Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Activity programs'

This thesis presents the findings of a research project which explored students� learning during an activity-based mathematics programme. The research investigated what students learnt about solving linear equations and examined the role of activities in this learning. The investigation of learning in the classroom was guided by the principles of naturalistic enquiry. A longitudinal study was used to investigate students� learning during a unit of work that that made extensive use of activities and contexts. The longitudinal design of the study allowed the development of algebraic thinking to be investigated. The ideas of both Piaget and Vygotsky suggest that it is necessary to study the process of change in order to understand the thinking of students. A group of four students, two girls and two boys, were studied for twenty-seven lessons with each student interviewed individually within six days of each lesson, using the technique of stimulated recall. All lessons and interviews were recorded for subsequent transcription and analysis. Learning to solve equations formally, using inverse operations, proved to be difficult for all the students. For two of them, their poor understandings of arithmetic structure and inverse operations were impediments that prevented them from doing more than attempt to follow procedures. Two of the students did succeed in using inverse operations to solve equations, but were still reasoning arithmetically. There was little evidence in the data that any of the students got to the point of regarding equations as objects to act on. They consistently focussed on the arithmetic procedures required for inverse operations. Even by the end of the topic the most able student, like the others, was still struggling to write algebraic statements. One of the most striking features of the results was the slow progress of the students. For at least two of the students, lack of prerequisite numeracy skills provided a good explanation of why this was so. However for the other two, poor numeracy did not appear to be a reason. The findings are, however, perhaps not too surprising. For children learning about arithmetic, the change from a process to an object view, from counting strategies to part/whole strategies, seems a particularly difficult transition to make. To move from a process to an object view of equations appears to be a similarly difficult transition. The way in which the students made use of the contexts showed that the activities did not directly facilitate the students to develop an understanding of formal solution processes. The students did not usually make use of the contexts when solving equations, working at the abstract symbolic level instead. Although it was hoped that, by engaging students in meaningful activities, the students would construct understandings of formal solution processes, this did not occur. None of the activities used in the study provided a metaphor for the formal method of solving equations. It is suggested that, for a context to be of great value for teaching a mathematical concept, the physical activity should act as a metaphor for the intended mathematical activity.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2010.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 91, [48] p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Many environmental educators have realized that in order to effectively teach environmental sensitivity and literacy, they must approach their audience through a cultural context. Thus, environmental education lessons need to incorporate strategies used in multicultural education in order to be more culturally inclusive. This project includes the identification of multicultural education criteria and the application of these to three lessons from Project Learning Tree: PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide.

Master of Science
Department of Kinesiology
Emily Mailey
Background: Many adults spend a majority of their time at work engaging in primarily sedentary behaviors. Creating a health-promotion program can increase awareness of the importance of physical activity as well as provide benefits to the employee and employers. The main purpose of this study was to compare physical activity, motivation and support levels between participants and non-participants of a workplace movement challenge. Additionally, we examined factors associated with average steps and reasons for participating and not participating in the challenge.   Methods: Information about the four-week movement challenge was sent by email to all employees. Steps were monitored by personal activity trackers (e.g. pedometer, Fitbit, etc.) and self-reported at the end of each week. Steps were averaged within departments and a departmental leader board was posted weekly to encourage competition across campus. All individuals who participated in the program were invited to complete a brief follow-up survey one month later. Non-participants of the program were invited to complete a similar survey at the same time. To analyze the data we used t-tests and correlation tests. Results:  Of the 6,798 employees who received an email about the Movement Challenge, 650 (9.6%) submitted at least one survey and 376 completed all four surveys. Results of the follow-up survey showed employees with a departmental team leader accumulated significantly more steps than employees without a team leader (p= 0.03). Additionally, average steps were significantly associated with both social support (r=.21; p<.01) and motivation subscales including identified regulation and intrinsic regulation. Those who enrolled in the program reported they liked the tracking/accountability and departmental competition best. Participants of the program reported greater total physical activity (p< .001), total social support (p< .001), introjected regulation (p< .001), identified regulation (p< .002) and intrinsic regulation (p< .01) levels compared to those who did not enroll in the program. Conclusion: Worksite wellness campaigns can increase physical activity among employees, but additional strategies are needed to increase participation. The results of this study suggest future programs should increase competition and increase contribution from team leaders. They should also include team support across departments to build support within the program.

Five interpretive programs designed for use by educators, naturalists, or interpreters working at ecotourism destinations. Topics covered include environmentally responsible behavior, on-site recycling programs, renewable energy systems, and plant and animal species conservation.

This thesis by publication included seven manuscripts that advanced contemporary understanding of the association between physical activity and wellness among adolescents. The findings suggested that due to potential interrelatedness between various aspects of wellness, changes in physical activity may also influence co-existing wellness domains; highlighting the potential for physical activity interventions to have a broad range of benefits among youth. These findings also added to the body of literature supporting the potential inclusion of physical activity as a component within multifaceted youth wellness programs. Findings reported in this thesis have implications for those seeking to initiate youth wellness interventions.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2001.
Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements of the Doctorate of Philosophy (Applied Communications), University of Western Sydney, 2001. Bibliography : leaves 452-498.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative effectiveness of two different ways of operationalizing a mastery experience in an e-mail based fitness walking program. Mastery experiences are considered the best way to increase exercise self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997), which is strongly associated with regular physical activity, but little research has systematically explored how effective mastery experiences can be developed. Fifty-nine sedentary adult women were randomly assigned to a mastery experience group (n=29) that operationalized mastery experiences in a manner consistent with Banduraâ s social cognitive theory, or to a standard care group (n=30) that operationalized mastery experiences in a manner consistent with standard care. Both intervention conditions received the same physical activity prescription and were designed to promote equivalent levels of contact with the experimenter over the 12-week program. The effects of the program were examined on overall adherence to the program, one-mile walk test times, estimated VO2max, social cognitive outcomes, and program evaluation ratings. Both the mastery experience group and the standard care group had similar levels of adherence to the program. The mastery experience group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in one-mile walk test time than the standard care group. Although the mastery experience group also showed a larger increase in estimated VO2max than the standard care group, this difference did not reach significance. The mastery experience group had significantly greater increases in goal-setting relative to the standard care group, but the intervention did not show any differences between the two groups on three measures of self-efficacy. In program evaluation ratings, the mastery experience group demonstrated greater satisfaction with the program than the standard care group.
Ph. D.

