Reliability of metrics associated with a counter-movement jump performed on a force plate

The counter-movement jump is a consequence of maximal force, rate of force developed, and neuromuscular coordination. Thus, the counter-movement jump has been used to monitor various training adaptations. However, the smallest detectable difference of counter-movement jump metrics has yet to be established. The objective of the present study was to measure the reliability of counter-movement jump metrics, including rate of force development, flight time, time to max force, and max force. Twenty-nine male participants (mean age 25 ± 3 years) were divided into three groups. Each participant performed five counter-movement jumps on a force plate, on three consecutive days. Flight time detected trivial changes, (effect size < .2) and typical error of measurement of .25%; max force detected small changes (effect size < .5) with a typical error of measurement of .3%; rate of force development detected small to medium change (effect size .5–.8) with a typical error of measurement of .3%.     

Core Competencies: The Challenge For Graduate Peace and Conflict Studies Education

This article uses a case study of the assessment of a graduate program in negotiations and conflict management as a springboard for discussing several critical, but unanswered questions in our field. It raises questions regarding the lack of clear core competencies and expectations regarding curricula at the graduate-level of peace and conflict studies programs, as well as concerns over how educators in this field can or should assess their own work and train students for practice. It also addresses, via a comparative case analysis in Tajikistan, the degree to which the competencies and pedagogical approaches in this field are culturally bound. The picture that emerges from these case studies suggests that there have been important omissions in the way that the varied educational programs and the larger peace and conflict studies field itself have developed thus far.     

Development principles for intelligent tutoring systems: Integrating cognitive theory into the development of computer-based instruction

This article describes a basic development model for an intelligent tutoring system (ITS): the interface, the student model, the expert model, and the pedagogical model. Because ITSs are a byproduct of research in cognitive science, we use this model to illustrate the possibilities for more extensive integration of cognitive learning theories into computer-based instruction (CBI). Two examples of CBI designed from this perspective are included to illustrate the possibilities of the model and to suggest that the dichotomy between CBI and ITSs need not be perpetuated.     

Inquiry in Higher Education: Reflections and Directions on Course Design and Teaching Methods

Our 5-year experiment with teaching and evaluating an inquiry course has led us to conclude that inquiry is a potent pedagogical tool in higher education, encouraging students to become self-directed and engaged learners. This article offers key ingredients and procedures for designing an inquiry-based course. It provides a pragmatic model of inquiry that describes the structure and function of such a course and the goals and learning objectives for students. This model of inquiry is widely applicable and will help faculty members from a variety of disciplines develop an innovative way of engaging and teaching students. Christopher Justice, Ph.D., is an anthropologist and health social scientist, and is an associate of the Centre for Leadership in Learning.e-mail: justice@mcmaster.ca James Rice, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Work.e-mail: ricejame@mcmaster.ca Wayne Warry, Ph.D., is Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology. His interests include aboriginal issues, aboriginal health and health systems evaluation, and educational research.e-mail: warrywa@mcmaster.ca Sue Inglis, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Her interests include organizational behaviour and student inquiry.e-mail: ingliss@mcmaster.ca Stefania Miller, Ph.D., is Associate Professor, Department of Political Science. Her interests include international human rights and democratization in post-communist systems.e-mail: millers@mcmaster.ca Sheila Sammon, M.A., is Associate Professor, School of Social Work. Her interests include social work education and the integration of theory and practice.e-mail: sammon@mcmaster.ca     

News framing of the U.S. immigration debate during election years: Focus on generic frames

This study examined the frames used in the news coverage of the U.S. immigration debate during election years. Stories from four major U.S. newspapers, the Los Angeles Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the St. Petersburg Times, and The New York Times, were content analyzed. The analysis revealed that the conflict frame was the most dominant frame in the news coverage of the U.S. immigration debate whereas no significant changes in the framing of the U.S. immigration debate were found over time. The human interest frame was more likely to have a pro-immigration tone compared to other frames. The findings of immigrant characteristics showed that the “illegal” characteristic was the most frequently used to identify immigrants.