No matter how you mark the points on the fever curve – threatening shapes do not add to threat of climate change

Graphs have become an increasingly important means of representing data, for instance, when communicating data on climate change. However, graph characteristics might significantly affect graph comprehension. The goal of the present work was to test whether the marking forms usually depicted on line-graphs, can have an impact on graph evaluation. As past work suggests that triangular forms might be related to threat, we compared the effect of triangular marking forms with other symbols (triangles, circles, squares, rhombi, and asterisks) on subjective assessments. Participants in Study 1 (N = 314) received 5 different line-graphs about climate change, each of them using one out of 5 marking forms. In Study 1, the threat and arousal ratings of the graphs with triangular marking shapes were not higher than those with the other marking symbols. Participants in Study 2 (N = 279) received the same graphs, yet without labels and indeed rated the graphs with triangle point markers as more threatening. Testing whether local rather than global spatial attention would lead to an impact of marker shape in climate graphs, Study 3 (N = 307) documented that a task demanding to process a specific data-point on the graph (rather than just the line graph as a whole) did not lead to an effect either. These results suggest that marking symbols can principally affect threat and arousal ratings but not in the context of climate change. Hence, in graphs on climate change, choice of point markers does not have to take potential side-effects on threat and arousal into account. These seem to be restricted to the processing of graphs where form aspects face less competition from the content domain on judgments.

Parallel systems for social and spatial reasoning within the cortical apex

What is the cognitive and neural architecture of systems for high-level reasoning and memory in humans? We ask this question using deep neuroimaging of individual human brains on various tasks involving reasoning and memory about familiar people, places, and objects. We find that thinking about people and places elicits responses in distinct but parallel networks within high-level association cortex, spanning the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. Person- and place-preferring brain regions were systematically yoked across multiple cortical zones. These regions were strongly category-selective, across visual, semantic, and episodic tasks, and were specifically functionally connected to other parts of association cortex with similar category preferences. These results demonstrate that selectivity for content domain is a widespread feature of high-level association cortex in humans. They support a theoretical model in which reasoning about people and places are supported by parallel cognitive and neural mechanisms.

Design and Implementation of Content Validity: Instrument Development for Evaluating Functional Building Performance

The research aim is to critically evaluate the content validity of the functional building performance evaluation criteria using the Content Validity Index (CVI) and modified kappa statistic. The selection of relevant criteria for functional building performance evaluation should be managed effectively by the building management team because it is strongly related to the achievement of organizational objectives and the building occupants’ satisfaction. Studies over the past decades have shown that the criteria vary, relying on the intention of conducting the performance evaluation and the types of building. These selection criteria have a direct impact on the functional building performance and need to be done systematically. Thus, the content validity of the functional building performance evaluation criteria is a necessary step in instrument development. To achieve this research aim, the instrument has been developed based on numerous construct items that have been obtained from previous studies by various authors and established rating tools or standards. The sample of the respondents for content validation comprises of seven (7) expert panels in the area of historic building management and building performance evaluation, such as from the local municipality, related government agencies, academician and building management team. The panels reviewed and rated the instrument to ensure its relevance and the representativeness of each item. The result shows that a total of 39 items are valid and are considered to be retained, and will be further tested in the next study. The result has also shown that the Scale level – CVI/ Averaging calculation method (S-CVI/ Ave) for all items has met the criterion of 0.90. Significantly, content validity should be treated as important because it provides adequate and acceptable items of the content domain

PRIMED2 Preclinical Evidence Scoring Tool to Assess Readiness for Translation of Neuroprotection Therapies

Many neuroprotective and other therapies for treatment of acute ischemic stroke have failed in translation to human studies, indicating a need for more rigorous, multidimensional quality assessment of the totality of preclinical evidence supporting a therapy prior to conducting human trials. A consensus panel of stroke preclinical model and human clinical trial experts assessed candidate items for the translational readiness scale, compiled from prior instruments (STAIR, ARRIVE, CAMARADES, RoB 2) based on importance, reliability, and feasibility. Once constructed, the tool was applied by two independent raters to four current candidate acute stroke therapies, including two pharmacologic agents [nerinetide and trans-sodium crocetinate] and two device interventions [cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation and fastigial nucleus stimulation]. The Preclinical evidence of Readiness In stroke Models Evaluating Drugs and Devices (PRIMED2) assessment tool rates the totality of evidence available from all reported preclinical animal stroke model studies in 11 domains related to diversity of tested animals, time windows, feasibility of agent route of delivery, and robustness of effect magnitude. Within each content domain, clearly operationalized rules assign strength of evidence ratings of 0–2. When applied to the four assessed candidate agents, inter-rater reliability was high (kappa = 0.88), and each agent showed a unique profile of evidentiary strengths and weaknesses. The PRIMED2 assessment tool provides a multidimensional assessment of the cumulative preclinical evidence for a candidate acute stroke therapy on factors judged important for successful basic-to-clinical translation. Further evaluation and refinement of this tool is desirable to improve successful translation of therapies for acute stroke.

