Going Critical: Perspective and Proportion in the Epistemology of Rob Kling

One foundational element of Rob Kling's research and writing is his critical perspective on the nature, role, and dynamics of computerization. His main argument was that one should view as dubious any statements that are not grounded in empirical evidence or theoretical analysis. Rob's work was replete with critical refutation, in which he challenged assumptions or statements about computerization and provided alternative interpretations. Much of his work delivered indictments against hyperbolic statements that claimed either utopian or dystopian outcomes from computerization. However, some of his own writings on emerging technologies tended to be dismissive and marginalizing, revealing in his own work some of the weaknesses he pointed out in others' rhetoric and writing. This article identifies intellectual traps inherent in critical perspectives that can catch even the most acute practitioners. The objective is to help elucidate and stabilize the epistemological foundations for Rob's critical perspective on the role of computerization.     

The efficacy of downhill running as a method to enhance running economy in trained distance runners

Running downhill, in comparison to running on the flat, appears to involve an exaggerated stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) due to greater impact loads and higher vertical velocity on landing, whilst also incurring a lower metabolic cost. Therefore, downhill running could facilitate higher volumes of training at higher speeds whilst performing an exaggerated SSC, potentially inducing favourable adaptations in running mechanics and running economy (RE). This investigation assessed the efficacy of a supplementary 8-week programme of downhill running as a means of enhancing RE in well-trained distance runners. Nineteen athletes completed supplementary downhill (?5% gradient; n?=?10) or flat (n?=?9) run training twice a week for 8 weeks within their habitual training. Participants trained at a standardised intensity based on the velocity of lactate turnpoint (vLTP), with training volume increased incrementally between weeks. Changes in energy cost of running (E_C) and vLTP were assessed on both flat and downhill gradients, in addition to maximal oxygen uptake (?O_2max). No changes in E_C were observed during flat running following downhill (1.22?±?0.09 vs 1.20?±?0.07?Kcal?kg^?1?km^?1, P?=?.41) or flat run training (1.21?±?0.13 vs 1.19?±?0.12?Kcal?kg^?1?km^?1). Moreover, no changes in E_C during downhill running were observed in either condition (P?>?.23). vLTP increased following both downhill (16.5?±?0.7 vs 16.9?±?0.6?km?h^?1 _, P?=?.05) and flat run training (16.9?±?0.7 vs 17.2?±?1.0?km?h^?1, P?=?.05), though no differences in responses were observed between groups (P?=?.53). Therefore, a short programme of supplementary downhill run training does not appear to enhance RE in already well-trained individuals.     

The role of educational technology professionals as perceived by building administrators

Educational Technology (ETEC) professionals in the United States (US) fill multiple roles in public school systems. While these roles can be classified into broad categories, what remains unclear are the expectations and priorities for the completion of these roles and the tasks associated within each role category. In order for ETEC professionals to be successful, they need clear guidance on what their performance expectations and prioritized roles should be. This research seeks to add clarity regarding expectations by surveying K-12 building administrators to identify perceptions of ETEC professionals within their schools regarding their actual and ideal performances relative to eight role categories. Results indicate that these US building administrators place high importance on the Technological and Administrative Communication categories. The data also show that there is a significant gap between the ideal and actual performance expectations of ETEC professionals in all eight role categories, but most demonstrably within the Instructional Support and Teaching/Training categories. Results also signal the desire for ETEC professionals to focus more on training and collaboration with teachers regarding technology integration within classrooms. This suggests that administrators want ETEC professionals to complete more instructional tasks than they currently perform. Findings from this study hold implications for the training of ETEC professionals and can potentially inform the curriculum of educational technology preparation programs in the US and beyond.     

Teacher leaders’ work with peers in a Quasi-formal teacher leadership model

Building on evolving conceptions of teacher leadership in the literature, this article argues that an integration of both positional and empowering elements of teacher leadership are the seeds of an evolved approach to teacher leadership for instructional improvement. Using data from a study of quasi-formal teacher leadership, the research examines how teacher leaders play a positive role in schools and fulfil a series of needs of teachers. However, the constraints of teacher leaders’ instructional authority limits their ability to influence the instructional practices of their peers. The findings clarify the distinction between school-level and individual-level teacher leadership.     

System-on-a-chip (SoC)-based hardware acceleration for foreground and background identification

The rapid growth of embedded vision applications and accessibility in recent years has instigated a philosophical shift in algorithm and implementation design for artificial intelligence. With the popularization of high-definition video, the amount of data available to be processed has also increased substantially, posing massive computational and communication demands. Hardware acceleration through specialization has received renewed interest in recent years; such acceleration has generally been implemented using two chips, with the image signal processing (ISP) part being performed by a DSP, a GPU or an FPGA and the video content analytics (VCA) part being executed by a processor. GPUs consume a substantial amount of power; thus, it is challenging to deploy them in embedded environments. However, the new generation of SoC-FPGAs that are fabricated with both the microprocessor and FPGA on a single chip consumes less power and can be built into small systems, thereby offering an attractive platform for embedded applications. This study presents the hardware acceleration of a real-time adaptive background and foreground identification algorithm in a SoC, including the capture, processing and display stages. The algorithm can be performed in either 2D or 3D space. The proposed platform uses photometric invariant color, depth data and local binary patterns (LBPs) to distinguish background from foreground. The system uses minimal cell resources, an elastically pipelined architecture is used to absorb variations in processing time, and each pipeline stage is optimized to use the available FPGA primitives. Additionally, the communication-centric architecture used in this work simplifies the implementation of embedded vision algorithms.     

