Development and evaluation of a student-centred multimedia self-assessment instrument for social-communicative competence

Communication plays an important role in manyprofessional contexts. This is especially truefor students in the field of social work. Theaim of this study was to develop formative,self-regulated multimedia self-assessment ofsocial-communicative competencies for socialwork students. First, a pilot study wasconducted to gain insight into the students'specific characteristics. This insight was usedto design guidelines for the development of theassessment instrument in order to tune these tothe students' perceptions, instructionalpreferences, and personalities and thusenhancing the students' enthusiasm to use theself-assessment instrument. This might increasethe chance for successful implementation ofthis new form of assessment.A first version of a multimedia test wasdeveloped. A quality expert meeting wasorganised to gain insight into expertjudgements on the quality of the test and toobtain indications for improvement of theassessment. A second version of the test wasconstructed and put on the Internet. Nearly 400students completed the assessment and expressedtheir opinions on this new way of communicationassessment.We found it was possible to testsocial-communicative competence by means ofmultimedia, with the help of digital video. Theuse of Internet makes assessments available atany time to fit curriculum needs and alsoresolves time and space constraints. Ourconclusion was that the multimedia test isreasonably valid. All students reported havingliked the multimedia assessment.     

Burnout in elite rugby: relationships with basic psychological needs fulfilment

In this study, we examined the utility of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2002) as a framework for understanding the antecedents of athlete burnout in elite New Zealand rugby union players (n=133). Perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (i.e. basic psychological needs) were hypothesized to be negatively related to burnout scores, while players classified as "high-burnouts" were predicted to report lower needs fulfilment than players with low burnout. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that relatedness was a low to moderate predictor of burnout, but players' competence and autonomy accounted for substantial portions of variance in two athlete burnout symptoms: reduced accomplishment and sport devaluation. The proportion of variance accounted for in the exhaustion dimension of athlete burnout was not substantive. Multivariate analysis of variance supported these results, as "high-burnout" players had lower competence and autonomy scores than athletes reporting low burnout symptoms. The two groups did not report significantly different relatedness scores. Implications of these results for researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

Methodological issues associated with longitudinal research: findings from the Leuven Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle, Fitness and Health (1969 - 2004)

Longitudinal studies provide unique opportunities but are also faced with several limitations. The purpose of this study was to document three of these issues ("imperfect" design, evolution of data collection methods, representativeness) by means of the Leuven Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle, Fitness and Health (LLSLFH). The LLSLFH (1969 - 2004) comprises observations on males between 12 and 18 years and at 30, 35, 40, and 47 years, and on females at 16 and 40 years. In the most recent phase of the study, spouses and offspring were also included. The different phases and evolving research questions throughout the LLSLFH required an appropriate adaptation of the research design. The associated evolution of data collection methods largely reflects the changing ideas about physical fitness, body composition, and physical activity, the continuing search for new and better measurement techniques, and the need for adaptations with age. Ongoing study participants are representative in terms of body composition and, except for adolescence in males, also physical activity. No straightforward answer can be given concerning physical fitness. In both sexes, socio-economic status is above average. When informed about the possible "pitfalls" of longitudinal research in advance, several measures could be taken to prevent or limit them as much as possible.     

Reliability and validity of the Flemish Physical Activity Computerized Questionnaire in adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the Flemish Physical Activity Computerized Questionnaire (FPACQ) in employed/unemployed and retired people. The FPACQ was developed to assess detailed information on several dimensions of physical activity and sedentary behavior over a usual week. A triaxial accelerometer, the RT3 Triaxial Research Tracker (RT3), in combination with a written 7-day activity record, was used as the objective criterion measure. In employed/unemployed people, 2-week test-retest reliability for several activity variables calculated from the FPACQ was good to excellent with intraclass correlations (ICCs) ranging from .67 to .99. In retired people ICCs were lower but, except for time spent eating, still fair to excellent, ranging from .57 to .96. Except for time spent in leisure time activities for men and the average energy expenditure related to sports participation in women, correlations between the RT3 and the FPACQ generally supported the relative validity of the FPACQ for employed/unemployed people (r ranging from .37 to .88). Values for retired people were somewhat lower (r ranging from .15 to .85), but most variables still reached at least moderate correlations. Concerning absolute validity, the FPACQ generally overestimated physical activity and underestimated sedentary behavior compared to the RT3. From this study, it can be concluded that the FPACQ is a reliable and reasonably valid questionnaire for assessing different dimensions of physical activity and sedentary behavior.     

Adding community and dynamic to topic models

The detection of communities in large social networks is receiving increasing attention in a variety of research areas. Most existing community detection approaches focus on the topology of social connections (e.g., coauthor, citation, and social conversation) without considering their topic and dynamic features. In this paper, we propose two models to detect communities by considering both topic and dynamic features. First, the Community Topic Model (CTM) can identify communities sharing similar topics. Second, the Dynamic CTM (DCTM) can capture the dynamic features of communities and topics based on the Bernoulli distribution that leverages the temporal continuity between consecutive timestamps. Both models were tested on two datasets: ArnetMiner and Twitter. Experiments show that communities with similar topics can be detected and the co-evolution of communities and topics can be observed by these two models, which allow us to better understand the dynamic features of social networks and make improved personalized recommendations.     

