Growing community : the impact of the Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden program on the social and learning environment in primary schools

This article presents results from a mixed-method evaluation of a structured cooking and gardening program in Australian primary schools, focusing on program impacts on the social and learning environment of the school. In particular, we address the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program objective of providing a pleasurable experience that has a positive impact on student engagement, social connections, and confidence within and beyond the school gates. Primary evidence for the research question came from qualitative data collected from students, parents, teachers, volunteers, school principals, and specialist staff through interviews, focus groups, and participant observations. This was supported by analyses of quantitative data on child quality of life, cooperative behaviors, teacher perceptions of the school environment, and school-level educational outcome and absenteeism data. Results showed that some of the program attributes valued most highly by study participants included increased student engagement and confidence, opportunities for experiential and integrated learning, teamwork, building social skills, and connections and links between schools and their communities. In this analysis, quantitative findings failed to support findings from the primary analysis. Limitations as well as benefits of a mixed-methods approach to evaluation of complex community interventions are discussed.

Automated classification of human daily activities in ambulatory environment

This paper presents a human daily activity classification approach based on the sensory data collected from a single tri-axial accelerometer worn on waist belt. The classification algorithm was realized to distinguish 6 different activities including standing, jumping, sitting-down, walking, running and falling through three major steps: wavelet transformation, Principle Component Analysis (PCA)-based dimensionality reduction and followed by implementing a radial basis function (RBF) kernel Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. Two trials were conducted to evaluate different aspects of the classification scheme. In the first trial, the classifier was trained and evaluated by using a dataset of 420 samples collected from seven subjects by using a k-fold cross-validation method. The parameters σ and c of the RBF kernel were optimized through automatic searching in terms of yielding the highest recognition accuracy and robustness. In the second trial, the generation capability of the classifier was also validated by using the dataset collected from six new subjects. The average classification rates of 95% and 93% are obtained in trials 1 and 2, respectively. The results in trial 2 show the system is also good at classifying activity signals of new subjects. It can be concluded that the collective effects of the usage of single accelerometer sensing, the setting of the accelerometer placement and efficient classifier would make this wearable sensing system more realistic and more comfortable to be implemented for long-term human activity monitoring and classification in ambulatory environment, therefore, more acceptable by users.

A longitudinal study of the family physical activity environment and physical activity among youth

Purpose. Although the family environment is a potentially important influence on children's physical activity (PA), prospective data investigating these associations are lacking. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal relationship between the family environment and PA among youth.

Design. A 5-year prospective cohort study.

Setting. Nineteen randomly selected public schools in Melbourne, Australia.

Subjects. Families of 5- to 6-year-old (n  =  190) and 10- to 12-year-old (n  =  350) children.

Measures. In 2001, parents reported their participation in PA, family-based PA, and support and reinforcement for their child's PA. In 2001, 2004, and 2006, moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) was assessed among youth using accelerometers. Weekend and “critical window” (after school until 6:00 p.m.) MVPA were examined because we hypothesized that the family environment would most likely influence these behaviors.

Analysis. Generalized estimating equations predicted average change in MVPA over 5 years from baseline family environment factors.

Results. Maternal role modeling was positively associated with boys' critical window and weekend (younger boys) MVPA. Paternal reinforcement of PA was positively associated with critical window and weekend MVPA among all boys, and paternal direct support was positively associated with weekend MVPA (older boys). Among girls, maternal coparticipation in PA predicted critical window MVPA, and sibling coparticipation in PA was directly associated with weekend MVPA (younger girls).

Conclusions. Longitudinal relationships, although weak in magnitude, were observed between the family environment and MVPA among youth. Interventions promoting maternal role modeling, paternal reinforcement of and support for PA, and maternal and sibling coparticipation in PA with youth are warranted.

