Crosscutting concepts such as scale, proportion, and quantity are recognised by U.S. science standards as a potential vehicle for students to integrate their scientific and mathematical knowledge; yet, U.S. students and adults trail their international peers in scale and measurement estimation. Culturally based knowledge of scale such as measurement units may be built on evolutionarily-based systems of number such as the approximate number system (ANS), which processes approximate representations of numerical magnitude. ANS is related to mathematical achievement in pre-school and early elementary students, but there is little research on ANS among older students or in science-related areas such as scale. Here, we investigate the relationship between ANS precision in public school U.S. seventh graders and their accuracy estimating the length of standard units of measurement in SI and U.S. customary units. We also explored the relationship between ANS and science and mathematics achievement. Accuracy estimating the metre was positively and significantly related to ANS precision. Mathematics achievement, science achievement, and accuracy estimating other units were not significantly related to ANS. We thus suggest that ANS precision may be related to mathematics understanding beyond arithmetic, beyond the early school years, and to the crosscutting concepts of scale, proportion, and quantity.

Mestrado em Bioética / Master Degree Course in Bioethics / Introdução: usando como referência a área da Bioética, pretende-se delinear uma reflexão crítica no que diz respeito ao domínio da preparação dos estudantes de Enfermagem em Portugal, para a importância atribuída ao ensino da Bioética na aquisição de competências profissionais em Enfermagem. O fundamento deste estudo é traçado pela averiguação junto dos estudantes de três dimensões: a) percepção em relação às temáticas da Bioética, da Enfermagem e da Bioética em Enfermagem; b) importância/ responsabilidade atribuída à Bioética em Enfermagem e c) práticas educativas em foco no contexto do currículo formal da Licenciatura em Enfermagem. Metodologia: o questionário usado (questionário de indicadores formativos- QIF) construído de novo e validado tendo sido pré testado junto de estudantes do 1º e 2º anos da ESTSP (Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto) com a finalidade de aferir a sua precisão quanto à sua estrutura formal e de conteúdo de modo a proceder à sua validação. A versão de pré-teste tinha 60 itens distribuídos pelas três dimensões acima citadas e adicionalmente duas questões de resposta aberta e duas questões de reflexão falada (esta duas últimas não constaram da versão final do instrumento de trabalho em causa). O questionário após revisão, correcção, reestruturação e reformulação de itens foi aplicado aos estudantes do 1º, 2º e 4º anos (n=565) das Escolas Superiores de Enfermagem de S. João e de Imaculada Conceição. Resultados: Os resultados obtidos apontam globalmente para uma grande valorização dos princípios orientadores da actividade do profissional de saúde assentando nos cinco pilares da Bioética e na necessidade de estratégias activas de aprendizagem, de formação prática, com discussão de casos concretos, para aquisição de competências e para a excelência do exercício profissional. Adicionalmente, é salientada a necessidade de aprendizagem ao longo da vida de profissionais de saúde em constante formação e aprendizagem contínua. Foram obtidos resultados distintos por Escola e por anos escolares tendo-se observado uma evolução da opinião dos alunos à medida que se analisaram os resultados do 1º ano ao 4º ano de escolaridade, o que é consistente com o modelo de Dreyfus embora possam ser devidos a diferentes factores, que foram discutidos. Conclusão: Sabendo que a formação dos futuros Enfermeiros é cada vez mais meticulosa, mais rigorosa e mais exigente, fruto de um processo globalizante que hoje se assiste em todas as facetas da vida, urge reflectir acerca do contributo da Bioética para a aquisição de competências profissionais na área de Enfermagem durante a formação académica, de modo a preparar, motivar e envolver os estudantes, tendo em vista cumprir cabalmente com o seu mandato social. / Introduction: using as reference the area of the Bioethics, is intended to delineate a critical reflection in what it says concerning the domain of the Nursing students preparation in Portugal, for the importance attributed to the education of Bioethics in the acquisition of professional abilities in Nursing. The bedding of this study is traced by ascertainment next to the students of three dimensions namely: a) perception regarding to Bioethics, Nursing