Razonamiento clínico en carreras de la salud: percepción de estudiantes y docentes / The perception of teachers and students about clinical reasoning in health care careers

BACKGROUND: Clinical reasoning (CR) is a training mainstay in health care careers. AIM: To describe the perception of students and teachers about the development of clinical CR in Kinesiology and Dentistry careers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Exploratory descriptive qualitative study, with 12 informants (six teachers and six students), applying a script of questions through a semi-structured interview. A thematic inductive data analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-five meaning units, 38 codes, seven subcategories and three categories were collected. CR was reported as a basic analysis process in health care training. Its necessary elements are knowledge, a learning environment and a facilitator teacher, among others. Motivation, analysis models, variability and exposure are reported as facilitating factors for the development of CR. Teacher paternalism, resistance to change and few learning opportunities are presented as obstacles. Active strategies such as clinical cases, simulation and clinical practice are perceived as facilitators for the development of CR. Those situations where the student does not assume a leading role such as lectures and activities in large groups, are considered as obstacles. CONCLUSIONS: Both students and teachers point to CR as an analysis process that is indispensable in both careers. Exposure to variable educational experiences through active educational strategies in small groups encourages CR.

Auxetic structures used in kinesiology tapes can improve form-fitting and personalization.

Each year 65% of young athletes and 25% of physically active adults suffer from at least one musculoskeletal injury that prevents them from continuing with physical activity, negatively influencing their physical and mental well-being. The treatment of musculoskeletal injuries with the adhesive elastic kinesiology tape (KT) decreases the recovery time. Patients can thus recommence physical exercise earlier. Here, a novel KT based on auxetic structures is proposed to simplify the application procedure and allow personalization. This novel KT exploits the form-fitting property of auxetics as well as their ability to simultaneously expand in two perpendicular directions when stretched. The auxetic contribution is tuned by optimizing the structure design using analytical equations and experimental measurements. A reentrant honeycomb topology is selected to demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach. Prototypes of auxetic KT to treat general elbow pains and muscle tenseness in the forearm are developed.

Mejorando la elaboración de las hipótesis iniciales para el razonamiento clínico diagnóstico en estudiantes de kinesiología: una propuesta metodológica / Improving the development of initial hypotheses for clinical diagnostic reasoning in physical therapy students: a methodological proposal

El Razonamiento Clínico es un proceso fundamental para identificar los déficits en un paciente y formular un diagnóstico kinesiológico. El objetivo de este estudio es describir parte de la metodología y sus resultados, en el marco del curso de Razonamiento Clínico de la carrera de Kinesiología en la Universidad Finis Terrae, para mejorar el proceso de formulación de hipótesis iniciales para la evaluación kinesiológica. MUESTRA : MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS Los estudiantes fueron evaluados según la cantidad, coherencia y sintaxis de estas hipótesis iniciales, además de los dominios a los que pertenecían, al inicio y al final de la intervención que consistió en 3 actividades (2 clases presenciales y un informe de actividad de campo clínico). Las clases presenciales tenían como temas la Clasificación Internacional de la Funcionalidad, Salud y Enfermedad (CIF) de la OMS, y su rol en el razonamiento clínico diagnóstico; y la importancia de las hipótesis iniciales dentro del modelo hipotético deductivo de razonamiento y cómo escribirlas, junto con el uso de una herramienta (una "Tabla Hipocrática Modificada") para sistematizar la formulación de hipótesis iniciales con respecto a déficit en estructuras corporales. El informe de campo clínico integró todo lo anterior durante la evaluación de un paciente real. RESULTADOS La evaluación final mostró un aumento significativo en la cantidad (promedio ± DS inicial 10,1 ± 8,57, final 27 ± 9,23, p < 0,001) de hipótesis planteadas y en su coherencia con respecto a la información disponible. CONCLUSIÓN La sistematización descrita para la formulación de hipótesis diagnósticas en los estudiantes de kinesiología resulta en una mayor cantidad y calidad en sus hipótesis, validando esta metodología para la enseñanza inicial del razonamiento clínico diagnóstico en kinesiología

