Mack C. Shelley

Personal, Health, Academic, and Environmental Predictors of Stress for Residence Hall Students

The authors studied contributors to stress among undergraduate residence hall students at a midwestern, land grant university using a 76-item survey consisting of personal, health, academic, and environmental questions and 1 qualitative question asking what thing stressed them the most. Of 964 students selected at random, 462 (48%) responded to the survey. The authors weighted data to reflect the overall university-wide undergraduate population (55% men, 12% minority or international, and 25% freshmen). Women and US citizens experienced greater stress than did men and non-US citizens, respectively. Frequency of experiencing chronic illness, depression, anxiety disorder, seasonal affective disorder, mononucleosis, and sleep difficulties were significant stress predictors. Although alcohol use was a positive predictor, drug use was a negative predictor of stress. Both a conflict and a satisfactory relationship with a roommate, as well as a conflict with a faculty or staff member, were also significant predictors of stress.

Relationship between cardiovascular disease morbidity, risk factors, and stress in a law enforcement cohort

It is unclear to what extent law enforcement officers (LEOs) experience increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD; defined as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, angina, or stroke) and, if so, whether perceived stress affects this relationship. First, self-reported CVD risk factors among currently employed male LEOs from 9 states (n = 2818) were compared to CVD risk factors among similarly-aged males with similar incomes in the same states (n = 8046). Second, CVD prevalence was compared among LEOs (n = 1791) and similarly-aged males with similar incomes (n = 2575) from four of these states. Finally, among the LEOs only, the possible effect of perceived stress on the relationship between CVD prevalence and CVD risk factors was assessed. LEOs reported higher prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, tobacco use, and elevated body mass index. CVD prevalence did not differ significantly between the LEO group and the general population (2.3% ± 15% versus 3.1% ± 17%;P = 0.095). In the LEO-only group, the best predictors of CVD were: time in the profession (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.03–1.11), perceived stress (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.00–1.10), and hypertension (OR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.18–0.62). In the LEO-only group, perceived stress was associated with CVD (P = 0.008), and three CVD risk factors were significantly affected by perceived stress: cholesterol, hypertension, and physical activity. Perceived stress was affected by duration of time in the profession (P = 0.004), independent of an age effect (P = 0.353). Among susceptible officers, perceived stress may contribute to CVD directly and through potentiating several CVD risk factors.

A meta-analysis of effectiveness studies on computer technology-supported language learning

With the aim of summarizing years of research comparing pedagogies for second/foreign language teaching supported with computer technology and pedagogy not-supported by computer technology, a meta-analysis was conducted of empirical research investigating language outcomes. Thirty-seven studies yielding 52 effect sizes were included, following a search of literature from 1970 to 2006 and screening of studies based on stated criteria. The differences in research designs required subdivision of studies, but overall results favored the technology-supported pedagogy, with a small, but positive and statistically significant effect size. Second/foreign language instruction supported by computer technology was found to be at least as effective as instruction without technology, and in studies using rigorous research designs the CALL groups outperformed the non-CALL groups. The analyses of instructional conditions, characteristics of participants, and conditions of the research design did not provide reliable results because of the small number of effect sizes representing each group. The meta-analysis results provide an empirically-based response to the questions of whether or not technology-supported pedagogies enhance language learning, and the process of conducting the meta-analysis pointed to areas in research methodology that would benefit from attention in future research.

FINANCIAL, ACADEMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION OF STUDENTS

Regression analysis was used to study retention and graduation for the fall 1996 entering class of students at a midwestern research extensive university (n = 3,610; 44% female, 8% minority, 77% in-state). Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of a student being retained for each of four years, and the outcome of graduation at the end of years four, five, and six. Odds ratios were employed to provide insight into the relative contribution of demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, in-state residency), ability (high school rank, high school rank2, ACT score), environmental (university athlete, university honors program, first-generation student, entering college), and financial aid data (gift, loan, and work-study) characteristics.

The Impact of Supplemental Instruction: Results From a Large, Public, Midwestern University

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic support program developed by Deanna Martin, at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1973, utilizing peer-assisted study sessions to enhance student performance and retention (Widmar, 1994). The goals of SI include improving students’ grades in traditionally difficult courses, reducing the attrition rate in those courses, and helping students develop study strategies to assist them in future courses (Behrman, Dark, & Paul, 1984; Martin, Blanc, & DeBuhr, 1983; Peters, 1990; Prather, 1983; Wolfe, 1987). The SI model is a unique academic support program targeting difficult courses rather than high-risk students. This voluntary program is not viewed as remedial, as it is open to all students enrolled in the targeted course. A peer student leader, called an SI Leader, is hired and trained to facilitate regularly scheduled study sessions to assist students with course content and study skills. This student attends lecture regularly and plans two 90-minute structured review sessions. The SI Leader does not re-lecture to the students, but rather utilizes collaborative learning strategies to assist students (Martin & Arendale, 1993). The foundation and theoretical framework for SI is based on student development theory, cognitive development models,

Reflections on Teaching and Learning in an Advanced Undergraduate Course in Embedded Systems

An integrated series of courses on embedded systems has been developed at Iowa State University, Ames, spanning early undergraduate to graduate levels. The newest course in the series is CPRE 488: Embedded Systems Design, an advanced undergraduate course that fills a gap in the curriculum by providing system-level design experiences and incorporating new technology advancements. CPRE 488 development focused on lecture-lab integration and laboratory learning. Course and lab activities were designed using a learning model that captures lower-order and higher-order cognition levels of Blooms taxonomy. The learning experience in the laboratory is characterized using a technique to assess cognitive behavior. Results of applying the Florida Taxonomy of Cognitive Behavior are presented to summarize the depth of student learning and the opportunities for students to progress to higher-order thinking in the laboratory. After two years of experience with the new course, the authors reflect on the course design and outcomes, from both disciplinary and pedagogical viewpoints.

