Information and choice of A‐level subjects: A cluster randomised controlled trial with linked administrative data

We estimated the effects of an intervention which provided information about graduate wages to 5593 students in England, using a blinded cluster randomised controlled trial in 50 schools (registration: AEARCTR‐0000468). Our primary outcome was students’ choice of A‐level subjects at age 16. We also recorded the students’ expectations of future wages and the A‐level subjects they intended to take before and after the intervention, and linked their data into national administrative school examination records. We found that an hour‐long lesson on information about graduate wages affected students’ beliefs about and choice of subject. They were more likely to take mathematics and less likely to take biology and computing. We found strong evidence that mediating factors such as their beliefs about average graduate salaries and their own likely salary in each subject were affected by the intervention. This suggests that providing accessible and credible information on labour market consequences of school choices may influence students’ decisions. In the light of concerns about the quality of careers guidance for school students and expectations that educational choices should be well‐informed, the study has clear implications for policy and practice.     

Negotiating femininities online

Much has been written about the potential for online learning (Fryer, 1997 Fryer R (1997) Learning for the twenty first century (London, DfEE)  [Google Scholar]; www. ngfl.gov.uk/ngfl/index.html www.ngfl.gov.uk/ngfl/index.html  [Google Scholar]). However this literature typically emphasizes not online learning but online education. In this paper I focus on the potential for online learning, specifically learning about issues surrounding femininity in the presence of online peers, originally brought together through the medium of the Mindscape game ‘Babyz’. Members of ‘The Babyz Community’, as participants describe themselves, (www.angelfire.com www.angelfire.com  [Google Scholar]; www.mnBabyz.cjbnet www.mnBabyz.cjbnet  [Google Scholar]; www.Babyzrus.cjb.net www.Babyzrus.cjb.net  [Google Scholar]) gain experience in web site surfing and design, email, as well as opportunities to communicate worldwide. This paper, through an analysis of ‘Babyz’ software, affiliated web sites and forum interactions, provides an account of girls' links with each other and their presentations of multiple identities through the Internet.     

Citizenship and Identity: The Self-Image of Secondary School Students in England and Catalonia

We discuss the ways in which English and Catalan students perceive themselves as members of communities and as citizens and the role of schools in these perceptions. Questionnaire and interview data were collected and analysed from 583 secondary school students in a total of 9 schools that were known for their commitment to citizenship education in England and Catalonia. The research took place when issues of national and other identities were prominently discussed in the media and elsewhere and when significant changes were being introduced in both locations regarding citizenship education as a specific curriculum subject and also in the wider context of education and schooling. Our results suggest that while the English students in our sample understand citizenship in terms of a subjective identification, our Catalan students perceive citizenship as a legal and externally assigned status. We did not intend to obtain nationally representative samples but rather to gain in-depth knowledge of the data and to discuss the implications of these results for the differing purposes of citizenship education. We make recommendations for how school-based citizenship education may contribute to current challenges related to citizenship and identities.     

Effect of high-intensity interval training in adolescents with asthma: The eXercise for Asthma with Commando Joe's® (X4ACJ) trial

BackgroundHigher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with reduced asthma severity and increased quality of life in those with asthma. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-month high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention in adolescents with and without asthma.MethodsA total of 616 adolescents (334 boys; 13.0 ± 1.1 years, 1.57 ± 0.10 m, 52.6 ± 12.9 kg, mean ± SD), including 155 with asthma (78 boys), were recruited as part of a randomized controlled trial from 5 schools (4 control and 1 intervention). The 221 intervention participants (116 boys; 47 asthma) completed 6 months of school-based HIIT (30 min, 3 times per week, 10–30 s bouts at >90% age-predicted maximum heart rate with equal rest). At baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up, measurements for 20-m shuttle run, body mass index (BMI), lung function, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Asthma Control Questionnaire were collected. Additionally, 69 adolescents (39 boys (of the 36 with asthma there were 21 boys)) also completed an incremental ramp test. For analysis, each group''s data (intervention and control) were divided into those with and without asthma.ResultsParticipants with asthma did not differ from their peers in any parameter of aerobic fitness, at any time-point, but were characterized by a greater BMI. The intervention elicited a significant improvement in maximal aerobic fitness but no change in sub-maximal parameters of aerobic fitness, lung function, or quality of life irrespective of asthma status. Those in the intervention group maintained their BMI, whereas BMI significantly increased in the control group throughout the 6-month period.ConclusionHIIT represents an effective tool for improving aerobic fitness and maintaining BMI in adolescents, irrespective of asthma status. HIIT was well-tolerated by those with asthma, who evidenced a similar aerobic fitness to their healthy peers and responded equally well to a HIIT program.