CACTUS: Command and control training using knowledge‐based simulations*

The CACTUS project was concerned with command and control training of large incidents where public order may be at risk, such as large demonstrations and marches. The training requirements and objectives of the project are first summarized justifying the use of knowledge‐based computer methods to support and extend conventional training techniques. The software designs are based on a world model in which crowd groups and police units are placed on a digitized map and have probabilistic rules that govern their interactive behaviour. The simulation runs as a decision‐making exercise that can include pre‐event logistic planning, incident management, and debriefing evaluation. A key feature is the flexibility of the software, for it provides not only a working simulation but also a methodology and software tools for customizing programs to suit particular circumstances and training needs.     

Professional ethics professional ethics for technology

Conclusion Professional ethics express what a professional society is about. They are an emblem to focus on, to support, to identify with and to advocate for. Our Code expresses who we are, what we do, and shows how our profession functions for the good of all. Our areas of work are related specialties. Those who are unqualified have the potential to do harm. Although ethics is a word with multiple connotations, what professional ethics are about is sociological. Professional ethics are always a matter of work and who is qualified to perform what task for which clients. Professional ethics should ultimately be for the benefit of those who are served by those who labor in professional occupations. Our Code reflects our profession’s relationships with the larger society and, it is anticipated, the present update will be officially adopted by our affiliated professional organizations and state affiliates.     

Enhancing successful outcomes of wiki-based collaborative writing: a state-of-the-art review of facilitation frameworks

This state-of-the-art review research undertook a survey of a variety of studies regarding wiki-based collaborative writing projects and from this body of work extracted the best practices tenets of facilitation. Wiki-based collaborative writing projects are becoming more common in second language (L2) pedagogy. Such projects have multiple aims. These include, among other benefits, L2 acquisition, P2P learning, collaboration and immersion in new technologies that will inform the social and professional lives of the students. By mining a variety of wiki-based collaborative writing projects for the specific meta and secondary facilitation practices, the researchers were able to develop a general framework that will assist instructors of university or advanced high school students who wish to engage their students in such projects. The attributes of good facilitation that the researchers have isolated are by no means exhaustive, nor are they a guarantee of successful outcomes. These attributes do, however, provide a good starting point for any teacher or instructional designer who wants to provide an environment that fosters student satisfaction, motivation and learning.     

Neo-conservatives,Neo-liberals,the New Left and Inclusion: Stirring the pot

Layers of policy often conflict with one another. In this paper, different layers of policy - and more importantly the different intellectual stables from which they emerge are explored in relation to inclusion. There are those of the New Right, with its emphasis on individualism, the free market, tradition and the family; and there are those of the new centre-left, which stresses the importance of community and 'stakeholder welfare'. We argue that there are attempts in much recent policy to fuse both kinds of thinking and that expressions about the need for a plural, tolerant, inclusive education system sometimes sit uneasily with policy which foregrounds the benefits of choice, selection and the comparison of schools on the basis of their pupils' attainment. While proclamations from politicians about benefits of inclusion are to be welcomed, the effects of exhortation will be counteracted by policy whose effects are to promote competition.     

Speed Versus Accuracy: Implications of Adolescents' Neurocognitive Developments in a Digital Game to Train Executive Functions

Adolescence is a period of rapid cognitive change, including an initial increase in speed of cognitive processing and a more gradual increase in efficiency of cognitive processing. This study examined how neurophysiological changes associated with adolescent development can inform the design of game‐based executive function (EF) training. Two versions of a digital game designed to train the EF subskill of inhibition were given to adolescents (aged 13–17; N = 96): one focusing on speed, the other on accuracy. Consistent with neurocognitive developments, it was hypothesized that younger adolescents would benefit more from the speed version, and older adolescents more from the accuracy version. A significant age by condition interaction was found: Controlling for pretest, younger adolescents had better outcomes in the speed condition, while older adolescents had better outcomes in the accuracy condition. These findings argue for consideration of adolescents' neurocognitive development when designing games for learning and skill improvement.     

Gender Differences in Pupil Attitudes to the National Curriculum Foundation Subjects of English,Mathematics, Science and Technology in Key Stage 3 in South Wales

The attitudes of pupils in South Wales to mathematics, English, science and technology were tested using a Likert‐type attitude scale. Pupils were selected from National Curriculum Key Stage 3, specifically Year 9 (age 13‐14 years). Schools were selected by their position in the 1992 National League tables produced by the Welsh Office, the schools being placed into one of four bands. The number of schools involved was 34 and the number of pupils 4263. This represents 15.3% of the total population of school children of age 13‐14 years in the region (Welsh Office, 1993). The results show gender differences in attitudes to English, mathematics, science and technology and some between school differences. The results are subjected to a factor analysis and are discussed in relation to groups of statements reflecting key aspects of each subject scale.     

