Theoretical and clinical aspects regarding identification of musculoskeletal problems in dental professional work

Objective. The purpose of the study is to identify the musculoskeletal problems in dental professionals and the causes leading to them to rank. The most frequent ones were ranked in order to elaborate operational and global projects and differentiated treatment and prophylaxis units focused on that certain problem. Material and method. The 133 subjects (dental students and specialist) answered a 14 items questionnaire. Results. The results of the questionnaire were centralized and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics. Discussions. The results showed that most of the subjects (69.92%) had growth problems. 90.23% of them did not consulted a kinetoterapist but they were aware of the necessity of seeking specialty treatment in the future. Conclusions. The present study conducted to preliminary conclusions that will be the start point of further extended studies, emphasizing the necessity of Kinetotherapy classes in Dental School.

The Solution of An Inferential Problem as a Function of Stimulus Materials

Stimulus materials were varied in three ways to assess the effect on performance of problems involving implicational rules. The three factors were natural versus arbitrary relationship between the terms of the problem, concrete versus abstract problem material and order of the presentation of the terms in the rules. The natural relationship condition facilitated performance compared with the arbitrary relationship condition. This difference was explained in terms of differential cognitive load. A significant interaction between materials and order factors was attributed to semantic differences in the rules.

Application

Your department editor has been doing a great deal of thinking and reading concerning the role of applications in mathematics instruction. Following are several key references which we have found: “The Necessary Redirection of Mathematics, Including its Relation to National Defense,” by William Betz in The Mathematics Teacher, April, 1912, page 147; “The Use of Applications for Instructional Purposes,” by Edwin G. Olds in The Mathematics Teacher, February, 1941, page 78; “The Mathematics Most Used in the Sciences of Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Higher Mathematics,” by George II. Nickle in The Mathematics Teacher, February, 1942, page 77; A Study of Problem Material in High School Algebra by Jesse Powell, Contributions to Education, No. 405, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1929.

Live Problem Material in Algebra

Verbal problems in algebra have been, and, one might venture to say, still are the object of much destructive criticism from both students and teachers. By some inexperienced instructors, verbal problems are sometimes omitted from the outline of study. Other instructors often place undue emphasis upon problems and continue to drill on problems until the nerves of the parties of the first and second parts are exhausted. The teacher with a well balanced outline of work will use live verbal problems in driving home the principles of algebra. Verbal problems, then, should be a means to an end, not an end in themselves. They should assist in causing mathematics to function in solving real life situations.

News and Notes

The Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England held the mid-Winter meeting at Hartford Public High School, Hartford, Connecticut, Saturday, March 10, 1923. The program included: (1) Live Problem Material for Algebra, by Dwight S. Davis, Athol High School; (2) Practical Teaching in Mathematics, by Professor Joshua I. Tracey, Yale University; (3) College Board Mathematics Examinations from Makers to Readers, by Harry B. Marsh, Technical High School, Spring-field; (4) Varieties of Space, by Professor Emily N. Martin, Moiuit Holyoke College; (5) Maps, by Professor William R. Ransom, Tufts College.

Mechanics

The subject of mechanics and its application to engineering science opens up a possible source of problem material for high school mathematics. Such ideas as velocity, acceleration, angular motion, momentum, force and energy give rise to some problems that can be used in place of some that are already in our textbooks. A great many problems can be gotten together on statics and simple machines that are very elementary and worth while.