Estimating fat-free mass in elite youth male soccer players: cross-validation of different field methods and development of prediction equation

This study determined the most effective field method for quantifying fat-free mass (FFM) in elite youth male soccer players compared to dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) values and to develop prediction equations for FFM based on anthropometric variables. Forty-one male elite-standard youth soccer players, ages 16.2–18.0 years, undertook FFM assessments including bioelectrical impedance analysis, and different skinfold-based prediction equations. DXA provided a criterion measure of FFM. Correlation coefficients, bias, limits of agreement, and differences were used as validity measures, and regression analyses to develop soccer-specific prediction equations. Slaughter et al (1988), Durnin and Wormersley (1974), and Sarria et al (1998) equations showed the lowest biases, and no significant, standardized, and substantial differences against DXA. The new youth soccer-specific anthropometric equation explained 91% of the DXA-derived FFM variance using three circumferences, eight skinfolds, and one bone breadth. All field methods compared in this study may not be adequate for estimating FFM in elite youth male soccer players, except the equations of Slaughter et al (1988), Durnin and Wormersley (1974), and Sarria et al (1998). We recommend the use of the new soccer-specific equation proposed in this study as a valid alternative to DXA to quantify FFM among elite youth male players.     

Personalised virtual learning spaces to support undergraduates in producing research reports: Two case studies

The purpose of this study was to create and evaluate personalised virtual learning spaces (PVLSs) in a course that was previously delivered face-to-face only. The study addressed three related questions: (1) Can a PVLS successfully be introduced into a course where IT has not previously featured? (2) Can the PVLSs be used to enhance the assessment from an extended essay to a higher-level empirical research project? (3) What are the perceptions of the students and the tutor of the PVLSs in terms of access, clarity and usefulness of the supervision of undergraduate research projects? Results showed that the introduction of the PVLSs into the course was trouble-free and that the PVLSs were able to enhance assessment. The vast majority of students and their tutor showed high levels of satisfaction, particularly with (1) the messaging tool, which allowed asynchronous, one-to-one communication with the tutor, and (2) the interactive web-forms, which provided structured guidance of how to conduct a small-scale empirical research project. The study concludes that the interactive web-forms and messaging tool can be beneficial functions of virtual learning spaces.     

Examining Arizona’s Policy Response Post Flores v. Arizona in Educating K–12 English Language Learners

This article provides an analysis of Arizona’s policy response in educating English language learners by conducting a narrative review. A critical Latina/o theory approach was used to analyze the data. This study reveals 5 salient policy responses: (a) severely limit bilingual education, (b) develop controversial funding solutions, (c) implement a segregated 4-hr English language development block, (d) mandate structured English immersion–focused teacher preparation, and (e) develop disputed identification and classification instruments. The available data suggest that these policies have negatively impacted the educational experience and academic attainment of English language learners.     

Developing the concept of international education: Sixty years of UNESCO history

This article is an analysis of official UNESCO documents—General Conference resolutions and Executive Board decisions for the period 1946 to 1999—that address international education. It shows that international education has been key to UNESCO’s mission since the organization began, and illustrates various trends in its acceptance and implementation. It argues that, because such education is essential to academic and technical progress, it must be incorporated in all the activities and materials of any educational system. It also argues that implementing it as UNESCO has recommended can relieve many types of conflict.     

“Are two better than one?” the impact of years in head start on child outcomes, family environment, and reading at home

This study examined whether children attending Head Start for two years have better developmental outcomes than children attending for one year and whether their families enjoy a more positive family environment. Forty-five children were in the one-year duration group and 29 were in the two-years duration group. The Family Environment Scale (FES), the Child Development Inventory (CDI), and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Results indicated that children’s scores on the CDI did not differ as a function of the length of participation in Head Start. However, families who participated for two years reported an increased intellectual-cultural orientation, and increased active recreational orientation. These families placed greater emphasis on organization, and read more times to their child during the week than families who participated in the program for only one year.     

Political pornification gone global: Teresa Rodríguez as fungible object in the 2015 Spanish regional elections

In this article, the authors examine the political pornification of Spanish politician Teresa Rodríguez and assess the rhetorical strategies she and her supporters used to respond to the controversy. The authors theorize a “fungibility frame” within which women candidates and citizens are treated as interchangeable, violable, and devalued. Rodríguez and her supporters resisted this frame, asserting women's individuality, agency, and inherent value. This case underscores the ways in which political pornification impacts not just candidates and public figures, but also private citizens. When pornified, women are presented not as individuals with political agency but as objects which may be manipulated for political and commercial gain. Additionally, this analysis reveals the ways in which the conditions that produce political pornification may be endemic to democratic culture.