Sportbezogenes Handeln in virtuellen sozialen Netzwerken

Adolescent living environments are highly influenced by the media and virtual social networks are becoming increasingly more important as mediators of the social environment and as distinct realities. In virtual rooms adolescents can interact, present themselves, show their social embedding in relationships and groups, and experience recognition and affirmation. Social networks offer space for dealing with juvenile developmental tasks and productive negotiations of identities. The increase in internet-based leisure patterns in adolescence is often described as a displacement of sport activities, although current studies report rather independent or engaging relations between physical and media activities. In social networks, such as facebook or instagram, a multitude of sporting scenes and topics can be found, whether this involves (audio)visual representations of individual sport activties, fan affiliation to professional sport, or virtual fitness programs. This study analyzes the meaning and relevance of the sport-related use of social networks for sport activties and the development of sporting identities. In qualitative guideline interviews with young adults (n =10) from various sporting contexts, three meaningful threads of a sport-related use of social networks for sport activities were identified: organization of sport activities, improvement of sporting abilities, and increase in motivation. Furthermore, the interviews disclosed three relevant concepts of sporting identities within the sport-related use of social networks that largely correspond with developmental tasks. The empirical findings reveal differentiated insights into the meaning of the sport-related use of social networks and confirm a high relevance for sport activities of young adults and the development and negotiation of their sporting identities.     

The role of involvement and emotional well-being for preschool children’s scientific observation competency in biology

ABSTRACT

Observation is one of the basic methods in science. It is not only an epistemological method itself, but also an important competence for other methods like experimenting or comparing. However, there is little knowledge about the relation with affective factors of this inquiry method. In our study, we would like to find out about the relations of emotional well-being and involvement with children’s observation competency. Seventy preschool children participated in our test observing a living mouse, a snail and a fish. From their behaviour in the test situation, we coded their observation competency as well as their emotional well-being and involvement. The data show that both emotional well-being and involvement are significant predictors of children’s observation competency. Further analyses confirm our hypothesis of a mediating role of involvement between well-being and the performance in the observation task. In conclusion, theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>CHEMnet</Emphasis>—Structure,Design, and Evaluation of an Online Chemistry Course

In order to contribute some aspects regarding the optimization of multimedia learning environments, we have developed a chemistry lecture that is called CHEMnet and provide it for free via the internet. As an introduction to general and inorganic chemistry, CHEMnet is directed to first year university students as well as to high school students. We plan to attain some information on the use and efficiency of multimedia teaching and learning software with CHEMnet. The structure and features of CHEMnet and numbers and characteristics of its use are represented in this article.     

Contents Volume 49 2003

Volume Contents

Contents Volume 49 2003     

LANCY,David F. 1996. Playing on the Mother-Ground: Cultural Routines for Children's Development

International Review of Education -     

Educational career and substance use in adolescence

In modern, competitive societies the social organisation of «youth» implies both the chance and risk of (intergenerational) vertical social mobility. It is suggested that it is precisely this basic feature that to a considerable extent gives rise to substance use. In particular the paper aims at analysing the impact of the risk of educational downward mobility as well as some related characteristics. Using LISREL VI, it is shown that this type of educational career pattern, actual or anticipated, substantially contributes to the consumption of legal drugs. Weight is given to an extended analysis of the mode of action involved in the relationship between substance use and the career pattern as well as associated characteristics, respectively. As far as home is concerned, social conflict and associated feelings on the side of the adolescents turn out to be a major ‘mechanism’ through which the observable impact of educational downward mobility can be traced back. Integration into both the cultural system of «legalized» drug use and subcultural contexts as provided by social cliques is a further condition that strongly influences substance use among adolescents.     

Book Reviews

International Review of Education -     

Language as a <Emphasis Type="Italic">vehicle of knowing</Emphasis>: the role of language and meaning in constructing knowledge

This paper emphasizes the role of language in constructing knowledge. It considers the context-dependant nature of knowledge: how do people interpret the situation; what tasks have to be accomplished; which knowledge do they consider important; etc. Firstly, the paper outlines its assumptions on epistemological issues, that is the knowledge concept and the role of language and meaning in creating knowledge. Secondly, referring to discourse theory the paper sheds light on the use of language in varying social contexts, highlighting interactivity, context dependency, functional, and creative nature of language. Thirdly, for the purpose of illustration the theoretical findings on language and meaning in constructing knowledge will be applied to the case of the Challenger accident.