The project is an activity based, interdisciplinary curriculum for a simulated outdoor camp that occurs primarily within the elementary classroom. The purpose of the camp is to increase the students' level of awareness of and appreciation for the outdoors.

Background: Power training has never been investigated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) to improve physical activity (PA). Methods: The GREAT2DO study was a 12-month RCT of power training (PRT; 3/wk) vs. sham exercise in 103 participants with T2D with 5 yrs follow-up during which both groups were supported to continue PRT. Habitual, intervention and Total PA were obtained by questionnaire/training logs, and HOMA2-IR and HbA1c assessed metabolic profile. Regional and whole body composition were measured with CT scan and bioelectrical impedance. Results: Intervention and Total PA increased significantly during RCT in PRT vs. sham group (p=0.0001), but habitual PA did not (p=0.74). Total PA decreased significantly in the cohort during follow-up (p=0.0001), driven by significantly greater declines in the PRT group (p=0.0001) between 12 and 24 months, then stabilised for 4 yrs. Notably, 43% of those assessed reported engagement in PRT at 72 months, regardless of original randomisation. Improved muscle quality was directly related to Total PA (p=0.04), and increased thigh muscle area and reduced adiposity were directly related to intervention PA (p=0.01-0.04) during RCT. Metabolic profile did not change differentially between groups, with a small improvement in HbA1c in the overall cohort during follow-up (p=0.04). Conclusion: Habitual PA was maintained at baseline across 12 months of power or sham training. However, PRT group did have higher intervention and Total PA vs. sham group, linked to adaptations in adiposity and muscle area. PRT group did not maintain higher PA levels over 5 yrs follow-up, as both groups decreased structured exercise once supervision was withdrawn. Sustained improvements in PA behavior in clinical cohorts requires continuous behavioral change interventions if robust anabolic exercise engagement is a key target.

The purpose of the study was to determine if instruction with or without the use of integrated technology made a significant difference in the mean scores of second grade children in a unit of instruction concerning multicultural education and if there were any gender bias.The unit for Multicultural Education was created by the researcher. The researcher designed the Multicultural Cognition Assessment I (pretest), Multicultural Cognition Assessment II (posttest), and Child Preference Inventory instruments.The school corporation chosen as the site for the research had two elementary schools in neighboring towns with two sections of second grade each. Each school had a racially homogeneous population (Caucasian) and similar technology available. One class from each school received lessons with technology, and one class was taught without technology. There were 90 students in the study with complete data available for 78 students. After an initial observation, the researcher conducted the study on Wednesdays for six subsequent visits.ResultsA repeated measures analysis with one within-subject factor (pretest, posttest) and two between-subjects factors method (showing the difference between the use of technology and without technology and gender) was used to test Hypothesis I and II. Hypothesis I concerned the method of instruction and resulted in p = .445>.05. Hypothesis II concerned the effect of gender and resulted in p = .075>.05. No significant differences were found. Both hypotheses were accepted. There was no interaction effect between method and gender. There was a significant difference between the overall mean scores in the Pretest and Posttest analysis at p = .007<.05. A one sample t test was applied to determine if the mean of the overall preference was zero on the Child Preference Inventory. The result of the one-tailed t test resulted in t value of 13.32 with p = 0.000, indicating a positive response toward technology.
Department of Elementary Education

