Using expectations and satisfaction to measure the frontiers of efficiency in public universities

Students’ satisfaction with their university and course is of fundamental importance to retain students and promote their positive worth-of-mouth. The objective of this research is to analyse the level of efficiency of Portuguese public universities, according to the expectations and satisfaction of their students. To accomplish the objective, this article uses data envelopment analysis methodology. As our unit of analysis, we selected the faculties making up the universities researched. The analytical input came from the expectations of 1669 students regarding their study programme and their universities. The outputs stem from their satisfaction with their study programmes and their universities. We conclude that university practices do not currently guarantee efficiency. We also observe that efficiency in the relationship between expectations and general satisfaction with the study programme does not represent efficiency in the relationship between expectations and general satisfaction with the university, and vice versa.     

Mechanical properties of the triceps surae: Differences between football and non-football players

Abstract

We investigated the mechanical properties of the triceps surae between professional, junior, and non-football players. Fifty-nine men participated in this study. The mechanical properties of the right legs’ triceps surae were measured in vivo using a free oscillation technique; no significant differences existed between the groups. The mean results for musculo-articular stiffness, damping coefficient, and damping ratio were as follows: professional football players (21523 N· m^?1, 330.8 N · s · m^?1, and 0.201); junior football players (21063 N · m^?1, 274.4 N · s · m^?1, and 0.173); and non-players (19457 N · m^?1, 281.5 N · s · m^?1, and 0.184). When analysed according to position, the results were as follows: defender (21447 N · m^?1, 308.6 N · s · m^?1, and 0.189); midfielder (20762 N · m^?1, 250.7 N · s · m^?1, and 0.157); winger (21322 N · m^?1, 335.1 N · s · m^?1, and 0.212); forward (22085 N · m^?1, 416.2 N · s · m^?1, and 0.254); and non-players (19457 N · m^?1, 281.5 N · s · m^?1, and 0.184).

Thus, football training, football games, and the position played had no effect on triceps surae mechanical properties. These results may be attributed to opposing adaptations between different types of training that are usually implemented in football. Alternatively, the minimum strain amplitude and/or frequency threshold of the triceps surae required to trigger adaptations of mechanical properties might not be achieved by football players with football training and matches.     

The role of teaching practices in the development of children’s interest in reading and mathematics in kindergarten

This study examined the extent to which teaching practices observed in kindergarten classrooms predict children’s interest in reading and mathematics. The pre-skills in reading and mathematics of 515 children were measured at the beginning of their kindergarten year, and their interest in reading and mathematics were assessed in the following spring. A pair of trained observers used the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM; Stipek & Byler, 2004) to observe the teaching practices used by 49 kindergarten teachers. The results revealed that in classrooms in which the teachers placed greater emphasis on child-centered teaching practices than on teacher-directed practices, the children showed more interest in reading and mathematics.     

A comparison between elemental and compound training of cues in retrospective revaluation

Associative learning theories assume that cue interaction and, specifically, retrospective revaluation occur only when the target cue is previously trained in compound with the to-be-revalued cue. However, there are recent demonstrations of retrospective revaluation in the absence of compound training (e.g., Matute &; Pineño, 1998a, 1998b). Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to assume that cue interaction should be stronger when the cues are trained together than when they are trained apart. In two experiments with humans, we directly compared compound and elemental training of cues. The results showed that retrospective revaluation in the elemental condition can be as strong as and, sometimes, stronger than that in the compound condition. This suggests that within-compound associations are not necessary for retrospective revaluation to occur and that these effects can possibly be best understood in the framework of general interference theory.     

Negotiating the role of sources: Educators' conceptions of credibility in participatory media

Participatory media are commonly used in today's society for a variety of purposes. The credibility associated with these media is sometimes contested, and their acceptance into school practices has been debated. Focus group interviews with teachers and librarians in upper secondary schools in Sweden are used to investigate conceptions and experiences of activities involving the critical evaluation of participatory media, with a particular focus on Wikipedia. Three themes are addressed. The first concerns how the teaching of the critical evaluation of sources is organized and comanaged between teachers and librarians. The second describes educators' experiences of print versus digital media, and their worry because students have problems negotiating the information architecture of print media. The third theme deals with conceptions of the credibility of Wikipedia. Four conceptions of credibility are identified: credibility is associated with the control and stability of a source; it is considered to be strengthened when several sources support a claim; it is viewed as situational and partial, rather than absolute; and it is associated with a multiplicity of voices and democratic forms of production. These findings may be used to inform educational activities around credibility and authority in schools by raising self-awareness among educators of various ways to talk about the credibility of sources with both colleagues and students.     

Verification of a 6-part differential haematology analyser Siemens Advia 2120i

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive verification of a 6-part differential haematology analyser Siemens Advia 2120i (Erlangen, Germany), prior to its routine implementation.Materials and methodsOur verification protocol included: precision (within- and between-run), estimated bias (%) as measure of trueness, which was calculated from observed and manufacturers’ declared value, analytical measuring interval (AMI), carryover, confirmation of a limit of blank (LoB), determination of a limit of detection (LoD) and limit of quantitation (LoQ). The K₂ ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) patients’ leftover samples were used for verification of analyser Advia 2021i. Acceptance criteria were based on manufacturer technical specifications (Siemens), 2016 state-of-the-art criteria (Vis and Huisman), and EFLM Biological Variation Database.ResultsThe within- and between-run precision were acceptable for all parameters and the lowest coefficients of variation were observed for mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (0.3% and 0.6%, respectively). Estimated bias was within the acceptance criteria for all parameters except for MCV (the estimated bias was 2.2% (acceptance criteria 2.0%). AMI was confirmed for all tested parameters (r > 0.99). The carryover estimates ranged from 0.1% for platelet count (Plt) to 0.6% for red blood cell count and were within the manufacturers’ specifications (≤ 1%). Manufacturers’ claims for LoB were confirmed for leukocytes, erythrocytes, haemoglobin, and platelets. The estimated LoD and LoQ were 0.05 x10⁹/L and 0.1 x10⁹/L for white blood cell count, while for Plt values were 2 x10⁹/L and 3 x10⁹/L, respectively.ConclusionsAnalytical performance of the Siemens Advia 2120i meets predefined quality goals and is suitable for routine use in a clinical laboratory.Key words: verification, haematology analyser, haematology, blood cell count     

Biology teachers’ collaborative experiences: benefits and difficulties in different contexts in relation to perceived value

Cultural Studies of Science Education - Collaboration has the potential to strengthen both professional learning and well-being for teachers. However, it can also bring problematic aspects, such as...