In search of the keyword method/vocabulary comprehension link

Previous research has indicated that the keyword method of vocabulary learning facilitates students' performance not just on simple tests of definition recall, but on comprehension-demanding tasks as well. The present study was conducted to determine whether the “comprehension” finding could be accounted for by keyword subjects' superior definition recall per se. The results generally supported that conclusion: When conditions and subjects within conditions were equated with respect to their initial levels of definition recall, the comprehension advantage of keyword subjects disappeared.     

Gender differences in coaching philosophy: the case of female basketball teams

With the advent of Title IX, the proportion of female participants in interscholastic sport has risen sharply while the proportion of female coaches has dropped precipitously. This paper seeks to determine whether there are any differences in coaching philosophy by gender. Questionnaires were sent to the coaches of 600 high school girls' basketball teams selected randomly from the 48 contiguous states. There were 250 usable ones returned for a response rate of 42%. The questionnaires included items designed to assess the attitudes and behaviors of coaches in five areas of coaching philosophy: (1) the coach's role in the overall development of athletes; (2) conditions believed essential to maximize team performance; (3) team rules used; (4) use of sports aphorisms; and (5) expectations of athletes. Summing the findings, we found that in 83 of the 100 comparisons there were no statistical differences in the means of the male and female coaches. In the 17 instances where there were statistically significant differences, 14 times the female coaches were on the more traditional side. Several possible explanations for this interesting finding are discussed.     

Experimental and theoretical research in archery

The aim of this study was to introduce certain methods and research techniques and to present the results of experiments on parameters of archery equipment to optimize the interaction of the archer-bow-arrow system's elements. In order to achieve the research requirements, the following were devised: 1. A mathematical model of an arrow's movement during its interaction with a bow. 2. A mechanical model of an archer-bow-arrow system, which constitutes a device for mechanical loosing of an arrow from the bow strings (DMLA). 3. Three series of high-speed filming. The mathematical model and computer simulation were used to describe the arrow's movement for various initial conditions and various parameters of the equipment, based on which a nomogram was constructed of the optimum arrow parameters for bows of various draw forces. The device for the mechanical loosing of arrows from a bow was used to study the influence of selected parameters of the archer-bow-arrow system on the accuracy of shots. The film analysis was used to verify the mathematical and mechanical models constructed.     

The Role of Industry in the Education of Mechanical Engineers

Engineering education should be relevant to the needs of our industry as industry absorbs the large majority of our engineering students, either directly or indirectly. The contact between industry and engineering students has therefore to be stimulated. As no legal obligation exists in Belgium, this is left entirely to the initiative of the professors and the engineers in industry. We will explain how at our university those contacts are developed for the mechanical engineering students. We will explain our aims, our working conditions and circumstances, our results and the role of the research. The art however is to stimulate the students, and to convince the industry of the importance of those contacts in the education of our and their future engineers.