The role of planning in outdoor adventure decision-making

ABSTRACT

This article explores the influential role of planning on recognition-primed decision-making. Considerable prior thinking occurs and there is a need to trace and account for the cognitive processes that precede and guide decisions in dynamic outdoor environments. Seven expert leaders from four countries were interviewed about memorable decisions made on outdoor journeys with an educational focus on land, sea and ice. Four stages of planning were identified: (1) long-term preparation; (2) formal leadership meetings; (3) day-by-day planning on route and (4) thinking immediately prior to the event. The stages sequentially capture the planning progression, illuminating the cognitive processes at each stage to culminate in option selection. In each decision situation, planned goals and actions were implemented through the creation and re-creation of micro-plans. As windows of opportunity presented themselves, the flexible execution of plans was a key feature. Planning provided the solid bedrock upon which decisions were made.     

CALCULUS STUDENTS’ AND INSTRUCTORS’ CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF SLOPE: A COMPARISON ACROSS ACADEMIC LEVELS

This study considers tertiary calculus students’ and instructors’ conceptualizations of slope. Qualitative techniques were employed to classify responses to 5 items using conceptualizations of slope identified across various research settings. Students’ responses suggest that they rely on procedurally based conceptualizations of slope, showing little evidence of covariational reasoning. In contrast, instructors’ responses demonstrated a multi-dimensional understanding of slope as a functional property, which applies to real-world situations and plays an integral role in the development of key calculus concepts. While relatively diverse, the instructors’ responses seldom reported determining increasing or decreasing trends of a line from its slope. This conceptualization was used frequently by students and could help them better understand how slope ties to positive and negative derivatives. The most frequently used conceptualizations for students in this study align with past research findings on the emphasis of the secondary mathematics curriculum, supporting the possibility of cultural influences (academic and geographic) on individuals’ conceptualizations of slope. Thus, this study provides valuable insight into conceptualizations of slope and provides direction for future research on slope and the broader topic of cultural influences on mathematical meaning.     

Press Rankings in Criminology/Criminal Justice: A Preliminary Assessment of Book Publisher Quality

This research examined press rankings in criminology and criminal justice (C/CJ). Based on a large sample of respondents (N = 812) from the American Society of Criminology and the American Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the authors solicited quality and familiarity rankings on 81 presses that publish in the area of C/CJ. The research revealed that university presses such as Oxford, Cambridge, University of Chicago, and Harvard University dominated the quality rankings. On the other hand, commercial academic presses such as McGraw‐Hill, Sage, and Prentice‐Hall dominated the familiarity rankings. Commercial academic presses including Prentice‐Hall and Sage were the presses most desired by scholars for future book publishing plans. The authors also discuss the significance of the findings for faculty in C/CJ.     

An Era‐Based Exploration of the Most Significant Books in Criminology/Criminal Justice: A Research Note

This research solicited the views of criminology and criminal justice scholars regarding the most significant books in the field. Overall, the research found that the work of early theorists such as Beccaria and Lombroso were considered among the classic works in the discipline. Scholars associated with the Chicago School of Sociology (Sutherland, Shaw, and McKay) also produced books that received considerable nominations. In more recent times, books devoted to social control theory received the most nominations. In general, the research contributed to the nearly three decade‐long attempt to identify the key publications in the field.     

ASSESSMENT OF ENTERING STUDENT WRITING SKILL IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

This article describes an assessment of writing skills (writing sample, objective test, and self‐assessment) made by one community college. Information was gathered to design an entry‐level assessment procedure for placement in English composition and developmental writing courses. Comparing the three approaches, each of which measured different aspects of writing ability, showed that the best predictor of grade in an English composition course was the objective test. However, the statistical results of the study form only one component of an entry‐level assessment program. It may be that a writing sample is needed as part of entry‐level assessment because it points out the value of writing skill in attempting college‐credit courses.