 16 (64%) respondents reported a continued interest in a child-based clinical focus; 12 (48%) respondents continued to consider a clinical interest in adults, while 5 respondents (20%) changed career interests to an adult focus based on their observation experiences. Findings support the notion that observations of SLP appear to significantly influence students' career choices. Clinical observations typically occur at the junior/senior undergraduate levels; therefore, suggestions are offered for inclusion of gerontology education embedded throughout the undergraduate communication sciences and disorders curricula to foster and expand students' knowledge of aging, and to prepare our students to meet the healthcare challenges of elders in the 21st century.

Liberal Arts Colleges and Good Practices in Undergraduate Education: Additional Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Tricia A.; Pascarella, Ernest T.; Goodman, Kathleen M.; Salisbury, Mark H.; Blaich, Charles F.

2010-01-01

Liberal arts colleges have prided themselves on providing students with a quality undergraduate education among a scholarly community who are interested in their holistic development. Past research has found students who attended liberal arts colleges more frequently experienced Chickering and Gamson's (1987, 1991) good practices in undergraduate…

Eating Disorders among a Community-Based Sample of Chilean Female Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Granillo, M. Teresa; Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew; Delva, Jorge; Castillo, Marcela

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and correlates of eating disorders among a community-based sample of female Chilean adolescents. Data were collected through structured interviews with 420 female adolescents residing in Santiago, Chile. Approximately 4% of the sample reported ever being diagnosed with an eating disorder.…

Drawing minority students into the physics community

Science.gov (United States)

Gueye, Paul

2013-03-01

In the past few years, the number of African-American undergraduate physics students in the US had a steady decrease with dramatic consequences at many physics departments within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A similar trend seems to also appear at the graduate level. HBCUs have been known to graduate more than 50% of undergraduate physics majors within this community for many years, a role that is now evaporating. The US African-American community cannot lose the historical and sometimes unnoticed impact of HBCUs in the physics community. The ability for these institutions to recruit, maintain and graduate students with the highest degree has turned a corner and is endangered with the recent closings of many programs. We not only must reverse this trend but also implement a sustainable growth for the future. This is an enormous task for the education community. While there are many outstanding and successful programs that have been developed over the years to target particular areas ranging from early K-12 exposure to producing MS and PhD students, each community/culture is different: one cannot transport someone else's experience and/or program and infuse it into another community. Moreover, the focus must now be comprehensive and not anymore single-centered. This talk will outline some ongoing efforts within the National Society of Black Physicists aimed at infusing a global approach to this problem that targets school districts (K-12) and after school programs, undergraduate and graduate programs within HBCUs, and the larger physic and scientific community.

Using High-Precision Specific Gravity Measurements to Study Minerals in Undergraduate Geoscience Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Brandriss, Mark E.

2010-01-01

This article describes ways to incorporate high-precision measurements of the specific gravities of minerals into undergraduate courses in mineralogy and physical geology. Most traditional undergraduate laboratory methods of measuring specific gravity are suitable only for unusually large samples, which severely limits their usefulness for student…

Measurement of the sound absorption coefficient for an advanced undergraduate physics laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Macho-Stadler, E.; Elejalde-García, M. J.

2017-09-01

We present a simple experiment that allows advanced undergraduates to learn the basics of the acoustic properties of materials. The impedance tube-standing wave method is applied to study the normal absorption coefficient of acoustics insulators. The setup includes a tube, a speaker, a microphone, a digital function generator and an oscilloscope, material available in an undergraduate laboratory. Results of the change of the absorption coefficient with the frequency, the sample thickness and the sample density are analysed and compared with those obtained with a commercial system.

Pharmacy in transition: A work sampling study of community pharmacists using smartphone technology.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Pol, Jeroen M; Geljon, Jurjen G; Belitser, Svetlana V; Frederix, Geert W J; Hövels, Anke M; Bouvy, Marcel L

2018-03-09

The nature of community pharmacy is changing, shifting from the preparation and distribution of medicines to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS); however, often the provision of traditional services leaves little time for innovative services. This study investigated the time community pharmacists spend on the tasks and activities of daily practice and to what extent they are able to implement CPS-related services in daily practice. Self-reporting work sampling was used to register the activities of community pharmacists. A smartphone application, designed specifically for this purpose, alerted participants to register their current activity five times per working day for 6 weeks. Participants also completed an online survey about baseline characteristics. Ninety-one Dutch community pharmacists provided work-sampling data (7848 registered activities). Overall, 51.5% of their time was spent on professional activities, 35.4% on semi-professional activities, and 13.1% on non-professional activities. The proportion of time devoted to CPS decreased during the workweek, whereas the time spent on traditional task increased. This study shows it is feasible to collect work-sampling data using smartphone technology. Community pharmacists spent almost half of their time on semi-professional and non-professional activities, activities that could be delegated to other staff members. In practice, the transition to CPS is hampered by competing traditional tasks, which prevents community pharmacists from profiling themselves as pharmaceutical experts in daily practice. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective Engineering Outreach through an Undergraduate Mentoring Team and Module Database

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Colin; Butterfield, Anthony E.

2014-01-01

The rising need for engineers has led to increased interest in community outreach in engineering departments nationwide. We present a sustainable outreach model involving trained undergraduate mentors to build ties with K-12 teachers and students. An associated online module database of chemical engineering demonstrations, available to educators…

Supporting a Diverse Community of Undergraduate Researchers in Satellite and Ground-Based Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, R.; Liou-Mark, J.

2012-12-01

The U.S. remains in grave danger of losing its global competitive edge in STEM. To find solutions to this problem, the Obama Administration proposed two new national initiatives: the Educate to Innovate Initiative and the $100 million government/private industry initiative to train 100,000 STEM teachers and graduate 1 million additional STEM students over the next decade. To assist in ameliorating the national STEM plight, the New York City College of Technology has designed its NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program in satellite and ground-based remote sensing to target underrepresented minority students. Since the inception of the program in 2008, a total of 45 undergraduate students of which 38 (84%) are considered underrepresented minorities in STEM have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. The program is comprised of the three primary components. The first component, Structured Learning Environments: Preparation and Mentorship, provides the REU Scholars with the skill sets necessary for proficiency in satellite and ground-based remote sensing research. The students are offered mini-courses in Geographic Information Systems, MATLAB, and Remote Sensing. They also participate in workshops on the Ethics of Research. Each REU student is a member of a team that consists of faculty mentors, post doctorate/graduate students, and high school students. The second component, Student Support and Safety Nets, provides undergraduates a learning environment that supports them in becoming successful researchers. Special networking and Brown Bag sessions, and an annual picnic with research scientists are organized so that REU Scholars are provided with opportunities to expand their professional community. Graduate school support is provided by offering free Graduate Record Examination preparation courses and workshops on the graduate school application process. Additionally, students are supported by college

Endophytic bacterial community of grapevine leaves influenced by sampling date and phytoplasma infection process.

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Bulgari, Daniela; Casati, Paola; Quaglino, Fabio; Bianco, Piero A

2014-07-21

Endophytic bacteria benefit host plant directly or indirectly, e.g. by biocontrol of the pathogens. Up to now, their interactions with the host and with other microorganisms are poorly understood. Consequently, a crucial step for improving the knowledge of those relationships is to determine if pathogens or plant growing season influence endophytic bacterial diversity and dynamic. Four healthy, four phytoplasma diseased and four recovered (symptomatic plants that spontaneously regain a healthy condition) grapevine plants were sampled monthly from June to October 2010 in a vineyard in north-western Italy. Metagenomic DNA was extracted from sterilized leaves and the endophytic bacterial community dynamic and diversity were analyzed by taxon specific real-time PCR, Length-Heterogeneity PCR and genus-specific PCR. These analyses revealed that both sampling date and phytoplasma infection influenced the endophytic bacterial composition. Interestingly, in June, when the plants are symptomless and the pathogen is undetectable (i) the endophytic bacterial community associated with diseased grapevines was different from those in the other sampling dates, when the phytoplasmas are detectable inside samples; (ii) the microbial community associated with recovered plants differs from that living inside healthy and diseased plants. Interestingly, LH-PCR database identified bacteria previously reported as biocontrol agents in the examined grapevines. Of these, Burkholderia, Methylobacterium and Pantoea dynamic was influenced by the phytoplasma infection process and seasonality. Results indicated that endophytic bacterial community composition in grapevine is correlated to both phytoplasma infection and sampling date. For the first time, data underlined that, in diseased plants, the pathogen infection process can decrease the impact of seasonality on community dynamic. Moreover, based on experimental evidences, it was reasonable to hypothesize that after recovery the restructured

Ethics education in undergraduate pre-health programs. The contribution of undergraduate colleges and universities to the ethical and moral development of future doctors in the medical and dental professions.

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Erratt, Tamie D

2011-08-01

There are many barriers to ethics education of students attending medical and dental schools. The question is asked, "Should more attention be given to addressing students' ethics education during their undergraduate years of preparation for professional healthcare programs?" This qualitative study utilizes digitally recorded personal interviews with two undergraduate pre-healthcare students, one medical student, one recently matriculated dental student, one undergraduate pre-healthcare faculty member, three dental school faculty members, and three medical school faculty members. Interview participants discuss areas of personal knowledge and experience concerning: the admissions process and screening of potential medical/dental students for ethical traits and behaviors, influences on student ethical development, undergraduate pre-healthcare ethics training, and preferred college major for pre-healthcare students. The study concludes that undergraduate pre-healthcare programs should take the initiative to be proactive and deliberate in strengthening the positive influences on students. Strategies include: 1) humanities curricula to broaden perspectives and increase non-prejudice; 2) mentoring and modeling by older students, faculty, and community and professional volunteers; 3) ethical case study discussions in class or extracurricular activities; and 4) volunteer/service learning activities. Additionally, curriculum learning is enhanced by the use of reflection and writing, discussions, and media.

Undergraduate medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, L; Wass, J

1993-01-23

Pressures from students and teachers, from professional bodies, and from changes in the way health care is delivered are all forcing a rethink of how medical students should be taught. These pressures may be more intense in London but are not confined to it. The recommendation the Tomlinson report advocates that has been generally welcomed is for more investment in primary care in London. General practitioners have much to teach medical schools about effective ways of learning, but incentives for teaching students in general practice are currently low, organising such teaching is difficult and needs resources, and resistance within traditional medical school hierarchies needs to be overcome. Likewise, students value learning within local communities, but the effort demanded of public health departments and community organisations is great at a time when they are under greater pressure than ever before. The arguments over research that favour concentration in four multifaculty schools are less clear cut for undergraduate education, where personal support for students is important. An immediate concern is that the effort demanded for reorganising along the lines suggested by Tomlinson will not leave medical schools much energy for innovating.

Change over a service learning experience in science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about elementary school students' ability to learn science

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Goebel, Camille A.

This longitudinal investigation explores the change in four (3 female, 1 male) science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about low-income elementary school students' ability to learn science. The study sought to identify how the undergraduates in year-long public school science-teaching partnerships perceived the social, cultural, and economic factors affecting student learning. Previous service-learning research infrequently focused on science undergraduates relative to science and society or detailed expressions of their beliefs and field practices over the experience. Qualitative methodology was used to guide the implementation and analysis of this study. A sample of an additional 20 science undergraduates likewise involved in intensive reflection in the service learning in science teaching (SLST) course called Elementary Science Education Partners (ESEP) was used to examine the typicality of the case participants. The findings show two major changes in science undergraduates' belief expressions: (1) a reduction in statements of beliefs from a deficit thinking perspective about the elementary school students' ability to learn science, and (2) a shift in the attribution of students, underlying problems in science learning from individual-oriented to systemic-oriented influences. Additional findings reveal that the science undergraduates perceived they had personally and profoundly changed as a result of the SLST experience. Changes include: (1) the gain of a new understanding of others' situations different from their own; (2) the realization of and appreciation for their relative positions of privilege due to their educational background and family support; (3) the gain in ability to communicate, teach, and work with others; (4) the idea that they were more socially and culturally connected to their community outside the university and their college classrooms; and (5) a broadening of the way they understood or thought about science. Women participants stated

Factor Responsible for Examination Malpractices as Expressed by Undergraduates of Osun State University, Nigeria

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Yusuf; Adeoti, Florence; Olufunke, Yinusa Rasheedat; Ruth, Bamgbose Oluwayemisi

2015-01-01

The study investigated perception of undergraduates on factors responsible for examination malpractices. The study is a descriptive study; a sample of two hundred (200) undergraduates formed the participants for the study. A questionnaire titled: "Factor responsible for examination malpractices was used for data collection. Data collected…

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? An authentic large-scale undergraduate research experience in mapping the human oral microbiome.

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Wang, Jack T H; Daly, Joshua N; Willner, Dana L; Patil, Jayee; Hall, Roy A; Schembri, Mark A; Tyson, Gene W; Hugenholtz, Philip

2015-05-01

Clinical microbiology testing is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of community and hospital-acquired infections. Laboratory scientists need to utilize technical and problem-solving skills to select from a wide array of microbial identification techniques. The inquiry-driven laboratory training required to prepare microbiology graduates for this professional environment can be difficult to replicate within undergraduate curricula, especially in courses that accommodate large student cohorts. We aimed to improve undergraduate scientific training by engaging hundreds of introductory microbiology students in an Authentic Large-Scale Undergraduate Research Experience (ALURE). The ALURE aimed to characterize the microorganisms that reside in the healthy human oral cavity-the oral microbiome-by analyzing hundreds of samples obtained from student volunteers within the course. Students were able to choose from selective and differential culture media, Gram-staining, microscopy, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, in order to collect, analyze, and interpret novel data to determine the collective oral microbiome of the student cohort. Pre- and postsurvey analysis of student learning gains across two iterations of the course (2012-2013) revealed significantly higher student confidence in laboratory skills following the completion of the ALURE (p < 0.05 using the Mann-Whitney U-test). Learning objectives on effective scientific communication were also met through effective student performance in laboratory reports describing the research outcomes of the project. The integration of undergraduate research in clinical microbiology has the capacity to deliver authentic research experiences and improve scientific training for large cohorts of undergraduate students.

Comparison of stress, burnout and its association among postgraduate orthodontic and undergraduate students in India

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VenkateshNettam

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aim and Objectives: Stress and burnout are the wave of the present decade and dentists and dental specialists are found repeatedly on top of the charts of the more stressed occupation; however, the prevalence among orthodontic postgraduates in India has not been well researched. The present study aimed to investigate the stress and burnout levels of postgraduate students of orthodontics in India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate stress and burnout in postgraduate students of orthodontics in India. A stratified randomized sampling method, with stratification as North, East, West, South, and central population was employed. A questionnaire format formulated by the International Stress Management Association, including Maslach burnout inventory was filled by each of these individuals. Results: A total of 284 individuals showed significance for stress and personal accomplishment (PA (P < 0.05 whereas statistically insignificant for genders. There is statistically significance for geographical distribution to depersonalization and PA. The Pearson's correlation is positive for stress and components of burnout in postgraduates and is negative for undergraduates. Conclusion: This study was the first of its kind to explore stress, burnout, and its association among orthodontic postgraduate students and undergraduates in the country. There are significant levels of stress and burnout in both undergraduates and postgraduates. There is a statistically significant positive correlation to the components of burnout found in postgraduates. These findings may help orthodontic community in planning, management, and prevention of stress and burnout.

Innovating undergraduate pathology education through public engagement.

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Mukundu Nagesh, Navin; Chiva Giurca, Bogdan; Lishman, Suzy

2018-05-01

The trends in modern undergraduate medical education focus on a patient-centred approach through problem-based learning over the traditional modular curriculum. Integrating pathology into this style of learning has resulted in the dilution of core scientific principles which may have contributed to reduced understanding and interest in the subject. We aim to innovate pathology education by utilising National Pathology Week which is organised by the Royal College of Pathologists to develop the public engagement model which empowers students to learn pathology by teaching the public. Through this model, we hope to generate a greater interest in pathology at both undergraduate and postgraduate stages of education. We obtained funding from the Royal College of Pathologists to organise National Pathology Week at Exeter Medical School and the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital. We involved 125 undergraduate student volunteers from health-related courses. We designed a curriculum aiming to educate both students and public on current topics such as cancer screening programmes, antibiotic resistance, diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and the role of pathologists. We hosted 15 pathologists, biomedical scientists and microbiologists to engage with students, share experiences and offer an insight into their careers. Through this project, we interacted with over 500 members of the public and 150 school students. The medical student volunteers developed a range of skills including competent use of microscopes to visualise pathology slides, effective communication with lay audiences to teach pathology and understanding of the clinical application of pathology. We believe the public engagement model of teaching undergraduate students has the potential to develop a greater interest in pathology whilst benefitting the wider community.

Providing Undergraduate Research Opportunities Through the World Rivers Observatory Collaborative Network

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Gillies, S. L.; Marsh, S. J.; Janmaat, A.; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, B.; Voss, B.; Holmes, R. M.

2013-12-01

Successful research collaboration exists between the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), a primarily undergraduate-serving university located on the Fraser River in British Columbia, and the World Rivers Observatory that is coordinated through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC). The World Rivers Observatory coordinates time-series sampling of 15 large rivers, with particular focus on the large Arctic rivers, the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Congo, Fraser, Yangtze (Changjiang), Amazon, and Mackenzie River systems. The success of this international observatory critically depends on the participation of local collaborators, such as UFV, that are necessary in order to collect temporally resolved data from these rivers. Several faculty members and undergraduate students from the Biology and Geography Departments of UFV received on-site training from the lead-PIs of the Global Rivers Observatory. To share information and ensure good quality control of sampling methods, WHOI and WHRC hosted two international workshops at Woods Hole for collaborators. For the past four years, faculty and students from UFV have been collecting a variety of bi-monthly water samples from the Fraser River for the World Rivers Observatory. UFV undergraduate students who become involved learn proper sampling techniques and are given the opportunity to design and conduct their own research. Students have collected, analyzed and presented data from this project at regional, national, and international scientific meetings. UFV undergraduate students have also been hosted by WHOI and WHRC as guest students to work on independent research projects. While at WHOI and WHRC, students are able to conduct research using state-of-the-art specialized research facilities not available at UFV.

Undergraduate students' perception and Utilization of electronic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An evaluation of undergraduate students' perception and utilization of electronic information resources and services was carried out. The population of the study consisted of all registered library users in the 2014/2015 academic session. The total population of the study was 4, 211 registered users. Accidental sampling ...

Bacterial communities of disease vectors sampled across time, space, and species.

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Jones, Ryan T; Knight, Rob; Martin, Andrew P

2010-02-01

A common strategy of pathogenic bacteria is to form close associations with parasitic insects that feed on animals and to use these insects as vectors for their own transmission. Pathogens interact closely with other coexisting bacteria within the insect, and interactions between co-occurring bacteria may influence the vector competency of the parasite. Interactions between particular lineages can be explored through measures of alpha-diversity. Furthermore, general patterns of bacterial community assembly can be explored through measures of beta-diversity. Here, we use pyrosequencing (n=115,924 16S rRNA gene sequences) to describe the bacterial communities of 230 prairie dog fleas sampled across space and time. We use these communinty characterizations to assess interactions between dominant community members and to explore general patterns of bacterial community assembly in fleas. An analysis of co-occurrence patterns suggests non-neutral negative interactions between dominant community members (Pspace (phylotype-based: R=0.418, Pspace and time.

Prevalence of depression and its correlates among undergraduates in Sri Lanka.

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Amarasuriya, Santushi Devini; Jorm, Anthony Francis; Reavley, Nicola Jane

2015-06-01

There is a dearth of mental health research on undergraduates in Sri Lanka. This study examines the prevalence of depression in a sample of Sri Lankan undergraduates, their exposure to threatening life events and the predictors of their depression. Responses of 4304 undergraduates were obtained on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and a measure of exposure to threatening life events, with binary logistic regression models used to identify the demographic and life event correlates of screening positive for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). PHQ-9 diagnoses of 'Major' and 'Other' depression were obtained by 9.3% and 13.5% of undergraduates, respectively. A higher likelihood of MDD was seen among those who were older and those living in hostels (compared to home), although no differences were seen between genders or those studying in different faculties. Likelihood of MDD was higher in undergraduates exposed to multiple threatening life events as well as those exposed to physical threat; family deaths; romantic break-ups; a problem with a close associate; educational difficulties; unemployment and domestic violence, and among male undergraduates harassed by another student. MDD is prevalent in these undergraduates and universities need to develop services to assist them. Such services may also need to focus on supporting those who have experienced threatening life events, particularly those that arise as a result of being an undergraduate, as these may increase the risk of MDD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burnout in premedical undergraduate students.

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Fang, Daniel Z; Fang, Daniel; Young, Christina B; Young, Christina; Golshan, Shah; Moutier, Christine; Zisook, Sidney

2012-01-01

There has been growing recognition that medical students, interns, residents and practicing physicians across many specialties are prone to burnout, with recent studies linking high rates of burnout to adverse mental health issues. Little is known about the trajectory and origins of burnout or whether its roots may be traced to earlier in medical training, specifically, during undergraduate studies. Here, the authors surveyed undergraduates at UC San Diego (UCSD) to assess the relationship of burnout to premedical status while controlling for depression severity. Undergraduate students at UCSD were invited to participate in a web-based survey, consisting of demographic questions; the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey (MBI-SS), which gauged the three dimensions of burnout; and the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), to assess depression severity. A total of 618 premedical students and 1,441 non-premedical students completed the questionnaire. Premedical students had greater depression severity and emotional exhaustion than non-premedical students, but they also exhibited a greater sense of personal efficacy. The burnout differences were persistent even after adjusting for depression. Also, premedical women and Hispanic students had especially high levels of burnout, although differences between groups became nonsignificant after accounting for depression. Despite the limitations of using a burnout questionnaire not specifically normed for undergraduates, the unique ethnic characteristics of the sample, and the uncertain response rate, the findings highlight the importance of recognizing the unique strains and mental health disturbances that may be more common among premedical students than non-premedical students. Results also underscore the close relationship between depression and burnout, and point the way for subsequent longitudinal, multi-institutional studies that could help identify opportunities for prevention and intervention.

Oral Samples as Non-Invasive Proxies for Assessing the Composition of the Rumen Microbial Community.

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Ilma Tapio

Full Text Available Microbial community analysis was carried out on ruminal digesta obtained directly via rumen fistula and buccal fluid, regurgitated digesta (bolus and faeces of dairy cattle to assess if non-invasive samples could be used as proxies for ruminal digesta. Samples were collected from five cows receiving grass silage based diets containing no additional lipid or four different lipid supplements in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. Extracted DNA was analysed by qPCR and by sequencing 16S and 18S rRNA genes or the fungal ITS1 amplicons. Faeces contained few protozoa, and bacterial, fungal and archaeal communities were substantially different to ruminal digesta. Buccal and bolus samples gave much more similar profiles to ruminal digesta, although fewer archaea were detected in buccal and bolus samples. Bolus samples overall were most similar to ruminal samples. The differences between both buccal and bolus samples and ruminal digesta were consistent across all treatments. It can be concluded that either proxy sample type could be used as a predictor of the rumen microbial community, thereby enabling more convenient large-scale animal sampling for phenotyping and possible use in future animal breeding programs aimed at selecting cattle with a lower environmental footprint.

Engaging Undergraduates in Economics

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Gajwani, Kiran; Miron, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Siegfried and Stock (2007) explore the undergraduate training of PhD economists. Their findings show that among U.S. undergraduate economics programs, the Harvard University Economics Department produces many eventual economics PhD recipients. In this article, the authors discuss Harvard's undergraduate economics program and highlight some key…

Lessons from the Labor Organizing Community and Health Project: Meeting the Challenges of Student Engagement in Community Based Participatory Research

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Allison, Juliann Emmons; Khan, Tabassum; Reese, Ellen; Dobias, Becca Spence; Struna, Jason

2015-01-01

Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) provides opportunities for scholars and students to respond directly to community needs; students also practice critical thinking, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills necessary for professional life and engaged citizenship. The challenges of involving undergraduate students in CBPR include…

The impacts and "best practices" of undergraduate - graduate student mentoring relationships in undergraduate research experiences

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Campanile, Megan Faurot

With the growth of undergraduate research in the U.S., over the past two decades, faculty are more often assigning graduate students to mentor undergraduate students than providing the one-on-one mentoring themselves. A critical gap that exists in the literature is how undergraduate -- graduate student mentoring relationships in undergraduate research influences both students' academic and career paths. The research questions that framed this study were: (1) What, if any, changes occur in the academic and career paths of undergraduate and graduate students who participate in undergraduate research experiences? and (2) Are there variables that constitute "best practices" in the mentoring relationships in undergraduate research experiences and, if so, what are they? The study context was the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Illinois Institute of Technology and the 113 undergraduate researchers and 31 graduate student mentors who participated from 2006 -- 2014. Surveys and interviews were administered to collect pre- and post-program data and follow-up data during the 2014 -- 2015 academic year. Descriptive statistics, content analysis method, and constant comparative method were used to analyze the data. Key findings on the undergraduate researchers were their actual earned graduate degree types (Ph.D. 20%, M.D. 20%, M.S. 48%, other 12%) and fields (STEM 57%, medical 35%, other 8%) and the careers they were pursuing or working in. All the graduate student mentors were pursuing or working in the STEM fields (academia 50%, industry 40%, government 10%). More than 75% of both the undergraduate and graduate students reported that their mentoring relationships had a somewhat to extremely influential impact on their academic and career paths. A set of "best practices" of mentoring were developed for both the undergraduate and graduate students and focused on the mentoring experiences related to learning and teaching about

Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research with URSSA, the Undergraduate Student Self-Assessment Instrument

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Laursen, S. L.; Weston, T. J.; Thiry, H.

2012-12-01

URSSA is the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, an online survey instrument for programs and departments to use in assessing the student outcomes of undergraduate research (UR). URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. The online questionnaire includes both multiple-choice and open-ended items that focus on students' gains from undergraduate research. These gains include skills, knowledge, deeper understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science, growth in confidence, changes in identity, and career preparation. Other items probe students' participation in important research-related activities that lead to these gains (e.g. giving presentations, having responsibility for a project). These activities, and the gains themselves, are based in research and thus constitute a core set of items. Using these items as a group helps to align a particular program assessment with research-demonstrated outcomes. Optional items may be used to probe particular features that are augment the research experience (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The URSSA items are based on extensive, interview-based research and evaluation work on undergraduate research by our group and others. This grounding in research means that URSSA measures what we know to be important about the UR experience The items were tested with students, revised and re-tested. Data from a large pilot sample of over 500 students enabled statistical testing of the items' validity and reliability. Optional items about UR program elements were developed in consultation with UR program developers and leaders. The resulting instrument is flexible. Users begin with a set of core items, then customize their survey with optional items to probe students' experiences of specific program elements. The online instrument is free and easy to use, with numeric results available as raw data, summary statistics, cross-tabs, and

Seroincidence of non-typhoid Salmonella infections: convenience vs. random community-based sampling.

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Emborg, H-D; Simonsen, J; Jørgensen, C S; Harritshøj, L H; Krogfelt, K A; Linneberg, A; Mølbak, K

2016-01-01

The incidence of reported infections of non-typhoid Salmonella is affected by biases inherent to passive laboratory surveillance, whereas analysis of blood sera may provide a less biased alternative to estimate the force of Salmonella transmission in humans. We developed a mathematical model that enabled a back-calculation of the annual seroincidence of Salmonella based on measurements of specific antibodies. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroincidence in two convenience samples from 2012 (Danish blood donors, n = 500, and pregnant women, n = 637) and a community-based sample of healthy individuals from 2006 to 2007 (n = 1780). The lowest antibody levels were measured in the samples from the community cohort and the highest in pregnant women. The annual Salmonella seroincidences were 319 infections/1000 pregnant women [90% credibility interval (CrI) 210-441], 182/1000 in blood donors (90% CrI 85-298) and 77/1000 in the community cohort (90% CrI 45-114). Although the differences between study populations decreased when accounting for different age distributions the estimates depend on the study population. It is important to be aware of this issue and define a certain population under surveillance in order to obtain consistent results in an application of serological measures for public health purposes.

Science Café Course: An Innovative Means of Improving Communication Skills of Undergraduate Biology Majors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Goldina

2013-12-01

Full Text Available To help bridge the increasing gap between scientists and the public, we developed an innovative two-semester course, called Science Café. In this course undergraduate biology majors learn to develop communication skills to be better able to explain science concepts and current developments in science to non-scientists. Students develop and host outreach events on various topics relevant to the community, thereby increasing interactions between budding scientists and the public. Such a Science Cafe course emphasizes development of science communication skills early, at the undergraduate level and empowers students to use their science knowledge in every day interactions with the public to increase science literacy, get involved in the local community and engage the public in a dialogue on various pressing science issues. We believe that undergraduate science majors can be great ambassadors for science and are often overlooked since many aspire to go on to medical/veterinary/pharmacy schools. However, science communication skills are especially important for these types of students because when they become healthcare professionals, they will interact with the public as part of their everyday jobs and can thus be great representatives for the field.

The Effect of Stereotype Threat on Undergraduates in AN Introductory Astronomy Class

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Hufnagel, Beth; Deming, Grace L.; Landato, Janet M.; Hodari, Apriel K.

This quantitative study tests the hypothesis that undergraduates taking an introductory astronomy class for nonscience majors are susceptible to stereotype threat (ST). The Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT), a conceptual survey designed for introductory astronomy classes, was administered pre- and postcourse to two pairs (control and threatened) of the same class taught by the same professors, one pair at a public, suburban community college and the other pair at a large, state research university. One class of each pair was threatened postcourse by telling the students that their gender mattered on the ADT. The results showed no ST effect on the women in the university class. The college women underperformed and the men overperformed at a low statistical significance. The authors infer that Steele's requirement for domain identification as a condition is also required to strongly invoke ST for this sample of nonscience students.

Motivational Orientation and Burnout among Undergraduate College Students

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Pisarik, Christopher T.

2009-01-01

This study examined the relationships among motivational orientations based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000b) and burnout among undergraduate college students. A sample of 191 university students was administered the "Academic Motivation Scale" (Vallerand et al., 1992) and the "Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student…

Academic Dishonesty of Undergraduates: Methods of Cheating

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Witherspoon, Michelle; Maldonado, Nancy; Lacey, Candace H.

2010-01-01

This study examined the frequency of engagement in academic dishonesty among undergraduate students at a large urban college and also explored the use of traditional cheating methods and contemporary cheating methods to determine various forms of cheating, the number of times students cheat, and the number of ways students cheat. The sample was…

Neighbourhood as community: A qualitative descriptive study of nursing students' experiences of community health nursing.

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Babenko-Mould, Yolanda; Ferguson, Karen; Atthill, Stephanie

2016-03-01

Explore the use of a neighbourhood practice placement with nursing students to gain insight into how the experience influenced their learning and how the reconceptualization of community can be a model for students' professional development. The integration of community health nursing competencies in undergraduate nursing education is a critical element of student development. Neighbourhood placements have been found to support development of such competencies by exposing students to issues such as culture, social justice, partnership, and community development. A qualitative design was used with a sample of 48 Year 3 baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing practice course. Students submitted reflective reviews where they responded to questions and subsequently participated in focus groups. Meaning making of narrative data took place using the descriptive qualitative analysis approach. Students became more self-directed learners and developed team process skills. Some found it challenging to adapt to a role outside of the traditional acute care context. Nursing practice in a neighbourhood context requires students to be innovative and creative in problem-solving and relationship building. The placement also requires neighbourhood liaison persons who are adept at helping students bridge the theory-practice gap. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The hidden curriculum in undergraduate medical education: qualitative study of medical students' perceptions of teaching.

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Lempp, Heidi; Seale, Clive

2004-10-02

To study medical students' views about the quality of the teaching they receive during their undergraduate training, especially in terms of the hidden curriculum. Semistructured interviews with individual students. One medical school in the United Kingdom. 36 undergraduate medical students, across all stages of their training, selected by random and quota sampling, stratified by sex and ethnicity, with the whole medical school population as a sampling frame. Medical students' experiences and perceptions of the quality of teaching received during their undergraduate training. Students reported many examples of positive role models and effective, approachable teachers, with valued characteristics perceived according to traditional gendered stereotypes. They also described a hierarchical and competitive atmosphere in the medical school, in which haphazard instruction and teaching by humiliation occur, especially during the clinical training years. Following on from the recent reforms of the manifest curriculum, the hidden curriculum now needs attention to produce the necessary fundamental changes in the culture of undergraduate medical education.

Project Kaleidoscope: Advancing What Works in Undergraduate STEM Education

Science.gov (United States)

Elrod, S.

2011-12-01

In 1989, Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) published its first report, What Works: Building Natural Science Communities, on reforming undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. Since then, PKAL has grown into a national organization comprised of a diverse group of over 6500 STEM educators who are committed to advancing "what works." The PKAL mission is to be a national leader in catalyzing the efforts of people, institutions, organizations and networks to move from analysis to action in significantly improving undergraduate student learning and achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Specifically, PKAL's strategic goals are to: 1) Promote the development and wider use of evidence-based teaching, learning and assessment approaches, 2) Build individual and organizational capacity to lead change in STEM education, and 3) Engage the broader community of external stakeholders - professional and disciplinary societies, business and industry groups, accreditation organizations, educational associations, governmental agencies, philanthropic organizations - in achieving our mission. PKAL achieves these goals by serving as the nexus of an interconnected and multidisciplinary web of people, ideas, strategies, evidence and resources focused on systemic change in undergraduate STEM education. PKAL also provides resources on critical issues, such as teaching using pedagogies of engagement, and engages interested faculty, campuses and professional societies in national projects and programs focused on cutting edge issues in STEM education. One of these projects - Mobilizing Disciplinary Societies for a Sustainable Future - is engaging eleven disciplinary societies, including the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, in defining specific resources, faculty development programs and goals focused on promoting undergraduate STEM courses that: 1) provide more knowledge about real-world issues; 2) connect these real

Internet Relationships: Building Learning Communities through Friendship

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Bikowski, Dawn

2007-01-01

The experiences of students in an online learning community were explored in this qualitative case study using social presence theory as an interpretive lens. Participants included five undergraduate students in a certificate program at a large Midwestern university. Students who felt a sense of community online most highly valued the friendship…

Evaluating distributed medical education: what are the community's expectations?

Science.gov (United States)

Lovato, Chris; Bates, Joanna; Hanlon, Neil; Snadden, David

2009-05-01

This study aimed to explore community members' perceptions of present and future impacts of the implementation of an undergraduate medical education programme in an underserved community. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight key informants representing the health, education, business, economy, media and political sectors. A two-stage approach was used. In the first stage, the interviews were analysed to identify sector-specific impacts informants perceived as already occurring or which they hoped to see in the future. The transcripts were then re-analysed to determine any underlying themes that crossed sectors. Community leaders described impacts that were already occurring in all sectors and also described changes in the community itself. Four underlying themes emerged: an increase in pride and status; partnership development; community self-efficacy, and community development. These underlying themes appear to characterise the development of social capital in the community. The implementation of distributed undergraduate medical education programmes in rural and underserved communities may impact their host communities in ways other than the production of a rural doctor workforce. Further studies to quantify impacts in diverse sectors and to explore possible links with social capital are needed.

Male and Female Undergraduates Perceptions of Integration and Interaction: Optimism versus Pessimism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aysen Bakioglu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This study examines undergraduate students’ perceptions of interaction with regards to gender. The study sits within thequantitative paradigm and offers a holistic analysis of student integration in which the complexity of integration was revealedthrough the inter-relations of gender. Two public universities in two big cities were chosen as the sample. These universitieshad common characteristics with regards to faculties, number of students, year of foundation and physical standards. Genderdifferences in integration noted by 3500 students constituted the sample group. The young male and females who comprisedthe sample for this study, which was expected to represent an undergraduate population that might be found at any largepublic university at a developing country. Results showed that students had integration and interaction concerns in general inpublic universities in the sample group. However females were significantly higher on communication related dimensions

Designing and Implementing a Unique Website Design Project in an Undergraduate Course

Science.gov (United States)

Kontos, George

2016-01-01

The following paper describes a distinctive collaborative service-learning project done in an undergraduate class on web design. In this project, students in a web design class contacted local community non-profit organizations to create websites (collections of web pages) to benefit these organizations. The two phases of creating a website,…

Developing Effective Undergraduate Research Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Michael; Ilie, Carolina C.

2011-03-01

Undergraduate research is a valuable educational tool for students pursuing a degree in physics, but these experiences can become problematic and ineffective if not handled properly. Undergraduate research should be planned as an immersive learning experience in which the student has the opportunity to develop his/her skills in accordance with their interests. Effective undergraduate research experiences are marked by clear, measurable objectives and frequent student-professor collaboration. These objectives should reflect the long and short-term goals of the individual undergraduates, with a heightened focus on developing research skills for future use. 1. Seymour, E., Hunter, A.-B., Laursen, S. L. and DeAntoni, T. (2004), ``Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three-year study''. Science Education, 88: 493--534. 2. Behar-Horenstein, Linda S., Johnson, Melissa L. ``Enticing Students to Enter Into Undergraduate Research: The Instrumentality of an Undergraduate Course.'' Journal of College Science Teaching 39.3 (2010): 62-70.

