An exploratory investigation to detect cross-cultural differences on the PPVT-R

The Revised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-R) was administered to 410 nonreferred Australian children to determine if significant cultural differences were apparent on either Form L or M of the revised test. Data indicated that there were differences that, while statistically nonsigniffcant, could lead to inaccurate clinical classification if all the American items and norms were used. It appears that the PPVT-R is not significantly culturally biased towards white, middle-class children from the USA, and may be used in Australia, but with some care. Implications for practitioners are discussed, with suggestions made to overcome the presence of some minor problems due to lack of familiarity of terms used in some items of the PPVT-R.     

Teachers' ratings vs standardized tests: An empirical investigation of agreement between two indices of achievement

The degree of correlation between teachers' ratings of vocabulary, comprehension, mathematics, and verbal intelligence with scores from the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) plus the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) was assessed with 120 boys and 110 girls aged 8.6 to 10.5 years in three southeastern suburban state schools in Melbourne. Teachers' ratings of students' general attitude also were collected. While results indicated that significant correlations did exist between data from the two sets of measures, these accounted for only small amounts of the total variance, suggesting that two almost discrete domains of information were being tapped. The need for reconciliation between these two domains is discussed and the presence of sex bias in teachers' ratings is raised for further study.     

Conflict of Learning Styles: University Science Lectures in the Sultanate of Oman

This article examines the differing learning styles found in western lecturers and Omani students in science lectures in the Sultanate of Oman. Oman is a country which modernized very recently, and students there were encountering western lecturers and lecturing methods for the first time. The western lecturers found the Omani approach to science, which they characterized as memorization deficient and wished to introduce a problem-solving approach. However, it is argued that some memorization occurs in all learning of science everywhere, that the Omani approach has its merits, and that a major problem in these lectures was the lack of knowledge of Omani and Arabic culture in the lecturers. It is argued that all learning takes place by matching new knowledge and methods with previous ones, and that to successfully lecture to the Omani students the lecturers would need to research further into ways in which their approach could have built on, rather than replaced entirely, the Omani approach. The article is based on interviews with the lecturers and extracts from the lectures, which were recorded and transcribed by the writer.     

Perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport: a meta-analysis

Research focusing on perceptual-cognitive skill in sport is abundant. However, the existing qualitative syntheses of this research lack the quantitative detail necessary to determine the magnitude of differences between groups of varying levels of skills, thereby limiting the theoretical and practical contribution of this body of literature. We present a meta-analytic review focusing on perceptual-cognitive skill in sport (N = 42 studies, 388 effect sizes) with the primary aim of quantifying expertise differences. Effects were calculated for a variety of dependent measures (i.e., response accuracy, response time, number of visual fixations, visual fixation duration, and quiet eye period) using point-biserial correlation. Results indicated that experts are better than nonexperts in picking up perceptual cues, as revealed by measures of response accuracy and response time. Systematic differences in visual search behaviors were also observed, with experts using fewer fixations of longer duration, including prolonged quiet eye periods, compared with non-experts. Several factors (e.g., sport type, research paradigm employed, and stimulus presentation modality) significantly moderated the relationship between level of expertise and perceptual-cognitive skill. Practical and theoretical implications are presented and suggestions for empirical work are provided.     

Old dogs, new tricks: training the perceptual skills of senior tennis players

The purpose of the study was to determine whether multidimensional perceptual-cognitive skills training, including situational awareness, anticipation, and decision making, improves on-court performance in older adults when compared with a physical training program, including stroke and footwork development. Senior tennis players (N = 27) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: perceptual-cognitive skills training, technique-footwork training, or no training. Results indicated that participants receiving perceptual-cognitive skills training had significantly faster response speeds, higher percentage of accurate responses, and higher percentage of performance decision making in posttest match situations. Findings provide clear evidence that perceptual-cognitive skills can be trained in aged individuals. Implications and suggestions for future research are offered.     

