Education,nation states and the globalization of information networks

The rise of information technology coupled with the globalization of the economy has thrust the identity and sovereignty of the nation-state into sharp focus over the last two decades. Against this fast-changing background, the response of many countries has been to develop policies aimed at creating national information infrastructures (NII) - often with educational networking initiatives as an integral or pioneering element. Given the emerging global policyscape (Ball 1999) towards creating educational information networks this paper presents a comparative analysis of policy-making across Europe, East Asia and the USA. In analysing education networking in seven case-study countries, the paper emphasizes a political economy perspective; thus focusing attention on the role of the state and the varying relationship between education, economy and society. Having explored the varying motivations and objectives behind countries' education networking programmes the paper concludes by outlining an educational research agenda for future examination of NII policies as they continue to be implemented in developed nations over the next decade.     

Are Wellness/Fitness Programs Benefiting Participants' Movement and Mobilityin Daily Life?

Knowledge regarding the potential benefits of participation in fitness programs to individuals' quality of movement in daily living is limited. It is important to study this relationship and also consider the implications for professional preparation programs in kinesiology. A brief overview based on published reports and expert opinions focuses on current practices, identified needs, and future directions. Even though the number of fitness facilities and the variety of classes and services offered have increased substantially over the past decade, few field-based studies have been conducted. Applied scientists in our field have an excellent opportunity to initiate and collaborate in creative, multidisciplinary, translational research that can significantly extend our knowledge on how participation in fitness programs may enhance daily movement quality in healthy adults.     

Technical Education in Hong Kong

The present study explores the environmental attitudes (EA) of senior high school students in Turkey, explains which determinant factors affect these EAs, and concludes with some suggestions for curricular reform. This study includes over nine hundred students from different school types, neighbourhoods, geographical regions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The researcher used two different questionnaires that were based on postmaterialist values: one based on the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) and the other developed by the researcher called the General Environmental Attitudes and Perceptions (GAP). The results of ANOVA and t‐tests show that EAs of students vary depending on school type, gender, parents' education levels, parents' political views, professions, and household income. Students at public high schools, females, lower middle class students, students with well educated parents in white‐collar professions, and students with liberal parents have more pro‐environmental attitudes than the others. Students from vocational schools, almost all of which are based on single‐sex education, have scored the lowest on both surveys.     

Quantification of maximal power output in well-trained cyclists

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to compare mechanical variables derived from torque-cadence and power-cadence profiles established from different cycle ergometer modes (isoinertial and isokinetic) and modelling procedures (second- and third-order polynomials), whilst employing a novel method to validate the theoretical maximal power output (P_max). Nineteen well-trained cyclists (n = 12 males) completed two experimental sessions comprising six, 6-s maximal isoinertial or isokinetic cycling sprints. Maximal pedal strokes were extracted to construct power–cadence relationships using second- and third-order polynomials. A 6-s sprint at the optimal cadence (F_opt) or optimal resistance (T_opt) was performed to assess construct validity of P_max. No differences were found in the mechanical parameters when derived from isokinetic (P_max = 1311 ± 415, F_opt = 118 ± 12) or isoinertial modes (P_max = 1320 ± 421, F_opt = 116 ± 19). However, R² improved (P < 0.02) when derived from isoinertial sprints. Third-order polynomial modelling improved goodness of fit values (Standard Error, adjusted R²), but derived similar mechanical parameters. Finally, peak power output during the optimised sprint did not significantly differ from the theoretical P_max in both cycling modes, thus providing construct validity. The most accurate P-C profile can be derived from isoinertial cycling sprints, modelled using third-order polynomial equations.     

Bulking Up (Identities): A Communication Framework for Male Fitness Identity

The goal of this interview study is to build upon a rich history of masculinities research, complicating the arenas in which masculinity is communicated, performed, negotiated, and enacted. Using Hecht’s communication theory of identity, analysis of this data reveals that men pursuing fitness find misalignment between the personal, relational, and enacted frames. Consequently, they engage in a host of discursive strategies to manage the uncertainty that is produced by these identity gaps. This study identifies three: excessive body discipline, forceful negotiation, and constant comparison. By exploring these gaps and strategies, this study aims to situate fitness as a space ripe for the production of identity work and as an intersectional identity element.     

Changing personal epistemologies in early childhood pre-service teachers using an integrated teaching program

This study investigated changes in pre-service teachers' personal epistemologies as they engaged in an integrated teaching program. Personal epistemology refers to individual beliefs about the nature of knowing and knowledge and has been shown to influence teaching practice. An integrated approach to teaching, based on both an implicit and explicit focus on personal epistemology, was developed by an academic team within a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood). The teaching program integrated content across four units of study, modelling personal epistemologies implicitly through collaborative reflexive practice. The students were also required to engage in explicit reflections on their personal epistemologies. Quantitative measures of personal epistemology were collected at the beginning and end of the semester using the Epistemological Beliefs Survey (EBS) to assess changes across the teaching period. Results indicated that pre-service teachers' epistemological beliefs about the integration of knowledge became more sophisticated over the course of the teaching period. Qualitative data included pre-service teachers' responses to open ended questions and field experience journal reflections about their perceptions of the teaching program and were collected at the end of the semester. These data showed that pre-service teachers held different conceptions about learning as integration, which provided a more nuanced understanding of the EBS data. Understanding pre-service teachers' epistemological beliefs provides promising directions for teacher preparation and professional enrichment.