Competencies and interest in a problem-focused undergraduate research methods criminal justice course: Two assessments

This study reports on two efforts, in a problem-centered undergraduate criminal justice research methods course, to gauge students' skills in understanding graphical data display and quasi-experimental designs. The problems addressed were drunk driving and handguns. Results show a moderate level of skill by students at course conclusion, but the weak quasi-experimental design precludes confirming the skills were acquired because of the course itself. Students did, however, report increased interest in the two problems because of course coverage. The approach described here may help bridge the gap between skill vs. content vs. process centered views on criminal justice as a liberal arts major.     

TEAMWORK BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS TO ACHIEVE INSTITUTIONAL MISSION

Teamwork between the offices of business and academic affairs is essential in the pursuit of the college mission. Yet some writers have discussed the “natural tensions” between the business office, academic leaders, and the faculty. The members of the faculty of many colleges frequently express complaints about officials in business affairs. Frequently, these complaints are that business staff are too unbending and businesslike. Alternatively, some business officials complain about academic leaders and feel that they are victims of academic snobbery. If a college is to achieve its misson, teamwork between academic and business affairs is advantageous. College administrators should reduce the causes of dysfunctional conflict, initiate cooperation, and encourage wider participation of academic and business leaders in the planning process. Otherwise, the college administration runs the risk of increased bureaucratic politics and the arbitrary use of power by leaders in academic and business affairs. Such an unfortunate event can lead to turf battles, low morale, and near gridlock in achieving the college mission. The goal of business and academic leaders should be to develop congruence toward a commonly held vision of what the college is becoming.     

The argumentativeness scale: Problems and promise

Previous studies and theoretical analyses have suggested that Infante and Rancer's concept of argumentativeness—and the scale that measures it—suffer from conceptual weaknesses and an inability to explain findings within the original conceptualization of argumentativeness. This essay argues that conceptual weaknesses and operationalization problems have produced questionable findings of argumentativeness differences between the sexes and between those with and without debate experience. The study then compares differently worded versions of the argumentativeness scale in order to provide evidence of the scale's current weaknesses and guidance in how to remedy them in future argumentativeness research.     

Student enrollment decisions and academic success: evaluating the impact of classroom space design

Learning Environments Research - Instruction based on active learning is being promoted in higher education by the creation of new collaborative teaching and learning spaces, but capacity does not...     

Students’ Forms of Dialogue When Engaged with Contemporary Biological Research: Insights from University and High School Students’ Group Discussions

Research in Science Education - Classroom dialogues have special educational value because they allow students to engage critically but constructively with each other’s ideas, solve...     

Tennis serve performances at break points: Approaching practice patterns for coaching

Tennis comprises specific match situations when winning the next point is crucial. These big points can decide about a win or loss and, thus, reasonably arouse mental stress. Break points (BPs) are considered as big points and the outcome is influenced by, among a variety of other factors, the serve, which is well accepted being one of the dominant strokes in Men’s tennis. In this study, we examined the serve behaviour for male players in the Wimbledon tournament 2016 to investigate the possible impacts of presumed mental stress within the situation of BPs, and further, if winning players perform better than losing players. A total of 28.843 points were analysed and divided into BP (n?=?2.035) and non-break points – referred to as regular points (RP; n?=?26.808).     

The Social Relationships of Tribal Aboriginal Schooling in Australia

Directions in schooling for tribal Aborigines in Australia have long been influenced by psychological and anthropological perspectives. This paper argues that these are inadequate and cannot account for the frequent failure of school to meet community expectations. It is argued that there is a need for new directions based on analysis of the social relations of Aboriginal education. The possibilities opened up by such an analysis are discussed with reference to recent Aboriginal initiatives.