The Participation Paradigm in Audience Research

As today's media simultaneously converge and diverge, fusing and hybridizing across digital services and platforms, some researchers argue that audiences are dead—long live the user! But for others, it is the complex interweaving of continuities and changes that demands attention, especially now that audiencing has become a vital mode of engaging with all dimensions of daily life. This article asks how we should research audiences in a digital networked age. I argue that, while many avenues are being actively pursued, many researchers are concentrating on the notion of participation, asking, on the one hand, what modes of participation are afforded to people by the particular media and communication infrastructures which mediate social, cultural or political spheres of life? And, on the other hand, how do people engage with, accede to, negotiate or contest this as they explore and invent new ways of connecting with each other through and around media? The features of this emerging participation paradigm of audience research are examined in this article.     

Research and Learning Information Resources

Abstract

The purpose of this non‐experimental, qualitative dissertation study was threefold: (1) to analyze leadership behavioral competencies of twenty‐one key administrators at Miami‐Dade Community College, a college selected by a national panel of experts as the best community college in the country; (2) to determine the type of organizational climate as perceived by a random sample of employees associated with these leadership qualities; and (3) to explore general connections appearing to exist between the identified leadership competencies and the perceived climate.

Research methodology utilized the Behavioral Event Interview Technique (BEIT), an operant assessment procedure, to analyze reported behavior. Data were collected through an open‐ended questionnaire, the Leadership Qualities Questionnaire (LQQ); through structured interviews; and through the Profile of College Characteristics (PCC) climate instrument, an adaptation of Likert's Profile of Organizational Characteristics which measures climate factors and leadership style.

Results of the study profiled leadership behavior coexisting with an extremely positive college environment at a large multi‐campus urban community college as indicated by the climate ratings of the four groups of employees. The six factors rated were: (1) leadership, (2) motivation, (3) communication, (4) decision‐making, (5) reward, and (6) overall climate.

A leadership competency model was formulated and translated into the form of a code book which was used to measure the degree to which each administrator possessed the twelve behavioral leadership competencies included in the model. These competencies were classified into the following categories: (1) Sense of Direction, (2) Structure for Implementation, and (3) Sense of Personal Commitment. Relatively even demonstration of each competency by the administrators suggested a balance among task‐structure and people‐orientation. Seventeen of the eighty‐four leadership behavioral indicators suggested a core of common behaviors exhibited to a large degree by the group as a whole.

Results indicated that top administrators consistently demonstrated the strongest competence in the areas measured followed by the deans and associate deans respectively. Ten of the twelve competencies appeared to be predictive of administrative position level. The three competencies which appeared most predictive were: (1) thinks globally, (2) possesses a bias for action, and (3) uses appropriate power and authority.

The significance of this study is fourfold: (1) it advances knowledge about the impact of multiple leadership behavior on employees’ satisfaction, on perceived college climate, and on institutional excellence as indicated by student achievement; (2) it has potential for influencing the training, selecting, evaluating, and developing of future and current community college administrators; (3) it has generated hypotheses for further research regarding leadership behavioral variables, their value for predicting hierarchical level of administration, and their causal influence on organizational climate; and (4) the methodology employed in the study appears to be an effective research procedure and has helped to validate further leadership theory founded on behavioral analysis.     

Preservice Teachers' Beliefs About Childhood: Challenges for a Participatory Early Childhood Education?

This study examines preservice teachers' beliefs about childhood in an attempt to see how they may support an active, participatory role for children in early childhood education (ECE). Three hundred sixteen early childhood preservice teachers described childhood characteristics and children's ability for decision-making in a written text. These texts were content analyzed and then quantified. Preservice teachers' beliefs about childhood were found to vary and some of their beliefs corresponded to existing scientific theories and typologies. Despite this variation, preservice teachers' beliefs had dominant ontological and epistemological presuppositions that highlighted childhood as a homogeneous period of human life, as a state of being, rather than as a dynamic and developing period of life. The majority of preservice teachers assigned children with an ability to make decisions but only under specific preconditions. We argue that these beliefs may act as obstacles for the enhancement of participatory processes in ECE due to their ontological and epistemological underpinnings. Implications of current findings in relation to teacher education are discussed.     