GigaPan Technology to Enhance In-Class and In-Field Learning in Community College Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Villalobos, J. I.; Bentley, C.

2014-12-01

Community college students account for over 40% of all undergraduates in the United States as well as the majority of minority and non-traditional students attending undergraduate courses. Implementing innovative, cost effective, and formative pedagogies to the diverse backgrounds of students that typically enroll at a community is often a challenge. Interactive pedagogies in geology pose a unique challenge considering that students gain the most long-term knowledge when topics covered in a course are exposed to them in outdoor settings where they are allowed to explore and make connections. The ability to expose students to real world examples is challenging to many community college faculty considering that that many; lack funds or means for transportation of students, do not have administrative support on such endeavors, teach evening or night classes, or have a high percentage of students who are physically limited or have obligations to work and family. A joint collaborative between El Paso Community College (EPCC) and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has explored the usage of GigaPan technology to create multi-layered online material to minimize these issues faced by many community college faculty and students. The primary layer of the online material is GigaPans of local geological sites that highlight large-scale structures in the El Paso, Texas region that are commonly used in local field trips and lab book material. The second layer is of Macro-GigaPans of hand samples of key outcrops from the primarily GigaPans which facilitate student learning, exploration, and ability to make connections by exploring smaller scale features of the primary layer. A third layer of online material, GigaPans of thin sections of hand samples (from secondary layers), and curriculum based on the GigaPans was then created to assist students in evaluating proposed hypotheses on the primary layers' geological origin. GigaPan cirriculum was utilized in introductory

A Longitudinal Study of Financial Difficulties and Mental Health in a National Sample of British Undergraduate Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Thomas; Elliott, Peter; Roberts, Ron; Jansen, Megan

2017-04-01

Previous research has shown a relationship between financial difficulties and poor mental health in students, but most research is cross-sectional. To examine longitudinal relationships over time between financial variables and mental health in students. A national sample of 454 first year British undergraduate students completed measures of mental health and financial variables at up to four time points across a year. Cross-sectional relationships were found between poorer mental health and female gender, having a disability and non-white ethnicity. Greater financial difficulties predicted greater depression and stress cross-sectionally, and also predicted poorer anxiety, global mental health and alcohol dependence over time. Depression worsened over time for those who had considered abandoning studies or not coming to university for financial reasons, and there were effects for how students viewed their student loan. Anxiety and alcohol dependence also predicted worsening financial situation suggesting a bi-directional relationship. Financial difficulties appear to lead to poor mental health in students with the possibility of a vicious cycle occurring.

Patchiness of Ciliate Communities Sampled at Varying Spatial Scales along the New England Shelf.

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Jean-David Grattepanche

Full Text Available Although protists (microbial eukaryotes provide an important link between bacteria and Metazoa in food webs, we do not yet have a clear understanding of the spatial scales on which protist diversity varies. Here, we use a combination of DNA fingerprinting (denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis or DGGE and high-throughput sequencing (HTS to assess the ciliate community in the class Spirotrichea at varying scales of 1-3 km sampled in three locations separated by at least 25 km-offshore, midshelf and inshore-along the New England shelf. Analyses of both abundant community (DGGE and the total community (HTS members reveal that: 1 ciliate communities are patchily distributed inshore (i.e. the middle station of a transect is distinct from its two neighboring stations, whereas communities are more homogeneous among samples within the midshelf and offshore stations; 2 a ciliate closely related to Pelagostrobilidium paraepacrum 'blooms' inshore and; 3 environmental factors may differentially impact the distributions of individual ciliates (i.e. OTUs rather than the community as a whole as OTUs tend to show distinct biogeographies (e.g. some OTUs are restricted to the offshore locations, some to the surface, etc.. Together, these data show the complexity underlying the spatial distributions of marine protists, and suggest that biogeography may be a property of ciliate species rather than communities.

Sleep and Academic Performance in Undergraduates: A Multi-measure, Multi-predictor Approach

OpenAIRE

Gomes, Ana Allen; Tavares, José; de Azevedo, Maria Helena P.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the associations of sleep patterns with multiple measures of academic achievement of undergraduate university students and tested whether sleep variables emerged as significant predictors of subsequent academic performance when other potential predictors, such as class attendance, time devoted to study, and substance use are considered. A sample of 1654 (55% female) full-time undergraduates 17 to 25 yrs of age responded to a self-response questionnaire on sleep, aca...

A narrative review of undergraduate peer-based healthcare ethics teaching.

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Hindmarch, Thomas; Allikmets, Silvia; Knights, Felicity

2015-12-12

This study explores the literature in establishing the value of undergraduate peer-based healthcare ethics teaching as an educational methodology. A narrative review of the literature concerning peer-based ethics teaching was conducted. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS databases, and the Cochrane Library, were systematically searched for studies of peer-based ethics or professionalism teaching. Selected studies related peer-based teaching to ethics education outcomes. Ten publications were identified. Selected studies were varied in their chosen intervention methodology and analysis. Collectively, the identified studies suggest peer-based ethics education is an effective and valued educational methodology in training healthcare professionals. One paper suggests peer-based ethics teaching has advantages over traditional didactic methods. Peer-based ethics teaching also receives positive feedback from student participants. However, the limited literature base demonstrates a clear need for more evaluation of this pedagogy. The current literature base suggests that undergraduate peer based healthcare ethics teaching is valuable in terms of efficacy and student satisfaction. We conclude that the medical community should invest in further study in order to capitalise upon the potential of peer-based ethics teaching in undergraduate healthcare education.

Impaired theory of mind in first-episode schizophrenia: comparison with community, university and depressed controls.

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Kettle, Jonathan W L; O'Brien-Simpson, Laurie; Allen, Nicholas B

2008-02-01

First order theory of mind, as measured by the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test' Revised, is impaired in schizophrenia. However, no study has investigated whether this occurs in first-episode schizophrenia. Also, it is unclear whether such a deficit is specific to schizophrenia, and whether convenience control samples, particularly undergraduate university students, represent valid comparison groups. This study investigated theory of mind ability, measured by the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test' Revised, in a group of first-episode schizophrenia outpatients (n=13) and three control groups: outpatients with non-psychotic major depression (n=14), individuals from the general community (n=16) and from an undergraduate university course (n=27). The schizophrenia group exhibited significant theory of mind impairments compared to both non-psychiatric control groups but not the depression group. Unexpectedly, the depression group was not significantly impaired compared to the community control group, and the university control group exhibited superior theory of mind ability relative to all three groups. The findings indicate theory of mind deficits in first episode schizophrenia and support the implementation of theory of mind interventions in first-episode schizophrenia treatment programs. Results also indicate that community rather than university control groups represent more valid comparison groups in first-episode schizophrenia research.

The Effect of Peer Teaching on Mathematics Academic Achievement of the Undergraduate Students in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelkarim, Ra'ed; Abuiyada, Reem

2016-01-01

This study explored the effects of peer teaching on mathematics academic achievement of the undergraduate students in Oman. The sample of this study composed of (32) undergraduate female students enrolled in the course, "Mathematics for Social Sciences I" in Mathematics and Sciences Unit in Dhofar University in spring semester 2014-2015.…

The Prevalence of ADHD-Like Symptoms in a Community Sample

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Alloway, Tracy; Elliott, Julian; Holmes, Joni

2010-01-01

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence of ADHD symptoms in a community sample of children in the United Kingdom. Method: There were 964 ten year olds (55% boys; M = 10.4 years; SD = 0.6) from mainstream schools in the United Kingdom in this study. The ADHD Rating Scale-IV, which provides ratings on the frequency of…

Academic program models for undergraduate biomedical engineering.

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Krishnan, Shankar M

2014-01-01

There is a proliferation of medical devices across the globe for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. Biomedical engineering (BME) plays a significant role in healthcare and advancing medical technologies thus creating a substantial demand for biomedical engineers at undergraduate and graduate levels. There has been a surge in undergraduate programs due to increasing demands from the biomedical industries to cover many of their segments from bench to bedside. With the requirement of multidisciplinary training within allottable duration, it is indeed a challenge to design a comprehensive standardized undergraduate BME program to suit the needs of educators across the globe. This paper's objective is to describe three major models of undergraduate BME programs and their curricular requirements, with relevant recommendations to be applicable in institutions of higher education located in varied resource settings. Model 1 is based on programs to be offered in large research-intensive universities with multiple focus areas. The focus areas depend on the institution's research expertise and training mission. Model 2 has basic segments similar to those of Model 1, but the focus areas are limited due to resource constraints. In this model, co-op/internship in hospitals or medical companies is included which prepares the graduates for the work place. In Model 3, students are trained to earn an Associate Degree in the initial two years and they are trained for two more years to be BME's or BME Technologists. This model is well suited for the resource-poor countries. All three models must be designed to meet applicable accreditation requirements. The challenges in designing undergraduate BME programs include manpower, facility and funding resource requirements and time constraints. Each academic institution has to carefully analyze its short term and long term requirements. In conclusion, three models for BME programs are described based on large universities, colleges, and

Learning analytics for smart campus: Data on academic performances of engineering undergraduates in Nigerian private university.

Science.gov (United States)

Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Badejo, Joke A; John, Temitope M; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Omole, David O

2018-04-01

Empirical measurement, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of learning outcomes in higher institutions of developing countries may lead to sustainable education in the region. In this data article, data about the academic performances of undergraduates that studied engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria are presented and analyzed. A total population sample of 1841 undergraduates that studied Chemical Engineering (CHE), Civil Engineering (CVE), Computer Engineering (CEN), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mechanical Engineering (MEE), and Petroleum Engineering (PET) within the year range of 2002-2014 are randomly selected. For the five-year study period of engineering program, Grade Point Average (GPA) and its cumulative value of each of the sample were obtained from the Department of Student Records and Academic Affairs. In order to encourage evidence-based research in learning analytics, detailed datasets are made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file attached to this article. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the academic performance data are presented in tables and graphs for easy data interpretations. In addition, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to determine whether the variations in the academic performances are significant across the seven engineering programs. The data provided in this article will assist the global educational research community and regional policy makers to understand and optimize the learning environment towards the realization of smart campuses and sustainable education.

Factors Affecting Learning Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: Cross-Sectional Survey

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Linu Sara George

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nursing education expects the students to be competent enough to render quality care for their patients in hospital as well as community setting. To reach the level of expected competency, the students must undergo vigorous training during their undergraduate education. The learning experience of the students is influenced by many factors. Aim: To identify the factors, affecting learning as perceived by the students. Materials and Methods: This descriptive survey was conducted among 414 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in selected Nursing Colleges. Background information was collected using Demographic Proforma and the factors affecting learning were identified using Likert Scale. Factors were identified by exploratory factor analysis using extraction method of principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Results: Majority (73.7% of the samples were between 22-25 years of age, 93.2% were females, most (38.9% were studying in the fourth year of nursing, 50% of the students enrolled in the study had chosen nursing as a career due to job security in future, 58.7% students did not spent time every day for their studies and majority (89.1% had English as their medium of instruction in Pre-university college. Factor analysis identified five factors (Learning environment, Supportive services, Teacher characteristics, Learner challenges and Personal factors that affect the student learning. Conclusion: From the present study it can be concluded that perception of students do have an influence on factors affecting learning. The study findings will help the faculty members to bring in changes for the best learning outcome.

Child maltreatment, revictimization and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among adults in a community sample

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dos Santos Dias, A.M.; Sales, L.; Mooren, G.T.M.; Mota Cardoso, R.; Kleber, R.J.

2017-01-01

Background/Objective: Childhood maltreatment (CM) has been associated with revictimization and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, this relation is hardly examined in South European countries, and in community samples. We tested these associations in a convenience sample of 1,200

Membrane biofouling characterization: effects of sample preparation procedures on biofilm structure and the microbial community

KAUST Repository

Xue, Zheng

2014-07-15

Ensuring the quality and reproducibility of results from biofilm structure and microbial community analysis is essential to membrane biofouling studies. This study evaluated the impacts of three sample preparation factors (ie number of buffer rinses, storage time at 4°C, and DNA extraction method) on the downstream analysis of nitrifying biofilms grown on ultrafiltration membranes. Both rinse and storage affected biofilm structure, as suggested by their strong correlation with total biovolume, biofilm thickness, roughness and the spatial distribution of EPS. Significant variations in DNA yields and microbial community diversity were also observed among samples treated by different rinses, storage and DNA extraction methods. For the tested biofilms, two rinses, no storage and DNA extraction with both mechanical and chemical cell lysis from attached biofilm were the optimal sample preparation procedures for obtaining accurate information about biofilm structure, EPS distribution and the microbial community. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Undergraduate Students Attıtudes towards Educatıonal Uses of Internet

OpenAIRE

Usun, Salih

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of undergraduate students towards the educational uses of the Internet. A 27-item questionnaire was administered to 207 undergraduate students at the Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies Education (CITE) of the Faculty of Education of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University during the fall 2002 semester. The five items that met with the strongest agreement from the sample were the following: 1- The Internet is as important as ...

NSF-Sponsored Summit on the Future of Undergraduate Geoscience Education: outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Mosher, S.

2014-12-01

The NSF-sponsored Summit on the Future of Undergraduate Geoscience Education made major progress toward developing a collective community vision for the geosciences. A broad spectrum of the geoscience education community, ~200 educators from research universities/four and two year colleges, focused on preparation of undergraduates for graduate school and future geoscience careers, pedagogy, use of technology, broadening participation/retention of underrepresented groups, and preparation of K-12 science teachers. Participants agreed that key concepts, competencies and skills learned throughout the curriculum were more important than specific courses. Concepts included understanding Earth as complex, dynamic system, deep time, evolution of life, natural resources, energy, hazards, hydrogeology, surface processes, Earth materials and structure, and climate change. Skills/competencies included ability to think spatially and temporally, reason inductively and deductively, make and use indirect observations, engage in complex open, coupled systems thinking, and work with uncertainty, non-uniqueness, and incompleteness, as well as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and ability to think like a scientist and continue to learn. Successful ways of developing these include collaborative, integrative projects involving teams, interdisciplinary projects, fieldwork and research experiences, as well as flipped classrooms and integration and interactive use of technology, including visualization, simulation, modeling and analysis of real data. Wider adoption of proven, effective best practices is our communities' main pedagogical challenge, and we focused on identifying implementation barriers. Preparation of future teachers in introductory and general geoscience courses by incorporating Next Generation Science Standards and using other sciences/math to solve real world geoscience problems should help increase diversity and number of future geoscientists and

The Border Community & Immigration Stress Scale: A Preliminary Examination of a Community Responsive Measure in Two Southwest Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Carvajal, Scott C.; Rosales, Cecilia; Rubio-Goldsmith, Raquel; Sabo, Samantha; Ingram, Maia; McClelland, Debra Jean; Redondo, Floribella; Torres, Emma; Romero, Andrea J.; Oleary, Anna Ochoa; Sanchez, Zoila; de Zapien, Jill Guernsey

2015-01-01

Background Understanding contemporary socio-cultural stressors may assist educational, clinical and policy-level health promotion efforts. This study presents descriptive findings on a new measure, the Border Community & Immigration Stress Scale (BCISS). Methods The data were from two community surveys as part of community based participatory projects conducted in the Southwestern US border region. This scale includes stressful experiences reflected in extant measures, with new items reflecting heightened local migration pressures and health care barriers. Results Stressors representing each main domain, including novel ones, were reported with frequency and at high intensity in the predominantly Mexican-descent samples. Total stress was also significantly associated with mental and physical health indicators. Discussion The study suggests particularly high health burdens tied to the experience of stressors in the US border region. Further, many of the stressors are also likely relevant for other communities within developed nations also experiencing high levels of migration. PMID:22430894

The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR): Supporting Faculty that Mentor Undergraduate Researchers

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, L. K.; Guertin, L. A.; Manley, P. L.; Fortner, S. K.

2012-12-01

Undergraduate research is a proven effective pedagogy that has a number of benefits including: enhancing student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty; increasing retention; increasing enrollment in graduate programs; developing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and intellectual independence; and, developing an understanding of research methodology. Undergraduate research also has been demonstrated in preparing students for careers. In addition to developing disciplinary and technical expertise, participation in undergraduate research helps students improve communication skills (written, oral, and graphical) and time management. Early involvement in undergraduate research improves retention and, for those engaged at the 2YC level, helps students successfully transfers to 4YC. The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR) supports faculty in their development of undergraduate research programs at all levels. GeoCUR leads workshops for new and future faculty covering all aspects of undergraduate research including incorporating research into coursework, project design, mentoring students, sustaining programs, and funding sources. GeoCUR members support new faculty by providing a range of services including: peer-review of grant proposals; advice on establishing an undergraduate research program; balancing teaching and research demands; and networking with other geoscientist. GeoCUR has also developed web resources that support faculty and departments in development of undergraduate research programs (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html). This presentation will describe the services provided by GeoCUR and highlight examples of programs and resources available to geoscientists in all career stages for effective undergraduate research mentoring and development.

Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among the undergraduate physiotherapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Syed, Annosha; Ali, Syed Shazad; Khan, Muhammad

2018-01-01

To assess the frequency of Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DAS) among the undergraduate physiotherapy students. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in various Physiotherapy Institutes in Sindh, Pakistan among undergraduate physiotherapy students. The total duration of this study was 4 months from September, 2016 to January, 2017. Data was collected from 267 students with no physical and mental illness; more than half were female students 75.3%. They were selected through Non probability purposive sampling technique. A self-administered standardized DASS (depression, anxiety and stress scale) was used to collect data and result was analyzed using its severity rating index. Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics including the frequency of depression, anxiety, stress and demographic characteristic of the participant was collected. The mean age of students was 19.3371±1.18839 years. The Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress found among undergraduates Physiotherapy students was 48.0%, 68.54% and 53.2%, respectively. It was observed that the frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among physiotherapy undergraduates students were high. It suggests the urgent need of carrying out evidence based Psychological health promotion for undergraduate Physiotherapy students to control this growing problem.

Framing the Undergraduate Research Experience: Discovery Involvement in Retailing Undergraduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sternquist, Brenda; Huddleston, Patricia; Fairhurst, Ann

2018-01-01

We provide an overview of ways to involve undergraduate business and retailing students in faculty research projects and discuss advantages of these student-faculty collaborations. We use Kolb's experiential learning cycle to provide a framework for creating an effective and engaging undergraduate research experience and use it to classify types…

Tomorrow's nurse graduate, today: the change in undergraduate education.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon, John

This article argues for a new kind of nurse graduate, equipped for the global challenges to health in the 21st century. The author points to the correlation between the public health role of a nurse in the 19th century and community health patterns of modern times to justify the shape of a recently installed undergraduate nursing studies programme at the University of Lincoln. The universal adoption of a public health philosophy by nurses is shown to be mutually advantageous to practitioners, to practice and to service users alike. In addition to research into the health inequalities and the patient experience, theoretical frameworks of learning and social policy are resourced to give direction to future nurse education and leadership among vulnerable individuals, communities and groups.

Organization of an undergraduate research group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.; Noteboom, E.

1995-01-01

Traditionally, research groups consist of senior physicists, staff members, and graduate students. The physics department at Creighton University has formed a Relativistic Heavy Ion physics research group consisting primarily of undergraduate students. Although senior staff and graduate students are actively involved, undergraduate research and the education of undergraduates is the focus of the group. The presentation, given by two undergraduate members of the group, will outline progress made in the group's organization, discuss the benefits to the undergraduate group members, and speak to the balance which must be struck between education concerns and research goals

Conference report: Undergraduate family medicine and primary care training in Sub-Saharan Africa: Reflections of the PRIMAFAMED network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Innocent Besigye

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Internationally, there is a move towards strengthening primary healthcare systems and encouraging community-based and socially responsible education. The development of doctors with an interest in primary healthcare and family medicine in the African region should begin during undergraduate training. Over the last few years, attention has been given to the development of postgraduate training in family medicine in the African region, but little attention has been given to undergraduate training. This article reports on the 8th PRIMAFAMED (Primary Care and Family Medicine Education network meeting held in Nairobi from 21 to 24 May 2016. At this meeting the delegates spent time presenting and discussing the current state of undergraduate training at 18 universities in the region and shared lessons on how to successfully implement undergraduate training. This article reports on the rationale for, information presented, process followed and conclusions reached at the conference.

An Examination of Undergraduates' Metacognitive Strategies in Pre-Class Asynchronous Activity in a Flipped Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Rabia M.; Baydas, Ozlem

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine undergraduate students' awareness of metacognition, the metacognitive strategies they use in their learning and their learning performance in pre-class asynchronous activity in a flipped classroom. The sample consisted of 47 undergraduate students. Eleven students were not included in this study since they did…

Improving Climate Change Communication Skills through Community Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hanrahan, J.

2015-12-01

While many undergraduate Atmospheric Science departments are expanding their curriculums to focus on the science of climate change, often overlooked is the need to educate students about how this topic can be effectively communicated to others. It has become increasingly difficult for young scientists to comfortably discuss this polarizing topic with people outside of the classroom. To address this, Atmospheric Science faculty at Lyndon State College are providing undergraduate students the opportunity to practice this important skill by reaching out to the local community. Over the past year, students have been meeting regularly to discuss climate change and its impacts, and to present this information to the general public at local schools and organizations. The group was organized with the primary goal of teaching undergraduate students about effective ways to communicate basic climate science to nonscientists, but to also improve public understanding of anthropogenic climate change while starting a conversation among young people in the community. We will identify lessons learned after one year, discuss effective strategies, and summarize student feedback.

Pursuing an Ethical, Socially Just Classroom: Searching for Community Psychology Pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lichty, Lauren F; Palamaro-Munsell, Eylin

2017-12-01

Discussions of community psychology (CP) ethics often examine how we might best uphold CP values in community-based practice. However, for many community psychologists in faculty positions, our main domain of practice is the undergraduate classroom. Teaching is essential to the growth and sustainability of our field as prospective students tend to discover CP during their undergraduate studies. University-based work is also a key site of CP practice. Universities are contested spaces where interlocking forms of oppression manifest in many ways, including teaching (e.g., what is taught, how, by whom, to whom). CP values compel us to treat our classrooms as more than just information transmission spaces; just as there is no value-neutral research, there is no value-neutral course content or classroom practice. This first-person narrative explores ethical issues that arise when we put CP values, specifically social justice, respect for diversity, participation, and wellness, in conversation with pedagogical best practices and course content in higher education. It presents interrelated ethical dilemmas and the authors' conflicted responses. We conclude with a four-part call to the field for dedicated scholarly spaces and supports focused on the development and study of undergraduate CP pedagogy. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience†

Science.gov (United States)

Schalk, Kelly A.; McGinnis, J. Randy; Harring, Jeffrey R.; Hendrickson, Amy; Smith, Ann C.

2009-01-01

There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA) experience and suggest that students who participate as a UTA obtain benefits analogous to those who participate as an undergraduate research assistant (URA). We examined the experiences of 24 undergraduates acting as UTAs in a general microbiology course. Self-reported gains by the UTAs were supported by observational data from undergraduates in the course who were mentored by the UTAs and by the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) with whom the UTAs worked. Specifically, data from the UTAs’ journals and self-reported Likert scales and rubrics indicated that our teaching assistants developed professional characteristics such as self-confidence and communication and leadership skills, while they acquired knowledge of microbiology content and laboratory skills. Data from the undergraduate Likert scale as well as the pre- and post-GTA rubrics further confirmed our UTA’s data interpretations. These findings are significant because they offer empirical data to support the suggestion that the UTA experience is an effective option for developing skills and knowledge in undergraduates that are essential for careers in science. The UTA experience provides a valuable alternative to the URA experience. PMID:23653688

The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Experience Offers Opportunities Similar to the Undergraduate Research Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly A. Schalk

2009-12-01

Full Text Available There has been a growing concern in higher education about our failure to produce scientifically trained workers and scientifically literate citizens. Active-learning and research-oriented activities are posited as ways to give students a deeper understanding of science. We report on an undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA experience and suggest that students who participate as a UTA obtain benefits analogous to those who participate as an undergraduate research assistant (URA. We examined the experiences of 24 undergraduates acting as UTAs in a general microbiology course. Self-reported gains by the UTAs were supported by observational data from undergraduates in the course who were mentored by the UTAs and by the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs with whom the UTAs worked. Specifically, data from the UTAs’ journals and self-reported Likert scales and rubrics indicated that our teaching assistants developed professional characteristics such as self-confidence and communication and leadership skills, while they acquired knowledge of microbiology content and laboratory skills. Data from the undergraduate Likert scale as well as the pre- and post-GTA rubrics further confirmed our UTA’s data interpretations. These findings are significant because they offer empirical data to support the suggestion that the UTA experience is an effective option for developing skills and knowledge in undergraduates that are essential for careers in science. The UTA experience provides a valuable alternative to the URA experience.

The Faculties of Pharmacy Schools Should Make an Effort to Network with Community Pharmacies.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushita, Ryo

2016-01-01

By law, medical faculties are mandated to have a designated partner hospital for the purposes of student practical training. In contrast, pharmacy faculties do not have such a legal requirement for student training in a community pharmacy setting. Nevertheless, there are several public and private universities that do have community pharmacies. However, there is no national university that has established both an educational hospital and a community pharmacy. When Kanazawa University (KU) established a graduate school with a clinical pharmacy course, the faculty of KU deemed it necessary to set up an independent community pharmacy for the purpose of practical training. Thus, in 2003, the Acanthus Pharmacy was set up as the first educational community pharmacy in Japan, managed by a nonprofit organization, with the permission of the Ishikawa Pharmaceutical Association and local community pharmacists. Since that time, Acanthus has managed a clinical pharmacy practice for students from both the undergraduate and graduate schools of KU. From 2006, the undergraduate pharmacy program was changed to a 6-year program, and the Acanthus Pharmacy has continued its roles in educating undergraduate pharmaceutical students, medical students, and as a site of early exposure for KU freshmen. From our experience, it is important to have a real clinical environment available to university pharmacy faculty and students, especially in training for community pharmacy practices.

Community reintegration and related factors in a Nigerian stroke sample.

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Akosile, Christopher; Nworah, Chioma; Okoye, Emmanuel; Adegoke, Babatunde; Umunnah, Joseph; Fabunmi, Ayodeji

2016-09-01

The goal of stroke rehabilitation has shifted from mere survival of a victim to how well a survivor can be effectively reintegrated back into the community. The present study determined the level of satisfaction with community reintegration (CR) and related factors among Nigerian community-dwelling stroke survivors (CDSS). This was a cross-sectional survey of 71 volunteering CDSS (35 males, 36 females) from selected South-Eastern Nigerian communities. Reintegration to Normal Living Index was used to assess participants' CR. Data was analysed using Spearman rank-order correlation, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests at p≤0.05. Participants generally had deficits in CR which was either mild/moderate (52.1%) or severe (47.9%). Scores in the CR domains of distance mobility, performance of daily activities, recreational activities and family roles were particularly low (median scores ≤ 4). CR was significantly correlated with and influenced by age (r=-0.35; p=0.00) and presence/absence of diabetes mellitus (u=3.56.50; p=0.01), pre- (k=6.13; p=0.05) and post-stroke employment (k=18.26; p=0.00) status, type of assistive mobility device being used (AMD) (k=25.39; p=0.00) and support from the community (k=7.15; p=0.03) respectively. CR was generally poor for this CDSS sample. Survivors who are older, having diabetes as co-morbidity, using AMD (particularly wheel-chair) and without employment pre- and/or post-stroke may require keener attention. Rehabilitation focus may be targeted at enhancing mobility functions, vocational and social skills.

A Computer Security Course in the Undergraduate Computer Science Curriculum.

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Spillman, Richard

1992-01-01

Discusses the importance of computer security and considers criminal, national security, and personal privacy threats posed by security breakdown. Several examples are given, including incidents involving computer viruses. Objectives, content, instructional strategies, resources, and a sample examination for an experimental undergraduate computer…

A program for undergraduate research into the mechanisms of sensory coding and memory decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calin-Jageman, R J

2010-09-28

This is the final technical report for this DOE project, entitltled "A program for undergraduate research into the mechanisms of sensory coding and memory decay". The report summarizes progress on the three research aims: 1) to identify phyisological and genetic correlates of long-term habituation, 2) to understand mechanisms of olfactory coding, and 3) to foster a world-class undergraduate neuroscience program. Progress on the first aim has enabled comparison of learning-regulated transcripts across closely related learning paradigms and species, and results suggest that only a small core of transcripts serve truly general roles in long-term memory. Progress on the second aim has enabled testing of several mutant phenotypes for olfactory behaviors, and results show that responses are not fully consistent with the combinitoral coding hypothesis. Finally, 14 undergraduate students participated in this research, the neuroscience program attracted extramural funding, and we completed a successful summer program to enhance transitions for community-college students into 4-year colleges to persue STEM fields.

Women in STEM: The Effect of Undergraduate Research on Persistence

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Wilker, Jodi

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers constitutes a major issue in postsecondary science education. Perseverance of women in STEM is linked to a strong science identity. Experiential learning activities, such as undergraduate research, increase science identity and thus should help keep women in STEM. Most studies on research program development are from 4-year institutions, yet many women start at community colleges. The goal of this study was to fill this gap. Science identity and experiential learning theories provided the framework for this case study at a local institution (LECC). Semistructured interviews determined college science faculty and administrators perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of undergraduate research, the viability of developing a research program, and specific research options feasible for LECC. Transcripted data were analyzed through multiple rounds of coding yielding five themes: faculty perception of undergraduate research, authentic experiences, health technologies/nursing programs, LECC students career focus, and the unique culture at LECC. The most viable type of undergraduate research for LECC is course-based and of short timeframe. The project study advocates the use of citizen science (CS) studies in the classroom as they are relatively short-term and can take the place of lab sessions. The true benefit is that students perform authentic science by contributing to an actual scientific research project. CS projects can effect social change by developing science literate citizens, empowering faculty to create authentic learning experiences, and by sparking interest in science and directing women into STEM careers.

[Intensive care medicine on medical undergraduation: student's perspective].

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Almeida, Alessandro de Moura; Albuquerque, Ligia Carvalho; Bitencourt, Almir Galvão Vieira; Rolim, Carlos Eduardo Cerqueira; Godinho, Tiana Mascarenhas; Liberato, Maurício Valverde; Oliveira Filho, Fernando Cezar Cabral; Azevedo, Ana Bárbara Galvão de; Neves, Ana Paula Soares da Silva; Martins, Marcelo de Jesus; Silva, João Paulo Maciel; Jesuíno, Paulo André; Souza Filho, Sydney Agareno de

2007-12-01

There are deficiencies on Intensive Medicine (IM) teaching in most of medical undergraduate schools. Those deficiencies may imply damages on their clinical competence. The objective of this study was to analyze current status of IM teaching and the medical undergraduate student interest in this speciality. A cross-sectional study was performed in 2005. We applied a self-reported questionnaire to enrolled students between the sixth and the last semesters of two medical schools from Salvador-Bahia. The questionnaire contained questions about students' interest and knowledge on IM, and opinion on IM teaching in their schools. We studied 570 students. Most of them (57.5%) had never realized a clerkship in intensive care unit (ICU) despite classifying its usefulness as high (mean of 4.14 ± 1.05, in a scale from 1 to 5). IM interest was high or very high in 53.7% of sample. Almost all students (97%) thought that IM topics should be more explored at their curriculum. Only 42.1% reported to be able to assess a critical care patient and this assurance was higher among students with previous clerkship in ICU (p < 0.001). Shock, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and sepsis were the most interesting topics in ICU for students' opinion. This study revealed a high interest in IM among medical undergraduate students. However, most had never practice a clerkship in ICU, demonstrating to be an important factor on undergraduate student performance faced to a critical care patient.

Elucidating Bioethics with Undergraduates.

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Hoskins, Betty B.; Shannon, Thomas A.

1977-01-01

Discusses the importance of developing bioethics programs for undergraduate students. Two aspects are considered: (1) current areas of concern and sources of bibliographic information; and (2) problems encountered in undergraduate projects. A list of references is provided. (HM)

Nursing students' perceptions of using smartphones in the community practicum: A qualitative study.

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Beauregard, Philippe; Arnaert, Antonia; Ponzoni, Norma

2017-06-01

Smartphones have the potential to revolutionize the way in which nurses practice by facilitating access to evidence-based resources, however their integration in nursing practice remain variable. Millennials tend to be more comfortable with technology, yet find themselves limited in their ability to use smartphones within the context of clinical practice. Using a qualitative descriptive design, we explored nursing students' perceptions of using smartphones in the community practicum. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and verbatim transcripts were subjected to data analysis. The sample consisted of 8 undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy. Students' narratives describe unclear expectations regarding the use of smartphones that force them to adopt individualized strategies to maintain their professional image and avoid negative consequences. A cultural shift will be required at the academic and organizational levels if we are to foster acceptance of smartphones in community practice going forward. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Definition of sampling units begets conclusions in ecology: the case of habitats for plant communities

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Martin A. Mörsdorf

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In ecology, expert knowledge on habitat characteristics is often used to define sampling units such as study sites. Ecologists are especially prone to such approaches when prior sampling frames are not accessible. Here we ask to what extent can different approaches to the definition of sampling units influence the conclusions that are drawn from an ecological study? We do this by comparing a formal versus a subjective definition of sampling units within a study design which is based on well-articulated objectives and proper methodology. Both approaches are applied to tundra plant communities in mesic and snowbed habitats. For the formal approach, sampling units were first defined for each habitat in concave terrain of suitable slope using GIS. In the field, these units were only accepted as the targeted habitats if additional criteria for vegetation cover were fulfilled. For the subjective approach, sampling units were defined visually in the field, based on typical plant communities of mesic and snowbed habitats. For each approach, we collected information about plant community characteristics within a total of 11 mesic and seven snowbed units distributed between two herding districts of contrasting reindeer density. Results from the two approaches differed significantly in several plant community characteristics in both mesic and snowbed habitats. Furthermore, differences between the two approaches were not consistent because their magnitude and direction differed both between the two habitats and the two reindeer herding districts. Consequently, we could draw different conclusions on how plant diversity and relative abundance of functional groups are differentiated between the two habitats depending on the approach used. We therefore challenge ecologists to formalize the expert knowledge applied to define sampling units through a set of well-articulated rules, rather than applying it subjectively. We see this as instrumental for progress in

Definition of sampling units begets conclusions in ecology: the case of habitats for plant communities.

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Mörsdorf, Martin A; Ravolainen, Virve T; Støvern, Leif Einar; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg Svala; Bråthen, Kari Anne

2015-01-01

In ecology, expert knowledge on habitat characteristics is often used to define sampling units such as study sites. Ecologists are especially prone to such approaches when prior sampling frames are not accessible. Here we ask to what extent can different approaches to the definition of sampling units influence the conclusions that are drawn from an ecological study? We do this by comparing a formal versus a subjective definition of sampling units within a study design which is based on well-articulated objectives and proper methodology. Both approaches are applied to tundra plant communities in mesic and snowbed habitats. For the formal approach, sampling units were first defined for each habitat in concave terrain of suitable slope using GIS. In the field, these units were only accepted as the targeted habitats if additional criteria for vegetation cover were fulfilled. For the subjective approach, sampling units were defined visually in the field, based on typical plant communities of mesic and snowbed habitats. For each approach, we collected information about plant community characteristics within a total of 11 mesic and seven snowbed units distributed between two herding districts of contrasting reindeer density. Results from the two approaches differed significantly in several plant community characteristics in both mesic and snowbed habitats. Furthermore, differences between the two approaches were not consistent because their magnitude and direction differed both between the two habitats and the two reindeer herding districts. Consequently, we could draw different conclusions on how plant diversity and relative abundance of functional groups are differentiated between the two habitats depending on the approach used. We therefore challenge ecologists to formalize the expert knowledge applied to define sampling units through a set of well-articulated rules, rather than applying it subjectively. We see this as instrumental for progress in ecology as only rules

Effect of DNA extraction methods and sampling techniques on the apparent structure of cow and sheep rumen microbial communities.

