Viscoelastic impact characterisation of solid sports balls used in the Irish sport of Hurling

In recent years, variability in behaviour of the sliotar, a small leather-bound ball used in the Irish sport of hurling, has become evident in championship matches. The inconsistency in performance was attributed to the range of constructions and material compositions of currently approved ball types. With a view to adopting a standard core, a new methodology has been commissioned to assess the dynamic impact behaviour of approved sliotar cores. In this paper, the relationship between the dynamic stiffness and the coefficient of restitution is presented with regard to material properties, ball construction and viscoelastic strain and strain-rate dependencies. The modern polymer ball types were shown to exhibit strain-rate sensitivity, while the performance of the traditional multi-compositional ball types exhibited lesser strain-rate dependence. The traditional balls types were shown to be up to 2.5 times stiffer than the modern ball types, with this finding having implications for ball energy dissipation.     

Dioramas as Depictions of Reality and Opportunities for Learning in Biology

Abstract A diorama is a careful positioning of a number of museum objects in a naturalistic setting. While expensive to construct, dioramas offer tremendous potential as educational tools. The education literature on dioramas, while growing, is still slight. Here we focus on dioramas as sites for learning science, specifically biology. We examine the extent to which dioramas reflect or construct reality and the effect on visitors. We suggest that a useful perspective can be to see dioramas as telling stories. Visitors respond well to stories and bring their own experiences, hopes, and fears to them. But to maximize the educational impact of dioramas, the stories they tell need to be constructed with some care. Younger visitors, for example, can benefit from scaffolding, an approach often used when introducing children to literature that is at the upper end of, or beyond, their present unaided capabilities.     

Teaching Teachers About Energy: Lessons from an Inquiry-Based Workshop for K-8 Teachers

We report results and impressions from a three-day inquiry-based workshop for K-8 teachers, aimed at improving their understanding of energy from a science and engineering perspective. Results suggest that the teachers made significant gains in understanding and appreciation of important energy concepts, but their comprehension of some key ideas remained incomplete. The dissipation of energy into thermal energy of the environment proved to be a particularly difficult idea, and one that represents a serious obstacle to understanding the principle of the conservation of energy.     

A content analysis of school anti-bullying policies: a follow-up after six years

An analysis was undertaken of 217 English school anti-bullying policies, from 169 primary schools and 48 secondary schools, using a 34-item scoring scheme. Findings were compared with an analysis of 142 schools six years earlier. Overall schools in the current analysis had about 49% of the items in their policies, a modest increase over the previous study. Most included a definition of bullying and statements about improving school climate but many schools did not mention other important aspects, and there was low coverage of cyberbullying, homophobic bullying, bullying based on disabilities, or faith; teacher–pupil bullying; responsibilities beyond those of teaching staff; following up of incidents; and specific preventative measures such as playground work, peer support, inclusiveness issues, and bullying to and from school. Several improvements in policies, significant for 20 out of 34 criteria were noted. Findings are discussed in terms of national policy, and ways to support schools in maximising the potential of their policies for reducing bullying.     

Dialogic practice in primary schools: how primary head teachers plan to embed philosophy for children into the whole school

The Philosophy for Children in Schools Project is an ongoing research project to explore the impact of philosophy for children (P4C) on classroom practice. This paper reports on the responses of head teachers, teachers and local educational authority (LA) officers in South Wales, UK, to the initial training programme in Philosophy for Children carried out by the University School of Education. Achieving change in schools through the embedding of new practices is an important challenge for head teachers. Interviews and qualitative questionnaires were used to explore perceptions of and attitudes towards the dialogic practice of P4C and the related challenges for school leaders. The results provide an insight into how head teachers planned to embed the new practice of P4C in their schools. Results from the interviews and questionnaires have been subject to iterative analysis and categories derived under which to discuss the findings. There are many similarities in the ways in which different head teachers go about planning change n their schools as well as differences. The results provide insight into the role of initial continuing professional development (CPD) in school development and the processes by which individual heads plan to embed change in practice across the whole school.     

Shared and distinctive origins and correlates of adult attachment representations: the developmental organization of romantic functioning

To test proposals regarding the hierarchical organization of adult attachment, this study examined developmental origins of generalized and romantic attachment representations and their concurrent associations with romantic functioning. Participants (N = 112) in a 35‐year prospective study completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and Current Relationship Interview (CRI). Two‐way analysis of variance tested interactive associations of AAI and CRI security with infant attachment, early parenting quality, preschool ego resiliency, adolescent friendship quality, and adult romantic functioning. Both representations were associated with earlier parenting and core attachment‐related romantic behavior, but romantic representations had distinctive links to ego resiliency and relationship‐specific romantic behaviors. Attachment representations were independent and did not interactively predict romantic functioning, suggesting that they confer somewhat distinctive benefits for romantic functioning.     

Evaluation of organizational communication competency: The development of the communication training impact questionnaire

As organizations devote more time and financial support to the development of training programs, the field of organizational communication needs to meet the demand for applications of organizational theory to the work world. This research reports the development of an evaluation instrument designed to go beyond participants' reactions to the training program, and assess the application of a specific skill to work tasks. The degree to which the participants perceive they have mastered the skill also is assessed. Data were collected on 267 participants in various communication training programs. Strong internal reliability, validity tests and factor analysis indicate that the Communication Training Impact Questionnaire can be used to assess two of Kirkpatrick's levels of training impact. Suggestions for using the instrument are discussed and implications for the field of organizational communication are presented.     

Perceptions of What Helps Learn and Develop in Education

This article describes the findings of a series of structured group sessions, which elicited student views on their learning outcomes, and what helped or hindered their development. It provides an insight into student perceptions of the factors that they considered influenced their learning. These factors are considered in relation to the Quality Assurance Agency's criteria for Subject Review.     

Racialising Discourses in Higher Education

The origins of the paper were from a small study initiated by a group of staff concerned about motivational problems among their first year undergraduate students. Researchers were invited to interview staff teaching on first year modules. As the data collection progressed it became clear that the discussion of motivation was overlaid by a racialising discourse, which allowed some staff to present the issue as an 'Asian problem'. We, therefore, felt the need to think more deeply about how issues of student learning are represented. The paper sets out the context of the study and reports on the data. However, rather than seeking to draw any firm conclusions, we have used our experience to reflect on issues of racialisation and to open up the area for discussion. The paper is intended to be part of a broader discussion about racialising discourses in higher education, which we believe should be critically addressed and debated.