Trajectories of self-perceived math ability,utility value and interest across middle school as predictors of high school math performance

Although many studies have documented developmental change in mathematics motivation, little is known about how these trends predict math performance. A sample of 288 participants from the United States reported their perceived math ability, math utility value and math interest in 5th, 7th and 9th grades. Latent growth curve models estimated developmental trajectories in each of these constructs. Mathematics interest and utility value decreased across time, but there was no significant change in self-perceived math ability. Slopes and intercepts of all mathematics motivation variables correlated with one another. Even when controlling for prior mathematics performance, students who self-reported high math ability in 5th grade had higher standardised test scores than their peers in high school five years later. Neither math utility value nor math interest intercepts or slopes predicted later performance. Understanding the predictors of math performance is important for supporting students’ success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.     

A case for cautious optimism? Active citizenship and the Australian civics and citizenship curriculum

In late 2013 a new curriculum for Civics and Citizenship education was published by the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority for use in Australian schools. In line with previous curricular initiatives concerning education for citizenship in Australia a key rationale behind the new subject is the education of “active citizens”. Research evidence over the last 25 years paints a mixed picture regarding the extent to which the translation of policy intent has been successfully implemented within Australian schools. Exploring the new subject of Civics and Citizenship in Australia in the context of previous initiatives and existing research evidence, we explore the contested and complex nature of active citizenship around three key issues – the scope and form of action that constitutes citizenship in one’s communities, how young people themselves conceptualize and experience participation, the potential that active citizenship opportunities are interpreted as being synonymous with the use of active teaching and learning methods. On this basis we argue that the new curriculum provides some optimism for those committed to education for citizenship in Australian schools, but that this optimism needs to be tempered with a degree of caution.     

Montessori and Jerome W. Berryman: work,play, religious education and the art of using the Christian language system

For more than 30 years, the thinking and writing of Jerome W. Berryman has made a significant and unique contribution to the religious education of children and adults in faith-based contexts. Claiming to be influenced primarily by the work of Maria Montessori, his writings reveal the purpose of religious education to be teaching children the art of using the Christian language system to play at the edges of knowing and being so as to creatively discern meaning and purpose in life. However, a close examination of his many journal articles and books reveal some anomalies in his approach to religious education when compared with the Montessori Method, in particular his focus on play as opposed to work, as well as creativity and the creative process, as opposed to Montessori’s grounding of the imagination in reality. These anomalies, explored in this paper, raise questions about the extent to which Berryman is, in fact, a true Montessorian.     

基于多维平台的软件人才培养模式的研究与应用

目前,学校培养的软件工程专业人才与IT企业用人单位的实际需求存在较大的差距。基于此,本文提出了在"3+1"校企合作办学背景下的多维平台的软件人才培养模式,具体包括:提高学生的动手实践能力,有机整合校内实践、课后工作室和校企产学研多维实践环节,形成由校外生产实习基地、校内实验室和校企联合研发中心共同组成的、面向全体学生、多角度、多层面的学生培养平台,旨在提高学生的实践能力。同时以多维实践平台为基础,打破原有生产实习、实验、产学研合作相互独立的局面,构建一个三者相互联系、环环相扣、不断深化的实践教学模式,提高学生软件开发能力。     

Antagonistic interaction between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma asperellum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora capsici</Emphasis> in vitro

Phytophthora capsici is a phytopathogen that causes a destructive pepper blight that is extremely difficult to control. Using a fungicide application against the disease is costly and relatively ineffective and there is also a huge environmental concern about the use of such chemicals. The genus Trichoderma has been known to have a potential biocontrol issue. In this paper we investigate the mechanism for causing the infection of T. asperellum against P. capsici. Trichoderma sp. (isolate CGMCC 6422) was developed to have a strong antagonistic action against hyphae of P. capsici through screening tests. The strain was identified as T. asperellum through using a combination of morphological characteristics and molecular data. T. asperellum was able to collapse the mycelium of the colonies of the pathogen through dual culture tests by breaking down the pathogenic hyphae into fragments. The scanning electron microscope showed that the hyphae of T. asperellum surrounded and penetrated the pathogens hyphae, resulting in hyphal collapse. The results show that seven days after inoculation, the hyphae of the pathogen were completely degraded in a dual culture. T. asperellum was also able to enter the P. capsici oospores through using oogonia and then developed hyphae and produced conidia, leading to the disintegration of the oogonia and oospores. Seven days after inoculation, an average 10.8% of the oospores were infected, but at this stage, the structures of oospores were still intact. Subsequently, the number of infected oospores increased and the oospores started to collapse. Forty-two days after inoculation, almost all the oospores were infected, with 9.3% of the structures of the oospores being intact and 90.7% of the oospores having collapsed.     

Assessment of decision-making performance and in-game physical exertion of Australian football umpires

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of in-game physical exertion on decision-making performance of Australian football umpires. Fifteen Australian football umpires (M_age = 36, s = 13.5 years; M_{games umpired} = 235.2, s = 151.3) volunteered to participate in the study. During five competitive Australian football pre-season games, measures of in-game physical exertion (blood lactate levels, global positioning system [GPS]) and decision-making performance (video-based test) were obtained. There were no significant correlations between physical exertion in a particular quarter and decision-making performance in either the same quarter or any other quarter. Video-based decision-making performance was effected by time in game χ²(3) = 24.24, P = 0.001, with Quarter 4 performance significantly better than both Quarter 2 and Quarter 3. In-game physical exertion (blood lactate) significantly decreased over the course of the game χ²(3) = 11.58, P = 0.009. Results indicate no definable link between in-game physical exertion and decision-making performance. It is, however, presumed that decision-making performance may be affected by the time or context of the game. Future research is warranted to explore the relationship between physical exertion and decision-making performance to potentially inform Australian football umpire training programmes that replicate in-game physical and decision-making demands.     