An Analysis of Students’ Mathematical Competencies: The Relationship between Units

This study aimed to investigate students’ mathematical competence in learning relationships between units according to the students’ performance in a SUKEN test of Level 6. A total of 139 students were selected as our target group and involved as examinees. Research instruments include students’ answer sheets, test item analyses, and textbook analysis. SUKEN test is a mathematical proficiency test used to identify related issues to improve teaching practices. The results from the first phase showed that there were 24 examinees or 17.27 percent of them had been successfully passed the passing criterion as 70 percent of the total marks 100. However, there was a lowest percentage (33.21%) of examinees showed that they were able to answer correctly in the questions related to the content domain of Quantities and Measurement compared to other content domains. On top of that, only 38.49 percent and 31.09 percent of the examinees possessed their competencies in content knowledge and the method of application respectively while they answered the Quantities and Measurement questions. Besides, the results of in-depth analyses from students’ answer sheets revealed that there were seven different groups of answers by analyzing examinees' responses in terms of their reasoning skills to support their responses. Examinees were found to have problems finding the relationship between cm3 and m3, whenever they have to use a relationship in three dimensions. Therefore, teachers are suggested to use the geometry model to assist students in understanding the relationships between the units.

Design and development of the home healthcare worker observation tool

Background: The rapidly growing number of home healthcare workers (HHCW) are exposed to unique occupational hazards within each patient home. This article describes the development of an observation tool to document occupational hazards HHCWs encounter.Methods: Tool development followed three steps: determining content domain, content validity, and inter-rater agreement.Results: Expert feedback guided the revision of content domain to 636 items. Scale level content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.90. Inter-rater agreement tests resulted in percent agreement and accuracy mean of 89.5% and frequency variables resulted in standard deviations from 0 to 8.62.Conclusions: The observation tool encompasses the diverse range of occupational hazards HHCWs encounter; inter-rater percent agreement and overall accuracy scores were acceptable. Future pilot testing of this tool among broader raters and populations is recommended to characterize its usability, internal consistency, and reliability to assess HHCW occupational hazards.

Desenvolvimento dos Modelos de Conhecimento Especializado de professores de Biologia, Física e Química

In this article we approach the transposition of theoretical models on the specialized knowledge that teachers have to teach the subjects Biology, Physics and Chemistry that were based on the model of Mathematics Teacher of the Specialized Knowledge, the MTSK. For that, we trace the trajectory of the construction of specialized models and then we bring the theoretical diversifications between the models of Biology, Physics and Chemistry comparing them with each other revealing the aspects that distinguish and / or approximate them and that support the negative for the transposition of a single model of Sciences based on the particularities identified both in the scope of the content domain and in the pedagogical domain.

O uso de tecnologias digitais no ensino de matemática nos anos iniciais

Resumo: O uso dos computadores e dispositivos móveis associados à internet vem ganhando espaço nas escolas de educação básica como ferramentas didáticas utilizadas para auxiliar a aprendizagem dos educandos. Assim sendo, a presente investigação, de cunho qualitativo-exploratória apoiada em estudo de caso, teve como objetivo identificar a presença e o uso de Laboratório de Informática (LI) no ensino de Matemática nos anos iniciais em escolas públicas e privadas do município de Alegrete/RS. Para tanto, a pesquisa foi realizada em três etapas: I) levantamento de dados; II) observação não participante das práticas docentes no LI; e III) entrevista. Os resultados revelaram que a maior parte dos professores observados não realiza um planejamento didático-pedagógico para as atividades a serem desenvolvidas no LI. Destaca-se a importância da fluência digital e do domínio do conteúdo para o desenvolvimento de práticas pedagógicas criativas e contextualizadas, bem como o aporte de infraestrutura e formação continuada.Palavras-chave: Laboratório de Informática; Tecnologias Digitais; Ensino de Matemática; Prática docente. The use of digital technologies in the teaching of mathematics in the elementary school Abstract: The use of computers and mobile devices associated with the Internet has been gaining ground in basic education schools as teaching tools used to help the learning of students. Thus, the present qualitative-exploratory investigation, supported by a case study, aimed to identify the presence and use of Computer Laboratory in the teaching of Mathematics in the elementary school in public and private schools in the city of Alegrete-RS. For this, the research was carried out in three stages: I) data collection; II) observation of teaching practices in the Computer Laboratory; and III) interview. The results revealed that most of the teachers observed do not carry out a didactic-pedagogical planning to work in the Computer Laboratory with their students. From the interview conducted, we highlight the importance of digital fluency and content domain for the development of creative and contextualized pedagogical practices, as well as the contribution of infrastructure and continuing education. Keywords: Computer Lab; Digital Technologies; Mathematics teaching; Teaching practice.