Inclusive education in Latin America and the Caribbean: Exploratory analysis of the national reports presented at the 2008 International Conference on Education

This exploratory analysis of inclusive education issues in Latin America and the Caribbean is based on a series of documents produced in the framework of the organization of the 48th session of the International Conference on Education, in particular the National Reports presented at the Conference as well as country reports presented at preparatory meetings. The content analysis of the materials focused on the following topics: (a) the legal and normative framework; (b) the current educational policies; (c) the proposed or adopted approach in terms of inclusive education; (d) the main target groups; (e) inclusive education and the curriculum; (f) the kind of indicators most frequently mentioned; and (g) problems and challenges for inclusive education. One of the main challenges for the countries in the region is the appreciable gap between the stated principles and vision on one side, and the actual practices of inclusive education, on the other. Thus, there is an urgent need to ensure that policies and strategies translate into concrete actions aimed at changing the institutional practices and pedagogical approaches in the school and the classroom.     

Preferential text classification: learning algorithms and evaluation measures

In many applicative contexts in which textual documents are labelled with thematic categories, a distinction is made between the primary categories of a document, which represent the topics that are central to it, and its secondary categories, which represent topics that the document only touches upon. We contend that this distinction, so far neglected in text categorization research, is important and deserves to be explicitly tackled. The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, we propose an evaluation measure for this preferential text categorization task, whereby different kinds of misclassifications involving either primary or secondary categories have a different impact on effectiveness. Second, we establish several baseline results for this task on a well-known benchmark for patent classification in which the distinction between primary and secondary categories is present; these results are obtained by reformulating the preferential text categorization task in terms of well established classification problems, such as single and/or multi-label multiclass classification; state-of-the-art learning technology such as SVMs and kernel-based methods are used. Third, we improve on these results by using a recently proposed class of algorithms explicitly devised for learning from training data expressed in preferential form, i.e., in the form “for document d _i , category c′ is preferred to category c′′”; this allows us to distinguish between primary and secondary categories not only in the classification phase but also in the learning phase, thus differentiating their impact on the classifiers to be generated.     

Sprinting analysis of elite soccer players during European Champions League and UEFA Cup matches

It has been suggested that assessment of high-intensity activities during a match is a valid measure of physical performance in elite soccer. Recently, sprinting activities have been analysed in more depth. The aim of this study was to develop a detailed analysis of the sprinting activities of different playing positions during European Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions. Altogether, 717 elite outfield soccer players were evaluated throughout 2002-2006 using ProZone? (Leeds, UK). Sprinting (explosive and leading) was analysed for each playing position. To compare positional differences, a Kruskal-Wallis analysis was performed. Differences were found among positions for total number of sprints and total sprint distance covered: wide midfielders > (attackers = wide defenders) > central midfielders > central defenders (P < 0.001), as well as for explosive sprints: (wide midfielders = attackers = wide defenders) > central defenders, wide midfielders > central midfielders > central defenders and attackers = wide defenders = central midfielders (P < 0.001), and leading sprints: wide midfielders > (attackers = wide defenders) > central midfielders > central defenders (P < 0.001). For each group, there were no differences in ratio of explosive to leading sprints. Wide midfielders performed a higher number of sprints in all five distance categories than all other positions. This study showed that sprinting characteristics are influenced by position. Wide midfielders have to complete additional high-intensity activities during training sessions compared with the other positions to achieve the performance level required during the match.     

IT knowledge integration capability and team performance: The role of team climate

Previous research considering a normative perspective for fostering knowledge integration at the team level of analysis underscores that teams are often reluctant to share important knowledge among their members. In the attempt to provide a wider perspective on team knowledge integration, we take a different perspective, basing our arguments on team climate theoretical framework. Specifically, we argue that an autonomy and experimental climate (i.e. shared perception that the team supports autonomous action and experimentation and risk taking) can favor the team's ability to integrate members’ knowledge. Indeed, focusing on members’ willingness to contribute to team well-being, team autonomy and experimental climate may enhance the team's capability to integrate knowledge enabled by the IT infrastructure (IT knowledge integration capability). We tested our research model on a sample of 410 members and leaders of 69 organizational work teams. Results show the critical role played by team climate in favoring IT knowledge integration capability, which in turn affects team outcomes.     