and Bioethics in Nursing; b) importance/ responsibility attributed to the Bioethics in Nursing; c) educational practices and approaches to the items focused curriculum in Nursing. Methodology: the questionnaire used, QIF (questionnaire of formative pointers), constructed of new and validated was daily pre tested with students of 1st and 2nd years of the ESTSP (Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto) with the purpose to survey its precision how much to its formal structure and of content. The daily pre version contains 60 items that are distributed amongst the three above cited dimensions and plus two open answer questions, as well as two spoken reflection questions (this two last ones had not consisted of the final version of the instrument of work in cause). The questionnaire after revision, correction, reorganization and reformulation of item was applied to the students of 1st, 2nd and 4th years (n=565) of the Escola Superior de Enfermagem S. João and Escola Superior de Enfermagem of Imaculada Conceição. Results: The gotten results point globally with respect to a great valuation of the orienting principles of the activity of the health professional seating in the five pillars of the Bioética and in the necessity of active strategies of learning, of practical formation, with quarrel of concrete cases, for acquisition of abilities and the excellency of the professional exercise. Additionally, the necessity of learning throughout the life of professionals of health in constant formation and continuous learning is pointed out. They had been gotten resulted distinct by School and per pertaining to school years having itself observed an evolution of the opinion of the pupils to the measure who if had analyzed the results of 1º year to 4º year of scholarship, what it is consistent with the model of Dreyfus even so can have the different factors, that had been argued. Conclusion: Knowing that the formation of the future nurses is each more meticulous, more rigorous and more demanding, fruit of a globalization process that today attends in all sides of life, urges to reflect concerning the contribution of Bioethics for the acquisition of professional abilities in the nursing area during the academic formation, in order to prepare, to motivate and to involve the students, in view of fulfilling perfectly with its social mandate.

Orientador: Carina Alexandra Rondini / Resumo: O estudo sobre as Altas Habilidades/Superdotação (AH/SD) na perspectiva da educação inclusiva tem gerado discussões acadêmicas, em especial quanto a necessidade de sinalização/identificação destes estudantes para uma prática pedagógica efetiva. Dentre os desafios dessa prática que interferem diretamente na avaliação dos estudantes, encontra-se a falta de instrumentos validados e normatizados para o contexto brasileiro. Para tanto, o objetivo desse trabalho pautou-se na adaptação para o contexto brasileiro e na busca por evidências de validade de conteúdo das Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS-III), elaboradas por Joseph Renzulli e cols. Os procedimentos para realização do processo incluiram: tradução, síntese, retrotradução (backtranslation), revisão por um comitê de especialistas e avaliação semântica com o público-alvo (professores). Os resultados apontaram alto grau de concordância dos itens pelo Comitê de Juízes especialistas, medido pelo Índice de Validade de Conteúdo - IVC (87%), bem como alto grau de concordância verificado por meio da Análise Semântica realizada com os professores (90%), o que ampara um instrumento de fácil compreensão ao seu público-alvo. / Abstract: The study on high abilities/giftdness in the perspective of inclusive education has generated major academic discussions, especially regarding the need for signaling/ identification of these students for an effective pedagogical practice. Among the challenges of this practice that directly interfere in the evaluation of students, is the lack of validated and standardized instruments for the Brazilian context. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to translate and validate to the Brazilian context the Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS-III), elaborated by Joseph Renzulli. Procedures for carrying out the process included: translation, synthesis, backtranslation, review by a committee of experts and semantic validation with the target audience (teachers). The results showed a high degree of concordance between the items by the Expert Judges Committee, measured by the Content Validity Index (IVC) (87%), as well as a high degree of agreement verified through the Semantic Analysis performed with teachers (90%), which provides an easy-to-understand tool for your target audience. / Mestre