Understanding the context of distance students : differences in on- and off-campus engagement with an online learning environment

 While a growing number of higher education institutions are providing online modes of study for both on- and off-campus students, there are very real differences in demography, technology experiences, reasons for study, etc. between on- and off-campus students, and research into engagement with online learning environments (OLEs) indicate differences in the way that on- and off-campus students interact with OLEs. In Australia, Deakin University is a major provider of distance and online education, and provides a case study of a higher education institution with a mature and large-scale OLE implementation providing support to both on- and off-campus students. Deakin Studies Online (DSO) is Deakin University’s OLE. Based on a representative sample of 1322 responses to the 2011 DSO evaluation survey, this paper presents a large-scale, up-to-date and fine-grained investigation of impact of mode of study on the student experience of using an OLE. It was found that the primary place of access to DSO for both groups was home, mobile access to DSO seems likely to be of growing importance to both groups, and there was no statistically significant difference in the mean satisfaction ratings between on- and off-campus students for virtually all DSO functions. Off-campus students gave significantly higher mean ratings of importance (though not satisfaction) to a range of DSO functions that could be viewed as ‘value adders’ by off-campus students, enhancing their overall learning experience. For more than half of the DSO functions surveyed, on-campus students reported statistically significant higher mean frequency of access than off-campus students. The finding that elements of the institutional OLE are not universally perceived and used the same way by all students groups challenges the value of standard, one-size-fits-all institutional policies and templates relating to the use of OLEs.

Academic skills and beyond : a resource based approach to support student success in higher education

An increasingly diverse range of students are entering higher education, bringing with them a vast range of experiences, skills and pre-existing knowledge. However, approaches to increasing student participation (and therefore success) to date have focused on strategies aimed at supporting non-traditional students to “fit in”, rather than changing existing structures to accommodate their needs. This paper will outline a resource-based approach to student success, which capitalises on the resources and capacities existing within the student, within their performance of the student role and within the environment that surrounds their learning.
This paper will report on a study and propose a resource based approach to student success. Three main sites or domains are identified as a focus of this approach – intrapersonal resources, skills resources and environmental resources. These domains interact with each other to support student success, and three potential methods for implementing a resource based approach are highlighted in the spaces where they intersect. Pedagogical design, mapping and matching, and learning support all have a role in enabling both students and universities to make the most of their existing resources and develop new ones.

Is a perceived supportive physical environment important for self-reported leisure time physical activity among socioeconomically disadvantaged women with poor psychosocial characteristics? An observational study

Background Over the past decade, studies and public health interventions that target the physical environment as an avenue for promoting physical activity have increased in number. While it appears that a supportive physical environment has a role to play in promoting physical activity, social-ecological models emphasise the importance of considering other multiple levels of influence on behaviour, including individual (e.g. self-efficacy, intentions, enjoyment) and social (e.g. social support, access to childcare) factors (psychosocial factors). However, not everyone has these physical activity-promoting psychosocial characteristics; it remains unclear what contribution the environment makes to physical activity among these groups. This study aimed to examine the association between the perceived physical environment and self-reported leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among women living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas demonstrating different psychosocial characteristics.

Methods In 2007–8, 3765 women (18–45 years) randomly selected from low socioeconomic areas in Victoria, Australia, self-reported LTPA, and individual, social and physical environmental factors hypothesised within a social-ecological framework to influence LTPA. Psychosocial and environment scores were created. Associations between environment scores and categories of LTPA (overall and stratified by thirds of perceived environment scores) were examined using generalised ordered logistic regression.

Results Women with medium and high perceived environment scores had 20-38% and 44-70% greater odds respectively of achieving higher levels of LTPA than women with low environment scores. When stratified by thirds of psychosocial factor scores, these associations were largely attenuated and mostly became non-significant. However, women with the lowest psychosocial scores but medium or high environment scores had 76% and 58% higher odds respectively of achieving ≥120 minutes/week (vs. <120 minutes/week) LTPA.

Conclusions Acknowledging the cross-sectional study design, the findings suggest that a physical environment perceived to be supportive of physical activity might help women with less favourable psychosocial characteristics achieve moderate amounts of LTPA (i.e. ≥120 minutes/week). This study provides further support for research and public health interventions to target perceptions of the physical environment as a key component of strategies to promote physical activity.

Can a motivational intervention overcome an unsupportive environment for walking : findings from the step-by-step study

Background : Interventions to promote walking have rarely examined how their effects varied by the attributes of the physical environment.