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Gemma Henderson

Full Text Available Molecular microbial ecology techniques are widely used to study the composition of the rumen microbiota and to increase understanding of the roles they play. Therefore, sampling and DNA extraction methods that result in adequate yields of microbial DNA that also accurately represents the microbial community are crucial. Fifteen different methods were used to extract DNA from cow and sheep rumen samples. The DNA yield and quality, and its suitability for downstream PCR amplifications varied considerably, depending on the DNA extraction method used. DNA extracts from nine extraction methods that passed these first quality criteria were evaluated further by quantitative PCR enumeration of microbial marker loci. Absolute microbial numbers, determined on the same rumen samples, differed by more than 100-fold, depending on the DNA extraction method used. The apparent compositions of the archaeal, bacterial, ciliate protozoal, and fungal communities in identical rumen samples were assessed using 454 Titanium pyrosequencing. Significant differences in microbial community composition were observed between extraction methods, for example in the relative abundances of members of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Microbial communities in parallel samples collected from cows by oral stomach-tubing or through a rumen fistula, and in liquid and solid rumen digesta fractions, were compared using one of the DNA extraction methods. Community representations were generally similar, regardless of the rumen sampling technique used, but significant differences in the abundances of some microbial taxa such as the Clostridiales and the Methanobrevibacter ruminantium clade were observed. The apparent microbial community composition differed between rumen sample fractions, and Prevotellaceae were most abundant in the liquid fraction. DNA extraction methods that involved phenol-chloroform extraction and mechanical lysis steps tended to be more comparable. However

Validating the Factor Structure of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a Community Sample

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Mahmut, Mehmet K.; Menictas, Con; Stevenson, Richard J.; Homewood, Judi

2011-01-01

Currently, there is no standard self-report measure of psychopathy in community-dwelling samples that parallels the most commonly used measure of psychopathy in forensic and clinical samples, the Psychopathy Checklist. A promising instrument is the Self-Report Psychopathy scale (SRP), which was derived from the original version the Psychopathy…

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Outcomes for Over 250 Undergraduate Participants

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Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. In this talk we present outcomes for the more than 250 undergraduate students who have who have participated in the program during the 8 years of funding. 40% of these students have been women and members of underrepresented groups. To date 148 undergraduate students have attended annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 159 summer research projects and 120 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 68 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 55 have presented their results at national meetings such as the AAS. Through participation in the UAT, students are made aware of career paths they may not have previously considered. More than 90% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005

Analysis of spatial patterns informs community assembly and sampling requirements for Collembola in forest soils

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Dirilgen, Tara; Juceviča, Edite; Melecis, Viesturs; Querner, Pascal; Bolger, Thomas

2018-01-01

The relative importance of niche separation, non-equilibrial and neutral models of community assembly has been a theme in community ecology for many decades with none appearing to be applicable under all circumstances. In this study, Collembola species abundances were recorded over eleven consecutive years in a spatially explicit grid and used to examine (i) whether observed beta diversity differed from that expected under conditions of neutrality, (ii) whether sampling points differed in their relative contributions to overall beta diversity, and (iii) the number of samples required to provide comparable estimates of species richness across three forest sites. Neutrality could not be rejected for 26 of the forest by year combinations. However, there is a trend toward greater structure in the oldest forest, where beta diversity was greater than predicted by neutrality on five of the eleven sampling dates. The lack of difference in individual- and sample-based rarefaction curves also suggests randomness in the system at this particular scale of investigation. It seems that Collembola communities are not spatially aggregated and assembly is driven primarily by neutral processes particularly in the younger two sites. Whether this finding is due to small sample size or unaccounted for environmental variables cannot be determined. Variability between dates and sites illustrates the potential of drawing incorrect conclusions if data are collected at a single site and a single point in time.

Smoking relapse situations among a community-recruited sample of Spanish daily smokers.

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Piñeiro, Bárbara; López-Durán, Ana; Martínez-Vispo, Carmela; Fernández Del Río, Elena; Martínez, Úrsula; Rodríguez-Cano, Rubén; Míguez, M Carmen; Becoña, Elisardo

2017-12-01

Relapse is a common factor within the behavior change process. However, there is scarce and limited knowledge of smoking relapse situations in population-based samples. The aim of this study was to identify smoking relapse situations among a sample of Spanish relapsers from the general population. A sample of 775 relapsers was recruited among the general population using a snowball method. Participants completed a survey including sociodemographic, smoking-related and psychopathology variables. Smoking relapse situations were identified through specific questions assessing different aspects related to the last relapse episode. The majority of smoking relapse situations were attributed to positive affect (36.6%) and negative affect (34.3%), followed by lack of control (10.1%), smoking habit (6.7%), craving or nicotine withdrawal (6.3%), and social pressure (5.9%). Being unemployed and having a mental disorder in the past increased the likelihood of relapse in situations of negative affect. Being single and having quit smoking to save money were associated with an increased likelihood of relapse in situations of positive affect. Affect plays a significant role in smoking relapse among a community sample of unassisted Spanish smokers. Relapse may be much more of an affective and situational process than a habit, physiological or social pressure. Findings from this study may help develop tailored community smoking relapse prevention strategies or programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defining Quality in Undergraduate Education

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Alison W. Bowers

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This research brief explores the literature addressing quality in undergraduate education to identify what previous research has said about quality and to offer future directions for research on quality in undergraduate education. Method: We conducted a scoping review to provide a broad overview of existing research. Using targeted search terms in academic databases, we identified and reviewed relevant academic literature to develop emergent themes and implications for future research. Results: The exploratory review of the literature revealed a range of thoughtful discussions and empirical studies attempting to define quality in undergraduate education. Many publications highlighted the importance of including different stakeholder perspectives and presented some of the varying perceptions of quality among different stakeholders. Conclusions: While a number of researchers have explored and written about how to define quality in undergraduate education, there is not a general consensus regarding a definition of quality in undergraduate education. Past research offers a range of insights, models, and data to inform future research. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: We provide four recommendations for future research to contribute to a high quality undergraduate educational experience. We suggest more comprehensive systematic reviews of the literature as a next step.

Anxiety in 11-Year-Old Children Who Stutter: Findings from a Prospective Longitudinal Community Sample

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Smith, Kylie A.; Iverach, Lisa; O'Brian, Susan; Mensah, Fiona; Kefalianos, Elaina; Hearne, Anna; Reilly, Sheena

2017-01-01

Purpose: To examine if a community sample of 11-year-old children with persistent stuttering have higher anxiety than children who have recovered from stuttering and nonstuttering controls. Method: Participants in a community cohort study were categorized into 3 groups: (a) those with persistent stuttering, (b) those with recovered stuttering, and…

Inter-Institutional Partnerships Propel A Successful Collaborative Undergraduate Degree Program In Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Malcolm J; Wang, Qiquan

2012-10-01

Small private liberal arts colleges are increasingly tuition-dependent and mainly attract students by creating student-centered learning communities. On the other hand, larger universities tend to be trendsetters where its faculty tend to seek intellectual independence and are involved in career focused cutting-edge research. The Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) and Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) are federal-state-university partnerships that builds basic research infrastructure and coax the state-wide higher education institutions to collaborate with each other in order to enhance their competitiveness. As a result in Delaware, Wesley College instituted curricular and operational changes to launch an undergraduate program in biological chemistry where its students take three upper division chemistry courses and can choose to participate in annual summer undergraduate internships at nearby Delaware State University.

Air, Ocean and Climate Monitoring Enhancing Undergraduate Training in the Physical, Environmental and Computer Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Hope, W. W.; Johnson, L. P.; Obl, W.; Stewart, A.; Harris, W. C.; Craig, R. D.

2000-01-01

Faculty in the Department of Physical, Environmental and Computer Sciences strongly believe in the concept that undergraduate research and research-related activities must be integrated into the fabric of our undergraduate Science and Technology curricula. High level skills, such as problem solving, reasoning, collaboration and the ability to engage in research, are learned for advanced study in graduate school or for competing for well paying positions in the scientific community. One goal of our academic programs is to have a pipeline of research activities from high school to four year college, to graduate school, based on the GISS Institute on Climate and Planets model.

Excursions in classical analysis pathways to advanced problem solving and undergraduate research

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Chen, Hongwei

2010-01-01

Excursions in Classical Analysis introduces undergraduate students to advanced problem solving and undergraduate research in two ways. Firstly, it provides a colourful tour of classical analysis which places a wide variety of problems in their historical context. Secondly, it helps students gain an understanding of mathematical discovery and proof. In demonstrating a variety of possible solutions to the same sample exercise, the reader will come to see how the connections between apparently inapplicable areas of mathematics can be exploited in problem-solving. This book will serve as excellent preparation for participation in mathematics competitions, as a valuable resource for undergraduate mathematics reading courses and seminars and as a supplement text in a course on analysis. It can also be used in independent study, since the chapters are free-standing.

Learning analytics for smart campus: Data on academic performances of engineering undergraduates in Nigerian private university

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Segun I. Popoola

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Empirical measurement, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of learning outcomes in higher institutions of developing countries may lead to sustainable education in the region. In this data article, data about the academic performances of undergraduates that studied engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria are presented and analyzed. A total population sample of 1841 undergraduates that studied Chemical Engineering (CHE, Civil Engineering (CVE, Computer Engineering (CEN, Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE, Information and Communication Engineering (ICE, Mechanical Engineering (MEE, and Petroleum Engineering (PET within the year range of 2002–2014 are randomly selected. For the five-year study period of engineering program, Grade Point Average (GPA and its cumulative value of each of the sample were obtained from the Department of Student Records and Academic Affairs. In order to encourage evidence-based research in learning analytics, detailed datasets are made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file attached to this article. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the academic performance data are presented in tables and graphs for easy data interpretations. In addition, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to determine whether the variations in the academic performances are significant across the seven engineering programs. The data provided in this article will assist the global educational research community and regional policy makers to understand and optimize the learning environment towards the realization of smart campuses and sustainable education. Keywords: Smart campus, Learning analytics, Sustainable education, Nigerian university, Education data mining, Engineering

Attributions, future time perspective and career maturity in nursing undergraduates: correlational study design.

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Cheng, Cheng; Yang, Liu; Chen, Yuxia; Zou, Huijing; Su, Yonggang; Fan, Xiuzhen

2016-01-25

Career maturity is an important parameter as nursing undergraduates prepare for their future careers. However, little is known regarding the relationships between attributions, future time perspective and career maturity among nursing undergraduates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of career maturity and its relationship with attributions and future time perspective. A cross-sectional survey was designed. This survey was administered to 431 Chinese nursing undergraduates. Independent-sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were performed to examine the mean differences between categories of binary and categorical demographic characteristics, respectively. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regressions were used to test the relationships between attributions, future time perspective and career maturity. The degree of career maturity was moderate among nursing undergraduates and that internal attributions of academic achievement, future efficacy and future purpose consciousness were positively associated with career maturity (all p time perspective and to facilitate their transition from school to clinical practice.

Chemical Analysis of Soils: An Environmental Chemistry Laboratory for Undergraduate Science Majors.

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Willey, Joan D.; Avery, G. Brooks, Jr.; Manock, John J.; Skrabal, Stephen A.; Stehman, Charles F.

1999-01-01

Describes a laboratory exercise for undergraduate science students in which they evaluate soil samples for various parameters related to suitability for crop production and capability for retention of contaminants. (Contains 18 references.) (WRM)

Crossing the Atlantic: Integrating Cross-Cultural Experiences into Undergraduate Business Courses Using Virtual Communities Technology

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Luethge, Denise J.; Raska, David; Greer, Bertie M.; O'Connor, Christina

2016-01-01

Today's business school academics are tasked with pedagogy that offers students an understanding of the globalization of markets and the cross-cultural communication skills needed in today's business environment. The authors describe how a virtual cross-cultural experience was integrated into an undergraduate business course and used as an…

Differences in microbial community composition between injection and production water samples of water flooding petroleum reservoirs

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P. K. Gao

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Microbial communities in injected water are expected to have significant influence on those of reservoir strata in long-term water flooding petroleum reservoirs. To investigate the similarities and differences in microbial communities in injected water and reservoir strata, high-throughput sequencing of microbial partial 16S rRNA of the water samples collected from the wellhead and downhole of injection wells, and from production wells in a homogeneous sandstone reservoir and a heterogeneous conglomerate reservoir were performed. The results indicate that a small number of microbial populations are shared between the water samples from the injection and production wells in the sandstone reservoir, whereas a large number of microbial populations are shared in the conglomerate reservoir. The bacterial and archaeal communities in the reservoir strata have high concentrations, which are similar to those in the injected water. However, microbial population abundance exhibited large differences between the water samples from the injection and production wells. The number of shared populations reflects the influence of microbial communities in injected water on those in reservoir strata to some extent, and show strong association with the unique variation of reservoir environments.

The Ties That Bind: Understanding the "Relationships" in Community College Alumni Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, Twyla Casey

2015-01-01

Community colleges continue to be challenged to achieve the same level of philanthropic support as private and public colleges and universities. While nearly 50 percent of all undergraduates are educated at community colleges, only two percent of the nearly $8 billion donated annually by higher education alumni is contributed to community colleges…

Conceptualizing age-friendly community characteristics in a sample of urban elders: an exploratory factor analysis.

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Smith, Richard J; Lehning, Amanda J; Dunkle, Ruth E

2013-01-01

Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing US Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n = 1,376), we identified 6 factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: access to business and leisure, social interaction, access to health care, neighborhood problems, social support, and community engagement. Future research should explore the effects of these factors across contexts and populations.

Barriers and Strategies to Engaging Our Community-Based Preceptors.

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Graziano, Scott C; McKenzie, Margaret L; Abbott, Jodi F; Buery-Joyner, Samantha D; Craig, LaTasha B; Dalrymple, John L; Forstein, David A; Hampton, Brittany S; Page-Ramsey, Sarah M; Pradhan, Archana; Wolf, Abigail; Hopkins, Laura

2018-03-26

This article, from the "To the Point" series that is prepared by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, is a review of commonly cited barriers to recruiting and retaining community-based preceptors in undergraduate medical education and potential strategies to overcome them. Community-based preceptors have traditionally served as volunteer, nonsalaried faculty, with academic institutions relying on intrinsic teaching rewards to sustain this model. However, increasing numbers of learners, the burdens of incorporating the electronic medical record in practice, and increasing demands for clinical productivity are making recruitment and retention of community-based preceptors more challenging. General challenges to engaging preceptors, as well as those unique to women's health, are discussed. Potential solutions are reviewed, including alternative recruitment strategies, faculty development to emphasize efficient teaching practices in the ambulatory setting, offers of online educational resources, and opportunities to incorporate students in value-added roles. Through examples cited in this review, clerkship directors and medical school administrators should have a solid foundation to actively engage their community-based preceptors.

P-73AN INVESTIGATION OF ADDICTIONS (SUBSTANCES AND BEHAVIORS) IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

OpenAIRE

Deleuze, J.; Rochat, L.; Romo, L.; Van der Linden, M.; Thorens, G.; Khazaal, Y.; Rothen, S.; Achab, S.; Billieux, J.

2017-01-01

Chemical and behavioral addictions are highly prevalent in our societies. Nevertheless, studies investigating a large panel of addictive behaviors in a community sample are lacking from the current literature on the topic. The aim of the current study is to explore addictive behaviors prevalence, characteristics, and interrelations in a sample of French speaking adults from the general population. Both substances (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, drugs) and behaviors (gambling, Internet, buying, s...

The effects of forest conversion to oil palm on ground-foraging ant communities depend on beta diversity and sampling grain.

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Wang, Wendy Y; Foster, William A

2015-08-01

Beta diversity - the variation in species composition among spatially discrete communities - and sampling grain - the size of samples being compared - may alter our perspectives of diversity within and between landscapes before and after agricultural conversion. Such assumptions are usually based on point comparisons, which do not accurately capture actual differences in total diversity. Beta diversity is often not rigorously examined. We investigated the beta diversity of ground-foraging ant communities in fragmented oil palm and forest landscapes in Sabah, Malaysia, using diversity metrics transformed from Hill number equivalents to remove dependences on alpha diversity. We compared the beta diversities of oil palm and forest, across three hierarchically nested sampling grains. We found that oil palm and forest communities had a greater percentage of total shared species when larger samples were compared. Across all grains and disregarding relative abundances, there was higher beta diversity of all species among forest communities. However, there were higher beta diversities of common and very abundant (dominant) species in oil palm as compared to forests. Differences in beta diversities between oil palm and forest were greatest at the largest sampling grain. Larger sampling grains in oil palm may generate bigger species pools, increasing the probability of shared species with forest samples. Greater beta diversity of all species in forest may be attributed to rare species. Oil palm communities may be more heterogeneous in common and dominant species because of variable community assembly events. Rare and also common species are better captured at larger grains, boosting differences in beta diversity between larger samples of forest and oil palm communities. Although agricultural landscapes support a lower total diversity than natural forests, diversity especially of abundant species is still important for maintaining ecosystem stability. Diversity in

Rural and small-town attitudes about alcohol use during pregnancy: a community and provider sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, T K; Walker, Robert; Nagle, Laura; Lewis, Jimmie; Wiesenhahn, Donna

2003-01-01

While there has been considerable research on prenatal alcohol use, there have been limited studies focused on women in rural and small-town environments. This 2-part study examines gender differences in attitudes and perceived barriers to intervention in large community sample of persons living in rural and small-town environments in Kentucky (n = 3,346). The study also examines rural/small-town prenatal service providers' perceptions of barriers to assessment and intervention with pregnant substance abusers (n = 138). Surveys were administered to a convenience sample of employees and customers from 16 rural and small-town community outlets. There were 1503 males (45%) and 1843 females (55%) ranging in age from under 18 years old to over 66 years old. Surveys also were mailed to prenatal providers in county health departments of the 13-county study area, with 138 of 149 responding. Overall results of the community sample suggest that neither males nor females were knowledgeable about the harmful effects of alcohol use during pregnancy. Results also indicate substantial gender differences in alcohol attitudes, knowledge, and perceived barriers. Further, prenatal care providers identified several barriers in assessment and treatment of pregnant women with alcohol use problems in rural and small-town communities, including lack of knowledge and comfort with assessment as well as a lack of available and accessible treatment for referrals.

[Study on the influencing factors related to suicide ideation among undergraduates in Anhui province].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yin-Guang; Xiao, Qin; Wang, Qian; Li, Wen-Xian; Dong, Ma-Xia; Ye, Dong-Qing

2008-03-01

To explore the relationships between quality of life, negative life events, social support and suicide ideation among undergraduates in colleges. 3517 undergraduates in colleges were recruited by multistage stratified random clustered sampling method. Factors associated with suicide ideation were analyzed with logistic regression by scores of Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation(BSSI), Generic Quality of Life Inventory (GQOLI), Adolescent Self-rate Life Events Checklist (ASLEC), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and a questionnaire on background information. The rate of suicide ideation within 7 days was 14.1%, especially in females (15.96%), with single parent (23.79%) and disabled undergraduates (25.00%). The primary risk factors for suicide ideation were with low psychological function, material life, family/social support, lower availability of support and more negative life events. The prevalence of suicide ideation among these undergraduates was high, appropriate measures focusing on these risk factors should be implemented.

The Impact of an Academic Integrity Module and Turnitin® on Similarity Index Scores of Undergraduate Student Papers

Science.gov (United States)

Ballard, Iva B.

2013-01-01

In this quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design study, the impact of an academic integrity module and Turnitin® on undergraduate student similarity index scores was investigated. Similarity index scores were used to measure suggested plagiarism rates of student papers. A purposive sample consisting of 96 undergraduate education students enrolled…

Composition of microbial communities in aerosol, snow and ice samples from remote glaciated areas (Antarctica, Alps, Andes)

Science.gov (United States)

Elster, J.; Delmas, R. J.; Petit, J.-R.; Řeháková, K.

2007-06-01

Taxonomical and ecological analyses were performed on micro-autotrophs (cyanobacteria and algae together with remnants of diatom valves), micro-fungi (hyphae and spores), bacteria (rod, cocci and red clusters), yeast, and plant pollen extracted from various samples: Alps snow (Mt. Blank area), Andean snow (Illimani, Bolivia), Antarctic aerosol filters (Dumont d'Urville, Terre Adélie), and Antarctic inland ice (Terre Adélie). Three methods for ice and snow sample's pre-concentration were tested (filtration, centrifugation and lyophilisation). Afterwards, cultivation methods for terrestrial, freshwater and marine microorganisms (micro-autotrophs and micro-fungi) were used in combination with liquid and solid media. The main goal of the study was to find out if micro-autotrophs are commonly transported by air masses, and later stored in snow and icecaps around the world. The most striking result of this study was the absence of culturable micro-autotrophs in all studied samples. However, an unusual culturable pigmented prokaryote was found in both alpine snow and aerosol samples. Analyses of many samples and proper statistical analyses (PCA, RDA- Monte Carlo permutation tests) showed that studied treatments highly significantly differ in both microbial community and biotic remnants composition F=9.33, p=0.001. In addition, GLM showed that studied treatments highly significantly differ in numbers of categories of microorganisms and remnants of biological material F=11.45, p=0.00005. The Antarctic aerosol samples were characterised by having red clusters of bacteria, the unusual prokaryote and yeasts. The high mountain snow from the Alps and Andes contained much more culturable heterotrophs. The unusual prokaryote was very abundant, as were coccoid bacteria, red clusters of bacteria, as well as yeasts. The Antarctic ice samples were quite different. These samples had higher numbers of rod bacteria and fungal hyphae. The microbial communities and biological remnants of

Cracking Open the Curriculum: Lessons from a Community College

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Chad; Amelotte, Patrick

2013-01-01

Community colleges comprise the largest single sector of the US higher education network. Forty percent of undergraduates attend one of our two-year schools. Some estimates suggest that, since the turnover is quicker than on four-year campuses, two-thirds of the students who attend a college at all attend a community college. For many of those…

Eating Disorders Among a Community-based Sample of Chilean Female Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Granillo, M. Teresa; Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew; Delva, Jorge; Castillo, Marcela

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and correlates of eating disorders among a community-based sample of female Chilean adolescents. Data were collected through structured interviews with 420 female adolescents residing in Santiago, Chile. Approximately 4% of the sample reported ever being diagnosed with an eating disorder. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that those with higher symptoms of anxiety and who had tried cigarettes were significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Findings indicate that Chilean female adolescents are at risk of eating disorders and that eating disorders, albeit maladaptive, may be a means to cope with negative affect, specifically anxiety. PMID:22121329

Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools: The Glass Door Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Laura M.; Geyfman, Victoria

2012-01-01

This study examined female underrepresentation in business schools among undergraduate students and faculty in a sample of universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and compares the findings to other public universities in Pennsylvania. We found that during the 1995-2008 period, when compared with other academic…

The Relationship between Affective and Social Isolation among Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Alghraibeh, Ahmad M.; Juieed, Noof M. Bni

2018-01-01

We examined the correlation between social isolation and affective isolation among 457 undergraduate students using a stratified cluster sampling technique. Participants comprised 221 men and 236 women, all of whom were either first- or fourth-year students enrolled in various majors at King Saud University. Means, standard deviations, Pearson…

Turkish Undergraduates' Misconceptions of Evaporation, Evaporation Rate, and Vapour Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Canpolat, Nurtac

2006-01-01

This study focused on students' misconceptions related to evaporation, evaporation rate, and vapour pressure. Open-ended diagnostic questions were used with 107 undergraduates in the Primary Science Teacher Training Department in a state university in Turkey. In addition, 14 students from that sample were interviewed to clarify their written…

Undergraduate Chemistry Education: A Workshop Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Sawyer, Keegan; Alper, Joe

2014-01-01

"Undergraduate Chemistry Education" is the summary of a workshop convened in May 2013 by the Chemical Science Roundtable of the National Research Council to explore the current state of undergraduate chemistry education. Research and innovation in undergraduate chemistry education has been done for many years, and one goal of this…

Application-Specific Graph Sampling for Frequent Subgraph Mining and Community Detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Purohit, Sumit; Choudhury, Sutanay; Holder, Lawrence B.

2017-12-11

Graph mining is an important data analysis methodology, but struggles as the input graph size increases. The scalability and usability challenges posed by such large graphs make it imperative to sample the input graph and reduce its size. The critical challenge in sampling is to identify the appropriate algorithm to insure the resulting analysis does not suffer heavily from the data reduction. Predicting the expected performance degradation for a given graph and sampling algorithm is also useful. In this paper, we present different sampling approaches for graph mining applications such as Frequent Subgrpah Mining (FSM), and Community Detection (CD). We explore graph metrics such as PageRank, Triangles, and Diversity to sample a graph and conclude that for heterogeneous graphs Triangles and Diversity perform better than degree based metrics. We also present two new sampling variations for targeted graph mining applications. We present empirical results to show that knowledge of the target application, along with input graph properties can be used to select the best sampling algorithm. We also conclude that performance degradation is an abrupt, rather than gradual phenomena, as the sample size decreases. We present the empirical results to show that the performance degradation follows a logistic function.

Lessons learnt from Fukushima Accident - What did McMaster Undergraduate Students learn?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagasaki, S., E-mail: nagasas@mcmaster.ca [McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, (Canada)

2015-07-01

Nuclear communities not only in Japan but also around the world learnt a lot of lessons from the Fukushima accident. The direct cause of the accident from the viewpoint of traditional engineering is clear, and as a result various measures have been implemented around the world. The accident also provides many insights into the relationship between traditional engineering and Japanese society. In this paper, the root causes of the accident were studied by applying a psychological model for evocation of an individual's anxiety related to social affairs [1] to the discussions in an undergraduate course at McMaster University. In the last section, the challenges, which McMaster students considered Japanese nuclear community is now facing and Canadian nuclear community can contribute to in future, are summarized. (author)

Lessons learnt from Fukushima Accident - What did McMaster Undergraduate Students learn?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagasaki, S.

2015-01-01

Nuclear communities not only in Japan but also around the world learnt a lot of lessons from the Fukushima accident. The direct cause of the accident from the viewpoint of traditional engineering is clear, and as a result various measures have been implemented around the world. The accident also provides many insights into the relationship between traditional engineering and Japanese society. In this paper, the root causes of the accident were studied by applying a psychological model for evocation of an individual's anxiety related to social affairs [1] to the discussions in an undergraduate course at McMaster University. In the last section, the challenges, which McMaster students considered Japanese nuclear community is now facing and Canadian nuclear community can contribute to in future, are summarized. (author)

Bacterial community profiling of milk samples as a means to understand culture-negative bovine clinical mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehn, Joanna S; Gorden, Patrick J; Munro, Daniel; Rong, Ruichen; Dong, Qunfeng; Plummer, Paul J; Wang, Chong; Phillips, Gregory J

2013-01-01

Inflammation and infection of bovine mammary glands, commonly known as mastitis, imposes significant losses each year in the dairy industry worldwide. While several different bacterial species have been identified as causative agents of mastitis, many clinical mastitis cases remain culture negative, even after enrichment for bacterial growth. To understand the basis for this increasingly common phenomenon, the composition of bacterial communities from milk samples was analyzed using culture independent pyrosequencing of amplicons of 16S ribosomal RNA genes (16S rDNA). Comparisons were made of the microbial community composition of culture negative milk samples from mastitic quarters with that of non-mastitic quarters from the same animals. Genomic DNA from culture-negative clinical and healthy quarter sample pairs was isolated, and amplicon libraries were prepared using indexed primers specific to the V1-V2 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and sequenced using the Roche 454 GS FLX with titanium chemistry. Evaluation of the taxonomic composition of these samples revealed significant differences in the microbiota in milk from mastitic and healthy quarters. Statistical analysis identified seven bacterial genera that may be mainly responsible for the observed microbial community differences between mastitic and healthy quarters. Collectively, these results provide evidence that cases of culture negative mastitis can be associated with bacterial species that may be present below culture detection thresholds used here. The application of culture-independent bacterial community profiling represents a powerful approach to understand long-standing questions in animal health and disease.

Specificity of peer difficulties to social anxiety in early adolescence: categorical and dimensional analyses with clinical and community samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Early, Martha C; Biggs, Bridget K; Makanui, Kalani P; Legerski, John Paul; Van Allen, Jason; Elledge, Allison R; Whiteside, Stephen P

2017-11-01

We investigated the specificity of social difficulties to social anxiety by testing associations of social anxiety and other anxiety presentations with peer acceptance and victimization in community and treatment-seeking samples of adolescents aged 12-14 years. Cross-sectional, quantitative survey. Adolescents from the community (n = 116) and a clinical setting (n = 154) completed ratings of anxiety symptoms, perceived social acceptance, and peer victimization. Their parents also completed ratings of the adolescents' anxiety and social acceptance. Social acceptance was lowest among adolescents with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and lower among adolescents with other anxiety disorders than in the community sample. Anxiety symptoms were negatively correlated with social acceptance, but these associations were not unique to social anxiety symptoms. Girls in the community sample reported more overt victimization than girls with SAD and with other anxiety diagnoses. Relational victimization was associated with social and nonsocial anxiety symptoms only in the community sample. Our findings supplement recent laboratory-based observational studies on social functioning among adolescents with SAD and other anxiety disorders. Although social anxiety may be associated with unique social skill deficits and impairment, concerns about peer relations should also be considered among adolescents with other anxiety symptoms.

Self-directed learning readiness and nursing competency among undergraduate nursing students in Fujian province of China

OpenAIRE

Gui-Fang Yang; Xiao-Ying Jiang

2014-01-01

Aims: We examined the relationship between self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) and nursing competency among undergraduate nursing students. Background: There is little evidence-based data related to the relationship between self-directed learning (SDL) and nursing competency. Methods: A descriptive correlational design was used. We conducted convenience sampling of 519 undergraduate nursing students from three universities during their final period of clinical practice. We investiga...

TRANSITIONING BEYOND UNDERGRADUATE HOSPITALITY EDUCATION; A DIALOGIC ANALYSIS OF FINAL YEAR HOSPITALITY STUDENTS’ NARRATIVES OF EMPLOYABILITY

OpenAIRE

Hine, Catherine

2017-01-01

Employability has become a key consideration for graduates, and society. Increasingly the trajectory of individuals at age 18 involves the completion of an undergraduate level degree qualification. This thesis presents a sociologically grounded study into the dialogic construction of employability in final year hospitality students and recent hospitality graduates. Drawing on a nationwide sample of UK based hospitality graduates, as they transition beyond undergraduate level higher educati...

Merits of Undergraduate and High School Research

Science.gov (United States)

Kenney, John

2016-06-01

When it comes to sports, everyone gets it; you have to play to really understand, experience, and learn what the game is all about. It would be ludicrous to teach basketball by practicing basketball fundamentals in the gym (layups, free throws, jump shots, dribbling, defense), reading about and attending professional basketball games, but never playing in a game. As important as classes and teaching laboratories may be in science education, there is simply no substitute for active engagement in scientific research to show students what science is all about and, perhaps even more importantly, to inspire and motivate them to become scientists or at least appreciate science. It is a widely held misconception that a student cannot really do meaningful, publishable scientific research until he/she is in graduate school. In actual fact, college undergraduates and even high school students can make original and significant scientific research contributions. Astronomical research, in particular, is very well suited to engage the beginning high school or college undergraduate researcher. The night sky’s inherent accessibility and also its inherent grandeur are natural draws for the curious student’s mind. And much can be learned and discovered using small telescopes. In sports, joining a team is a key aspect of the sports experience. Similarly in science, joining a research team and thereby entering a “community of scientific practice” is fundamental and transformational. As important as working with equipment and acquiring data happen to be in scientific research, this is only the beginning of the research process. Student researchers of all ages—particularly high school students and college undergraduates—have much to gain by giving presentations on their research, writing up their results for publication, and going through the peer review process. But this only works if the student researchers are imbedded within the community of practice.

An Undergraduate Research Experience on Studying Variable Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Amaral, A.; Percy, J. R.

2016-06-01

We describe and evaluate a summer undergraduate research project and experience by one of us (AA), under the supervision of the other (JP). The aim of the project was to sample current approaches to analyzing variable star data, and topics related to the study of Mira variable stars and their astrophysical importance. This project was done through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) in astronomy at the University of Toronto. SURP allowed undergraduate students to explore and learn about many topics within astronomy and astrophysics, from instrumentation to cosmology. SURP introduced students to key skills which are essential for students hoping to pursue graduate studies in any scientific field. Variable stars proved to be an excellent topic for a research project. For beginners to independent research, it introduces key concepts in research such as critical thinking and problem solving, while illuminating previously learned topics in stellar physics. The focus of this summer project was to compare observations with structural and evolutionary models, including modelling the random walk behavior exhibited in the (O-C) diagrams of most Mira stars. We found that the random walk could be modelled by using random fluctuations of the period. This explanation agreed well with observations.

African-American Undergraduates' Perceptions and Attributions of Child Sexual Abuse

Science.gov (United States)

Hestick, Henrietta; Perrino, Carrol S.

2009-01-01

This study examined perceptions of child sexual abuse and attributions of responsibility in a cross-sectional convenience sample of 384 African-American undergraduates using a scenario manipulating the age of the victim, gender of the victim, and gender of the perpetrator. Multiple interactions of respondent, victim, and perpetrator gender on…

Exploring the Relationship between Campus Leadership Development and Undergraduate Student Motivation to Lead among a Malaysian Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, Steven Eric; Hamid, Jamaliah Abdul

2015-01-01

Despite the number of studies investigating the perceived effectiveness of campus-based leadership development programming among undergraduates, most have focused on programme outcomes and few have investigated the role of the campus environment in enhancing students' motivation to lead, particularly in non-Western contexts. To address these gaps,…

How iSamples (Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences) Improves Sample and Data Stewardship in the Next Generation of Geoscientists

Science.gov (United States)

Hallett, B. W.; Dere, A. L. D.; Lehnert, K.; Carter, M.

2016-12-01

Vast numbers of physical samples are routinely collected by geoscientists to probe key scientific questions related to global climate change, biogeochemical cycles, magmatic processes, mantle dynamics, etc. Despite their value as irreplaceable records of nature the majority of these samples remain undiscoverable by the broader scientific community because they lack a digital presence or are not well-documented enough to facilitate their discovery and reuse for future scientific and educational use. The NSF EarthCube iSamples Research Coordination Network seeks to develop a unified approach across all Earth Science disciplines for the registration, description, identification, and citation of physical specimens in order to take advantage of the new opportunities that cyberinfrastructure offers. Even as consensus around best practices begins to emerge, such as the use of the International Geo Sample Number (IGSN), more work is needed to communicate these practices to investigators to encourage widespread adoption. Recognizing the importance of students and early career scientists in particular to transforming data and sample management practices, the iSamples Education and Training Working Group is developing training modules for sample collection, documentation, and management workflows. These training materials are made available to educators/research supervisors online at http://earthcube.org/group/isamples and can be modularized for supervisors to create a customized research workflow. This study details the design and development of several sample management tutorials, created by early career scientists and documented in collaboration with undergraduate research students in field and lab settings. Modules under development focus on rock outcrops, rock cores, soil cores, and coral samples, with an emphasis on sample management throughout the collection, analysis and archiving process. We invite others to share their sample management/registration workflows and to

Microbial processes and communities in sediment samples along a transect across the Lusi mud volcano, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, Martin; Straaten, Nontje; Mazzini, Adriano

2015-04-01

The Lusi eruption represents one of the largest ongoing sedimentary hosted geothermal systems. This eruption started in 2006 following to a 6.3 M earthquake that stroke Java Island. Since then it has been spewing boiling mud from a central crater with peaks reaching 180.000 m3 per day. Today an area of about 8 km2 is covered by locally dried mud breccia where a network of hundreds of satellite seeping pools is active. Numerous investigations focused on the study of offshore microbial colonies that commonly thrive at offshore methane seeps and mud volcanoes, however very little has been done for onshore seeping structures. Lusi represents a unique opportunity to complete a comprehensive study of onshore microbial communities fed by the seepage of CH4 and CO2 as well as of heavier liquid hydrocarbons originating from several km below the surface. We conducted a sampling campaign at the Lusi site collecting samples of fresh mud close to the erupting crater using a remote controlled drone. In addition we completed a transect towards outer parts of the crater to collect older, weathered samples for comparison. In all samples active microorganisms were present. The highest activities for CO2 and CH4 production as well as for CH4 oxidation and hydrocarbon degradation were observed in medium-age mud samples collected roughly in the middle of the transect. Rates for aerobic methane oxidation were high, as was the potential of the microbial communities to degrade hydrocarbons (oils, alkanes, BTEX tested). The data suggests a transition of microbial populations from an anaerobic, hydrocarbon-driven metabolism in fresher samples from center or from small seeps to more generalistic, aerobic microbial communities in older, more consolidated sediments. Currently, the microbial communities in the different sediment samples are analyzed using quantitative PCR and T-RFLP combined with MiSeq sequencing. This study represents an initial step to better understand onshore seepage

Population Screening Using Sewage Reveals Pan-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital and Community Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Meir-Gruber, Lital; Manor, Yossi; Gefen-Halevi, Shiraz; Hindiyeh, Musa Y; Mileguir, Fernando; Azar, Roberto; Smollan, Gill; Belausov, Natasha; Rahav, Galia; Shamiss, Ari; Mendelson, Ella; Keller, Nathan

2016-01-01

The presence of pan-resistant bacteria worldwide possesses a threat to global health. It is difficult to evaluate the extent of carriage of resistant bacteria in the population. Sewage sampling is a possible way to monitor populations. We evaluated the presence of pan-resistant bacteria in Israeli sewage collected from all over Israel, by modifying the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates. This method enables convenient and fast sewage sampling and detection. We found that sewage in Israel contains multiple pan-resistant bacteria including carbapenemase resistant Enterobacteriacae carrying blaKPC and blaNDM-1, MRSA and VRE. blaKPC carrying Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae were the most common Enterobacteriacae drug resistant bacteria found in the sewage locations we sampled. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. were the 4 main CRE isolated from Israeli sewage and also from clinical samples in our clinical microbiology laboratory. Hospitals and Community sewage had similar percentage of positive samplings for blaKPC and blaNDM-1. VRE was found to be more abundant in sewage in Israel than MRSA but there were more locations positive for MRSA and VRE bacteria in Hospital sewage than in the Community. Therefore, our upgrade of the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates can be a useful tool for routine screening and monitoring of the population for pan-resistant bacteria using sewage.