Clinical Reasoning is a fundamental process to identify deficits in a patient and state a diagnosis. The goal of this study is to describe part of the methodology and its results, within the framework of the Clinical Reasoning course of the Kinesiology career at Finis Terrae University, implemented to improve the process of formulating initial hypotheses for kinesiological evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The students were evaluated according to the quantity, coherence and syntax of these initial hypotheses, in addition to the domains to which they belonged, at the beginning and at the end of the intervention that consisted of 3 activities (2 face-to-face classes and an activity report). The face-to-face classes had as topics the International Classification of Functioning, Health and Disease (ICF), WHO, and its role in diagnostic clinical reasoning; and the importance of initial hypotheses within the hypothetical deductive model of reasoning and how to write them, together with the use of a tool (a "Modified Hippocratic Table") to methodize the formulation of initial hypotheses regarding deficits in body structures. The report integrated all of the above during the evaluation of a real patient. RESULTS The final evaluation showed a significant increase in the quantity (mean ± initial SD 10.1±8.57, final 27±9.23, p < 0.001) of hypotheses raised and in their consistency to the available information. Conclusion: The Systematization described for formulating diagnostic hypotheses in kinesiology students results in a greater quantity and quality of their hypotheses, validating this methodology for the initial teaching of diagnostic clinical reasoning in kinesiology.

[The perception of teachers and students about clinical reasoning in health care careers]. / Razonamiento clínico en carreras de la salud: percepción de estudiantes y docentes.

BACKGROUND: Clinical reasoning (CR) is a training mainstay in health care careers. AIM: To describe the perception of students and teachers about the development of clinical CR in Kinesiology and Dentistry careers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Exploratory descriptive qualitative study, with 12 informants (six teachers and six students), applying a script of questions through a semi-structured interview. A thematic inductive data analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-five meaning units, 38 codes, seven subcategories and three categories were collected. CR was reported as a basic analysis process in health care training. Its necessary elements are knowledge, a learning environment and a facilitator teacher, among others. Motivation, analysis models, variability and exposure are reported as facilitating factors for the development of CR. Teacher paternalism, resistance to change and few learning opportunities are presented as obstacles. Active strategies such as clinical cases, simulation and clinical practice are perceived as facilitators for the development of CR. Those situations where the student does not assume a leading role such as lectures and activities in large groups, are considered as obstacles. CONCLUSIONS: Both students and teachers point to CR as an analysis process that is indispensable in both careers. Exposure to variable educational experiences through active educational strategies in small groups encourages CR.

Go tani and his influence on the kinesiology field in the brazilian scientific context / Go tani e sua influência no campo da cinesiologia no contexto científico brasileiro

ABSTRACT This study aimed to group some perspectives on Go Tani's epistemological activity in the context of Brazilian Physical Education (PE), establishing his contributions and reflections on Kinesiology for the structuring of undergraduate and graduate Physical Education in Brazil. This is a bibliographical and exploratory study, which prioritized Tani's production on the most varied platforms and the materials that circulated about Kinesiology in national and international literature. Finally, through the theoretical review, it was possible to identify that the PE field is a scenario full of disputes and that even with the transformations of paradigms that infer the legitimate alternatives in the scientific context, the relationships that are established between the different schools of PE thought have erupted in a process of mutual incomprehension that contributes to the circularity of perspectives and the maintenance of beliefs in the field.

RESUMO O presente estudo objetivou agrupar algumas perspectivas sobre a atividade epistemológica de Go Tani no contexto da Educação Física (EF) brasileira, estabelecendo suas contribuições e reflexões a partir da Cinesiologia para a estruturação da graduação e da pós-graduação em Educação Física no Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo bibliográfico e exploratório, o qual priorizou a produção de Tani nas mais variadas plataformas, bem como os materiais que circularam sobre a Cinesiologia na literatura nacional e internacional. Por fim, através da referida revisão teórica, foi possível identificar que o campo da EF é um cenário repleto de disputas e que mesmo com as transformações dos paradigmas que inferem nas alternativas legítimas no contexto científico, as relações que são estabelecidas entre as distintas escolas de pensamento da EF têm eclodido num processo de interincompreensão que contribui com a circularidade de perspectivas e a manutenção de crenças no campo.

Conceptual physical education: A course for the future.

