Application of Kagan’s Cooperative Learning Structures to Maximize Student Engagement: An Action Research

Aims: This action research attempted to apply and evaluate the impact of Kagan’s Cooperative Learning Structures at Gedu College of Business Studies. Study design: Lim’s [1] Balanced Action Research Model was used in this action research as it captures wide range of action research processes and provides the researchers to validate one's actions through critical analyses and reflections. Place and duration of study: The study was conducted in one college under the Royal University of Bhutan for a period of one year (2019-2020). Sample: One first-year Management class was selected as the focus of this action research using purposive sampling technique. Observation and a five-point Likert scale questionnaire were used as data collection tools. There were 45 students and all of them participated in filling out the questionnaire. Methodology: Data were collected using observation and questionnaire. Observation data were analysed using content analysis technique. Out of two general categories of content analysis (conceptual analysis and relational analysis), the researchers used conceptual analysis. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to collect data on CL structures and student engagement, its feasibility and impact. Responses from the completed questionnaires were entered into SPSS for descriptive analysis. Results: The findings revealed that CL structures like team builders, class builders and team cheers helped the students know their friends better, created a positive learning environment and helped in gaining and retaining students’ attention. Similarly, the findings revealed that CL structures helped in developing positive interdependence and individual accountability, ensured equal participation and encouraged simultaneous interaction in the class. In contrast, the findings revealed that small classroom size, large class strength and classroom furniture that do not support CL structures hindered the application of CL structures. Conclusion: In view of these findings, the researchers recommend that the college plan and come up with classrooms and furniture that support the CL structures in teaching and learning. Further, the college should bring the class strength down as per the teacher-student ratio maintained by the Royal University of Bhutan and provide training and workshops to teachers on CL structures. Finally, teachers should make use of CL structures while teaching to engage, encourage and empower the learners.

Comparative analysis of adherence to aerobic physical rehabilitation protocols among strength athletes

High-intensity interval and medium-intensity cyclic exercises have proved themselves as non-pharmacological agents for the treatment and prevention of hypertension.Aim. To compare adherence to aerobic physical rehabilitation methods among hypertensive heavyweight-class strength athletes.Material and methods. We surveyed 83 heavyweight-class bodybuilders (candidates for master of sports and master of sports). The mean age of participants was 31 years. Athletes were randomized into two main rehabilitation groups: the HIIT group (n=33), the MICE group (n=30), and the RT control group (n=20). A modified questionnaire on adherence to physical activity was used for hypertensive strength athletes. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Statistica 10.0/W RUS software package.Results. At the beginning, adherence of control group participants was “moderate” and amounted to 7,8±0,8 points, while after 30 days it increased insignificantly to 8,2±0,5 points, after another 60 days decreased by 0,3 points and the next 4 month did not change. After 30 days, there was an increase in adherence to aerobic exercise in other rehabilitation groups: 8,4±0,5 and 8,2±0,6 points in the HIIT and MICE groups, respectively. After 60 days, the changes were not statistically significant. After 90 days, adherence in the HIIT group was 8,5±0,5 points, while in the MICE group it significantly decreased to 7,5±0,6 points. After 120 days, there was no change in the HIIT group, while in the MICE group, adherence continued to decrease to 7,1±0,6 points. After 150 days, there was a 0,5 point decrease in the HIIT group and 6,7±0,5 points in the MICE group. After 180 days, there was an insignificant decrease in the HIIT group by 0,2 points, while in the MICE group, adherence became “low” and amounted to 6,2±0,4 points.Conclusion. Exercise programs based on HIIT protocols allow hypertensive strength athletes to maintain greater adherence to nonspecific aerobic exercise over 180 days compared to MICE protocols, which may provide additional benefits in lowering blood pressure and preventing cardiovascular disease.

Linking Demographic Transitions to Population Dynamics in a Fluctuating Environment

Recruitment has been linked to decreases in the ratio of age-specific mortality (M’) to mass-specific growth (G’), and year-class strength may be predicted by the age when M’/G’=1. Hydrological stress adversely affects these parameters for species inhabiting floodplains; however, the relationship between M’ and G’ in hydrologically variable environments is poorly understood. We evaluated age-specific mortality for six species from a 20-year time series, and growth curves from otolith length-at-age data. We assessed the effect of hydrology on the transitional age (age M’/G’=1) at 21 sites representing a hydrological gradient. Disturbance intensity influenced age-specific mortality but had no effect on mass-specific growth. The transitional age was inversely correlated with annual density, but weakly associated with population biomass. Hydrological disturbance shifted the transition age to older ages, reducing recruitment overall. We demonstrated that the M’/G’ transition was affected adversely by hydrological stress and can be applied to a diverse group of taxa. Growth, survivorship, and the transitional age should be evaluated to improve population modelling efforts used to predict the influence of future restoration actions.