Utility of serum indices in a particular case of serum protein electrophoresis

Screening and measurement of monoclonal (M) proteins are commonly performed using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The identification of M-protein or monoclonal component (CM) is an essential requirement for diagnosis and monitoring of monoclonal gammopathies. The detection of CM has been largely improved by CZE. Capillary electrophoresis estimates CM more accurately, because absence of variation due to different dye binding affinities of proteins as instead seen with agarose gel electrophoresis. However, interferences can be present in CZE. This occurs because all substances absorbing at 200 nm can be identified. Recognition and handling of specimens exhibiting such interferences is essential to ensure accurate diagnostic and patient safety. We herein report on an unusual case of serum protein electrophoresis, to highlight that laboratory staff must be aware of and familiarise with the information provided by laboratory instruments. For example, in the case of serum indices, about specimen quality.     

The history of physics and European physics education

In the last fifteen years a small group of European physicists has been working towards an approach to physics education based on the actual practices of physics research. The standard presentation through traditional textbooks plus didactic laboratory is rejected, and instead case studies contributing and borrowing from contemporary history, philosophy and sociology of science are provided. Analysis of original papers, scientific debates, institutional settings are often accompanied by reconstructions of important historical instruments. The resulting interplay between theories, instruments and experimental results offers a view of physics fascinating and entertaining, closer to the actual scientists' activities, deprived of many traditional ideological assumptions, open to the students interpretations and often in tune with contemporary findings of science educators. The group's activities are quietly flourishing, have acquired institutional recognition in the European Physical Society, and are now coordinated with the ones organized around the journal Science & Education and the International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group.     

The Methodological Challenges of Measuring Student Learning,Degree Attainment,and Early Labor Market Outcomes in Higher Education

The main objective of this study is to empirically test a number of theory-based models (i.e., fixed effects [FE], random effects [RE], and aggregated residuals [AR]) to measure the generic knowledge as well as the degree attainment rates and early labor outcomes gained by students in different programs and institutions in higher education. Our results show the importance of addressing the issue of student selection into programs and institutions in order to reduce selection bias, and they provide suggestive evidence in favor of using FE models. Our findings also confirm our hypotheses that rankings of specific college-program combinations change depending on the different educational and labor outcome measures considered. This finding emphasizes the need to use complementary indicators related to the mission of the specific postsecondary institutions that are being ranked. Given the sensitivity of the models to different model specifications, it is not clear whether they should be used to make any high-stakes decisions in higher education. They could, however, serve as part of a broader set of indicators to support programs and colleges as part of a formative evaluation.     

The Quadruple Helix Model of Libraries: The Role of Public Libraries in Newcastle upon Tyne

This article is based on semistructured interviews with library staff members in order to explore both how they perceive the role of libraries in most deprived areas in Newcastle upon Tyne and how they relate with their patrons. We show that public libraries play a primary role in activating a virtuous cycle, in which infrastructures, skills, and increased ability of users to achieve their goals simultaneously result from and feed social inclusion strategies. However, some limits might be related to the availability of public economic resources that tends to affect the smaller libraries by reducing opening times and services provided.     

Determinants of the half-turn with the ball in sub-elite youth soccer players

We explored the biomechanics of the 180° change-of-direction with the ball (half-turn) in soccer. We aimed at identifying movement strategies which enhance the players’ half-turning performance, by characterising technique kinematics and understanding the structure of biomechanical and anthropometrics variables. Ten Under-13 sub-elite male players were recorded with an optoelectronic motion analyser while performing a 5-m straight dribbling followed by a half-turn with the sole. Joints kinematics differences between faster and slower trials were found in support-side hip rotation, driving-side hip adduction, trunk flexion and rotation, and arms abduction. To unveil the data-set structure, a principal component (PC) analysis and a stepwise linear discriminant analysis were performed using 30 biomechanical parameters and four anthropometric variables for each trial. Seven retained PCs explained 79% of the overall variability, featuring combinations of original variables that help in understanding the factors facilitating fast half-turns: keeping short steps, minimising lateral and forward body movements, and centre-of-mass lowering, even with ample lower limbs ranges of motion (RoM); abducting the upper limbs while limiting trunk flexion and pelvic inclination RoM. Balance and task-constrained exercises may be proposed to improve this technique. Moreover, a quantitative knowledge of the movement structure could give coaches objective insights to better instruct young players.