A Maximal Graded Exercise Test to Accurately Predict VO2max in 18–65-Year-Old Adults

The purpose of this study was to develop an age-generalized regression model to predict maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) based on a maximal treadmill graded exercise test (GXT; George, 1996) George, J. D. 1996. Alternative approach to maximal exercise testing and VO_2max prediction in college students. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 67: 452–457. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]. Participants (N?=?100), ages 18–65 years, reached a maximal level of exertion (mean?±?standard deviation [SD]; maximal heart rate [HR_max]?=?185.2?±?12.4 beats per minute (bpm); maximal respiratory exchange ratio [RER_max]?=?1.18?±?0.05; maximal rating of perceived exertion (RPE_max)?=?19.1?±?0.7) during the GXT to assess VO_2max (mean?±?SD; 40.24?±?9.11 mL·kg^?1·min^?1). Multiple linear regression generated the following prediction equation (R?=?.94, standard error of estimate [SEE]?=?3.18 mL·kg^?1·min^?1, %SEE?=?7.9): VO_2max (mL·kg^?1·min^?1)?=?13.160?+?(3.314 × gender; females?=?0, males?=?1) ? (.131 × age) ? (.334 × body mass index (BMI))?+?(5.177 × treadmill speed; mph)?+?(1.315 × treadmill grade; %). Cross validation using predicted residual sum of squares (PRESS) statistics revealed minimal shrinkage (R_p ?=?.93 and SEE _p ?=?3.40 mL·kg^?1·min^?1); consequently, this model should provide acceptable accuracy when it is applied to independent samples of comparable adults. Standardized β-weights indicate that treadmill speed (.583) was the most effective at predicting VO_2max followed by treadmill grade (.356), age (?.197), gender (.183), and BMI (?.148). This study provides a relatively accurate regression model to predict VO_2max in relatively fit men and women, ages 18–65 years, based on maximal exercise (treadmill speed and grade), biometric (BMI), and demographic (age and gender) data.     

Overcoming acculturation: physical education recruits' experiences of an alternative pedagogical approach to games teaching

Background: Physical education teacher education (PETE) programmes have been identified as a critical platform to encourage the exploration of alternative teaching approaches by pre-service teachers. However, the socio-cultural constraint of acculturation or past physical education and sporting experiences results in the maintenance of the status quo of a teacher-driven, reproductive paradigm. Previous studies have reported successfully overcoming the powerful influence of acculturation, resulting in a change in PETE students' custodial teaching beliefs and receptiveness to alternative teaching approaches. However, to date, limited information has been reported about how PETE students' acculturation shaped their receptiveness to an alternative teaching approach. This is particularly the case for PETE recruits identified in the literature as most resistant to change.

Purpose: To explore the features and experiences of an alternative games teaching approach that appealed to PETE recruits identified as most resistant to change, requiring a specific sample of PETE recruits with strong, custodial, traditional physical education teaching beliefs, and whom are high-achieving sporting products of this traditional culture. The alternative teaching approach explored in this study is the constraints-led approach (CLA), which is similar operationally to Teaching Games for Understanding, but distinguished by a neurobiological theoretical framework (nonlinear pedagogy) that informs learning design.

Participants and setting: A purposive sample of 10 Australian PETE students was recruited for the study. All participants initially had strong, custodial, traditional physical education teaching beliefs, and were successful sporting products of this teaching approach. After experiencing the CLA as learners during a games unit, participants demonstrated receptiveness to the alternative pedagogy.

Data collection and analysis: Semi-structured interviews and written reflections were sources of data collection. Each participant was interviewed separately, once prior to participation in the games unit to explore their positive physical education experiences, and then again after participation to explore the specific games unit learning experiences that influenced their receptiveness to the alternative pedagogy. Participants completed written reflections about their personal experiences after selected practical sessions. Data were qualitatively analysed using grounded theory.

Findings: Thorough examination of the data resulted in establishment of two prominent themes related to the appeal of the CLA for the participants: (i) psychomotor (effective in developing skill) and (ii) inclusivity (included students of varying skill level). The efficacy of the CLA in skill development was clearly an important mediator of receptiveness for highly successful products of a traditional culture. This significant finding could be explained by three key factors: the acculturation of the participants, the motor learning theory underpinning the alternative pedagogy and the unit learning design and delivery. The inclusive nature of the CLA provided a solution to the problem of exclusion, which also made the approach attractive to participants.

Conclusions: PETE educators could consider these findings when introducing an alternative pedagogy aimed at challenging PETE recruits' custodial, traditional teaching beliefs. To mediate receptiveness, it is important that the learning theory underpinning the alternative approach is operationalised in a research-informed pedagogical learning design that facilitates students' perceptions of the effectiveness of the approach through experiencing and or observing it working.