How Sustainable Are In‐service Teacher‐training Courses?

The present research addressed the issue of ‘life after a course’. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of four in‐service teacher‐training courses at the Hong Kong Institute of Education in terms of their usefulness and relevance to the teachers’ needs on return to school. An end‐of‐course evaluation questionnaire and a follow‐up questionnaire were sent six months after the courses to see if there were any significant differences in the participants’ views on the effectiveness of a course at two different time points. Qualitative data collected from interviews between the tutors and participants six months after the courses were also analysed to find out which aspects of the courses were considered to be most useful to the teachers on their return to school, and why they were useful. The findings from the research give valuable insights into the design of teacher‐education courses.     

The effect of gender composition of faculty on student retention

The gender composition of faculty is an important issue on many campuses. Substantial efforts are taken by colleges to hire a diverse faculty where women are equitably represented. Several papers suggest that female faculty can act as role models for female students. This issue is particularly emphasized in science and engineering programs. However, empirical research finds mixed support for this hypothesis. We provide a new test of this issue by examining whether female students have higher first-year retention rates when a greater percentage of their classes are taught by female faculty. There is a positive relationship between retention of female students and the percentage of their science and mathematics classes taught by female faculty. Also faculty gender has a greater impact on female students when their classes have few female students. Thus this study provides support for gender-based programs for hiring.     

Accountability and Student Learning

Holding teachers accountable for other people's (students) behavior is inappropriate policy that results in ineffective teaching, diminished enthusiasm for learning, and lower levels of achievement. There are both legal and psychological reasons for this. Making teachers responsible for students' behavior absolves students of responsibility for their own actions and develops an externalized locus of control in students that leads to teacher control and student dependence. Because every person is accountable for his or her own behavior but not for what other people do, teachers must be held accountable for what they do as teachers but not for what their students do as learners. Students are responsible for their own learning.     

Optoelectrofluidic field separation based on light-intensity gradients

Optoelectrofluidic field separation (OEFS) of particles under light -intensity gradient (LIG) is reported, where the LIG illumination on the photoconductive layer converts the short-ranged dielectrophoresis (DEP) force to the long-ranged one. The long-ranged DEP force can compete with the hydrodynamic force by alternating current electro-osmosis (ACEO) over the entire illumination area for realizing effective field separation of particles. In the OEFS system, the codirectional illumination and observation induce the levitation effect, compensating the attenuation of the DEP force under LIG illumination by slightly floating particles from the surface. Results of the field separation and concentration of diverse particle pairs (0.82–16 μm) are well demonstrated, and conditions determining the critical radius and effective particle manipulation are discussed. The OEFS with codirectional LIG strategy could be a promising particle manipulation method in many applications where a rapid manipulation of biological cells and particles over the entire working area are of interest.     

Using ROI to demonstrate performance value in the public sector

The demand for accountability through measurement continues to increase. Although much progress has been made, it remains an issue that challenges even the most sophisticated and progressive performance improvement function. This article provides an overview of best practices in the return‐on‐investment process and describes how applying these measurement practices can have a positive impact on organizational performance and the credibility of performance improvement professionals in the public sector.     

Preservice and inservice teachers’ perceptions of appropriateness of teacher self-disclosure

This study investigated preservice and inservice teachers' perceptions of appropriateness of teacher self-disclosure. A sample of 180 preservice teachers and 135 preK-12 teachers participated in the study. Results showed statistically significant differences between the groups of teachers in their perceptions of appropriateness of teacher self-disclosure in the three dimensions: Uncommon Topics, Uncommon Purposes, and Consideration of Students. No significant differences were found in the two dimensions: Common Topics and Common Purposes. This study makes an excellent contribution to the theoretical framework of the study of teacher self-disclosure and also provides implications for teaching and teacher education.     

Identity formation of teacher–mentors: An analysis of contrasting experiences using a Wengerian matrix framework

In order to understand the process of identity formation in a community of practice, Wenger (2002) proposes a matrix framework whereby three qualities (connectedness, expansiveness and effectiveness) are matched against three modes of belonging (engagement, imagination and alignment). In this paper we use this framework to analyse the experiences of two teacher–mentors and interpret how their identities are formed during the process of mentoring student–teachers. Factors that contribute significantly to the development of their identity include the school culture, the ‘personalities’ of the other community members, and the influence of other relevant communities of practice.     

Relationships between highly skilled golfers’ clubhead velocity and force producing capabilities during vertical jumps and an isometric mid-thigh pull

Whilst previous research has highlighted significant relationships between golfers’ clubhead velocity (CHV) and their vertical jump height and maximum strength, these field-based protocols were unable to measure the actual vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) variables that may correlate to performance. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ) and drop jump (DJ) vGRF variables and CHV in highly skilled golfers. Twenty-seven male category 1 golfers performed IMTP, CMJ, SJ and DJ on a dual force platform. The vertical jumps were used to measure positive impulse during different stretch-shortening cycle velocities, with the IMTP assessing peak force (PF) and rate of force development (RFD). Clubhead velocity was measured using a TrackMan launch monitor at a golf driving range. Pearsons correlation coefficient analyses revealed significant relationships between peak CHV and CMJ positive impulse (r = 0.788, p < 0.001), SJ positive impulse (r = 0.692; p < 0.001), DJ positive impulse (r = 0.561, p < 0.01), PF (r = 0.482, p < 0.01), RFD from 0–150 ms (r = 0.343, p < 0.05) and RFD from 0–200 ms (r = 0.398, p < 0.05). The findings from this investigation indicate strong relationships between vertical ground reaction force variables and clubhead velocity.     

‘We are all Foxes Now’: sport,multiculturalism and business in the era of Disneyization

On Monday 2 May 2016, a little heralded, medium-sized, provincial soccer club, Leicester City, one with no record of league titles in 132 years of trying, no European heritage of any note, and no major expenditure on players, won the English Premier League (EPL) title. This astonishing outcome is at odds with the development of monetised late-modern European club soccer. A select group of clubs with a global ‘reach’, owned and funded by foreign capital, have increasingly dominated the EPL since its formation in 1992. Leicester City’s triumph was also notable because Leicester is regarded as a settled multi-cultural city. The title win was widely interpreted as a vehicle for promoting racial integration, as well as celebrating positive owner/fan identities, civic pride, and traditional sporting values over the ethos of business. This paper explores these issues and what the Leicester victory meant to local supporters, and to the city.