Kyle+Stechschulte


 * Record of Assignments**
 * Name of Student:** Kyle Stechschulte

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** Adolescence **

** W : What you want to know (curiosities/inquiry questions) **
1. **How does physical activity affect cognitive development?**

** L : What you learned about your inquiry questions **
The articles I found were very clear that physical activity helps cognitive development. It helps develop the brain, especially aspects that deal with social signals that relate to problem solving and physical play. There are also psychological benefits to physical activity that play a role in development. One of these is the social aspect and improved self-perception among others that comes with participating in sports. This has been linked to higher IQ scores. The inclusion of individuals with an intellectual disability in sports requires not only a thorough knowledge of the various forms of development of motor and functional skills, but also the understanding of their inter-relations and the interaction of the cognitive abilities and psychological potential.

** Resource #1 **

 * Read:**

My source was an article about physical play and cognitive development. It talks about how physical activity helps develop the brain, especially aspects that deal with social signals. These signals are related to problem solving and other cognitive benefits associated with physical play.

The article also described recess as a facilitator of school learning. There is a relationship between physical play and a child's learning and recess can help with that. By having recess and physical activity to supplement lecture and learning material, a student can learn more than if he or she were to just be in a classroom all day.


 * Respond:**
 * I thought that the article made good points and was very good at explaining why physical activity is important to learning. I also liked the article because I happen to agree that recess is very important for little kids to have throughout the school day and that the government is trying to put too much emphasis on lecture by taking away recess time. The article pointed out that other countries that we see as our competition, such as China and Japan, actually give their children more recess time than we do.


 * APA Citation:**
 * Bjorklund, D., & Brown, R. (1998). Physical play and cognitive development: integrating activity, cognition, and education. //Child Development//, //69//(3), 604-606.


 * Read:**
 * This source was a study done that was specifically looking at physical activity and how it directly relates to cognitive and affective status. It was done on adults who were healthy and fully developed. Basically, the study took a sample of 94 adults and did cognitive tests on them and related the results to how much physical activity they do on a daily basis. The results came back and supported the hypothesis and said that there is a significant relationship between physical activity and cognitive development.
 * http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f958be74-7f1c-49e7-a8d4-184273b73cde%40sessionmgr11&vid=6&hid=9


 * Respond:**
 * The article was good and had supportive statistics. However, there are some problems with the study. The article acknowledges these issues as well, but the small sample size could be a problem. It could lead to skewed results. Also, I think the results would be proven stronger if the people involved were split up and half were put through some sort of physical activity training routine while the other half were not and to have the results compared. Leaving it up to personal routine leaves it up to a lot of individual error and details that can change how the data is read. For example, one person could just walk a lot on the job, but not exercise at all, but the data could come back and make it seem like they work out a lot.


 * APA Citation:**
 * O'Bryant, S. E., Richardson, D., Perez, C., Nevarez, L., Rice, J., Wilbanks, L., & Hobson, V. (2010). Physical Activity is Associated with Cognitive and Affective Status among Rural- Dwelling Texans: A Project FRONTIER Study. //Texas Public Health Journal//, //62//(2), 12-15

** Resource #3 **

 * Read:**
 * This source talks about all of the benefits of physically activities, namely sports on people who have intellectual disabilities. One of the benefits talked about is that there is a social aspect to sports, so the individual has an improved self-perception among others, as well as it has been proven that those who are active have higher IQ's. The inclusion of individuals with an intellectual disability in sports requires not only a thorough knowledge of the various forms of development of motor and functional skills, but also the understanding of their inter-relations and the interaction of the cognitive abilities and psychological potential.
 * http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f958be74-7f1c-49e7-a8d4-184273b73cde%40sessionmgr11&vid=6&hid=9


 * Respond:**
 * I felt like this source was very informative and gave good examples of why physical activity is important. What I liked most about this source is that it specifically addressed sports, which is what I enjoy most. I liked that the article mentioned all mental, emotional, and physical benefits to physical activity, which really gives the over all benefit of why it is good.