The conceptual physical education (CPE) innovation began in the mid-20th century as an alternative approach to college-level, activity-only basic instruction classes. In addition to physical activity sessions, CPE courses (classes) use text material and classroom sessions to teach kinesiology concepts and principles of health-related fitness and health-enhancing physical activity. CPE courses are now offered in nearly all college programs as either required or electives classes. Two decades later, the high school CPE innovation began, and Kindergarten-8 programs followed. In this commentary, I argue that historian Roberta Park was correct in her assessment that physical education has the potential to be the renaissance field of the 21st century. Scientific contributions of researchers in kinesiology will lead the way, but science-based CPE and companion fitness education programs that align with physical education content standards and fitness education benchmarks will play a significant role. CPE courses have been shown to be effective in promoting knowledge, attitudes, and out-of-school physical activity and have the potential to elevate physical education as we chart the course of our future.

Opinión de estudiantes de kinesiología relacionado con precauciones estándar, vista de enfermería / Opinion of kinesiology students related to standard precautions, nursing view

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las precauciones estándar corresponden a un grupo de prácticas de prevención de infecciones que se aplican en la atención a todos los pacientes, tiene como objetivo prevenir la transmisión cruzada de microorganismos entre pacientes. OBJETIVO: Develar la opinión de las/os estudiantes de Kinesiología de la Universidad Mayor-Temuco con relación a las Precauciones Estándar. METODOLOGÍA: Estudio cualitativo, descriptivo y exploratorio, estudio intrínseco de caso, la muestra no probabilística, intencionada: 12 sujetos estudiante de kinesiología 2018; criterio de inclusión: haber aprobado la asignatura de Cuidados Básicos del Enfermo; recogida de datos: entrevistas en profundidad, se utilizaron notas de campo y se manejó el método de comparación constante, además esquema de la reducción progresiva. RESULTADOS: Para la categoría de significado de precauciones estándar surge medida de protección y seguridad para usuario y tratante; para precauciones estándar utilizadas en prácticas clínicas emerge las subcategorías de elementos y técnicas de barrera en forma análoga nace como categoría aplicabilidad de precauciones estándar de ella se desprenden campos clínicos, eventos clínicos del usuario y técnicas y procedimientos; para la categoría factores facilitadores: docente y estudiantes; en tanto factores obstaculizadores: curriculum. CONCLUSIONES: En los estudiantes existe un conocimiento deficiente y conceptos aislados sobre PE, utilizan principalmente guantes y lavado de manos; menor grado uso de mascarilla y pechera. Destaca positivamente conocimiento docente; factores obstaculizadores: aspectos teóricos deficientes curriculares; considerar modificaciones curriculares en aspectos conceptuales y procedimentales.

BACKGROUND: the standard precautions correspond to a group of infection prevention practices that are applied in the care of all patients, it aims to prevent the cross-transmission of microoganisms between patiens. OBJETIVE: to reveal the opinion of Kinesiology students at the Universidad Mayor-Temuco regarding standard precautions. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study, intrinsic case study, non-probabilistic sample, intentional: 12 subjects, kinesiology student of the year 2018; For data collection, in-depth interviews were used, field notes and the constant comparison method were used, in addition to the progressive reduction scheme. RESULTS: 173 units of meaning emerge, for the category of meaning of standard precautions, protection and security measure for user and trafficker arises; For standard precautions used in clinical practices, the subcategories of barrier elements and techniques emerge, the most mentioned, in an analogous way, the applicability of standard precautions is born as a category of clinical fields, clinical events of the user and techniques and procedures; for the category facilitating factors: teacher and student are the least mentioned; as impeding factors: curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: There is a deficient knowledge and isolated concepts about SP, mainly use gloves and hand washing; less degree the use of masks and scrubs. It is positively highlighted teacher's knowledge, and some of the hindering factors are the lack of theoretical aspects of the curriculum and the consideration for curriculum modifications to compensate conceptual and procedural aspects.

The effects of a teaching intervention on weight bias among kinesiology undergraduate students.