Undergraduate Use of Library Databases Decreases as Level of Study Progresses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberly Miller

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A Review of: Mbabu, L.G., Bertram, A. B., & Varnum, K. (2013. Patterns of undergraduates’ use of scholarly databases in a large research university. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(2, 189-193. http://dx.doi.org/10.10.1016/j.acalib.2012.10.004 Abstract Objective – To investigate undergraduate students’ patterns of electronic database use to discover whether database use increases as undergraduate students progress into later stages of study with increasingly sophisticated information needs and demands. Design – User database authentication log analysis. Setting – A large research university in the Midwestern United States of America. Subjects – A total of 26,208 undergraduate students enrolled during the Fall 2009 academic semester. Methods – The researchers obtained logs of user-authenticated activity from the university’s databases. Logged data for each user included: the user’s action and details of that action (including database searches, the time of action, the user’s relationship to the university, the individual school in which the user was enrolled, and the user’s class standing. The data were analyzed to determine which proportion of undergraduate students accessed the library’s electronic databases. The study reports that the logged data accounted for 61% of all database activity, and the authors suggest the other 39% of use is likely from “non-undergraduate members of the research community within the [university’s] campus IP range” (192. Main Results – The study found that 10,897 (42% of the subject population of undergraduate students accessed the library’s electronic databases. The study also compared database access by class standing, and found that freshman undergraduates had the highest proportion of database use, with 56% of enrolled freshman accessing the library’s databases. Sophomores had the second highest proportion of students accessing the databases at 40%; juniors and seniors

Utilization of Oral Health Care Services by University Undergraduates in Lagos, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Makanjuola, J O; Uti, O G; Sofola, O O

2015-01-01

Data on the utilization of the available oral health facilities by university undergraduates is scarce in Nigeria. To determine the level of utilization of oral health care services and to identify the barriers to seeking treatment among University of Lagos students. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among University of Lagos undergraduates. Systematic sampling was used to select participants after randomly selecting a male and female hostel. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to participants and collected immediately. The data was analyzed using Epi info version 6.04 software. Statistical significance was evaluated with chi square test and p-value facilities.

Impact of Facebook Usage on Undergraduate Students Performance in Irbid National University: Case Study

OpenAIRE

Altaany, Fawzi H.; Jassim, Firas A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the style of Facebook usage between undergraduate students and the impact on their academics performance. Also, this paper was evaluated in the view of student the using of Facebook. A questioner was design for collecting data from a sample of 480 undergraduate students in Irbid National University. The survey revealed that 77% of the students have an account on Facebook. One of the main findings is that there was a significant relationship between gend...

Cross-cultural examination of the five-factor model of drinking motives in Spanish and Canadian undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Mezquita, Laura; Stewart, Sherry H; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Grant, Valerie V

2016-06-14

This study aims to test the cross-cultural suitability of Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (M DMQ-R) (Grant, Stewart, O'Connor, Blackwell, & Conrod, 2007). The sample included 571 Spanish and 571 Canadian undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 22 (65.8% women). The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated factorial invariance between samples. The regression analysis showed that social, enhancement and low conformity motives were related to drinking frequency and drinking quantity in the total sample. No moderation effect of country on predicting alcohol consumption was found. The results suggest that M DMQ-R is a suitable instrument for comparing drinking motives across Spanish and Canadian undergraduates, and that motives-focused prevention and treatment programmes developed in one country could be generalised to another.

The Columbia Impairment Scale: Factor Analysis Using a Community Mental Health Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Jonathan B.; Eack, Shaun M.; Greeno, Catherine M.

2011-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to test the factor structure of the parent version of the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) in a sample of mothers who brought their children for community mental health (CMH) services (n = 280). Method: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the fit of the hypothesized four-factor structure…

Who Needs More Sleep? Comparing Undergraduate and Graduate Students' Sleep Habits in a National U.S. Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Oswalt, Sara B.; Wyatt, Tammy J.

2015-01-01

Sleep disorders and deficits are a national U.S. health concern, and college students report more sleep difficulties than the general population. Most published studies examine college students as a homogenous population or focus on professional (e.g. medical) students. This study compares sleep patterns of undergraduate and graduate students from…

Is a community still a community? Reviewing definitions of key terms in community ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Stroud, James T; Bush, Michael R; Ladd, Mark C; Nowicki, Robert J; Shantz, Andrew A; Sweatman, Jennifer

2015-11-01

Community ecology is an inherently complicated field, confounded by the conflicting use of fundamental terms. Nearly two decades ago, Fauth et al. (1996) demonstrated that imprecise language led to the virtual synonymy of important terms and so attempted to clearly define four keywords in community ecology; "community," "assemblage," "guild," and "ensemble". We revisit Fauth et al.'s conclusion and discuss how the use of these terms has changed over time since their review. An updated analysis of term definition from a selection of popular ecological textbooks suggests that definitions have drifted away from those encountered pre-1996, and slightly disagreed with results from a survey of 100 ecology professionals (comprising of academic professors, nonacademic PhDs, graduate and undergraduate biology students). Results suggest that confusion about these terms is still widespread in ecology. We conclude with clear suggestions for definitions of each term to be adopted hereafter to provide greater cohesion among research groups.

Comprehensive Internationalization: Examining the What, Why, and How at Community Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Debra-Ann C.

2016-01-01

Community colleges enroll nearly half of the total U.S. undergraduates, have the most diverse student population, and serve as the only contact with postsecondary education for many students. Community colleges have engaged in internationalization efforts for decades. Most rely on study abroad and international students as the only methods to…

Self-medication with antibiotics among undergraduate nursing students of a government medical college in Eastern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

suvadip biswas

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Antibiotics serve very useful therapeutic purpose in eradicating pathogens. Unfortunately excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics results in antibiotic resistance. The consequences of inappropriate self-medication with antibiotics among healthcare professionals have severe implications which might be legal issues, ethical issues, negative impacts on patient and poor quality of health care delivery. The present study was conducted on self-medication by undergraduate nursing students in a government medical college of West Bengal, India. A pre designed questionnaire was used to collect the relevant information pertaining to the study variables. Among the participants 54.2% had self-medicated in the last six months. The antibiotics most commonly used being metronidazole (67.4%, azithromycin (32.6% and norfloxacin (16.8%. Regarding the source of the antibiotics used for self-medication 41.6% participants went for leftover medicines at home, 34.8% participants obtained the drug from community pharmacies or drug stores. Hospital pharmacies and medicine samples were the source of the drugs for 19.2% and 4.4% participants respectively for this purpose. This study has shown that self-medication with antibiotics is common among undergraduate nursing students. There is a need for a rigorous mass enlightenment campaign to educate the population, including the health care professional about the disadvantages and possible complications of antibiotic self-medication. 

A Community of Scientists and Educators: The Compass Project at UC Berkeley

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Nathaniel; Schwab, Josiah

2016-01-01

The Berkeley Compass Project is a self-formed group of graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. Its goals are to improve undergraduate physics education, provide opportunities for professional development, and increase retention of students from populations underrepresented in the physical sciences. For undergraduate students, the core Compass experience consists of a summer program and several seminar courses. These programs are designed to foster a diverse, collaborative student community in which students engage in authentic research practices and regular self-reflection. Graduate students, together with upper-level undergraduates, design and run all Compass programs. Compass strives to incorporate best practices from the science education literature. Experiences in Compass leave participants poised to be successful students researchers, teachers, and mentors.

Do You Kiss Your Mother with That Mouth? An Authentic Large-Scale Undergraduate Research Experience in Mapping the Human Oral Microbiome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jack T.H. Wang

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Clinical microbiology testing is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of community and hospital-acquired infections. Laboratory scientists need to utilize technical and problem-solving skills to select from a wide array of microbial identification techniques. The inquiry-driven laboratory training required to prepare microbiology graduates for this professional environment can be difficult to replicate within undergraduate curricula, especially in courses that accommodate large student cohorts. We aimed to improve undergraduate scientific training by engaging hundreds of introductory microbiology students in an Authentic Large-Scale Undergraduate Research Experience (ALURE. The ALURE aimed to characterize the microorganisms that reside in the healthy human oral cavity—the oral microbiome—by analyzing hundreds of samples obtained from student volunteers within the course. Students were able to choose from selective and differential culture media, Gram-staining, microscopy, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, in order to collect, analyze, and interpret novel data to determine the collective oral microbiome of the student cohort. Pre- and postsurvey analysis of student learning gains across two iterations of the course (2012–2013 revealed significantly higher student confidence in laboratory skills following the completion of the ALURE (p < 0.05 using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Learning objectives on effective scientific communication were also met through effective student performance in laboratory reports describing the research outcomes of the project. The integration of undergraduate research in clinical microbiology has the capacity to deliver authentic research experiences and improve scientific training for large cohorts of undergraduate students. Editor's Note:The ASM advocates that students must successfully demonstrate the ability to explain and practice safe laboratory techniques

Traumatic stress and psychological functioning in a South African adolescent community sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl D. Swain

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Traumatic stress may arise from various incidents often leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD is estimated at 1% – 2% in Western Europe, 6% – 9% in North America and at just over 10% in countries exposed to long-term violence. In South Africa, the lifetime prevalence for PTSD in the general population is estimated at 2.3%. Aim: To examine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptomatology and related psychological functioning in a community sample of adolescents. Setting: Low-socioeconomic communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: Home interviews with adolescents and their maternal caregivers were used to collect the data using standardised instruments. Adolescents completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children; Children’s Depression Inventory; Children’s Somatization Inventory; and Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale. The Child Behaviour Checklist was completed by the caregivers. The sample comprised Grade 7 (n = 256 and Grade 10 (n = 68 learners. Sixty-five percent of the sample was female, and ages ranged from 9 to 18 (M = 13.11, s.d. = 1.54. Results: Almost 6% of the sample endorsed PTSD and an additional 4% of the participants had clinically significant traumatic stress symptomatology. There was a significant, large, positive correlation between posttraumatic stress and anxiety, and medium positive correlations between posttraumatic stress and depression and somatic symptoms. Conclusion: Posttraumatic stress symptomatology can be debilitating, often co-occurring with symptoms of depression, anxiety and somatic complications. This may lead to long-term academic, social and emotional consequences in this vulnerable group.

Integrating Clinical Neuropsychology into the Undergraduate Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Puente, Antonio E.; And Others

1991-01-01

Claims little information exists in undergraduate education about clinical neuropsychology. Outlines an undergraduate neuropsychology course and proposes ways to integrate the subject into existing undergraduate psychology courses. Suggests developing specialized audio-visual materials for telecourses or existing courses. (NL)

Statistics anxiety among undergraduate students in the faculty of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of statistics anxiety among undergraduate students, and whether the level of influenced by factor e.g gender and age. A sample of 100 third year students who enrolled for basic statistics in the University of Calabar was used for the study. A series of t-tests revealed that the ...

Correlates of firesetting in a community sample of young adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Graham; Bergen, Helen A; Richardson, Angela S; Roeger, Leigh; Allison, Stephen

2004-03-01

To investigate relationships between firesetting, antisocial behaviour, individual, family and parenting factors in a large community sample of adolescents. A cross-sectional study of students (n = 2596) aged 13 years on average, from 27 schools in South Australia with a questionnaire on firesetting, antisocial behaviour (adapted 21-item Self Report Delinquency Scale), risk-taking, drug use, suicidality, physical and sexual abuse, depressive symptomatology, hopelessness, anxiety, locus of control, self-esteem, family functioning (McMaster Family Assessment Device) and parenting style (Influential Relationships Questionnaire). Data analysis included chi2, anova and logistic regression. Large significant differences are found between firesetters and non-firesetters on all measures. Among adolescents with serious levels of antisocial behaviour (7+ acts included in diagnostic guidelines for DSM-IV conduct disorder), firesetters differ from non-firesetters in reporting more extreme antisocial behaviour (10+ acts), extreme drug use, suicidal behaviour, and perceived failure at school. Gender differences are apparent. A study limitation is the single item assessment of firesetting. Self-report firesetting is strongly associated with extreme antisocial behaviour in young community adolescents, in support of existing evidence from incarcerated delinquent and psychiatric populations. Early detection of community firesetters demands further assessment and intervention. Clinicians should consider its coexistence with serious drug use and high risk-taking (especially in girls), and suicidality, sexual and physical abuse (in boys).

The Conundrum of Social Class: Disparities in Publishing among STEM Students in Undergraduate Research Programs at a Hispanic Majority Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Grineski, Sara; Daniels, Heather; Collins, Timothy; Morales, Danielle X.; Frederick, Angela; Garcia, Marilyn

2018-01-01

Research on the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) student development pipeline has largely ignored social class and instead examined inequalities based on gender and race. We investigate the role of social class in undergraduate student research publications. Data come from a sample of 213 undergraduate research participants…

Direct comparisons of Illumina vs. Roche 454 sequencing technologies on the same microbial community DNA sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Chengwei; Tsementzi, Despina; Kyrpides, Nikos; Read, Timothy; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T

2012-01-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is commonly used in metagenomic studies of complex microbial communities but whether or not different NGS platforms recover the same diversity from a sample and their assembled sequences are of comparable quality remain unclear. We compared the two most frequently used platforms, the Roche 454 FLX Titanium and the Illumina Genome Analyzer (GA) II, on the same DNA sample obtained from a complex freshwater planktonic community. Despite the substantial differences in read length and sequencing protocols, the platforms provided a comparable view of the community sampled. For instance, derived assemblies overlapped in ~90% of their total sequences and in situ abundances of genes and genotypes (estimated based on sequence coverage) correlated highly between the two platforms (R(2)>0.9). Evaluation of base-call error, frameshift frequency, and contig length suggested that Illumina offered equivalent, if not better, assemblies than Roche 454. The results from metagenomic samples were further validated against DNA samples of eighteen isolate genomes, which showed a range of genome sizes and G+C% content. We also provide quantitative estimates of the errors in gene and contig sequences assembled from datasets characterized by different levels of complexity and G+C% content. For instance, we noted that homopolymer-associated, single-base errors affected ~1% of the protein sequences recovered in Illumina contigs of 10× coverage and 50% G+C; this frequency increased to ~3% when non-homopolymer errors were also considered. Collectively, our results should serve as a useful practical guide for choosing proper sampling strategies and data possessing protocols for future metagenomic studies.

Teaching and Research at Undergraduate Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Shila

2006-03-01

My own career path has been non-traditional and I ended up at a primarily undergraduate institution by pure accident. However, teaching at a small college has been extremely rewarding to me, since I get to know and interact with my students, have an opportunity to work with them one-on-one and promote their intellectual growth and sense of social responsibility. One of the growing trends at undergraduate institutions in the past decade has been the crucial role of undergraduate research as part of the teaching process and the training of future scientists. There are several liberal arts institutions that expect research-active Faculty who can mentor undergraduate research activities. Often faculty members at these institutions consider their roles as teacher-scholars with no boundary between these two primary activities. A researcher who is in touch with the developments in his/her own field and contributes to new knowledge in the field is likely to be a more exciting teacher in the classroom and share the excitement of discovery with the students. At undergraduate institutions, there is generally very good support available for faculty development projects in both teaching and research. Often, there is a generous research leave program as well. For those who like advising and mentoring undergraduates and a teaching and learning centered paradigm, I will recommend a career at an undergraduate institution. In my presentation, I will talk about how one can prepare for such a career.

Fatherhood in adolescence: prevalence and associated factors in a community sample of youngsters.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Milene Maria Saalfeld de; Branco, Jerônimo Costa; Souza, Luciano Dias de Mattos; Silva, Ricardo Azevedo da; Lara, Diogo Rizzato; Mota, Denise Marques; Jansen, Karen

2015-11-01

This article aims to assess the prevalence of fatherhood in adolescence (FA) and associated factors in a community sample of 14 to 35 year-old men. Cross-sectional population-based study realized in the urban area of the city of Pelotas-RS, Brazil. The sample was selected by clusters, according to the city census. This sub-study only comprised sexually active men. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire in the participants' homes. The sample was composed for 934 men. The prevalence of fatherhood in adolescence was 8% (n = 75). We verified higher prevalence of FA among those that reported paternal absence (p fatherhood in adolescence.

Assessment of lipid profile of a group of undergraduates in Michael ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure the lipid fractions in serum blood samples of apparently healthy undergraduates of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Methods: A total of one hundred consenting males and females aged between 19-30 years were purposively selected from the ...

Suicidal Behaviors among Adolescents in Puerto Rico: Rates and Correlates in Clinical and Community Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Jennifer; Ramirez, Rafael Roberto; Davies, Mark; Canino, Glorisa; Goodwin, Renee D.

2008-01-01

This study examined rates and correlates of suicidal behavior among youth on the island of Puerto Rico. Data were drawn from two probability samples, one clinical (n = 736) and one community-based sample (n = 1,896), of youth ages 12 to 17. Consistent with previous studies in U.S. mainland adolescent populations, our results demonstrate that most…

Radiation Oncology in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Literature Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, Kristopher E.B.; Duncan, Graeme

2010-01-01

Purpose: To review the published literature pertaining to radiation oncology in undergraduate medical education. Methods and Materials: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE Daily Update and EMBASE databases were searched for the 11-year period of January 1, 1998, through the last week of March 2009. A medical librarian used an extensive list of indexed subject headings and text words. Results: The search returned 640 article references, but only seven contained significant information pertaining to teaching radiation oncology to medical undergraduates. One article described a comprehensive oncology curriculum including recommended radiation oncology teaching objectives and sample student evaluations, two described integrating radiation oncology teaching into a radiology rotation, two described multidisciplinary anatomy-based courses intended to reinforce principles of tumor biology and radiotherapy planning, one described an exercise designed to test clinical reasoning skills within radiation oncology cases, and one described a Web-based curriculum involving oncologic physics. Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first review of the literature pertaining to teaching radiation oncology to medical undergraduates, and it demonstrates the paucity of published work in this area of medical education. Teaching radiation oncology should begin early in the undergraduate process, should be mandatory for all students, and should impart knowledge relevant to future general practitioners rather than detailed information relevant only to oncologists. Educators should make use of available model curricula and should integrate radiation oncology teaching into existing curricula or construct stand-alone oncology rotations where the principles of radiation oncology can be conveyed. Assessments of student knowledge and curriculum effectiveness are critical.

An Investigation of Predictors of Life Satisfaction among Overseas Iranian Undergraduate Students

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Razieh Tadayon Nabavi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In recent years, many young people have gone overseas to study and live at least temporarily in new countries that maybe quite different to their homeland. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of life satisfaction among Iranian undergraduate students studying at Malaysian private universities. A total of 361 undergraduate students were identified as respondents of this study by using Multi-Stage random sampling technique. The results of the study showed that the Iranian undergraduate students were moderately satisfied with their overseas student life. Findings also showed that the results of multiple regression analyses indicated social support emerged as the strongest unique predictor of life satisfaction, followed by academic achievement, and adjustment. Findings revealed that 44.8% of the variability in life satisfaction could be predicted by social support, academic achievement, and adjustment. The results also indicated that social support significantly mediated the effect of loneliness on life satisfaction.

Social Anhedonia and Schizotypy in a Community Sample: The Maryland Longitudinal Study of Schizotypy

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, Jack J.; Collins, Lindsay M.; Aghevli, Minu; Leung, Winnie W.; Cohen, Alex S.

2011-01-01

Social anhedonia has been employed in psychometric high-risk studies to identify putative schizotypes. To date, this research has focused almost exclusively on college samples. The current study sought to examine the validity of social anhedonia as an indicator of risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders within a community sample. Furthermore, we evaluated the role of other individual difference variables in accounting for variable clinical severity within the social anhedonia group including trait affectivity, social support, and family environment. Following the mailed questionnaire screening of 2434 eighteen-year olds, laboratory assessments were conducted with individuals identified as being high in social anhedonia (n = 86) and a comparison sample (n = 89). Compared with the control group, individuals in the social anhedonia group were found to have higher rates of mood disorders, elevated schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorder characteristics, greater negative symptom characteristics, and lower global functioning. Individuals within the social anhedonia group also reported greater trait negative affectivity, lower positive affectivity, less social support, and more family conflict. Low social support and problematic family environment were found to be related to elevations in spectrum personality disorder characteristics and poorer functioning within the social anhedonia group. These cross-sectional findings from a community sample provide further support for social anhedonia as a possible indicator of schizotypy. PMID:19850669

Reaching out: medical students leading in local communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Bannon, Aidan; O'Hare, Niamh; Corr, Michael; Sterling, Margaret; Gormley, Gerard J

2015-06-01

Queen's University Red Cross is a medical student-led volunteer group with a key aim of promoting social change within local communities and empowering young people to aspire to higher education. We describe 'The Personal Development Certificate', a 12-week community development programme devised by third-year medical students at Queen's University Belfast to target young people who are lacking educational motivation, are disengaged at home or are marginalised through social circumstances. Community-based education is of increasing importance within undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in the UK, and further afield. We evaluated the perceived improvements in key skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem solving in students following participation in this programme, and the extent to which their attitude and appreciation of community-based medicine changed. [Students] appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments Following facilitation of this community-based initiative, all students reported a perceived improvement in the acquired skill sets. Students made strong links from this programme to previous clinical experiences and appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments and interactions. The students' appreciation and understanding of community-based medicine was the single most improved area of our evaluation. We have demonstrated that medical students possess the skills to develop and facilitate their own educational projects. Non-clinical, student-led community projects have the potential to be reproduced using recognised frameworks and guidelines to complement the current undergraduate medical curriculum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social cognitive perspective of gender disparities in undergraduate physics

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Angela M.

2016-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] This article synthesizes sociopsychological theories and empirical research to establish a framework for exploring causal pathways and targeted interventions for the low representation of women in post-secondary physics. The rationale for this article is based upon disproportionate representation among undergraduate physics majors in the United States; women earned only 19.7% of physics undergraduate degrees in 2012. This disparity has been attributed to a variety of factors, including unwelcoming classroom atmospheres, low confidence and self-efficacy, and few female role models in physics academic communities. Recent empirical studies have suggested gender disparities in physics and related STEM fields may be more amenable to social cognitive interventions than previously thought. Social psychologists have found that women improved physics self-concept when adopting a malleable view of intelligence, when they received support and encouragement from family and teachers, and when they experienced interactive learning techniques in communal environments. By exploring research-based evidence for strategies to support women in physics, precollege and university faculty and administrators may apply social cognitive constructs to improve the representation of women in the field.

Social cognitive perspective of gender disparities in undergraduate physics

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Angela M. Kelly

2016-08-01

Full Text Available [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] This article synthesizes sociopsychological theories and empirical research to establish a framework for exploring causal pathways and targeted interventions for the low representation of women in post-secondary physics. The rationale for this article is based upon disproportionate representation among undergraduate physics majors in the United States; women earned only 19.7% of physics undergraduate degrees in 2012. This disparity has been attributed to a variety of factors, including unwelcoming classroom atmospheres, low confidence and self-efficacy, and few female role models in physics academic communities. Recent empirical studies have suggested gender disparities in physics and related STEM fields may be more amenable to social cognitive interventions than previously thought. Social psychologists have found that women improved physics self-concept when adopting a malleable view of intelligence, when they received support and encouragement from family and teachers, and when they experienced interactive learning techniques in communal environments. By exploring research-based evidence for strategies to support women in physics, precollege and university faculty and administrators may apply social cognitive constructs to improve the representation of women in the field.

The ASM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology: A Case Study of the Advocacy Role of Societies in Reform Efforts.

Science.gov (United States)

Horak, Rachel E A; Merkel, Susan; Chang, Amy

2015-05-01

A number of national reports, including Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action, have called for drastic changes in how undergraduate biology is taught. To that end, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has developed new Curriculum Guidelines for undergraduate microbiology that outline a comprehensive curriculum for any undergraduate introductory microbiology course or program of study. Designed to foster enduring understanding of core microbiology concepts, the Guidelines work synergistically with backwards course design to focus teaching on student-centered goals and priorities. In order to qualitatively assess how the ASM Curriculum Guidelines are used by educators and learn more about the needs of microbiology educators, the ASM Education Board distributed two surveys to the ASM education community. In this report, we discuss the results of these surveys (353 responses). We found that the ASM Curriculum Guidelines are being implemented in many different types of courses at all undergraduate levels. Educators indicated that the ASM Curriculum Guidelines were very helpful when planning courses and assessments. We discuss some specific ways in which the ASM Curriculum Guidelines have been used in undergraduate classrooms. The survey identified some barriers that microbiology educators faced when trying to adopt the ASM Curriculum Guidelines, including lack of time, lack of financial resources, and lack of supporting resources. Given the self-reported challenges to implementing the ASM Curriculum Guidelines in undergraduate classrooms, we identify here some activities related to the ASM Curriculum Guidelines that the ASM Education Board has initiated to assist educators in the implementation process.

The ASM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology: A Case Study of the Advocacy Role of Societies in Reform Efforts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel E.A. Horak

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A number of national reports, including Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action, have called for drastic changes in how undergraduate biology is taught. To that end, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM developed new Curriculum Guidelines for undergraduate microbiology that outline a comprehensive curriculum for any undergraduate introductory microbiology course or program of study. Designed to foster enduring understanding of core microbiology concepts, the Guidelines work synergistically with backwards course design to focus teaching on student-centered goals and priorities.  In order to qualitatively assess how the ASM Curriculum Guidelines are used by educators and learn more about the needs of microbiology educators, the ASM Education Board distributed two surveys to the ASM education community. In this report, we discuss results of these surveys (353 responses. We found that the ASM Curriculum Guidelines are being implemented in many different types of courses at all undergraduate levels. Educators indicated that the ASM Curriculum Guidelines were very helpful when planning courses and assessments. We discuss some specific ways in which the ASM Curriculum Guidelines have been used in undergraduate classrooms. The survey identified some barriers that microbiology educators faced when trying to adopt the ASM Curriculum Guidelines, including lack of time, lack of financial resources, and lack of supporting resources. Given the self-reported challenges to implementing the ASM Curriculum Guidelines in undergraduate classrooms, we identify here some activities related to the ASM Curriculum Guidelines that the ASM Education Board has initiated to assist educators in the implementation process.

Undergraduate Convexity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritzen, Niels

Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier-Motzkin elimin......Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier......-Motzkin elimination, the theory is developed by introducing polyhedra, the double description method and the simplex algorithm, closed convex subsets, convex functions of one and several variables ending with a chapter on convex optimization with the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, duality and an interior point...... algorithm....

Language Preference among Nigerian Undergraduates and the Future of English

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Gabriel B. Egbe

2014-12-01

Full Text Available What will be the future of English in Nigeria? Put more apprehensively, will the English language die in Nigeria in the near future? These questions are answered by reporting on the language preference at home of some Nigerian undergraduates in order to gauge the future of English in Nigeria. The investigation sought to determine the language(s most preferred for communication at home among Nigerian undergraduates. From a sample drawn from students in a private Nigerian university, 66.7% identified English as the most frequently used language at home while 64.1% indicated fluency in English against other languages spoken in Nigeria including the indigenous major Nigerian languages (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. On order of fluency among the languages sampled, 18.5% indicated an English-only fluency, which reveals that some section of young Nigerians are moving towards a monolingual English-only proficiency. This discovery has implications for the future of English in Nigeria. Several factors may account for this emerging trend. However, the premier position occupied by English in Nigeria and the expanding use of English world-wide clearly support the continuous growth and visibility of English as the language of choice among Nigerian undergraduates at home. This is without prejudice to several declarations and policy statements in favour of Mother Tongue education and usage in Nigeria. The paper concludes that the emergence of a new generation of Nigerians who use English as a first language in a non-host second language context is sowing the seed for further nativization and entrenchment of English in Nigeria.

A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate–Postgraduate–Faculty Triads

Science.gov (United States)

Aikens, Melissa L.; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as “postgraduates”) and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the undergraduate’s research. Using a social capital theory framework, we hypothesized that different triad structures provide undergraduates with varying resources (e.g., information, advice, psychosocial support) from the postgraduates and/or faculty, which would affect the undergraduates’ research outcomes. To test this, we collected data from a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about their mentoring triad structure and a range of outcomes associated with research experiences, such as perceived gains in their abilities to think and work like scientists, science identity, and intentions to enroll in a PhD program. Undergraduates mentored by postgraduates alone reported positive outcomes, indicating that postgraduates can be effective mentors. However, undergraduates who interacted directly with faculty realized greater outcomes, suggesting that faculty interaction is important for undergraduates to realize the full benefits of research. The “closed triad,” in which undergraduates, postgraduates, and faculty all interact directly, appeared to be uniquely beneficial; these undergraduates reported the highest gains in thinking and working like a scientist. PMID:27174583

Direct comparisons of Illumina vs. Roche 454 sequencing technologies on the same microbial community DNA sample.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengwei Luo

Full Text Available Next-generation sequencing (NGS is commonly used in metagenomic studies of complex microbial communities but whether or not different NGS platforms recover the same diversity from a sample and their assembled sequences are of comparable quality remain unclear. We compared the two most frequently used platforms, the Roche 454 FLX Titanium and the Illumina Genome Analyzer (GA II, on the same DNA sample obtained from a complex freshwater planktonic community. Despite the substantial differences in read length and sequencing protocols, the platforms provided a comparable view of the community sampled. For instance, derived assemblies overlapped in ~90% of their total sequences and in situ abundances of genes and genotypes (estimated based on sequence coverage correlated highly between the two platforms (R(2>0.9. Evaluation of base-call error, frameshift frequency, and contig length suggested that Illumina offered equivalent, if not better, assemblies than Roche 454. The results from metagenomic samples were further validated against DNA samples of eighteen isolate genomes, which showed a range of genome sizes and G+C% content. We also provide quantitative estimates of the errors in gene and contig sequences assembled from datasets characterized by different levels of complexity and G+C% content. For instance, we noted that homopolymer-associated, single-base errors affected ~1% of the protein sequences recovered in Illumina contigs of 10× coverage and 50% G+C; this frequency increased to ~3% when non-homopolymer errors were also considered. Collectively, our results should serve as a useful practical guide for choosing proper sampling strategies and data possessing protocols for future metagenomic studies.

Psychological stress in undergraduate dental students: baseline results from seven European dental schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphris, Gerry; Blinkhorn, Andy; Freeman, Ruth; Gorter, Ronald; Hoad-Reddick, Gillian; Murtomaa, Heikki; O'Sullivan, Robin; Splieth, Christian

2002-02-01

To determine the degree of psychological distress, the experience of emotional exhaustion, and the extent of stress associated with course work in dental students and to compare these measurements among seven European dental schools. Multi-centred survey. Dental Schools at Amsterdam, Belfast, Cork, Greifswald, Helsinki, Liverpool and Manchester. 333 undergraduate first-year dental students. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Dental Environment Stress Questionnaire (DES), demographic variables. Questionnaire administered to all students attending first year course. Completed questionnaires sent to central office for processing. Seventy-nine percent of the sampled students responded. Over a third of the students (36%) reported significant psychological distress (morbidity) at the recommended cut-off point (>3 on GHQ). These scores were similar to those reported for medical undergraduates. Twenty-two percent recorded comparatively high scores on emotional exhaustion. A wide variation in these 2 measurements was found across schools (p'sStress levels indicated by the DES were less variable (p>0.5). Some evidence showed that contact with patients and the level of support afforded by living at home may be protective. Higher than expected levels of emotional exhaustion were found in a large sample of first-year undergraduate dental students in Europe.

Frames for undergraduates

CERN Document Server

Han, Deguang; Larson, David; Weber, Eric

2007-01-01

Frames for Undergraduates is an undergraduate-level introduction to the theory of frames in a Hilbert space. This book can serve as a text for a special-topics course in frame theory, but it could also be used to teach a second semester of linear algebra, using frames as an application of the theoretical concepts. It can also provide a complete and helpful resource for students doing undergraduate research projects using frames. The early chapters contain the topics from linear algebra that students need to know in order to read the rest of the book. The later chapters are devoted to advanced topics, which allow students with more experience to study more intricate types of frames. Toward that end, a Student Presentation section gives detailed proofs of fairly technical results with the intention that a student could work out these proofs independently and prepare a presentation to a class or research group. The authors have also presented some stories in the Anecdotes section about how this material has moti...

Undergraduate Students' Information Search Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolopoulou, Kleopatra; Gialamas, Vasilis

2011-01-01

This paper investigates undergraduate students' information search practices. The subjects were 250 undergraduate students from two university departments in Greece, and a questionnaire was used to document their search practices. The results showed that the Web was the primary information system searched in order to find information for…

Influence of WeChat on sleep quality among undergraduates in Chongqing, China: a cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

Xu, Xianglong; Lin, Qianyi; Zhang, Yan; Zhu, Runzhi; Sharma, Manoj; Zhao, Yong

2016-01-01

Background Previous studies showed that social media is associated with sleep quality. WeChat (a native social media in China) is very popular in China, especially among the youth. In the second quarter of 2016, Tencent?s WeChat had 806 million monthly active users. The study sought to identify the influence of WeChat on the sleep quality among undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional survey adopted a multi-stage stratified sampling survey to investigate undergraduates in Chongqing, ...

Psychometric Evaluation of the Demographic Index of Cultural Exposure (DICE) in Two Mexican-Origin Community Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Rick A.; Wilkinson, Anna V.; Bondy, Melissa L.; Koehly, Laura M.

2012-01-01

Reliability and validity evidence is provided for the Demographic Index of Cultural Exposure (DICE), consisting of six demographic proxy indicators of acculturation, within two community samples of Mexican-origin adults (N= 497 for each sample). Factor analytic procedures were used to examine the common variance shared between the six demographic…

Developing virtual REU cohorts: Reflections from the IRIS Undergraduate Internship Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hubenthal, M.; Taber, J.; Aster, R.; Frassetto, A.

2007-12-01

Beginning in 2006, the IRIS Education and Outreach program received funding from the National Science Foundation (EAR-0453427) to explore a novel approach to the traditional Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) model. This model blends the spirit of an REU program, which traditionally hosts participants in one location with successful prior IRIS experience hosting students at widely separated institutions to participate in summer research. A unique feature the IRIS Undergraduate Internship Program is that throughout the summer, interns form and sustain a virtual community, offering assistance, sharing ideas, asking questions, and relaying life experiences while conducting their research at diverse institutions. Key to IRIS's REU model is a combination of: one-on-one mentoring by researchers at IRIS institutions across the US, developing a strong unity among interns through both face-to-face and on-line interactions, participation of an IRIS REU alumni mentor to provide both group and intern-specific guidance developing interns' abilities to self-evaluate and work independently, through carefully designed web-based tools, and increasing interns' awareness of the IRIS and broader Earth Science community; demonstrating the role they will play in this larger community. Virtual interaction is facilitated by 1) bringing students together for face-to-face contact, through a week long orientation held annually at the IRIS PASSCAL Instrument Center on the campus of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and 2) the community enabling web infrastructure at http://www.iris.edu/internship/. During the orientation students engage in classes in geophysics basics, career preparation, as well as training to communicate virtually. Our experiences and evaluations from the 2006 and 2007 field seasons have:shown the increasing demand for electronic advertising of REU programs, provided support for several assumptions of the model including the key role of both the

Microfluidic Gel Electrophoresis in the Undergraduate Laboratory Applied to Food Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Tzu-Chiao; Bhattacharya, Sanchari; Ros, Alexandra

2012-01-01

A microfluidics-based laboratory experiment for the analysis of DNA fragments in an analytical undergraduate course is presented. The experiment is set within the context of food species identification via amplified DNA fragments. The students are provided with berry samples from which they extract DNA and perform polymerase chain reaction (PCR)…

Exploring Undergraduate Gender Differences in Anxiety about Meeting Their Assigned Therapist

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Gary; DiMino, John; DeMaria, Peter A., Jr.; Beverly, Clyde; Chessler, Marcy

2016-01-01

An online survey sample of 166 non-urgent undergraduates, N = 47 (male) and N = 119 (female) waiting to begin counseling after triage found that females had significantly higher anxiety about meeting their assigned (intake) therapist than males. This gender difference of females being higher in counselor meeting anxiety could not be accounted for…

Investigating the Association between Autistic-Like and Internalizing Traits in a Community-Based Twin Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Hallett, Victoria; Ronald, Angelica; Happe, Francesca

2009-01-01

The phenotypic and etiologic relation between internalizing and autistic-like traits is studied using a community-based twin sample. Internalizing and autistic-like traits showed moderate phenotypic overlap but have specific genetic influences.

