So young and already victims of stereotype threat: Socio-economic status and performance of 6 to 9 years old children on Raven’s progressive matrices

The aim of this study was to verify whether children from low socio-economic status (SES) are victims of stereotype threat. Children in first grade (6 to 7 years old) and third grade (8 to 9 years old) performed Raven’s progressive matrices, an intellectual ability test commonly used by psychologists. The test was presented either with the (evaluative) instructions recommended by Raven et al. (1998) or with non evaluative instructions. Children’s SES and beliefs concerning differences of abilities at school as a function of SES were also assessed. The results indicated that, as early as first grade, participants believed that children from high SES are better at school than children from low SES. Furthermore, low SES participants’ performance on the Raven’s matrices was lower in the evaluative condition than in the non evaluative condition. The experimental instructions did not affect high SES participants’ performance. The discussion explores implications of these results in the use of standardized tests to assess the intellectual abilities of low SES children.     

Variations of stroking parameters associated with 200 m competitive performance improvement in top-standard front crawl swimmers

The aim of this study was to analyse the variations of stroking parameters (speed, stroke length, stroke rate, and stroke index) associated with the 200 m front crawl competitive performance improvement. Two races completed by 17 top swimmers were analysed in the 200 m freestyle final of French or European championships, each final being separated by two years. All the swimmers' performances were bettered in the second race (mean +/- SD: 113.44 +/- 2.50 vs 111.78 +/- 2.71 s; p < 0.01) and were associated with a significant increase of stroke rate without variation of average stroke length and stroke index values (p > 0.05). Swimmers emphasized the first part of the race, with higher speed in the first three lengths, higher stroke rate in the first two lengths and lower stroke length in the first one. Stroke length and stroke rate variations were highly correlated (r = 0.98; p < 0.05). In 11 of the 17 swimmers, the improvement was concomitant with a decrease in stroke length and an increase in stroke rate. Only one swimmer's improvement was associated with a substantial increase in stroke length. These results highlighted that stroke length and stroke index cannot be considered as the only parameters linked to improvement in a 200 m crawl in adult swimmers competing at high standard. Moreover, an increase in stroke rate associated with a slight decrease in stroke length should not be considered as ineffective, especially at top standard.     

A descriptive analysis of elite-level racquetball

The results of the three experiments provide insight into the time/motion characteristics of racquetball and the physiological responses of elite-level racquetball players during competition. The maximum oxygen uptakes of the male and female athletes tested were relatively low in comparison to those of other elite-level sports, suggesting that aerobic demand, although necessary, is probably not a limiting factor at this level of racquetball play. Racquetball games at the elite level last from 10 to 15 min, and the distance covered by each player during this time is minimal. Even though the rest periods between rallies are from one to two times as long as the work intervals, the work intensity during the rallies is sufficient to produce an average heart rate of between 75 and 95% of maximum throughout most of a game. Although some lactic acid accumulates in the blood, the concentration remains at a steady state during a game (10 to 30% of maximum).     

Policy and Partnerships for the Development of the Infoculture — Information at the Centre of a New Form of Solidarity

The development of digital technologies for the production, processing, dissemination and use of information is leading to the emergence of a new society based on a far reaching transformation in the relationship between people and institutions and on a radical change in many professional, economic, educational or cultural practices. The crucial question facing us today is whether our traditional societies are ready for such a shift in ways of thinking, communicating and acting. Are people sufficiently aware and adequately equipped to become citizens of this new information society? Are they prepared to be active, efficient and responsible participants in the new communities living on information exchange? Are we really ready to be part of a new culture based on a swifter and broader flow of information, ideas and knowledge? The development of that special culture, or infoculture, depends first and foremost on education, both general and vocational, and on initial and continuing training as well as on raising awareness among the public at large. Achieving a real infoculture calls for full-scale mobilization of all those who in their various ways are involved in the information society. Partnerships must be encouraged; national, regional or world projects must be given support; there is more than ever a need for a new form of solidarity to develop the infoculture.     

Closing address

Now that the present international Conference is about to end, I wish to express my heartiest congratulations to the European Society for Engineering Education for organizing their work so remarkably well. I also wish to express my thanks for having been invited to wind up your discussions. You made an excellent choice of theme when you decided to study an engineer's training in an economic and social context. How could one, in fact, remain indifferent to the profound scientific and technical changes that have, during these last decades, affected the whole world? How could one be insensitive to the prodigious technological evolution that will, to be sure, upset our way of life in the next few years? But also, how can we not realize that the transformations that have forged contemporary civilization are essentially due to the engineer's work, thanks to whom the fruits of scientific progress have been mastered to an extraordinary degree.     

AEG-Telefunken TR 440: Unternehmensstrategie, Markterfolg und Nachfolger

Zusammenfassung  AEG-Telefunken entwickelte seit 1957 Rechner. Neben den Prozessrechnern spielten die Gro?rechner TR 4 und TR 440 eine wichtige Rolle. Von 1969 bis 1976 wurden 46 TR 440 installiert, bei einem Gesamtumsatz von 730 Mio. DM (370 Mio. Euro) [2]. In der Produktpolitik spielten die Rechner keine zentrale Rolle, obwohl eine ausgezeichnete technologische Ausgangsposition bestanden hatte und die Telefunkenrechner sp?ter nachdrückliche technologiepolitische Unterstützung erhielten. Die Entwicklung des Systems TR 440 hatte mit wesentlichen konzeptionellen und technologischen Schwierigkeiten zu k?mpfen, wozu der Mangel an qualifizierten Zulieferern und erfahrenen Mitabeitern kam. Trotzdem gelang es, bis 1970 den bislang schnellsten in Europa entwickelten Rechner [6] fertig zu stellen und Systemsoftware zu entwickeln [9], die den Produkten der Mitbewerber um Jahre voraus war. Von Anfang an hatte das Unternehmen nach geeigneten Kooperationspartnern gesucht. Mit dem Verkauf des Gro?rechnergesch?ftes an Siemens gingen die bereits laufenden Planungen für einen TR 440-Nachfolger zu Ende.

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AEG-Telefunken developed computers since 1957. Besides process control computers, the large scale computers, TR 4 and TR 440, played an important role. 46 TR 440 computers were installed from 1969 to 1976, summing up to a sales volume of 730 Mio. DM (370 Mio. Euro) [2]. AEG-Telefunken did not consider computers as a strategic part of its product policy, though the company had had an excellent technological position for this business and the Telefunken computers got vigorous political support. The development of the TR 440 system had to defeat essential conceptual and technological difficulties, besides lack of qualified suppliers and experienced personnel. Nevertheless, the company could, by 1970, develop the fastest European computer so far [6], with system software ahead of competitors by years [9]. From the beginning, the company had been looking for business partners. With the sale of the large scale computer business to Siemens, all activities on a TR 440 successor were stopped. AEG-Telefunken computer business strategy is also subject of a paper to appear in the IEEE Annals of the History of Computing.