OBJECTIVES: Weight bias is present among kinesiology professionals and this may cause a significant negative impact on their clients with obesity. Thus, our objective was to test if learning about uncontrollable cause of obesity and about weight bias would reduce explicit and implicit weight bias among kinesiology undergraduate students compared to the traditional curriculum which is more focused on controllable causes of weight gain. METHODS: We recruited undergraduates from two classes of the same kinesiology major course taught by the same instructor. In-class teaching activities consisted of 80 min lecture on day 1, video watching session and a group activity on day 3 for both groups. Intervention group (n = 33) learned about uncontrollable causes of obesity and about weight bias and had activities to evoke empathy. Control group (n = 34) learned the traditional curriculum where they learned the role of exercise and diet in weight management. We measured explicit and implicit weight bias using Anti-Fat Attitude Test (AFAT) and Implicit Association Test (IAT), respectively pre-intervention, immediate post intervention and 1 month later. RESULTS: In mixed model analysis, AFAT Blame scores had significant group by time interaction (p < 0.001). Blame scores significantly reduced with mean differences (standard error (SE)) of -0.35 (0.08) post intervention (p < 0.001) and persisted to be reduced with mean differences (SE) of -0.39 (0.08) even after 4-week follow-up (p < 0.001) only in the intervention group. Odds of having less implicit weight bias was significantly lower at 4-week follow-up than pre-intervention (odds ratio = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.22-0.73) in the control group but no changes were seen in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: "Blame" component of explicit weight bias significantly decreased when students learned about controllable causes of obesity and weight bias, but implicit bias did not reduce. However, implicit weight bias appears to increase when education on obesity is limited to diet and exercise interventions as taught in the traditional curriculum.

Guided Hands-On Activities Can Improve Student Learning in a Lecture-Based Qualitative Biomechanics Course.

A qualitative biomechanics (functional anatomy) course is a typical course in kinesiology curriculum. Most evidence suggests that biomechanics learning could be improved with the inclusion of laboratory experiences. However, implementing laboratories into biomechanics curriculum is difficult due to cost and time constraints. This study was conducted to evaluate whether hands-on activities in lecture improve qualitative biomechanics learning. A lecture format was compared to the same course with guided and unguided hands-on activities included during lecture. Test performance and student evaluations were compared between lecture formats to determine if hands-on experiences improve learning. The hands-on group performed better on the same test questions and they evaluated their overall course activities as beneficial to their learning. The findings suggest that guided hands-on experiences may improve learning compared to unguided activities. The hands-on experiences seem to provide an embodied cognitive learning experience, facilitating retention of learned material through three-dimensional and tactile mental representations. Findings from this research are currently shaping how biomechanics is taught to students at this university and could at other universities as well.

Effects of image-based and text-based active learning exercises on student examination performance in a musculoskeletal anatomy course.

Research on the benefits of visual learning has relied primarily on lecture-based pedagogy, but the potential benefits of combining active learning strategies with visual and verbal materials on learning anatomy has not yet been explored. In this study, the differential effects of text-based and image-based active learning exercises on examination performance were investigated in a functional anatomy course. Each class session was punctuated with an average of 12 text-based and image-based active learning exercises. Participation data from 231 students were compared with their examination performance on 262 questions associated with the in-class exercises. Students also rated the helpfulness and difficulty of the in-class exercises on a survey. Participation in the active learning exercises was positively correlated with examination performance (r = 0.63, P < 0.001). When controlling for other key demographics (gender, underrepresented minority status) and prior grade point average, participation in the image-based exercises was significantly correlated with performance on examination questions associated with image-based exercises (P < 0.001) and text-based exercises (P < 0.01), while participation in text-based exercises was not. Additionally, students reported that the active learning exercises were helpful for seeing images of key ideas (94%) and clarifying key course concepts (80%), and that the image-based exercises were significantly less demanding, less hard and required less effort than text-based exercises (P < 0.05). The findings confirm the positive effect of using images and active learning strategies on student learning, and suggest that integrating them may be especially beneficial for learning anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 10: 444-455. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Health care provider confidence and exercise prescription practices of Exercise is Medicine Canada workshop attendees.

The Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) initiative promotes physical activity counselling and exercise prescription within health care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions and practices around physical activity counselling and exercise prescription in health care professionals before and after EIMC training. Prior to and directly following EIMC workshops, 209 participants (physicians (n = 113); allied health professionals (AHPs) (n = 54), including primarily nurses (n = 36) and others; and exercise professionals (EPs) (n = 23), including kinesiologists (n = 16), physiotherapists (n = 5), and personal trainers (n = 2)) from 7 provinces completed self-reflection questionnaires. Compared with AHPs, physicians saw more patients (78% > 15 patients/day vs 93% < 15 patients/day; p < 0.001) and reported lower frequencies of exercise counselling during routine client encounters (48% vs 72% in most sessions; p < 0.001). EPs had higher confidence providing physical activity information (92 ± 11%) compared with both physicians (52 ± 25%; p < 0.001) and AHPs (56 ± 24%; p < 0.001). Physicians indicated that they experienced greater difficulty including physical activity and exercise counselling into sessions (2.74 ± 0.71, out of 5) compared with AHPs (2.17 ± 0.94; p = 0.001) and EPs (1.43 ± 0.66; p < 0.001). Physicians rated the most impactful barriers to exercise prescription as lack of patient interest (2.77 ± 0.85 out of 4), resources (2.65 ± 0.82 out of 4), and time (2.62 ± 0.71 out of 4). The majority of physicians (85%) provided a written prescription for exercise in <10% of appointments. Following the workshop, 87% of physician attendees proposed at least one change to practice; 47% intended on changing their practice by prescribing exercise routinely, and 33% planned on increasing physical activity and exercise counselling, measured through open-ended responses.

Genetic characterization of physical activity behaviours in university students enrolled in kinesiology degree programs.

Studies of physical activity behaviours have increasingly shown the importance of heritable factors such as genetic variation. Nonsynonymous polymorphisms of alpha-actinin 3 (ACTN3) and the ß-adrenergic receptors 1 and 3 (ADRB1 and ADRB3) have been previously associated with exercise capacity and cardiometabolic health. We thus hypothesized that these polymorphisms are also related to physical activity behaviours in young adults. To test this hypothesis we examined relationships between ACTN3 (R577X), ARDB1 (Arg389Gly), ADRB3 (Trp64Arg), and physical activity behaviours in university students. We stratified for student enrollment in kinesiology degree programs compared with nonmajors as we previously found this to be a predictor of physical activity. We did not identify novel associations between physical activity and ACTN3. However, the minor alleles of ADRB1 and ADRB3 were significantly underrepresented in kinesiology students compared with nonmajors. Furthermore, carriers of the ADRB1 minor allele reported reduced participation in moderate physical activity and increased afternoon fatigue compared with ancestral allele homozygotes. Together, these findings suggest that the heritability of physical activity behaviours in young adults may be linked to nonsynonymous polymorphisms within ß-adrenergic receptors.

Examining the effect of self-explanation on cognitive integration of basic and clinical sciences in novices.

Several studies have shown that cognitive integration of basic and clinical sciences supports diagnostic reasoning in novices; however, there has been limited exploration of the ways in which educators can translate this model of mental activity into sound instructional strategies. The use of self-explanation during learning has the potential to promote and support the development of integrated knowledge by encouraging novices to elaborate on the causal relationship between clinical features and basic science mechanisms. To explore the effect of this strategy, we compared diagnostic efficacy of teaching students (n = 71) the clinical features of four musculoskeletal pathologies using either (1) integrated causal basic science descriptions (BaSci group); (2) integrated causal basic science descriptions combined with self-explanation prompts (SE group); (3) basic science mechanisms segregated from the clinical features (SG group). All participants completed a diagnostic accuracy test immediately after learning and 1-week later. The results showed that the BaSci group performed significantly better compared to the SE (p = 0.019) and SG groups (p = 0.004); however, no difference was observed between the SE and SG groups (p = 0.91). We hypothesize that the structure of the self-explanation task may not have supported the development of a holistic conceptual understanding of each disease. These findings suggest that integration strategies need to be carefully structured and applied in ways that support the holistic story created by integrated basic science instruction in order to foster conceptual coherence and to capitalize on the benefits of cognition integration.

Distributed retrieval practice promotes superior recall of anatomy information.