Darbo objektas – Sūduvos regiono muziejų etnokultūrinė veikla. Pristatomi didieji savivaldybių muziejai: Marijampolės kraštotyros muziejus (Marijampolė), Vilkaviškio (Paežeriai) ir Zanavykų (Girėnai) krašto muziejai, 3 privatūs ir 19 visuomeninių muziejų, esančių Sūduvoje. Darbo tikslas – išanalizuoti minėtų Sūduvos regione esančių muziejų edukacinę, etnokultūrinę veiklą, ją palyginti ir apibendrinti. Darbo tema aktuali tuo, kad visapusis žmogaus ugdymas privalo apimti visas žmogiškojo gyvenimo sritis, neišskiriant ir vienos svarbiausių – savo šaknų, papročių bei tradicijų išsaugojimo ir puoselėjimo. Šių dienų vaikai ir jaunimas nė neįsivaizduoja, kaip galima ne pirkti, o patiems išsiausti audeklą, nusivyti virvę, nusipinti pintinę, išsikepti duoną. Tėvai yra prigimtiniai ir nepakeičiami savo vaikų lavinimo veiksniai, šeimos užduotis – puoselėti etnokultūrinį mikroklimatą, perduoti tradicijų bei papročių paveldą. Todėl ir mokytojai, ir muziejininkai stengiasi padėti šeimai populiarinti ir išsaugoti etnokultūrinį palikimą. Darbą sudaro trys dalys: Įvadas, Bendroji Sūduvos krašto muziejų charakteristika bei Etnokultūrinės edukacinės veiklos organizavimas. Pirmoje darbo dalyje siekiama atskleisti muziejaus kaip mokslo įstaigos specifiškumą, aptariamos Sūduvos muziejų etnokultūrinio tyrimo prielaidos. Antroje darbo dalyje pateikiama bendra Sūduvos krašto muziejų charakteristika, pristatomi didieji savivaldybių muziejai.Trečioje darbo dalyje kalbama apie edukacijos muziejuje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
The object of this work is ethnocultural activity in the museums of Sūduva. The largest museums of the local administration are talked: The ethnography museum in Marijampolė, the museums in Vilkaviškis (Paežeriai) and Zanavykai (Girėnai), 3 private and 19 public museums that are in Sūduva. Purpose of this work is to analyse the educational, ethno-cultural activity in the mentioned museums, compare and summarize it. Theme of this work is actual because of that the upbringing of the human being must include all spheres of human life, not excluding one of the most important one – maintaining and cherishing your customs, traditions. Nowadays children, youth cannot even imagine how not to buy, but to weave the cloth, bake the bread and etc. by themselves. That is why teachers and people who work in the museums try to help the family to popularize and to maintain the ethno-cultural heritage of the past. The work contains three parts. In the first one author seeks to reveal the peculiarity of the museum as the institution of science, the ethno-cultural premises of the research of Sūduva museums are talked. In the second part of the work the general characteristics of Sūduva museums is presented. In the third part of the work the peculiarity of education in the museums, the experience of preparing the displays are analyzed. Mostly the educational programs, the methods of preparing it are analyzed in this work. The methods of this work are interview, descriptive, statistic and... [to full text]

Os Programas Interlaboratoriais (PIs) de proficiência são parte integrante do processo de obtenção de confiabilidade metrológica para medições e resultados analíticos gerados em laboratórios, ambientes de prática da atividade metrológica. Entre as diretrizes estratégicas do Comitê Brasileiro de Metrologia (CBM) estão incentivar a implantação de PIs que permitam aos laboratórios verificar e demonstrar a confiabilidade de seus resultados e acreditar provedores de PIs. O Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo IPT, órgão subordinado à Secretaria de Desenvolvimento do Estado de São Paulo, apesar de ter sido um dos pioneiros na oferta de PIs, não é atualmente um grande provedor. O objetivo desta pesquisa é propor um modelo de estrutura organizacional de provedor de Programas Interlaboratoriais (PIs), aplicado ao Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo IPT. O desenvolvimento deste modelo se apoia em revisão teórica, em estratégias advindas da análise SWOT do estudo de dez programas interlaboratoriais oferecidos pelo IPT no período de 2000 a 2009, em fatores condicionantes do IPT, em políticas governamentais atuais, em modelos de estrutura existentes no mercado e em componentes principais de uma estrutura organizacional. O modelo proposto, constituído de dois núcleos principais, o de Coordenação dos Provedores de PIs (COPPI) e o de Gerentes de PIs (GEPI), apresenta os elementos necessários para elevar o IPT à condição de provedor de PIs que atenda, de modo sustentável, às demandas governamentais e de setores produtivos.
The Proficiency Interlaboratory Programs (IPs) are part of the process to obtain metrological reliability for measurements and analytical results generated in laboratories, practice settings of metrological activity. Among the strategical directives of the Brazilian Metrology Committee (BMC) are the accreditation of brazilian IPs providers and the encouragement to establish IPs that allow the laboratories to assess and demonstrate the reliability of the datas they are producing. The Institute for Technological Research of the State of São Paulo IPT, body reporting to the Development Secretary of the State of São Paulo, in spite of being one of the pioneers in offering IPs, is not currently a major provider. The objective of this research was to propose, to the Institute for Technological Research of São Paulo State- IPT, a model of organizational structure for Interlaboratory Programs (IPs). The development of this model was based on the theoretical platform constructed, on strategies resulted from the SWOT analysis of ten Interlaboratory Programs offered by IPT in the period 2000 to 2009, on the IPT conditioning factors, on existing government policies, on models presented on the market and on major components of organizational structure. The proposed model, with two main cores, the IPs Providers Coordination (COPPI) and the IPs Mangers (GEPI), has the necessary elements to raise IPT to the status of a great provider, that fulfills, in sustainable way the demands from governments and productive sectors.

Матеріал присвячено питанням розвитку інструментарію для стійкого економічного зростання.
Материал посвящен вопросам развития инструментария для устойчивого экономического роста.
The material is devoted to the development of tools for sustainable economic growth.

The study was designed to develop a management model for the evaluation of environmental education supplements developed by nonprofit special-interest groups. Naturescope, an interdisciplinary environmental education supplement developed by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), was used as a vehicle for developing this model. The first component of the study involved the development of the model, while the second component measured evaluation outcomes relative to NatureScope. Working in conjunction with NWF program staff, four issues of NatureScope were randomly selected from the fifteen issues available at the time of the study. Volunteer fifth and seventh grade teachers from Virginia and Georgia were used in the study. A separate knowledge test was developed for each of the four issues. In addition, a 16-item likert scale was developed to measure environmental attitudes. Qualitative information related to the usefulness of NatureScope was collected through a teacher questionnaire. Evaluator interactions with the client, school administrators, and teachers influenced the development and success of the evaluation. The politically-motivated hidden agendas of the client resulted in unexpected modifications to the evaluation process. School administrators displayed a reluctance to permit teachers to participate in the study. Teachers who volunteered expressed concern over a lack of familiarity with the topics and the evaluation process. The evaluation outcomes of the study measured the effects of NatureScope on environmental knowledge and attitudes. Students exposed to Let's Hear It for Herps demonstrated the greatest differences in subject knowledge when compared to the control group. None of the issues had a significant effect on environmental attitudes when compared to the control group. Fifth grade students systematically scored higher than seventh grade students on all measures. Teachers responded favorably to NatureScope, however, the materials were criticized as too simple for seventh grade. The NatureScope evaluation portion of the study indicates that the materials may be best suited for fifth grade students of average ability.
Ph. D.

