Building community in academic settings: the importance of flexibility in a structured mentoring program

Academic mentoring is increasingly being used by many universities as a tool to enhance the quality of research‐led teaching, promote cross‐faculty collaboration and encourage a mentoring culture and community. This article reports on a pilot project established to investigate the benefits of building flexibility into a structured academic mentoring program at the University of Sydney. Twenty‐six academics from the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Education and Social Work participated in the program. The mentors ranged in position from lecturer to professor and the mentees from associate lecturer to senior lecturer. Flexible arrangements were shown to be important in a variety of ways, from the pairing of mentor with mentee, to focussing on issues of work survival and life balance, research outcomes and career advancement. The project highlighted the lower number of male academics involved in formal mentoring, which merits further exploration. All participants reported positive outcomes, although refinement of the pairing process was recommended. A variety of unanticipated outcomes was reported by mentees.     

Effect of different recovery patterns on repeated-sprint ability and neuromuscular responses

Abstract

We examined the effect of recovery pattern on mechanical and neuromuscular responses in active men during three repeated-sprint ability tests consisting of ten 6-s cycling sprints. Within each test, the recovery duration was manipulated: constant, increasing, and decreasing recovery pattern. Maximal voluntary contractions of the knee extensors were performed before and after the repeated-sprint ability tests to assess strength and electromyographic activity [root mean square (RMS)] of the quadriceps muscle. We observed different fatigue patterns for peak and mean power output between recovery patterns, with earlier decrements recorded during the increasing recovery pattern. Total work performed over the ten sprints was also lower in the increasing recovery pattern (43.8 ± 5.4 kJ; P < 0.05). However, the decreasing recovery pattern induced a greater overall power output decrement across the sprints (?15.8%; P < 0.05), compared with the increasing recovery pattern (?5.1%) but not the constant recovery pattern (?10.1%). The decreasing recovery pattern was also associated with higher post-sprint RMS values (+16.2%; P < 0.05). Therefore, the recovery pattern within successive short sprints may influence repeated-sprint ability, and may lead to greater post-sprint neuromuscular adjustments when recovery intervals decrease between sprints. We conclude that peripheral impairments caused the major differences in repeated-sprint ability between recovery patterns.     

“Selling less of more?” The impact of digitization on record companies

In this paper, we use data from a survey of 151 French record companies to test the “long-tail” hypothesis at the level of the firm. More specifically, we test whether, following the “selling less of more” principle coined by Anderson (2006), record companies that have adapted to digitization (at various levels: artists’ scouting, distribution, and promotion) release more new albums without having higher overall sales. We construct a production function in which the output is produced from conventional inputs of labor and capital, as well as inputs that are more specific to the recorded music industry. We consider two types of output: a commercial output (albums sales) and a creative output (number of new albums released). We show that labels that have adapted to digitization are more efficient in respect of creative output, but that there is no effect of adaptation to digitization on the commercial output, which is consistent with the predictions of the long-tail hypothesis.     

Beyond the “Charmed Circle” of OECD: New Directions for Studies of National Innovation Systems

In this paper, we engage with the widespread and influential approach of National Innovation Systems (NIS). We discuss its adequacy to non-OECD countries, especially in Latin America where it tends to be reified. Although the NIS approach is meant to address the most pressing needs of the economies it applies to, we argue that it would benefit from developing a more encompassing scope, allowing integration of greater diversity and complexity. By retracing the history of regimes of science, technology and innovation in Latin America, we explore the following paradox: whereas numerous Southern scholars urge the pressing need to develop an innovation agenda for Southern countries with a “Southern framework of thought”, they continue to heavily rely on a reductionist version of the NIS-approach that prevents such a “Southern perspective” to fully emerge. This creates problems for actors willing to use NIS more reflexively, and it also affects the effectivity of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies in non-OECD countries. We formulate a research agenda with three suggestions for further engaging NIS both conceptually and practically. Using such analytical perspectives, we argue, might benefit both to scholarly work about NIS, but could also allow for a better articulation with STI regimes in Southern countries.     

