13251 research outputs found
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Effects of Musical Content on Student Practice Judgments, Decisions, and Improvement
No full textThe purpose of this study was to observe and compare the differences in practice behaviors among middle school band students who are presented with etudes of varying stylistic, technical, or expressive qualities. Existing literature has covered practice methodology extensively, but this study was intended to help understand how students vary strategies when presented with different musical challenges. Participants were individually observed in a pre-test, practice period, and post-test for each of two musical examples to examine the strategies used and improvement from pre-test to post-test. Results showed that participants who varied their strategy-use in lyrical and technical etudes increased performance achievement from pre-test to post-test more than those who did not, suggesting that musical context is an important component for effective practice. Implications arising from the study include the teaching of explicit practice strategies, error detection, and musical context during regular ensemble rehearsal time as strategies for improving the effectiveness of individual practice time
Meaning in Life and the True Self: A Construal Level Theory Approach
No full textPeople have higher ratings of meaning in life when they feel like they know their true self. This study examines whether one’s thoughts about their true self and meaning in life are consistent with a high-level construal. According to Construal Level Theory (CLT), the type of mental construal (i.e., low-level versus high-level) used depends upon how much psychological distance there is between the self and the object one is mentally representing. Objects perceived as far from the self use a high-level construal, which is more abstract, simple, and schematic. Objects perceived as close to the self use a low-level construal, which is more concrete, detailed descriptions. Research has demonstrated that the true self is thought about in abstract ways; it is believed to be derived from innate essences, and it is thought to be tied more closely to mental states. Two online studies were conducted to test the effects of construal level on meaning in life and the true self. Participants in Study 1 completed a task that primed either a high- or low-level construal and then completed a measure of meaning in life. Participants in Study 2 also completed the construal priming task followed by a writing task designed to prime and then measure either their true or actual self-knowledge. Two ANCOVAs found nonsignificant differences between construal groups on measures of meaning in life and true self-knowledge. Findings suggest that larger sample sizes and different experimental designs should be used in future research
Uncertainty Monitoring and Resiliency in Middle Childhood
No full textThis study explores correlations between uncertainty monitoring and resiliency in middle childhood, an age not previously studied. Eighty-three 9- to 11-year-olds (M = 9.98; SD = .693) completed a researcher-created perceptual discrimination task, followed by a confidence judgment decision to determine uncertainty monitoring. Resiliency was determined via The Resiliency Scale for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) including a sense of mastery and its subsets (self-efficacy and optimism) as parts of resiliency. Significant positive correlations were found between uncertainty monitoring and sense of mastery (r = .23, p = .037) and its subsets (self-efficacy: r = .22, p = .04 and optimism: r = .25, p = .025). These results show that awareness of one’s uncertainty (uncertainty monitoring) influences their approach and adaptation to challenges in their environment (resiliency). Individuals with a heightened level of uncertainty awareness may show confidence in their ability to make behavioral changes that support their life goals and exhibit a more positive outlook on life
The Development and Validation of Implicit Measures of Job Satisfaction for Students
No full textJob satisfaction is one of the most researched topics in industrial-organizational psychology and explicit (self-report) measures are the most common assessment method. However, self-report measures are contaminated by inaccurate self-knowledge and impression management artifacts, which may weaken the predictive validity of the measures. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) might address these limitations because the procedure is based on reaction times in classification tasks. This research developed personalized implicit measures of job satisfaction using IATs and investigated their construct validity in a college sample. The construct validity of the measures was investigated with a multitrait-multimethod design. Results indicated problems with some psychometric properties for some measures, while confirmatory factor analyses provided some evidence supporting the IATs’ convergent and discriminant validity
Comparing transcriptome profiles of saccharomyces cerevisiae cells exposed to cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide and indium phosphide/zinc sulfide