This study examines talk-radio relations in advance of digitisation, testing the continuity of patterns of listener formation, to assess the accuracy of claims that 'interactivity' and individuated informational flows are demand-driven. Australian talk broadcasters are shown discursively creating a living 'thirdspace' or 'real virtuality' of transactional locations. Listener-caller participation arrays varying social orders across this imagined-yet-real terrain. Radio talk thus becomes a 'euphemised' form of social pre-dispositioning power, differentially locating power across communities. Four sets of talk-radio texts are examined in detail, using a socially contextualised form of linguistic analysis. Transcripts from 2UE's 'The Stan Zemanek Show' reveals an openly-gendered and more covertly classed discourse. The address to private rather than to public 'selves' in late-night sex-counselling talkback is examined. The study then examines programming from the community radio sector of volunteer-produced, local radio transmission. Finally, the study examines 'The prison show', a community radio music request and message programme for Aboriginal prisoners. The study concludes by suggesting that talk radio's role within cultural formation is complex in its articulations, but deeply implicated within the major cultural formational activities of contemporary consumer culture, on which are being modelled digital audio broadcasting's newly intensified flows of interactivity
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies, 2008.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 2, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-120). Also issued in print.

This guide was developed to provide a hands-on, interdisciplinary curriculum, based on children's literature for grades four through six. It is a resource for teachers incorporating environmental education into their regular curriculum, revolving around a common theme, trees.

The investigation conducted for this thesis endeavoured to determine to what extent a relationship exists between pre-service elementary school teacher enjoyment of participating in science laboratory activities in a university-level background science course and their understanding of the science involved in those activities. A student enjoyment score for two science laboratory activities was generated from survey data. A student understanding score was generated from responses to relevant questions on the final exam of the course. A step-wise logistic regression was then conducted on the student enjoyment and understanding scores. Within the scope of the investigation described in this thesis, the findings lead to the conclusion that enjoyment appears to be unrelated to understanding.