Climate warming and the loss of sea ice: the impact of sea-ice variability on the southeastern Bering Sea pelagic ecosystem

We investigated relationships among three metrics of sea-ice cover in eight regions of the eastern Bering Sea and the abundance of Calanus copepods, jellyfish medusae, and year-class strength of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). In summer, Calanus spp. were more abundant over the middle shelf when sea ice lingered late into spring, and, to a lesser extent, when February sea-ice cover was heavy. Between 1982 and 1999, there were no significant (p ≤ 0.05) relationships between the amount or timing of sea-ice cover and pollock recruitment. However, between 2000 and 2015, pollock year-class strength was positively correlated with sea ice in the outer and middle shelves, with 17 of 24 regressions significant. Pollock year-class strength was best predicted by days with sea-ice cover after February. Pollock recruitment was positively influenced by copepod numbers, particularly in the middle shelf, with r2 values from 0.36 to 0.47. We hypothesize that the Calanus spp. present in the southeastern Bering Sea are primarily Calanus glacialis that have been advected south in association with sea ice. None of our sea-ice metrics explained the variance in jellyfish biomass. Jellyfish biomass in our study area in the pollock age-0 year was not correlated with pollock recruitment 3 years later.

Case Study: Body Composition Changes Resulting from a Nutritional Intervention on a Professional Vegan Powerlifter

Powerlifting is a weight-class strength sport where achieving low fat mass (FM) and high fat-free mass (FFM) is desirable to improve performance. Recent studies have evaluated the nutritional considerations of different eating patterns, such as vegan diets (VD), in athlete populations. VD are a challenge for athletes who want to attain body composition changes. The aim of this case study is to report on the body composition changes and subjective feelings of a male professional vegan powerlifter following VD for six weeks. The body mass of the powerlifter decreased from 79.3 to 77.4 kg (2.39%). Along with this, FM decreased from 15.0 to 11.4 kg (24%). Conversely, FFM increased from 64.3 to 66.0 kg (2.64%). Moreover, the powerlifter communicated no subjective feelings of low energy availability during training sessions. The VD might compromise adherence in a nutritional intervention which aims to improve body composition due to the nutritional requirements for fat loss. Therefore, more appropriate health assessments, including blood and psychological tests, are required for professional athletes. This short-term VD intervention was satisfactory for improving body composition and no adverse outcomes were reported.

Drivers of walleye recruitment in Minnesota’s large lakes

Fish recruitment is complex and difficult to predict. Data-driven approaches show promise for predicting recruitment and understanding its drivers. We used a random forest model to infer relationships between year-class strength and 17 variables describing potential recruitment drivers across 30+ years of walleye (Sander vitreus) data from Minnesota’s nine largest inland lakes. Our model explained 20% of the variation in year-class strength overall, with predictive performance varying among lakes (–8% to 37% explained variance). Of the variables analyzed, degree-days during the first year of life and first winter severity were the most important for predicting recruitment, with relatively weak year classes predicted to occur with cold first growing seasons and severe first winters. Other thermal variables were secondarily important predictors of year-class strength. Predicted year-class strength was positively related to stock size and stocking and negatively related to the presence of invasive species; however, these variables were less important than thermal variables. Our results indicate that thermal conditions in early life can have a substantial impact on walleye recruitment and highlight the potential for differing recruitment drivers and dynamics among lakes.

Evidence of post-larval growth-selective mortality in Atlantic mackerel revealed by the collection of young-of-the-year juveniles ingested by the northern gannet

The growth-survival paradigm predicts that year-class strength is determined by growth-dependent mortality during the larval stage. In Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus, the possibility that strong growth-dependent mortality extends into the early juvenile stage has not previously been tested because of the difficulty in sampling young-of-the-year (YOY) juveniles. The present study determined the timing of the ‘endpoint’ during the early ontogeny, when growth-selective mortality decreases and recruitment is set. We relied on regurgitations from one of the main predators of mackerel, the northern gannet Morus bassanus, as a source of YOY juveniles. Early growth trajectories of YOY mackerel were reconstructed from the otolith microstructure and were compared to those of 1-yr-old (OYO) juveniles from the same cohort for the year classes of 2015 and 2017. In both cohorts, the early growth trajectory of OYO fish was faster than that of YOY juveniles, indicating that growth-selective mortality extended beyond the larval stage. For the 2017 cohort, the comparison of larval growth trajectories between 2-mo-old YOY, 3mo-old YOY and OYO juveniles indicated that strong selection for fast growth persisted until the pre-wintering period, but that winter mortality likely did not play an important role in shaping year-class strength. These findings suggest that in Atlantic mackerel, the endpoint when the relative strength of cohorts is fixed occurs at the age of 3 mo. These results highlight the importance of considering growth-dependent mortality processes occurring beyond the larval stage to obtain a better understanding of causes of recruitment variability.