Comparative education and the ‘new’ sociologies

The authors examine the impact of the new sociologies on comparative education by reviewing five comparative readers published during the past twenty years. While the new sociologies have had considerable impact within sociology and the sociology of education, minimal impact is found within comparative education. The authors further show that while critical new sociologies such as Marxism, neo-Marxism, and Critical theory have had some penetration into comparative education, use of the interpretative sociologies such as symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, and semiotics has generally been absent. The authors conclude by suggesting that a synthesis of the critical and interpretative modes would prove fruitful for further work in comparative education.The five texts are: Halsey, Floud and Anderson (eds.),Education, Economy and Society (1961); Eckstein and Noah (eds.),Scientific Investigations in Comparative Education (1969); Beck,Perspectives on World Education (1970); Karabel and Halsey (eds.),Power and Ideology in Education (1977); and Altbach and Kelly (eds.),Education and Colonialism (1978).

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Zusammenfassung Anhand fünf im Laufe der letzten zwanzig Jahre erschienener Schriften untersuchen die Verfasser die Auswirkung der neuen Soziologieen auf die vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft. Während diese neuen Soziologieen die Soziologie als solche und die Bildungs-Soziologie stark beeinflußten, war ihre Wirkung auf die vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft äusserst gering. Ferner wird festgestellt, daß die kritischen neuen Soziologieen, wie Marxismus, Neo-Marxismus und Kritische Theorie, zwar etwas in die vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft eingedrungen sind, die interpretativen, wie symbolischer Interaktionismus, Ethnomethodologie und Semiotik, dagegen im allgemeinen kaum Eingang gefunden haben. Nach Ansicht der Autoren würde sich eine Synthese der kritischen und interpretativen Modelle als fruchtbar für weitere Forschung auf dem Gebiet der vergleichenden Erziehungswissenschaft erweisen.Die fünf untersuchten Texte sind: Halsey, Floud and Anderson (eds.),Education, Economy and Society (1961); Eckstein and Noah (eds.),Scientific Investigations in Comparative Education (1969); Beck,Perspectives on World Education (1970); Karabel and Halsey (eds.),Power and Ideology in Education (1977); und Altbach and Kelly (eds.),Education and Colonialism (1978).

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Résumé Les auteurs examinent l'impact des nouvelles sociologies sur l'éducation comparée en procédant à l'analyse de cinq livres de lecture comparée publiés au cours de ces vingt dernières années. Tandis que les nouvelles sociologies ont eu une portée considérable sur la sociologie et sur la sociologie de l'éducation, la répercussion de l'éducation comparée a été moindre. Les auteurs montrent ensuite que si les nouvelles sociologies critiques telles que le Marxisme, le neo-Marxisme et la théorie Critique ont pénétré, jusqu'à un certain point, dans l'éducation comparée, il n'en a pas été de même pour les sociologies interprétatives, telles que l'interaction symbolique, l'ethnométhodologie et la sémiotique qui n'ont généralement pas été utilisées. Les auteurs concluent en suggérant qu'une synthèse des méthodes critiques et interprétatives serait utile pour un travail ultérieur sur l'éducation comparée.Les cinq textes étudiés sont: Halsey, Floud and Anderson (eds.),Education, Economy and Society (1961); Eckstein and Noah (eds.),Scientific Investigations in Comparative Education (1969); Beck,Perspectives on World Education (1970); Karabel and Halsey (eds.),Power and Ideology in Education (1977); et Altbach and Kelly (eds.),Education and Colonialism (1978).

     

Changes in the relation of self-efficacy beliefs and behaviors across development

Many social science theories that examine the connection between beliefs and behaviors assume that belief constructs will predict behaviors similarly across development. Converging research implies that this assumption may not be tenable across all ages or all belief constructs. Thus, to test this implication, the relation between behavior and beliefs about the self was examined in 2 independent data sets with 2 different constructs: aggression and achievement. The respondents were 6-18 years of age and predominately Caucasian. Results using quasi-simplex structural equation models suggest that self-beliefs become more strongly related to behavior as children grow older independent of the reliability of the measures used. Possible limitations in the use of self-report methodology with young children are discussed.