 * APA Citation:**
 * Stanišić, Z. (2012). PHYSICAL AND SPORT ACTIVITIES OF INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. //Acta Medica Medianae//, //51//(2), 45-49. doi:10.5633/amm.2012.0209

** Resource #4 **

 * Read:**
 * This article was about a study done in elderly. It was to look at the relationship between physical ability and cognitive ability. It was a study that was randomly assigned to elderly people who were considered "community-dwelling, older adults". A test was given to the elderly, as well as having them document their activity. The test eventually compared the test scores to grip strength, static balance, leg strength and resting heart rate. There was a positive association with the test scores and all of these categories except heart rate.


 * Respond:**
 * This article was a very good source, in my opinion. Most of my research was focused on smaller children, so it was good to get a resource that focused on older adults as well. I felt that it was reliable because it gave solid data and numbers to back everything up. It also confirmed everything in my previous research in that physical activity has a definite relationship to cognitive development/ability.


 * APA Citation:**

Washburn, R. A., Smith, K. W., Jette, A. M., & Janney, C. A. (1993). The physical activity scale for the elderly (pase): Development and evaluation. //Journal of Clinical Epidemiology//, //46//(2), 153-162.

** 5. Sexuality Activity **
([])

The resource I randomly picked was a back to school guide for educators. It basically just gives different examples of how to make everybody feel equal and make sure there is no bullying and harsh treatment toward others.
 * Describe your resource:**

[]
 * Link to your specific resource:**

** A. Site details: **

 * Name of site: Kenwood Mall
 * Link to site: http://www.kenwoodtownecentre.com/
 * Contact person: n/a

__ ** B. Describe your setting ** __
The mall has two levels with a couple wings that are lined with stores on both sides. The spot that I mostly observed at was the food court. This is basically a big open area with a lot of tables and chairs set up in between a bunch of different places to eat. This is an easy place to observe people congregating together, as well as a busy spot in the mall where a lot of people may pass by while they are just shopping and looking around.

I also observed a little while walking around the aisle ways, but the other major spot that I observed was the front of the mall where there are a lot of drop-offs and pickups for people going into and out of the mall. There is a little drive up spot for vehicles and I was able to observe from a bench that was nearby.

__** C. Describe what you did at the site (free-write/journal formatting) **__
The first visit was on a Saturday afternoon. This was a very busy part of the day for the mall, so there were a lot of people walking around. I observed from one of the tables in the food court and watched the teenagers and wanted to see how they interacted with one another. From what I could tell, a lot of the adolescents tended to hang out with people more similar to themselves. That relates to the cliques and crowds we talked about in class. A lot of the more athletic looking people, as well as people just in athletic clothing, tended to be with others dressed the same way. They were usually either in a smaller group of people mixed with guys and girls, or they would be at the mall with who I am assuming is their boyfriend or girlfriend. That was the easiest group of people to pick out based on their clothing and varsity jackets, but it was evident that other groups of people were similar to one another as well. It was kind of hard to tell what they were talking about without being creepy, but when I could hear them they usually were joking around with one another about something they did on the weekend, or they were talking about school a few times. Again, it was kind of hard to tell what they talked about without hearing the context of the entire conversation. Another observation is that the food they were eating (guys vs girls) seemed relatively similar. That was interesting to me because I just figured girls would tend to want to eat less fast food and junk food. After leaving the food court I walked around the mall and observed people walking around the mall as well. A majority of people at the mall were families and adults, but out of the crowds I was still able to observe some teenagers who were there without parents. They all seemed to be similar to those in the food courts as well. The age group seemed to be junior high to high school. Another observation that was evident was that the younger "couples" seemed to be more lovey dovey than those who were older. They would hold hands and hug much more often and be more touchy feely. I also noticed that a lot of the kids were out and walking around the mall, rather than actually inside the stores shopping for things. This makes me wonder if the mall is more of a social gathering place for them instead of a place for shopping and for practical use.
 * __ 1st visit: __**