This exploratory qualitative study investigated the presence of and relationships among constructs that contribute to children's interactions with educational technology, leading to the development of the modification of attributes, affordances, abilities, and distance (MAAAD) for Learning framework. For this study, each of 10 fifth-grade children participated in one individual video-recorded semistructured interview session, during which they interacted with two mathematics virtual manipulative iPad apps and responded to follow-up questions. Video recordings and observation field notes were analyzed for evidence of attributes, affordance-ability relationships, distance, and relationships among these constructs. Constant comparative data analysis using memoing and eclectic coding provided evidence of the presence of each focus construct. Further analysis and interpretation, including quantization of qualitative data for visualization using novel rhombus plots, also led to the identification of emergent themes related to each construct and revealed relationships among the constructs. Emergent themes included categorization, alignment, and modification of attributes, variations and interrelationships among affordance-ability relationships, and the identification of and interactions among mathematical and technological distance. Furthermore, each construct related to each other construct. The evidence and interpretations led to the development of the MAAAD for Learning framework. The results of the study suggest that the MAAAD for Learning framework models relationships among attributes, affordance-ability relationships, and distance in the context of user-app interactions. the framework could serve as a tool for app developers designing apps, educators using apps to support children's learning, and researchers characterizing user-app interactions and the outcomes of those interactions. The constructs, relationships, and framework identified in this study advance the literature on children's interactions with educational technology tools, in particular literature concerning children's interactions with mathematics virtual manipulative iPad apps.

The purpose of this study is to attempt to determine and evaluate the swimming abilities of the male freshman students of the Utah State Agricultural College. A method of classification will be used to determine and evaluate the swimming abilities of these students. It is assumed that a check list can be used to determine swimming abilities. The method of determining the swimming abilities will be of value as a quick way of classifying entering students. The classifications will be valuable as bases for swimming instruction.

<p>Istraživanje je sprovedeno sa ciljem da se primenom eksperimentalne metode naučno utvrdi da li dodatni &scaron;estomesečni program figičkog vežbanja u redovnim uslovima rada pred&scaron;kolske ustanove može regultirati gnačajnim promenama u morfolo&scaron;kim karakteristikama i motoričkim sposobnostima kod dece pred&scaron;kolskog ugrasta prosečne starosti 6,21&plusmn;0,56 decimalnih godina. Obuhvaćeno je ukupno 211 dece od toga devojčica (n=103) i dečaka (n=108) koji su na početku istraživanja (01. septembar 2014. godine) bili polaznici pred&scaron;kolskih grupa u Pred&scaron;kolskoj ustanovi &quot;Čukarica&quot; u Beogradu. Prema kriterijumu primene &scaron;estomesečnog figičkog vežbanja ispitanici su bili podeljeni u tri homogene grupe i to: eksperimentalnu (E) koju je činilo 36 dečaka i 28 devojčica, prvu kontrolnu (K1) sastavljenu od 31 dečaka i 37 devojčica i drugu kontrolnu grupu (K2) sačinjenu od 41 dečaka i 38 devojčica. E grupa je imala dodatni koncept programa koji je bio gasnovan na sadržajima visoke složenosti, sproveden kao figičko vaspitanje, a usmeren na razvoj biotičkih motoričkih gnanja. K1 grupa je takoe imala dodatni ali diferenciran program, usmeren kao trenažne sekvence, ga dečake polistrukturalnoaciklične aktivnosti, a ga devojčice estetskokonvencione aktivnosti. Dok K2 grupa pored redovnih aktivnosti ig figičkog vaspitanja nije bila podvrgnuta nijednom obliku dodatnog figičkog vežbanja. Koristio se kvagi&ndash; eksperimentalni nacrta istraživanja, tačnije nacrt sa neekvivalentnim grupama i pretestposttestom. Ugorak morfolo&scaron;kih mernih instrumenata bio je sačinjen po redukovanom modelu (Viskić, 1972; Kurelić i sar., 1975) preuget ig istraživanja Bale (1980). Motorički&nbsp;merni instrumenti proiglage takoe ig redukovanog teoretskog modela (Kurelića i sar., 1975; Gredelja i sar., 1975) preuzetog iz istraživanja Bale i Popovića (2007). Rezultati