First adoption of consumer innovations: Exploring market failure and alleviating factors

Consumers innovate usually for non-commercial motives. They generally lack incentives to diffuse, and this is expected to hamper first adoption – even if consumer innovations are valuable to many other people. We confirm this market failure with survey data of 164 German consumer innovators. First adoption by others is unrelated with general use value, unless the innovator is highly willing to commercialize. Next, as classical diffusion theory does not explain when consumer innovations become available to others, we propose an individual-object-process (I-O-P) framework to study factors alleviating the market failure. The viability of the framework is explored by studying the moderating role of entrepreneurial experience (I), product newness (O) and community engagement during the innovation process (P). First adoption of generally valuable consumer innovations is enhanced when a community was involved. We also find tentative evidence for a moderating role of entrepreneurial experience and product newness.     

Differential training loads and individual fitness responses to pre-season in professional rugby union players

We aimed to compare differentiated training loads (TL) between fitness responders and non-responders to an eight-week pre-season training period in a squad of thirty-five professional rugby union players. Differential TL were calculated by multiplying player’s perceptions of breathlessness (sRPE-B) and leg muscle exertion (sRPE-L) with training duration for each completed session. Performance-based fitness measures included the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRTL1), 10-, 20-, and 30-m linear sprint times, countermovement jump height (CMJ) and predicted one-repetition maximum back squat (P1RM Squat). The proportion of responders (≥ 75% chance that the observed change in fitness was > typical error and smallest worthwhile change) were 37%, 50%, 52%, 82% and 70% for YYIRTL1, 20/30-m, 10-m, CMJ and P1RM Squat, respectively. Weekly sRPE-B-TL was very likely higher in YYIRTL1 responders (mean difference = 18%; ±90% confidence limits 11%), likely lower in 20/30-m (19%; ±20%) and 10-m (18%; ±17%) responders, and likely higher in CMJ responders (15%; ±16%). All other comparisons were unclear. Weekly sRPE-B discriminate between rugby union players who respond to pre-season training when compared with players who do not. Our findings support the collection of differential ratings of perceived exertion and the use of individual response analysis in team-sport athletes.     

The effects of acute carbohydrate and caffeine feeding strategies on cycling efficiency

To assess the effect of carbohydrate and caffeine on gross efficiency (GE), 14 cyclists (V?O_2max 57.6 ± 6.3 ml.kg^?1.min^?1) completed 4 × 2-hour tests at a submaximal exercise intensity (60% Maximal Minute Power). Using a randomized, counter-balanced crossover design, participants consumed a standardised diet in the 3-days preceding each test and subsequently ingested either caffeine (CAF), carbohydrate (CHO), caffeine+carbohydrate (CAF+CHO) or water (W) during exercise whilst GE and plasma glucose were assessed at regular intervals (~30 mins). GE progressively decreased in the W condition but, whilst caffeine had no effect, this was significantly attenuated in both trials that involved carbohydrate feedings (W = ?1.78 ± 0.31%; CHO = ?0.70 ± 0.25%, p = 0.008; CAF+CHO = ?0.63 ± 0.27%, p = 0.023; CAF = ?1.12 ± 0.24%, p = 0.077). Blood glucose levels were significantly higher in carbohydrate ingestion conditions (CHO = 4.79 ± 0.67 mmol·L^?1, p < 0.001; CAF+CHO = 5.05 ± 0.81 mmol·L^?1, p < 0.001; CAF = 4.46 ± 0.75 mmol·L^?1; W = 4.20 ± 0.53 mmol·L^?1). Carbohydrate ingestion has a small but significant effect on exercise-induced reductions in GE, indicating that cyclists’ feeding strategy should be carefully monitored prior to and during assessment.     

Academic organizations and new industrial fields: Berkeley and Stanford after the rise of biotechnology

The increasing intertwining of academic and commercial research networks has led to fundamental changes in the organization of modern science. Industry links not only affect the professional dynamics within individual scholarly communities but also affect the position of these communities in their broader academic environment. This paper outlines how industry ties open up opportunities for scientific institution builders to strengthen the legitimacy of their fields of scientific enquiry within this environment. How an academic environment shapes efforts by institution-builders to pursue these opportunities is examined in the context of reorganizations in the life sciences at the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University following the rise of biotechnology during the 1980s and 1990s. This study also highlights how different models of technology transfer shaped the organizational structures of the expansionist initiatives pushed through at these two universities by molecular biologists with close industry ties.