The Fish and Chip Club

This autobiographical narrative explores how close childhood friendship can be destroyed by the perniciously divisive nature of the 11-plus exam. It describes an irretrievable situation in which all children are victims.     

Promoting student flow and interest in a science learning game: a design-based research study of School Scene Investigators

Educational technology research and development - We report on a design-based research study that was conducted over three iterations. It chronicles the design, development, and implementation of...     

Teacher Predictions of Young Children's Literacy Success or Failure

Research into professional decision-making indicates that judgements tend not to be made on a rational, systematic basis, but are often formed rapidly and intuitively from a limited set of cues. This study addresses the issue of whether and how teachers assess the literacy competencies of young children prior to starting formal schooling in a UK context. Seven Reception teachers from four primary schools were asked to make literacy predictions for the incoming cohort of children aged 4 to 5 years. Data are presented based on interviews with the teachers, completion of baseline literacy assessments, and the scrutiny of daily reading records. The study explores the factors which influence teacher predictions for 30 children, including 17 for whom literacy success was predicted and 13 for whom literacy difficulties were anticipated. The study shows that teachers do indeed form early judgements about children based on pragmatic factors, with a strong link between teacher predictions and families' socioeconomic status. Importantly, initial representations of children as 'likely to fail' tend to become more permanent over time, whilst teachers are also inclined to provide less support for children expected to perform poorly. Implications for professionals are discussed in relation to the Code of Practice for identifying children with special educational needs and new guidelines for baseline assessment of children at school entry recently issued to UK headteachers.     

Environmental Education across the Tertiary Curriculum: a process

There are many examples of environmental courses in tertiary institutions, but the integration of environmental education across the range of courses has generally not occurred. The article describes a project to introduce waste minimisation education into four disciplinary‐based courses. Since waste minimisation was introduced in the context of ecological sustainability, the project provides a model for the introduction of the broader concepts of environmental education. The project began with the assumption that adequate materials were already available if staff wanted to include waste minimisation, but what was needed was a process that would guide them in the revision of their course content, and would support them in making changes. Based on the experiences of the project, approaches for integrating waste minimisation, and more generally environmental education, across tertiary curricula are presented.     

Contextual factors affecting the utility of surrogates within exploratory search

In this paper we investigate how information surrogates might be useful in exploratory search and what information it is useful for a surrogate to contain. By comparing assessments based on artificially created information surrogates, we investigate the effect of the source of information, the quality of an information source and the date of information upon the assessment process. We also investigate how varying levels of topical knowledge, assessor confidence and prior expectation affect the assessment of information surrogates. We show that both types of contextual information affect how the information surrogates are judged and what actions are performed as a result of the surrogates.     

The Right Stuff in the Right Place: The Institution of Contemporary Art

Abstract A long walk in the “world” of contemporary art gives multiple views of interlocking ecologies that, in their particularities, contradict the stereotypes suggested by language, invert “north” and “south,” question what is “traditional” in artistic practices, reflect on the intermix of society and art, glimpse the colonial mind in postmodern dress, and illuminate a restless subculture of professional migrants. What does our ramble reveal about the institution of contemporary art? “Diversity” hardly seems an adequate word.     

Testing a model of antecedents and consequences of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping in school physical education

There has been very limited research on the use of self-worth protection strategies in the achievement context of school physical education (PE). Thus the aim of the present study was to examine some antecedents and consequences of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping. The sample comprised 534 British pupils (275 females, 259 males) recruited from two schools who responded to established questionnaires. Results of structural equation modelling analysis indicated that self-handicapping and defensive pessimism were positively predicted by fear of failure and negatively predicted by competence valuation. In addition, defensive pessimism was negatively predicted by physical self-concept. In turn, defensive pessimism negatively predicted enjoyment in PE and intentions to participate in future optional PE programmes. Self-handicapping did not predict enjoyment or intentions. Results from multi-sample structural equation modelling showed the specified model to be largely invariant across males and females. The findings indicate that although both strategies aim to protect one's self-worth, some of their antecedents and consequences in PE may differ.     

Segmental sequencing of kinetic energy in a computer-simulated golf swing

The concept of the transfer of kinetic energy (KE) sequentially through the human body from proximal to distal segments is an influential concept in biomechanics literature. The present study develops this area of research through investigation of segmental sequencing of the transfer of KE by means of computer simulation. Using a musculoskeletal computer model previously developed by the authors, driven using three-dimensional kinematic data from a single elite male golfer, combined inverse and forward dynamics analyses enabled derivation of KE. Rigid body segments of torso, hips, arms and clubhead were examined in line with previous literature. Using this method a driver swing was compared to a 7 iron swing. Findings showed a high level of correlation between driver and iron peak KE and timing of peak KE relative to impact. This seems to indicate equivalent trunk and arms linear velocity, thus force applied, for an iron shot and a driver shot. There were highly significant differences between KE output for body segments for both clubs. In addition, peak KE magnitudes increased sequentially from proximal to distal segments during swing simulations for both the driver and 7 iron. This supports the principle of the summation of speed. However, timing of peak KE was not sequential from proximal to distal segments, nor did segments peak simultaneously. Rather, arms peaked first, followed by hips, torso and club. This seems to indicate a subjective optimal coordination of sequencing.

The relationships between exercise intensity, heart rate, and blood pressure during an incremental isometric exercise test

Currently, it is not possible to prescribe isometric exercise at an intensity that corresponds to given heart rates or systolic blood pressures. This might be useful in optimizing the effects of isometric exercise training. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relationships between isometric exercise intensity and both heart rate and systolic blood pressure during repeated incremental isometric exercise tests. Fifteen participants performed seated isometric double-leg knee extension, during which maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) was assessed, using an isokinetic dynamometer. From this, a corresponding peak electromyographic activity (EMG(peak)) was determined. Subsequently, participants performed two incremental isometric exercise tests (at least 48 h apart) at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% EMG(peak), during which steady-state heart rate and systolic blood pressure were recorded. In all participants, there were linear relationships between %EMG(peak) and heart rate (r at least 0.91; P < 0.05) and between %EMG(peak) and systolic blood pressure (r at least 0.92; P < 0.05). Also, when repeated tests were compared, there were no differences in the slopes (P > 0.50) or elevations (P > 0.10) for either of the relationships. Therefore, these linear relationships could be used to identify isometric exercise training intensities that correspond to precise heart rates or systolic blood pressures. Training performed in this way might provide greater insight into the underlying mechanisms for the cardiovascular adaptations that are known to occur as a result.     

Sport supplement use predicts doping attitudes and likelihood via sport supplement beliefs

The aim of this study was to examine: 1) whether sport supplement use is related to doping and 2) whether sport supplement beliefs mediated this relationship. In Study 1, athletes (N = 598), completed measures of sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, and doping attitudes. In Study 2, athletes (N = 475) completed measures of sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, and doping likelihood. In both studies, sport supplement use predicted doping outcomes indirectly via sport supplement beliefs. Our findings provide novel evidence to suggest that sport supplement users, who strongly believe that sport supplements are effective, are more likely to dope. For anti-doping organisations wishing to prevent doping, targeting an athlete’s beliefs about sport supplements may improve the effectiveness of anti-doping prevention programmes.