istraživanja ukaguju da je program dodatnog figičkog vežbanja E grupe dao dobre regultate u redukciji potkožnog masnog tkiva i volumena i mase tela kod dece. Najbolje rezultate dao je u pogledu mehanizma za strukturiranje kretanja. Deca iz K1 grupe, takoe su redukovala potkožno masno tkivo i volumen i masu tela, ali u pogledu motoričkih sposobnosti nije bilo pomaka u mehanizmu za strukturiranje kretanja. Kod dece u K2 grupi do&scaron;lo je do povećanja potkožnog masnog tkiva, volumena i mase tela kao i pada pojedinih motoričkih sposobnosti. U sve tri grupe izolovana su dva hipotetska morfolo&scaron;ka faktora koje je bolje interpretirati kao jedan Faktor mekog tkiva, i dva motorička koji se mogu interpretirati kao Generalni motorički Paktor. Kvalitativne promene u strukturi oba ekstrahovana faktora uočene su samo u K1 grupi u motoričkom prostoru, &scaron;to je posledica diferenciranog programa figičkog vežbanja. Regultati su ukagali da redovan program figičkog vaspitanja u pred&scaron;kolskim ustanovama nije dovoljan za pripremnu pred&scaron;kolsku grupu, kao i da se dodatnim programiranim figičkim vežbanjem postižu bolji rezultati pogotovo ako je usmeren ka razvoju biotičkih motoričkih znanja.</p> / <p>The research was conducted with the aim of applying experimental methods scientifically determine whether an additional six-month program of physical exercise in normal conditions of preschool institution may result in significant changes in the morphological characteristics and motor abilities in preschool children with mean age 6.21 &plusmn; 0.56 decimal years. A total of 211 children from that of girls (n=103) and boys (n=108) who were in the moment of research (01. September 2014) participants were preschool groups in preschool institution &quot;Čukarica&quot; in Belgrade. According to the criteria of application of the six-month physical exercise participants were divided into three homogeneous groups: experimental (E) which consisted of 36 boys and 28 girls, the first control (K1) made up of 31 boys and 37 girls, and another control group (K2) as made of 41 boys and 38 girls. E group had additional program concept which was based on the contents of higher complexity, implemented as physical education, which is focused on the development of biotic motor skills. K1 group also had additional or differentiated program, focused as the training sequence, for boys extracurricular- acyclic activities, and for girls estheticconventional activities. While K2 group in addition to the regular activities of physical education was&nbsp;not subjected to any form of additional physical exercise. It was used a quasi-experimental research designs, namely The draft with unequivalent groups and pretest-posttest. Morphological sample of measuring instruments was made through a reduced model (Viskić, 1972; Kurelić et al., 1975), taken from the research (Bala 1980). The motor measuring instruments derived also from the reduced theoretical model (Kurelić et al., 1975; Gredelj et al., 1975), taken from the research (Bala, &amp; Popovic 2007). The research results indicate that the program is additional physical exercise group E gave good results in the reduction of subcutaneous fat volume and body mass in children. The best results in terms of mechanisms for structuring movements. Children from the K1 group, also reduce the subcutaneous adipose tissue and the volume and mass of the body, but in terms of motor skills were no developments in the mechanism for structuring movements. Children the K2 group there was an increase in subcutaneous adipose tissue volume and body mass as well as the decline of some motor skills. In all three groups were isolated two hypothetical morphological factors that is better interpreted as a Factor of soft tissue, and two motor that can be interpreted as General motor factor. Qualitative changes in the structure of the two extracted factors were observed only in the K1 group in the motor area, which is the result of a differentiated program of physical exercise. The results have shown that regular physical education curriculum in preschool institutions is insufficient for the preparatory preschool group, as well as to further programmed physical exercise leads to better results especially if it is directed at the development of biotic motor skills.</p>