Effortful retrieval produces greater long-term recall of information when compared to studying (i.e., reading), as do learning sessions that are distributed (i.e., spaced apart) when compared to those that are massed together. Although the retrieval and distributed practice effects are well-established in the cognitive science literature, no studies have examined their additive effect with regard to learning anatomy information. The aim of this study was to determine how the benefits of retrieval practice vary with massed versus distributed learning. Participants used the following strategies to learn sets of skeletal muscle anatomy: (1) studying on three different days over a seven day period (SSSS7,2,0 ), (2) studying and retrieving on three different days over a seven day period (SRSR7,2,0 ), (3) studying on two different days over a two day period (SSSSSS2,0 ), (4) studying and retrieving on two separate days over a two day period (SRSRSR2,0 ), and (5) studying and retrieving on one day (SRx60 ). All strategies consisted of 12 learning phases and lasted exactly 24 minutes. Muscle information retention was assessed via free recall and using repeated measures ANOVAs. A week after learning, the recall scores were 24.72 ± 3.12, 33.88 ± 3.48, 15.51 ± 2.48, 20.72 ± 2.94, and 12.86 ± 2.05 for the SSSS7,2,0 , SRSR7,2,0 , SSSSSS2,0 , STSTST2,0 , and SRx60 strategies, respectively. In conclusion, the distributed strategies produced significantly better recall than the massed strategies, the retrieval-based strategies produced significantly better recall than the studying strategies, and the combination of distributed and retrieval practice generated the greatest recall of anatomy information. Anat Sci Educ 10: 339-347. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Does Instruction Affect the Underlying Dimensionality of a Kinesiology Test?

Does effective instruction, which changes students' knowledge and possibly alters their cognitive functions, also affect the dimensionality of an achievement test? This question was examined by the parameterization of kinesiology test items (n = 42) with a Rasch dichotomous model, followed by an investigation of dimensionality in a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental study design. College students (n = 108) provided responses to kinesiology achievement test items. Then the stability of item difficulties, gender differences, and the interaction of item content categories with dimensionality were examined. In addition, a PCA/t-test protocol was implemented to examine dimensionality threats from the item residuals. Internal construct validity was investigated by regressing item content components on calibrated item difficulties. Measurement model item residuals were also investigated with statistical decomposition methods. In general, the results showed significant student achievement between pre and post testing, and dimensionality disturbances were relatively minor. The amount of unexpected item "shift" in an un-equated measurement dimension between pre and post testing was less than ten percent of the total items and largely concentrated among several unrelated items. An unexpected finding was a residual cluster consisting of several items testing related technical content. Complicating interpretation, these items tended to appear near the end of the test, which implicates test position as a threat to measurement equivalence. In general, the results across several methods did not tend to identify common threats and instead pointed to multiple sources of threats with varying degree of prominence. These results suggest conventional approaches to measurement equivalence that emphasize expedient overall procedures such as DIF, IRT, and factor analysis are probably capturing isolated sources of variability. Their implementation probably improves measurement equivalence but with substantial residual sources undetected.

Reconciling movement and exercise with pain neuroscience education: A case for consistent education.

This article will introduce a conceptual framework of kinesthetic education that is consistent with and reinforces pain neuroscience education. This article will also provide some specific guidance for integrating pain neuroscience education with exercise and movement in a more congruent manner. Our belief is that this will enhance the effectiveness of specific movement approaches such as graded exposure techniques. Over the past decade, a new paradigm of pain education has been explored in an effort to improve patient outcomes. Using advances in pain neuroscience, patients are educated in the biological and physiological processes involved in their pain experience. Growing evidence supports the ability of pain neuroscience education (PNE) to positively impact a person's pain ratings, disability, pain catastrophization, and movement limitations. What is often overlooked, however, is the consistency between the messages of PNE and those of other therapeutic interventions, including movement therapies. This article proposes the following: education provided in isolation will be limited in its impact, the addition of guided purposeful movement performed in a manner consistent with PNE may be vital to the desired behavioral changes, and when inconsistent messages are delivered between education and movement interventions, outcomes may be adversely impacted.

Simulating Others' Realities: Insiders Reflect on Disability Simulations.

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the meaning persons who experience disability ascribed to disability simulations as a pedagogical tool. Reflective writing, one-on-one interviews, and field notes were used to gather information on disability simulation use in a required postsecondary kinesiology course. Seven people who use wheelchairs full time (3 men, 4 women), ranging in age from 28 to 44 yr (average age = 36) shared their perspectives. The thematic analysis revealed 3 themes. The theme "Disability Mentors Required" revealed the participants' collective questioning of their absence from the design and implementation of disability simulations. "Life Is Not a Simulation" illustrated the juxtaposition of disability reality and disability simulations. "Why Are They Laughing?" contrasted the use of fun as a strategy to engage students against the risk of distracting them from deeper reflection. Through the lens of ableism, the importance of disability representation in the development and implementation of disability simulations was affirmed as a means to deepen pedagogical reflexiveness of their intended use.