Sexual Abuse and Eating Disorders in a Community Sample of Mexican American Women

Science.gov (United States)

Cachelin, Fary M.; Schug, Robert A.; Juarez, Laura C.; Monreal, Teresa K.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sexual abuse and eating disorders in a voluntary community sample of Mexican American women. Eighty eating disorder cases were compared to 110 healthy controls on presence of sexual abuse and on characteristics of the abuse. The Structured Clinical Interview for the "Diagnostic and…

Researching Undergraduate Social Science Research

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Jane

2016-01-01

The experience(s) of undergraduate research students in the social sciences is under-represented in the literature in comparison to the natural sciences or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The strength of STEM undergraduate research learning environments is understood to be related to an apprenticeship-mode of learning supported…

The effect of DNA degradation bias in passive sampling devices on metabarcoding studies of arthropod communities and their associated microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Krehenwinkel, Henrik; Fong, Marisa; Kennedy, Susan; Huang, Edward Greg; Noriyuki, Suzuki; Cayetano, Luis; Gillespie, Rosemary

2018-01-01

PCR amplification bias is a well-known problem in metagenomic analysis of arthropod communities. In contrast, variation of DNA degradation rates is a largely neglected source of bias. Differential degradation of DNA molecules could cause underrepresentation of taxa in a community sequencing sample. Arthropods are often collected by passive sampling devices, like malaise traps. Specimens in such a trap are exposed to varying periods of suboptimal storage and possibly different rates of DNA degradation. Degradation bias could thus be a significant issue, skewing diversity estimates. Here, we estimate the effect of differential DNA degradation on the recovery of community diversity of Hawaiian arthropods and their associated microbiota. We use a simple DNA size selection protocol to test for degradation bias in mock communities, as well as passively collected samples from actual Malaise traps. We compare the effect of DNA degradation to that of varying PCR conditions, including primer choice, annealing temperature and cycle number. Our results show that DNA degradation does indeed bias community analyses. However, the effect of this bias is of minor importance compared to that induced by changes in PCR conditions. Analyses of the macro and microbiome from passively collected arthropod samples are thus well worth pursuing.

Stigmatizing Attitudes and Beliefs About Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa Among Italian Undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Caslini, Manuela; Crocamo, Cristina; Dakanalis, Antonios; Tremolada, Martina; Clerici, Massimo; Carrà, Giuseppe

2016-12-01

Stigmatizing attitudes toward eating disorders (EDs) may lead to reduced treatment seeking. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of stigmatizing trends and beliefs related to anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), and the associations with the experiential knowledge of the problem, in a large sample of Italian undergraduates. A total of 2109 participants completed an online survey including questionnaires related to stigmatizing beliefs toward AN and BN, and personal contacts with people with EDs. Undergraduates reported almost overlapping low levels of stigmatizing trends for AN and BN, apart from personal responsibility and social distance. Those aged 18 to 25 and living with family held higher stigmatizing attitudes. Stigma was lower in underweight participants and in those (12%) reporting a previous ED diagnosis. Although not improving stigmatizing attitudes, 83% of the sample was familiar with people with an ED. Antistigma actions to increase awareness on EDs and to improve treatment-seeking behaviors are needed.

Undergraduate Program: Philadelphia

Science.gov (United States)

Betsock, Lori

2008-08-01

Undergraduate chemical science students—join us in Philadelphia on August 17 and 18, 2008, for an educational and career-oriented program designed specifically for you. Attend symposia about global climate change and clean energy; hear Nobel Laureate F. Sherwood Rowland speak about his fascinating career, "A Life in Tracer Chemistry". Weigh options for your future by attending the Graduate School Reality Check and graduate school recruiting events. All events will take place in the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center at 17th and Race Streets, except the Undergraduate Poster Sessions and Sci-Mix, which will be held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Training community health students to develop community-requested social marketing campaigns: an innovative partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsey, Billie J; Hawk, Carol Wetherill

2013-01-01

This paper describes a sustained partnership between a university community health program and local and regional community health agencies. As a key component of the Health Communication and Social Marketing course, the partnership involves undergraduate community health students working for and with community agencies and community members to design social marketing campaigns based on community-identified health needs. The goals of the course are to (1) provide students with the opportunity to work within the community to apply their skills in program planning, evaluation, and communication and (2) provide community agencies with a tailored campaign that can be implemented in their communities. Throughout the 10-week quarter, teams of students follow the principles of community participation in planning a social marketing campaign. These include (1) audience segmentation and formative assessment with the intended audience to determine campaign content and strategies and (2) pretesting and revisions of campaign messages and materials based on community feedback. This partnership contributes to the promotion of health in the local community and it builds the skills and competencies of future health educators. It demonstrates a successful and sustainable combination of community-based participatory research and experiential learning. From 2005 to 2011, 35 campaigns have been developed, many which have been implemented.

Online Resources and Community Support for REU Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, V.; Haacker, R.

2015-12-01

Creating and running undergraduate research programs is very time and resource intensive, and leaders work in relative isolation, managing every aspect of REU programs. This paper will give an update on new tools, resources, and support gathered from the geoscience REU community and made available through the SOARS Center for Undergraduate Research via the web, a listserv, and workshops. These include advice and tools on topics such as broadening participation, ethics and safety training, and communicating with mentors. The demand from the private sector for graduates to be more adaptable, adept at problem solving, and skilled at writing and presenting (Chronicle for Higher Education, 2012) increases the need for the REU community to provide professional development for students. As a result, we are also working to provide materials and webinars on teaching interns how to prepare talks and posters, how to write their internship experience into their résumé, and about graduate school and other non-academic career paths. REUs continue to successfully attract strong students into STEM fields, and the quality of these programs is enhanced by the generous sharing of insight and tools within the GEO REU community (ucar.scied.edu/soars/reu).

Membrane biofouling characterization: effects of sample preparation procedures on biofilm structure and the microbial community

KAUST Repository

Xue, Zheng; Lu, Huijie; Liu, Wen-Tso

2014-01-01

Ensuring the quality and reproducibility of results from biofilm structure and microbial community analysis is essential to membrane biofouling studies. This study evaluated the impacts of three sample preparation factors (ie number of buffer rinses

Perceptions of Undergraduate Students and Faculty Regarding the Impact of Electronic Communication on the Written-Communication Skills of Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Houser, Laura Ann Camlet

2012-01-01

This narrative-qualitative study investigated the perceived impact that electronic communication has on the written-communication skills of undergraduate students. Open-ended survey questions queried the experiences of undergraduate students who use electronic communication, as well as the perceptions of faculty who teach undergraduate students.…

Affinity for Quantitative Tools: Undergraduate Marketing Students Moving beyond Quantitative Anxiety

Science.gov (United States)

Tarasi, Crina O.; Wilson, J. Holton; Puri, Cheenu; Divine, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Marketing students are known as less likely to have an affinity for the quantitative aspects of the marketing discipline. In this article, we study the reasons why this might be true and develop a parsimonious 20-item scale for measuring quantitative affinity in undergraduate marketing students. The scale was administered to a sample of business…

Solvent Extraction of Copper: An Extractive Metallurgy Exercise for Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Smellie, Iain A.; Forgan, Ross S.; Brodie, Claire; Gavine, Jack S.; Harris, Leanne; Houston, Daniel; Hoyland, Andrew D.; McCaughan, Rory P.; Miller, Andrew J.; Wilson, Liam; Woodhall, Fiona M.

2016-01-01

A multidisciplinary experiment for advanced undergraduate students has been developed in the context of extractive metallurgy. The experiment serves as a model of an important modern industrial process that combines aspects of organic/inorganic synthesis and analysis. Students are tasked to prepare a salicylaldoxime ligand and samples of the…

Effort versus Reward: Preparing Samples for Fungal Community Characterization in High-Throughput Sequencing Surveys of Soils.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zewei Song

Full Text Available Next generation fungal amplicon sequencing is being used with increasing frequency to study fungal diversity in various ecosystems; however, the influence of sample preparation on the characterization of fungal community is poorly understood. We investigated the effects of four procedural modifications to library preparation for high-throughput sequencing (HTS. The following treatments were considered: 1 the amount of soil used in DNA extraction, 2 the inclusion of additional steps (freeze/thaw cycles, sonication, or hot water bath incubation in the extraction procedure, 3 the amount of DNA template used in PCR, and 4 the effect of sample pooling, either physically or computationally. Soils from two different ecosystems in Minnesota, USA, one prairie and one forest site, were used to assess the generality of our results. The first three treatments did not significantly influence observed fungal OTU richness or community structure at either site. Physical pooling captured more OTU richness compared to individual samples, but total OTU richness at each site was highest when individual samples were computationally combined. We conclude that standard extraction kit protocols are well optimized for fungal HTS surveys, but because sample pooling can significantly influence OTU richness estimates, it is important to carefully consider the study aims when planning sampling procedures.

A conference experience for undergraduates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, L.A.; Magee, N.H.; Bryant, H.C.; Zeilik, M.

1999-01-01

Programs launched by many universities and the federal government expose many undergraduate students in the physical sciences to research early in their careers. However, in their research experiences, undergraduates are not usually introduced to the modes by which scientific knowledge, which they may have helped gather, is communicated and evaluated by working scientists. Nor is it always made clear where the research frontiers really lie. To this end, we guided a selected group of undergraduates through a national scientific conference, followed by a week of tutorials and discussions to help them better understand what had transpired. The program complemented the basic undergraduate research endeavors by emphasizing the importance of disseminating results both to other scientists and to society in general. Tutors and discussion leaders in the second week were experts in their fields and included some of the invited speakers from the main meeting. A considerable improvement in the understanding of the issues and prospects for a career in physics was discernible among the students after their two-week experience. copyright 1999 American Association of Physics Teachers

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Weckle, Amy; Aiello, Allison E; Uddin, Monica; Galea, Sandro; Coulborn, Rebecca M; Soliven, Richelo; Meier, Helen; Wildman, Derek E

2015-11-30

Collection and processing of whole blood samples in a non-clinical setting offers a unique opportunity to evaluate community-dwelling individuals both with and without preexisting conditions. Rapid processing of these samples is essential to avoid degradation of key cellular components. Included here are methods for simultaneous peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), DNA, RNA and serum isolation from a single blood draw performed in the homes of consenting participants across a metropolitan area, with processing initiated within 2 hr of collection. We have used these techniques to process over 1,600 blood specimens yielding consistent, high quality material, which has subsequently been used in successful DNA methylation, genotyping, gene expression and flow cytometry analyses. Some of the methods employed are standard; however, when combined in the described manner, they enable efficient processing of samples from participants of population- and/or community-based studies who would not normally be evaluated in a clinical setting. Therefore, this protocol has the potential to obtain samples (and subsequently data) that are more representative of the general population.

Evaluation of a nursing student health fair program: Meeting curricular standards and improving community members' health.

Science.gov (United States)

Salerno, John P; McEwing, Evan; Matsuda, Yui; Gonzalez-Guarda, Rosa M; Ogunrinde, Olutola; Azaiza, Mona; Williams, Jessica R

2018-04-17

Public health nursing (PHN) is an essential component of baccalaureate nursing education. In order to build PHN competencies, universities must design and operationalize meaningful clinical activities addressing community and population health. Currently, there is a paucity of literature delineating best practices for promoting competency in PHN. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe a PHN-student health fair program as a means for meeting undergraduate PHN curricular standards, and to report results of an evaluation conducted examining its effectiveness in improving community member's health knowledge. Health fairs were held at community agencies that served the homeless or victims of intimate partner violence. A total of 113 community members that attended a health fair were assessed at baseline and immediate posttest using open-ended questionnaires. The design of the health fairs included a community assessment, intervention, and evaluation flow that followed the nursing process. We report that results from participants surveyed indicated that PHN-student delivered health fairs improved health knowledge among community members in this sample (p = .000). Health fairs conducted by PHN students appear to be promising community health promotion and disease prevention interventions that can serve as an effective strategy for teaching PHN student competencies and facilitating engagement with the community. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Young Schema Questionnaire (Short Form) in Chinese Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Lixia; Lin, Wenwen; Oei, Tian P. S.

2011-01-01

This study investigated cross-cultural differences in the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Young Schema Questionnaire (short form; YSQ-SF). The participants were 712 Chinese undergraduate students. The total sample was randomly divided into two sub-samples. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on questionnaire results…

Published research studies conducted amongst Indian medical undergraduate students: Bibliometric Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandeep Sachdeva

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Evaluation of published original research conducted amongst Indian medical undergraduate students. Methodology: A systematic review was undertaken using keywords “MBBS students” or “medical students” or “health students” or “university students” and “India” through search engines, PUBMED and Google scholar. Considering feasibility, time frame of published original research article was restricted to one-year only i.e. 2016. Research domain, research design, author and other bibliometric details of research manuscript were captured using check-list and analysis carried out using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 99 suitable original research articles were identified under certain criteria and considered in present analysis. With regard to thematic research domain, highest, 29 (29.2% articles were related to teaching and learning process followed by 13 (13.1% to mental health (depression, anxiety, sleep, spirituality of students; 07 (7.0% were based on physical fitness/ exercise/yoga; and substance abuse (6.0% amongst medical students etc. Nearly, 86 (86.8% of articles were cross-sectional descriptive based studies while 13 (13.1% had intervention based research design. A total of 34 (34.3% research articles could be labeled as “KAP” (knowledge, attitude and practice survey. Department wise detail of corresponding author was largely dominated by faculty from pre and para-clinical departments. Highest was community medicine in (35.3% articles, pharmacology (23.2%, physiology (17.1%, microbiology (6.0%, and biochemistry (4.0% etc. The studies covered an average sample size of 188.8 MBBS students (20-360, range; 57.5% of research article covered students from only one professional year. However, in 42 (42.4% articles there was no further mention of gender based sample information. Out of all the references used in research articles, only 57.3% were of recent (2005-2015 origin while the rest were from older

[Community health course--student's evaluation].

Science.gov (United States)

Juresa, Vesna; Musil, Vera; Sosić, Zvonko; Majer, Marjeta; Pavleković, Gordana

2010-12-01

, 63% with field research, and 49% with water sampling. At some medical schools, there are similar attempts to bring students more closely to life conditions, especially to rural communities. Different schools of medicine in the world have attempted to improve and adapt current curricula towards community-oriented education of medical students during undergraduate study and residency. In some countries, there is also the need of improvement of health care in rural areas. Results of the course evaluation showed that students had recognized the exceptional value of community health course as a whole. They perceived it as the most valuable and most useful experience in their medical study. By participating in local health care and social care activities in rural area, they got an insight into both the health care system and socio-medical determinants of health.

Asset Mapping: A Course Assignment and Community Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, Mary; Melchior, Florence

2013-01-01

Asset mapping is a relatively new data collection strategy to identify services, staff capacity, programs, resources, values, and other protective factors in a geographic area that can be juxtaposed to risk factors when initiating community planning. A substance abuse prevention course for undergraduates added an assignment of assessing community…

Democracy, Community, Responsibility, and Influence in Teacher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlin, C.; Sawada, Daiyo

1987-01-01

This paper examines a large undergraduate teacher education program which had as a major goal allaying students' feelings of depersonalization and alienation. Specifically looked at are: (1) processes leading to a sense of community, responsibility, and influence among students and staff and (2) processes countering such development. (Author/MT)

What do medical students understand by research and research skills? Identifying research opportunities within undergraduate projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah; Drewery, Sarah; Elton, Sarah; Emmerson, Catherine; Marshall, Michelle; Smith, John A; Stark, Patsy; Whittle, Sue

2010-01-01

Undergraduate research exposure leads to increased recruitment into academic medicine, enhanced employability and improved postgraduate research productivity. Uptake of undergraduate research opportunities is reported to be disappointing, and little is known about how students perceive research. To investigate opportunities for undergraduate participation in research, recognition of such opportunities, and associated skills development. A mixed method approach, incorporating student focus and study groups, and documentary analysis at five UK medical schools. Undergraduates recognised the benefits of acquiring research skills, but identified practical difficulties and disadvantages of participating. Analysis of 905 projects in four main research skill areas - (1) research methods; (2) information gathering; (3) critical analysis and review; (4) data processing - indicated 52% of projects provided opportunities for students to develop one or more skills, only 13% offered development in all areas. In 17%, project descriptions provided insufficient information to determine opportunities. Supplied with information from a representative sample of projects (n = 80), there was little consensus in identifying skills among students or between students and researchers. Consensus improved dramatically following guidance on how to identify skills. Undergraduates recognise the benefits of research experience but need a realistic understanding of the research process. Opportunities for research skill development may not be obvious. Undergraduates require training to recognise the skills required for research and enhanced transparency in potential project outcomes.

Perception Differential between Employers and Undergraduates on the Importance of Employability Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Wye, Chung-Khain; Lim, Yet-Mee

2009-01-01

This paper attempts to investigate if the undergraduates' core competencies are able to meet with the requirements set by the employers and to analyse the effectiveness of personal qualities and employability skills development in private university in Malaysia. Questionnaires survey, mean score comparison, and independent sample t-test are used…

A Coastal Environment Field and Laboratory Activity for an Undergraduate Geomorphology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Jean T.; Rindfleisch, Paul R.

2006-01-01

A field and laboratory exercise for an undergraduate geomorphology class is described that focuses on the beach. The project requires one day of fieldwork and two laboratory sessions. In the field, students measure water surface fluctuations (waves) with a pressure sensor, survey beach profiles, collect sediment samples, and observe the beach…

An Investigation of the Difficulties Faced by EFL Undergraduates in Speaking Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jamal, Dina A.; Al-Jamal, Ghadeer A.

2014-01-01

Since speaking well in English is crucial for English language literature undergraduates, the present study aimed at describing difficulties that may be encountered at an EFL setting. The sample was stratified random as drawn from six Jordanian public universities. Survey questionnaires as well as semi-structured interviews were constructed. 64…

Supercritical fluid extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography of respiratory quinones for microbial community analysis in environmental and biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanif, Muhammad; Atsuta, Yoichi; Fujie, Koichi; Daimon, Hiroyuki

2012-03-05

Microbial community structure plays a significant role in environmental assessment and animal health management. The development of a superior analytical strategy for the characterization of microbial community structure is an ongoing challenge. In this study, we developed an effective supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method for the analysis of bacterial respiratory quinones (RQ) in environmental and biological samples. RQ profile analysis is one of the most widely used culture-independent tools for characterizing microbial community structure. A UPLC equipped with a photo diode array (PDA) detector was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of ubiquinones (UQ) and menaquinones (MK) without tedious pretreatment. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) extraction with the solid-phase cartridge trap proved to be a more effective and rapid method for extracting respiratory quinones, compared to a conventional organic solvent extraction method. This methodology leads to a successful analytical procedure that involves a significant reduction in the complexity and sample preparation time. Application of the optimized methodology to characterize microbial communities based on the RQ profile was demonstrated for a variety of environmental samples (activated sludge, digested sludge, and compost) and biological samples (swine and Japanese quail feces).

Sampling season affects conclusions on soil arthropod community structure responses to metal pollution in Mediterranean urban soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Santorufo, L.; van Gestel, C.A.M.; Maisto, G.

2014-01-01

This study aimed to assess if the period of sampling affected conclusions on the responses of arthropod community structure to metal pollution in urban soils in the Mediterranean area. Higher temperature and lower precipitation were detected in autumn than in spring. In both samplings, the most

Eating Disorders and Body Image of Undergraduate Men

Science.gov (United States)

Ousley, Louise; Cordero, Elizabeth Diane; White, Sabina

2008-01-01

Eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate men are less documented and researched than are eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate women. Objective and Participants: In this study, the authors examined these issues in undergraduate men to identify similarities and differences between this population and…

Personal microbiome analysis improves student engagement and interest in Immunology, Molecular Biology, and Genomics undergraduate courses

Science.gov (United States)

Bridgewater, Laura C.; Jensen, Jamie L.; Breakwell, Donald P.; Nielsen, Brent L.; Johnson, Steven M.

2018-01-01

A critical area of emphasis for science educators is the identification of effective means of teaching and engaging undergraduate students. Personal microbiome analysis is a means of identifying the microbial communities found on or in our body. We hypothesized the use of personal microbiome analysis in the classroom could improve science education by making courses more applied and engaging for undergraduate students. We determined to test this prediction in three Brigham Young University undergraduate courses: Immunology, Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, and Genomics. These three courses have a two-week microbiome unit and students during the 2016 semester students could submit their own personal microbiome kit or use the demo data, whereas during the 2017 semester students were given access to microbiome data from an anonymous individual. The students were surveyed before, during, and after the human microbiome unit to determine whether analyzing their own personal microbiome data, compared to analyzing demo microbiome data, impacted student engagement and interest. We found that personal microbiome analysis significantly enhanced the engagement and interest of students while completing microbiome assignments, the self-reported time students spent researching the microbiome during the two week microbiome unit, and the attitudes of students regarding the course overall. Thus, we found that integrating personal microbiome analysis in the classroom was a powerful means of improving student engagement and interest in undergraduate science courses. PMID:29641525

Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire in Undergraduate Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Sequeira, Carlos Alberto da Cruz; Barbosa, Elsa Natalina Mendes; Nogueira, Maria José Carvalho; Sampaio, Francisco Miguel Correia

2017-10-01

Translate, adapt the language, and assess the psychometric properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire (MVQ) in a Portuguese population sample of young adults. A psychometric validation study was performed. The sample comprised 166 undergraduate students. Factor analysis was applied to extract three indicators. The MVQ showed divergent validity with the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (p Mental Health Inventory including five items (p mental vulnerability. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pattern of Smartphones Utilisation among Engineering Undergraduates

OpenAIRE

Muliati Sedek

2014-01-01

The smartphones ownership among the undergraduates in Malaysia was recorded as high. However, little was known about its utilization patterns, thus, the focus of this research was to determine the utilisation patterns of smartphones based on the National Education Technology Standard for Students (NETS.S) among engineering undergraduates in Malaysia. This study was based on a quantitative research and the population comprised undergraduates from four Malaysian Technical Universities. A total ...

A Typology of Maritally Violent Men and Correlates of Violence in a Community Sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Delsol, Catherine; Margolin, Gyala; John, Richard S.

2003-01-01

Tests A. Holtzworth-Munroe and G. L. Stuart's (1994) typology of male batterers in a community sample. Analyses based on severity of physical aggression, generality of violence, and psychopathology partially replicated the Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart typology by identifying 3 types of violent men: family-only, medium-violence, and generally…

The Place of Community-Based Learning in Higher Education: A Case Study of Interchange

Science.gov (United States)

Hardwick, Louise

2013-01-01

This article focuses on one strand of community engagement: community-based learning for students. It considers in particular Interchange as a case study. Interchange is a registered charity based in, but independent of, a department in a Higher Education Institution. It brokers between undergraduate research/work projects and Voluntary Community…

Sense of Community, Inclusion, and Religious Pluralism: A Comparison of Two Catholic Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Joseph R.; Bottom, Todd L.; Matteo, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

For decades researchers assessed sense of community (SOC), inclusion, and pluralism within academic settings. In the present study, 2,220 undergraduate students (1,442 women, 778 men; M age = 23.42 years; SD = 7.84) at two Catholic universities responded to perceived levels of school sense of community, inclusion, and religious pluralism. Analyses…

Life Science Professional Societies Expand Undergraduate Education Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Matyas, Marsha Lakes; Ruedi, Elizabeth A.; Engen, Katie; Chang, Amy L.

2017-01-01

The "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education" reports cite the critical role of professional societies in undergraduate life science education and, since 2008, have called for the increased involvement of professional societies in support of undergraduate education. Our study explored the level of support being provided by…

Identity, Stress, and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Undergraduates: Evidence for Interaction Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Burt, Keith B.; Paysnick, Amy A.

2014-01-01

The present study examined sense of identity (assessed using the Identity subscale of the Psychosocial Maturity Inventory) as a moderator of associations between stressful life events, behavioral/emotional problems, and substance abuse in a sample of 187 college undergraduates (67% female). Correlations showed evidence for positive associations…

An exploration of fourth-year undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Cullen Gill, E; Moore, Z

2013-11-01

To determine undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. Ethical approval was received. A convenience sample of fourth-year undergraduate nurses was selected to participate (n=60). Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. Overall, the participants showed a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention but displayed poor knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. Interestingly, having a high level of competency corresponded with having a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention, but did not equate to possessing knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. The findings of this study suggest that fourth-year undergraduates have a positive attitude but lack adequate knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers. There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Outcomes of couples with infidelity in a community-based sample of couple therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkins, David C; Marín, Rebeca A; Lo, Tracy T Y; Klann, Notker; Hahlweg, Kurt

2010-04-01

Infidelity is an often cited problem for couples seeking therapy, but the research literature to date is very limited on couple therapy outcomes when infidelity is a problem. The current study is a secondary analysis of a community-based sample of couple therapy in Germany and Austria. Outcomes for 145 couples who reported infidelity as a problem in their relationship were compared with 385 couples who sought therapy for other reasons. Analyses based on hierarchical linear modeling revealed that infidelity couples were significantly more distressed and reported more depressive symptoms at the start of therapy but continued improving through the end of therapy and to 6 months posttherapy. At the follow-up assessment, infidelity couples were not statistically distinguishable from non-infidelity couples, replicating previous research. Sexual dissatisfaction did not depend on infidelity status. Although there was substantial missing data, sensitivity analyses suggested that the primary findings were not due to missing data. The current findings based on a large community sample replicated previous work from an efficacy trial and show generally optimistic results for couples in which there has been an affair. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Undergraduate Convexity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritzen, Niels

Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier-Motzkin elimin...

PIXE analysis of hair samples from artisanal mining communities in the Acupan region, Benguet, Philippines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clemente, Eligia; Sera, K.; Futatsugawa, S.; Murao, S.

2004-01-01

The mountainous regions of Benguet Province in the Philippines is home to some 10,000 small-scale miners who make out a living by extracting gold. In these communities, the method of extraction still involves the use of mercury, via amalgamation. In the separation of gold from mercury the method involves the release of mercury vapor into the atmosphere. This is therefore expected to affect the people living in the nearby areas. This study involves the accumulation of baseline data on the extent of mercury contamination in humans through the analysis of their hair. In 1989, Hursh et al. [Arch. Environ. Health 44 (2) (1989) 120] studied human volunteers and found that uptake of mercury vapor through the skin is only about 1% of the uptake through inhalation [World Health Organization, IPCS, EHC118, Inorganic Mercury, Geneva, 1991, p. 42]. In this light, any residual mercury which might have deposited in human hair is speculated to give an indication of how much mercury vapor the subject could have actually inhaled. A high concentration of mercury in the sample can therefore be indicative of the high rate of intake of the mercury vapor through inhalation. A sampling of the community consisted of both male (83%) and female (17%) subjects who ranged in age from 8 to 66 years old. Hair analysis was done using particle induced X-ray emission at the Iwate Medical University through Dr. Sera. With Zn set as a standard element, the rest of the elements were determined using the standard-free method. In order to obtain the conversion coefficient for hair samples, many hair samples were analyzed by this method and the internal standard method which involves the preparation of the hair samples by chemical ashing. The results obtained were comparable. The PIXE results for these samples showed the analysis of 26 elements but for our purposes, however, only the mercury analysis will be considered. Results of the analysis showed the hair samples to contain 0-27 ppm, with only seven

The Agony and the Ecstasy: Teaching Marketing Metrics to Undergraduate Business Students

Science.gov (United States)

Saber, Jane Lee; Foster, Mary K.

2011-01-01

The marketing department of a large business school introduced a new undergraduate course, marketing metrics and analysis. The main materials for this course consisted of a series of online spreadsheets with embedded text and practice problems, a 32-page online metrics primer that included assurance of learning questions and a sample examination…

Social anhedonia and schizotypy in a community sample: the Maryland longitudinal study of schizotypy.

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Blanchard, Jack J; Collins, Lindsay M; Aghevli, Minu; Leung, Winnie W; Cohen, Alex S

2011-05-01

Social anhedonia has been employed in psychometric high-risk studies to identify putative schizotypes. To date, this research has focused almost exclusively on college samples. The current study sought to examine the validity of social anhedonia as an indicator of risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders within a community sample. Furthermore, we evaluated the role of other individual difference variables in accounting for variable clinical severity within the social anhedonia group including trait affectivity, social support, and family environment. Following the mailed questionnaire screening of 2434 eighteen-year olds, laboratory assessments were conducted with individuals identified as being high in social anhedonia (n=86) and a comparison sample (n=89). Compared with the control group, individuals in the social anhedonia group were found to have higher rates of mood disorders, elevated schizophrenia-spectrum personality disorder characteristics, greater negative symptom characteristics, and lower global functioning. Individuals within the social anhedonia group also reported greater trait negative affectivity, lower positive affectivity, less social support, and more family conflict. Low social support and problematic family environment were found to be related to elevations in spectrum personality disorder characteristics and poorer functioning within the social anhedonia group. These cross-sectional findings from a community sample provide further support for social anhedonia as a possible indicator of schizotypy. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved.

What Does It Mean for Something to Be "Scientific"? Community Understandings of Science, Educational Attainment, and Community Representation Among a Sample of 25 CBPR Projects.

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Spears Johnson, Chaya R; Kraemer Diaz, Anne E; Arcury, Thomas A

2017-04-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) seeks to conduct relevant, sustainable research that is tailored to the needs of the communities with which it is engaged through equitable collaboration between community representatives and professional researchers. Like other participatory approaches to research and planning, CBPR has been criticized for the potential to engage a biased sample of community representatives and, thereby, undermine the fundamental purpose of the approach. Moreover, the varying educational levels and areas of expertise, especially regarding science literacy, among those participating in CBPR has raised concern about the ability for true collaboration to exist within CBPR projects. This article presents findings from a qualitative study of 25 CBPR research projects and explores matters of science literacy, community representation, and the nature of CBPR. Ultimately, it is suggested that those who engage in CBPR should carefully consider the potential for biased community representation and seek to purposely and mindfully avoid any partiality.

Influence of acid mine drainage on microbial communities in stream and groundwater samples at Guryong Mine, South Korea

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Kim, Jaisoo; Koo, So-Yeon; Kim, Ji-Young; Lee, Eun-Hee; Lee, Sang-Don; Ko, Kyung-Seok; Ko, Dong-Chan; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2009-10-01

The effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) in a stream and groundwater near an abandoned copper mine were characterized by physicochemical properties, bacterial community structure using denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE), and microbial activity/diversity using Ecoplate technique. Based on DGGE fingerprints, the eubacterial community structures grouped into the stream water (GRS1, GRS2 and GRS3) and groundwater samples (GW1 and GW2), apparently based on differences in water temperature and the concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nitrate and sulfate. The most highly AMD-contaminated sample (GRS1) had additional α-Proteobacteria whereas the groundwater samples included additional β-Proteobacteria, suggesting the development of populations resistant to AMD toxicity under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. Community level physiological activities on the 31 Ecoplate substrates suggested that the activities decreased with increasing concentrations of sulfate and heavy metals derived from AMD. The Shannon index showed that microbial diversity was greatest in GRS2, and lowest in GRS1, and was probably related to the level of AMD.

Field Research in the Teaching of Undergraduate Soil Science

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Brevik, Eric C.; Senturklu, Songul; Landblom, Douglas

2015-04-01

Several studies have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. Benefits of undergraduate research include 1) personal and intellectual development, 2) more and closer contact with faculty, 3) the use of active learning techniques, 4) creation of high expectations, 5) development of creative and problem-solving skills, 6) greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn, and 7) exposure to practical skills. The scientific discipline also benefits, as studies have shown that undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program (Lopatto, 2007). Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline. Soils form in the field, therefore, field experiences are very important in developing a complete and holistic understanding of soil science. Combining undergraduate research with field experiences can provide extremely beneficial outcomes to the undergraduate student, including increased understanding of and appreciation for detailed descriptions and data analysis as well as an enhanced ability to see how various parts of their undergraduate education come together to understand a complex problem. The experiences of the authors in working with undergraduate students on field-based research projects will be discussed, along with examples of some of the undergraduate research projects that have been undertaken. In addition, student impressions of their research experiences will be presented. Reference Lopatto, D. 2007. Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE -- Life Sciences Education 6:297-306.

Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Female Undergraduate Students in Wuhan, China: The Only-Child versus Students with Siblings

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Li, Shiyue; Chen, Rucheng; Cao, Yue; Li, Jingjing; Zuo, Dan; Yan, Hong

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. METHODS: Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergrad...

Prevalence and correlates of body dysmorphic disorder in a community sample of adolescents.

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Schneider, Sophie C; Turner, Cynthia M; Mond, Jonathan; Hudson, Jennifer L

2017-06-01

Body dysmorphic disorder typically begins in adolescence, yet little is known about the prevalence and correlates of the disorder in this age group. The current study aimed to explore the presenting features of adolescents meeting probable criteria for body dysmorphic disorder in a large community sample, and compare levels of comorbid psychopathology, quality of life and mental health service use between adolescents with probable body dysmorphic disorder and those without. Questionnaires were completed at school by 3149 adolescents: 63% male, aged 12-18 years ( M = 14.58). These assessed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) body dysmorphic disorder criteria, past mental health service use and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorders. In male participants, additional measures assessed quality of life, muscularity concerns, emotional symptoms, peer problems, conduct problems and hyperactivity. The prevalence of probable body dysmorphic disorder was 1.7%; there was no sex difference in prevalence, but older adolescents reported higher prevalence than younger adolescents. Probable body dysmorphic disorder participants reported substantially elevated levels of psychopathology, quality of life impairment and mental health service use compared to non-body dysmorphic disorder participants. The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in adolescents is similar to adult samples, and probable body dysmorphic disorder is associated with comorbidity, distress and functional impairment in a community sample. Further research is required to better understand the presentation of body dysmorphic disorder in adolescents, and to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Establishing Common Course Objectives for Undergraduate Exercise Physiology

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Simonson, Shawn R.

2015-01-01

Undergraduate exercise physiology is a ubiquitous course in undergraduate kinesiology/exercise science programs with a broad scope and depth of topics. It is valuable to explore what is taught within this course. The purpose of the present study was to facilitate an understanding of what instructors teach in undergraduate exercise physiology, how…

Undergraduate Research as Engaged Student Learning

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Wolf, Lorraine W.

2018-01-01

This chapter discusses the impact of undergraduate research as a form of engaged student learning. It summarizes the gains reported in post-fellowship assessment essays acquired from students participating in the Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. The chapter also discusses the program's efforts to increase opportunities…

Teaching Old French Literature to Undergraduates.

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Stewart, Harry E.

As a prelude to graduate-level work for French majors, medieval studies are proposed for undergraduate students. Problems inherent in the establishment of the undergraduate program are identified with some suggested solutions. Concepts related to historical grammar, teaching materials, literature, and linguistics are developed. A logical course…

Mentored undergraduate research in the geosciences

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Judge, Shelley; Pollock, Meagen; Wiles, Greg; Wilson, Mark

2012-09-01

There is little argument about the merits of undergraduate research, but it can seem like a complex, resource-intensive endeavor [e.g., Laursen et al., 2010; Lopatto, 2009; Hunter et al., 2006]. Although mentored undergraduate research can be challenging, the authors of this feature have found that research programs are strengthened when students and faculty collaborate to build new knowledge. Faculty members in the geology department at The College of Wooster have conducted mentored undergraduate research with their students for more than 60 years and have developed a highly effective program that enhances the teaching, scholarship, and research of our faculty and provides life-changing experiences for our students. Other colleges and universities have also implemented successful mentored undergraduate research programs in the geosciences. For instance, the 18 Keck Geology Consortium schools (http://keckgeology.org/), Princeton University, and other institutions have been recognized for their senior capstone experiences by U.S. News & World Report.

Matrix groups for undergraduates

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Tapp, Kristopher

2005-01-01

Matrix groups touch an enormous spectrum of the mathematical arena. This textbook brings them into the undergraduate curriculum. It makes an excellent one-semester course for students familiar with linear and abstract algebra and prepares them for a graduate course on Lie groups. Matrix Groups for Undergraduates is concrete and example-driven, with geometric motivation and rigorous proofs. The story begins and ends with the rotations of a globe. In between, the author combines rigor and intuition to describe basic objects of Lie theory: Lie algebras, matrix exponentiation, Lie brackets, and maximal tori.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography of Respiratory Quinones for Microbial Community Analysis in Environmental and Biological Samples

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Koichi Fujie

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Microbial community structure plays a significant role in environmental assessment and animal health management. The development of a superior analytical strategy for the characterization of microbial community structure is an ongoing challenge. In this study, we developed an effective supercritical fluid extraction (SFE and ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC method for the analysis of bacterial respiratory quinones (RQ in environmental and biological samples. RQ profile analysis is one of the most widely used culture-independent tools for characterizing microbial community structure. A UPLC equipped with a photo diode array (PDA detector was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of ubiquinones (UQ and menaquinones (MK without tedious pretreatment. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 extraction with the solid-phase cartridge trap proved to be a more effective and rapid method for extracting respiratory quinones, compared to a conventional organic solvent extraction method. This methodology leads to a successful analytical procedure that involves a significant reduction in the complexity and sample preparation time. Application of the optimized methodology to characterize microbial communities based on the RQ profile was demonstrated for a variety of environmental samples (activated sludge, digested sludge, and compost and biological samples (swine and Japanese quail feces.

Report of the First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research, September 25-26, 2000

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Greenberg, Judith H.

2002-05-22

The First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research was held in Bethesda, Maryland, on September 25-26, 2000. The consultation was convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Approximately 120 individuals participated in the consultation, half from a broad range of communities and populations, and half from government. The participants shared their views and concerns about population- and community-based genetic research, expanding the focus of the meeting from the collection and use of blood or other tissue samples for genetic research to broader issues and concerns about the conduct of genetic research in general with populations and communities.

Evaluating undergraduate nursing students' self-efficacy and competence in writing: Effects of a writing intensive intervention.

