Stratification of environmental education and education for sustainable development in Australia: an analysis of positions vacant advertisements

Positions vacant advertisements discursively construct employment sectors, employers and employees. This paper uses content analysis, systemic functional linguistics and critical discourse analysis to investigate the discursive construction of environmental education and education for sustainable development through positions vacant advertisements placed with Australian online recruitment agencies. The results suggest a disturbing stratification between environmental education and education for sustainable development with respect to the terms and conditions, and the power dynamics operating in each sector.     

Human and non-human tensions in socioscientific issues and the oil sands in Canada

Cultural Studies of Science Education - This commentary discusses SSIs in relation to environmental ethics. In their article, Augusto Macalalag Jr., Joseph Johnson and Michelle Lai note tensions...     

Influence of the composition of artificial turf on rotational traction and athlete biomechanics

Artificial turf advances have enabled surfaces to behave like natural grass, however, debate remains as to whether artificial turf is as safe as natural grass. To reduce injury risk, sport surfaces should have low rotational traction with artificial surfaces having a potential advantage as components can be manipulated to change surface properties and traction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence that different components of artificial turf have on rotational traction and athlete lower extremity joint loading. Twelve surfaces underwent mechanical testing to determine the influence of fibre density, fibre length, infill composition and compaction on rotational traction. Following mechanical testing, Control, Low and High Traction surfaces were selected for biomechanical analysis, where sixteen athletes performed maximum effort v-cuts while kinematic/kinetic data were recorded on each surface. Mechanically, fibre density, type of infill and compaction of the surface each independently influenced traction. The traction differences were substantial enough to alter the athlete kinematics and kinetics. Low traction surfaces reduced ankle and knee loading, while high traction surfaces increased ankle and knee loading . Reducing the rotational traction of sport surfaces is possible through alterations of individual components, which may reduce the joint loading at the knee and ankle joint.     

The performance of global film franchises: installment effects and extension decisions

An empirical exploration of global film franchises provides insights for managers of film franchises, investors in franchisable products, and scholars interested in motion picture performance. Performance tends to deteriorate as extensions are introduced: production budgets rise, advertising expenditures remain similar, and the number of opening-weekend theaters experiences a jump with the first sequel and then remains similar in subsequent installments. However, revenue, return-on-investment (ROI) and audience and critical reviews fall, and foreign performance becomes increasingly important. Offsetting deteriorating performance, risk falls: revenue and ROI become more predictable. An early change in the lead actor causes reduced performance, but changes in key product characteristics and inputs in later installments help prolong the franchise. ROI of the current installment is the most critical financial determinant of whether a further extension will occur, but high-budget films and those with higher domestic share of revenue are also more likely to yield further extensions.     

Optimization of handheld gauge sizes for rocker measurements of skate blades and bobsleigh runners

This work uses numerical methods to investigate the feasibility of modifying an instrument used in speed skating to analyze blades from four different ice sports. The instrument, a handheld rocker gauge, is adapted to create a device that can effectively profile other types of skate blades and bobsleigh runners. Since there are significant differences between short and long-track blades one could expect a difference in the gauges used to study these blades. Despite this expectation, the same gauge is used in both disciplines. The usefulness of these gauges has been proven in speed skating so it is expected that they should also be useful to study hockey blades and bobsleigh runners. To optimize the gauge size for different blade types we digitize the profile of a blade, which we use to simulate gauge data. Then we use that gauge data to reconstruct the profile and compare it to the original digital profile. The result is compared for various gauge sizes and the gauge size is optimized for each of the four disciplines. The only commercially available device seems optimal for bobsleigh and long track speed skating. Smaller gauges are recommended for analyzing short track speed skates and hockey skates.

The relationships between self-assessed habitual physical activity and non-invasive measures of cardiac autonomic modulation in young healthy volunteers

Heart rate variability estimates cardiac autonomic modulation, but the relationship between habitual physical activity and heart rate variability remains unclear. The aims of this study were to compare RR-interval and heart rate variability indices in individuals of different habitual physical activity levels, and examine the relationship between habitual physical activity and heart rate variability. Ninety-two healthy volunteers (47 men, 45 women; mean age 23.1 years, s = 2.1) were divided into tertiles according to the Baecke Questionnaire score. Standard heart rate variability indices were derived from 5-min resting RR-interval recordings with paced respiration (0.25 Hz). Between-group differences and the relationship between habitual physical activity and heart rate variability were assessed. More active participants (tertiles 2-3) had longer RR-intervals than those in tertile 1 (P < 0.05). Participants in tertile 2 had higher root mean squared differences of successive normal RR-intervals than those in tertile 1 and a higher standard deviation of normal RR-intervals than those in tertiles 1 and 3. There was a positive linear relationship between habitual activity and RR-interval. Differing RR-interval lengths were found in subgroups of young individuals according to level of habitual physical activity. More active individuals showed resting bradycardia without evidence of enhanced cardiac parasympathetic modulation. The mechanism linking habitual physical activity and RR-interval length appears to be independent of physiological mechanisms that can be measured by heart rate variability.     

Movement imagery ability: development and assessment of a revised version of the vividness of movement imagery questionnaire

The purpose of this research was to amend the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ; Isaac, Marks, & Russell, 1986) in line with contemporary imagery modality and perspective conceptualizations, and to test the validity of the amended questionnaire (i.e., the VMIQ-2). Study 1 had 351 athletes complete the 3-factor (internal visual imagery, external visual imagery, and kinesthetic imagery) 24-item VMIQ-2. Following single-factor confirmatory factor analyses and item deletion, a 12-item version was subject to correlated traits / correlated uniqueness (CTCU) analysis. An acceptable fit was revealed. Study 2 used a different sample of 355 athletes. The CTCU analysis confirmed the factorial validity of the 12-item VMIQ-2. In Study 3, the concurrent and construct validity of the VMIQ-2 was supported. Taken together, the results of the 3 studies provide preliminary support for the revised VMIQ-2 as a psychometrically valid questionnaire.     

Stressors, social support, and effects upon performance in golf

In this study, we extended the work of Rees and Hardy (2004) by examining the main and stress-buffering effects of social support upon sports performance in a different context, using a different outcome measure, and a specific time-frame. A high-level performance sample of 117 male golfers (mean age 24.8, s = 8.3) completed measures of social support and stressors before competitions. Performance outcome was recorded. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant (P < 0.05) main effects for stressors upon performance in 8 of the 11 models tested (R2 = 0.08 - 0.21). Over and above the variance accounted for by stressors, there were significant (P < 0.05) main effects for social support upon performance in all models tested (DeltaR2 = 0.10 - 0.24). In all models, stressors were associated with worse performance, whereas social support was associated with better performance. There were no significant interactions (stress-buffering effects). Main effects for social support upon performance suggest that social support may have aided performance directly, regardless of the level of stress.     

The relationship between extension of the metatarsophalangeal joint and sprint time for 100 m Olympic athletes

Selected kinematic variables of the foot segments and the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint were investigated in relation to sprinting performance among 100 m sprint athletes at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. It was hypothesized that the kinematics of the MTP joint, and forefoot and rearfoot segments, are related to sprint performance for both male and female athletes. Kinematic sagittal plane data were collected using two digital video cameras recording at 120 fields per second. It was determined that faster male sprinters experienced higher maximal rates of MTP extension, and faster female sprinters touch down with higher posterior sole angles and take off with lower posterior sole angles.