Implicit and Explicit Exercise and Sedentary Identity

We examined the relationship between implicit and explicit “exerciser” and “sedentary” self-identity when activated by stereotypes. Undergraduate participants (N = 141) wrote essays about university students who either liked to exercise or engage in sedentary activities. This was followed by an implicit identity task and an explicit measure of exercise self-identity. Results showed that implicit and explicit exerciser identities were not highly correlated. There were also no significant prime effects, but women showed greater implicit sedentary identity, whereas men showed greater implicit exercise identity. This research suggests that implicit exercise-related identity is a distinct construct from explicit exercise identity. The results also reflect responses to societal pressures for women to be thin and for men to be strong, when free of self-presentational bias.     

Assessment of decision-making performance and in-game physical exertion of Australian football umpires

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of in-game physical exertion on decision-making performance of Australian football umpires. Fifteen Australian football umpires (M_age = 36, s = 13.5 years; M_{games umpired} = 235.2, s = 151.3) volunteered to participate in the study. During five competitive Australian football pre-season games, measures of in-game physical exertion (blood lactate levels, global positioning system [GPS]) and decision-making performance (video-based test) were obtained. There were no significant correlations between physical exertion in a particular quarter and decision-making performance in either the same quarter or any other quarter. Video-based decision-making performance was effected by time in game χ²(3) = 24.24, P = 0.001, with Quarter 4 performance significantly better than both Quarter 2 and Quarter 3. In-game physical exertion (blood lactate) significantly decreased over the course of the game χ²(3) = 11.58, P = 0.009. Results indicate no definable link between in-game physical exertion and decision-making performance. It is, however, presumed that decision-making performance may be affected by the time or context of the game. Future research is warranted to explore the relationship between physical exertion and decision-making performance to potentially inform Australian football umpire training programmes that replicate in-game physical and decision-making demands.     

MAINTAINING,REFRAMING, AND DISRUPTING TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH CRITICAL FRIENDS GROUPS

Districts across the country are currently adopting models of professional learning communities (PLCs) as a means for improving teachers' instructional practice and student achievement. This evaluation research case study shares the 3-year history, development, and challenges of a district-wide implementation of Critical Friends Groups (CFGs), a particular format for PLCs. Using Argyris and Schön's (1974) theories of action framework, the authors identify teachers' espoused theories about a contextually situated CFG initiative and examine teachers' conceptualizations about the ways in which their work influences the progression and effectiveness of this professional development model. Findings from this study suggest that the degree to which the CFG implementation model is integrated with other school improvement initiatives, specifically those that address teachers' professional development, dramatically influences how key stakeholders conceptualize and draw the necessary connections to their roles in improving instructional practice and addressing student achievement and learning.     

States and Their Struggles With NCLB: Does the Obama Blueprint Get It Right?

This article analyzes challenges states identify in implementing No Child Left Behind (NCLB) with the Obama administration's proposals for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. Drawing upon information from six states, this study shows that the Obama administration Blueprint for Reauthorization of ESEA responds to a number of state concerns with NCLB but fails to acknowledge the sheer magnitude of the challenges states face. The Blueprint addresses the overall concern for greater flexibility in timing, focus, and remedies that states express. Furthermore, the Blueprint acknowledges but does not fully address the importance of teacher and leader quality and the distributional challenges. The Blueprint falls short, however, in addressing the need for a more robust body of knowledge regarding effective intervention, the pragmatic obstacles to redistribution of high-quality teachers and leaders, and the political and fiscal challenges that states combat in intensifying and funding the level of performance it demands.     

Enhancing the Practicum Experience for Pre-service Chemistry Teachers Through Collaborative CoRe Design with Mentor Teachers

This paper reports findings from an ongoing study exploring how the Content Representation (CoRe) design can be used as a tool to help chemistry student teachers begin acquiring the professional knowledge required to become expert chemistry teachers. Phase 2 of the study, reported in this paper, investigated how collaboration with school-based mentors (associate teachers) on teaching practice (practicum) might impact on this process and student teachers’ development of their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The collaboration involved identifying and discussing pedagogical issues related to a practicum-teaching topic using a student teacher’s draft CoRe as a starting point and ongoing focus for the professional dialogue. Practicum offered an opportunity for aspects of student teachers’ PCK, as embodied in their draft CoRes, to be explored and expanded upon in classroom programmes with the support and input of associate teachers. The findings were influenced by different contextual factors; however, the student teachers found their CoRes to be very useful frameworks for engaging in focussed professional dialogue with their teaching mentors. They valued the expertise, currency of knowledge and mentoring of their associates and reported positively about the contribution this support made to their PCK development via the CoRe design process and the transformation of the CoRe into classroom teaching.     

Improving Reading Attainment in a Small Island State

How can reading achievement be improved across a school system or education authority? Chris Berry here describes the way this was approached in one particular system and presents evidence concerning the effectiveness of the input provided in this case.     

My Westindian Presence in an English School Day

Awarded a C. Day Lewis Fellowship, 1977–8, I became a writer-in-residence in a south London comprehensive school. I read and talked to hundreds of the children. I conducted writing workshops with altogether 82 of the 14–17-year-old girls. I gave two poetry reading sessions for teachers. I organised an evening's reading with pupils and myself at a local community hall. That Fellowship experience started me off and has kept me on the road to school again.     

Education of infants with down syndrome

The early education of infants with Down syndrome has been strongly influenced by studies highlighting the importance of the environment. These studies encouraged the belief that intelligence is not fixed and that early experience is critical to the course of development. Since the origins of a decline in IQ for Down syndrome had been traced to early infancy, it was hoped that early intervention programs might halt or even reverse this decline. The de-institutionalization movement converged with these studies to emphasize the home as a teaching environment and to view the mother as a teacher. It is suggested that the concept of the environment should expand beyond the family and that professionals should consider their own role in terms of the social ecology of the family. The programs need also to address the specific arousal needs of the infant with Down syndrome and to include motivational aspects in addition to cognitive measures when evaluating the effects of infant education.