In recent years research has recognised that notions of body image, body image ideals and body dissatisfaction develop much earlier than was once thought. However, the growing body of evidence in this area of research is predominantly quantitative. This study was designed to engage children in the five to six year age group using qualitative methods and present their notions of body image through the looking glass of the children's own eyes. Children's voices have not often found their way into research. Concerns about their powers of communication, cognitive abilities and the ethical difficulties inherent when working with children have restricted their participation. Objective, empirical evidence suggests that if one engages children in research appropriately they are able to make a significant contribution. Forty-seven children (25=m; 22=f) aged between five and six years were interviewed on three occasions over 12 months regarding their perceptions of body image. Seven schools from the Independent school system were involved. Interviews were conducted on school sites in public, easily observable locations. The study focused on three aspects. That is, how these children perceived their own body, the bodies of other people and their notions of health in respect to body image. These interviews revealed that the girls in this age group had developed an understanding of body image that valued thinness. However, their preference for a thinner body did not negatively impact on their sense of identity or self-worth. Boys preferred larger bodies and correlated increased body size with competence and physical aptitude. The concept of 'large' was linked to height for some or to a mesomorphic body for other boys. By the final interview all the children revealed strong negative perceptions of fatness. These perceptions were more apparent at each successive interview. An obese or extremely thin body was not always correlated with being unhealthy. Depending on the perspective of the child, even the largest of images was nominated the 'healthiest body' by some children. Health was overwhelmingly linked to food intake with few children associating health with exercise. The playground and the home, where most notably mothers, were important in the development of body image conceptions. Children were acutely aware of the dietary practices of their parents and associated diets with losing weight. / PhD Doctorate

The Structure-of-Intellect - Learning Abilities Test (SOI-LA) (Meeker, 1975) has an enthusiastic following in the USA, but is little-known in Australia. It is based on the Structure-of-Intellect model of J P Guilford, and through a series of up to 26 subtests, purports to identify 14 general learning abilities. Forms are designed to cater for students from Kindergarten to adult. In NSW, classroom teachers can have support for students with learning difficulties through the Support Teacher program; this support often falls far short of need, as there is a paucity of time and material resources. There is a need for a tool which can identify areas of both strength and weakness efficiently and suggest effective strategies to cater for the identified weaknesses; the Meeker paradigm is purported to address this need with a diagnostic approach which identifies learning disabilities which underlie and serve to maintain school-based learning difficulties, and prescribes materials and approaches for remediation. This study explores the first part of the Meeker paradigm, the diagnostic approach of the Structure-of-Intellect - Learning Abilities Test. This exploration is undertaken in the context of four rural Support Teachers and their student with learning difficulties from Grades 2-6. Rather than consider questions of the Test's validity, this study was designed to explore the Test's utility in the Support Teacher context, by giving the Support Teachers a working knowledge of the concepts of SOI-LA, and to compare the application of their knowledge with the information about their students' learning disabilities from the Test results. Problems are evident with the Support Teachers' knowledge and understanding of their students' disabilities; whist they felt comfortable about the approach which the Test takes, they felt they did not know their students well enough to make informed judgements about their disabilities. It was apparent from the study that the Support Teachers' understanding of the concepts of the Test was comparatively superficial, despite their impression that they did understand well. Several difficulties with the instrument itself are highlighted by this study; the assumptions underlying the derivation of the general ability scores are questioned, and the suitability of Test Forms for a learning disabled population of this age is open to criticism. The Structure-of-Intellect - Learning Abilities Test may have utility as an instrument for gaining information about a student's disability on an individual basis, and may be best in the hands of the School Counsellor.

