This article reports findings from a study exploring the roles of peer influences in cultivating urban high school students' academic success in mathematics. While the literature describing family/school influences on the academic achievement of students of color is compelling, much of it suggests that urban students' peer groups do not support academic achievement. This study of high school students sought to link their academic behaviors to a historical tradition of intellectual networks within their communities. The ways in which students' peer groups, families, and school communities fostered their mathematics success are discussed with the aim of helping researchers and educators gain a more complete vision of urban students' achievement.
This article reports findings from a study of preservice mathematics teacher education students and their beliefs about and experiences with students in an urban high school. The preservice teacher education students participated as mentors to a group of peer tutors in a mathematics tutoring program. Data collected from questionnaires and interviews reveal that the mentors had varied perceptions of tutoring program participantsÕ motivation, interest, and knowledge of mathematics. Mentors held varied perceptions of urban schools and what teaching mathematics in urban settings entails. Further, mentors reported that their work in the tutoring program had an impact on their strategies and plans for future mathematics teaching.
IntroductionChronic musculoskeletal pain causes a significant burden on health and quality of life and may result from inadequate treatment of acute musculoskeletal pain. The emergency department (ED) represents a novel setting in which to test non-pharmacological interventions early in the pain trajectory to prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain. Acupuncture is increasingly recognised as a safe, affordable and effective treatment for pain and anxiety in the clinic setting, but it has yet to be established as a primary treatment option in the ED.Methods and analysisThis pragmatic clinical trial uses a two-stage adaptive randomised design to determine the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of acupuncture initiated in the ED and continued in outpatient clinic for treating acute musculoskeletal pain. The objective of the first (treatment selection) stage is to determine the more effective style of ED-based acupuncture, auricular acupuncture or peripheral acupuncture, as compared with no acupuncture. All arms will receive usual care at the discretion of the ED provider blinded to treatment arm. The objective of the second (effectiveness confirmation) stage is to confirm the impact of the selected acupuncture arm on pain reduction. An interim analysis is planned at the end of stage 1 based on probability of being the best treatment, after which adaptations will be considered including dropping the less effective arm, sample size re-estimation and unequal treatment allocation ratio (eg, 1:2) for stage 2. Acupuncture treatments will be delivered by licensed acupuncturists in the ED and twice weekly for 1 month afterward in an outpatient clinic.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been reviewed and approved by the Duke University Health System Institutional Review Board. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Results will be disseminated through peer-review publications and public and conference presentations.Trial registration numberNCT04290741.
Emerging adult college students have developmental and educational needs which are unique to their phase of life. Emerging adults are also increasingly identified by their technology use and practices. Collegiate instructors will be better equipped for educating these individuals when armed with insights concerning emerging adults' technology related practices. The purpose of this study is to examine academic and nonacademic technology use by emerging adult college students. Survey results (N = 235) provide insights into emerging adult college student technology preferences and frequency of use for academic and non-academic purposes. This study found that emerging adult college students have distinct technology preferences and practices relating to both academic and non-academic use, and prefer contextualization of technology accordingly.
Executive function (EF) underlies self-control deficits in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive training is a promising adjunctive treatment targeting TBI- and AUD- related cognitive dysfunction. However, major limitations related to compliance and generalizability in the field of cognitive training exist. Physical activity is associated with enhanced cognitive performance across several executive functions and may enhance the benefits of cognitive training. Virtual reality provides multisensory embodied experiences which are likely to engage brain networks more efficiently than standard cognitive training systems, ultimately resulting in greater near- and far-transfer effects. This pilot study aimed to obtain feasibility data and a preliminary assessment of an enriched virtual reality (VR) EF training (EFT) intervention combined with exercise (NCT03786276). Using an 8-week randomized adaptive design study, 30 AUD treatment seeking U.S. Veterans completed nine sessions of exercise-only (n = 15) or gameplay control (n = 15) over 3 weeks, followed by a week-4 repeat assessment in Phase 1. Twenty-three participants completed and moved onto Phase II, where they completed up to nine sessions of VR-EFT plus exercise and completed a week-8 end-of-study assessment. Primary outcomes included feasibility to retain participants, usability, and satisfaction of using VR-EFT. Secondary and exploratory outcomes included within group assessment of change in cognitive function, alcohol use, alcohol craving, and post-concussive symptoms among the three treatment conditions.VR-EFT was feasible with moderate usability and high acceptability ratings.The most common VR-related adverse effect was motion sickness (n = 2/16, 12.5%). The VR-EFT condition was associated with significant improvement in inhibition-switching and visual scanning (both p < 0.05) during Phase II. Exercise-only was associated with significant improvements in cognitive inhibition, cognitive flexibility, reductions in alcohol craving, and number of standard alcohol drinks per week (all p ≤ 0.05). The gaming-control condition was associated with improvement in cognitive flexibility and visuospatial immediate recall (both p < 0.05) during Phase 1. Recruitment and retention of U.S. veterans with AUD and TBI into an exercise plus VR-EFT intervention is feasible, but technological barriers may impact usability. VR-EFT was associated with improvement in executive function domains that were targeted in as little as 3-week and nine sessions of VR-EFT exposure. Results are promising and indicate the need for a larger controlled investigation to assess the efficacy of VR-EFT to enhance treatment outcomes among AUD treatment-seeking U.S. veterans with co-occurring AUD and TBI.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03786276.
This conceptual article describes a model of a school-based, student-led initiative that uses peer tutoring to address underachievement in mathematics. The model is three pronged: a) it suggests a site-based approach to building on existing student excellence in mathematics to drive improved student mathematics achievement; b) it seeks to address the lack of teacher knowledge about urban students and their mathematics understanding; and c) it aims to deepen existing mathematics knowledge, confidence and interest among high school students. In the article, I share analyses of the interactions among tutors, tutees, advisors, and teacher; the mathematical discourse within those interactions; and the hierarchical and collaborative relationships that emerged over time.
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