Development and initial validation of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire

The development of talent is a complex process mediated by a host of psychological, social, physical, and environmental variables. Unfortunately, the multiple processes involved in talent development are frequently ignored by the systems and protocols employed in sport. Modern approaches to talent development are beginning to stress the initial possession, then subsequent development, of generic psychological characteristics (e.g. psychological characteristics of developing excellence; MacNamara, Button, & Collins, 2010a , 2010b ) as the best way to realize latent potential. Accordingly, this paper describes the development and initial validation of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ). In the first phase, an initial list of 160 items was developed. A combination of expert panel reviews, cognitive interviews, and a pilot test was used to assess the relevance, representativeness, and validity of each item. Ninety-six items were retained following these steps. Exploratory factor analysis, with a sample of 363 athletes, revealed an interpretable 59-item, 6-factor solution with good internal consistency (0.870, 0.866, 0.847, 0.741, 0.749, and 0.701 respectively). The Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire would appear to hold promise as a useful tool to provide coaches and athletes with information about the psychological characteristics of developing excellence that are being properly addressed or neglected during different stages of development or in different contexts.     

Opening the discussion through challenging companion meanings and pedagogical approaches that de-center

Many aspects of the paper “What if we were in a test tube?: students’ gendered meaning making during a biology lesson about the basic facts of the human genitals” intrigue and warrant further exploration. This forum will focus on two particular areas: (1) An expansion of the companion meanings by examining how they resonate with themes forwarded by other feminist scholars who critiqued biology and reproduction. (2) A proposal of some pedagogical approaches that might provide solutions to de-center the prioritization of heterosexual male genitals and of facts over complexities in science.     

From Policy to Practice: Pupils' Responses to Widening Participation Initiatives

Recent widening participation policies have been subject to a number of criticisms; they focus on aspirations rather than differences in performance; they place less value on the aspirations of the ‘disadvantaged’ comparing them to a middle class norm; they subordinate what was a radical agenda to the demands of the economy and so constrain the available options to young people. Using data from young people who have taken part in Aimhigher initiatives in the South West of England and from teachers who have organised Aimhigher events, this paper will examine to what extent these features of policy are evidenced in the attitudes and aspirations of these pupils. It will argue that the data shows little evidence of pupils positioning themselves as inferior, that young people display instrumental attitudes to education, but that these attitudes relate to policy discourse and practice in complex ways.     

Application of systems analysis to depository library decision making regarding the use of new technology

This article, the first in a series of four, views the application of systems anal ysis and design as a method of problem solving for documents librarians. Par ticular emphasis is placed on the use of systems analysis as a major, first step in applying computer based technology to problem areas common to U.S. government publication collections. The specific problem areas amenable to the application of this methodology include (1) bibliographic control, (2) col lection development, (3) collection integration, and (4) improved documents reference service. The steps required for its application to these problem areas are described in sequential fashion, and are augumented by actual examples. Several sources of supplementary information are noted for further references.