Introducció L'obesitat és, actualment, el problema nutricional més freqüent als països industrialitzats i que més comorbiditat associa, a curt i llarg termini, convertint-se en un dels problemes de salut pública més greus del segle XXI. Segons l'OMS, en el 2012 hi havia 42 milions de nens amb sobrepès al món. D'aquests, 35 milions viuen en països en vies de desenvolupament. Espanya no és aliena al problema. Del primer estudi en el 1984, PAIDOS, al segon en el 2000, Enkid, la prevalença de l'obesitat va augmentar del 5 al 15%. En l'estudi Aladino, realitzat l'any 2011, va situar en un 31.4% la prevalença d'excés de pes (17.6% d'obesitat infantil) en territori espanyol en nens d'entre 6 i 9 anys. L'any 2012, segons una enquesta realitzada pel Ministeri de Sanitat, Serveis Socials i Igualtat el 25.9% de nens i el 31.6% de nenes entre els 2 i 5 anys no realitzaven exercici físic. Les xifres milloraven entre la població de 6 a 10 anys, on un 7.9% dels nens i un 12.7% de les nenes asseguraven no realitzar cap tipus d'exercici físic. A Catalunya, l'any 2013, el 28.8% de la població de 6 a 14 anys havia participat cada dia o gairebé cada dia del mes en activitats o jocs d'esforç físic o esports, en contrast amb el 20.9% que declarava no haver participat cap dia o gairebé cap dia. Contingut de la investigació Donat el gran impacte sanitari de l'obesitat, es fa imperativa la creació de programes específics per a la prevenció i el tractament de l'obesitat infantil on treballin de forma integrada els professionals de diferents àmbits. Nombroses publicacions han demostrat que la modificació d'hàbits és una estratègia vàlida i ha de ser l'eina principal per combatre el sobrepès i l'obesitat infantil. Els programes d'intervenció han de tenir com a finalitat promoure hàbits saludables des de l'educació nutricional i l'exercici físic. El missatge d'aquests programes ha de ser comprensible i la proposta assolible, afavorint d'aquesta manera l'adhesió. L'objectiu general d'aquesta tesi doctoral va ser la creació i el desenvolupament de programes d'educació nutricional (INFADIMED) i de promoció de l'activitat física (ACTIVA’T) per incidir en la prevalença del sobrepès infantil. Conclusió La prevalença d'excés de pes infantil (sobrepès + obesitat) a Vilafranca del Penedès a l'inici de l'estudi INFADIMED i a la franja d'edat de 3 a 7 anys era del 21.9%. En separar la població intervinguda, es va obtenir un grup control amb una prevalença del 20.8% d'excés de pes i un grup intervenció amb una prevalença del 22.9%. En finalitzar el programa d'intervenció, tres anys després, el grup control va augmentar la prevalença del sobrepès infantil en 8.4 punts (percentatge final: 29.2%), mentre que el grup intervenció va descendir 6.3 punts (percentatge final: 16.6%). La població de l'estudi ACTIVA’T, dividit en dos grups, un que va rebre educació nutricional i va realitzar exercici físic més de 5 hores a la setmana durant 6 mesos, i un altre grup que va rebre la mateixa educació nutricional i va realitzar menys de 3 hores a la setmana en el mateix període de temps, també va millorar la prevalença d'excés de pes, essent el primer grup el que va obtenir millors resultats, demostrant el paper important que juga l'activitat física en l'excés de pes. El perfil lipídic en una subpoblació de l'estudi ACTIVA’T també va millorar substancialment després dels 6 mesos d'intervenció dietètica i dietètica combinada amb el programa d'exercici físic. L'educació nutricional va millorar els hàbits alimentaris dels participants, en el context d'una major adherència a la dieta mediterrània, millorant sobretot en el que al desdejuni es refereix i incrementant el consum de fruites i verdures.
Introducción La obesidad es, actualmente, el problema nutricional más frecuente en los países industrializados y que más comorbilidad asocia, a corto y largo plazo, convirtiéndose en uno de los problemas de salud pública más graves del siglo XXI. Según la OMS, en el 2012 había 42 millones de niños con sobrepeso en el mundo. De éstos, 35 millones viven en países en vías de desarrollo. España no es ajena al problema. Del primer estudio en 1984, PAIDOS, al segundo en 2000, Enkid, la prevalencia de la obesidad aumentó del 5 al 15%. En el estudio Aladino, realizado en el año 2011, situó en un 31.4% la prevalencia de exceso de peso (17.6% de obesidad infantil) en territorio español en niños de entre 6 y 9 años. En el año 2012, según una encuesta realizada por el Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad el 25.9% de niños y el 31.6% de niñas entre los 2 y 5 años no realizaban ejercicio físico. Las cifras mejoraban entre la población de 6 a 10 años, donde un 7.9% de los niños y un 12.7% de las niñas aseguraban no realizar ningún tipo de ejercicio físico. En Cataluña, en el año 2013, el 28.8% de la población de 6 a 14 años había participado cada día o casi cada día del mes en actividades o juegos de esfuerzo físico o deportes, en contraste con el 20.9% que declaraba no haber participado ningún día o casi ningún día. Contenido de la investigación Dado el gran impacto sanitario de la obesidad, se hace imperativa la creación de programas específicos para la prevención y el tratamiento de la obesidad infantil donde trabajen de forma integrada los profesionales de diferentes ámbitos. Los programas de intervención deben tener como finalidad promover hábitos saludables desde la educación nutricional y el ejercicio físico. El mensaje de estos programas debe ser comprensible y la propuesta alcanzable, favoreciendo de este modo la adhesión. El objetivo general de esta tesis doctoral fue la creación y el desarrollo de programas de educación nutricional (INFADIMED) y de promoción de la actividad física (ACTIVA’T) para incidir en la prevalencia del sobrepeso infantil. Conclusión La prevalencia de exceso de peso infantil (sobrepeso + obesidad) en Vilafranca del Penedès al inicio del estudio INFADIMED y en la franja de edad de 3 a 7 años era del 21.9%. Al separar la población intervenida, se obtuvo un grupo control con una prevalencia del 20.8% de exceso de peso y un grupo intervención con una prevalencia del 22.9%. Al finalizar el programa de intervención, tres años después, el grupo control aumentó la prevalencia del sobrepeso infantil en 8.4 puntos (porcentaje final: 29.2%), mientras que el grupo intervención descendió 6.3 puntos (porcentaje final: 16.6%). La población del estudio ACTIVA’T, dividido en dos grupos, uno que recibió educación nutricional y realizó ejercicio físico más de 5 horas a la semana durante 6 meses, y otro grupo que recibió la misma educación nutricional y realizó menos de 3 horas a la semana en el mismo periodo de tiempo, también mejoró la prevalencia de exceso de peso, siendo el primer grupo el que obtuvo mejores resultados, demostrando el papel importante que juega la actividad física en el exceso de peso. El perfil lipídico en una subpoblación del estudio ACTIVA’T también mejoró sustancialmente después de los 6 meses de intervención dietética y dietética combinada con el programa de ejercicio físico. La educación nutricional mejoró los hábitos alimentarios de los participantes, en el contexto de una mayor adherencia a la dieta mediterránea, mejorando sobre todo en lo que al desayuno se refiere e incrementando el consumo de frutas y verduras.
Introduction Obesity is currently the most common nutritional problem in industrialized countries as well as high comorbidity shows in short and long term, becoming one of the most serious public health problems of the XXIst century. According to WHO, in 2012 there were 42 million overweight children worldwide. Of these, 35 million live in developing countries. Spain is not strange to the problem. From PAIDOS in 1984, the first study, to ENKID in 2000, the second one, the prevalence of obesity increased from 5 to 15%. Aladdin study, conducted in 2011, stood at 31.4% prevalence of overweight (17.6% of child obesity) in Spain in children aged 6 to 9 years. In 2012, according to a survey conducted by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, 25.9% of boys and 31.6% girls aged between 2 and 5 years old showed no physical exercise. These figures improved among the population aged 6 to 10, where 7.9% of boys and 12.7% girls claimed not to perform any kind of physical exercise. In Catalonia, in 2013, 28.8% of the population aged 6 to 14 years old had participated every day or almost every day of the month in physical activities or sports games, in contrast to 20.9% who did not participate any day or almost any day. Research content Given the great health impact of obesity, it is imperative to create specific programs for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity on the integrated work of professionals from various fields. Numerous publications have shown that changing habits is a valid strategy and should be the main tool to fight against overweight and obesity in children. Intervention programs should be aimed at promoting healthy habits from nutritional education and physical exercise. The message of these programs should be understandable and achievable proposal, thereby increasing membership. The overall objective of this thesis was the creation and development of nutritional education (INFADIMED) and promoting physical activity (ACTIVA’T) programs to influence on the prevalence of overweight children. Conclusion At the beginning of the INFADIMED study, the prevalence of excessive weight (overweight + obesity) in 3-to 7-year-old children in Villafranca del Penedès was 21.9%. The INFADIMED population was divided in a control group with a 20.8% prevalence of excessive weight and an intervention group with a prevalence of 22.9%. Three years later, at the end of the intervention program, the prevalence of excessive weight increased in the control group by 8.4 points (29.2%), while decreased by 6.3 points (16.6 %) in the intervention group. In the ACTIVA’T study, the population was also divided into two groups, one that received nutritional education and performed physical exercise more than 5 hours a week for six months, and the other group received the same nutrition education and performed within 3 hours a week in the same period. The first group decreased their prevalence of excessive weight, demonstrating the important role that physical activity plays in the excessive weight. In a subpopulation of the study ACTIVA’T, the lipid profile also improved substantially after 6 months of diet and exercise program. In both studies, the nutritional education program increased the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet of the participants. The results indicated a mainly positive effect on breakfast habits and also an increased on fruit and vegetable consumption.

