Music and Popular Culture

Gaye Tuchman, Arlene Kaplan Daniels, and James Benet, eds. Hearth and Home: Ima9es of llomen in the Mass Media (New York: Oxford University Press, 1978—no price given, but available in hardback and paperback)

Maurice Horn's Women in the Comics (New York: Chelsea House, 1977—$15.00)

Charles K. Wolfe's Tennessee Strings: The Story of Country Music in Tennessee (Knoxville, Yniversity of Tennessee Press, 1977—$3.50, paper)

Anthony Hopkins' Downbeat Music Guide (London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1977—$4.95)

Peter L. Skolnik's Fads: America's Crazes, Fevers & Fancies From the 1890s to the 1970s (New York: Crowell, 1978—$9.95)     

‘To provide for the edifice of learning’: Researching 450 Years of Jesuit Educational and Cultural History,with Particular Reference to the British Jesuits 1

Jesuit education provided the first rigorous educational ‘system’ in the Western world from the 1540s onwards. By 1773 more than 700 Jesuit colleges and universities educating some 250,000 students worldwide constituted the largest educational network in existence up to that time. At the present day, in 68 countries worldwide, the Society of Jesus is responsible for 848 educational institutions serving an estimated 2.5 million lay students. This article examines the extensive historiography of Jesuit education and the educational archives that the Society of Jesus has generated since 1540. Particular attention is paid to the foundational Ratio Studiorum of 1599, a key educational document drawing on earlier traditions, and a source of later reformulations and scholarship in many parts of the world. The scope of Jesuit archives around the globe is examined and an assessment made of their significance for educational and cultural historians.

There are few religious institutions in the Roman Catholic Church that have aroused more fascination, during its four and a half centuries of existence, than the Society of Jesus, few that have inspired such curiosity and misunderstanding, such attraction and repulsion. ^{2 2} Woodrow, Alain. The Jesuits: A Story of Power. London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1995: 10.      

Influence of mothers' education on children's maths achievement in Kenya

Research shows that fathers' level of education predicts achievement of both boys and girls, with significantly greater effect for boys. Similarly, mothers' level of education predicts the achievement of girls but not boys. This study tests the mother–child education achievement hypothesis, by examining the effect of mothers' education on the maths test score of children, using data from 71 schools across 6 districts in Kenya. The findings of a multilevel random intercept model, based on a sample of 1907 learners reveal surprisingly negative effect of mothers' education on pupil's achievement, with an interaction effect of mother's and father's education being positive.     

Differential outcomes of adult education on adult learners' increase in social inclusion

To date a significant share of the European population can be considered at risk of social exclusion. It has been argued that adult education programmes are a powerful tool to support vulnerable adults increasing their social inclusion. This study aims to answer the question if and which subgroups of vulnerable adults experience an increase in social inclusion after joining adult education programmes. The results of our study show that 46.3% of the participants experience an increase of social inclusion in terms of ‘activation and internalization’ and 41.0% experience an increase in ‘participation and connection’. Results show that foreigners and people who live together experience a higher increase on variables of ‘activation and internalization’ and ‘participation and connection’. Furthermore, results show that learners who received school education at a primary level and have no professional qualification experience a higher increase of social inclusion on a few variables of social inclusion.     

Holding the Line: Sustaining an SEL-Driven Whole-School Approach in a Time of Transition

Recently, a growing body of research has focused on the sustainability of evidence-based interventions aimed at promoting the social emotional and character development of children (SEL) and preventing or reducing problem behaviors in schools. Current discussions of systemic reform in the education system address the capacity of individual schools to adopt innovations and maintain them despite inevitable environmental changes. A small elementary school in northern Israel embarked on a radical change in its pedagogic style, intentionally adopting a holistic SEL approach. After 3 intensive years of training and implementation supported by the local community and involving all major stakeholders, a series of events threatened to weaken the chances of sustaining the approach. In a qualitative research study, data were collected primarily through in-depth interviews with full-time faculty members. Constant comparison analyses were performed. The results illustrate the salient concerns and benefits of attempting such a radical change through the eyes of the faculty members. The depth of identification with SEL among faculty and other stakeholders is shown to be the basis for sustaining the SEL approach in spite of difficulties. This narrative of events demonstrates the obstacles encountered on the road to approach sustainability. This identification of possible challenges is valuable to those introducing change in the school environment.     

Modifying landing mat material properties may decrease peak contact forces but increase forefoot forces in gymnastics landings

This study investigated how changes in the material properties of a landing mat could minimise ground reaction forces (GRF) and internal loading on a gymnast during landing. A multi-layer model of a gymnastics competition landing mat and a subject-specific seven-link wobbling mass model of a gymnast were developed to address this aim. Landing mat properties (stiffness and damping) were optimised using a Simplex algorithm to minimise GRF and internal loading. The optimisation of the landing mat parameters was characterised by minimal changes to the mat's stiffness ( < 0.5%) but increased damping (272%) compared to the competition landing mat. Changes to the landing mat resulted in reduced peak vertical and horizontal GRF and reduced bone bending moments in the shank and thigh compared to a matching simulation. Peak bone bending moments within the thigh and shank were reduced by 6% from 321.5 Nm to 302.5 Nm and GRF by 12% from 8626 N to 7552 N when compared to a matching simulation. The reduction in these forces may help to reduce the risk of bone fracture injury associated with a single landing and reduce the risk of a chronic injury such as a stress fracture.