Graded hypoxia and blood oxidative stress during exercise recovery

Altitude exposure and exercise elicit oxidative stress in blood; however, exercise recovery at 5000 m attenuates oxidative stress. The purpose was to determine the altitude threshold at which blood oxidative stress is blunted during exercise recovery. Twelve males 18–28 years performed four-cycle ergometry bouts (60 min, 70% VO_2max, at 975 m). In a randomised counterbalanced crossover design, participants recovered 6 h at 0, 1667, 3333 and 5000 m in a normobaric hypoxia chamber (recovery altitudes were simulated by using a computerised system in an environmental chamber by lowering the partial pressure of oxygen to match that of the respective altitude). Oxygen saturation was monitored throughout exercise recovery. Blood samples obtained pre-, post-, 1 h post- and 5 h post-exercise were assayed for ferric-reducing antioxidant plasma, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, uric acid, lipid hydroperoxides and protein carbonyls. Muscle biopsies obtained pre and 6 h were analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify expression of hemeoxgenase 1, superoxide dismutase 2 and nuclear factor (euthyroid-derived 2)-like factor. Pulse oximetry data were similar during exercise, but decreased for the three highest recovery elevations (0 m = 0%, 1667 m = ?3%; 3333 m = ?7%; 5000 m = ?17%). A time-dependent oxidative stress occurred following exercise for all variables, but the two highest recovery altitudes partially attenuated the lipid hydroperoxide response (0 m = +135%, 1667 m = +251%, 3333 m = +99%; 5000 m = +108%). Data may indicate an altitude threshold between 1667 and 3333 m, above which the oxidative stress response is blunted during exercise recovery.     

Toward professional practice: student learning opportunities through participation in engineering clubs

ABSTRACT

Clubs constitute a prominant co-curricular activity to prepare students for effective professional careers, yet the role of engineering clubs in students' professional formation is poorly understood. This qualitative, comparative case study investigated three student engineering clubs at a large American public university. The clubs included a domestic chemical reaction car competition; a formula racing club that partners with a German team and competes both domestically and internationally; and a humanitarian engineering club centred on service learning projects in developing countries. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with participants (N?=?19) and observations of club work sessions (N?=?27). Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as the analytical framework, the transcribed interviews were coded to characterise the activity in each club. The findings demonstrate that a confluence of elements, especially decision-making rules and division of labour, leads to a fundamentally distinct activity system in each club. Consequently, each club differs in the ways it influences students’ professional formation. More generally, this study illustrates the potential of CHAT for analysis of co-curricular activity that can lead to alternative approaches to activity design.     

Joint- and subject-specific strategies in male basketball players across a range of countermovement jump heights

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate subject- and joint-specific strategies used by male basketball players as they increase their countermovement jump (CMJ) height from sub-maximal to maximal efforts. Lower extremity joint kinematics and kinetics were recorded as 11 male, NCAA Division I basketball players performed 8–10 CMJ across effort levels of approximately 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Simple correlation models were used to investigate the associations between effort levels (i.e., CMJ height) and joint mechanics (i.e., negative (eccentric) and positive (concentric) mechanical work performed at the hip, knee, and ankle joints) for each individual player and the entire group. Group-analyses showed that increases in all joint mechanical variables were associated with increases in CMJ height. In contrast, single-subject analyses revealed that players used individualised strategies, and selectively scaled the magnitude of mechanical work at none (n = 2), one (n = 2), two (n = 5), or all three (n = 2) joints as they increased CMJ efforts. In addition, individual players also appeared to selectively scale different combinations of eccentric or concentric joint work as they increased CMJ height. These results highlight that male basketball players use joint-specific strategies to increase CMJ height when progressively increasing CMJ effort.     

Brick,Mortar, and Screen: Networked Digital Media,Popular Music,and the Reinvention of the Public Radio Station

ABSTRACT

This article details the various forces that shaped public radio station KEXP’s evolution from the 70s to today. It addresses the ways that Seattle’s specific cultural, economic, and technological advantages enabled it to take on its current form as a key presence in global pop music curation and discovery. It argues that the station’s progression thus represents a potential model for other legacy public radio stations in an era of diminishing public and institutional funding. However, this approach’s viability will depend upon how effectively stations are able to leverage their local communities to compete in the networked digital media paradigm.