Exposing the Effects of the “Invisible Hand” of the Neoliberal Agenda on Institutionalized Education and the Process of Sociocultural Reproduction

The neoliberal proposition that the “invisible hand” of the market is the most efficient and just mechanism for structuring economies, societies, and cultures has had a powerful impact on the nature and delivery of what have historically been considered as “public goods” in America, including social welfare services and public education. The mode of operation through which extensive and powerful networks of organizations dedicated to the prosecution of the neoliberal policy agenda and the ideological propositions and popular culture mythology that serve to support the conceptual frameworks that undergird them run counter to the realities of overarching social structures in America. In point of fact, these ideological and mythological tenets and images work to obscure these dispositive structural realities, many of which revolve around the operative dynamics of social capital networks and the ability of persons across a class structure to create and/or access such networks. Herein, we undertake an examination of how the resulting interplay of social structure, culture and individual agency lies at the heart of the process through which neoliberal propositions take on the aura of hegemony and become subject to sociocultural reproduction across generations.     

Profiles of reading performance after exiting Tier 2 intervention

A fundamental assumption of multi-tiered systems of support is the bidirectional movement of students between tiers. In comparison to research on when to intensify instruction, less attention has been paid to the validity of decisions to exit students from supplemental supports. We used data from 554 third-grade students who met the criteria to be exited from a Tier 2 reading fluency intervention to answer two research questions. First, we used latent profile analysis to evaluate whether distinct profiles of student responding would emerge based upon initial skill level and intervention duration. Second, we evaluated whether the proportion of students who passed the end-of-year benchmark differed between profiles. Results favored a three-profile solution with a Below Average Start/Average Response; Average Start/Average Response; and an Above Average Start/Fast Response. The pooled mean proportion of students who did not achieve proficiency on the end-of-year benchmark assessment equaled 0.45, 0.33, and 0.13 across the three profiles, respectively. A series of χ² tests indicated the between-profile differences were statistically significant (p < .05). The results of this study suggest that there may be distinct profiles amongst students who show positive response and exit Tier 2 reading fluency interventions.     

Using a Capability Maturity Model to build on the generational approach to student engagement practices

The generational approach to conceptualising first-year student learning behaviour has made a useful contribution to understanding student engagement. It has an explicit focus on student behaviour and we suggest that a Capability Maturity Model interpretation may provide a complementary extension of that understanding as it builds on the generational approach by allowing an assessment of institutional capability to initiate, plan, manage, evaluate and review institutional student engagement practices. The development of a Student Engagement, Success and Retention Maturity Model is discussed along with its application in an Australian higher education institution. In this case study, the model identified first-, second- and third-generation approaches and, in addition, achieved a ‘complementary extension’ of the generational approach, building on it by identifying additional practices not normally considered within the generational concept and indicating the capability of the institution to provide and implement the practices.     

Soccer-specific video simulation for improving movement assessment

The improvement of ecological validity of laboratory research studies has recently come to the forefront of technology with virtual reality scenarios. The purpose of this study was to assess differences between unanticipated and anticipated lower extremity biomechanics while performing a sidestep cutting task. A visualization software was developed for this purpose, which would recreate a soccer game situation for use in a laboratory setting. Thirteen participants volunteered for this study. Lower extremity biomechanical data were collected with a VICON motion analysis system and two force plates, under anticipated and unanticipated conditions while performing a sidestep cutting task. Paired t-tests were conducted to assess possible differences between conditions. Alpha level was set a priori at 0.05. We found an increased knee adduction angle (unanticipated: -7.2 +/- 5.30 degrees; anticipated: -4.0 +/- 5.3 degrees), and knee internal rotation (unanticipated: 8.1 +/- 4.7 degrees; anticipated: 5.2 +/- 6.5 degrees) when performing the unanticipated condition (p < 0.05). The methodological approaches for studies investigating the factors possibly associated with ACL injury may need to take into account the laboratory environment and how the task(s) are presented to the participants.     

Heart rates of elementary physical education students during the dancing classrooms program

We examined how different types of dance activities, along with their duration, influenced heart rate responses among fifth-grade physical education students (N = 96) who participated in the Dancing Classrooms program. Results indicated that the overall Dancing Classrooms program elicits a moderate cardiovascular heart rate response (M = 124.4 bpm), in which 47% of class time was spent above a 60% maximal heart rate threshold. The swing dance in particular (M = 143.4 bpm) stimulated a much higher heart rate level than all other dances in the program, with a mean heart rate change of 52.6 bpm. Girls (127.3 bpm) achieved marginally higher heart rates (p = .059) than boys (121.1 bpm).     

Antioxidant and Vitamin D supplements for athletes: sense or nonsense?

The idea that dietary supplements can improve athletic performance is popular among athletes. The use of antioxidant supplements is widespread among endurance athletes because of evidence that free radicals contribute to muscle fatigue during prolonged exercise. Furthermore, interest in vitamin D supplementation is increasing in response to studies indicating that vitamin D deficiency exists in athletic populations. This review explores the rationale for supplementation with both antioxidants and vitamin D and discusses the evidence to support and deny the benefits of these dietary supplements. The issue of whether athletes should use antioxidant supplements remains highly controversial. Nonetheless, at present there is limited scientific evidence to recommend antioxidant supplements to athletes or other physically active individuals. Therefore, athletes should consult with their health care professional and/or nutritionist when considering antioxidant supplementation. The issue of whether athletes should supplement with vitamin D is also controversial. While arguments for and against vitamin D supplementation exist, additional research is required to determine whether vitamin D supplementation is beneficial to athletes. Nevertheless, based upon the growing evidence that many athletic populations are vitamin D deficient or insufficient, it is recommended that athletes monitor their serum vitamin D concentration and consult with their health care professional and/or nutritionist to determine if they would derive health benefits from vitamin D supplementation.     

And Deliver Us to Segmentation

Non-profit news publishers, a small but growing piece of the news media environment, often explicitly attempt to build strong ties with their audiences. Many assume this approach differs from that of legacy newsrooms, which have historically kept the audience at arm’s length. In this article, I argue that this distinction has blurred. In-depth interviews with reporters and editors at a daily newspaper (The Chicago Tribune) and a local news non-profit (City Bureau) reveal that: (1) both organizations are pursuing a more collaborative relationship with their audiences; and (2) this pursuit is ill-suited for the traditional mass audience approach to news production. I conclude that journalists aspiring to work more closely with the audience find greater success when that audience is narrow to begin with.     

Attitudes of Western Australian students towards microcomputers

A sample of primary and secondary school students in Western Australia responded to a 20-item questionnaire designed to measure attitudes towards microcomputers. Favourable attitudes were found, with no noticeable gender differences. Attitudes of younger students were slightly more positive than those of older students. The attitudes of students having a computer at home were more positive than those of students without a home computer. The results generally support those found in other studies from the USA and the UK where the same questions were asked.