Prediction of adult height in girls: the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method

The purpose of this study was to validate and cross-validate the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method for non-invasive prediction of adult height in girls. A sample of 420 girls aged 10-15 years from the Madeira Growth Study were measured at yearly intervals and then 8 years later. Anthropometric dimensions (lengths, breadths, circumferences, and skinfolds) were measured; skeletal age was assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 method and menarcheal status (present or absent) was recorded. Adult height was measured and predicted using stepwise, forward, and maximum R (2) regression techniques. Multiple correlations, mean differences, standard errors of prediction, and error boundaries were calculated. A sample of the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study was used to cross-validate the regressions. Age-specific coefficients of determination (R (2)) between predicted and measured adult height varied between 0.57 and 0.96, while standard errors of prediction varied between 1.1 and 3.9 cm. The cross-validation confirmed the validity of the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method in girls aged 12-15 years, but at lower ages the cross-validation was less consistent. We conclude that the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method is valid for the prediction of adult height in girls aged 12-15 years. It is applicable to European populations or populations of European ancestry.     

Using micro-mechanical modelling to predict short-fibre composite properties in computer-aided design of sporting equipment

Computer-aided design (CAD) of sporting equipment requires knowledge of the mechanical properties of proposed materials. The mechanical properties of composite materials are often not as simple to obtain as those of conventional materials, in which case micro-mechanical modelling could be used in conjunction with CAD software. A micro-mechanical model was used to predict the flexural modulus of composite materials, based on the assumption of partial interfacial adhesion between composite components. It was found that the partial adhesion model was both practical and consistently accurate. The partial adhesion model accounted for adhesion between components by considering an ‘effective shear value’ at the interface. The model was compared to experimental data for glass, wood and carbon-fibre reinforced polyethylene. It was shown that the adhesion coefficient ranged between 0.1 for carbon fibre, 0.5 for glass fibre and 0.8 for the wood fibre composites. It was shown that using micro-mechanical modelling to predict composite mechanical properties, as opposed to simulating the comprehensive composites structure, computer processing time and file size can be reduced with little compromise in simulation accuracy.     

Religions constructed as similar or different by teachers of religious education from a citizenship education perspective

The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore and theoretically discuss Swedish religious studies (RE) teachers’ understanding of religions as similar and different. In Sweden, RE is a mandatory subject and presents all the world’s major religions to students. Teachers of RE therefore need to relate to the various relations between the religions. A qualitative interview study with Swedish RE teachers (n?=?7) in Swedish secondary schools was performed to determine how they conceptualise religion and present ‘religion’ to their students. The teachers (m?=?3; f?=?4) were chosen from schools with a variety of ethnically homogenous and heterogeneous compositions of students. The teachers’ conceptions of ‘religion’ can be described according to two main categories: as something universal or as something dependent on the cultural context. These two main orientations are described more closely in this paper. The teachers’ conceptions are also discussed from the perspective of possible consequences for educating citizens in the Swedish school system. It is suggested that RE teachers’ conceptions of religions as similar and different facilitate and constrain identification and encounters with others as religious subjects.     

Recognising and exploring action-theories: A reflection-in-action approach to facilitating experiential learning

Abstract

Outdoor education has typically presented itself as a specific approach to experiential learning. This article proposes that experiential learning can be understood as a process in which learners recognise and develop their action-theory and that the aim of outdoor development programs — whether in mainstream education, corporate training or therapy — is to facilitate this process. After introducing the notion of action-theory, I will present a particular approach to facilitation, which can be understood as a reflection-in-action approach. I conclude by situating this approach in the wider range of facilitation models in the literature on outdoor education and adventure therapy.     

Knowledge production from an African perspective: International information flows and intellectual property⋆

This paper investigates current trends in knowledge production and the impact that they have on the international flow of information. Three directions of information flow (North–South, South–North and South–South) are investigated from an African perspective. A moral rather than a legal view is taken of intellectual property. The authors’ concern is that the balance between the public good and private interests has been disturbed. It is premised that there are general moral principles that can serve as a basis for decisions on North–South, South–North and South–South information flows. Three ethical pillars serve as a basis for reflection on current information flows. These are: social justice, human rights, and the concept of the common good. Current developments in scholarly publishing and intellectual property rights that affect the North–South information flow are examined, and responses to the growing imbalance between rights holders and authors, such as the open access movement, are considered. These developments also affect South–North information flows, where both exploitation and neglect of Africa's knowledge resources need to be countered. Lastly, South–South information flows between African countries are considered.