Case Method in the Teaching of Food Safety

One of the fundamental aims of education is the integration of theory and practice. The case method is a teaching strategy in which students must apply their knowledge to solve real‐life situations. They have to analyze the case described and propose the best possible solution. Although the case may be written, the use of new information and communication technologies can develop the case plan in ways that would achieve greater realism and widen the possibilities for discussion. This paper describes our experience in implementing the case method to teach food safety in the Chair of Hygiene. At first this methodology was used to improve the teaching of good practices in food preparation, later practical work was implemented where small groups of students designed and carried out the microbiological analysis of suspected food. This practical work was presented online as a multimedia activity; students were given face‐to‐face and on‐line tutoring. Evaluation was based both on students’ performance and on a survey they had to answer. More than 92% of students regarded the methodology used for the understanding of the unit as sound. Professors collaboration on providing guidance and multimedia presentation were also positively assessed. The bringing together of face‐to‐face and virtual tasks and small‐group discussion of cases under professors guidance contributed to making good use of the positive aspects of this methodology in order to improve the understanding of problems which do not always have a single answer.     

Modelling training response in elite female gymnasts and optimal strategies of overload training and taper

Abstract

The aim of the study is the modelling of training responses with a variable dose-response model in a sport discipline that requires highly complex coordination. We propose a method to optimise the training programme plan using the potential maximal performance gain associated with overload and tapering periods. Data from five female elite gymnasts were collected over a 3-month training period. The relationship between training amounts and performance was then assessed with a non-linear model. The optimal magnitude of training load reduction and its duration were investigated with and without an overload period using simulation procedures based on individual responses to training. The correlation between actual and modelled performances was significant (R ² = 0.81 ± 0.02, P < 0.01). The standard error was 2.7%. Simulations revealed that taper preceded by an overload period allows a higher performance to be achieved compared to an absence of overload period (106.3 ± 0.3% vs. 105.1 ± 0.3%). With respect to the pre-taper load, the model predicts that optimal load reductions during taper were 48.4 ± 0.7% and 42.5 ± 1.0% for overloading and non-overloading strategies, respectively. Moreover, optimal durations of the taper period were 34 ± 0.5 days and 22 ± 0.5 days for overloading and non-overloading strategies, respectively. In conclusion, the study showed that the variable dose-response model describes precisely the training response in gymnasts.     

Characteristics of extracurricular physical activity and cognitive performance in adolescents. The AVENA study

Abstract

The aim of this report was to examine the associations between some characteristics (i.e., structure and number) of extracurricular physical activity (EPA) and cognitive performance in adolescents. A total of 1662 adolescents (880 girls; 13.0–18.5 years) from 5 Spanish cities (Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza) were included in this study. Structure (organised and non-organised) and number of EPAs, and participation at vigorous intensity during EPA were self-reported. Cognitive performance (verbal, numeric and reasoning abilities, and an overall score) was measured with the “SRA-Test of Educational Ability”. Results showed that vigorous EPA was positively associated with all cognitive variables. Adolescents who practiced an organised EPA had higher scores in 3 of the 4 cognitive variables than those who practiced a non-organised EPA (all P < 0.05). Likewise, the group who participated in more than one EPA had higher cognitive performance in all variables than the group who participated in only one EPA (all P < 0.05). Regardless of potential confounder variables, including vigorous EPA, both structure and number of EPAs were each other independently associated with cognitive performance. Therefore, structure and number of EPAs may positively influence cognitive performance in adolescents. Participating in multiple, organised EPA may have benefits for cognitive performance.     

