School context and instructional capacity: A comparative study of professional learning communities in rural and urban schools in China

This study examines the teaching gap between rural and urban schools in China from the perspective of teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). Drawing on in-depth interviews with 36 primary school teachers, the study finds striking disparities between rural and urban schools in the working of Teaching and Research Groups (TRGs). These disparities in TRGs result in divergent patterns of instructional capacity building in rural and urban schools. The evidence shows that teaching and teachers are strongly shaped by the school organizational context. It suggests that strengthening school-wide PLCs is an important way of narrowing the rural-urban teaching and learning gaps.     

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Life Skills Scale for Sport

ABSTRACT

This research adapted the Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS) into Portuguese and provided evidence for its construct validity. Study 1 included four translators and five academics who developed a Portuguese version of the LSSS (P-LSSS). During this study, evidence for the content and substantive aspects of construct validity was provided using an expert panel and 25 sports participants. Study 2 included 413 participants that completed the P-LSSS. Within this study, evidence for the structural aspect of construct validity was provided via factor analyses. Study 3 included 134 participants who completed the P-LSSS and a measure of motivation. This study provided evidence for the external aspect of construct validity, with results showing more self-determined motivation had positive relationships with participant’s life skills development. Overall, our findings provided evidence for the construct validity of P-LSSS scores. Researchers and practitioners can use the P-LSSS to assess life skills development within sports participants.     

Gender-preferential intergenerational patterns in primary educational attainment: An econometric approach to a case in rural Mindanao,the Philippines

This study investigates the factors determining children's educational attainment, focusing on gender-differential intergenerational patterns, by employing a case study from rural Mindanao. The result mainly shows, unlike general trends in developing countries, educational attainment is more favorable for girls; maternal education level is equally associated with daughters’ and sons’ education levels, and paternal education level is preferentially favorable to their sons. To reduce the disparity, suggestions include providing boy-specific interventions to enhance the magnitude of the father–son educational virtuous circle and comparing the magnitude of gender-equal maternal and boy-preferential paternal education influences to specify which effect is larger.     

2008年北京奥运会对当代中国青年的影响

2008年北京奥运会对当代中国青年有着极其重要的影响，主要表现为：能极大地提高当代中国青年的民族爱国、复兴热情；促进两岸青年的互相交往，有利于和平统一大业；使中国青年的精神文明建设和综合素质提升到一个新的高度；增进中国青年与世界青年的相互了解和友谊；为中国青年成功和实际利益的满足，提供机遇和舞台；强化中国青年的环保意识；使中国青年的健身意识普遍提高。     

Reimaging Public Libraries as Learning Communities: What Library Stories Can Tell Us

This article describes a study conducted in York County, Pennsylvania, on its countywide library system framed within the context of the statewide “Reimaging Libraries” Get Storied initiative, developed and marketed by organizational story consultant, Michael Margolis. Understood as an essential aspect of culture re-imaging and change, narratives were collected from library personnel by undergraduate students at Pennsylvania State University-York as part of a service-learning initiative (directed by the first author). Working closely with the library district consultant (second author), we assess the success of the initiative and make some recommendations for culture reimaging through the practice of storytelling.     

数字环境下城乡青年健康信息搜寻行为研究

[目的/意义] 从信息行为视角阐释城乡青年在健康信息领域的表征与原由,为相关管理部门制定政策与措施、医疗与网站等健康服务教育机构提升健康信息服务提供参考。[方法/过程] 采用半结构化访谈收集24位20-29岁河南省城乡青年的健康信息搜寻行为数据,考察数字环境下城乡青年健康信息需求动机、信息搜寻行为特点及异同,借助Nvivo对数据进行整理、编码和内容分析。从网络获取方式、手机与电脑使用体验差异、健康信息需求类别、搜寻途径、检索方式及平台选择等方面对城乡青年健康信息搜寻行为的共性与差异予以分析。[结果/结论] 与农村青年相比,城市青年健康信息需求范围更广泛、检索策略与平台选择多样化。论文提出城乡青年间“数字鸿沟”的存在可能引发“健康信息鸿沟”的风险,根源在于收入水平、受教育程度、信息技术使用能力等因素直接影响数字环境下网络接入、使用及信息化水平。     