AGE AND GENDER AS PREDICTORS OF INJURY SEVERITY IN HEAD-ON HIGHWAY VEHICULAR COLLISIONS

Whether age or gender or both influenced severity of injuries suffered in head-on automobile collisions on rural highways was assessed. The initial hypothesis was that, because of physiological changes, and possibly other changes related to aging (including loss of bone density), older drivers and passengers would suffer more severe injuries when involved in head-on collisions. Results of logistic regression analysis indicate that four separate factors, incorporating 14 individual and interactive variables, were strongly related to injury severity. Individual variables included age of driver or passenger (either linear or quadratic), position in the vehicle, and form of protection used, along with a set of interactive variables (such as age and position). The importance of age-related effects in injury severity is verified by hierarchical and principal components logistic regression models, amplifying findings of exploratory stepwise logistic analysis. Variations in findings resulted when the population was divided by gender. Although age remained a very important factor in predicting injury severity for both men and women, use of lap and shoulder restraints appeared to be more beneficial for men than for women, while deployed air bags seemed more beneficial for women than for men.

Preschoolers' Play Behaviors With Peers in Classroom and Playground Settings

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between different settings for young childrens play behaviors with peers. Forty-one children from 2 to 5 years of age (twenty-one 2- and 3-year-olds and twenty 4- and 5-year-olds) enrolled in three child care programs participated in this study. The children were videotaped for five minutes each on four different days, both indoors and outdoors (total of 40 minutes). The Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs described the quality of the child care program, and additional measures described the playground setting. Childrens play behaviors were categorized using the Parten-Smilansky Scale, which combines social play categories and cognitive play categories into 16 categories of peer interaction. Results showed that the children were more likely to engage in the most complex form of peer play (i.e., interactive dramatic play) outdoors than indoors. In outdoor play, the older age group was more likely to interact with peers than was the younger age group. The outdoor playground offered older preschoolers particular types of play experiences (i.e., functional play and dramatic play) more readily than the classroom. These findings reinforce the importance of both the indoor and the outdoor environments for promoting more complementary play behaviors and peer interactions.

Parenting attitudes, foster parenting attitudes, and motivations of adoptive and nonadoptive foster parent trainees

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes and motivations of adoptive and nonadoptive foster parent trainees toward parenting and foster parenting. Subjects were 44 adoptive female participants and 149 nonadoptive female trainees. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance revealed significant differences between adoptive and nonadoptive trainees in parenting attitudes, foster parenting attitudes, and motivations for foster parenting. Inspection of adjusted means indicated that adoptive trainees had more positive attitudes toward parenting than nonadoptive trainees on three parenting dimensions: inappropriate parental expectations of children, parental value of physical punishment, and lack of empathy toward childrens needs. Nonadoptive trainees had more positive attitudes toward parenting than adoptive trainees on parent-child role reversal. Inspection of adjusted means for foster parenting attitudes revealed that adoptive trainees identified more with the role of foster parenting than did nonadoptive trainees, although nonadoptive trainees had higher scores on foster parenting expectations than adoptive trainees. Inspection of adjusted means for motivations indicated that adoptive trainees were more motivated than nonadoptive trainees in four areas: rescuing a child, companionship for adult, replacing grown children, and companionship for own child. Nonadoptive trainees were more motivated by financial gain. One implication of these findings is that these two groups may require different training curricula.

New evidence on the tool-assisted hunting exhibited by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in a savannah habitat at Fongoli, Senegal.

For anthropologists, meat eating by primates like chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) warrants examination given the emphasis on hunting in human evolutionary history. As referential models, apes provide insight into the evolution of hominin hunting, given their phylogenetic relatedness and challenges reconstructing extinct hominin behaviour from palaeoanthropological evidence. Among chimpanzees, adult males are usually the main hunters, capturing vertebrate prey by hand. Savannah chimpanzees (P. t. verus) at Fongoli, Sénégal are the only known non-human population that systematically hunts vertebrate prey with tools, making them an important source for hypotheses of early hominin behaviour based on analogy. Here, we test the hypothesis that sex and age patterns in tool-assisted hunting (n=308 cases) at Fongoli occur and differ from chimpanzees elsewhere, and we compare tool-assisted hunting to the overall hunting pattern. Males accounted for 70% of all captures but hunted with tools less than expected based on their representation on hunting days. Females accounted for most tool-assisted hunting. We propose that social tolerance at Fongoli, along with the tool-assisted hunting method, permits individuals other than adult males to capture and retain control of prey, which is uncommon for chimpanzees. We assert that tool-assisted hunting could have similarly been important for early hominins.