Building the university/public school partnership: A workshop for mentor teachers

Abstract

Strong teacher education programs acknowledge the importance of a partnership between teacher education and public school faculties and the important role mentor teachers play in the education of student teachers. Studies suggest that mentor teachers trained in supervision are more effective than those who are not. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a workshop for mentor teachers that reflects the collaborative effort of university and public school faculties. The particular focus of this workshop was on giving feedback to student teachers. Evaluation data suggest that mentor teachers felt the workshop provided helpful information.     

De-emphasizing Competition in Organized Youth Sport: Misdirected Reforms and Misled Children

In 1972 I attended the Pre-Olympic Scientific Congress in Munich. For the first time science and sport were brought together in connection with the Olympic Games. The organizers presented a book Sport in Blickpunkt der Wissenschaften (Sport from a Scientific Point of View) that summarized history and state of the art of the main sport scientific approaches (41). The German philosopher Hans Lenk gave a presentation of a broad array of past and present interpretations of sport from a philosophic viewpoint (49). The congress in Munch and Hans Lenk's presentation of sport as a suitable philosophic topic became decisive for my own lifelong interest in philosophy of sport. Soon after the Munich conference some American philosophers convened to launch the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport. In 1973 the first issue of Journal of Philosophy of Sport was published (35). In several ways 1972 was a turning point for philosophy of sport as a serious academic discipline and for my own interest in sport philosophy. From here sport philosophy found its way to Norway and through this and along several other roads to other Nordic countries.     

Combining semi-supervised and active learning to rank algorithms: application to Document Retrieval

Information Retrieval Journal - Generally, the purpose of learning to rank methods is to combine the results from existing ranking models that within a single ranking function, applied to order the...     

Moving beyond the metaphor of transfer of learning

This paper argues that much contemporary educational policy makes assumptions about learning that are directly contradicted by the best research and theorising of learning that has occurred over the last decade and more. This worrying mismatch is largely attributable to adherence by policy makers (and other key stakeholders such as employers), to ‘common sense’ notions of learning transfer. In fact, these ‘common sense’ notions of transfer have increasingly been discarded even in the learning transfer literature. However, we go further in arguing that transfer is a totally inappropriate metaphor for thinking about most learning, but especially for vocational learning. Accepting that thought about learning inevitably involves metaphors, we consider the merits and otherwise of various other learning metaphors including participation and construction. We conclude that the conceptual flaws of transfer can be avoided by employing alternative metaphors. The value of our recommended alternative is illustrated by its power to illuminate data on learning collected from various research projects.     

The effect of nostalgia on self-continuity,pride, and intention to visit a sport team's hometown

ABSTRACT

The primary purpose of the current study was to develop a theoretical model regarding nostalgia, self-continuity, pride, and the intention to visit a sport team's hometown and examine the moderating effect of length of time as a sport fan. The study involved showing a short nostalgic video clip and investigated relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) and multigroup SEM. The results suggest that self-continuity is an important indicator of the relationship between nostalgia and pride and enhances the intention to visit a sport team's hometown. The results also showed that self-continuity is an important indicator for new fans but not for long-term fans.     

Fluctuations in running and skill-related performance in elite rugby union match-play

This study investigated end-game and transient changes in running activities and whether these were concomitantly associated with reductions in skill-related performance in senior international rugby union match-play. Altogether, 18 official matches were analysed (322 individual observations) using computerised video-based tracking and event coding (Amisco Pro^®, SUP, Nice, France). In forwards and backs, trivial to small reductions (% difference: ?2.1, ±1.3 to ?10.0, ±4.0%) in total distance and that covered at high speeds (>18.0?km?h^?1) occurred in the second- versus the first-half while there were trivial differences in skill-related performance measures (?2.3, ±4.5 to 7.5, ±14.0%). In both positions, small to moderate declines (?42, ±10 to ?21, ±7%) occurred in high-speed running in the final 10-min and 5-min periods versus mean values for all other 10-min and 5-min periods throughout the game while only small changes (?18, ±51 to 13, ±41%) in skill-related performance were observed. Trivial changes in running and skill-related performance (?11, ±74 to 7, ±39%) were observed in the 5-min period immediately following the most intense 5-minute periods of play compared to mean performance over the other 5-min periods. These findings suggest that international rugby union players were generally able to maintain skill-related performance over the course of match-play even when declines in running performance occurred.     