Planarian flatworms are gaining popularity in regenerative medicine research due to the fact that they have unparalleled regeneration capacity. Their tissue recovery abilities are dependent on a pool of adult stem cells (neoblasts). Studies in the recent years have shown that epigenetic mechanisms have an important role in neoblasts’ self-renewal and differentiation properties. This thesis focuses on the study of trithorax-related genes and their function in neoblast regulation. Despite the fact that mammalian trithorax-related genes Mll3 and Mll4 are among the most frequently mutated genes in cancer, trithorax-related genes are the least well-studies members of the trithorax gene group (TrxG) of histone modifiers. The current study traced the evolutionary history of trithorax-related genes and concluded that they have undergone a number of independent gene fission events across phyla. In planarians, there are three partial orthologue of the mammalian Mll3 and Mll4 genes – Smed-LPT (corresponding to the N-terminus of Mll3/4), Smed-trr-1 and Smed-trr-2 (both corresponding to the C-terminus of Mll3/4). The three planarian trithorax-related genes are expressed in stem cells and control neoblast differentiation down certain lineages (brain, gut, eyes, pharynx, epidermis). Down-regulation of Smed-LPT results in hyperproliferation of stem cells, leading to tumour-like outgrowth formation. It was shown that trithorax-related genes’ function in stem cell regulation correlates with histone modification changes, specifically alterations in H3K4me1, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3. Future studies will focus on examining this correlation further via Next-Generation sequencing techniques.

The role of fatherhood in communities that experience marginalization is not well understood in academic literature. Further, there is little known about the implementation and evaluation of physical activity programs that are accessible and suitable for fathers who experience income instability, racial discrimination, precarious housing, gender discrimination, and domestic and/or sexualized violence. In this thesis, which is presented in the publishable paper format and is comprised of two papers, I sought to address these gaps. Informed by a constructionist epistemology and an intersectional poststructuralist theoretical framework, in the first paper, I used document analysis and Bacchi and Goodwin’s (2016) “What’s the problem represented to be approach” to investigate how fathers are represented in the program policies of organizations that provide family-centred services in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In the second paper, guided by the methodological tenets of community-based participatory research, I used semi-structured interviews and critical discourse analysis to better understand how men’s lived experiences as fathers in the Downtown Eastside shaped their participation in Make a Move: Family Walking Program. Taken together, the findings from both papers provide insight into the lived experiences of fathers and the roles that policy and physical activity play in shaping fatherhood in the Downtown Eastside.

The Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension (herein: Extension) system has been an underutilized resource for physical activity programming. With the recent addition of physical activity as a focus of Extension work, efforts are needed improve dissemination and implementation of evidence-based physical activity interventions. Improving implementation requires overcoming limitations including institutional support and perceptions of Extension health educators who could develop, deliver, and evaluate these programs. A participatory approach that includes input at all delivery levels (program participants, delivery agents, and administrators) can aid implementation through considering program acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility from the beginning. This dissertation includes three manuscripts that explore the Extension's role in promoting physical activity in older adults, both in the United States and abroad. Manuscript 1 detailed a systematic review of community-based older adult physical activity programs that was conducted in order to determine the characteristics of effective older adult physical activity programs and the extent to which programs implemented in Extension systems nationwide employ these characteristics. The results indicated notable differences between peer-reviewed literature and Extension programs as well as presented an opportunity for Extension programs to more effectively use evidence-based program characteristics, including behavioral theories and group dynamics. The results also suggested that Extension programs could more effectively report their findings through peer-reviewed sources so that effective programs can be disseminated to reach a broader population. Manuscript 2 was an exploratory study conducted as a first step in bringing older adult physical activity programming to Ghana through Extension. Results of the mixed-methods study suggested that older adults in Ghana have mostly positive perceptions of physical activity and would be receptive to an in-person physical activity program. In particular, without specific prompting on principles of group dynamics, across all focus groups, participants mentioned aspects of groupness ranging from the need for accountability to the enjoyment of exercising with others. The results also indicated a need for education on Ministry of Health physical activity recommendations and how to meet them. These findings can be used as the first step to adapting and delivering an evidence-based intervention in Ghana through an integrated research-practice partnership. This approach includes community-level decision making to ensure the resultant program is a good fit in the intended delivery system. Manuscript 3 detailed the translation of an evidence-based older adult physical activity program to an Extension system in a rural state (population 585,501). Results suggested that Extension health educators have overall positive perceptions of physical activity programming, but they experience barriers in delivering these programs. While the program has the potential to reach a representative sample of the population, the adoption rate among Extension health educators was low, and system-wide changes may be needed to improve physical activity program adoption rates among educators. Overall, results of the three manuscripts provided evidence and recommendations for Extension professionals to improve physical activity program implementation through using evidence-based interventions and characteristics, considering perceptions of end users prior to program implementation, and considering system-level changes that promote physical activity program adoption.
Ph. D.

