CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN LISTENING STYLE PREFERENCES: A COMPARISON OF YOUNG ADULTS IN GERMANY, ISRAEL, AND THE UNITED STATES

Do the listening styles preferred by young adults in Germany,Israel, and the USA differ significantly? In order to addressthis question, college students in all three countries completedversions of the Listening Styles Profile (LSP; Watson et al.1995) presented in their native languages. Factor analysis revealedfour predominant constructs underlying the LSP, which were designatedas people, action, content, and time listening styles. Comparisonsbetween the three cultures revealed distinctively differentpatterns of listening style preferences, with Germans preferringthe action style, Israelis endorsing the content style, andAmericans favoring both the people and time styles.     

ISSUE SALIENCE AND PUBLIC OPINION: ARE THERE CONSEQUENCES OF AGENDA-SETTING?

Recent studies have suggested that agenda-setting may influencenot only what we think about, but also what we think. This studyexamines the correlations between the salience of one issue(the federal budget deficit) and public knowledge, opinion,and behavior, using fall 1988 survey data. It finds statisticallysignificant correlations between issue salience and knowledgeabout the deficit issue, strength and direction of opinion regardingone possible solution to the issue, and political behavior relatedto the issue. These correlations remain statistically significantin multiple regression analyses where demographics and mediaexposure and attention measures are controlled simultaneouslyand in hierarchical blocks. Taken together, the findings reportedhere suggest that increased salience of the deficit issue wasaccompanied by increased knowledge of its possible causes andsolutions, stronger opinions, less likelihood of taking a neutralposition, and more likelihood of participating in politics throughsuch behavior as signing petitions, voting, attending meetings,and writing letters.     

Improving the Background Knowledge of Non-traditional Students

Three intervention methods to assist non-traditional college students in evaluating and improving their chemical and mathematical backgrounds were developed and implemented over three successive years. The goal was to improve students' self-confidence and success in the course. The first method was a one-day optional symposium featuring a variety of tutorial sessions. In the second, a pre-test helped students determine potential deficits in requisite knowledge, and topical workshops were made available outside of class time. The third method used the same assessment pre-test combined with instructional videos on selected topics drawn from the pre-test. The three approaches were compared in a formative sense with respect to 1) student identification of areas of potential weakness, 2) accessibility of each method to the non-traditional student population. The success of the third method at improving student course performance was also examined.     

Acute adaptations and subsequent preservation of strength and speed measures following a Nordic hamstring curl intervention: a randomised controlled trial

This randomised controlled trial investigated changes in eccentric hamstring strength, 10m sprint speed, and change-of-direction (COD) performance immediately post Nordic hamstring curl (NHC) intervention and following a 3-week detraining period.

Fourteen male team sports athletes were randomised to a do-as-usual control group (CG; n = 7) or to a NHC intervention group (NHC; n = 7). Isokinetic dynamometry at 180°/s evaluated eccentric hamstring strength immediately post-intervention as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included 10 m sprint time and COD. Each outcome was measured, pre, immediately post-intervention and following a 3-week detraining period.

Immediately post-intervention significant group differences were observed in the NHC group for eccentric hamstring strength (31.81 Nm^?1 vs. 6.44 Nm^?1, P = 0.001), COD (?0.12 s vs. 0.20 s; P = 0.003) and sprint (- 0.06 s vs. 0.05 s; P = 0.024) performance. Performance improvements were maintained following a detraining period for COD (?0.11 s vs. 0.20 s; P = 0.014) and sprint (?0.05 s vs. 0.03 s, P = 0.031) but not eccentric hamstring strength (15.67 Nm^?1 vs. 6.44 Nm^?1, P = 0.145) These findings have important implications for training programmes designed to reduce hamstring injury incidence, whilst enhancing physical qualities critical to sport.     

Game Mechanics Matter: Differences in Video Game Conditions Influence Memory Performance

We collected behavioral evidence to support the hypothesis that video game conditions have varying influences on hippocampus-dependent memory. Results indicate that participants who played in the video game conditions with clear reward mechanisms performed better on a declarative memory task than those who played in the video game conditions without reward mechanisms. Those who reported spending more time gaming weekly also performed the task better than those who reported spending less time gaming weekly, suggesting that gaming might have short-term and long-term effects on the hippocampus.     

Collaborative scholarship as a means of improving both university teaching practice and research capability

The literature suggests generic workshops on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) rarely have a lasting impact on teaching. Seeking an alternative approach, academic developers designed a four-stage Collaborative Scholarship Model where they provided individualised SoTL mentoring to academics implementing a teaching innovation. Project outcomes included sustained change to teaching, openness to new ideas, scholarly contributions and peer recognition (through awards, publications or invited presentations). This model had a sustained impact on participants’ teaching and increased research productivity. Although few individuals can be mentored at one time in this labour-intensive model, long-term benefits may still outweigh limitations in scalability.     

Peer assessment as a method of improving student engagement

To encourage increased student attendance and engagement in a third-year economics unit, the curriculum was redesigned to incorporate continuous assessment throughout the semester. A component of group project marks were allocated to peer assessment, in an attempt to address concerns about free-riding colleagues sharing a common mark. This study investigated the consistency of marks awarded to peers within teams, and the acceptance by students of marks awarded by peers. Students were asked to provide ratings and explanatory comments for each of their group peers. Focus groups were conducted to determine students’ acceptance of this strategy. Eighty student ratings were compared to determine consistency of assessment. Within groups, students who received higher marks from their peers generally awarded marks to their peers across a wider range, whereas students who received lower average grades often awarded the same mark to all team members. These results might indicate that students who were attending class regularly and/or contributing at a higher level were more discriminating in the marks awarded to their peers. Similarly, non-contributors (as identified by their peers) assigned the same or similar grades to each of their peers, possibly due to a lack of knowledge about their peers’ contributions.     

Acute and sub-acute effects of repetitive kicking on hip adduction torque in injury-free elite youth soccer players

Abstract

Hip adduction strength is important for kicking and acceleration in soccer players. Changes in hip adduction strength may therefore have an effect on soccer players’ athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and sub-acute effects of a kicking drill session on hip strength, concerning isometric hip adduction, abduction and flexion torque of the kicking leg and the supporting leg. Ten injury-free male elite soccer players, mean ± s age of 15.8 ± 0.4 years participated. All players underwent a specific 20 min kicking drill session, comprising 45 kicks. The players were tested the day before, 15 min after and 24 h after the kicking drill session by a blinded tester using a reliable test procedure. The isometric hip-action and leg-order were randomized. For the kicking leg, hip adduction torque increased from 2.45 (2.19–2.65) Nm ? kg^?1, median (25th–75th percentiles), at pre-kicking to 2.65 (2.55–2.81) Nm ? kg^?1 (P = 0.024) 24 h post-kicking. This may have implications for the soccer player’s ability to maximally activate the hip adductors during kicking and acceleration, and thereby improve performance the day after a kicking drill session.