Importing control in Initial Teacher Training: theorizing the construction of specific habitus in recent proposals for induction into teaching

This article attempts to provide theoretical perspectives on the recent Conservative-led Coalition Government’s promotion of Teach First and related initiatives in England. In particular, we suggest the emergence of three ‘ideal’ types of teacher in the initial teacher training programmes outlined in the 2010 White Paper and related Conservative discourse: the ‘Elite Graduate’, the ‘High Flyer’ and the ‘Ex-Soldier’. These ‘ideals’, we argue, are dually performative: not only legitimating habitus proximate to Conservative ideological interests, but also awarding them authority over pupils and the educational ‘field’. We begin our discussion with an analysis of the amendments to school disciplinary practice proposed in April 2011 which appear to place new emphasis on teachers’ dispositions. Seen in the light of concomitant criticism of current teachers’ passivity, we suggest, these changes relate to our ‘ideals’ in two ways. Firstly, suggesting the need for a new cohort of teachers up to the challenge of authority. Secondly, enabling the ‘ideals’ to exercise their habitus in judgements over pupils.     

The importance of structuring information and resources within shared workspaces during collaborative design learning

This paper investigates how the organization or structure of information and resources in shared workspaces influences team sharing and design learning. Two groupware products, BSCW and TikiWiki, were configured so that teams could structure and share resources. In BSCW the resources were structured hierarchically using folders and subfolders whereas in TikiWiki resources were structured using interlinked wiki pages (like web pages). The results showed that the groupware technology used, the collaborative task set and opportunities to reflect all influenced the way teams structured resources and that well‐structured resources facilitated team collaboration and design learning. The discussion focuses on the need to help students develop information literacy skills and on why asking students to structure resources might help develop their design expertise.     

The development process for the optional teacher assessment materials for English for use in Wales at the end of Key Stage 2

This paper outlines the development process that took place for the production of assessment materials to be used by teachers in Wales now that statutory testing at the end of KS2 has been abolished. The aim was to provide teachers with a free, but rich, optional resource that would allow for assessment of pupils' abilities in a wide range of skills and competencies embedded in the English curriculum and demonstrate how teacher assessments could be used both summatively and formatively.     

Tangible Interaction and Cultural Forms: Supporting Learning in Informal Environments

Designers who create computer-based learning experiences for places like museums, out-of-school programs, and homes face a number of challenges related to the informal nature of such settings. Designs must generally function on their own without the support of teachers or curriculum while at the same time engaging a diverse audience, supporting productive social interaction, and activating appropriate prior knowledge and skills. In this article, I present an approach to the design of informal learning experiences based on tangible interaction. The term tangible refers to a variety of human–computer interaction techniques that move beyond computer screens and create opportunities for people to interact with digital systems using their bodies and physical artifacts. I argue that tangible interaction creates unique opportunities for designers to shape objects and situations to evoke cultural forms of literacy, learning, and play. In particular, I propose a class of cultural forms called cueing forms that can invite participation into patterned social activity while cueing cognitive, physical, and emotional resources on the part of individuals. To illustrate these arguments, I describe 3 design cases that colleagues and I have created to support learning in museums and homes.     

The effect of ball-carrying technique and experience on sprinting in rugby union

Abstract

There are several ways of carrying the ball in rugby union, which could influence the speed at which a player can run. We assessed 52 rugby players (34 males, 18 females) during a maximum sprint over 30 m without the ball, with the ball under one arm, and with the ball in both hands. Timing gates were used to measure time over the initial 10 m and the last 20 m. It has previously been reported (Grant et al., 2003 Grant, S. J., Oommen, G., McColl, G., Taylor, J., Watkins, L.Friel, N. 2003. The effects of ball carrying method on sprint speed in rugby union football players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21: 1009–1015. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) that running with the ball produces a slower sprinting speed than running without the ball. We hypothesized that the decrease in speed caused by carrying the ball would become less marked with the experience of the player. The male and female players were each divided into two groups: a “beginner” group that consisted of players in their first or second season and an “experienced” group that was composed of players who had played for more than two seasons. A 2 × 3 mixed-model analysis of variance was used to identify differences (P < 0.01) between the beginner and experienced groups in the three sprinting conditions. The times for the males for the first 10 m sprints without the ball, with the ball under one arm, and with the ball in both hands were 1.87 ± 0.08 s, 1.87 ± 0.08 s, and 1.91 ± 0.1 s for the beginners, and 1.87 ± 0.1, 1.88 ± 0.1 and 1.88 ± 0.12 for the more experienced players respectively. The times for the females for the first 10 m without the ball, with the ball under one arm, and with the ball in both hands were 2.13 ± 0.16 s, 2.19 ± 0.17 s, and 2.20 ± 0.16 s for the beginners, and 2.03 ± 0.12 s, 2.03 ± 0.09 s, and 2.04 ± 0.1 s for the more experienced players respectively. For the last 20 m of the 30-m sprint, there were differences between the different sprint conditions (P < 0.001) but no differences that were attributable to experience (P = 0.297). The times for the males over the last 20 m without the ball, with the ball under one arm, and with the ball in both hands were 2.58 ± 0.19 s, 2.61 ± 0.12 s, and 2.65 ± 0.12 s for the beginners, and 2.59 ± 0.12, 2.62 ± 0.23, and 2.65 ± 0.18 s for the more experienced players respectively. The times for the females over the last 20 m without the ball, with the ball under one arm, and with the ball in both hands were 3.25 ± 0.38 s, 3.35 ± 0.42 s, and 3.40 ± 0.46 s for the beginners, and 3.04 ± 0.32 s, 3.06 ± 0.22 s, and 3.13 ± 0.27 s for the more experienced players respectively. No gender-specific differences were detected. The results of this study suggest that practising sprints while carrying a ball benefits the early phase of sprinting while carrying the ball.