A behavioural dynamic model of the relative age effect

Abstract

The relationship between date of birth and success in a variety of sports, including hockey, is well established. This phenomenon is known as the relative age effect (RAE). We model the RAE in Canadian youth hockey as a positive feedback loop where an initial age advantage is reinforced through additional training and playing opportunities based on perceived skill superiority. The same causal mechanism leads to a higher quit rate for relatively younger players. Our model effectively replicates the birth month distribution of Canadian National Hockey League players (R² = 86.79%) when driven by Canadian birth distributions. We use this model to evaluate three policies that aim to lessen the RAE. All of the policies reduce the RAE with a significant delay. The most effective policy is a combination of providing additional support to age disadvantaged children and rotating the cut-off date for youth leagues between January 1st and July 1st annually. In equilibrium, this approach leads to a 96% reduction in the RAE compared to the base case.     

Measuring perceptions of the learning environment and approaches to learning: validation of the learn questionnaire

While focus on quality in Danish higher education has been growing in recent years, limited attention has been devoted to developing and thoroughly validating instruments that allow collecting data about university students’ perceptions of the teaching-learning environment. Based on data from a large sample of Danish university students, a Danish version of the Learn questionnaire was validated using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Analyses confirmed the existence of three scales reflecting students’ approaches to learning and six scales reflecting students’ perception of the teaching-learning environment. The results suggest that the Danish version of Learn is a valid instrument to be used for evaluation of the teaching-learning environment as well as for research into Danish university students’ learning strategies.     

金融资产泡沫形成的心理因素

信息的不完全性及不对称性决定了预期只能是有限理性的,心理因素在金融资产泡沫的形成中扮演了重要的角色。因此,行为主体只能是根据自己认识到的约束和自己拥有的信息结构寻求利益最大化,不可避免地会受到心理因素的影响。羊群心理、博傻心理及正反馈交易一定程度上都会影响资产价格的形成。     

提高大学英语合作学习效果的实践性探究

在分析合作式学习模式存在问题的基础上,对提高大学英语合作学习效果做了实践性探索。重点描述了合作学习的具体操作方式,在理论和实践的基础上阐述了拓展合作范围、进一步提升合作学习效果的可行性和科学性。     

高职英语专业语法教学的问题与对策新探索

语法教学是高职英语专业教学的重要组成部分,其地位和作用是毋容置疑的。本文分析了高职语法教学中存在的问题,探讨如何设计合理有效的教学模式,帮助学生完成知识的构建,提高语言输出的准确性,最终培养学生的语用能力。     

Formative assessment: the role of participatory action research in blending policy and practice in Uganda

This paper documents teachers’ assessment practices and pupils’ learning to read and write in large classes. To gain insights into the assessment practices and pupils’ learning, the principles of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and participatory action research (PAR) design were adopted. Collaboratively, teachers reflected on their assessment practices, developed, implemented and monitored the assessment practices. Through observation, in-depth interview and review of exercise books, data were obtained. We argue that teachers’ involvement in PAR has contributed to changing assessment practices in large classes and in improving pupils’ competencies in reading and writing. On the other hand to promote better assessment practices, we advocate for reduced number of pupils in a class and teachers’ workload to enable them offer more support to the pupils during assessment of reading and writing.     

Ten Years of Puzzling about Audience Awareness

The decisions evaluators make regarding how to work with teachers through the annual evaluation process can have a positive impact on teacher growth and student learning. In this article, the author examines the quality of feedback and how administrators use and provide this feedback to teachers through the evaluation process. What constitutes quality feedback? How does quality feedback support teachers' instruction? How can the supervision and evaluation process offer both teachers and administrators an opportunity to work together to improve student learning? The evaluation process should support the goal of maintaining a high level of quality instruction. In the end, the goal is to increase student learning by improving the effectiveness of teaching.     

浅谈"研究性教学"的课堂教学

有效的数学学习不能单纯地依赖模仿与记忆,动手实践、自主探索是学生学习数学的重要方式,也是有效培养学生探索能力与创新精神的重要途径.在两年多实践研究的基础上,我们构建并实践了初中数学"研究性教学"的课堂教学模式,概括提炼了教学实施的基本原则,提出了相应的教学对策,积累了一些典型的教学案例.     

The effect of peer feedback for blogging on college students' reflective learning processes

Reflection is an important prerequisite to making meaning of new information, and to advance from surface to deep learning. Strategies such as journal writing and peer feedback have been found to promote reflection as well as deep thinking and learning. This study used an empirical design to investigate the interaction effects of peer feedback and blogging on college students' reflective thinking skills and their learning approaches. Forty-four first- and second-year undergraduate students participated in the study. Students kept blogs each week throughout a whole semester. Two journals were sampled at the beginning and end of the semester for each student. A repeated measure one-way ANOVA suggested that students' reflective thinking level increased significantly over time; however, peer feedback was found to negatively affect students' reflective thinking skills. The result of the study suggests more carefully designed uses in the future.     

货币错配对我国货币政策有效性影响的实证检验

货币错配是新兴市场经济国家普遍存在而难以在短期内解决的问题,它可能会导致货币危机,提高化解金融危机的成本,会干扰汇率制度的正常运行,还会影响货币政策的有效性,对宏观经济产生广泛而深刻的影响。我国是新兴市场国家,存在严重的债权型货币错配,并且越来越严重。文章基于我国1987-2006年的数据,实证分析了我国货币错配对我国货币政策有效性——产出效应和价格效应的影响。结果显示：货币错配减弱了我国货币政策的有效性据此提出了从减轻货币错配的角度提高货币政策有效性的对策。