Developing a prototype information system framework to handle pedagogical knowledge in a secondary school modern foreign languages department

This paper reports a small-scale project to develop a prototype web-based information system to support teaching and learning within the modern languages department of a comprehensive secondary school. The system was developed in close consultation with the teaching staff and the work is presented within the broader context of knowledge management systems and their potential use in an educational environment.     

Increasing plantarflexion angle during landing reduces vertical ground reaction forces,loading rates and the hip’s contribution to support moment within participants

The ankle joint’s role in shock absorption during landing has been researched in many studies, which have found that landing with higher amounts of plantarflexion (PF) results in lower peak vertical ground reaction forces and loading rates. However, there has not yet been a study that compares drop landings within participants along a quantitative continuum of PF angles. Using a custom-written real-time feedback program, participants adjusted their ankles to an instructed PF angle and dropped onto two force platforms. For increasing PF, peak ground reaction force and peak loading rate during weight acceptance decreased significantly. The hip’s contribution to peak support moment decreased as PF at initial contact increased up to 30°. The ankle and knee contributions increased over this same continuum of PF angles. There appears to be no optimal PF angle based on peak ground reaction force and loading rate measurements, but there may be an optimum where joint contributions to peak support moment converge and the hip moment’s contribution is minimised.     

Organisational forms of science communication: the UK and Spanish European higher education systems as paradigms

As key elements in research and development systems, higher education institutions have been taking a leading role when it comes to communicating science and technology, but their performance has been inconsistent so far. In this critical and comparative study of the UK public engagement model and the Spanish scientific culture model, eighteen practitioners from higher education institutions across both regions were interviewed. A mixed qualitative data analysis has been performed identifying similarities and differences that unravelled the science communication management model in the two different higher education systems. This article provides evidence on how the institutionalisation of science communication is strongly influenced by key driving forces in the higher education context as well as the policies of administrations and other agents.

     

‘I'm always up against a brick wall with them’: parents' experiences of accessing support for their child with a newly recognised developmental disorder

Three of the most prevalent developmental disorders (DDs) are autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). As part of a study screening for DDs in Greater Manchester, UK, a unique opportunity was taken to explore parents' experiences of receiving reports about their child's previously unrecognised DD. Six parents out of a possible 16 took part in interviews, which were analysed thematically. Findings drawn from parental responses revealed a number of barriers to accessing support for their child's additional needs, including perceived resistance from schools, particularly for quiet, well-behaved girls, and difficulty in accessing assessment or referrals. There needs to be greater awareness of additional needs in children without externalising behaviours, the presence of gender-specific differences in the presentation of DDs, and FASD as a commonly occurring DD. Ultimately, better support for children with DDs would reduce the burden of unmet needs for the children and their families, and for wider services.     

Dress for fit: An exploration of female activewear consumption

While the female activewear market is growing rapidly, research on activewear consumption and female consumers is lagging. Existing researchers have failed to produce an in-depth understanding of female consumers’ perceptions of activewear, thereby providing limited insights for the activewear industry. Drawing upon brand association theory and the functional, expressive, and aesthetic model, the authors identify important attributes of activewear brands and how attributes lead to benefits pursued by female activewear consumers. Focus groups were conducted with 72 female activewear consumers in Australia. Findings reveal three product-related attributes (functional design, colour, and size and fit) and two non-product-related attributes (price and model imagery) influence the fulfillment of four benefits (mood enhancement, exercise facilitation, healthy and active lifestyle, and physical fit body image). This research contributes theoretical and empirical knowledge about activewear consumption and the vertical structure of brand associations. Findings of this research can help activewear brands deliver benefits to female consumers through improved product designs and marketing strategies.     

EHCP Implementation in the Early Years: constrictions and possibilities

In England, Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) created changes for SENCOs, including those working in private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years settings. Such SENCOs hold, as a minimum, a relevant Level-3 qualification, with subsequent training and support being optional, varied and sometimes difficult to access. This situation has implications for EHCP implementation and for the roles and responsibilities of SENCOs because effective realisation of the joint working, early identification and intervention prioritised in EHCPS require power, knowledge and skills. SENCOs from one Local Authority in England participated in this mixed-methods research. Identity theory and Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological theory were applied to analyse the macro through to micro level influences. This revealed seven key influences: information and resources; ethos and support; quality of evidence; relationships; knowledge and skills; purpose and outcomes. This paper presents the manifestation of these in the experience of eight Early Years SENCOs working PVI settings.