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Background: Online instruction within higher education is a growing trend. Asynchronous online courses vary widely in design elements. Research is needed to evaluate the impact of course design on student outcomes. A large, asynchronous undergraduate medical terminology course was modified to increase authentic language use, student interaction, formative feedback, retrieval practice, and metacognition. The purposes of this study were to describe modified course design elements and evaluate the impact of modifications on student outcomes compared with a standard course implemented concurrently. Methods: This prospective, quasi-experimental study included 494 students (modified course, n = 277; standard course, n = 217). Measures included student participation, performance, course satisfaction, self-efficacy (SE), and engagement. Results: Participation in assignments was high (88–94%). Students in both courses experienced growth in SE for medical terminology use. Students in the modified course earned significantly higher course grades and reported higher satisfaction levels. No significant differences in SE or exam scores were found between courses. Marginal significance was found for increased behavioral engagement for students in the modified course. Conclusions: Modifications based on language learning and learning science principles were feasible to implement within a large, asynchronous online medical terminology course. Modifications resulted in greater student satisfaction and improved course grades. Exam performance was not significantly different between the modified and standard courses. Future research should focus on modifications preparing students for summative assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital Ichthyosis represents a very rare group of congenital skin disorders characterized by some degree of scaling and thickening of the stratum corneum with skin inflammation. Severe forms such as Harlequin and Lamellar forms may present with limb and organ compromise, respectively. Patients with Lamellar subtype presents with severe ectropion which may lead to corneal ulceration, rupture and blindness. Treatment includes a multidisciplinary approach allowing for early intervention and treatment, which optimize the outcomes. The timing for intervention is not clearly defined in the literature. This is most likely due to a paucity in data due to the relative infrequency in these conditions. However, using principles similar to early treatment of ectropion in burnt patients may be employed. A case of Lamellar Ichthyosis that presented to our outpatient clinic which was successfully managed with early ectropion release and full thickness skin graft is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The PEDI-CAT mobility domain (PEDI-mob) is a parent-reported measure of mobility for children up to 21 years of age. The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between the PEDI-mob and Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM)-66 and Gross Motor Function Classification Scale (GMFCS) levels. Methods: Fifty-seven children (N = 57), ages 2–8.8 years participated. PEDI-mob and GMFM were administered and GMFCS was confirmed during the same session. A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for PEDI-mob and GMFM-66 scores to evaluate the association between these two measures. An ANOVA was used to analyze PEDI-mob across GMFCS levels. Results: Large, statistically significant correlation was found between PEDI-mob and GMFM-66 scores (r = 0.894, p-value<0.001). Differences in PEDI-mob scores were found across GMFCS levels (p-value <0.001), where patients with higher GMFCS levels had lower PEDI-mob scores. Conclusion: These results support a strong relationship between parent-reported and clinically measured motor function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer science as a discipline faces challenges in recruiting students, particularly young women, who have been underrepresented from the United States' economically stressed areas (e.g. African American, Latina, and Native American) continue to remain in the minority of the computer science population. One of the many explanations for this disparity is culturally irrelevant computer science activities that fail to consider women's intersecting cultural identities or potential for making a social impact through their innovations. We attended to these issues by designing and implementing culturally responsive computer science exercises for a multimedia program, entitled COMPUGIRLS, targeting adolescent girls (ages 13-18) from the United States' under resourced settings. This case study describes COMPUGIRLS' original iteration, the curriculum design, and the lessons learned in embedding a discipline that historically has not considered cultural issues or social justice within a framework that prioritizes these concepts - a culturally responsive framework. In the end, we consider how instructors might adopt and adapt our process and exercises for various underprivileged communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Involving parents in the evaluation of their child with cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with enhanced neurodevelopmental outcomes. The pediatric outcomes data collection instrument (PODCI) is a patient-reported outcome measure primarily used to assess motor function following orthopedic surgical intervention or for older children with more independent motor function. The PODCI expectations scale has infrequently been reported in previous studies. This study aims to determine the relationship between parent-reported motor performance using the PODCI and motor capacity assessed by pediatric therapists for young children with CP across all ability levels and to explore the use of the PODCI expectations scale for quantifying therapy-related parent expectations. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 108 participants with CP, 2 to 8 years of age, gross motor function classification systems (GMFCS) levels I to V. Measures included the PODCI, gross motor function measure (GMFM), and GMFCS. Results: There were moderate (r = 0.513) to large (r = 0.885) relationships between PODCI and GMFM scores. PODCI scores were significantly different across GMFCS levels. Weak, significant relationships (r = −0.28) were found between function expectations scores and measures of function. Conclusion: The PODCI, GMFM, and GMFCS provide different, but strongly related, information about the abilities of young children. The GMFM measures motor capacity. Parents report daily function and health-related quality of life for their child using the PODCI. Parent expectations for intervention outcomes may relate to a child's motor function. Impact: These study results are consistent with those for older children with greater independent mobility, indicating an opportunity for expanded use of the PODCI for measuring motor performance for younger children with CP across all ability levels. A strategy is provided for using the PODCI expectations scale to quantify parent therapy-related expectations in future research and clinical settings. Therapy-related expectations may relate to child outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]