The role of planning in outdoor adventure decision-making

ABSTRACT

This article explores the influential role of planning on recognition-primed decision-making. Considerable prior thinking occurs and there is a need to trace and account for the cognitive processes that precede and guide decisions in dynamic outdoor environments. Seven expert leaders from four countries were interviewed about memorable decisions made on outdoor journeys with an educational focus on land, sea and ice. Four stages of planning were identified: (1) long-term preparation; (2) formal leadership meetings; (3) day-by-day planning on route and (4) thinking immediately prior to the event. The stages sequentially capture the planning progression, illuminating the cognitive processes at each stage to culminate in option selection. In each decision situation, planned goals and actions were implemented through the creation and re-creation of micro-plans. As windows of opportunity presented themselves, the flexible execution of plans was a key feature. Planning provided the solid bedrock upon which decisions were made.     

CALCULUS STUDENTS’ AND INSTRUCTORS’ CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF SLOPE: A COMPARISON ACROSS ACADEMIC LEVELS

This study considers tertiary calculus students’ and instructors’ conceptualizations of slope. Qualitative techniques were employed to classify responses to 5 items using conceptualizations of slope identified across various research settings. Students’ responses suggest that they rely on procedurally based conceptualizations of slope, showing little evidence of covariational reasoning. In contrast, instructors’ responses demonstrated a multi-dimensional understanding of slope as a functional property, which applies to real-world situations and plays an integral role in the development of key calculus concepts. While relatively diverse, the instructors’ responses seldom reported determining increasing or decreasing trends of a line from its slope. This conceptualization was used frequently by students and could help them better understand how slope ties to positive and negative derivatives. The most frequently used conceptualizations for students in this study align with past research findings on the emphasis of the secondary mathematics curriculum, supporting the possibility of cultural influences (academic and geographic) on individuals’ conceptualizations of slope. Thus, this study provides valuable insight into conceptualizations of slope and provides direction for future research on slope and the broader topic of cultural influences on mathematical meaning.     

Press Rankings in Criminology/Criminal Justice: A Preliminary Assessment of Book Publisher Quality

This research examined press rankings in criminology and criminal justice (C/CJ). Based on a large sample of respondents (N = 812) from the American Society of Criminology and the American Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the authors solicited quality and familiarity rankings on 81 presses that publish in the area of C/CJ. The research revealed that university presses such as Oxford, Cambridge, University of Chicago, and Harvard University dominated the quality rankings. On the other hand, commercial academic presses such as McGraw‐Hill, Sage, and Prentice‐Hall dominated the familiarity rankings. Commercial academic presses including Prentice‐Hall and Sage were the presses most desired by scholars for future book publishing plans. The authors also discuss the significance of the findings for faculty in C/CJ.     

An Era‐Based Exploration of the Most Significant Books in Criminology/Criminal Justice: A Research Note

This research solicited the views of criminology and criminal justice scholars regarding the most significant books in the field. Overall, the research found that the work of early theorists such as Beccaria and Lombroso were considered among the classic works in the discipline. Scholars associated with the Chicago School of Sociology (Sutherland, Shaw, and McKay) also produced books that received considerable nominations. In more recent times, books devoted to social control theory received the most nominations. In general, the research contributed to the nearly three decade‐long attempt to identify the key publications in the field.     

ASSESSMENT OF ENTERING STUDENT WRITING SKILL IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

This article describes an assessment of writing skills (writing sample, objective test, and self‐assessment) made by one community college. Information was gathered to design an entry‐level assessment procedure for placement in English composition and developmental writing courses. Comparing the three approaches, each of which measured different aspects of writing ability, showed that the best predictor of grade in an English composition course was the objective test. However, the statistical results of the study form only one component of an entry‐level assessment program. It may be that a writing sample is needed as part of entry‐level assessment because it points out the value of writing skill in attempting college‐credit courses.     

Growth Mixture Models Outperform Simpler Clustering Algorithms When Detecting Longitudinal Heterogeneity,Even With Small Sample Sizes

The expansion in the number of people entering higher education has resulted in a substantial increase in the proportion of students enrolling in nontraditional modes, such as part-time study. This study examined the question of whether part-time study curtails the development of the types of intellectual capabilities needed for a knowledge-based economy, because the students would have markedly less exposure to a stimulating campus environment than their full-time counterparts. Graduates from discrete full- and part-time programs from 1 university in Hong Kong completed a survey seeking perceptions of the nurturing of a range of capabilities, together with measures of teacher-student relationships and type of teaching experienced. Two hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling: (a) the same mechanism for capability development operated for full- and part-time modes and (b) the principal element of the mechanism was the nature of teaching and the quality of teacher-student interaction. Hypothesis 1 was supported because configural invariance between hypothesized models for capability development between the 2 modes was found. Hypothesis 2 was also supported because the models showed that the principal influence on capability development came from teaching for understanding, through promoting active learning experiences and the degree and quality of teacher-student interaction.     

Using Preservice Teachers to Improve Computer Skills of At-Risk Alternative High School Students

This research examined the impact of preservice teachers delivering individualized instruction of basic computer skills to at-risk, ethnic minority alternative high school students in an urban school district in South Texas. The alternative high school students' achievement of computer skills, motivation to use computers, and self-efficacy as current and future students was assessed. University preservice teachers taught a keyboard/computer skills curriculum developed specifically for this collaborative teaching and learning project in 10 1-hr-long sessions 2 times a week over a 5-week period. A series of 2 by 2 repeated measures analysis of variance showed achievement gains as measured by a survey instrument within the treatment group. This small, preliminary study supports the use of preservice teachers in the delivery of an individualized, computer-based program of instruction for at-risk students.     

The context of their lives

Abstract

This paper explores the Ecology of Human Development Model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) as applied to the lives of students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program at James Madison University (Virginia). This model provided insights into who our students are, their experiences, beliefs and values and how they define themselves; secondly, the process of reflection provided an opportunity for students to examine their lives as part of a larger social context; and thirdly, by valuing the process, it is hoped that students would recognize the importance of coming to know the children they teach. It is imperative that students are well prepared for teaching an increasingly diverse population (NCATE Standard I.E.2). Our belief is that in order for prospective teachers to appreciate diversity in classrooms, they need first to examine the context of their own lives. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.     

Teaching Toward Freedom: Early Childhood Education and the Challenges Ahead

This article examines issues surrounding the recruitment and employment of men in early childhood education, including special education, child care, and preschool through primary grade classrooms. Earlier research from the United States, Canada, and Australia concerning men in early education is reviewed. Issues discussed include the limitations of traditional gender roles, concerns of homosexuality, fear of sexual abuse accusations, salaries, and isolation. Initiating dialogue, identifying and remedying prejudices and practices that favor women, and activating support networks are among the activities suggested to increase the number of male teachers in early childhood classrooms.     

The CoVis Project: Building a Large-Scale Science Education Testbed*

This paper describes the construction and research program of the Learning Through Collaborative Visualization (CoVis) Project, a testbed for exploring science education reform with telecommunications technology. The CoVis testbed is contrasted with other forms of educational research in an “ecology of paradigms,” which argues that testbeds are in fact a new setting for research with different requirements and challenges for the researcher. Two extended examples of telecommunications research are provided as examples of the kind of research that testbeds are well suited to explore. The first example is the evolution of videoconferencing in the CoVis testbed. The second example is the design and development of a networked groupware application called the Collaboratory Notebook.