Background: Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Despite public health guidelines advising children and adolescents to spend a minimum of 60 minutes per day of at least moderate intensity physical activity, a large proportion of children and adolescents fail to meet these guidelines. Interventions promoting physical activity show varying degrees of success, and more detailed evaluations of such interventions are essential. The aim of this research was to conduct an in-depth evaluation of a community-based physical activity program aimed at children and adolescents, specifically the Tribe Project. Methods: The RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) was used to evaluate the individual and organisational-level impact of the Tribe Project. A single mixed method case study was used based on five sources of evidence: interviews, questionnaires, documentation, archival records and direct observations. Participants included the Tribe managers and coaches implementing the program and the Tribe parents and children/adolescents who attended. Results: The Tribe Project reached approximately 2.5% of the eligible population living within Bath and North East Somerset. The program successfully met some of its objectives although feedback procedures were poor and the program aims were unclear. The community-level adoption of the program was high, however, the implementation and adherence to the program principles at the setting-level varied. The program was successfully institutionalised within the University of Bath yet pathways after the program into the community varied, and were mostly competitive only. Nonetheless, a combination of social, psychological and physical benefits was reported following participation. Conclusion: To assess accurately the potential impact of physical activity interventions a combined assessment of individual and organisational-level factors is necessary. This will help inform policy on effective strategies to promote physical activity in the community, and develop interventions that are more effective as a result.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 213 p.; also includes graphics (some col.). Includes bibliographical references (p. 138-148). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

El artículo analiza la forma en que son usados e interpretados los servicios del programa Centros del Adulto Mayor (CAM) del Seguro Social en Salud por los usuarios y profesionales que lo ejecutan en un distrito popular del sur de Lima. Sobre la base de investigación etnográfica, se muestra la forma en que una política construye una “forma de vejez ideal” que es promovida a través de los servicios que ofrece. Lo planteado por el programa no es asumido de manera pasiva por los profesionales que lo implementan a nivel local. Ellos reinterpretan sus lineamientos en función de sus sentidos comunes y experiencias lo cual genera grandes contradicciones así como una reproducción parcial de prejuicios relacionados a la vejez. Por otro lado, los usuarios utilizan el programa como mecanismo para afrontar crisis experimentadas en esta etapa de sus vidas, así como para oponerse al discurso hegemónico que los destina a vivir su vejez que no los satisface. El CAM les ofrece estas oportunidades pero no pueden ser aprovechadas uniformemente ya que no todos los miembros cuentan con los recursos o capacidades para hacerlo, así como también genera malestar al aislarlos conceptual y espacialmente denominándolos “adultos mayores”.
The article analyzes the uses and interpretations of the services of a Senior Activity Center program (Centros del Adulto Mayor - CAM) by its users and the professionals who direct it in a low-income urban district of Lima, Peru. Based on ethnographic research, and revealed the way a public policy builds an «ideal old age» which is promoted by their services. This is not passively assumed by the professionals who implement the program locally. They reinterpret their guidelines based on their common sense and experience which generates contradictions and a partial reproduction of prejudices related to old age. On the other hand, users use the program as a mechanism to deal with moments of crisis that were experienced at this stage of their lives. Also to oppose the hegemonic discourse of old age that doesn’t satisfy them. The CAM offers these opportunities but they don’t benefit all members uniformly because they don’t have the same resources or capacity. The program also creates discomfort between these elders because it isolates them conceptually and spatially when it calls them «seniors».

Poor diet and physical inactivity contribute to excessive weight and related diseases in the United States. Given the increasing rates of adult overweight and obesity among Americans, there is a need to develop and implement effective prevention and treatment strategies to decrease the public health burden of obesity-related chronic diseases. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide a unique setting and partnership opportunity for delivering evidence-based programs into communities that can be sustained. The federally funded Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) delivered through Virginia Tech's Cooperative Extension and Family Nutrition Program, utilizes evidence-based programs to promote healthy eating and physical activity among limited income populations. The Virginia SNAP-Ed Volunteer Led Nutrition Education Initiative uses SNAP-Ed agents and educators to reach limited income populations by training and coordinating volunteers from communities to deliver nutrition education programs. However, these partnerships and training initiatives have been underutilized in FBOs across Virginia. This dissertation research describes four studies conducted to better understand how to facilitate collaborative partnerships and health-promotion programming initiatives between academic/extension educators and FBOs to build capacity and inform future initiatives within VCE. Study one conducted a literature review to examine FBO characteristics and multi-level strategies used to implement nutrition and physical activity interventions. Study two examined VCE SNAP-Ed agents' perspectives on FBO partnerships to deliver health programming. Study three assessed three FBOs and their member health needs to identify policies, systems and environments to support healthy lifestyles. Study four examined the acceptability of Faithful Families, a faith-based nutrition and physical activity program delivered in a rural church, and explored ways to build capacity for program sustainability through input from stakeholder partners. Results across studies yielded information which helped to identify and prioritize strategies for promoting FBO partnerships within VCE and helped to generate questions that merit further investigation to identify specific culturally relevant strategies for promoting health in FBOs. This exploratory body of research contributes to the field by describing relevant opportunities for academic sectors to partner with FBOs using participatory approaches to increase partnership readiness and build capacity to carry out and sustain health programs within faith settings.
Ph. D.