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Miller, Louise C; Russell, Cynthia L; Cheng, An-Lin; Skarbek, Anita J

2015-05-01

While professional nurses are expected to communicate clearly, these skills are often not explicitly taught in undergraduate nursing education. In this research study, writing self-efficacy and writing competency were evaluated in 52 nontraditional undergraduate baccalaureate completion students in two distance-mediated 16-week capstone courses. The intervention group (n = 44) experienced various genres and modalities of written assignments set in the context of evidence-based nursing practice; the comparison group (n = 8) received usual writing undergraduate curriculum instruction. Self-efficacy, measured by the Post Secondary Writerly Self-Efficacy Scale, indicated significant improvements for all self-efficacy items (all p's = 0.00). Writing competency, assessed in the intervention group using a primary trait scoring rubric (6 + 1 Trait Writing Model(®) of Instruction and Assessment), found significant differences in competency improvement on five of seven items. This pilot study demonstrated writing skills can improve in nontraditional undergraduate students with guided instruction. Further investigation with larger, culturally diverse samples is indicated to validate these results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Imitation in Undergraduate Teaching and Learning

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Zhou, Jiangyuan; Guo, Wei

2016-01-01

Research in developmental psychology and neuroscience has demonstrated the critical role of imitation in human learning. Self-report questionnaires collected from 456 undergraduate students in two U.S. institutions and one Chinese institution demonstrated that undergraduate students from both U.S. and Chinese cultures used various imitations in…

A Review of Undergraduate Mentoring Programs

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Gershenfeld, Susan

2014-01-01

This review summarizes published studies on undergraduate mentoring programs from 2008 to 2012. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria, which included empirical research on formal mentoring programs with undergraduate students as mentees or mentors. Each study was assessed based on limitations identified in two earlier reviews of the mentoring…

Facilitating Student Engagement: Social Responsibility and Freshmen Learning Communities

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Kingston, Lindsey N.; MacCartney, Danielle; Miller, Andrea

2014-01-01

Human rights education is advanced as a method for promoting social responsibility, with an emphasis on promoting ideals of "global citizenship" among undergraduate students. At the same time, the practice of learning communities is widespread on college campuses for retaining freshmen and promoting student success. However, there is…

Effect of variable rates of daily sampling of fly larvae on decomposition and carrion insect community assembly: implications for forensic entomology field study protocols.

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Michaud, Jean-Philippe; Moreau, Gaétan

2013-07-01

Experimental protocols in forensic entomology successional field studies generally involve daily sampling of insects to document temporal changes in species composition on animal carcasses. One challenge with that method has been to adjust the sampling intensity to obtain the best representation of the community present without affecting the said community. To this date, little is known about how such investigator perturbations affect decomposition-related processes. Here, we investigated how different levels of daily sampling of fly eggs and fly larvae affected, over time, carcass decomposition rate and the carrion insect community. Results indicated that a daily sampling of forensic entomology successional field studies.

Methods of teaching the physics of climate change in undergraduate physics courses

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Sadler, Michael

2015-04-01

Although anthropogenic climate change is generally accepted in the scientific community, there is considerable skepticism among the general population and, therefore, in undergraduate students of all majors. Students are often asked by their peers, family members, and others, whether they ``believe'' climate change is occurring and what should be done about it (if anything). I will present my experiences and recommendations for teaching the physics of climate change to both physics and non-science majors. For non-science majors, the basic approach is to try to develop an appreciation for the scientific method (particularly peer-reviewed research) in a course on energy and the environment. For physics majors, the pertinent material is normally covered in their undergraduate courses in modern physics and thermodynamics. Nevertheless, it helps to review the basics, e.g. introductory quantum mechanics (discrete energy levels of atomic systems), molecular spectroscopy, and blackbody radiation. I have done this in a separate elective topics course, titled ``Physics of Climate Change,'' to help the students see how their knowledge gives them insight into a topic that is very volatile (socially and politically).

The pipeline training program in maternal and child health: interdisciplinary preparation of undergraduate students from underrepresented groups.

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Pizur-Barnekow, Kris; Rhyner, Paula M; Lund, Shelley

2010-05-01

The Preparing Academically Successful Students in Maternal and Child Health (MCH PASS) training program provided financial support and specialized training to occupational therapy (OT) and speech-language pathology (SLP) undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in maternal and child health. The project assisted undergraduate trainees to matriculate into graduate programs in their respective fields and facilitated application into long-term maternal and child health training programs. Sixteen trainees (8 OT and 8 SLP) participated in an undergraduate training program with an emphasis on interdisciplinary teaming, family mentoring, leadership development, public health and population-based research. Instruction occurred in community and classroom settings through didactic instruction and small group discussions. Fifteen of the trainees applied to and were accepted in graduate programs in their respective fields. Two trainees applied to a long-term MCH training program. Students reported increased knowledge about programs that serve women and children, the effects of poverty on health, interdisciplinary teaming and the daily routines of families who have a child with a special health care need. The MCH PASS program provided a unique opportunity for undergraduate students in OT and SLP to learn about public health with an emphasis on maternal and child health. The specialized preparation enabled students to understand better the health concerns of underserved families whose children have special health care needs.

Students' perspectives of undergraduate research methods ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: in this study we used a model of adult learning to explore undergraduate students' views on how to improve the teaching of research methods and biostatistics. Methods: this was a secondary analysis of survey data of 600 undergraduate students from three medical schools in Uganda. The analysis looked at ...

Effect of Writing-to-Learn Strategy on Undergraduates' Conceptual Understanding of Electrostatics

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Atasoy, Sengül

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of Writing-to-Learn (WTL) strategy on undergraduates' conceptual understanding of electrostatics. The sample of the study was 54 university students registered at elementary school mathematics education department. While the experimental group was asked to conduct WTL activities like explanatory…

Preliminary Efficacy of Adapted Responsive Teaching for Infants at Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Community Sample

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Grace T. Baranek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined the (a feasibility of enrolling 12-month-olds at risk of ASD from a community sample into a randomized controlled trial, (b subsequent utilization of community services, and (c potential of a novel parent-mediated intervention to improve outcomes. The First Year Inventory was used to screen and recruit 12-month-old infants at risk of ASD to compare the effects of 6–9 months of Adapted Responsive Teaching (ART versus referral to early intervention and monitoring (REIM. Eighteen families were followed for ~20 months. Assessments were conducted before randomization, after treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. Utilization of community services was highest for the REIM group. ART significantly outperformed REIM on parent-reported and observed measures of child receptive language with good linear model fit. Multiphase growth models had better fit for more variables, showing the greatest effects in the active treatment phase, where ART outperformed REIM on parental interactive style (less directive, child sensory responsiveness (less hyporesponsive, and adaptive behavior (increased communication and socialization. This study demonstrates the promise of a parent-mediated intervention for improving developmental outcomes for infants at risk of ASD in a community sample and highlights the utility of earlier identification for access to community services earlier than standard practice.

Iranian undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning: A qualitative research.

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Seylani, Khatereh; Negarandeh, Reza; Mohammadi, Easa

2012-11-01

Nursing education is both formal and informal. Formal education represents only a small part of all the learning involved; and many students learn more effectively through informal processes. There is little information about nursing student informal education and how it affects their character and practice. This qualitative study explores undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning during nursing studies. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (n = 14). Strauss and Corbin's constant comparison analysis approach was used for data analysis. The categories that emerged included personal maturity and emotional development, social development, closeness to God, alterations in value systems, and ethical and professional commitment. Findings reveal that nursing education could take advantage of informal learning opportunities to develop students' nontechnical skills and produce more competent students. Implications for nursing education are discussed.

Expressive writing promotes self-reported physical, social and psychological health among Chinese undergraduates.

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Yang, Zhihan; Tang, Xiaoqing; Duan, Wenjie; Zhang, Yonghong

2015-03-01

The present study examines the efficacy of expressive writing among Chinese undergraduates. The sample comprised of 74 undergraduates enrolled in a 9-week intervention (35 in experimental class vs. 39 in control class). The writing exercises were well-embedded in an elective course for the two classes. The 46-item simplified Chinese Self-Rated Health Measurement Scale, which assesses psychological, physical and social health, was adopted to measure the outcome of this study. Baseline (second week) and post-test (ninth week) scores were obtained during the classes. After the intervention on the eighth week, the self-reported psychological, social and physical health of the experimental class improved. Psychological health obtained the maximum degree of improvement, followed by social and physical health. Furthermore, female participants gained more psychological improvement than males. These results demonstrated that the expressive writing approach could improve the physical, social and psychological health of Chinese undergraduates, and the method can be applied in university psychological consulting settings in Mainland China. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Environmental Attitudes

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Köse, Sacit; Savran Gencer, Ayse; Gezer, Kudret; Erol, Gül Hanim; Bilen, Kadir

2011-01-01

Environmental education has been viewed as an important way to educate students about environmental issues beginning from pre-school to higher education. This study is a part of this field- namely, undergraduate environmental education. The purpose of the study is to explore undergraduate students' attitudes towards environment at the end of the…

Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project: Engaging High School and Undergraduate Students in Watershed Research

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Ray, E.; McCabe, D.; Sheldon, S.; Jankowski, K.; Haselton, L.; Luck, M.; van Houten, J.

2009-12-01

The Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project engages a diverse group of undergraduates, high school students, and their teachers in hands-on water quality research and exposes them to the process of science. The project aims to (1) recruit students to science careers and (2) create a water quality database comprised of high-quality data collected by undergraduates and high school groups. The project is the training and outreach mechanism of the Complex Systems Modeling for Environmental Problem Solving research program, an NSF-funded program at the University of Vermont (UVM) that provides computational strategies and fresh approaches for understanding how natural and built environments interact. The Streams Project trains participants to collect and analyze data from streams throughout Vermont and at limited sites in Connecticut, New York, and Puerto Rico. Participants contribute their data to an online database and use it to complete individual research projects that focus on the effect of land use and precipitation patterns on selected measures of stream water quality. All undergraduates and some high school groups are paired with a mentor, who is either a graduate student or a faculty member at UVM or other college. Each year, undergraduate students and high school groups are trained to (1) collect water and macroinvertebrate samples from streams, (2) analyze water samples for total phosphorus, bacteria, and total suspended solids in an analytical laboratory, and/or (3) use geographic information systems (GIS) to assess landscape-level data for their watersheds. After training, high school groups collect samples from stream sites on a twice-monthly basis while undergraduates conduct semi-autonomous field and laboratory research. High school groups monitor sites in two watersheds with contrasting land uses. Undergraduate projects are shaped by the interests of students and their mentors. Contribution to a common database provides students with the option to expand the

Reconciling professional identity: A grounded theory of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students.

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Baldwin, A; Mills, J; Birks, M; Budden, L

2017-12-01

Role modelling by experienced nurses, including nurse academics, is a key factor in the process of preparing undergraduate nursing students for practice, and may contribute to longevity in the workforce. A grounded theory study was undertaken to investigate the phenomenon of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students. The study sought to answer the research question: how do nurse academics role model positive professional behaviours for undergraduate students? The aims of this study were to: theorise a process of nurse academic role modelling for undergraduate students; describe the elements that support positive role modelling by nurse academics; and explain the factors that influence the implementation of academic role modelling. The study sample included five second year nursing students and sixteen nurse academics from Australia and the United Kingdom. Data was collected from observation, focus groups and individual interviews. This study found that in order for nurse academics to role model professional behaviours for nursing students, they must reconcile their own professional identity. This paper introduces the theory of reconciling professional identity and discusses the three categories that comprise the theory, creating a context for learning, creating a context for authentic rehearsal and mirroring identity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed Method Study Examines Undergraduate Student Researchers’ Knowledge and Perceptions About Scholarly Communication Practices

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Melissa Goertzen

2017-09-01

strategic relationships with undergraduate research program directors, faculty, and graduate student mentors, librarians are in a prime position to incorporate scholarly communication practices into information literacy sessions or provide point-of-need coaching. Conclusion – The researchers conclude that academic libraries are in a unique position to support overarching research, teaching, and learning goals within the academic community. By developing programs that support information literacy and scholarly communication, libraries demonstrate value and align goals with teaching and learning priorities within the higher education community as a whole. Through this work, librarians support students as knowledge creators and advocate for training that emphasizes data literacy, copyright and authors’ rights, and the impact of research within specific disciplines.

Prayer, personality and happiness: a study among undergraduate students in Wales

OpenAIRE

Robbins, Mandy; Francis, Leslie J.; Edwards, Bethan

2008-01-01

In order to examine the association between prayer and happiness, a sample of 131 undergraduate students attending a university in Wales completed three measures: the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, the abbreviated Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised, and prayer frequency assessed on a 5-point scale. The data demonstrated a significant positive correlation between prayer frequency and happiness before controlling for individual differences in personality. After controlling for personali...

A Survey of Campus Coordinators of Undergraduate Research Programs

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Hensley, Merinda Kaye; Shreeves, Sarah L.; Davis-Kahl, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Interest in supporting undergraduate research programs continues to grow within academic librarianship. This article presents how undergraduate research program coordinators perceive and value library support of their programs. Undergraduate research coordinators from a variety of institutions were surveyed on which elements of libraries and…

Technical Quality of Root Fillings Performed by Undergraduate Students: A Radiographic Study

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Tatjana Vukadinov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiographic technical quality of endodontic treatment performed by undergraduate students at the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. Materials and Methods. Electronic records of 220 patients treated by final-year undergraduate students during the school year 2011/2012 were examined, and the final sample consisted of 212 patients, 322 teeth, and 565 root canals. The criteria for overall radiographic adequacy of root canal fillings were defined as the presence of adequate length and density and absence of iatrogenic errors (ledge, fractured instrument, untreated canal, and apical transportation. Chi-square test was used to determine statistical significance between different parameters. Results. Adequate root canal fillings were found in 74.22% of the teeth. The percentage of root fillings with adequate length and density was 89.73% and 92.6%, respectively. Fractured instruments and ledges were present in 16 root canals (2.8%, while the presence of missed canal and apical transportation was observed in 2 cases, each (0.3%. Conclusions. Overall, the technical quality of root canal fillings performed by undergraduate students was satisfactory.

Mobile Phone Applications in the University Classroom: Perceptions of Undergraduate Students in Jordan

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Ashour, Rateb; Alzghool, Haneen; Iyadat, Yousef; Abu-Alruz, Jamal

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the level of mobile phone applications in university classrooms in Jordan. A sample of 313 undergraduate students participated in the study by completing the researchers' designed questionnaire, which is composed of 13 items. The results of the study indicate that participants perceived a high…

Anticipation of Personal Genomics Data Enhances Interest and Learning Environment in Genomics and Molecular Biology Undergraduate Courses.

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Weber, K Scott; Jensen, Jamie L; Johnson, Steven M

2015-01-01

An important discussion at colleges is centered on determining more effective models for teaching undergraduates. As personalized genomics has become more common, we hypothesized it could be a valuable tool to make science education more hands on, personal, and engaging for college undergraduates. We hypothesized that providing students with personal genome testing kits would enhance the learning experience of students in two undergraduate courses at Brigham Young University: Advanced Molecular Biology and Genomics. These courses have an emphasis on personal genomics the last two weeks of the semester. Students taking these courses were given the option to receive personal genomics kits in 2014, whereas in 2015 they were not. Students sent their personal genomics samples in on their own and received the data after the course ended. We surveyed students in these courses before and after the two-week emphasis on personal genomics to collect data on whether anticipation of obtaining their own personal genomic data impacted undergraduate student learning. We also tested to see if specific personal genomic assignments improved the learning experience by analyzing the data from the undergraduate students who completed both the pre- and post-course surveys. Anticipation of personal genomic data significantly enhanced student interest and the learning environment based on the time students spent researching personal genomic material and their self-reported attitudes compared to those who did not anticipate getting their own data. Personal genomics homework assignments significantly enhanced the undergraduate student interest and learning based on the same criteria and a personal genomics quiz. We found that for the undergraduate students in both molecular biology and genomics courses, incorporation of personal genomic testing can be an effective educational tool in undergraduate science education.

Exploring perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physiotherapy students.

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Palmgren, Per J; Lindquist, Ingrid; Sundberg, Tobias; Nilsson, Gunnar H; Laksov, Klara B

2014-07-19

The aim of this study was to explore areas of strength and weakness in the educational environment as perceived by undergraduate physiotherapy students and to investigate these areas in relation to the respondents' demographic characteristics. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design and employed the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, a 50-item, self-administered inventory relating to a variety of topics directly pertinent to educational environments. Convenience sampling was used, and the scores were compared across demographic variables. All undergraduate physiotherapy students in their first five terms of the programme in a major Swedish university were invited to participate in the study. A total of 222 students (80%) completed the inventory. With an overall score of 150/200 (75%), the students rated the educational environment in this institution as "more positive than negative". Two items consistently received deprived scores - authoritarian teachers and teaching with an overemphasis on factual learning. Students in term 4 differed significantly from others, and students with earlier university education experience perceived the atmosphere more negatively than their counterparts. There were no significant differences with regards to other demographic variables. This study provides valuable insight into how undergraduate physiotherapy students perceive their educational environment. In general, students perceived that their educational programme fostered a sound educational environment. However, some areas require remedial measures in order to enhance the educational experience.

Humanities in undergraduate medical education: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ousager, Jakob; Johannessen, Helle

2010-06-01

Humanities form an integral part of undergraduate medical curricula at numerous medical schools all over the world, and medical journals publish a considerable quantity of articles in this field. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the literature on humanities in undergraduate medical education seeks to provide evidence of a long-term impact of this integration of humanities in undergraduate medical education. Medline was searched for publications concerning the humanities in undergraduate medical education appearing from January 2000 to December 2008. All articles were manually sorted by the authors. Two hundred forty-five articles were included in the study. Following a qualitative analysis, the references included were categorized as "pleading the case," "course descriptions and evaluations," "seeking evidence of long-term impact," or "holding the horses." Two hundred twenty-four articles out of 245 either praised the (potential) effects of humanities on medical education or described existing or planned courses without offering substantial evidence of any long-term impact of these curricular activities on medical proficiency. Only 9 articles provided evidence of attempts to document long-term impacts using diverse test tools, and 10 articles presented relatively reserved attitudes toward humanities in undergraduate medical education. Evidence on the positive long-term impacts of integrating humanities into undergraduate medical education is sparse. This may pose a threat to the continued development of humanities-related activities in undergraduate medical education in the context of current demands for evidence to demonstrate educational effectiveness.

Non-suicidal self-injuries in a sample of Mexican university students

OpenAIRE

Castro Silva, Everardo; Benjet, Corina; Juárez García, Francisco; Jurado Cárdenas, Samuel; Lucio Gómez-Maqueo, María Emilia; Valencia Cruz, Alejandra

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction Non-suicidal self-injuries (NSSI) are a worldwide health problem that affects principally young people, and can impact negatively the mental and physical health of those that self-injure. Objective To examine the frequency of NSSI in 564 undergraduate students (132 male, 432 female) from Mexico City and the association of NSSI with depressive symptoms, anxiety, impulsivity, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation. Method A convenience sample of 564 undergraduate student...

Fatherhood in adolescence: prevalence and associated factors in a community sample of youngsters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milene Maria Saalfeld de Oliveira

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This article aims to assess the prevalence of fatherhood in adolescence (FA and associated factors in a community sample of 14 to 35 year-old men. Cross-sectional population-based study realized in the urban area of the city of Pelotas-RS, Brazil. The sample was selected by clusters, according to the city census. This sub-study only comprised sexually active men. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire in the participants’ homes. The sample was composed for 934 men. The prevalence of fatherhood in adolescence was 8% (n = 75. We verified higher prevalence of FA among those that reported paternal absence (p < 0.001, those that had lived with stepfather (p = 0.044, and among those that had sexual debut before the age of 14 (p = 0.011. Paternal absence, have lived with a stepfather, and early sexual experience are associated factors to fatherhood in adolescence.

Psycho-demographic predictors of psychological help-seeking behaviour of undergraduates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oladipo S.E.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The present study examined locus of control, self-esteem and gender as factors of professional psychological help-seeking behaviour of undergraduates. The study adopted an ex-post facto descriptive survey research design, and a total of 325 Participants were systematically randomly selected from the population of undergraduates in a state university in the western part of Nigeria.178 of them were males and 147 females, 268 Christians, 52 Muslims and 5 belonging to other forms of religions. Age of participants ranged between 16 – 30 years with a mean age of 22.05 and a standard deviation of 2.275. Samples were limited to students who were either in their second or third year in the university (first year and final year students were left out. Validated self-reported measures were used for data collection and three hypotheses were tested in the study. Significant positive correlation existed among the variables (p.05.

Analysis of graphical representation among freshmen in undergraduate physics laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, A. S.; Anggrayni, S.; Kholiq, A.; Putri, N. P.; Suprapto, N.

2018-03-01

Physics concept understanding is the importance of the physics laboratory among freshmen in the undergraduate program. These include the ability to interpret the meaning of the graph to make an appropriate conclusion. This particular study analyses the graphical representation among freshmen in an undergraduate physics laboratory. This study uses empirical study with quantitative approach. The graphical representation covers 3 physics topics: velocity of sound, simple pendulum and spring system. The result of this study shows most of the freshmen (90% of the sample) make a graph based on the data from physics laboratory. It means the transferring process of raw data which illustrated in the table to physics graph can be categorised. Most of the Freshmen use the proportional principle of the variable in graph analysis. However, Freshmen can't make the graph in an appropriate variable to gain more information and can't analyse the graph to obtain the useful information from the slope.

A general sampling formula for community structure data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

2017-01-01

1. The development of neutral community theory has shown that the assumption of species neutrality, although implausible on the level of individual species, can lead to reasonable predictions on the community level. While Hubbell's neutral model and several of its variants have been analysed in

Prevalence, 20-month incidence and outcome of unipolar depressive disorders in a community sample of adolescents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oldehinkel, AJ; Wittchen, HU; Schuster, P

Background. This article presents prospective longitudinal findings on prevalence, incidence, patterns of change and stability of depressive disorders in a community sample of 1228 adolescents. Methods. Data were collected at baseline and follow-up (20 months later) in a representative population

Negotiating Peer Mentoring Roles in Undergraduate Research Lab Settings

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Packard, Becky W.; Marciano, Vincenza N.; Payne, Jessica M.; Bledzki, Leszek A.; Woodard, Craig T.

2014-01-01

Undergraduate research is viewed as an important catalyst for educational engagement and persistence, with an emphasis on the faculty mentoring relationship. Despite the common practice of having multi-tiered lab teams composed of newer undergraduates and more seasoned undergraduates serving as peer mentors, less is understood about the experience…

Sexual and Contraceptive Practices among Female Undergraduates ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

CONCLUSION: There is a high level of sexual activity and low contraceptive use among female undergraduate students in Southwest Nigeria. More reproductive health education and promotion is necessary to safeguard their sexual health. KEYWORDS: sexual behaviour, contraception, female undergraduates, Nigeria ...

Emphasizing Research (Further) in Undergraduate Technical Communication Curricula: Involving Undergraduate Students with an Academic Journal's Publication and Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Julie Dyke; Newmark, Julianne

2011-01-01

This article presents follow-up information to a previous publication regarding ways to increase emphasis on research skills in undergraduate Technical Communication curricula. We detail the ways our undergraduate program highlights research by requiring majors to complete senior thesis projects that culminate in submission to an online…

The Impact of a Psychology Learning Community on Academic Success, Retention, and Student Learning Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Buch, Kim; Spaulding, Sue

2011-01-01

Learning communities have become an integral part of the educational reform movement of the past two decades and have been heralded as a promising strategy for restructuring undergraduate education. This study used a matched control group design to examine the impact of participation in a psychology learning community (PLC) on a range of student…

"I Was More Her Mom than She Was Mine": Role Reversal in a Community Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Mayseless, Ofra; Bartholomew, Kim; Henderson, Antonia; Trinke, Shanna

2004-01-01

Family processes associated with childhood role reversal and related adult outcomes were examined in a community sample 128 adults using a semistructured interview exploring family, friend, and romantic relationships. Women showed stronger role reversal than men, and role reversal was stronger with mothers than with fathers. Role reversal of women…

Brief Report: Autism Awareness--Views from a Campus Community

Science.gov (United States)

Tipton, Leigh Ann; Blacher, Jan

2014-01-01

This paper reports on a college community's views of the diagnostic characteristics and causes associated with autism spectrum disorders. An anonymous on-line survey of autism knowledge was distributed via campus server university-wide to all undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff. Of the 1,057 surveys completed, 76% of…

Undergraduate Admissions | NSU

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. Continuing Education Financial Aid Career Development Regional Campuses International Affairs Veterans Admissions Honors College Experiential Education Study Abroad Research Opportunities Career Preparation SharkLink California Disclosure International Affairs Undergraduate Advising Career Development Libraries at

Leadership Education Reconsidered: Examining Self-Perceived Leadership Styles and Motivation Sources among Undergraduate Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, David N.

2010-01-01

This study examined the relationships between undergraduate leaders' self-perceptions of their transformational and transactional leadership behaviors and their sources of work motivation. The sample was comprised of 145 elected and appointed leaders at a mid-west university. The survey included both the Motivation Sources Inventory and the…

Correlates of Perceived Favorability of Online Courses for Quantitative versus Qualitative Undergraduate Business Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Gary; Pred, Robert; Drennan, Rob B., Jr.; Kapanjie, Darin

2016-01-01

An online survey tested the association among background, technological, and course-related variables with perceived favorability of online courses for two independent samples of fall 2015 and spring 2016 business undergraduates taking at least one online or hybrid course. Results showed that perceived learning was a consistent positive correlate…

Trends in Alcohol Consumption among Undergraduate Students at a Northeastern Public University, 2002-2008

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Bulmer, Sandra Minor; Irfan, Syed; Mugno, Raymond; Barton, Barbara; Ackerman, Louise

2010-01-01

Objective: This study examined alcohol consumption patterns and trends at a public university in the Northeast from 2002 to 2008. Participants: Stratified random sampling was used to select undergraduate students enrolled in courses during spring semesters in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008. Methods: Data were collected during regularly scheduled…

Molecular diversity of bacterial communities from subseafloor rock samples in a deep-water production basin in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

von der Weid, Irene; Korenblum, Elisa; Jurelevicius, Diogo; Rosado, Alexandre Soares; Dino, Rodolfo; Sebastian, Gina Vasquez; Seldin, Lucy

2008-01-01

The deep subseafloor rock in oil reservoirs represents a unique environment in which a high oilcontamination and very low biomass can be observed. Sampling this environment has been a challenge owing to the techniques used for drilling and coring. In this study, the facilities developed by the Brazilian oil company PETROBRAS for accessing deep subsurface oil reservoirs were used to obtain rock samples at 2,822-2,828 m below the ocean floor surface from a virgin field located in the Atlantic Ocean, Rio de Janeiro. To address the bacterial diversity of these rock samples, PCR amplicons were obtained using the DNA from four core sections and universal primers for 16S rRNA and for APS reductase (aps) genes. Clone libraries were generated from these PCR fragments and 87 clones were sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rDNA clone libraries showed a wide distribution of types in the domain bacteria in the four core samples, and the majority of the clones were identified as belonging to Betaproteobacteria. The sulfate-reducing bacteria community could only be amplified by PCR in one sample, and all clones were identified as belonging to Gammaproteobacteria. For the first time, the bacterial community was assessed in such deep subsurface environment.

Testing predictive models of positive and negative affect with psychosocial, acculturation, and coping variables in a multiethnic undergraduate sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Ben Ch; Kwantes, Catherine T

2014-01-01

Despite the prevalence and popularity of research on positive and negative affect within the field of psychology, there is currently little research on affect involving the examination of cultural variables and with participants of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. To the authors' knowledge, currently no empirical studies have comprehensively examined predictive models of positive and negative affect based specifically on multiple psychosocial, acculturation, and coping variables as predictors with any sample populations. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to test the predictive power of perceived stress, social support, bidirectional acculturation (i.e., Canadian acculturation and heritage acculturation), religious coping and cultural coping (i.e., collective, avoidance, and engagement coping) in explaining positive and negative affect in a multiethnic sample of 301 undergraduate students in Canada. Two hierarchal multiple regressions were conducted, one for each affect as the dependent variable, with the above described predictors. The results supported the hypotheses and showed the two overall models to be significant in predicting affect of both kinds. Specifically, a higher level of positive affect was predicted by a lower level of perceived stress, less use of religious coping, and more use of engagement coping in dealing with stress by the participants. Higher level of negative affect, however, was predicted by a higher level of perceived stress and more use of avoidance coping in responding to stress. The current findings highlight the value and relevance of empirically examining the stress-coping-adaptation experiences of diverse populations from an affective conceptual framework, particularly with the inclusion of positive affect. Implications and recommendations for advancing future research and theoretical works in this area are considered and presented.

Active Learning Strategies and Academic Achievement among Some Psychology Undergraduates in Barbados

OpenAIRE

Grace Adebisi Fayombo

2013-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between the active learning strategies (discussion, video clips, game show, role– play, five minute paper, clarification pauses, and small group) and academic achievement among a sample of 158 undergraduate psychology students in The University of the West Indies (UWI), Barbados. Results revealed statistically significant positive correlations between active learning strategies and students’ academic achievement; so also the activ...

Undergraduate Origins of Recent Science and Engineering Doctorate Recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Susan T.; And Others

Because undergraduate education is the foundation for graduate studies, it is important to know where our Nation's science and engineering (S&E) doctorate recipients are receiving their undergraduate training. Specifically, this report addresses the following broad questions: (1) What are the undergraduate origins of S&E doctorate holders? (2)…

Factors That Predict Marijuana Use and Grade Point Average among Undergraduate College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Coco, Marlena B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze factors that predict marijuana use and grade point average among undergraduate college students using the Core Institute national database. The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey was used to collect data on students' attitudes, beliefs, and experiences related to substance use in college. The sample used in this…

Lifetime Prevalence and Socioemotional Effects of Hearing about Community Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Scarpa, Angela; Hurley, Jimmy D.; Shumate, Howard W.; Haden, Sara Chiara

2006-01-01

This study extends findings on community violence (CV) exposure in young adults by examining the prevalence, characteristics, and socioemotional effects related to hearing about violence. Surveys of lifetime CV exposure and socioemotional outcomes were completed by 518 male and female undergraduates completed and were divided into groups with…

Determining Persistence of Community College Students in Introductory Geology Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, Katrien van der Hoeven

2014-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) careers have been touted as critical to the success of our nation and also provide important opportunities for access and equity of underrepresented minorities (URM's). Community colleges serve a diverse population and a large number of undergraduates currently enrolled in college, they are…

An Examination of Campus Climate for LGBTQ Community College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Garvey, Jason C.; Taylor, Jason L.; Rankin, Susan

2015-01-01

This study examines campus climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) undergraduate students at community colleges. Data for the study originates from Rankin, Blumenfeld, Weber, and Frazer's (2010) "State of Higher Education for LGBT People." We analyzed both quantitative data generated from closed-ended…

Service Learning: An Empowerment Agenda for Students and Community Entrepreneurs

Science.gov (United States)

Scholtz, Desiree

2018-01-01

Service learning (SL) presents apposite opportunities for students to share with and learn from businesses for mutually beneficial development and experience. This article focuses on a SL project conducted by undergraduate students in South Africa, to devise advertising and marketing strategies for community businesses. The reciprocity of benefits…

Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program

Science.gov (United States)

Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2012

2012-01-01

The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program provides funds to institutions of higher education, a consortia of such institutions, or partnerships between nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to plan, develop, and implement programs that strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in…

A cross-sectional study of the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduate males and females in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Wing Chi; Li, Mei Kuen; Chan, Wai Ying Veronica; Choi, Yuen Yu; Fong, Chi Hung Sandra; Lam, Ka Wah Kara; Sham, Wun Chi; So, Ping Ping; Wong, Kit; Yeung, Kuen Ha; Yeung, Tsz Yan

2013-12-01

To explore the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong and to compare those of (1) male and female undergraduates with those of (2) undergraduates studying health-related vs. nonhealth-related programmes. Menstruation is typically viewed as a forbidden topic or a troublesome experience. These negative beliefs and attitudes result from existing myths and taboos associated with cultural factors and health education levels. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in all universities in Hong Kong. Undergraduates were invited through convenience sampling to complete a questionnaire assessing their attitudes and beliefs towards menstruation. A questionnaire on 'beliefs about and attitudes towards menstruation' was adopted. Questionnaires were self-administered by the respondents. A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and a response rate of 96.6% was obtained; 416 completed questionnaires were collected and analysed. Many Chinese undergraduates agreed that menstruation is annoying, causes disability, involves prescription and proscription and is not pleasant. When comparing the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese male undergraduates with those of female undergraduates, females tended to disagree that menstruation should be maintained secret, but tended to agree that it was annoying. When comparing the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduates studying health-related programmes with those under nonhealth-related programmes, the latter group exhibited a higher level of belief in prescription and proscription for menstruation than the former group. Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong were influenced by the traditional Chinese culture and social environment, resulting in negative attitudes towards menstruation. This study recommends that sex education, especially reproductive health education, be extended to tertiary education. This study provides relevant information on planning

The development and psychometric testing of a Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale among undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hong-Yan; Bi, Rui-Xue; Zhong, Qing-Ling

2017-12-01

Disaster nurse education has received increasing importance in China. Knowing the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students is beneficial to promote teaching and learning. However, there are few valid and reliable tools that measure the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students. To develop a self-report scale of self-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students and test its psychometric properties. Nursing students (N=318) from two medical colleges were chosen by purposive sampling. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES) was developed and psychometrically tested. Reliability and content validity were studied. Construct validity was tested by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was tested by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The DRSES consisted of 3 factors and 19 items with a 5-point rating. The content validity was 0.91, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.912, and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was 0.953. The construct validity was good (χ 2 /df=2.440, RMSEA=0.068, NFI=0.907, CFI=0.942, IFI=0.430, pself-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Study on the related factors of suicidal ideation in college undergraduates].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Hong-sheng; Qu, Cheng-yi; Miao, Mao-hua

2003-09-01

To evaluate psychosocial factors and patterns on suicidal ideation of the undergraduates in Shanxi province. Four thousand eight hundred and eighty-two undergraduates in Shanxi province were investigated with multistage stratified random clustered samples. Factors associated with suicidal ideation were analyzed with logistic regression and Path analysis by scores of Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI), Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (QSA), Adolescent Self-Rate Life Events Check List (ASLEC), DSQ, Social Support Rating Scale, SCL-90, Simple Coping Modes Questionnaire and EPQ. Tendency of psychological disorder was the major factor. Negative life events did not directly affect suicidal ideation, but personality did directly or indirectly affect suicidal ideation through coping and defensive response. Personality played a stabilized fundamental role while life events were minor but "triggering" agents. Mental disturbance disposition seemed to be the principal factor related to suicidal ideation. Above three factors were intergraded and resulted in suicidal ideation in chorus.

Undergraduates Perspectives on Sex Education and Teenage ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study examines undergraduates' perspective on sex education and teenage pregnancy in Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study population was 250 undergraduates of Covenant University. Frequency tables, linear regression analysis and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data collected ...

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: A Model for Involving Undergraduates in Major Legacy Astronomy Research

Science.gov (United States)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Higdon, Sarah; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Kornreich, David A.; Lebron, Mayra E.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; Alfalfa Team

2015-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The collaborative nature of the UAT allows faculty and students from a wide ​range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to develop scholarly collaborations. Components of the program include an annual undergraduate workshop at Arecibo Observatory, observing runs at Arecibo, computer infrastructure, summer and academic year research projects, and dissemination at national meetings (e.g., Alfvin et al., Martens et al., Sanders et al., this meeting). Through this model, faculty and students are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. In the 7 years of the program, 23 faculty and more than 220 undergraduate students have participated at a significant level. 40% of them have been women and members of underrepresented groups. Faculty, many of whom were new to the collaboration and had expertise in other fields, contribute their diverse sets of skills to ALFALFA ​related projects via observing, data reduction, collaborative research, and research with students. 142 undergraduate students have attended the annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 131 summer research projects and 94 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 62 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 46 have presented their results at national meetings. 93% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. Half of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been

Argumentation in undergraduate chemistry laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Joi Phelps

To address the need for reform in undergraduate science education a new instructional model called Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) was developed and then implemented in a undergraduate chemistry course at a community college in the southeastern United States (Sampson, Walker, & Grooms, 2009; Walker, Sampson, & Zimmerman, in press). The ADI instructional model is designed to give a more central place to argumentation and the role of argument in the social construction of scientific knowledge. This research investigated the growth in the quality of the student generated arguments and the scientific argumentation that took place over the course of a semester. Students enrolled in two sections of General Chemistry I laboratory at the community college participated in this study. The students worked in collaborative groups of three or four. The students were given a variation of the same performance task three times during the semester in order to measure individual ability to use evidence and justify their choice of evidence with appropriate rationale. Five ADI investigations took place during the semester and the laboratory reports for each were collected from each student and the argument section of each report was scored. All the student groups were video recorded five times during the semester as they generated and evaluated arguments and the quality of the group argumentation was assessed using an instrument called the Assessment of Scientific Argumentation in the Classroom (ASAC) observation protocol. As time was the independent variable in this study a repeated measure ANOVA was used to evaluate the significance of student improvement in each area (argumentation, written argument and performance task) over the course of the semester (Trochim, 1999). In addition, a multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well the ASAC scores predicted individual scores on both the performance task and the written arguments (Green & Salkind, 2005). There was

Academic and Work-Related Burnout: A Longitudinal Study of Working Undergraduate University Business Students

Science.gov (United States)

Galbraith, Craig S.; Merrill, Gregory B.

