Differential Grading Standards Revisited

The differential grading standards described by Goldman and Widawski (1976) exist in the same magnitude and in roughly the same order a decade later in a different kind of institution. Major fields that attract as majors students who score higher on SATs employ stricter grading standards. These differential grading standards serve to attenuate the correlation between SAT scores and grades, which is, even in highly selective institutions, substantial.     

Ocular dominance,reading and spelling: a reassessment of a measure associated with specific reading difficulties

The association of reading disability with perceptuomotor problems has had a chequered history. This study examines the relationship between a new test of ocular dominance and reading and spelling ability in a group of 323 schoolchildren. Similar rates for unfixed ocular dominance were found for poor readers as in comparable studies. The rates of unstable ocular dominance did not differ between those with reading and spelling difficulties and controls. These findings in a ‘blind’ study question the role of this test of eye dominance as a diagnosis of ‘dyslexia’.     

Holographic perspective

Although the principle of holography was conceived as long ago as 1947, interest was limited until the advent of the laser in 1960 made possible the off-axis holography widely used today. Since then holography has found many applications and become so well known outside the laboratory as to be a recognized art form. Within the last few years considerable progress has also been made in acoustic holography.     

Mobile learning in higher education: A comparative analysis of developed and developing country contexts

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast characteristics of use and adoption of mobile learning in higher education in developed and developing countries. A comparative case study based on a survey questionnaire was conducted with 189 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) from Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Adelaide in Australia. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was employed as the theoretical framework. The results indicated that higher education students in developed and developing countries use a range of technologies for learning, with major differences between Uganda and Australia. The study concludes that mobile learning in higher education in developed and developing country contexts is still at an experimental stage with students using mobile devices in pedagogically limited ways.     

体力活动与癌症生存研究的10大问题

摘要：今天的美国有1 400万的癌症存活者,其中的很多存活者中都接受了多种治疗,包括手术、放疗、化疗、靶向治疗等。这些治疗能够延长生存时间,但同时也会带来很多急慢性的副作用,危害健康,影响生活质量。体力活动（PA）与癌症生存这一领域发展迅速,主要研究PA对癌症患者的影响。基于该领域的研究进展,提出了以下10大研究问题：1）PA能够降低癌症复发风险、和/或提高存活吗？2）PA能够影响癌症治疗决策、完成率、和/或患者对治疗的反应吗？3）癌症存活者的最佳运动处方是什么？4）静坐少动行为对癌症存活者有何影响？5）癌症存活者最有效的体力活动干预方案是什么？6）哪些癌症会影响病人对PA的反应？7）癌症存活者进行体力活动时需要注意的安全问题有哪些？8）哪些具体的癌症症状可以由PA解决？9）对于癌症晚期患者,体力活动还有何作用？10）如何将体力活动研究结果转化到临床和社区肿瘤实践中来？上述问题的回答至关重要,这不仅关系到体力活动和癌症存活这一研究领域的发展,更重要的是,能够为每年数百万新诊断为癌症的病人、正在接受癌症治疗的病人、治疗结束处于恢复中的病人或是那些正在与晚期癌症抗争的病人带来福音。     

Static and dynamic accuracy of a magnetic-inertial measurement unit used to provide racket swing kinematics

Magnetic-inertial measurement units (MIMUs) are becoming more prevalent in sports biomechanics and may be a viable tool to evaluate kinematic parameters. This study examined the accuracy of a MIMU to estimate orientation angles under static conditions and dynamically from a squash racket during a forehand drive shot. A MIMU was mounted onto a goniometer and moved through 0–90°, with static data collected at 10° increments during 10 repetitions of all three axes. Typical error analyses showed the MIMU to be very reliable (TE ≤ 0.03°). MIMU accuracy was determined via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) (r > 0.999, p < 0.001). An ordinary least products regression showed no proportional bias and minimal fixed bias for all axes. Dynamic accuracy was assessed by comparing MIMU and optical motion capture data of squash racket swing kinematics. A MIMU was fixed onto a racket and 10 participants each hit 10 forehand shots. Mean orientation angle error at ball impact was <0.50° and ICC showed very high correlations (r ≥ 0.988, p < 0.001) for all orientations. Swing phase root mean squared errors were ≤2.20°. These results indicate that a MIMU could be used to accurately and reliably estimate selected racket swing kinematics.     

The application of inertial measurement units and functional principal component analysis to evaluate movement in the forward 3½ pike somersault springboard dive

Based on technological and analytical advances, the capability to more accurately and finitely examine biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement has improved. The purpose of this study was to use Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and Functional Principal Components Analysis (fPCA) to examine the role of movement variability (assessed via angular velocity), on 2 divers (1 international level; 1 national) performing the forward 3½ pike somersault dive. Analysis of angular velocity curves during ive-flight identified 5 fPCs, accounting for 96.5% of movement variability. The national diver’s scatter plots and standard deviation of fPC scores illustrated larger magnitudes of angular velocity variability across dive flight. For fPC1 and fPC3, magnitudes of SD variability were 282.6 and 201.5, respectively. The international diver illustrated more consistent angular velocity profiles, with clustering of fPCs scores (e.g., fPC1 & 3 = SD’s of 75.2 & 68.0). To account for lower variability in the international diver, the ability to better coordinate movement sequences and functionally utilise feedback in response to initiation of the somersault position is highlighted. Overall, findings highlight how both IMUs and fPCA can more holistically and finitely examine the biomechanical and skill characteristics of movement sequences with the capability to inform athlete development.     

Parent training research: An analysis of the empirical literature 1975–1985

This project was designed to provide a retrospective analysis of the parent training literature during the last decade. Eighteen journals with behavioral psychology, clinical/counseling psychology, school psychology, and special education emphases were selected for review. Data related to the number of articles published in each journal, year of article publication, referral problem, and contributing institution were collected. Results indicate that behavioral journals published the most empirically based parent training articles (66%), followed by clinical/counseling psychology (26%), special education (6%), and school psychology (3%) journals. Parents with noncompliant, handicapped, or abused/neglected children comprised the majority (58%) of research participants. Suggestions for involving school psychologists in parent training research and broadening the focus of parent training to include preventive, as well as remedial, efforts are presented.     

Adult education and agricultural extension: some comparisons ‡

In this paper, Alan Rogers draws on his experience in several countries, especially Namibia, to outline ways in which understandings of both training for extension and for adult education are drawing closer together, particularly in a move from a directive approach of trainer and learner through a responsive approach (meeting the learner's needs) to the more recent acknowledgement on both sides of the need for an interactive approach (what the author calls ‘third generation activity'). He suggests that both adult education and extension need new approaches to the training of their field workers.