My second visit was very similar to the first visit. I observed in the food court again and noticed the same things as the first time I was there. Guys and girls seemed to eat similarly and hang out with groups of friends that were similar to themselves. This visit was on a weeknight, however, so there were much less people to observe than on the weekend. This makes me think that maybe going to the mall is something that adolescents do on the weekends for fun, since there were many more on the first visit. This visit more kids were inside stores shopping than on the first visit. I don't know if that is because if they are at the mall during the week they are actually there to buy something, or if it was just a coincidence. This visit I went out to the drop off and pickup spot and sat on a bench to try to observe kids being dropped off at the mall doors. This was not very successful because only a couple kids were being dropped off. However, in the teens that actually were dropped off there were some significant differences between them. A couple of the kids jumped right out of the car and walked quickly away. On the other hand, there were two or three who actually took the time to say goodbye to their parents. Maybe their parents were telling them something important, but from where I was, it looked like they were saying goodbye. I actually heard one say "I Love You" to her mom before she drove away. This is all pure speculation, but the differences in interactions between the kids and parents could maybe give an insight into the relationships they have. This can be easily related to the Breakfast Club and how the different parents dropped off their kids in the beginning of the movie.
 * __2nd visit:__**

Observing at the mall gave a lot of insight into how adolescents interact and a lot could be related to the book. However, it was difficult to relate it to my inquiry question because a lot of what I am observing has to do with speculation and inferences. Also, my inquiry question has to do with cognitive development, which requires a lot of testing and data to be able to prove connections and results. I could make observations of how athletic and fit people look, as well as what clothes they were wearing and infer whether or not they are physically active, but this is still just a guess. Some people I know look very fit, but do not exercise at all. Also, I cannot really test their cognitive ability and see how they are unless I looked at their school transcripts and was able to compare with one another. So, this all being a problem, I took what observations I could and was able to make connections with the text. Some of those examples were cliques, eating habits, physical differences, and interactions amongst peers.
 * __Observations:__**

** Physical **
The younger the kids were, the girls tended to be skinnier and taller than the boys. However, as the age increased, the boys tended to gain more muscle, become taller, and some even had facial hair. Whereas the girls stopped growing up, but grew out. They form bigger hips and chests. This is very obvious from the age groups of junior high through high school.
 * What did you notice about the physical differences between boys and girls (pp. 283-288)?**

The adolescents in the mall generally seemed happy. This may be because the mall is one of the places that typically serves as a social gathering, so being out with friends could be a big reason for that. The book mentions moodiness in teens and I suppose I saw a little bit of that. A couple times when they would joke around with one another, a girl would act very angry and hit the boys she was with as a response. However, this all seemed like it was in good fun on both parts.
 * What did you notice about the adolescent’s mood (p. 289)?**

The differences in interactions between the kids and parents could maybe give an insight into the relationships they have. Also, the age group I observed tended to come to the mall without parents, so maybe coming to the mall with them is something that they see as "uncool". The book mentions a rise in parent-child conflict, but I did not observe any of that in the teenagers and their parents while I was there.
 * What did you notice about the adolescent’s relationship with adults (p. 289)?**

I noticed that the teens all seemed to dress similarly to the others they were hanging out with. This ties into body image and wanting to fit in with their peers. Also, the guys and girls who hung out with another seemed to care about body image because they were all mostly fit and well dressed.
 * What did you notice about the role of body image in adolescent behavior (p. 290)?**

The adolescents seemed to want to fit in with those they were hanging around, which may explain why they all acted and dressed similar. Also, the guys and girls who were in groups together seemed more outgoing and confident than those who were only hanging out with guys or only with girls.
 * What did you notice about peer relationships ( pp. 290-291)?**

The book talks a lot about eating disorders, but in terms of eating habits, I did not notice much of a difference between guys and girls, as well as between other social groups. They all seemed to eat the food that was in the food court. I thought going in that girls would eat healthy food, or not eat at all, but from what I observed there was no difference. This could be a total coincidence though. However, the only difference there really was was that the guys did tend to eat a more quantity of food.
 * What did you notice about eating habits (pp. 291-292)?**

There were definitely a lot of teens there who were with a boyfriend or girlfriend. There were also many who would hug, hold hands, and kiss a lot. This definitely shows sexual attraction between them, especially at a young age. I only observed a few cases of teen pregnancy in the mall, so it was not as common as I anticipated.
 * What did you notice about issues around sex (sex education, sexual references, sexual activity, teen pregnancy, etc.) (pp. 293-299)**