No full textThe primary focus of our research was to obtain global gene expression data in baker’s yeast exposed to sub-lethal doses of quantum dots (QDs), such as green-emitting CdSe/ZnS and InP/ZnS, to reveal novel insights on their unique mechanisms of toxicity. Despite their promising applications, their toxicity and long-lasting effects on the environment are not well understood. To assess toxicity, we conducted cell viability assays, ROS detection assays, and assessed their effects on the trafficking of Vps10-GFP toward the trans-Golgi network with confocal microscopy. Most notably, we used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to obtain gene expression profiles and gene identities of differ-entially expressed genes (DEGs) in QD-treated yeast. We found CdSe/ZnS QDs significantly altered genes implicated in carboxylic acid, amino acid, nitrogen compounds, protein metabolic processes, transmembrane transport, cellular homeostasis, cell wall organization, translation, and ribosomal biogenesis. Additionally, we found InP/ZnS QDs to alter genes associated with oxidation-reduction, transmembrane transport, metal ion homeostasis, cellular component organization, translation, and protein and nitrogen compound metabolic processes. Interestingly, we observed an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CdSe/ZnS-treated cells and a decrease in ROS levels in InP/ZnS-treated cells. Nevertheless, we concluded that both QDs modestly contributed cytotoxic effects on the budding yeast
Single-Base Lesions and Mismatches Alter the Backbone Conformational Dynamics in DNA
No full textDNA damage has been implicated in numerous human diseases, particularly cancer, and the aging process. Single-base lesions and mismatches in DNA can be cytotoxic or mutagenic and are recognized by a DNA glycosylase during the process of base excision repair. Altered local dynamics and conformational properties in damaged DNAs have previously been suggested to assist in recognition and specificity. Herein, we use solution nuclear magnetic resonance to quantify changes in BI-BII backbone conformational dynamics due to the presence of single-base lesions in DNA, including uracil, dihydrouracil, 1,N6-ethenoadenine, and T:G mismatches. Stepwise changes to the %BII and ΔG of the BI-BII dynamic equilibrium compared to those of unmodified sequences were observed. Additionally, the equilibrium skews toward endothermicity for the phosphates nearest the lesion/mismatched base pair. Finally, the phosphates with the greatest alterations correlate with those most relevant to the repair of enzyme binding. All of these results suggest local conformational rearrangement of the DNA backbone may play a role in lesion recognition by repair enzymes
Trends in mathematics specialist literature: Analyzing research spanning four decades
No full textFor the past forty years, United States school districts have increasingly hired mathematics specialists to support the teaching and learning of mathematics. Despite the prevalence of this professional development structure, this is a relatively new research topic for the mathematics education field. In this paper, we report findings from an exploration of literature between 1981 and 2018 to examine the role of mathematics specialists (MSs). In particular, we examine: (a) MS positioning across research; (b) historical trends of school-based MS research; and (c) orientations of school-based MSs within research. Using the McGatha and Rigelman framework as an analytic lens, we found that beyond the positions identified in their framework (coach, intervention specialist, teacher), there were four additional MS positionings within the research (learner, other p-12 stakeholder, university stakeholder, unknown). Ultimately, we forward an expansion to the McGatha and Rigelman framework to include these new categories, as well as contextual descriptions and working definitions to support future research in more accurately and robustly capturing the ways in which MSs are investigated and reported on in research
Changing the Service Model: Utilizing Tutor Center Models for Reference Desk Redesign
No full textIn 2015, the Research and Instructional Services Unit of Meyer Library at Missouri State University was challenged to update and rethink the current service model and space. We had been operating in a traditional reference model, including a large, walkup reference desk that was staffed primarily by faculty librarians. After reviewing the literature, it was decided that some form of reference/research service point should be kept but should be completely revamped to fit the research needs of the campus community and the changing demands on faculty librarians. Various library service models and those used in campus tutoring centers were reviewed and used to reframe our own reference service model. This paper outlines our process for researching, designing, and implementing our new space and service model, and the subsequent change in library organization, resulting in a combined desk
Student and Instructor Perceptions of Virtual Library Instruction Sessions
No full textThe following study aimed to assess both instructor and student perceptions of virtual library instruction sessions. The primary question was are there perceived benefit of synchronous library instruction versus watching the recording of the same session. Two anonymous, mixed-method surveys were distributed: one to instructor and one to students. Results are consistent with similar research; both options are agreeable. Some form of library instruction is appreciated and useful for virtual classes be it synchronous or asynchronous. Interestingly, the direction for future research came from COVID-19 and the sudden prevalence of virtual courses and the use of whatever device students can access
Is There Room in the United States Diet for Goat Meat? Analysis of the 2019 National Goat Meat Survey
No full textDemand for goat meat has steadily increased in the past decade, but few studies have been conducted addressing goat meat attributes and demographic factors on consumers’ willingness to buy goat meat products. Analyzing a national consumer survey on goat meat preference, a logit modeling is used addressing factors affecting willingness to buy three goat meat products: grass-fed, locally grown, and organically raised. Results indicate that quality and freshness attribute characteristics significantly affect consumer willingness to buy grass-fed, organic, and locally grown goat meat