Examination of Lifestyle Behaviors and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in University Students Enrolled in Kinesiology Degree Programs.

Preventing physical inactivity and weight gain during college is critical in decreasing lifelong obesity and associated disease risk. As such, we sought to compare cardiometabolic risk factors and lifestyle behaviors between college students enrolled in kinesiology and non-kinesiology degree programs to assess whether health and exercise degree programs may influence health behaviors and associated disease risk outcomes. Anthropometrics, fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipid profiles and HbA1c%, blood pressure, and peak oxygen consumption (V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak) were assessed in 247 healthy college students. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA) was calculated using glucose and insulin levels. Self-reported physical activity from the Paffenbarger questionnaire was collected to estimate the average caloric expenditure due to different types of physical activities. Despite no significant differences in body mass index or waist circumference between groups, kinesiology majors presented with ∼20% lower fasting insulin levels and HOMA (p = 0.01; p < 0.01, respectively) relative to nonmajors. Kinesiology majors reported increased weekly participation in vigorous-intensity sport and leisure activities and, on average, engaged in >300 metabolic equivalent-h·wk, whereas non-kinesiology majors engaged in <300 MET-h wk (p = 0.01). Our data suggest that students enrolled in kinesiology degree programs display improved healthy behaviors and associated outcomes (parameters of glucose homeostasis). Practical outcomes of this research indicate that implementing components of a comprehensive kinesiology curriculum encourages improved health behaviors and associated cardiometabolic risk factors.

Knowledge of Exercise Prescription Guidelines Across One 4-Year Kinesiology Curriculum.

PURPOSE: Knowledge of evidence-based exercise prescription guidelines is considered a cornerstone of responsible professional practice. While many academics insist that a university degree in kinesiology or a related field should be required for all exercise professionals, the learning of exercise prescription guidelines that takes place during the course of a university degree program has not been investigated. METHOD: An 11-question knowledge quiz about the frequency, duration, and intensity of cardiovascular exercise recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (Garber et al., 2011) was administered to 683 undergraduate students majoring in kinesiology and 89 certified exercise professionals. RESULTS: Knowledge scores improved significantly, F(4, 764) = 16.69, p < .001, η2 = .08, from the freshmen, who scored 24.30%, to the seniors, who scored 36.25%. Seniors did not differ significantly from the professionals, who scored 40.65%, despite the fact that 58.14% of professionals had graduate degrees and 44.95% had multiple certifications. However, 82.77% of seniors perceived that their knowledge of the guidelines (rated 5.48 out of 10) was lower than that required "to be able to function as an exercise professional safely and effectively" (rated 8.17). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that although significant learning of the guidelines occurs in a typical kinesiology curriculum, there is considerable room for improvement.

Self-testing produces superior recall of both familiar and unfamiliar muscle information.

Dozens of studies have found learning strategies based on the "testing effect" promote greater recall than those that rely solely on reading; however, the advantages of testing are often only observed after a delay (e.g., 2-7 days later). In contrast, our research, which has focused on kinesiology students learning kinesiology information that is generally familiar to them, has consistently demonstrated that testing-based strategies produce greater recall both immediately and after a delay. In an attempt to understand the discrepancies in the literature, the purpose of the present study was to determine if the time-related advantages of a testing-based learning strategy vary with one's familiarity with the to-be-learned information. Participants used both read-only and testing-based strategies to repeatedly study three different sets of information: 1) previously studied human muscle information (familiar information), 2) a mix of previously studied and previously unstudied human muscle information (mixed information), and 3) previously unstudied muscle information that is unique to sharks (unfamiliar information). Learning was evaluated via free recall assessments administered immediately after studying and again after a 1-wk delay and a 3-wk delay. Across those three assessments, the read-only strategy resulted in mean scores of 29.26 ± 1.43, 15.17 ± 1.29, and 5.33 ± 0.77 for the familiar, mixed, and unfamiliar information, respectively, whereas the testing-based strategy produced scores of 34.57 ± 1.58, 16.90 ± 1.31, and 8.33 ± 0.95, respectively. The results indicate that the testing-based strategy produced greater recall immediately and up through the 3-wk delay regardless of the participants' level of familiarity with the muscle information.