What are we trying to understand and improve? Educational research as Leerlaufreaktion. 1

The problems that educational research are supposed to solve have been poorly analyzed and the basic phenomena that we are trying to understand have not been clearly described. Educational experimenters often resemble Leerlaufreaktionen in lower animals, i.e., complex, highly integrated activities that take place despite the absence of an appropriate environmental occasion.

We have tended to forget the practical origins of science and have allowed ourselves to be dominated by overly abstract ideas that betray our goals. Experimenters require tangible events to think and wonder about in order to improve their intuitions and in order to generate and test ideas that will deepen our understanding of nature and make a real difference in the practical world. Better observations of what actually goes on in instructional situations are therefore needed and more detailed records of teaching and learning must be kept. An instructional record‐keeping system called a course memory is described.     

Letters to the editor

This study examines editorial photography in nine major erotica magazines to determine how pictures vary as a function of the social class, gender and sexual preference of the intended readership. The analysis reveals that upwardly‐mobile, heterosexual men are treated to idealized images, whereas working‐class, heterosexual men are presented with more mundane yet highly‐sexualized images. Heterosexual women are provided with photographs of nude males in a low‐sexual context. Magazines for homosexual men present images, except for gender, very similar to those created for upwardly‐mobile, heterosexual men. These patterns are discussed from a functionalist perspective to show how erotica magazines contribute to social‐order maintenance.     

Primary school children's health-enhancing physical activity patterns: the school as a significant environment?

The moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of 70 children (age 8.6 years; 40 boys) was measured and gender and age differences were compared. Boys spent 28 minutes per day more than girls in MVPA (p=0.02, d=0.54), and younger children accumulated 24 minutes more MVPA than older peers (p=0.0001, d=0.91). Similar gender and age-related trends were apparent during segmented periods of the day. The majority of daily MVPA was accrued during school-related time (56.4±9.1%; p=0.0001, d=1.57). The findings reinforce the significance of schools as key environments for MVPA participation and promotion.     

The mathematical education of engineers

Mathematics has always played an important role in the education of engineers and production managers. At the present time, the importance of mathematics has increased significantly and it is quite natural that in universities around the world engineering students are taking courses in mathematics which constitute, as a rule, a significant portion of their programme. At the same time, however, the mathematical education of the engineer is far from ideal and its improvement deserves the closest scrutiny. The present article deals with several general aspects of this problem.     

Comparing Numerical Methods to Estimate Vertical Jump Height Using a Force Platform

ABSTRACT

Males (n = 29) and females (n = 34) performed vertical jumps. Jump height was estimated from force platform data using five numerical methods and compared using intraclass correlation (ρ), and linear and rank regression standard error of estimate (SEE). Take-off velocity plus center of mass height at take-off and mechanical work methods were identical (ρ = 1.000) with small linear (SEE < 0.0001 cm) and rank order (SEE = 0) error. Integrating acceleration to displacement was nearly identical (ρ > 0.999), with small linear (SEE = 0.1 cm) and rank order (SEE < 1) errors compared to the above methods. Take-off velocity (ρ = 0.517) and flight time (ρ = 0.573) estimates were less than all other methods and had large linear (SEE ≥ 2.1 cm) and rank order (SEE > 4) errors. Take-off velocity and flight time methods should be avoided due to systematic and random error.