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to examine whether perceptions of environmental walkability predicted change in walking behavior following an individual-based intervention to promote walking and whether the intervention buffered the effects of unsupportive environment for walking.

Methods : Inactive adults (aged 30–65 years, 85% women) who completed a 3-month randomized control trial comparing the effect of a single mail-out of a theoretically based self-help walking program (WP, n = 102); the same program plus a pedometer (WPP, n = 105); and a “no-treatment” control group (C, n = 107). Measures included change in self-reported walking time for all purposes and in the proportion of people reporting regular walking (i.e., ≥150 min/week and ≥5 sessions/wk). Perceptions of environmental esthetics, safety from crime, proximity to destinations, access to walking facilities, traffic, streetlights, connectivity, and hilliness were assessed at baseline and dichotomized into “low” or “high” by the median score. Covariates were social support, self-efficacy, intention to change behavior, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results : Adjusting for baseline walking, significant covariates, and study groups, walking time at follow-up was lower if streetlights or esthetics were perceived to be “low” (−24% and −22%, respectively) compared with “high” (p < 0.05). In “low” esthetic conditions, those in the WPP were significantly more likely than controls to increase total walking time (Exp (b) = 2.53, p < 0.01) and to undertake regular walking (OR = 5.85, 95% CI 2.60–12.2), whereas in esthetically pleasing environments, the between-group differences were nonsignificant.

Conclusions : Walkability attributes can influence individual-based walking programs. Some environmental barriers for walking can be overcome by motivational aids.

Cross-validation of the factorial structure of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) and its abbreviated form (NEWS-A)

Background : The Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) and its abbreviated form (NEWS-A) assess perceived environmental attributes believed to influence physical activity. A multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) conducted on a sample from Seattle, WA showed that, at the respondent level, the factor-analyzable items of the NEWS and NEWS-A measured 11 and 10 constructs of perceived neighborhood environment, respectively. At the census blockgroup (used by the US Census Bureau as a subunit of census tracts) level, the MCFA yielded five factors for both NEWS and NEWS-A. The aim of this study was to cross-validate the individual- and blockgroup-level measurement models of the NEWS and NEWS-A in a geographical location and population different from those used in the original validation study.

Methods : A sample of 912 adults was recruited from 16 selected neighborhoods (116 census blockgroups) in the Baltimore, MD region. Neighborhoods were stratified according to their socio-economic status and transport-related walkability level measured using Geographic Information Systems. Participants self-completed the NEWS. MCFA was used to cross-validate the individual- and blockgroup-level measurement models of the NEWS and NEWS-A.

Results : The data provided sufficient support for the factorial validity of the original individual-level measurement models, which consisted of 11 (NEWS) and 10 (NEWS-A) correlated factors. The original blockgroup-level measurement model of the NEWS and NEWS-A showed poor fit to the data and required substantial modifications. These included the combining of aspects of building aesthetics with safety from crime into one factor; the separation of natural aesthetics and building aesthetics into two factors; and for the NEWS-A, the separation of presence of sidewalks/walking routes from other infrastructure for walking.

Conclusion : This study provided support for the generalizability of the individual-level measurement models of the NEWS and NEWS-A to different urban geographical locations in the USA. It is recommended that the NEWS and NEWS-A be scored according to their individual-level measurement models, which are relatively stable and correspond to constructs commonly used in the urban planning and transportation fields. However, prior to using these instruments in international and multi-cultural studies, further validation work across diverse non-English speaking countries and populations is needed.

A new approach based on support vector machine for solving stochastic optimization

Making decision usually occurs in the state of being uncertain. These kinds of problems often expresses in a formula as optimization problems. It is desire for decision makers to find a solution for optimization problems. Typically, solving optimization problems in uncertain environment is difficult. This paper proposes a new hybrid intelligent algorithm to solve a kind of stochastic optimization i.e. dependent chance programming (DCP) model. In order to speed up the solution process, we used support vector machine regression (SVM regression) to approximate chance functions which is the probability of a sequence of uncertain event occurs based on the training data generated by the stochastic simulation. The proposed algorithm consists of three steps: (1) generate data to estimate the objective function, (2) utilize SVM regression to reveal a trend hidden in the data (3) apply genetic algorithm (GA) based on SVM regression to obtain an estimation for the chance function. Numerical example is presented to show the ability of algorithm in terms of time-consuming and precision.