<p>The present study assessed olfactory and cognitive abilities in two strains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model mice and in healthy control mice over a four month time period. To this end an operant conditioning paradigm using an automated olfactometer and a spatial learning test with non-olfactory cues were employed and data on olfactory learning and memory, discrimination, and sensitivity as well as spatial learning and memory were collected. The mice were between 6 to 7 month old at the beginning of the study and 9 to 10 months old at the end of the data collection, that is, in the age range when the animals are supposed to display marked neuroanatomical changes typical of AD. The results demonstrate that there were no systematic differences in olfactory performance and spatial learning and memory abilities of AD model mice and the control mice up to the age they were tested. Further, there was no indication of an age-related decline in performance in any of the mouse strains across the testing period. Several reasons might account for the observed lack of difference in olfactory and cognitive performance between the mouse strains tested here: the AD model mice might not develop amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles at all or they might develop them later than stated by the supplier. Alternatively, the AD model mice may have developed AD-typical neuroanatomical changes but these do not, or not yet, affect their olfactory performance and/or spatial learning and memory capabilities. Ongoing data collection will help to evaluate which of these explanations holds true.</p>

<p>Följande studie har till syfte att undersöka hur lärarrekryteringsarbetet på kommunala och</p><p>fristående gymnasieskolor i en mellanstor kommun i södra Sverige går till. Skillnader och</p><p>likheter vid rekrytering av lärare mellan de olika skolorna har undersökts. De psykologiska</p><p>aspekterna (intelligens/begåvning, personlighet och kompetens) knutna till urval har</p><p>behandlats i denna uppsats för att undersöka om dessa aspekter väger in i beslutet om</p><p>anställning. Sex rektorer från sex olika gymnasieskolor (tre kommunala och tre fristående</p><p>skolor) i en mellanstor kommun i södra Sverige har intervjuats. Resultatet av intervjuerna har</p><p>sammanfattats, diskuterats och analyserats utifrån tidigare forskning och teorier. De aspekter som</p><p>diskuterats i studien är rekryteringsarbetet på de olika skolorna, felrekryteringar,</p><p>anställningsförlopp, lärarkompetens och egenskaper, användandet av personlighets- och</p><p>intelligenstest samt lärarbehörighet. De slutsatser författarna kommit fram till är att det råder</p><p>likhet mellan de olika skolorna när det handlar om hur rekryteringsarbetet ser ut. Dock finns</p><p>vissa skillnader i vilka som är med vid anställningsintervjun på skolorna och vilka sökande</p><p>som har företräde till en ledig lärartjänst. Alla skolor strävar efter att ha behöriga lärare i de</p><p>undervisande ämnena. Inga av skolorna använder sig av begåvningstest eller</p><p>personlighetstestning vid rekryteringsarbete, istället används intervjuer frekvent.</p> / <p>The purpose of this study is to examine the recruitment procedure of teachers on municipal and</p><p>independent comprehensive upper secondary schools in a medium-sized municipality in</p><p>southern Sweden. The problems that compose the foundation of the study are how recruitment</p><p>of upper secondary schools teachers is being carried out. Differences and resemblances in the</p><p>recruitment process between the different type of schools was studied. The psychological</p><p>aspects (intelligence/aptitude, personality and competence) tied to selections has been treated</p><p>in this essay in order to examine if these aspects are important for the decision about</p><p>employment. Six headmasters from six different comprehensive upper secondary schools</p><p>(three municipal and three independent schools) in a medium-sized municipality in southern</p><p>Sweden was interviewed. The result of the interviews has been summarized, discussed and</p><p>analyzed from earlier research and theories. The aspects that have been discussed are</p><p>recruitment procedures on the different schools, wrong recruitments, employment course,</p><p>teacher competences and other competences, the use of personality - and intelligence tests and</p><p>teacher qualifications. The analysis and discussion of this study point out that there is</p><p>resemblance between the different schools concerning the recruitment procedure. Differences</p><p>between the schools are: who is present during the employment interview at the schools and</p><p>which applicants have precedence to a vacant teaching position. All schools strive to have</p><p>authorized teachers in the teaching subjects. None of the schools used intelligence/aptitude- or</p><p>personality tests during the recruitment procedure. Instead they used interviews frequently.</p>