Abstract: It is believed that Flag Rugby may produce physical activity (PA) in middle school students that is more vigorous than other sports. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of different sports on physical activity in middle school students. METHODS: 101 (55 M; 46 F, ages 11-14, grades 6-8 ) middle schoolers were randomly selected to participate in three different sports on three separate days during their regular scheduled PE class. The participants engaged in flag football on day one, basketball on day two and flag rugby on day three of the research study. These days were not consecutive. All physiological-related variables were collected using the Stayhealthy RT3TM accelerometer (Monrovia, USA). Enjoyment and competence were measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) (McAuley et. al., 1989; Ryan, 1982). The research design utilized a repeated measure analysis of variance (RMANOVA) followed by dependent t-tests. RESULTS: Flag football mean MET values were 4.93 + 1.35(SD). Basketball mean MET values were 5.51 + 2.02. Flag rugby mean MET values were 6.02 + 1.52. These results indicate a significant difference between flag football vs. basketball (p = 0.023) and flag rugby vs. flag football (p < 0.000), but no significant difference between basketball vs. flag rugby (p = 0.109). The results from the enjoyment and competence paired samples t-test found a significant difference between play of flag rugby (6.24 + 1.59, enjoyment; 6.00 + 1.46, competence) and flag football (5.38 + 1.69, enjoyment; 5.26 + 1.56) at (p < 0.000) for both scales. There was a significant difference between flag rugby and basketball (5.21 + 1.80 enjoyment; 5.21 + 1.68) at (p < 0.000) enjoyment and (p< 0.001) competence. However, there was no significant difference between basketball and flag football (p = 0.481) enjoyment and (p = 0.827) competence. DISCUSSION: There is, in fact, a significant difference in physical activity intensities and durations between flag rugby and that of flag football and/or basketball (p < 0.001) F, 7.66. Results from this study suggest that there is not a significant difference in between flag rugby and basketball but there is a significant difference in enjoyment and competence between flag rugby and flag football.

An intervention, which targeted three- and four-year-old children's oral language, was developed for this study. The intervention was run over twice-weekly sessions, for ten weeks. Incorporating good Early Years practice, the first session in the week was a group shared storybook reading session with a puppet, where dialogic discussion took place and the children practised sequencing the story using visual prompts. The second weekly session consisted of planning, acting out and reviewing a planned pretend play episode based on the storybook which was read in that week's first session. Ninety-four children were randomly assigned to a control or treatment group and were tested at pre- and post-test on a battery of vocabulary and narrative assessments. The results of a Randomised Control Trial were positive in favour of the intervention. The most important of these results was a statistically significant effect on the receptive vocabulary of the children in the treatment group, with a large effect size, as measured by the standardised British Picture Vocabulary Scales (Dunn et al., 1997). There was also a significant effect on productive vocabulary, as measured by a Researcher-Designed Vocabulary Test (RDVT). This test was devised for the purpose of this study, testing one-word vocabulary, taken directly from the storybooks in the intervention. As this is not a norm-referenced, standardised test, caution is advisable in the interpretation of this result. A further positive effect concerned the narrative skills of the children in the treatment group, when compared to the children in a control group - the Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) score was higher in the treatment group, with a medium effect size. By examining the intervention by Randomised Control Trial, this study responds to the call from Lillard et al (2013) for more experimental research on pretend play and narrative. The acknowledgement of the role of the adult in the intervention coupled with the positive effect on the children's MLU and receptive vocabulary mean that the intervention, with further development, has the potential to be used as a Professional Development tool for supporting language development in the Early Years in the UK, in the future.

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and physical inactivity continues to threaten the health of our nation's youth. Schools provide the opportunity for children to accumulate physical activity and can become proactive in promoting healthy behavior. This study features the practices of three public elementary schools in San Diego County that are implementing quality physical education and other types of physical activity programs to improve the wellbeing of their student population. Elementary schools were purposefully selected and observed over the school year. Direct observation tools were used to measure physical activity levels and semi-structured interviews were conducted with school administrators, teachers, and community members. Documentation along with photographs related to the school environment and physical activity programs were collected as supportive records. Key themes emerged after data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for patterns and themes. Five common themes emerged: 1) Having administrators and educators who valued physical education and physical activity and were leaders and champions for student wellness; 2) Having involved parents and established community partnerships to support and sustain programs through monetary contributions, donations, and volunteer time; 3) Implementing programs which promoted cooperation and personal responsibility; 4) Offering physical education instruction that actively engaged students; 5) Having levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity that varied among grade levels and gender. Public health and education must share the responsibility for teaching students and family's important techniques for adopting and maintaining healthy practices. The findings from this study have implications for educators and administrators trying to increase opportunities for physical education and physical activity with limited resources and competing academic priorities. The collective practices of the three elementary schools will inform school administrators, enhance teaching strategies, and influence physical activity policies and practices among individuals seeking to advance student wellness.