The impact of pre‐service field training sessions on the probability of future teachers using ICT in school

Most industrialised countries have adopted training strategies for pre‐service teachers that place experienced teacher guidance centre stage, particularly within the context of regular pre‐service field training sessions. In this article, after analysing the data taken from a longitudinal survey on the computer skills and attitudes of students toward the integration of ICT in teaching in primary and secondary school teacher education programmes at the University of Sherbrooke, the authors underline the potential contradictory effects between the classroom teaching observed during practicum and the effort to support the use of computer technology in school during university training. They conclude by underlining the importance of supporting the professional development of practising teachers regarding the use of ICT, with the aim of changing practices observed by students in training and optimising the probability of increasing the use of these technologies in their future role as teachers.     

Knee extensor fatigue developed during high-intensity exercise limits lower-limb power production

We investigated the association between changes in vastii electromyography (EMG) and knee extensor fatigue during high-intensity cycling, and the subsequent effect on lower-limb power and intermuscular coordination during all-out cycling. On two separate days, participants completed 30-s all-out cycling or 10-min of high-intensity cycling followed by 30-s all-out cycling. EMG for gluteus maximus (GMAX), rectus femoris (RF), vastii (VAS), hamstrings (HAM) and gastrocnemius (GAS); co-activation for GMAX/RF, VAS/HAM and VAS/GAS; isometric maximal voluntary force (IMVF) and resting twitch (RT) of the knee extensors were measured. VAS EMG increases during high-intensity cycling (6% to 14%, P < 0.05) were negatively correlated (r = ?0.791, P < 0.05) with knee extensor IMVF decreases (?2% to?36%, P < 0.05) following the exercise. Knee extensor IMVF decreases were positively correlated (r = 0.757, P < 0.05) with all-out cycling power reductions (0% to ?27%, P < 0.05). VAS/GAS co-activation did not change (P > 0.05) during all-out cycling while VAS and GAS EMG decreased. Larger increase in VAS EMG during high-intensity cycling was associated with greater knee extensor fatigue and larger power reduction during all-out cycling. High VAS/GAS co-activation potentially limited power reduction induced by knee extensor fatigue during all-out cycling.     

Efficacité d’un structurant préalable (l’epitome) en fonction des caractéristiques personnelles des etudiants

European Journal of Psychology of Education - La recherche en matière de structurant préalable commence avec Ausubel (1968). Celui-ci propose de faire précéder un apprentissage...     

Fonctions du code symbolique dans le discours mathématique

Résumé Nous avons fait une étude des fonctions du code symbolique au sein du discours mathématique. Nous avons distingué trois grandes catégories non exclusives: des fonctions de désignation, des fonctions de relation entre objets mathématiques, des fonctions logiques. Nous pensons avoir ainsi dégagé des aspects producteurs de son utilisation mais en même temps nous avons mis en évidence des significations implicites inhérentes à son emploi donc des aspects réducteurs. De plus, nous avons étudié certaines formulations d'étudiants en rapport avec ce travail. En particulier nous avons observé comment et à quelle occasion des étudiants du premier cycle universitaire français explicitent le quantificateur existentiel.

---

The functions of symbolic code in mathematical communication

We have studied the functions of symbolic code in mathematical communication. We distinguish three major non-exclusive categories: functions of designation, functions of relation between mathematical objects, logical functions. We bring out some productive aspects of the use of symbolic code, but also point out some implicit meanings, inherent in its use, which have counterproductive aspects. In addition, we have studied certain student formulations relating to this work. In particular, we have observed how, and on what occasions, students in the first cycle of French university study make explicit the existential quantifier.

     

Exerted effort and performance in climbing among boys: the influence of achievement goals,perceived ability,and task difficulty

In achievement contexts such as sport, achievement goal theory assumes that an individual's major concern is to demonstrate competence. However, competence may be expressed in two ways: as task and ego involvement (Nicholls, 1989). Seventy-eight boys (M age = 13.6 years) performed five climbing courses, and the influence of achievement goals, perceived ability, and task difficulty on effort and performance was studied. According to the achievement goal theory: (a) task-involved boys exerted more effort and performed better than ego-involved boys; and (b) exerted effort was determined by an interaction of one's achievement goal, perceived ability (PA), and task difficulty. Ego-high PA boys and task-low PA boys exerted the most effort on the moderate course; ego-low PA boys exerted least effort on the moderate and very difficult courses. Finally, task-high PA boys exerted more effort on the most difficult courses. The motivational processes underlying these findings are discussed.