Science student role: Evidence of social structural norms specific to school science

Sociocultural studies of science education have consistently recognized the dialectic nature of students' agency to create and author positions for themselves and the structural constraints that may influence them. This mixed‐methods study explores one particular aspect of these potential constraints: the possibility of a social structure specific to school science, using the concept of a science student role as an indicator. The first phase of the study was qualitative and exploratory, using open‐ended questionnaires and interviews to understand students' views of the expectations placed on them as science students (n = 95). The second phase was quantitative (using items developed from the qualitative analysis), with both exploratory and confirmatory elements (n = 157). Results suggest clear and explicit role understandings among these students, characterized by references to expectations of intelligence, experimental skill, scientific mindedness, and appropriate classroom behavior. The consistency of these expectations across genders, science teachers and schools provides evidence that there is an element of social structure specific to school science that needs to be considered in studies of student agency and identity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 367–395, 2011     

The effect of unilateral balance training on postural control of the contralateral limb

To investigate the impact of unilateral balance training on postural control of the trained and contralateral limb in healthy elderly. Fifty-one healthy old adults were randomly assigned into training group (TG) and control group (CG). Participants of the TG performed unilateral balance training (dominant (DOM) leg) over 4 weeks (4×/week). Centre of pressure analysis was performed at baseline, 5 weeks follow-up and 9 weeks follow-up under the following conditions: (1) one-leg stance without additional task, (2) one-leg stance with motor task and (3) one-leg stance with cognitive task. From baseline to 5 weeks follow-up, a mixed analysis of variance detected a significant time × group interaction for the DOM leg (P < 0.05), indicating higher improvement of the TG in comparison to CG. No significant interaction effect was found for the non-DOM leg. Within the TG, the non-DOM leg significantly improved in mean velocity (P = 0.001) and anterior–posterior range (P < 0.001). Unilateral balance training was effective to improve postural control of the trained leg. The effect on the contralateral leg was small and not significant within this study design. Improvements were retained after 4 weeks without training. A tendency is given that unilateral balance training might be beneficial to improve postural control of the contralateral leg.     

Metacognition,abilities, and developing expertise: What makes an expert student?

The main argument of this article is that metacognition is an important part of human abilities, which are, in turn, forms of developing expertise. To the extent that our goal is to understand the bases of individual differences in student academic success, we need to understand metacognition as representing part of the abilities that lead to student expertise, but only as part.     

Not all markets are created equal: re-conceptualizing market elements in higher education

Increasing reliance on market mechanisms in higher education is analysed both as one of the approaches to steering as well as in relation to the consequences of markets for quality and accessibility of higher education. This article goes beyond the normative considerations of market elements as inherently good or bad and the economic theory-guided focus on freedoms of users and providers, by presenting an alternative conceptualization. The conceptualization adapted from studies of markets in other parts of the welfare state to the context of higher education is based on two dimensions: (1) who effectively controls production of certain goods and services and (2) how access to and funding of these goods and services are regulated. It focuses on interests of three main actors—the state, the users (students) and the providers (higher education institutions). This leads to six conceptually distinct markets, whose key characteristics are illustrated by examples from Denmark, England, India, Norway, Portugal and Serbia. The key message is that this alternative conceptualization allows identifying variance in marketization of higher education with regards to (1) which actors are empowered, (2) who are the likely winners and losers and (3) what might be the risks of introducing specific market elements in a higher education system. More generally, a more nuanced analysis relying on this conceptualization can potentially contribute to a deeper understanding of political and policy dynamics in higher education.     

Product portfolio performance in new foreign markets: The EU trademark dual system

How do intellectual propriety rights (IPRs) help firms profit from their innovation? Innovation literature frequently turns to patents to measure innovative IPR, but more recent work shifts focus to the other side of IPR, namely, trademarks. This article therefore discusses the effects of trademark strategies when companies decide to introduce their product portfolios in a new foreign market. Entrants might opt for a common trademark across different country markets (integration) or use several country-specific trademarks (responsiveness). This empirical study exploits the quasi-natural experiment created by the tariff shock that affected Spain when it joined the European Union in the 1990s. Data from the automotive industry reveal how non-European companies that already operated in other European countries sought to enter Spain rapidly, using various trademark strategies. The product portfolio characteristics are fixed at entry, so this study can specify how and when trademark responsiveness versus integration affects firm performance. The results reveal that trademark responsiveness increases firm performance if the firms suffer high liabilities of foreignness or newness.     

Die Umwegrentabilit?t einer Hochschule am Beispiel der FH JOANNEUM Campus Kapfenberg

Hochschulen verursachen nicht nur Kosten, sondern generieren auch einen erheblichen Nutzen, da sie Geld- und Güterstr?me zwischen der ?ffentlichen Hand, Privatpersonen und Unternehmen in Gang setzen. Daraus resultieren tangible (in Geldwerten messbare) und intangible (nicht in Geldwerten messbare) Effekte, die durch den Betrieb einer Hochschule entstehen. Diese Auswirkungen wurden für den Standort Kapfenberg der FH JOANNEUM erhoben. Aus der durchgeführten Analyse ergeben sich folgende Effekte: aus kurzfristiger Sichtweise flie?en j?hrlich fast 3,0 Mio. € der Region Bruck/Mur-Kapfenberg zu, der mittelfristig in der Region verbleibende Kaufkraftanteil betr?gt über 2,0 Mio. € und aus langfristiger Perspektive werden durch das Bestehen der FH JOANNEUM Campus Kapfenberg fast 3,6 Mio. € an zus?tzlichem Einkommen in der Region Bruck/Mur-Kapfenberg induziert. Daneben entstehen durch die Existenz einer Hochschule auch noch positive Effekte für eine Region, die nicht eindeutig quantifizierbar sind.     

Reported pedagogical practices of faculty in higher education in the UAE

Higher Education - Higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a relatively modern phenomenon, but it is a sector which has experienced immense growth since the first national university...