I did not notice much about substance use or abuse. The only thing I observed that maybe would relate is there were a few guys who were outside the mall smoking who looked to be older in high school, or just out of high school. They did not have a group of friends with them, or any girls either.
 * What did you notice about substance use or substance related references (pp. 299-300)?**

** Revisiting Your Curiosities **
[Answer your original questions as best as you can, given the course material and your observations. You must make at least 4 references to the text with page numbers.]
 * W : What you want to know (inquiry questions) **
 * 1.** **How does physical activity affect cognitive development?**

Physical activity increases cognitive development. This is due to many factors. One factor is by getting involved in a sport, there is a more likely chance for friendships due to cliques. Cliques are groups of five to seven members who are friends and, therefore, usually resemble one another in family background, attitudes, and values (p. 328). This will help give rise to self-esteem (p. 315). This is because they will feel better about their peer relationships and athletic capabilities. This has a huge impact on psychological development, which is another aspect of cognitive development. Also, as one gets older, an active lifestyle is one way to prevent Alzheimer's (p. 460). It helps aid in keeping the mind sharp and active as well. Finally, exercise increases blood circulation to the brain, which helps preserve brain structures and behavioral capacities (p. 454). The articles I found were also very clear that physical activity helps cognitive development. It helps develop the brain, especially aspects that deal with social signals that relate to problem solving and physical play. There are also psychological benefits to physical activity that play a role in development. One of these is the social aspect and improved self-perception among others that comes with participating in sports. This has been linked to higher IQ scores. The inclusion of individuals with an intellectual disability in sports requires not only a thorough knowledge of the various forms of development of motor and functional skills, but also the understanding of their inter-relations and the interaction of the cognitive abilities and psychological potential.


 * 2. Physical Activity and Development**



The presentation is organized to be easy to read and look at. It goes through the Introduction, Methods, and Results of my question on one side. On the other side, it gives professional implications, as well as references. The entire poster is centered around three photos of children playing outside, clearly showing what the subject matter is concentrating on.
 * 3. Creative Presentations**


 * 4. What new questions emerge for you as a future teacher?**

How can I incorporate physical activity into my teaching and lesson plans in order to create the best learning environment?

Late Adulthood

Describe your Older Adult Project:
 * I spent time with my grandparents just visiting in general, as well as giving them help with chores around the house.

Describe your experience (2 paragraph minimum and make 4 references to the textbook):
 * I spent time with my grandparents last week. I helped my grandpa move all of the outside deck furniture as well as other things into the shed for winter storage. I helped him because it would have taken much longer by himself. Also, it required lifting a lot of heavier objects so I was able to help in that aspect also. In the book, it mentions a decline in physical abilities as you get older (p.450). At the same time, my grandpa was also outside helping with what he could. The book also talks about physical activity and how it is beneficial in late adulthood (p. 453 ).As we moved everything into the shed, it was also a good time to visit and talk too.
 * After helping out with the outside chores, I went inside and my girlfriend and I sat and talked with both of them for a while. This mostly entailed catching up and giving them updates on how school, activities, etc. are currently going. I live close to three hours away, so sitting down and visiting with my grandparents is something I do not get to do all too often. While we visited and spent time with them, my girlfriend and I helped them put up their Christmas tree as well. As I talk with my grandparents, it is evident that they have trouble remembering things as they tell stories. This is explained in the text too (p.465-466). Finally, the book also mentions that social and leisure activities help keep the mind healthy (p. 460). This was a lot of fun because we were able to help them out a lot that afternoon/evening, as well as get to spend some quality time with them. I'm sure it meant a lot to them as well.

I forgot to take a picture with them while I was there, but here are my grandparents.

 The articles I found were very clear that physical activity helps cognitive development. It helps develop the brain, especially aspects that deal with social signals that relate to problem solving and physical play. There are also psychological benefits to physical activity that play a role in development. One of these is the social aspect and improved self-perception among others that comes with participating in sports. This has been linked to higher IQ scores. The inclusion of individuals with an intellectual disability in sports requires not only a thorough knowledge of the various forms of development of motor and functional skills, but also the understanding of their inter-relations and the interaction of the cognitive abilities and psychological potential.