Not just Any Wintry Afternoon in England: the curious contribution of C.R.W. Nevinson to ‘football art’

This paper considers the painting Any Wintry Afternoon in England (1930) (AWA) by the prominent artist and social commentator C.R.W. Nevinson (1889–1946). The painting is one of few, and perhaps the best-known, by an English fine artist to take football as its subject matter during the first 40 years of that sport's professional existence. The paper concentrates on gaining an understanding of this painting within the context of Nevinson's biography. Of course, a painting may well be admired by viewers without any knowledge of the painter at all, and no issue is taken in the paper with the possibility of totally independent readings. But from an art-history and cultural-history perspective, knowledge of a painter's biography is significant in allowing for consideration of the artwork as a product of its time. In the case of AWA, knowledge of Nevinson's hostility to sport supports the view of a leading critic, on the occasion its of its exhibition, that the painting was intended as a satire on the mass popularity of football in England in the 1920s. Forearmed with this knowledge, wariness can be taken against subsequent attempts to locate AWA within a genre of ‘football paintings’ that represent an enthusiasm for the game. Nevinson's earlier involvement with Futurism had acquainted him with that movement's tendency to take aspects of popular culture as inspiration for art. But Nevinson took football as a derisory subject matter rather than inspiration and in doing so put AWA at odds with the contemporaneous visual representations of football that had begun to appear in popular mediums such as postcards and film. Yet, contrary to some wishful interpretations though it may be, AWA, owing to its very contrariness, remains an important historical image in the visual representation of football as popular culture.     

Methods matter: Improving causal inference in educational and social science research: A review article

Professors Richard J. Murnane and John B. Willett set out to capitalize on recent developments in education data and methodology by attempting to answer the following questions: How can new methods and data be applied most effectively in educational and social science research? What kinds of research designs are most appropriate? What kinds of data are needed? What statistical methods are best used to process these data, and how can results be interpreted so that policymakers are best informed? In this review we summarize main contributions of the book, assess the unique value-added of the text, and discuss the usability of it to various potential audiences.     

On the allocation of resources for secondary schools

This paper studies the optimal allocation of resources – in terms of school management, teachers, supporting employees and materials – in secondary schools. We use a flexible budget constrained output distance function model to estimate both technical and allocative efficiency scores for 448 Dutch secondary schools between 2002 and 2007. The results indicate that the average technical efficiency amounts to about 78 percent, implying that, with the given resources, schools could improve students’ educational performance by 28 percent. In terms of allocative efficiency, we estimate a 0.65 percent overutilization of teachers while management and supporting personnel are underutilized. The outcomes indicate that, despite the significant variation among schools, the average school is close to the optimal allocation of teachers.     

Embedded C programming: a practical course introducing programmable microprocessors

This paper presents a new laboratory-based module for embedded systems teaching, which addresses the current lack of consideration for the link between hardware development, software implementation, course content and student evaluation in a laboratory environment. The course introduces second year undergraduate students to the interface between hardware and software and the programming of embedded devices; in this case, the PIC (originally peripheral interface controller, later rebranded programmable intelligent computer) microcontroller. A hardware development board designed for use in the laboratories of this module is presented. Through hands on laboratory experience, students are encouraged to engage with practical problem-solving exercises and develop programming skills across a broad range of scenarios.     

基于项目案例的实验教学支撑平台的设计

本文分析了高校计算机应用与软件工程方向实验教学的现状,以夯实基础、科学考核、规范设计、激励创新为宗旨,提出了创建软件课程实验教学支持平台的思想和实现方法;完成了同步实验、考核测试、案例欣赏、小组合作、自主创新等5个子系统的设计。依据专业课程之间固有的联系,以工程实践的成功案例为组织纽带,向学生展示软件开发的全过程,强调实践、重视积累、激励创新,逐步实现历届学生学习过程的层次型发展。     

C语言程序设计教学主线与教学创新

文章分析C语言课程教学的现状,探讨C语言课程教学内容的重点、难点和主线,结合C源程序举例介绍如何改进C语言教学,同时提出C语言程序设计课程的创新教学方法,使得抽象难学的计算机语言课程变成学生爱学的、能理解的一门课程,并且提高学生的学习兴趣及实践能力。     

基于阶梯模式的驱动教学法的设计与实践

根据C语言程序设计课程的特点,提出基于阶梯模式的驱动教学法进行课程教学体系的设计,主要包括知识阶梯、能力阶梯、案例阶梯和任务阶梯,同时在教学方法上采用问题驱动、任务驱动和案例驱动,在教学过程中采用概念获得、信息处理、知识运用和自主学习阶梯展开教学,实现学生基本知识掌握、程序设计能力的阶梯递进。     

略述英语外宣报道中的解释性翻译

英语外宣报道有别于单纯的汉译英,并非对汉语新闻的逐字英译,俩者不能简单地等同视之。外宣报道成功与否,首先取决于传播效果,而跨文化传播过程中汉语新闻的英译质量如何直接影响到传播效果的清晰度。通过大量现成报刊实例分析解释性翻译在外宣翻译中的必要性、种类、作用及背景解释度的把握。     

浅谈C语言的教学

C语言是大多数学生学习的第一门计算机语言,因此,如何让一名初学者深入理解和掌握程序设计中的基本思想,领悟程序设计的思路,掌握程序设计的方法是讲授这门课的重中之重。     

反应烧结Cr/Si/C复相陶瓷的微观结构表征与力学性能

本文采用掺杂Cr2C3的方法探究增韧补强反应烧结SiC陶瓷的途径。通过凝胶注模成型及反应烧结工艺制备Cr/Si/C复相陶瓷由SiC、Si和CrSi2组成,CrSi2由Cr2C3与熔融Si反应生成;材料中SiC颗粒分布均匀,CrSi2存在明显偏析;Gr/Si/C复相陶瓷抗弯强度接近反应烧结SiC/Si陶瓷,平面应变断裂韧性KIC达到3.81MPa.m1/2;CrSi2分布不均和弱化界面结合是抗弯强度以及弹性模量降低的原因。