Scientific Visuals,Language, and the Commercialization of a Scientific Idea: The Strange Case of the Prion

In the field that investigates infectious brain diseases such as mad cow disease, the verbal and visual packaging of scientific visuals associated with identifying the agent, prion, its processes, and structure served the community ritual of establishing belief in a highly unorthodox phenomenon. Visual promotion fed into cultural expectations of single agents and simple processes, even though the actual agency and disease process have proven highly complex and perhaps unknowable.     

Efficacy of using non-linear pedagogy to support attacking players’ individual learning objectives in elite-youth football: A randomised cross-over trial

ABSTRACT

The present study examined the efficacy of a coaching curriculum, based on non-linear pedagogy, on improving attacking players’ individual learning objectives (ILOs) in elite-youth football. Participants included 22 attacking players (i.e., centre-forwards, wide-players and attacking midfield players) from a professional football academy in England. The players were randomly appointed to both control (CON) and intervention (INT) periods following baseline measures. The INT (non-linear) and CON (linear) periods were both designed to support the ILOs provided to each player as part of the elite player performance plan. The study adopted a randomised cross-over design and ILOs considered important for attacking players (i.e., strong foot finishing, weak foot finishing, 1-v-1 and decision-making) were evaluated using the Loughborough Shooting Skill Test. The results showed significant differences for INT in 1-v-1 (P< 0.02) and decision-making (P< 0.01). However, there were no significant differences for strong foot finishing, weak foot finishing or time taken. These results support non-linear pedagogy in developing 1-v-1 game play and decision-making but not for technical shooting proficiency.     

The perceived value of work placements and part-time work and its diminution with time

This paper explores the perceptions of degree students at two UK universities regarding their work placement and part-time working activities, to assess if the two activities converge. The research comprises three stages: interviews for preliminary exploration of students’ perceptions towards work placement and part-time work; interviews to examine how placement opportunities link with career aspirations; a survey of students who had completed a placement, and those currently on placement. Students acknowledged part-time working helped their placement activity, providing transferable skills beneficial to both study and career aspirations. A significant finding was with respect to time: the closer to the placement activity the data was collected, the stronger the impact of appreciating the value of placement. The paper therefore highlights the value of timing in the assessment of work placement. It also offers value for universities’ by providing insight into students’ perceptions regarding embedded external work activities that can enhance graduate employability and career prospects.     

Bullying and social support: variation by school-type and emotional or behavioural disturbances

The present study analysed whether bullying/victimisation and related social support vary by emotional and behavioural disturbances (EBD) as well as school type. We examined 540 German adolescents with and without emotional disturbances (ED)/behavioural disturbances (BD) attending regular and special schools for students with EBD. Adolescents with BD and co-morbid co-occurring emotional and behavioural disturbances (ED + BD) reported elevated levels of bullying, while students with ED and co-morbid ED + BD reported elevated levels of victimisation. Enhanced levels of overt victimisation were also found in adolescents from special schools. Students from special schools perceived less peer support but more teacher support. Furthermore, adolescents with co-morbid ED + BD were least likely to tell teachers about being victimised. It is concluded that bullying interventions for adolescents with EBD and students from special schools need to be implemented and evaluated.     

Values-Alignment Messaging Boosts Adolescents’ Motivation to Control Social Media Use

Two preregistered experiments with 2,733 U.S. high school students (age range = 13–19 years) compared the impact of different messages on adolescents’ motivation to control social media use (SMU). A traditional message emphasized the benefits of avoiding SMU, whereas a values-alignment message framed controlling SMU as being consistent with autonomy and social justice. Compared to no message or a traditional message, in both studies, a values-alignment message led to greater motivation to control SMU immediately afterward, and in Study 2, awareness of “addictive” social media designs 3 months later. As hypothesized, values-alignment messaging was more motivating for girls than boys. Results offer preliminary support for leveraging adolescents’ drives for autonomy and social justice to motivate self-regulation of SMU.     

Books and babies

One of the most satisfying forms of verbal communication between child and adult is that magical moment of being read to. Read me a story is the preschooler's frequent refrain, and even the youngest toddler will manage self and book into the cozy lap of a willing adult.Reprinted by permission of the publisher from Nuba-Scheffler, Hannah, Sheiman, Deborah Lovitky, & Watkins, Kathleen Pullan, INFANCY: A GUIDE TO RESEARCH & RESOURCES. (New York: Teachers College Press, © 1986 by Hannah Nuba-Scheffler, Deborah Lovitky Sheiman, & Kathleen Pullan Watkins. All rights reserved.), pp. 143–154.