Vitamin C supplementation does not influence plasma and blood mononuclear cell IL-6 and IL-10 levels after exercise

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether the highest vitamin C supplementation associated with complete bioavailability influences the plasma and blood mononuclear cell IL-6 and IL-10 response to exercise. A double-blinded study of supplementation with vitamin C was performed. After 15 days of supplementation with vitamin C (500 mg · day^?1, n = 16) or a placebo (n = 15), participants in the study completed a 15-km run competition. Blood samples were taken before and after competition. Oxidative stress markers, antioxidants, cortisol, IL-6 and IL-10 were determined in plasma or serum. IL-6 and IL-10 protein and mRNA levels were measured in blood mononuclear cells. Although higher plasma and blood mononuclear cell vitamin C levels were observed in the supplemented group when compared with the placebo one, the two groups showed identical exercise-induced changes in all the measured parameters. Exercise induced increased IL-6 and IL-10 levels in plasma and blood mononuclear cells. IL-6 and IL-10 mRNA levels in blood mononuclear cells increased after the competition. After recovery, IL-6 mRNA returned to basal levels and IL-10 mRNA levels remained elevated. In conclusion, exercise induced increased IL-6 and IL-10 production in blood mononuclear cells. However, vitamin C supplementation did not influence IL-6 and IL-10 response to exercise.     

A longitudinal study of handwriting skills in pre-schoolers: the acquisition of syllable oriented programming strategies

Previous studies have shown the relevance of the syllable as a programming unit in handwriting production, both in adults and elementary school children. This longitudinal study focuses on the acquisition of writing skills in a group of preschoolers. It examines how and when the syllable structure of the word starts regulating motor programming in handwriting. Eighteen five year old preschoolers copied six-letter Catalan words (disyllabic and trisyllabic) on a digitiser at three different times over the academic year (January, March, and May). The words were written in uppercase letters. We measured the duration of the inter-letter intervals (ILI) to gather information on the timing of motor programming. The results indicated that from January to March the children were mostly focused on movement proficiency. The results also showed different profiles of ILI duration for the two types of words over the three sessions. For disyllabic words, the syllable regulated movement programming in January; for trisyllabic words, this happened in March. This suggests that the syllable already plays a role in the programming of handwriting movements in kindergarten.     

Diversity among Spanish-speaking English language learners: profiles of early literacy skills in kindergarten

This study explored heterogeneity in literacy development among 2,300 Hispanic children receiving English as a Second Language (ESL) services at the start of kindergarten. Two research questions guided this work: (1) Do Spanish-speaking English language learners receiving ESL services in the fall of kindergarten demonstrate homogeneous early literacy skills, or are there distinct patterns of achievement across measures of phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and orthography? and (2) if there are distinct profiles, to what extent do they predict literacy achievement at the end of kindergarten and the beginning of first grade? Using cluster analysis, the authors identified four distinct literacy profiles derived from fall kindergarten measures of phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and phonetic spelling. These profiles were found to be associated with literacy outcomes in spring of kindergarten and fall of first grade. The two profiles that were associated with greater success on later measures of concept of word in text, letter sound knowledge, word reading, and spelling were the two that included stronger performance on orthographic skills (i.e., alphabet knowledge and phonetic spelling). These findings demonstrated that there is heterogeneity among Hispanic ESL students at kindergarten entry and suggested that literacy instruction must be differentiated from the very beginning in order to meet students’ individual needs. The findings also suggested that orthographic skills should be assessed and taught early on. While phonological awareness may be a necessary precursor to reading, phonological awareness in the absence of orthographic skills may not be sufficient.     

Variables involved in personal, social and school adjustment in a sample of preschool-aged children from different cultural backgrounds

The continuing incorporation of immigrant populations into the Spanish educational system poses an important challenge in that all participants must cooperate toward creating the best possible adaptation process at the academic level as well as on the personal and social levels. A number of different factors appear to influence children’s adjustment during the preschool stage, and these factors are especially relevant since many studies have shown that this is a key period for the prevention of future difficulties. The present study examines the variables involved in the adaptation of a group of preschool-aged children from different cultural backgrounds in Spain. The results indicate that preschoolers, regardless of their background, have similar performance and learning potential, with language proficiency being the factor that most clearly affects the other variables investigated. It was also found that children’s attitudes toward learning were related to the presence of behavioral difficulties and with the quality and type of parental child-rearing practices. These practices appear to be related to a number of difficulties immigrant children may experience on personal and social levels.