Beyond stacking in American football towards an understanding of cultural transmission,social identity and self-categorization

Relying on cultural transmission, social identity and self-categorization theories, this study uses an innovative two-part photo-pasting and survey method to investigate quantitatively and qualitatively non-fans’, fans’ and players’ assumptions about what positions black and white players should occupy in American football. Both white and black players and fans showed evidence of being cultural transmitters of racial ideologies associated with the quarterback position in American football. Overall, the respondent choices for quarterback diverged significantly from equality but not significantly from the reality of the National Football League. Players and fan and non-fan participants alike showed evidence of being cultural consumers and transmitters of racial ideologies associated with the quarterback position. Narrative reasons for player choices aligned with past literature about racial stereotypes. On most measures, the findings did not differ greatly among the institutions from which study participants were drawn, their diversity in geography, racial composition, ideology, athletic division and public–private status notwithstanding.     

Elite coaching and the technocratic engineer: thanking the boys at Microsoft!

The primary purpose of this article is to provide an in-depth understanding of the manner in which surveillance technologies have become readily appropriated and utilised by elite Rugby Union coaches. It is conceded that positions adopted by populist writings commonly categorise the act of coaching as an educational activity that harnesses holistic intentions. Through reflecting upon semi-structured interviews with players located at an Aviva Premiership Rugby Union Club, we provide insight into an elite sporting institution that more accurately depicts coaching as a technocratic activity. The resultant analysis is critical in its review of surveillance mechanisms embedded in institutional practice, extending to the sports coaching setting, which explicate sinister rather than pastoral motives to enforce a disciplinary power that enhances the quantification of athletic performance. The article concludes by emphasising the impact of such practices upon establishing a sense of trust and the construction of self autonomous to the sporting domain. We argue that the emerging and steadfast acceptance of technology in the elite coaching environment is threatening to circumvent the learning potential of players by merely viewing them as functionaries. In adopting this position, we tentatively suggest that future research seeking to inform the practice of coaching and coach education should continue to pursue this critical dialogue to question whether, and to what extent, an overreliance on technology is becoming perceived as the ‘gold standard’ of professional practice amongst the coaching fraternity.     

Parents of Traditionally Aged Community College Students: Communications and Choice

Five suburban community colleges in a metropolitan area collaborated on a survey to parents of high school graduates of the class of 2002 who attended the colleges in fall 2002. The study was undertaken to learn more about parents roles in their students selection of community colleges, to give insights and information about this important community college constituency, and to assist community colleges to shape more effective ways to foster positive and supportive opinions among parents of potential students. Parents want the community college to provide students with credits and grade point averages enabling transfer, overestimate their students academic skills as measured by course placement tests, engaged in a number of college-choice activities, and indicate that factors associated with lifestyle and money were major reasons for selecting the community college. Associations between parents social capital and perceptions of their students academic abilities were found for a number of dependent variables examined. The study also revealed important differences in how participating institutions record and calculate key measures such as credits earned and grade point averages.     

Field-study science classrooms as positive and enjoyable learning environments

We investigated differences between field-study classrooms and traditional science classrooms in terms of the learning environment and students’ attitudes to science, as well as the differential effectiveness of field-study classrooms for students differing in sex and English proficiency. A modified version of selected scales from the What Is Happening In this Class? questionnaire was used to assess the learning environment, whereas students’ attitudes were assessed with a shortened version of a scale from the Test of Science Related Attitudes. A sample of 765 grade 5 students from 17 schools responded to the learning environment and attitude scales in terms of both their traditional science classrooms and classrooms at a field-study centre in Florida. Large effect sizes supported the effectiveness of the field-studies classroom in terms of both the learning environment and student attitudes. Relative to the home school science class, the field-study class was considerably more effective for students with limited English proficiency than for native English speakers.     

Three dimensional couette flow and heat transfer through a porous medium with variable permeability

This paper reports research on the effects of variations in injection velocity and permeability on the heat transfer and flow through a highly porous medium between two horizontal parallel plates situated at constant distance with constant suction by the upper plate. Due to this type of variation in injection velocity and in permeability the flow becomes three dimensional. The governing equations are solved by adopting complex variable notations to obtain the expressions for the velocity and temperature field. The skin-friction along the main flow direction and rate of heat transfer are discussed with the help of graphs.