Digital technology to support students’ socioscientific reasoning about environmental issues

Scientific expertise and outcomes often give rise to controversy. An educational response that equips students to take part in such discussions is the teaching of socially acute questions (SAQs). With SAQs, the understanding of uncertainty, risk and how knowledge is developed is central. This study explores the way in which students from different disciplines and different continents are brought together via a digital platform to explore SAQs about environmental issues (a green algae outbreak linked to release of fertilisers along the coast of Brittany; the construction of a desalination plant near Melbourne to produce freshwater; and changes in meat consumption on a global scale, with regard to population projections in 2050). We have developed frameworks for looking at the quality of the collective reasoning and at the nature of students’ interactions, so that we can analyse the organisation of the learning communities and the building of collegial expertise. The results show that interdisciplinary discussions, especially on an international scale, foster the understanding of complex situations. In this paper, we discuss the modalities of one didactic scenario to enhance critical thinking and collaborative work, and to provide space for learners to support argumentation.

Barriers to avoiding fast-food consumption in an environment supportive of unhealthy eating

Objective
To investigate factors (ability, motivation and the environment) that act as barriers to limiting fast-food consumption in women who live in an environment that is supportive of poor eating habits.

Design
Cross-sectional study using self-reports of individual-level data and objectively measured environmental data. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with frequency of fast-food consumption.

Setting
Socio-economically disadvantaged areas in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia.

Subjects
Women (n 932) from thirty-two socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods living within 3 km of six or more fast-food restaurants. Women were randomly sampled in 2007–2008 as part of baseline data collection for the Resilience for Eating and Activity Despite Inequality (READI) study.

Results
Consuming low amounts of fast food was less likely in women with lower perceived ability to shop for and cook healthy foods, lower frequency of family dining, lower family support for healthy eating, more women acquaintances who eat fast food regularly and who lived further from the nearest supermarket. When modelled with the other significant factors, a lower perceived shopping ability, mid levels of family support and living further from the nearest supermarket remained significant. Among those who did not perceive fruits and vegetables to be of high quality, less frequent fast-food consumption was further reduced for those with the lowest confidence in their shopping ability.

Conclusions
Interventions designed to improve women's ability and opportunities to shop for healthy foods may be of value in making those who live in high-risk environments better able to eat healthily.

Evolution of adolescent mental health in a rapidly changing socioeconomic environment: a review of mental health studies in adolescents in India over last 10 years

Background: Significant changes in the economic, familial and social support aspects in India have occurred in recent times, making it an interesting naturalistic setting to observe the effects of a dynamic socioeconomic environment on behavioral and emotional disorders in adolescents. Objective: This systematic review attempts to synthesize and evaluate the available evidence on mental health disorders and interventions in adolescents in India in last 10 years as well as identify conceptual trends and methodological lacunae in these studies. Method: A systematic search of electronic databases was performed in March 2014 and 27 school and community based studies evaluating behavioral problems, psychiatric morbidity, stress, suicide-related behaviors, depression, anxiety, aggression, self concept in adolescents in India were reviewed. Conclusion: There is a wide variation in the reported prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and behavioral problems in Indian adolescents. Some of the risk and protective factors are similar to those identified by other International studies in this age group. These include female gender, academic difficulties, parental fights, strained familial relationships, school absenteeism, school dropout and other school related factors. However, there are certain variables that appear to be context specific and need further investigation. These are mother's working status, studying in Government institutions or belonging to a nuclear family as risk factors and praying as a coping skill, parental involvement as a protective factor for psychiatric disorders. The suspected upward trend in the psychiatric morbidity in this age group needs more studies to be established. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

A cluster randomised controlled trial of a telephone-based intervention targeting the home food environment of preschoolers (The Healthy Habits Trial): the effect on parent fruit and vegetable consumption

