Sport governance encounters: Insights from lived experiences

This study explored sport governance practice from the lived experience of one informant spanning a 30-year period in the governance of two sport organisations (basketball and cricket). Hermeneutic phenomenology, the methodological framework used for this study, seeks to grasp the everyday world, and draw insight and meaning from it. The method involves a series of in-depth interviews with one research participant, supplemented by document analysis. Interviews were analysed using an interpretative process which blended the world views of both the participant and researchers. The participant lived through an era of increasing professionalisation within sport. His narrative, which tapped into his governance expertise at state, national and international levels, provides insights into the transition from an amateur to a commercial culture, referred to in this paper as ‘two worlds colliding’. From this narrative, three related themes were identified and labelled, ‘volunteer and cultural encounters’; ‘structural encounters’; and ‘adversarial encounters’. In drawing on hermeneutic philosophy, and highlighting that which has been hidden from view, direction for future research and practice within the sport governance domain is offered. These directions invite scholars to think about future sport governance research as it relates to federated structures and how collaborative governance theory can sharpen the focus in this domain.     

Is reported childhood sexual abuse associated with the psychopathological characteristics of patients who experience auditory hallucinations?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether reported childhood sexual abuse is related to the severity of symptoms in patients who experience auditory hallucinations. METHOD: A sample of 26 adult male and females with psychotic disorders involving auditory hallucinations were interviewed and were asked to complete three self-report measures: the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II and DES-taxon versions); the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); and the Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ). They were also asked about any history of sexual abuse in childhood. RESULTS: A history of childhood sexual abuse was reported by 10 of the 26 patients (38.5%), and was associated with higher levels of depression and dissociation, as well as being linked to a tendency to regard the voices as more malevolent. The same three features were all associated with the age at first reported abuse, with a younger age of first experience being related to higher levels of psychopathology in all instances. CONCLUSIONS: These results require replication and refinement in future research, but indicate a need for greater attention to be paid to the possible role of childhood sexual abuse when understanding and treating auditory hallucinations.     

Comparative career accomplishments of two decades of women and men doctoral graduates in education

Patterns of doctoral study and subsequent career progress were compared for 756 men and women doctoral graduates in education at a research university from two six-year periods, one before and one after a rapid nation-wide increase in the percentage of women doctorates. Despite advantages relative to men in admission, financial support and full-time study, women doctorates of both periods had achieved less career progress than men but held similarly positive perceptions concerning career impact of the degree. Work experience prior to doctoral study strongly predicted career progress for both genders. Thus, affirmative action may have positively affected the careers of recent women doctorates who were younger and who began study with less established careers than women doctorates prior to 1970.     

Mature student markets: An institutional case study

Warwick University, a research-led institution, has, in common with other universities, sought to expand its provision for mature students by developing new part-time and full-time degree programmes. Separate but related research projects have surveyed the students involved, looking at their characteristics, educational backgrounds and study purposes. This paper examines the extent to which distinct or overlapping markets for mature students are catered for by the different degree programmes offered.     

Beyond Relative Autonomy Theories of the State in Education

This paper argues against C. Fritzell's claim that relative autonomy theory “has substantial potential within the sociology of education”. It is argued that the inconsistencies in both conception and application of this approach have led to the virtual omission of the sphere of the state from the neo‐Marxist sociology of education. This omission seriously limits research into the politics of education and leads to analyses that are over‐generalised or reductionist, and which tend to make untestable assertions about the relationship between state structures and state agents. The notions of ‘limits’ and ‘capacity’ are examined as being possible analytic tools to promote more adequate reconceptualisations of the state in education.     

Enchanting a disenchanted child: revolutionising the means of education using Information and Communication Technology and e‐learning

The Department for Education and Skills currently shows a high regard for the potential of technology transforming the British education system. Government White papers demonstrate e‐learning‐based unification strategies that reinforce the message that introducing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will raise standards in schools. This paper examines the effect of these developments on teachers and pupils, and questions the government’s motivation for change. The introduction of ICT has not been complemented by increased levels of effective professional development for teaching staff in the pedagogy of ICT across the curriculum and may have merely served to reinforce the generational digital divide. In attempting to enchant the pupils, the government may have alienated the teachers. This paper suggests that the Department for Education and Skills should place more emphasis on developing strategies and providing funding for solutions to gaps in the professional development of teachers in their pedagogical understanding of ICT across the curriculum.     

Quality assurance for distance learning: a case study at Brunel University

Brunel University currently has four distance learning MSc courses, with over 500 students registered, and one undergraduate distance learning course. Some have been running for over five years, and well‐established practices have been developed and provide a basis of support for the university. Quality assurance in the university has always been considered in three, equally important, ways: the curriculum and its assessment; the handling of coursework and assignments; and the liaison with students. The lesson we have learned is that a distance learning programme must be based on an existing full‐time MSc programme, which is the gold standard for curriculum and its assessment, and where possible, common examinations and assessment be used. This can be further assured by scrutinisation by the associated research council. This is going to become ever more important with the increasing scrutiny by overseas governments on the academic quality of distance learning courses, which seek assurance on the comparability and quality of degrees. Quality assurance for the handling of coursework and assignments must be secure and demands a high overhead of paperwork. Detailed feedback to students on their assignments is essential, but this can, at the same time, form a quality assurance check for later progression decisions. We also copy and retain approximately 10% of the assignments for the same purpose. Rapid turnaround is essential if feedback is to be timely and therefore useful, and quality checks on processing time should be standard. Quality assurance for the procedures for liaison with distance learning students are somewhat harder to measure quantitatively. The mark of good distance learning must be its tutorial support. This demands good communications. Our own course, entitled Data Communications Systems, benefits from the high proportion of use of electronic communications, namely email, which allows fast turnaround of questions, yet is not intrusive. However, it is deemed essential that hard copy of all such correspondence is kept. Migration to other Internet support services, such as the World Wide Web, videoconferencing and groupware, is inevitable.     

Learning theories and environments: A student-initiated intelligent computer-assisted environment

Intelligent computer-assisted instructional systems have been constructed and applied within a wide range of fields. Very few of these systems make explicit a central or set of core learning theories or learning environments upon which a system is based. However, many of these systems have implicitly employed learning theories and environments. This paper looks at a variety of intelligent computer-assisted systems with a view towards uncovering the latent learning theories they employ. The interplay of the various learning theories needed to realise a student-initiated learning environment are discussed. The central features required for such an environment to function and the limitations of realising such a learning environment due to the state of the art of present day systems are also discussed. Specializations: physics education; computer education; intelligent computer-assisted instructional systems; physics problem solving. Specializations: chemical education, technology education, history and philosophy of science, learning theories.