Human factors and education: evolution and contributions.

OBJECTIVE: The major contributions of human factors to education are highlighted. BACKGROUND: Over the past 50 years, the education of human factors specialists has evolved, as well as the application of human factors and ergonomic knowledge to education. METHOD: Human factors and ergonomics professional documentation and literature were reviewed to identify major events relevant to human factors education or the application of human factors to education. RESULTS: Human factors education has evolved from training in experimental psychology to highly specialized accredited human factors programs and a number of undergraduate programs, leading to program accreditation and the certification of professionals. In addition, human factors specialists have applied their knowledge to human factors education and, more recently, to educational systems in general. The greatest focus has been on technology such as multimedia. Others have evaluated the design of the physical environment, focusing primarily on seating. The research also often targets undergraduate or graduate education. Therefore, it has been proposed that a greater focus is needed at the K-12 educational level, especially given the advancement and implementation of technology in the classroom. CONCLUSION: Human factors and ergonomic expertise can benefit the educational system. Yet, there is a need to constantly evaluate the benefits of new technology in the classroom as well as the environmental design aspects of the educational environment while considering learners of different age groups, ethnicities, and sexes. APPLICATION: Better application of human factors and ergonomics to the learning environment could enhance the educational experience for all learners.

Effect of creatine phosphate supplementation on anaerobic working capacity and body weight after two and six days of loading in men and women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 2 and 6 days of creatine phosphate loading on anaerobic working capacity (AWC) and body weight (BW) in men and women. Sixty-one men (n = 31) and women (n = 30) randomly received 1 of 3 treatments (4 x 5 g.d(-1) x 6 days) using a double blind design: (a) 18 g dextrose as placebo (PL); (b) 5.0 g Cr + 20 g dextrose (Cr); or (c) 5.0 g Cr + 18 g dextrose + 4 g of sodium and potassium phosphates (CrP). AWC was determined at baseline and following 2 and 6 days of supplementation using the Critical Power Test. BW increased significantly over time, and the mean value for the men was significantly greater compared to that for women, but there were no interactions (p > 0.05). There were gender-specific responses for AWC expressed in both absolute values (kJ) and relative to BW (kJ. kg(-1)), with the women demonstrating no significant interactions. For the men, CrP loading significantly increased AWC following 2 days (23.8%) and 6 days (49.8%) of supplementation vs. PL (kJ and kJ.kg(-1)). Cr supplementation increased AWC 13-15% in both genders compared to PL (1.1%- 3.0% decline); although this result was not statistically significant, it may have some practical significance.

Effect of two and five days of creatine loading on anaerobic working capacity in women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 2 and 5 days of Cr loading on anaerobic working capacity (AWC) using the critical power (CP) test in women. Ten physically active women randomly received 2 treatments separated by a 5 week washout period: (A) 18 g dextrose as placebo (PL) or (B) 5.0 g Cr + 18 g dextrose taken 4 times per day for 5 days. Following a familiarization trial, each subject completed the CP test at baseline and following 2 and 5 days of supplementation. The PL resulted in no significant changes in AWC following supplementation; however, Cr increased AWC by 22.1% after 5 days of loading (p < 0.05). There was a significant main effect for body weight (BW), however, there was no significant increase in BW due to Cr supplementation. These results suggest that Cr supplementation is effective for increasing AWC in women following 5 days of loading without an associated increase in BW.