Kognitive Eingangsvoraussetzungen, Studienwahlmotive und Studienerfolg Studierender mit dem Berufsziel "Lehrperson" und anderer Studiengänge

Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung von Handlungskompetenz werden bei Studierenden mit Berufsziel «Lehrperson» kognitive und nicht kognitive Eingangsvoraussetzungen zunehmend beachtet. Der Einfluss auf den Studienerfolg ist jedoch empirisch noch nicht hinreichend geklärt. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht anhand von Längsschnittdaten für zwei Deutschschweizer Gruppen von 74 Studierenden der Lehrpersonenbildung und 463 Studierenden anderer Studiengänge die Effekte von kognitiven Voraussetzungen und Studienwahlmotiven auf Bachelorabschlussnoten. Den Pfad- und Strukturgleichungsmodellen zufolge unterscheidet sich in den beiden Gruppen die Bedeutsamkeit einzelner Prädiktoren für den jeweiligen Studienerfolg

Cognitive admission prerequisites, motives for study choice and study success in students of teacher education and other study programmes

Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung von Handlungskompetenz werden bei Studierenden mit Berufsziel «Lehrperson» kognitive und nicht kognitive Eingangsvoraussetzungen zunehmend beachtet. Der Einfluss auf den Studienerfolg ist jedoch empirisch noch nicht hinreichend geklärt. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht anhand von Längsschnittdaten für zwei Deutschschweizer Gruppen von 74 Studierenden der Lehrpersonenbildung und 463 Studierenden anderer Studiengänge die Effekte von kognitiven Voraussetzungen und Studienwahlmotiven auf Bachelorabschlussnoten. Den Pfad- und Strukturgleichungsmodellen zufolge unterscheidet sich in den beiden Gruppen die Bedeutsamkeit einzelner Prädiktoren für den jeweiligen Studienerfolg. (DIPF/Orig.)The cognitive and non-cognitive admission prerequisites of students who intend to become a teacher have increasingly been considered with respect to the progress in their ability to act professionally. The influence of such prerequisites on study success has not been sufficiently clarified in empirical research yet, however. Drawing on data of longitudinal studies, our study aims to investigate the effects of both cognitive prerequisites and the motivation for choosing a specific study programme on the final grades of the undergraduate studies (Bachelor) in two Swiss-German groups, including 74 teacher-education students and 463 students of several other study programmes. According to our path models and structural equation models, the effect of the predictors on study success differs between the two groups. (DIPF/Orig.

Kognitive Eingangsvoraussetzungen, Studienwahlmotive und Studienerfolg Studierender mit dem Berufsziel "Lehrperson" und anderer Studiengänge

Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung von Handlungskompetenz werden bei Studierenden mit Berufsziel «Lehrperson» kognitive und nicht kognitive Eingangsvoraussetzungen zunehmend beachtet. Der Einfluss auf den Studienerfolg ist jedoch empirisch noch nicht hinreichend geklärt. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht anhand von Längsschnittdaten für zwei Deutschschweizer Gruppen von 74 Studierenden der Lehrpersonenbildung und 463 Studierenden anderer Studiengänge die Effekte von kognitiven Voraussetzungen und Studienwahlmotiven auf Bachelorabschlussnoten. Den Pfad- und Strukturgleichungsmodellen zufolge unterscheidet sich in den beiden Gruppen die Bedeutsamkeit einzelner Prädiktoren für den jeweiligen Studienerfolg.</jats:p

Intensive virtual reality-based training for upper limb motor function in chronic stroke: a feasibility study using a single case experimental design and fMRI