2012-01-01

We examined the interaction between academic burnout and work-related burnout for a sample of working undergraduate university students. Using a longitudinal design we found that the factors of burnout (Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Efficacy) change significantly over the semester. In addition, the study suggests there are distinct differences in how…

The Glass Door Remains Closed: Another Look at Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Laura Marini; Geyfman, Victoria

2015-01-01

The authors investigated women's underrepresentation in undergraduate business schools by analyzing a broad sample of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)--accredited U.S. business programs between 2003 and 2011. They found that while there was an increase in the number of male students enrolled in the…

The Lunar Phases Project: A Mental Model-Based Observational Project for Undergraduate Nonscience Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Angela Osterman; Mon, Manuel J.; Hibbard, Susan T.

2011-01-01

We present our Lunar Phases Project, an ongoing effort utilizing students' actual observations within a mental model building framework to improve student understanding of the causes and process of the lunar phases. We implement this project with a sample of undergraduate, nonscience major students enrolled in a midsized public university located…

Perceived Learning and Timely Graduation for Business Undergraduates Taking an Online or Hybrid Course

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Gary; Drennan, Rob B.; Hochner, Arthur; Kapanjie, Darin

2016-01-01

An online survey tested the impact of background, technological, and course-related variables on perceived learning and timely graduation for a complete data sample of 263 business undergraduates taking at least one online or hybrid course in the fall of 2015. Hierarchical regression results showed that course-related variables (instructor…

Designing and implementing an undergraduate health administration program for nontraditional students.

Science.gov (United States)

Borkowski, Nancy; Gordon, Jean; Rushing, John

2005-01-01

This paper describes the development and implementation of an undergraduate health administration program for nontraditional students at a Hispanic serving institution. The program had to meet the needs of a diverse, adult student population, the local community, and the future leadership requirements of the healthcare industry. As such, the program was designed as a "bridge" for full-time employed healthcare licensed professionals seeking to complete a baccalaureate degree and obtain positions in the healthcare management field. It answered the call of the local community to strengthen partnerships between business and education by offering the program at healthcare employer worksites. Furthermore, the program addressed three needs of the healthcare industry: (1) the recognized shortage of future healthcare leaders, (2) the under-representation of minorities in the industry, and (3) proposed changes in health administration programs' curricula to focus on competencies in the areas of communication skills, decision making, ethical leadership, and self-development.

Characterization of juvenile maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) ectomycorrhizal fungal community using morphotyping, direct sequencing and fruitbodies sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Pestaña Nieto, Montserrat; Santolamazza Carbone, Serena

2009-02-01

Using ectomycorrhizal root tip morphotyping (anatomical and morphological identification), molecular analysis (internal transcribed spacer region amplification and sequencing), and fruitbody sampling, we assessed diversity and composition of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community colonizing juvenile Pinus pinaster Ait. under natural conditions in NW Spain. Overall, we found 15 Basidiomycetes and two Ascomycetes. Members of the family Thelephoraceae represented up to 59.4% of the samples. The most frequent species was Tomentella sublilacina followed by Thelephora terrestris, Russula drimeia, Suillus bovinus, and Paxillus involutus, while the less frequent were Pseudotomentella tristis, Lactarius subdulcis, Russula ochroleuca, and Entoloma conferendum. From October 2007 to June 2008, we sampled 208 sporocarps belonging to seven genera and nine species: Thelephora terrestris, Paxillus involutus, Suillus bovinus, Xerocomus badius, Scleroderma verrucosum, Amanita gemmata, A. rubescens, Amanita sp., and Russula sp. The species belonging to the genus Amanita, X. badius and S. verrucosum were not found on root samples. By comparing our results with a bibliographic review of papers published from 1922 to 2006, we found five genera and six species which have not been previously reported in symbiosis with P. pinaster. This is the first time that the diversity of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community associated with P. pinaster was investigated using molecular techniques. Considering that only 38% of the genera found by sequencing were found as fruitbodies, we conclude that integrating morphotyping and sporocarps surveys with molecular analysis of ectomycorrhizas is important to documenting the ectomycorrhizal fungus community.

Mediators of the relationship between life events and memory functioning in a community sample of adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korten, N.C.M.; Sliwinski, M.J.; Comijs, H.C.; Smyth, J.M.

2014-01-01

The present study examines the association of frequency and severity of life events with memory functioning in a community sample of adults. We tested the hypothesis that stress-related cognitive interference mediated the effects of recent life events on cognition, in addition to examining the

The Influence of Instruction, Prior Knowledge, and Values on Climate Change Risk Perception among Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Aksit, Osman; McNeal, Karen S.; Gold, Anne U.; Libarkin, Julie C.; Harris, Sara

2018-01-01

We evaluated influences on the climate change risk perceptions of undergraduate students in an introductory Earth Science course. For this sample, domain-specific content knowledge about climate change was a significant predictor of students' risk perception of climate change while cultural worldviews (individualism, hierarchy) and political…

Information literacy skills of undergraduate medical radiation students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shanahan, Madeleine C. [Medical Radiations, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria (Australia)]. E-mail: mshanahan@rmit.edu.au

2007-08-15

Undergraduate education is undergoing a shift away from the traditional transmission of a fixed body of knowledge to a learning approach where the emphasis is on supporting learners to learn. Central to this change is recognition that undergraduate education programmes should aim to develop independent learners who become effective lifelong learning practitioners. Successful independent learning as an undergraduate student or as a lifelong learner requires the learner to have well developed information literacy skills. An Online Electronic Information Skills (OEIS) intervention was designed to develop the information literacy skills in a cohort of second year undergraduate radiography students. An evaluation focused on learning outcomes was used to provide evidence of development of information literacy within the undergraduate course. The evaluation clearly demonstrated substantial skill development in students' ability to access scholarly information in their discipline area. The reported continued use of database searching by this cohort of students seven months after the OEIS intervention provides evidence that they are continuing to access and use scholarly information, information literacy skills necessary for their future work context.

Information literacy skills of undergraduate medical radiation students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanahan, Madeleine C.

2007-01-01

Undergraduate education is undergoing a shift away from the traditional transmission of a fixed body of knowledge to a learning approach where the emphasis is on supporting learners to learn. Central to this change is recognition that undergraduate education programmes should aim to develop independent learners who become effective lifelong learning practitioners. Successful independent learning as an undergraduate student or as a lifelong learner requires the learner to have well developed information literacy skills. An Online Electronic Information Skills (OEIS) intervention was designed to develop the information literacy skills in a cohort of second year undergraduate radiography students. An evaluation focused on learning outcomes was used to provide evidence of development of information literacy within the undergraduate course. The evaluation clearly demonstrated substantial skill development in students' ability to access scholarly information in their discipline area. The reported continued use of database searching by this cohort of students seven months after the OEIS intervention provides evidence that they are continuing to access and use scholarly information, information literacy skills necessary for their future work context

Implicit Leadership Theory: Are Results Generalizable from Student to Professional Samples?

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Ming

1990-01-01

Explores whether student subjects' implicit leadership theories are generalizable to professional subjects. Samples consisted of 220 undergraduates and 152 government employees in New Zealand. Finds the mean importance ratings were similar for the 2 samples, except students placed greater importance on factors beyond individual control. (DB)

Near-peer mentorship for undergraduate training in Ugandan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Near-peer mentorship for undergraduate training in Ugandan medical schools: views of undergraduate students. Godfrey Zari Rukundo, Aluonzi Burani, Jannat Kasozi, Claude Kirimuhuzya, Charles Odongo, Catherine Mwesigwa, Wycliff Byona, Sarah Kiguli ...

Undergraduate medical students' empathy: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quince T

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Thelma Quince, Pia Thiemann, John Benson, Sarah Hyde Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Abstract: Empathy is important to patient care. It enhances patients’ satisfaction, comfort, self-efficacy, and trust which in turn may facilitate better diagnosis, shared decision making, and therapy adherence. Empathetic doctors experience greater job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Understanding the development of empathy of tomorrow's health care professionals is important. However, clinical empathy is poorly defined and difficult to measure, while ways to enhance it remain unclear. This review examines empathy among undergraduate medical students, focusing upon three main questions: How is empathy measured? This section discusses the problems of assessing empathy and outlines the utility of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Student Version and Davis's Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Both have been used widely to assess medical students' empathy. Does empathy change during undergraduate medical education? The trajectory of empathy during undergraduate medical education has been and continues to be debated. Potential reasons for contrasting results of studies are outlined. What factors may influence the development of empathy? Although the influence of sex is widely recognized, the impact of culture, psychological well-being, and aspects of undergraduate curricula are less well understood. This review identifies three interrelated issues for future research into undergraduate medical students' empathy. First, the need for greater clarity of definition, recognizing that empathy is multidimensional. Second, the need to develop meaningful ways of measuring empathy which include its component dimensions and which are relevant to patients' experiences. Medical education research has generally relied upon single, self-report instruments, which have

Thought-action fusion and schizotypy in undergraduate students.

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Muris, Peter; Merckelbach, Harald

2003-06-01

To examine the relationship between thought-action fusion (TAF) and schizotypy. In two separate samples of undergraduate students (Ns = 77 and 64), correlations were computed between a measure of TAF and indices of schizotypy and fantasy proneness. Positive correlations were found between TAF and various aspects of schizotypy (i.e. perceptual aberration, magical ideation, schizotypal personality characteristics, disposition to hallucinate). However, correlations between TAF and schizotypy no longer attained significance when controlling for fantasy proneness. At least in the non-clinical population, the connection between TAF and schizotypy seems to be a by-product of fantasy-prone individuals' tendency to report unusual experiences.

Bringing Seismology's Grand Challenges to the Undergraduate Classroom

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Benoit, M. H.; Taber, J.; Hubenthal, M.

2011-12-01

The "Seismological Grand Challenges in Understanding Earth's Dynamic Systems," a community-written long-range science plan for the next decade, poses 10 questions to guide fundamental seismological research. Written in an approachable fashion suitable for policymakers, the broad questions and supporting discussion contained in this document offer an ideal framework for the development of undergraduate curricular materials. Leveraging this document, we have created a collection of inquiry-based classroom modules that utilize authentic data to modernize seismological instruction in 100 and 200 level undergraduate courses. The modules not only introduce undergraduates to the broad questions that the seismological community seeks to answer in the future but also showcase the numerous areas where modern seismological research is actively contributing to our understanding of fundamental Earth processes. To date 6 in-depth explorations that correspond to the Grand Challenges document have been developed. The specific topics for each exploration were selected to showcase modern seismological research while also covering topics commonly included in the curriculum of these introductory classes. Examples of activities that have been created and their corresponding Grand Challenge include: -A guided inquiry that introduces students to episodic tremor and slip and compares the GPS and seismic signatures of ETS with those produced from standard tectonic earthquakes (Grand Challenge "How do faults slip?"). - A laboratory exercise where students engage in b-value mapping of volcanic earthquakes to assess potential eruption hazards (How do magmas ascend and erupt?). - A module that introduce students to glacial earthquakes in Greenland and compares their frequency and spatial distribution to tectonic earthquakes (How do processes in the ocean and atmosphere interact with the solid Earth?). What is the relationship between stress and strain in the lithosphere? - An activity that

Overgeneral autobiographical memory predicts changes in depression in a community sample.

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Van Daele, Tom; Griffith, James W; Van den Bergh, Omer; Hermans, Dirk

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) predicts the course of symptoms of depression and anxiety in a community sample, after 5, 6, 12 and 18 months. Participants (N=156) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) at baseline and were subsequently reassessed using the DASS-21 at four time points over a period of 18 months. Using latent growth curve modelling, we found that OGM was associated with a linear increase in depression. We were unable to detect changes over time in anxiety. OGM may be an important marker to identify people at risk for depression in the future, but more research is needed with anxiety.

The mobile application preferences of undergraduate university students: A longitudinal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Potgieter

2015-09-01

Objective: The research problem of this article is centred on the preferences for smartphone apps by the growing market of smartphone users in South Africa. The study includes a demographic profile of the users to establish what attracts this market into downloading smartphone apps. Methodology: The study employed a mono-method, quantitative methodological framework with an online survey as the data collection instrument. The survey was conducted amongst undergraduate university students in 2013 and repeated again in 2014. Results: It was found that the ‘young adult’ demographic, of which the sample of undergraduate university students formed a part, was discerning about which apps they downloaded and that the frequency of downloads occurred less than once a month in most cases. Information and entertainment needs were amongst the top reasons users indicated as motivations for downloading apps. Conclusion: The study’s findings confirmed that the sample had definite preferences regarding which apps the users were downloading, and these preferences depended on the needs that they wished to fulfil. The study also revealed that, even though users were aware of security threats associated with downloading apps, this knowledge did not deter them from continuing to download apps. Future research recommendations also arose from the study, giving direction to prospective studies.

Perceived Academic Control and Academic Emotions Predict Undergraduate University Student Success: Examining Effects on Dropout Intention and Achievement.

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Respondek, Lisa; Seufert, Tina; Stupnisky, Robert; Nett, Ulrike E

2017-01-01

The present study addressed concerns over the high risk of university students' academic failure. It examined how perceived academic control and academic emotions predict undergraduate students' academic success, conceptualized as both low dropout intention and high achievement (indicated by GPA). A cross-sectional survey was administered to 883 undergraduate students across all disciplines of a German STEM orientated university. The study additionally compared freshman students ( N = 597) vs. second-year students ( N = 286). Using structural equation modeling, for the overall sample of undergraduate students we found that perceived academic control positively predicted enjoyment and achievement, as well as negatively predicted boredom and anxiety. The prediction of dropout intention by perceived academic control was fully mediated via anxiety. When taking perceived academic control into account, we found no specific impact of enjoyment or boredom on the intention to dropout and no specific impact of all three academic emotions on achievement. The multi-group analysis showed, however, that perceived academic control, enjoyment, and boredom among second-year students had a direct relationship with dropout intention. A major contribution of the present study was demonstrating the important roles of perceived academic control and anxiety in undergraduate students' academic success. Concerning corresponding institutional support and future research, the results suggested distinguishing incoming from advanced undergraduate students.

Oral Cancer: An Evaluation of Knowledge and Awareness in Undergraduate Dental Students and the General Public.

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Bakr, Mahmoud M; Skerman, Emma; Khan, Usman; George, Roy

To evaluate the knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with oral cancer amongst undergraduate dental students and members of the general public. This study was open for a period of six months (Jan-June, 2013) to all undergraduate dental students in the 4th and 5th year of the dental science programme and dental patients attending the School of Dentistry, Griffith University, Australia. The survey evaluated the knowledge and awareness of clinical signs and symptoms and risk factors of oral cancers. A total of 100 undergraduate students and 150 patients provided informed consent and participated in this survey study. Both patients and dental students were aware of the importance of early detection of oral cancer. With the exception of smoking and persistent ulceration, this study indicated that the knowledge about oral cancer, its signs, symptoms and risk factors was limited amongst participants. This study highlights the need to raise awareness and knowledge pertaining to oral cancer, not only in the general community but also amongst those in the dental field. Specific points of concern were the common intraoral sites for oral cancer, erythroplakia as a risk factor, the synergistic action of smoking and alcohol, and HPV (human papilloma virus) as risk factors for oral cancer.

Witnessed community and parental violence in relation to substance use and delinquency in a national sample of adolescents.

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Zinzow, Heidi M; Ruggiero, Kenneth J; Hanson, Rochelle F; Smith, Daniel W; Saunders, Benjamin E; Kilpatrick, Dean G

2009-12-01

This study examined whether witnessed community and parental violence represented risk factors for substance use and delinquency among adolescents, beyond the contribution of direct violence and other risk factors. We also examined the role of violence characteristics. Participants were a national sample of 3,614 adolescents. Structured telephone interviews assessed demographics, trauma history, witnessed violence, delinquency, and substance use. While accounting for trauma history and other risk factors, witnessed community and parental violence were associated with delinquency. Community violence was associated with substance use. Chronic violence, knowing the perpetrator, and violence outside of school were correlated with substance use and delinquency among adolescents who witnessed community violence. These findings highlight the importance of targeting witnessed violence in prevention and intervention efforts.

Learning styles of postgraduate and undergraduate medical students.

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Shukr, Irfan; Zainab, Roop; Rana, Mowadat H

2013-01-01

To compare learning styles of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. Observational, comparative study. Department of Medical Education, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, during February and March 2012. A total of 170 students were divided into two equal groups of undergraduate students of Army Medical College, and postgraduate students of Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute, Rawalpindi. Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) was used to assess and categorize the participants into Honey and Mumford classification of learning styles. The responses of each student ranging from 'very strong,' 'strong', 'moderate', and 'low' preference towards activist, theorist, reflector and pragmatist learning styles were compiled. The two groups were compared using SPSS version 17, using Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test. A p-value of $lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Preferences for all four learning styles were present in both groups. The results reveal an overall statistically significant difference in the 'very strong' preference in learning styles between the two study groups (p=0.002). Among the undergraduate students, 45% had a very strong preference for being an activist, whereas in postgraduate students, 38% had very strong preference for reflector, and 35% for theorist. This was statistically significant for activist, and reflector, and attained a p-value of learning style was pragmatist in both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Diversity of learning styles at undergraduate and postgraduate level of medical education calls for multiplicity of instructional and assessment modalities to match them. The learning styles amongst the undergraduate medical students are different from the postgraduates. The postgraduates commonly have the reflector learning style while the undergraduates are predominantly activists and theorists.

The structure of posttraumatic stress disorder: latent class analysis in 2 community samples.

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Breslau, Naomi; Reboussin, Beth A; Anthony, James C; Storr, Carla L

2005-12-01

Latent structure analysis of DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can help clarify how persons who experience traumatic events might be sorted into clusters with respect to their symptom profiles. Classification of persons exposed to traumatic events into clinically homogeneous groups would facilitate further etiologic and treatment research, as well as research on the relationship of trauma and PTSD with other disorders. To examine empirically the structure underlying PTSD criterion symptoms and identify discrete classes with similar symptom profiles. Data on PTSD symptoms from trauma-exposed subsets of 2 community samples were subjected to latent class analysis. The resultant classes were studied in associations with trauma type and indicators of impairment. The first sample is from the Detroit Area Survey of Trauma (1899 trauma-exposed respondents with complete data) and the second is from a mid-Atlantic study of young adults conducted by The Johns Hopkins University Prevention Research Center, Baltimore, Md (1377 trauma-exposed respondents with complete data). Respondents in the 2 community samples who experienced 1 or more qualifying PTSD-level traumatic events. Number, size, and symptom profiles of latent classes. In both samples, analysis yielded 3 classes: no disturbance, intermediate disturbance, and pervasive disturbance. The classes also varied qualitatively, with emotional numbing distinguishing the class of pervasive disturbance, a class that approximates the subset with DSM-IV PTSD. Members of the pervasive disturbance class were far more likely to report use of medical care and disruptions in life or activities. The 3-class structure separates trauma-exposed persons with pervasive disturbance (a class that approximates DSM-IV PTSD) from no disturbance and intermediate disturbance, a distinction that also helps identify population subgroups with low risk for any posttrauma disturbance. The results suggest that the structure of PTSD is ordinal

Finding needles in a haystack: a methodology for identifying and sampling community-based youth smoking cessation programs.

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Emery, Sherry; Lee, Jungwha; Curry, Susan J; Johnson, Tim; Sporer, Amy K; Mermelstein, Robin; Flay, Brian; Warnecke, Richard

2010-02-01

Surveys of community-based programs are difficult to conduct when there is virtually no information about the number or locations of the programs of interest. This article describes the methodology used by the Helping Young Smokers Quit (HYSQ) initiative to identify and profile community-based youth smoking cessation programs in the absence of a defined sample frame. We developed a two-stage sampling design, with counties as the first-stage probability sampling units. The second stage used snowball sampling to saturation, to identify individuals who administered youth smoking cessation programs across three economic sectors in each county. Multivariate analyses modeled the relationship between program screening, eligibility, and response rates and economic sector and stratification criteria. Cumulative logit models analyzed the relationship between the number of contacts in a county and the number of programs screened, eligible, or profiled in a county. The snowball process yielded 9,983 unique and traceable contacts. Urban and high-income counties yielded significantly more screened program administrators; urban counties produced significantly more eligible programs, but there was no significant association between the county characteristics and program response rate. There is a positive relationship between the number of informants initially located and the number of programs screened, eligible, and profiled in a county. Our strategy to identify youth tobacco cessation programs could be used to create a sample frame for other nonprofit organizations that are difficult to identify due to a lack of existing directories, lists, or other traditional sample frames.

Achieving graduate outcomes in undergraduate nursing education: following the Yellow Brick Road.

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Baldwin, Adele; Bentley, Karyn; Langtree, Tanya; Mills, Jane

2014-01-01

Nursing practice is a dynamic and constantly changing field within healthcare, with well-documented challenges to maintaining a suitably skilled workforce to meet the needs of the community it serves. Undergraduate nursing education provides the mandatory minimum requirements for professional registration. Each nursing program has clearly stated graduate attributes, qualities that their graduates will possess on graduation. The aim of this paper is to stimulate discussion about graduate attributes for nurses, a transferrable set of specific attributes that make nursing graduates work ready. This paper focuses on identifying specific attributes, the embedding of those attributes in nursing education, particularly through role modelling, with the aim of producing a future workforce that is knowledgeable, compassionate and confident. The graduate attributes are likened to the qualities sought by the characters in 'The Wizard of Oz'; brains, heart and courage and the learning process as the 'Yellow Brick Road'. There is a relative lack of discussion about role modelling by nurse educators for nursing students, a potentially undervalued learning experience that we believe must be brought to the forefront of discussions pertaining to undergraduate nursing education and achieving graduate outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Descriptive study of burnout, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary education institution in KwaZulu-Natal.

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Mathias, Christina T; Wentzel, Dorien L

2017-09-22

Studies have investigated burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses and effects in the nursing profession. However, there are limited investigations of burnout and compassion fatigue among undergraduate nursing students in South Africa, as nursing students may experience distressful situations during their nursing education course, which may have an impact during their training and in their profession as they graduate. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution in KwaZulu-Natal. Convenience sampling was used. Sixty-seven undergraduate students (26 third-year and 41 fourth-year nursing students) took the self-test Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study results indicate that undergraduate students experienced average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction. As shown in the study, some of the undergraduate students are experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, associated with relieving suffering of others. Therefore, knowledge of compassion fatigue and burnout and the coping strategies should be part of nursing training.

How Individual and Contextual Factors Affects Antisocial and Delinquent Behaviors: A Comparison between Young Offenders, Adolescents at Risk of Social Exclusion, and a Community Sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Duran-Bonavila

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The problems associated with violence during adolescence have been on the rise in recent decades. Many studies have focused only on environmental causes or individual causes of violence, although a combination of both variables would seem to be the best option for prediction. The current study aims to assess the relevance of individual characteristics (personality traits, intelligence, and historical and clinical factors linked to the risk of violence, contextual risk factors and protective factors in explaining antisocial and delinquent behaviors in adolescence by comparing three different samples: a community sample, a sample at risk of social exclusion, and a sample of juvenile offenders. The results show that the samples at risk of social exclusion and the sample of juvenile offenders have a very similar profile in terms of personality traits and intelligence, although they differ from the community sample. However, these two samples do differ in such contextual variables as peer delinquency, poor parental management, community disorganization, or early caregiver disruption.

An evaluation capacity building toolkit for principal investigators of undergraduate research experiences: A demonstration of transforming theory into practice.

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Rorrer, Audrey S

2016-04-01

This paper describes the approach and process undertaken to develop evaluation capacity among the leaders of a federally funded undergraduate research program. An evaluation toolkit was developed for Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering(1) Research Experiences for Undergraduates(2) (CISE REU) programs to address the ongoing need for evaluation capacity among principal investigators who manage program evaluation. The toolkit was the result of collaboration within the CISE REU community with the purpose being to provide targeted instructional resources and tools for quality program evaluation. Challenges were to balance the desire for standardized assessment with the responsibility to account for individual program contexts. Toolkit contents included instructional materials about evaluation practice, a standardized applicant management tool, and a modulated outcomes measure. Resulting benefits from toolkit deployment were having cost effective, sustainable evaluation tools, a community evaluation forum, and aggregate measurement of key program outcomes for the national program. Lessons learned included the imperative of understanding the evaluation context, engaging stakeholders, and building stakeholder trust. Results from project measures are presented along with a discussion of guidelines for facilitating evaluation capacity building that will serve a variety of contexts. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impact of backwards faded scaffolding approach to inquiry-based astronomy laboratory experiences on undergraduate non-science majors' views of scientific inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Daniel J.

NOSI. According to the results of a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, there was a significant shift in the distributions of both samples toward a more informed understanding of DvE after the intervention curriculum was administered, while there was no significant change in either direction for understanding of MMS. The results of the instructor interview analysis suggested that the intervention curriculum provided multiple opportunities for students to evaluate and determine the relevance of data in the context of producing evidence-based conclusions directly related to specific research questions, thereby supporting the development of more informed views of DvE. These results also suggested that students might not have realized that they were exclusively engaged in non-experimental type inquiries, as various research methods were not explicitly addressed. The intervention curriculum used a consistently phased stepwise format, which may also have led the students to accommodate their astronomy inquiry experiences within persistent misconceptions of "The Scientific Method" as the only valid means of constructing scientific knowledge, thereby leading to no change in understanding of MMS. The results of the study suggest that a scaffolded, inquiry-based, introductory astronomy laboratory curriculum purposefully designed and scaffolded to enhance students' understandings could be effective in enhancing undergraduate non-science majoring students' views of certain aspects of NOSI. Through scaffolding inquiry experiences that deliver multiple opportunities to engage in authentic scientific inquiries, the novel curriculum provides a valuable resource for the astronomy education community to engage students in learning experiences that reflect the contemporary views of constructivist inquiry-based learning, which focuses on the interpretation of data to create evidence in light of specific questions, as well as opportunities to engage in authentic scientific discourse. As such it can

South African undergraduate nursing students experience of intra ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Intra-professional violence is taking its toll on undergraduate nursing students and is ... to leave the profession even before embarking on their new careers. ... The population consisted of undergraduate nursing students registered at nursing ...

Psychometric properties of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale in Colombian undergraduates

OpenAIRE

Ruiz, Francisco José; Suárez-Falcón, Juan Carlos; Riaño-Hernández, Diana

2016-01-01

The Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale is one of the most popular instruments to measure mindfulness, and this construct is conceived as unidimensional, emphasizing attention/awareness as its essential aspect. This study aimed to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the MAAS in a Colombian sample of 762 undergraduates. Data were very similar to those obtained in other validation studies of the MAAS. A confirmatory factor analysis found that the...

Religion and happiness : a study among female undergraduate students In Israel

OpenAIRE

Francis, Leslie J.; Yablon, Yaacov B.; Robbins, Mandy

2014-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that higher levels of positive \\ud religious affect are associated with higher levels of personal happiness \\ud among a sample of 284 Hebrew-speaking female undergraduate students \\ud who completed the Katz-Francis Scale of Attitude toward Judaism, the \\ud Oxford Happiness Inventory, and the short-form Eysenck Personality \\ud Questionnaire Revised. The data reported a small but statistically \\ud significant association between religiosity and happiness after ta...

Investigation of Undergraduate Students’ Environmental Attitudes

OpenAIRE

Sacit KÖSE; Ayse SAVRAN GENCER; Kudret GEZER; Gül Hanım EROL; Kadir BİLEN

2011-01-01

Environmental education has been viewed as an important way to educate students about environmental issues beginning from pre-school to higher education. This study is a part of this field- namely, undergraduate environmental education. The purpose of the study is to explore undergraduate students’ attitudes towards environment after the course “Environment, Human, and Society”. In direction of this basic aim, environmental attitudes of university students were e...

Testing the Efficacy of a Scholarship Program for Single Parent, Post-Freshmen, Full Time Undergraduates

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Carpenter, Dick M., II; Kaka, Sarah J.; Tygret, Jennifer A.; Cathcart, Katy

2018-01-01

This study examines the efficacy of a scholarship program designed to assist single parent, post-freshmen, full time undergraduate students and predictors of success among a sample of said students, where success is defined as progress toward completion, academic achievement, and degree completion. Results of fixed effects regression and…

Evaluation of a PCR Assay for Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Respiratory and Nonrespiratory Samples from Adults with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

OpenAIRE

Murdoch, David R.; Anderson, Trevor P.; Beynon, Kirsten A.; Chua, Alvin; Fleming, Angela M.; Laing, Richard T. R.; Town, G. Ian; Mills, Graham D.; Chambers, Stephen T.; Jennings, Lance C.

2003-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, but it is undoubtedly underdiagnosed. We used a nested PCR assay (targeting the pneumolysin gene) to detect S. pneumoniae DNA in multiple sample types from 474 adults with community-acquired pneumonia and 183 control patients who did not have pneumonia. Plasma or buffy coat samples were PCR positive in only 6 of the 21 patients with positive blood cultures for S. pneumoniae and in 12 other patients (4 of whom h...

The Psychometric Properties of Turkish Version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21 in Community and Clinical Samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakan SARICAM

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presented the Turkish version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21 in community and clinical samples, examined its psychometric properties. Construct validity and concurrent validity were conducted in validity studies. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-42 (DASS-42 was used for concurrent validity. In reliability analysis, the instrument’s internal consistency and re-test reliability were studied. Results of explanatory factor analyses demonstrated that 21 items yielded three-factors. Results of confirmatory factor analyses for three-dimensional model showed that acceptable fit index values in community sample and perfect fit index values in clinical sample. Factor loadings ranged from .42 to .72. In the concurrent validity, significant positive relationships were found between DASS-42 and DASS-21. Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient was found as α= .87 for depression sub-scale, α= .85 for anxiety sub-scale and α= .81 for stress sub-scale in clinical sample. Moreover, test-retest reliability coefficient was obtained as r=.68 for depression sub-scale, r=.66 for anxiety sub-scale and r=.61 for stress sub-scale in community sample, and corrected item-total correlations ranged from .43 to .77 in clinical sample. In second study, DASS-21 discriminated the patients (depression mean score=10.83; anxiety mean score=10.39; stress mean score=11.85 from the healthy subjects (depression mean score=5.88; anxiety mean score=5.37; stress mean score=7.90 well (U=5310.50; 4748.50; 5562.50, p=0.00. According to psychometric properties, DASS-21 is a reliable and valid instrument in the assessment of depression, anxiety, stress levels. [JCBPR 2018; 7(1.000: 19-30

Public-speaking fears in a community sample. Prevalence, impact on functioning, and diagnostic classification.

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Stein, M B; Walker, J R; Forde, D R

1996-02-01

Recent epidemiologic studies have revealed that social phobia is more prevalent than has been previously believed. An unresolved issue is the extent to which public-speaking fears constitute a recognizable form of social phobia in a community sample and, moreover, to what extent these fears are associated with functional morbidity. To examine the prevalence and impact of public-speaking fears and their relationship to social phobia in a community sample, we conducted a randomized telephone survey of 499 residents of Winnipeg, Manitoba, a medium-sized midwestern metropolitan area. One third of the respondents reported that they had excessive anxiety when they spoke to a large audience. The onset of fears was early (ie, 50%, 75%, and 90% by the ages of 13, 17, and 20 years, respectively). Anxious cognitions about public speaking included the following fears: doing or saying something embarrassing (64%), one's mind going blank (74%), being unable to continue talking (63%), saying foolish things or not making sense (59%), and trembling, shaking, or showing other signs of anxiety (80%). In total, 10% (n = 49) of the respondents reported that public-speaking anxiety had resulted in a marked interference with their work (2%), social life (1%), or education (4%), or had caused them marked distress (8%). Twenty-three persons (5%) had public-speaking anxiety in isolation (ie, without evidence of additional kinds of social fears). These data support the inclusion of severe forms of public-speaking fears within the social phobia construct and, furthermore, suggest that public-speaking anxiety may have a detrimental impact on the lives of many individuals in the community.

[Health education from the perspective of nursing undergraduate students].

Science.gov (United States)

Colomé, Juliana Silveira; de Oliveira, Dora Lucia Leidens Corrêa

2008-09-01

In the field of health practices, there are different models of health education. The objective of this article was to identify undergraduates' concepts of health education. This descriptive exploratory study used a qualitative approach. It was developed in the Undergraduate Nursing Courses of the Federal University of Santa Maria and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Subjects were undergraduate students of the last semester before graduation. Data were collected using a semistructured interview, and submitted to thematic content analysis. The results suggest that the undergraduate nursing students' training as health educators is permeated by concepts that are a mixture of traditional and modern assumptions on health education.

Meteorological Instrumentation and Measurements Open Resource Training Modules for Undergraduate and Graduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Rockwell, A.; Clark, R. D.; Stevermer, A.

2017-12-01

The National Center for Atmospheric Research Earth Observing Laboratory, Millersville University and The COMET Program are collaborating to produce a series of nine online modules on the the topic of meteorological instrumentation and measurements. These interactive, multimedia educational modules can be integrated into undergraduate and graduate meteorology courses on instrumentation, measurement science, and observing systems to supplement traditional pedagogies and enhance blended instruction. These freely available and open-source training tools are designed to supplement traditional pedagogies and enhance blended instruction. Three of the modules are now available and address the theory and application of Instrument Performance Characteristics, Meteorological Temperature Instrumentation and Measurements, and Meteorological Pressure Instrumentation and Measurements. The content of these modules is of the highest caliber as it has been developed by scientists and engineers who are at the forefront of the field of observational science. Communicating the availability of these unique and influential educational resources with the community is of high priority. These modules will have a profound effect on the atmospheric observational sciences community by fulfilling a need for contemporary, interactive, multimedia guided education and training modules integrating the latest instructional design and assessment tools in observational science. Thousands of undergraduate and graduate students will benefit, while course instructors will value a set of high quality modules to use as supplements to their courses. The modules can serve as an alternative to observational research training and fill the void between field projects or assist those schools that lack the resources to stage a field- or laboratory-based instrumentation experience.

A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate-Postgraduate-Faculty Triads

Science.gov (United States)

Aikens, Melissa L.; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as "postgraduates") and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the…

Reliability Estimates for Undergraduate Grade Point Average

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Westrick, Paul A.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) is a commonly employed measure in educational research, serving as a criterion or as a predictor depending on the research question. Over the decades, researchers have used a variety of reliability coefficients to estimate the reliability of undergraduate GPA, which suggests that there has been no consensus…

Sodium intake and dietary sources of sodium in a sample of undergraduate students from Novi Sad, Serbia.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-01

Data on sodium intake and sources of sodium in the diet in Serbia are limited. The aim of this study was to estimate the sodium intake and identify the sources of sodium in the diet of undergraduate students attending the University of Novi Sad. Students completed a questionnaire to gather data on their gender, age and university faculty attended, and then a 24 h dietary recall. The sodium intake of the students was calculated using the dietary recall data and data on the sodium content of foods. The contribution of different food groups as well as of specific foodstuffs to the total sodium intake was calculated. The mean estimated sodium intake of the students was 3,938.5 ± 1,708.1 mg/day. The sodium intake of 89.1% of the surveyed students exceeded the guideline for sodium intake, the majority of the sodium coming from processed foods (78.9% of the total sodium intake). The food groups that contributed the most to the total sodium intake of the students were meat and meat products (21.7%) and cereals and cereal-based products (18.6%). Bread and other bakery products were responsible for 13.1% of the total sodium intake. High sodium intake in students of the University of Novi Sad puts them at high risk of developing high blood pressure. The food industry should work towards reformulating products with high sodium content, especially bread and other bakery products. Efforts should be taken to reduce sodium intake among undergraduate students in Novi Sad.

The Influence of Knowledge and Awareness of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) on Change in Sexual Behaviour of Fresh Undergraduates of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Adeniyi, W. O.; Okewole, J. O.

2014-01-01

The study examined the influence of knowledge and awareness of sexually transmitted diseases on change in sexual behaviour of fresh undergraduates with a view to providing useful suggestions for positive sexual behaviour of adolescents. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. A sample of 600 fresh undergraduates was selected from the…

How we developed a bioethics theme in an undergraduate medical curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghias, Kulsoom; Ali, Syeda Kauser; Khan, Kausar S; Khan, Robyna; Khan, Murad M; Farooqui, Arshi; Nayani, Parvez

2011-01-01

The 5-year undergraduate medical curriculum at Aga Khan University integrates basic sciences with clinical and community health sciences. Multimodal strategies of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on problem-based learning, are utilized to equip students with knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes and values necessary for a high-calibre medical graduate. Bioethics teaching was introduced in the medical curriculum in 1988 and has since undergone several changes. In 2009, a multidisciplinary voluntary group began review of undergraduate bioethics teaching and invested over 350 man-hours in curricular revision. This involved formulating terminal objectives, delineating specific objectives and identifying instructional methodologies and assessment strategies appropriate for the contents of each objective. Innovative strategies were specially devised to work within the time constraints of the existing medical curriculum and importantly, to increase student interest and engagement. The new bioethics curriculum is designed to be comprehensive and robust, and strives to develop graduates who, in addition to being technically skilled and competent, are well-versed in the history and philosophy of ethics and bioethics and are ethical in their thinking and practice, especially in the context of a developing country like Pakistan where health indicators are among the worst in the region, and clinical practices are not effectively regulated to ensure quality of care.