Ankle Accelerometry for Assessing Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls: Threshold Determination,Validity, Reliability,and Feasibility

Purpose: Ankle accelerometry allows for 24-hr data collection and improves data volume/integrity versus hip accelerometry. Using Actical ankle accelerometry, the purpose of this study was to (a) develop sensitive/specific thresholds, (b) examine validity/reliability, (c) compare new thresholds with those of the manufacturer, and (d) examine feasibility in a community sample (low-income, urban adolescent girls). Method: Two studies were conducted with 6th- through 7th-grade girls (aged 10–14 years old): First was a laboratory study (n = 24), in which 2 Actical accelerometers were placed on the ankle and worn while measuring energy expenditure (Cosmed K4b2, metabolic equivalents [METs]) during 10 prescribed activities. Analyses included device equivalence reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], activity counts of 2 Acticals), criterion-related validity (correlation, activity counts and METs), and calculations of sensitivity, specificity, kappa, and receiver-operating characteristic curves for thresholds. The second was a free-living study (n = 459), in which an Actical was worn for more than 7 days on the ankle (full 24-hr days retained). Analyses included feasibility (frequencies, missing data) and paired t tests (new thresholds vs. those of the manufacturer). Results: In the laboratory study, the Actical demonstrated reliability (ICC = .92) and validity (r = .81). Thresholds demonstrated sensitivity (91%), specificity (84%), kappa = .73 (p = .043), area under curve range = .81–.97. In the free-living study, 99.6% of participants wore the accelerometer; 84.1% had complete/valid data (mean = 5.7 days). Primary reasons for missing/invalid data included: improper programming/documentation (5.2%), failure to return device (5.0%), and wear-time ≤ 2 days (2.8%). The moderate-to-vigorous physical activity threshold (> 3,200 counts/minute) yielded 37.2 min/day, 2 to 4.5 times lower than that of the manufacturer's software (effect size = 0.74–4.05). Conclusions: Validity, reliability, and feasibility evidences support Actical ankle accelerometry to assess physical activity in community studies of adolescent girls. When comparing manufacturers' software versus new thresholds, a major difference was observed.     

Two Models of Educational Assessment

Many educational developments in recent decades pose a serious challenge to the traditional scientific measurement model that has dominated assessment practices. The scientific measurement model has led to an over‐emphasis on statistical tests and the reification of single measure test scores. The educational developments that challenge the scientific measurement model include problem‐based learning, newer understandings of cognition, and the rise of performance assessment. These developments reflect widespread attempts by educators to reform assessment practices so as to encourage more effective learning. As a result, a new model of educational assessment, which we call the judgemental model, is emerging. The basic assumptions, features and appropriate uses of these two assessment models are compared and contrasted by referring them to a three‐level conceptual model of education, training and assessment for workplace performance.     

Teaching Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Science Courses

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of a project aimed at fosteringthe critical thinking abilities and dispositions of first year students at anAustralian university. Novel paper and pencil problems were designed tofoster the range of critical thinking abilities identified by Ennis (1991). Most ofthese critical thinking tasks relate to applications of chemistry and physics ineveryday life. Some of the tasks were developed from information and/orideas obtained from critical incident interviews with scientists in private andgovernment organisations. The first year university students were required toattempt the tasks in co-operative groups and to interact in these groups in waysaimed at fostering the dispositions of Ennis' ideal critical thinker (Ennis 1996).The project was evaluated from discussions with groups of students, fromcomments of tutors who observed the students working in groups and from aquestionnaire. Evidence obtained from these data indicated that many studentsconsidered their thinking skills were enhanced by their experience of attemptingthe tasks in small co-operative groups.