Abstract
Background: The home food environment is an important setting for the development of dietary patterns in childhood. Interventions that support parents to modify the home food environment for their children, however, may also improve parent diet. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a telephone-based intervention targeting the home food environment of preschool children on the fruit and vegetable consumption of parents.
Methods: In 2010, 394 parents of 3 – 5 year – old children from 30 preschools in the Hunter region of Australia were recruited to this cluster randomised controlled trial and were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Intervention group parents received four weekly 30-minute telephone calls and written resources. The scripted calls focused on; fruit and vegetable availability and accessibility, parental role-modelling, and supportive home food routines. Two items from the Australian National Nutrition Survey were used to assess the average number of serves of fruit and vegetables consumed each day by parents at baseline, and 2-, 6-, 12-, and 18-months later, using generalised estimating equations (adjusted for baseline values and clustering by preschool) and an intention-to-treat-approach.
Results: At each follow-up, vegetable consumption among intervention parents significantly exceeded that of controls. At 2-months the difference was 0.71 serves (95% CI: 0.58-0.85, p < 0.0001), and at 18-months the difference was 0.36 serves (95% CI: 0.10-0.61, p = 0.0067). Fruit consumption among intervention parents was found to significantly exceed consumption of control parents at the 2-,12- and 18-month follow-up, with the difference at 2-months being 0.26 serves (95% CI: 0.12-0.40, p = 0.0003), and 0.26 serves maintained at 18-months, (95% CI: 0.10-0.43, p = 0.0015).
Conclusions: A four-contact telephone-based intervention that focuses on changing characteristics of preschoolers’ home food environment can increase parents’ fruit and vegetable consumption.
(ANZCTR12609000820202)

Social competence following pediatric stroke: contributions of brain insult and family environment

Limited information is available regarding predictors of psychosocial difficulties in children following stroke. This study aimed to (i) compare social competence of children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) to those with chronic illness and healthy controls and (ii) investigate the contribution of stroke pathology, neurological outcome and environment. Thirty-six children with AIS > 12 months prior to recruitment were compared with children with chronic illness (asthma) (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 43). Children underwent intellectual assessment, and children and parents completed questionnaires to assess social competence. Children with AIS underwent MRI scan and neurological evaluation. Child AIS was associated with poorer social adjustment and participation, and children with AIS were rated as having more social problems than controls. Lesion volume was not associated with social outcome, but subcortical stroke was linked to reduced social participation and younger stroke onset predicted better social interaction and higher self-esteem. Family function was the sole predictor of social adjustment. Findings highlight the risk of social impairment following pediatric stroke, with both stroke and environmental factors influencing children's social competence in the chronic stages of recovery. They indicate the potential for intervention targeting support at the family level.

Placing sensors for area coverage in a complex environment by a team of robots

Existing solutions to carrier-based sensor placement by a single robot in a bounded unknown Region of Interest (ROI) do not guarantee full area coverage or termination. We propose a novel localized algorithm, named Back-Tracking Deployment (BTD). To construct a full coverage solution over the ROI, mobile robots (carriers) carry static sensors as payloads and drop them at the visited empty vertices of a virtual square, triangular, or hexagonal grid. A single robot will move in a predefined order of directional preference until a dead end is reached. Then it back-tracks to the nearest sensor adjacent to an empty vertex (an "entrance" to an unexplored/uncovered area) and resumes regular forward movement and sensor dropping from there. To save movement steps, the back-tracking is carried out along a locally identified shortcut. We extend the algorithm to support multiple robots that move independently and asynchronously. Once a robot reaches a dead end, it will back-track, giving preference to its own path. Otherwise, it will take over the back-track path of another robot by consulting with neighboring sensors. We prove that BTD terminates within finite time and produces full coverage when no (sensor or robot) failures occur. We also describe an approach to tolerate failures and an approach to balance workload among robots. We then evaluate BTD in comparison with the only competing algorithms SLD [Chang et al. 2009a] and LRV [Batalin and Sukhatme 2004] through simulation. In a specific failure-free scenario, SLD covers only 40-50% of the ROI, whereas BTD covers it in full. BTD involves significantly (80%) less robot moves and messages than LRV.