Undergraduate Students’Evaluation Criteria When Using Web Resources for Class Papers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsai-Youn Hung

2004-09-01

Full Text Available The growth in popularity of the World Wide Web has dramatically changed the way undergraduate students conduct information searches. The purpose of this study is to investigate what core quality criteria undergraduate students use to evaluate Web resources for their class papers and to what extent they evaluate the Web resources. This study reports on five Web page evaluations and a questionnaire survey of thirty five undergraduate students in the Information Technology and Informatics Program at Rutgers University. Results show that undergraduate students have become increasingly sophisticated about using Web resources, but not yet sophisticated about searching them. Undergraduate students only used one or two surface quality criteria to evaluate Web resources. They made immediate judgments about the surface features of Web pages and ignored the content of the documents themselves. This research suggests that undergraduate instructors should take the responsibility for instructing students on basic Web use knowledge or work with librarians to develop undergraduate students information literacy skills.

A Case Study of Perceptions and Experiences among African-American Males Regarding College Dropout Rates in a Community College

Science.gov (United States)

Branch, James

2017-01-01

Community colleges enroll nearly half of the students in public undergraduate programs and a disproportionate number of first-generation, low-income, underprepared, and minority students. The new national completion agenda initiated by President Barack Obama had brought both visibility and pressure to community colleges, which had completion rates…

Internationalizing undergraduate psychology education: Trends, techniques, and technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Takooshian, Harold; Gielen, Uwe P; Plous, Scott; Rich, Grant J; Velayo, Richard S

2016-01-01

How can we best internationalize undergraduate psychology education in the United States and elsewhere? This question is more timely than ever, for at least 2 reasons: Within the United States, educators and students seek greater contact with psychology programs abroad, and outside the United States, psychology is growing apace, with educators and students in other nations often looking to U.S. curricula and practices as models. In this article, we outline international developments in undergraduate psychology education both in the United States and abroad, and analyze the dramatic rise of online courses and Internet-based technologies from an instructional and international point of view. Building on the recommendations of the 2005 APA Working Group on Internationalizing the Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum, we then advance 14 recommendations on internationalizing undergraduate psychology education--for students, faculty, and institutions. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Guaiacol peroxidase zymography for the undergraduate laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkesman, Jeff; Castro, Diana; Contreras, Lellys M; Kurz, Liliana

2014-01-01

This laboratory exercise presents a novel way to introduce undergraduate students to the specific detection of enzymatic activity by electrophoresis. First, students prepare a crude peroxidase extract and then analyze the homogenate via electrophoresis. Zymography, that is, a SDS-PAGE method to detect enzyme activity, is used to specifically detect peroxidase activity and furthermore, to analyze the total protein profile. After the assay, students may estimate the apparent molecular mass of the enzyme and discuss its structure. After the 4-h experiment, students gain knowledge concerning biological sample preparation, gel preparation, electrophoresis, and the importance of specific staining procedures for the detection of enzymatic activity. Copyright © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The development of Metacognition test in genetics laboratory for undergraduate students

Science.gov (United States)

A-nongwech, Nattapong; Pruekpramool, Chaninan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research was to develop a Metacognition test in a Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students. The participants were 30 undergraduate students of a Rajabhat university in Rattanakosin group in the second semester of the 2016 academic year using purposive sampling. The research instrument consisted of 1) Metacognition test and 2) a Metacognition test evaluation form for experts focused on three main points which were an accurate evaluation form of content, a consistency between Metacognition experiences and questions and the appropriateness of the test. The quality of the test was analyzed by using the Index of Consistency (IOC), discrimination and reliability. The results of developing Metacognition test were summarized as 1) The result of developing Metacognition test in a Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students found that the Metacognition test contained 56 items of open - ended questions. The test composed of 1) four scientific situations, 2) fourteen items of open - ended questions in each scientific situation for evaluating components of Metacognition. The components of Metacognition consisted of Metacognitive knowledge, which were divided into person knowledge, task knowledge and strategy knowledge and Metacognitive experience, which were divided into planning, monitoring and evaluating, and 3) fourteen items of scoring criteria divided into four scales. 2) The results of the item analysis of Metacognition in Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students found that Index of Consistency between Metacognitive experiences and questions were in the range between 0.75 - 1.00. An accuracy of content equaled 1.00. The appropriateness of the test equaled 1.00 in all situations and items. The discrimination of the test was in the range between 0.00 - 0.73. Furthermore, the reliability of the test equaled 0.97.

Perception of the Most Creative Chinese by Undergraduates in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taipei.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Ziao Dong; Rudowicz, Elisabeth

2002-01-01

A survey of 489 undergraduates in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taipei, found politicians were nominated by all four samples as being the most creative individuals in the past and at present. Scientists and inventors ranked second in position. Artists, musicians, and businessmen were rarely nominated. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

An Examination of Color-Blind Racism and Race-Related Stress among African American Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, M. Nicole; Chapman, Stephanie; Wang, David C.

2013-01-01

This study examined the role of color-blind racial ideology among a sample of 152 African American undergraduate students in relation to race-related stress. We hypothesized that those who endorsed relatively higher color-blind racial attitudes would experience greater race-related stress because experiences with racism would be interpreted as…

An Exploratory Study of Undergraduates' Attitudes toward Affirmative Action Policies for Asian Americans in College

Science.gov (United States)

Hartlep, Nicholas Daniel; Lowinger, Robert Jay

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examined white undergraduate students' (a) racial attitudes towards Asian Americans, (b) principled policy attitudes toward affirmative action, and (c) self-interest in relation to their support for college-based affirmative action policies for Asian Americans at a Midwestern university. A sample (n = 264, 28% male, 72%…

Curriculum structure, content, learning and assessment in European undergraduate dental education - update 2010.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Manogue, M

2011-08-01

This paper presents an updated statement on behalf of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) in relation to proposals for undergraduate Curriculum Structure, Content, Learning, Assessment and Student \\/ Staff Exchange for dental education in Europe. A task force was constituted to consider these issues and the two previous, related publications produced by the Association (Plasschaert et al 2006 and 2007) were revised. The broad European dental community was circulated and contributed to the revisions. The paper was approved at the General Assembly of ADEE, held in Amsterdam in August 2010 and will be updated again in 2015.

Building Undergraduate Physics Programs for the 21st Century

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Hilborn, Robert

2001-04-01

Undergraduate physics programs in the United States are under stress because of changes in the scientific and educational environment in which they operate. The number of undergraduate physics majors is declining nationwide; there is some evidence that the "best" undergraduate students are choosing majors other than physics, and funding agencies seem to be emphasizing K-12 education. How can physics departments respond creatively and constructively to these changes? After describing some of the details of the current environment, I will discuss the activities of the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics, supported by the American Institute of Physics, the America Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers and the ExxonMobil Foundation. I will also present some analysis of Task Force site visits to departments that have thriving undergraduate physics programs, pointing out the key features that seem to be necessary for success. Among these features are department-wide recruitment and retention efforts that are the theme of this session.

Activity Coefficients of Acetone-Chloroform Solutions: An Undergraduate Experiment. Undergraduate Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozog, J. Z.; Morrison, J. A.

1983-01-01

Presents information, laboratory procedures, and results of an undergraduate experiment in which activity coefficients for a two-component liquid-vapor system are determined. Working in pairs, students can perform the experiment with 10 solutions in a given three-hour laboratory period. (Author/JN)

[Characterizing Beijing's Airborne Bacterial Communities in PM2.5 and PM1 Samples During Haze Pollution Episodes Using 16S rRNA Gene Analysis Method].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bu-ying; Lang, Ji-dong; Zhang, Li-na; Fang, Jian-huo; Cao, Chen; Hao, Ji-ming; Zhu, Ting; Tian, Geng; Jiang, Jing-kun

2015-08-01

During 8th-14th Jan., 2013, severe particulate matter (PM) pollution episodes happened in Beijing. These air pollution events lead to high risks for public health. In addition to various PM chemical compositions, biological components in the air may also impose threaten. Little is known about airborne microbial community in such severe air pollution conditions. PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected during that 7-day pollution period. The 16S rRNA gene V3 amplification and the MiSeq sequencing were performed for analyzing these samples. It is found that there is no significant difference at phylum level for PM2.5 bacterial communities during that 7-day pollution period both at phylum and at genus level. At genus level, Arthrobacter and Frankia are the major airborne microbes presented in Beijing winter.samples. At genus level, there are 39 common genera (combined by first 50 genera bacterial of the two analysis) between the 16S rRNA gene analysis and those are found by Metagenomic analysis on the same PM samples. Frankia and Paracoccus are relatively more abundant in 16S rRNA gene data, while Kocuria and Geodermatophilus are relatively more abundant in Meta-data. PM10 bacterial communities are similar to those of PM2.5 with some noticeable differences, i.e., at phylum level, more Firmicutes and less Actinobacteria present in PM10 samples than in PM2.5 samples, while at genus level, more Clostridium presents in PM10 samples. The findings in Beijing were compared with three 16S rRNA gene studies in other countries. Although the sampling locations and times are different from each other, compositions of bacterial community are similar for those sampled at the ground atmosphere. Airborne microbial communities near the ground surface are different from those sampled in the upper troposphere.

Analysis of undergraduate cell biology contents in Brazilian public universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mermelstein, Claudia; Costa, Manoel Luis

2017-04-01

The enormous amount of information available in cell biology has created a challenge in selecting the core concepts we should be teaching our undergraduates. One way to define a set of essential core ideas in cell biology is to analyze what a specific cell biology community is teaching their students. Our main objective was to analyze the cell biology content currently being taught in Brazilian universities. We collected the syllabi of cell biology courses from public universities in Brazil and analyzed the frequency of cell biology topics in each course. We also compared the Brazilian data with the contents of a major cell biology textbook. Our analysis showed that while some cell biology topics such as plasma membrane and cytoskeleton was present in ∼100% of the Brazilian curricula analyzed others such as cell signaling and cell differentiation were present in only ∼35%. The average cell biology content taught in the Brazilian universities is quite different from what is presented in the textbook. We discuss several possible explanations for these observations. We also suggest a list with essential cell biology topics for any biological or biomedical undergraduate course. The comparative discussion of cell biology topics presented here could be valuable in other educational contexts. © 2017 The Authors. Cell Biology International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Cell Biology.

Preservice Teacher Institute: Developing a Model Learning Community for Student Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Andrea M.; Simpson, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

The Preservice Teacher Institute (PTI) is a budding learning community designed to provide mentoring and support for senior elementary education undergraduate candidates. This program is an effective paradigm for mentoring and inducting new teachers into the profession. PTI is a two-semester program. The first semester is restricted to candidates…

Undergraduate Research as a Process for STEM Teaching and Learning Systemic Change: Lessons Learned from the Council on Undergraduate Research NSF CCLI and TUES Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Ambos, E. L.; Havholm, K. G.; Malachowski, M.; Osborn, J.; Karukstis, K.

2013-12-01

For more than seven years, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), the primary organization supporting programs, services, and advocacy for undergraduate research, has been working with support from the NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) to enhance, sustain, and institutionalize undergraduate research in diverse STEM disciplines and higher education settings. The Council on Undergraduate Research comprises more than 9000 individual and 670 institutional members within a divisional structure that includes geosciences, as well as 11 other thematic areas. Through its most recent grant: 'Transformational Learning through Undergraduate Research: Comprehensive Support for Faculty, Institutions, State Systems and Consortia' (NSF DUE CCLI III Award #09-20275), CUR has been collaborating with six higher education systems, each selected after a rigorous national application process in 2010 and 2011. These six systems, which collectively represent 79 individual institutions, are the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), University of Wisconsin System (UWS), California State University System (CSU), City University of New York (CUNY), Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The more than 350 participants of faculty and senior-level administrators from the six systems are engaged in shared multi-faceted and multi-year professional development experiences. Teams from each system attended customized institutes facilitated by CUR experts in 2011-2012, during which the teams developed specific action plans focused on institutionalizing undergraduate research on their campus and within their system. The systems were reconvened as a group a year after the first institute, to chart progress toward achieving their goals. Based on interviews and surveys with participants, campus teams are making substantial progress toward implementation of robust undergraduate research programs, and are making

Subgingival Microbiome of Gingivitis in Chinese Undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Ke; Ouyang, Xiang Ying; Chu, Yi; Zhang, Qian

To analyse the microbiome composition of health and gingivitis in Chinese undergraduates with high-throughput sequencing. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was performed with the MiSeq system to compare subgingival bacterial communities from 54 subjects with gingivitis and 12 periodontally healthy controls. A total of 1,967,372 sequences representing 14 phyla, 104 genera, and 96 species were detected. Analysis of similarities (Anosim) test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed significantly different community profiles between the health control and the subjects with gingivitis. Alpha-diversity metrics were significantly higher in the subgingival plaque of the subjects with gingivitis compared with that of the healthy control. Overall, the relative abundance of 35 genera and 46 species were significantly different between the two groups, among them 28 genera and 45 species showed higher relative abundance in the subjects with gingivitis, whereas seven genera and one species showed a higher relative abundance in the healthy control. The genera Porphyromonas, Treponema, and Tannerella showed higher relative abundance in the subjects with gingivitis, while the genera Capnocytophaga showed higher proportions in health controls. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Porphyromonas endodontalis had higher relative abundance in gingivitis. Among them, Porphyromonas gingivalis was most abundant. Our results revealed significantly different microbial community composition and structures of subgingival plaque between subjects with gingivitis and healthy controls. Subjects with gingivitis showed greater taxonomic diversity compared with periodontally healthy subjects. The proportion of Porphyromonas, especially Porphyromonas gingivalis, may be associated with gingivitis subjects aged between 18 and 21 years old in China. Adults with gingivitis in this age group may have a higher risk of developing periodontitis.

Spatial Reflexivity and Undergraduate Transitions in the Republic of Ireland after the Celtic Tiger

Science.gov (United States)

Cairns, David; Growiec, Katarzyna; Smyth, Jim

2012-01-01

This article explores the geographical mobility intentions of students aged between 18 and 24 years in the Republic of Ireland after the end of the economic boom commonly referred to as the "Celtic Tiger". Focusing upon a sample of undergraduates in Dublin and Cork, the article looks at how many respondents intend to move abroad in the…

The NSF Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Partnering with Arecibo Observatory to Offer Undergraduate and Faculty Extragalactic Radio Astronomy Research Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Ribaudo, Joseph; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David W.; Denn, Grant R.; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hallenbeck, Gregory L.; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Lebron, Mayra E.; Miller, Brendan P.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Pisano, Daniel J.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Troischt, Parker; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; ALFALFA Team

2017-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 20 institutions across the US and Puerto Rico, founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The objective of the UAT is to provide opportunities for its members to develop expertise in the technical aspects of observational radio spectroscopy, its associated data analysis, and the motivating science. Partnering with Arecibo Observatory, the UAT has worked with more than 280 undergraduates and 26 faculty to date, offering 8 workshops onsite at Arecibo (148 undergraduates), observing runs at Arecibo (69 undergraduates), remote observing runs on campus, undergraduate research projects based on Arecibo science (120 academic year and 185 summer projects), and presentation of results at national meetings such as the AAS (at AAS229: Ball et al., Collova et al., Davis et al., Miazzo et al., Ruvolo et al, Singer et al., Cannon et al., Craig et al., Koopmann et al., O'Donoghue et al.). 40% of the students and 45% of the faculty participants have been women and members of underrepresented groups. More than 90% of student alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women.In this presentation, we summarize the UAT program and the current research efforts of UAT members based on Arecibo science, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS). This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, AST-121105, and AST-1637339.

Utility of the Croatian translation of the community integration questionnaire-revised in a sample of adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Tršinski, Dubravko; Tadinac, Meri; Bakran, Žarko; Klepo, Ivana

2018-02-23

To examine the utility of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised, translated into Croatian, in a sample of adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. The Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised was administered to a sample of 88 adults with traumatic brain injury and to a control sample matched by gender, age and education. Participants with traumatic brain injury were divided into four subgroups according to injury severity. The internal consistency of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised was satisfactory. The differences between the group with traumatic brain injury and the control group were statistically significant for the overall Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised score, as well as for all the subscales apart from the Home Integration subscale. The community Integration Questionnaire-Revised score varied significantly for subgroups with different severity of traumatic brain injury. The results show that the Croatian translation of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised is useful in assessing participation in adults with traumatic brain injury and confirm previous findings that severity of injury predicts community integration. Results of the new Electronic Social Networking scale indicate that persons who are more active on electronic social networks report better results for other domains of community integration, especially social activities. Implications for rehabilitation The Croatian translation of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised is a valid tool for long-term assessment of participation in various domains in persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury Persons with traumatic brain injury who are more active in the use of electronic social networking are also more integrated into social and productivity domains. Targeted training in the use of new technologies could enhance participation after traumatic brain injury.

Analysis of Currently Available Analgesic Tablets by Modern Liquid Chromatography: An Undergraduate Laboratory Introduction to HPLC.

Science.gov (United States)

Kagel, R. A.; Farwell, S. O.

1983-01-01

Background information, procedures, and results, are provided for an undergraduate experiment in which analgesic tablets are analyzed using liquid chromatography. The experiment, an improved, modified version of the Waters Associates Inc. experiment, is simple to prepare, requiring little glassware and minimal sample manipulation by students. (JN)

Cross-cultural examination of the five-factor model of drinking motives in Spanish and Canadian undergraduates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mezquita, L.; Stewart, S.H.; Kuntsche, E.N.; Grant, V.V.

2016-01-01

This study aims to test the cross-cultural suitability of Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (M DMQ-R) (Grant, Stewart, O'Connor, Blackwell, & Conrod, 2007). The sample included 571 Spanish and 571 Canadian undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 22 (65.8% women). The confirmatory

The portfolio as an evaluation tool: an analysis of its use in an undergraduate nursing program.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Denise Barbosa de Castro; Gonçalves, Angela Maria Corrêa; de Sá, Tatiana Santos; Sanglard, Leticia Ribeiro; Duque, Débora Ribeiro; de Oliveira, Gabriela Mota Antunes

2010-01-01

This qualitative study was carried out between April and August 2007. It analyzed the use of portfolios in the academic community. A total of nine full-time professors and 119 students enrolled in their third semester were interviewed through a semi-structured interview. Content analysis was used to analyze data. Learning evaluations are seen as a verification of knowledge and efficacy of pedagogical method, and also as an incentive to study. Evaluations are procedural, that is, evaluation is continuous, or one-time, e.g. semester end tests. The portfolio is defined as a gradual and continuous evaluation tool. The faculty members and students need to accept the use of portfolios and evaluate the possibilities of this resource. This study is a first attempt to appraise the evaluation process of an undergraduate program, and the use of portfolios and other strategies needs to be consolidated in order to improve the educational process in undergraduate nursing programs.

Researching with undergraduate students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wulf-Andersen, Trine Østergaard; Mogensen, Kevin; Hjort-Madsen, Peder

2013-01-01

The article presents a particular case of undergraduate students working on subprojects within the framework of their supervisors' (the authors') research project during Autumn Semester 2012 and Spring Semester 2013. The article's purpose is to show that an institutionalized focus on students...... as "research learners" rather than merely curriculum learners proves productive for both research and teaching. We describe the specific university learning context and the particular organization of undergraduate students' supervision and assistantships. The case builds on and further enhances a well......-established and proven university model of participant-directed, problem-oriented project work. We explore students' and researchers' experiences of being part of the collaboration, focusing on learning potentials and dilemmas associated with the multiple roles of researcher and student that characterized...

Academic level and student’s faculty as factors of test anxiety among undergraduates in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel E. Oladipo

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Test anxiety as a prominent problem among students has been a focus of study for decades now, with studies focusing more on such factors as age, gender and study habit in relation to test anxiety. There is a dearth of literature in respect of such factors as academic level and student’s faculty in relation to test anxiety among undergraduates. The focus of the present study therefore, was to investigate academic level and students’ faculty as factors predicting test anxiety among undergraduates in Nigeria. Using simple random sampling technique, a total of 197(126 males and 71 females undergraduates participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 16 to 30years (M=21.6,SD=2.68.Four hypotheses were tested with Pearson Product moment correlation and Multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that academic level and students’ faculty had no correlation with test anxiety. Moreover, the result of the multiple regression analysis showed that academic level and students’ faculty have no independent and joint influence on test anxiety. It was concluded that irrespective of student’s academic level and faculty, test anxiety is unavoidable. Other factors might be responsible for student test anxiety especially among undergraduates Nigeria. It is therefore recommend that more research should be conducted in this area so as to determine the salient factors that predict test anxiety.

Smoking-related knowledge, attitude, social pressure, and environmental constraints among new undergraduates in Chongqing, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xianglong; Leung, Doris Yin Ping; Li, Bing; Wang, Pengfei; Zhao, Yong

2015-01-19

Smoking has resulted in numerous deaths in China. Data indicate that 21% of college students in China are smokers. This study aimed to examine the smoking-related behaviors of undergraduates, as influenced by knowledge, attitude, social pressure, and environmental constraints. A convenience sampling of 412 fresh undergraduates from two universities in the University Town in Chongqing, China was recruited. Chi-square tests were used to compare the smoking-related variables between smokers and non-smokers. Moreover, logistic regression was used to examine the factors that associated with smoking status in undergraduates. Smokers and non-smokers differ in terms of knowledge, attitudes toward smoking, participation in tobacco promotional activities, and sources of social pressure. Logistic regression model identified that sex, living cost, five smoking-related attitudes of "Smoking is pleasurable, Smoking relaxes me, Smoking makes me look strong, Smoking is a waste of money, Smoking can help me study better", the social pressure "Smoking brings comfort during celebration", and the environmental constraints "How did you get your cigarettes in the past 30 days?" are significantly associated with smoking. The findings provide a better understanding of the epidemic of smoking among fresh undergraduates in Chongqing, China. This study provides more detailed consideration of the implications for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) policies, especially on restriction of retail sales outlets and tobacco promotion activities near universities in China.

Inclusion of entrepreneurial competencies within the undergraduate programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Birgitte Woge

2016-01-01

3rd European Congress on Physiotherapy Education with a platform representation “Inclusion of entrepreneurial competencies within the undergraduate programme”2012.......3rd European Congress on Physiotherapy Education with a platform representation “Inclusion of entrepreneurial competencies within the undergraduate programme”2012....

Undergraduate medical students’ empathy: current perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Quince, Thelma; Thiemann, Pia; Benson, John; Hyde, Sarah

2016-01-01

Empathy is important to patient care. It enhances patients’ satisfaction, comfort, self-efficacy, and trust which in turn may facilitate better diagnosis, shared decision making, and therapy adherence. Empathetic doctors experience greater job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Understanding the development of empathy of tomorrow’s health care professionals is important. However, clinical empathy is poorly defined and difficult to measure, while ways to enhance it remain unclear. This review examines empathy among undergraduate medical students, focusing upon three main questions: How is empathy measured? This section discusses the problems of assessing empathy and outlines the utility of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Student Version and Davis’s Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Both have been used widely to assess medical students’ empathy. Does empathy change during undergraduate medical education? The trajectory of empathy during undergraduate medical education has been and continues to be debated. Potential reasons for contrasting results of studies are outlined. What factors may influence the development of empathy? Although the influence of sex is widely recognized, the impact of culture, psychological well-being, and aspects of undergraduate curricula are less well understood. This review identifies three interrelated issues for future research into undergraduate medical students’ empathy. First, the need for greater clarity of definition, recognizing that empathy is multidimensional. Second, the need to develop meaningful ways of measuring empathy which include its component dimensions and which are relevant to patients’ experiences. Medical education research has generally relied upon single, self-report instruments, which have utility across large populations but are limited. Finally, there is a need for greater methodological rigor in investigating the possible determinants of clinical empathy in medical education. Greater

Strategies for involving undergraduates in mentored research (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Marin-Spiotta, E.

2013-12-01

Early engagement in research can transform the undergraduate experience and has a positive effect on minority student recruitment to graduate school. Multiple strategies used to involve undergraduates in research at a large R1 university are presented. During my first four years as an assistant professor, my lab has hosted 14 undergraduates, 9 of them women and 4 of them Hispanic. Institutional support has been critical for undergraduate student involvement. UW supports a research program for incoming underrepresented students. An advantage of this program is very early research participation, with the opportunity for long-term training. One disadvantage is that many first year students have not yet identified their interests. The Biology major also requires students to complete an independent project, which culminates in a research symposium. Competitive research fellowships and grants are available for students to conduct work under faculty mentorship. We have been successful at keeping students on even when their majors are very different from our research discipline, mainly by providing flexibility and a welcoming lab environment. This mentoring culture is strongly fostered by graduate student interest and involvement with all undergraduates as well as active mentor training. By offering multiple pathways for involvement, we can accommodate students' changing schedules and priorities as well as changing lab needs. Students can volunteer, receive course credit, conduct an independent project or honors thesis, contribute to an existing project, do lab work or write a literature review, work with one mentor or on multiple projects. We often provide employment over the summer and subsequent semesters for continuing students. Some will increase their commitment over time and work more closely with me. Others reduce down to a few hours a week as they gain experience elsewhere. Most students stay multiple semesters and multiple years because they 'enjoy being in the

Acculturation and Hope as Predictors of Career Decision Self-Efficacy among Korean International Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

In, Hyoyeon

2016-01-01

This study examined the role of acculturation to the host culture, acculturation to the home culture, and dispositional hope in career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) in a sample of 213 Korean international undergraduate students enrolled in U.S. universities. The findings revealed that hope and acculturation to the host culture uniquely and…

Autism spectrum disorder in a community-based sample with neurodevelopmental problems in Lagos, Nigeria

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Yewande O. Oshodi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD is a globally prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder for which early diagnosis and intervention is the mainstay of management. In the African continent, limited data is available regarding the non-clinic based samples. Lack of information available to caregivers and inadequate skilled manpower often limit early detection and access to the few available though under resourced services in the community. Community based screening can be an important drive to create awareness and improve information dissemination regarding services available for those living with this disorder. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study utilizing data obtained from participants of a community-based autism screening exercise. The surveillance exercise was part of the annual Orange Ribbon initiative for autism awareness and screening held in 2014. Data was obtained from 85 participants involved in the Autism Surveillance screening exercise within the Lagos community. Community public service radio announcements state wide and word of mouth were used to invite and enroll eligible participants to the screening and consultation exercise. A second stage screening and a brief sociodemographic questionnaire followed by a third stage clinical interview and evaluation using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - 5 Edition (DSM 5 were used. Appropriate consultation and referrals to services in the community were given. Participants had a mean age of 7.53 years (SD 4.35. Twenty-nine (34.5% met the diagnosis of ASD. Other diagnosis included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, language and speech disorder, intellectual disability (8.3% and learning disorders (9.5%. Main health concerns to caregivers were poor language development in all (100%, of which 11 (40.7% were non-verbal; gaze avoidance was seen in 14 (48.3% and challenging behavior in 12 (42.9%. Comorbidities included seizure disorders (3.4% and ADHD (6

Evaluation of a task-based community oriented teaching model in family medicine for undergraduate medical students in Iraq

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Al-Taee Waleed G

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The inclusion of family medicine in medical school curricula is essential for producing competent general practitioners. The aim of this study is to evaluate a task-based, community oriented teaching model of family medicine for undergraduate students in Iraqi medical schools. Methods An innovative training model in family medicine was developed based upon tasks regularly performed by family physicians providing health care services at the Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC in Mosul, Iraq. Participants were medical students enrolled in their final clinical year. Students were assigned to one of two groups. The implementation group (28 students was exposed to the experimental model and the control group (56 students received the standard teaching curriculum. The study took place at the Mosul College of Medicine and at the Al-Hadba PHCC in Mosul, Iraq, during the academic year 1999–2000. Pre- and post-exposure evaluations comparing the intervention group with the control group were conducted using a variety of assessment tools. Results The primary endpoints were improvement in knowledge of family medicine and development of essential performance skills. Results showed that the implementation group experienced a significant increase in knowledge and performance skills after exposure to the model and in comparison with the control group. Assessment of the model by participating students revealed a high degree of satisfaction with the planning, organization, and implementation of the intervention activities. Students also highly rated the relevancy of the intervention for future work. Conclusion A model on PHCC training in family medicine is essential for all Iraqi medical schools. The model is to be implemented by various relevant departments until Departments of Family medicine are established.

Testing the Cuckoldry Risk Hypothesis of Partner Sexual Coercion in Community and Forensic Samples

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Joseph A. Camilleri

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Evolutionary theory has informed the investigation of male sexual coercion but has seldom been applied to the analysis of sexual coercion within established couples. The cuckoldry risk hypothesis, that sexual coercion is a male tactic used to reduce the risk of extrapair paternity, was tested in two studies. In a community sample, indirect cues of infidelity predicted male propensity for sexual coaxing in the relationship, and direct cues predicted propensity for sexual coercion. In the forensic sample, we found that most partner rapists experienced cuckoldry risk prior to committing their offence and experienced more types of cuckoldry risk events than non-sexual partner assaulters. These findings suggest that cuckoldry risk influences male sexual coercion in established sexual relationships.

College Teaching and Community Outreaching: Service Learning in an Obesity Prevention Program

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Himelein, Melissa; Passman, Liz; Phillips, Jessica M.

2010-01-01

Background: Service learning can enrich students' knowledge, skills and commitment to occupational goals while positively affecting communities. Undergraduate students in a course on obesity engaged in service learning by assisting with a family-based obesity prevention program, Getting Into Fitness Together (GIFT). Purpose: The impact of GIFT on…

Longitudinal Analysis of Undergraduate E-book Use Finds that Knowledge of Local Communities Drives Format Selection and Collection Development Activities

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Melissa Goertzen

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A Review of: Hobbs, K., & Klare, D. (2016. Are we there yet?: A longitudinal look at e-books through students’ eyes. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 28(1, 9-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2016.1130451 Objective – To determine undergraduate students’ opinions of, use of, and facility with e-books. Design – A qualitative study that incorporated annual interview and usability sessions over a period of four years. The protocol was informed by interview techniques used in prior studies at Wesleyan University. To supplement the body of qualitative data, the 2014 Measuring Information Service Outcomes (MISO survey was distributed; the researchers built five campus-specific e-book questions into the survey. Setting – A small university in the Northeastern United States of America. Subjects – 28 undergraduate students (7 per year who attended summer session between the years of 2011-2014 recruited for interview and usability sessions; 700 full-time undergraduate students recruited for the 2014 MISO survey. Methods – The method was designed by a library consortium in the Northeastern United States of America. The study itself was conducted by two librarians based at the single university. To recruit students for interview and usability sessions, librarians sent invitations via email to a random list of students enrolled in the university’s summer sessions. Recruitment for the 2014 MISO survey was also conducted via email; the survey was sent to a stratified, random sample of undergraduate students in February 2014. Interview sessions were structured around five open-ended questions that examined students’ familiarity with e-books and whether the format supports academic work. These sessions were followed by the students’ evaluation of specific book titles available on MyiLibrary and ebrary, platforms accessible to all libraries in the CTW Consortium. Participants were asked to locate e-books on given topics

Food Consumption Patterns of Female Undergraduate Students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: Studies on food intake in the UAE especially in relation to the student life are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate eating habits of undergraduate students. METHODS: A cohort of 146 undergraduate students studying Physiology at Zayed University completed a semi-structured questionnaire. A student ...

Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume VIII, 2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.; Dilks, J.; Mayer, D.

2008-01-01

Th e Journal of Undergraduate Research (JUR) provides undergraduate interns the opportunity to publish their scientific innovation and to share their passion for education and research with fellow students and scientists. Fields in which these students worked include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Sciences; Materials Sciences; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Sciences; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.

Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume IX, 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stiner, K. S.; Graham, S.; Khan, M.; Dilks, J.; Mayer, D.

2009-01-01

Each year more than 600 undergraduate students are awarded paid internships at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Laboratories. Th ese interns are paired with research scientists who serve as mentors in authentic research projects. All participants write a research abstract and present at a poster session and/or complete a fulllength research paper. Abstracts and selected papers from our 2007–2008 interns that represent the breadth and depth of undergraduate research performed each year at our National Laboratories are published here in the Journal of Undergraduate Research. The fields in which these students worked included: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental Science; General Science; Materials Science; Medical and Health Sciences; Nuclear Science; Physics; Science Policy; and Waste Management.

Teaching Epidemiology at the Undergraduate Level: Considerations and Approaches.

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Goldmann, Emily; Stark, James H; Kapadia, Farzana; McQueen, Matthew B

2018-06-01

The rapid growth in undergraduate public health education has offered training in epidemiology to an increasing number of undergraduate students. Epidemiology courses introduce undergraduate students to a population health perspective and provide opportunities for these students to build essential skills and competencies such as ethical reasoning, teamwork, comprehension of scientific methods, critical thinking, quantitative and information literacy, ability to analyze public health information, and effective writing and oral communication. Taking a varied approach and incorporating active learning and assessment strategies can help engage students in the material, improve comprehension of key concepts, and further develop key competencies. In this commentary, we present examples of how epidemiology may be taught in the undergraduate setting. Evaluation of these approaches and others would be a valuable next step.

Changes in Attitudes toward Parenting among College Women: 1972 and 1979 Samples.

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Cook, Alicia S.; And Others

1982-01-01

Compared undergraduate women students' attitudes during 1972 and 1979. When compared to the 1972 sample, the 1979 sample desired fewer children, was more accepting of nonparenting decisions, expressed more uncertainty regarding desire for parenting as a factor in selection of a mate, and appeared less concerned about overpopulation. (Author)

The Potential to use Publication of Undergraduate Research as a Teaching Tool

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Brevik, Eric C.; Lindbo, David L.; Belcher, Christopher

2015-04-01

Several studies crossing numerous disciplinary boundaries have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. These benefits include personal and intellectual development, more and closer contact with faculty, the use of active learning techniques, the creation of high expectations, the development of creative and problem-solving skills, and the development of greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn. The discipline also gains in that studies show undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program. Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline, therefore enhancing their professional socialization into their chosen field. If the goals achieved by undergraduate research include introducing these students to the advancement of their chosen field, it stands to reason the ultimate ending to this experience would be the publication of a peer-reviewed paper. While not all undergraduate projects will end with a product worthy of peer-reviewed publication, some definitely do, and the personal experience of the authors indicates that undergraduate students who achieve publication get great satisfaction and a sense of personal achievement from that publication. While a top-tier international journal probably isn't going to be the ultimate destination for many of these projects, there are several appropriate outlets. The SSSA journal Soil Horizons has published several undergraduate projects in recent years, and good undergraduate projects can often be published in state academy of science journals. Journals focused expressly on publishing undergraduate research include the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Excellence, Reinvention, and the American Journal of Undergraduate Research. Case studies of

Exploring relativity: a workbook for undergraduate students (undergraduate lecture notes in physics)

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Lorimer, Dunan

2013-01-01

Einstein’s special and general theories of relativity are explored graphically and quantitatively using elementary algebra through a series of fifteen interactive lectures designed for undergraduate physics majors.  Topics covered include:  space-time diagrams, special relativity, the equivalence principle, general relativity, and black holes.  The goal of this book is to provide the student with a sound, conceptual understanding of both the special and the general theories of relativity, so the student will gain insight into how astrophysicists are using these theories to study black holes in the universe.  At the end of each chapter, there is a set of exercises to further facilitate the student’s understanding of the material. The ultimate goal of the book is for students to continue to use it as a preferred reference during and after their undergraduate career.

How to apply to a summer undergraduate research program

OpenAIRE

Jafree, D. J.; Koshy, K.

2017-01-01

Want to get more experience in research, but find it difficult as an undergraduate? A summer research project may be the answer and there are many ways to organize this. Various universities around the world offer summer undergraduate research programs. These tend to be very competitive; hundreds, even thousands of students can apply for only a handful of positions. However, with some proactivity and strong planning, diligent undergraduate students can get accepted onto these prestigious prog...

Assessment of attitude toward community service among dental students of Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in South India

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B Sujith Anand

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The dental health care providers and their community service in any nation play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the oral health care and social service system. Understanding that there is a shortage and disparity in the oral health services provided, a greater emphasis on its awareness and education is the present need; thus, the aim of the study is to assess the attitude toward community service among dental students. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among undergraduate dental students who were present on the day of study, and their attitude toward community service was assessed using a standardized Community Service Attitude Scale which consists of eight domains. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and ANOVA. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The total participants included were 171. The levels of attitude toward community service among the study participants based on year (P = 0.0492, gender (P = 0.00482, and voluntary activity (P = 0.042 were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The attitude toward community service is influenced by gender and year of study. Hence, any practical training program with regard to service learning in their undergraduate curriculum would highly contribute to influence their attitude toward community service.