Browsing is a collaborative process

Interfaces to databases have traditionally been designed as single-user systems that hide other users and their activity. This paper aims to show that collaboration is an important aspect of searching online information retrieval (IR) systems that requires explicit computerised support. A number of systems offering varied approaches to supporting collaboration are surveyed and a structure for analysing the various aspects of collaboration is applied. The dominant form of collaboration in digital libraries is likely to be remote and asynchronous. Collaborative work in the digital library requires that both the search product and the search process can be captured and communicated. The ARIADNE system is introduced as an example of computerised support for collaboration between browsers.     

Two balls is too many: stadium performance and queerness among Portland’s Rose City Riveters supporters club

Abstract

Portland, Oregon’s Rose City Riveters is the largest independent organized supporters group for a women’s soccer team in the world. They support Portland Thorns with an organized, expressive and organic performance of songs, musical instruments and displays that envelopes the entire stadium. Utilizing ethnographic subject-centred methods, this empirical study argues that the group’s performance reflects two different performance lineages, organically organized transnational soccer fandom on one hand and disidentifying queer public performance on the other. This paper explores how different elements of these lineages overlap in the Riveters’ performance to disrupt, negotiate and resist the dominant ideologies of hyper-masculinity and heteronormative femininity that shape professional soccer in the United States.     

Selective immigration policies as screening devices and the immigrant–native educational achievement gap

The literature on the immigrant–native educational achievement gap is suggestive of a better performance of immigrant students in countries practising selective immigration policies. However, the origin of such differences has not been investigated. I considered both important observed characteristics as well as the role of unobservables in the formation of immigrant–native achievement differences in 4 selective immigration countries. I found that, if the comparison is between selective immigration countries as a group and other European/Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, immigrant students in selective immigration countries perform better. However, the results are heterogeneous and different conclusions apply to each of the 4 countries. The findings are discussed in the context of successful immigration policies as screening devices, which induce a self-selection of immigrants with transferable and adaptive skills. Potentially important are also institutional differences with respect to how inclusionary and conducive to the integration of immigrants into the host country policies are.     

The Reliability of Free School Meal Eligibility as a Measure of Socio-Economic Disadvantage: Evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study in Wales

Over the last 20 years, the use of administrative data has become central to understanding pupil attainment and school performance. Of most importance has been its use to robustly demonstrate the impact of socio-economic status (SES) on pupil attainment. Much of this analysis in England and Wales has relied on whether pupils are eligible for free school meals (eFSM). However, very little is known about the validity of this measure as a proxy for SES. Using a recent major birth cohort study, this paper examines the relationship between pupils’ eFSM and their more detailed socio-economic circumstances.     

Premier League academy soccer players’ experiences of competing in a tournament bio-banded for biological maturation

Individual differences in the growth and maturation have been shown to impact player performance and development in youth soccer. This study investigated Premier League academy players’ experiences of participating in a tournament bio-banded for biological maturation. Players (N = 66) from four professional soccer clubs aged 11 and 14 years and between 85–90% of adult stature participated in a tournament. Players competed in three 11 vs 11 games on a full size pitch with 25-min halves. Sixteen players participated in four 15-min focus groups and were asked to describe their experiences of participating in the bio-banded tournament in comparison to age group competition. All players described their experience as positive and recommended the Premier League integrate bio-banding into the existing games programme. In comparison to age-group competitions, early maturing players described the bio-banded games more physically challenging, and found that they had to adapt their style of play placing a greater emphasis on technique and tactics. Late maturing players considered the games to be less physically challenging, yet appreciated the having more opportunity to use, develop and demonstrate their technical, physical, and psychological competencies. Bio-banding strategies appear to contribute positively towards the holistic development of young soccer players.     

Disentangling the Nexus: Attitudes to Mathematics and Technology in a Computer Learning Environment

Gaining insights into students' attitudes and beliefs is a crucial step in understanding how the learning environment for mathematics is affected by the introduction of computers and other technology. We review research into the impact of technology on the teaching and learning of mathematics, although systematic evaluations are sparse. We discuss the relationship between affective variables and performance and having constructed appropriate measures of attitude, we present results from an extensive initial study. The study disentangles affects relating to mathematics and to computing and in doing so identifies attributes which are important where mathematics and computing interact. We report on the application of six Galbraith–Haines scales to 156 students, we discuss the implications of confidence, motivation, engagement and interaction with the technology in the learning environment and we demonstrate that the computing and mathematics attitude scales capture distinctive properties of student behaviour in this respect.     

Motivation to Learn and Teach English in Slovenia

This study was conducted in Slovenia, and explored the views of a sample of 226 pupils (aged 14‐15 years) regarding their motivation to learn English and the views of a sample of 95 student teachers regarding their motivation to become a teacher of English. The data consisted of two questionnaires. The first questionnaire asked the pupils to rate the importance of each of 15 reasons for wanting to learn English. The most frequent reasons given by pupils were ‘Because English is an international language’, ‘Because English helps me with advanced study’ and ‘Because English will help me with my future career’. The second questionnaire asked the student teachers to rate the importance of each of 20 reasons in influencing their decision to become a teacher of English. The most frequent reasons given by the student teachers were ‘I enjoy the subject I will teach’, ‘English is important to me’ and ‘I want to help children succeed’. The findings are further explored in terms of the relative importance of the different types of motivation involved.     

Introducing Information and Communication Technologies into Schools: The blurring of boundaries

This article considers the impact of Superhighways technology on schools in the UK, in terms of the debate concerning the development of the conditions of postmodernity. In particular, it charts how the collapse of boundaries associated with postmodernism may have affected traditional divisions within schooling, following the introduction of broadband connectivity and Internet capability to schools and colleges. The authors review the broad approaches taken to the introduction of new technologies, such as the Utopian and Dystopian, transformative and incrementalist. By drawing upon the findings of the Education Departments' Superhighways Initiative, the authors explore the effects of new information and communication technologies on a number of traditional boundaries, including those between curriculum subjects, between pupils and teachers, and, more generally, traditional conceptions of space and time. The article concludes that, although initial indications suggest that the impact of Superhighways capability may be a transformative one, the effect on boundaries is mixed. While some boundaries such as those of space and time seem to be dissolving, others such as the division between academic subjects are much more resistant.     

A Brief History of Timing: the impact of the National Literacy Strategy on the marketing and publishing of resources to support literacy teaching

Since the announcement of the National Literacy Project in April 1996, publishers of children’s books and teaching materials have been keen to provide appropriate materials for use in the literacy hour. With the new government in 1997 came generous funding for books and publishers were quick to respond in terms of marketing and new publications. Lack of time and training to assimilate the new approaches caused many teachers to rely on materials to show them how to teach. While this reliance on materials underlines the ongoing need for teachers to be updated about resources, time to become more knowledgeable and confident about practice remains paramount.