苏区少年先锋队述略

土地革命时期的少年先锋队是一个革命青年的半武装组织。在中国共产党、共青团和苏维埃政府的关心下,少年先锋队领导苏区青年为争取自身阶级利益,保卫苏维埃政权,努力学习知识,并积极投身于革命运动中。他们参与阶级斗争,帮助政府实现各项政治经济政策;开展拥军优属活动,帮助工农群众进行生产建设;训练和培养了大批红军后备力量,帮助红军、赤卫军、游击队保卫苏区政府和人民的安全,并为前线输送了大量优秀战士。在近代中国青年运动史上,少年先锋队组织有着不可磨灭的伟大贡献。     

Inter-participant variability in daily physical activity and sedentary time among male youth sport footballers: independent associations with indicators of adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness

Participation in youth sport is assumed to promote and contribute towards more physically active lifestyles among children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine inter-participant variability in objectively measured habitual physical activity (PA) behaviours and sedentary time among youth sport participants and their implications for health. One-hundred-and-eighteen male youth sport footballers (Mean ± s = 11.72 ± 1.60) wore a GT3X accelerometer for 7 days. Average daily PA [min · day^?1, in light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA) and combined moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA)] and sedentary time were calculated. Participants’ body mass index adjusted for age and sex (BMI–standard deviation score), per cent body fat (BF%), waist circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness were assessed. Results revealed that variability in daily PA behaviours and sedentary time (min · day^?1) was associated with BMI–standard deviation score [VPA (?), MVPA (?)], BF% [sedentary time (+), VPA (?), MVPA (?)], waist circumference [sedentary time (+), LPA (?)] and cardiorespiratory fitness [sedentary time (?), MPA (+), VPA (+), MVPA (+)]. Whilst sedentary time and MVPA were not related to health outcomes independent of one another, associations with markers of adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness were stronger for sedentary time. Sedentary time was also significantly positively related to waist circumference independent of VPA. Results demonstrate inter-participant variability in habitual PA and sedentary time among youth sport participants which holds implications for their health. Thus, promoting PA and, in particular, reducing sedentary time may contribute towards the prevention of adverse health consequences associated with a physically inactive lifestyle for children and adolescents active in the youth sport context.     

Positional group significantly influences the offensive and defensive skill involvements of junior representative rugby league players during match play

This study examined the skill involvements of three positional groups across a junior representative rugby league season. Data were collected from 45 rugby league players (mean ± SD; age = 16.5 ± 1.0 years) currently participating in the Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cup. Players were subdivided into hit-up forwards, adjustables and outside backs. The frequency (n · min^?1) of offensive, defensive and overall involvements was coded for each group using a notation system and a practical coach skill analysis tool. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant effect of playing position on skill involvements (F = 9.06; P < 0.001; ES = 0.41). Hit-up forwards performed a significantly greater frequency of offensive (0.31 ± 0.10), defensive (0.42 ± 0.15) and overall involvements (0.74 ± 0.19) when compared to adjustables (0.20 ± 0.08, 0.28 ± 0.08 and 0.52 ± 0.15, respectively) and outside backs (0.20 ± 0.12, 0.11 ± 0.07 and ± 0.31 ± 0.17, respectively). Further, adjustables performed a significantly greater number of defensive (0.28 ± 0.08) and overall involvements (0.52 ± 0.15) when compared to outside backs (0.11 ± 0.07 and 0.31 ± 0.17, respectively). The findings of this study suggest that it is important to consider a junior player’s positional group when analysing their skill involvements. Information gained from this study could assist in the design of specific training methodologies for junior rugby league players in high-level talent development programmes.     

Coordination pattern of baseball pitching among young pitchers of various ages and velocity levels

This study compared the whole-body movement coordination of pitching among 72 baseball players of various ages and velocity levels. Participants were classified as senior, junior, and little according to their age, with each group comprising 24 players. The velocity levels of the high-velocity (the top eight) and low-velocity (the lowest eight) groups were classified according to their pitching velocity. During pitching, the coordinates of 15 markers attached to the major joints of the whole-body movement system were collected for analysis. Sixteen kinematic parameters were calculated to compare the groups and velocity levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to quantify the coordination pattern of pitching movement. The results were as follows: (1) five position and two velocity parameters significantly differed among the age groups, and two position and one velocity parameters significantly differed between the high- and low-velocity groups. (2) The coordination patterns of pitching movement could be described using three components, of which the eigenvalues and contents varied according to age and velocity level. In conclusion, the senior and junior players showed greater elbow angular velocity, whereas the little players exhibited a wider shoulder angle only at the beginning of pitching. The players with high velocity exhibited higher trunk and shoulder rotation velocity. The variations among groups found using PCA and kinematics parameter analyses were consistent.