Purpose: To evaluate feasibility and neurophysiological changes after virtual reality (VR)-based training of upper limb (UL) movements. Method: Single-case A-B-A-design with two male stroke patients (P1:67 y and 50 y, 3.5 and 3 y after onset) with UL motor impairments, 45-min therapy sessions 5×/week over 4 weeks. Patients facing screen, used bimanual data gloves to control virtual arms. Three applications trained bimanual reaching, grasping, hand opening. Assessments during 2-week baseline, weekly during intervention, at 3-month follow-up (FU): Goal Attainment Scale (GAS), Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory (CAHAI), Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment (CMSA), Extended Barthel Index (EBI), Motor Activity Log (MAL). Functional magnetic resonance imaging scans (FMRI) before, immediately after treatment and at FU. Results: P1 executed 5478 grasps (paretic arm). Improvements in CAHAI (+4) were maintained at FU. GAS changed to +1 post-test and +2 at FU. P2 executed 9835 grasps (paretic arm). CAHAI improvements (+13) were maintained at FU. GAS scores changed to -1 post-test and +1 at FU. MAL scores changed from 3.7 at pre-test to 5.5 post-test and 3.3 at FU. Conclusion: The VR-based intervention was feasible, safe, and intense. Adjustable application settings maintained training challenge and patient motivation. ADL-relevant UL functional improvements persisted at FU and were related to changed cortical activation patterns. Implications for Rehabilitation YouGrabber trains uni- and bimanual upper motor function. Its application is feasible, safe, and intense. The control of the virtual arms can be done in three main ways: (a) normal (b) virtual mirror therapy, or (c) virtual following. The mirroring feature provides an illusion of affected limb movements during the period when the affected upper limb (UL) is resting. The YouGrabber training led to ADL-relevant UL functional improvements that were still assessable 12 weeks after intervention finalization and were related to changed cortical activation patterns

Lateral geniculate nucleus volumetry at 3T and 7T: Four different optimized magnetic-resonance-imaging sequences evaluated against a 7T reference acquisition

PURPOSE The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is an essential nucleus of the visual pathway, occupying a small volume (60-160 mm) among the other thalamic nuclei. The reported LGN volumes vary greatly across studies due to technical limitations and due to methodological differences of volume assessment. Yet, structural and anatomical alterations in ophthalmologic and neurodegenerative pathologies can only be revealed by a precise and reliable LGN representation. To improve LGN volume assessment, we first implemented a reference acquisition for LGN volume determination with optimized Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR) and high spatial resolution. Next, we compared CNR efficiency and rating reliability of 3D Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MPRAGE) images using white matter nulled (WMn) and grey matter nulled (GMn) sequences and its subtraction (WMn-GMn) relative to the clinical standard Proton Density Turbo Spin Echo (PD 2D TSE) and the reference acquisition. We hypothesized that 3D MPRAGE should provide a higher CNR and volume determination accuracy than the currently used 2D sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 31 healthy subjects, we obtained at 3 and 7 T the following MR sequences: PD-TSE, MPRAGE with white/grey matter signal nulled (WMn/GMn), and a motion-corrected segmented MPRAGE sequence with a resolution of 0.4 × 0.4 × 0.4 mm (reference acquisition). To increase CNR, GMn were subtracted from WMn (WMn-GMn). Four investigators manually segmented the LGN independently. RESULTS The reference acquisition provided a very sharp depiction of the LGN and an estimated mean LGN volume of 124 ± 3.3 mm. WMn-GMn had the highest CNR and gave the most reproducible LGN volume estimations between field strengths. Even with the highest CNR efficiency, PD-TSE gave inconsistent LGN volumes with the weakest reference acquisition correlation. The LGN WM rim induced a significant difference between LGN volumes estimated from WMn and GMn. WMn and GMn LGN volume estimations explained most of the reference acquisition volumes' variance. For all sequences, the volume rating reliability were good. On the other hand, the best CNR rating reliability, LGN volume and CNR correlations with the reference acquisition were obtained with GMn at 7 T. CONCLUSION WMn and GMn MPRAGE allow reliable LGN volume determination at both field strengths. The precise location and identification of the LGN (volume) can help to optimize neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies, which involve the LGN structure. Our optimized imaging protocol may be used for clinical applications aiming at small nuclei volumetric and CNR quantification