Contextual feature selection for text classification

We present a simple approach for the classification of “noisy” documents using bigrams and named entities. The approach combines conventional feature selection with a contextual approach to filter out passages around selected features. Originally designed for call for tender documents, the method can be useful for other web collections that also contain non-topical contents. Experiments are conducted on our in-house collection as well as on the 4-Universities data set, Reuters 21578 and 20 Newsgroups. We find a significant improvement on our collection and the 4-Universities data set (10.9% and 4.1%, respectively). Although the best results are obtained by combining bigrams and named entities, the impact of the latter is not found to be significant.     

Hospice program integration: an issue for policymakers

As the number of hospice programs in the United States expands, policymakers face a variety of issues concerning the care of the terminally ill. Do hospice programs offer a truly unique approach in caring for the dying? Are hospice services cost effective? Should hospice programs become integrated into the mainstream of medical care service delivery? Based on data from hospice programs in an industrialized Midwestern state, this paper explores the strategies employed by hospice programs to become integrated, the conflicts that have arisen among providers of hospice care, and the impact of hospice program integration on patient care. Results show that as hospice programs become more integrated, they have lost some of the idealism on which they were founded, have altered organizational structures, and have changed certain patient services. However, there is no evidence to suggest that integration of hospice programs into the medical mainstream has decreased the quality of patient care or patient satisfaction for hospice services.     

The effects of physical exertion on decision-making performance of Australian football umpires

Decision-making is a key component of an umpire’s in-game performance, with each decision potentially having a direct impact on the result of the game. Additionally, umpires have to be physically fit to ensure they keep up with the gameplay. While research has identified the decision-making demands and running demands of umpires separately, few have explored the relationship between them. The aim of this investigation was to examine the relationship between physical exertion and decision-making performance of Australian football umpires at the sub-elite and junior levels. A total of 18 Australian football umpires (sub-elite, n = 10; junior n = 8) performed 10 × 300 m runs, with each repetition immediately followed by a video-based decision-making test, then 1 min of recovery. A Mann–Whitney U assessment indicated a significant difference between the sub-elite and junior level umpires for decision-making accuracy (U = 13.00, z = ?2.43, P = 0.016, r = ?0.5). However, there was no significant difference in response time (U = 28.00, z = ?1.07, P = 0.315, r = ?0.25). The sub-elite umpires completed the running efforts in significantly less time than the junior umpires (P < 0.05). Further, there was no significant correlation between decision-making performance and running times for either skill level (P > 0.05). This suggests decision-making performance may not be affected by physical exertion. Therefore, it may be suggested coaches of football umpires allocate more time to the decision-making development of their umpires instead of focusing largely on the physical fitness side, as is currently the trend.     

Developing a Laboratory Model for the Professional Preparation of Future Science Teachers: A Situated Cognition Perspective

Although laboratory activities are widely acknowledged as being fundamental to the teaching of science, many secondary science school teachers have limited knowledge of how to design and run effective teaching laboratories. Utilising a situated cognition theoretical framework, we discuss our collaborative efforts to develop a laboratory based model for the professional preparation of secondary level science teachers. Findings from the study suggest that the learning which occurs in the laboratory context may be transferred (with appropriate modifications) to the secondary science classroom. Implications also are presented for science teacher preparation, ongoing professional development, and further study.     

Development and validation of an inventory to assess conflict in sport teams: the Group Conflict Questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a conceptually and psychometrically sound conflict questionnaire for sport. The development process involved 3 phases: (a) a qualitative phase, (b) a content and factorial validity phase and (c) a construct validity phase. A total of 50 items were generated and sent to 6 experts to determine content validity. Through this process, 25 items were retained and administered to a sample of athletes (n = 437) to determine factorial validity. Based on these results, a second sample (n = 305) was administered the 14-item version of the Group Conflict Questionnaire along with the Group Environment Questionnaire, the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Passion Scale to test convergent, discriminant and known-group difference validity. Cross-validation from both samples via confirmatory factor analysis yielded moderate-to-acceptable model fit, thus supporting factorial validity for the 14-item version. Additionally, initial support for convergent validity and known-group difference validity and partial support for discriminant validity were found. A sport-specific conflict questionnaire is now available for researchers to utilise. Results and research implications are discussed.     

Examining the impact of integrated and non-integrated parasport events on volunteer attitudes towards disability

Attitudes, and attitudinal change towards persons with disabilities, is an important area of research as it can potentially enable greater understanding of the constraints that may preclude full participation in society. In the realm of sport and recreation mega sporting events have been suggested as a potential catalyst for positive societal change and shifting negative attitudes. Much of the event research to date, however, has focused on able-bodied sport events, with parasport events being largely overlooked. As a result, the impact of major parasport events on attitudinal change towards persons with a disability is assumed by sport practitioners, policy-makers and politicians but not justified by empirical evidence. The current study thus presents a starting point by examining the benefits of hosting mega sport events and in particular focuses on an important event stakeholder group; volunteers. More specifically, the current study addresses volunteer’s perceptions of attitudes towards disability at two major parasport events: the 2014 Commonwealth Games (where parasport was integrated with the able-bodied sport) and the 2015 Pan Am/ParaPan American Games (where parasport was separated from the able-bodied sport). Data were collected at two time points for each event: pre-Games, and post-Games. Results revealed that both events had an impact on volunteer awareness levels of disability and accessibility-related issues, as well as positively impacting attitudes towards persons with disability. Interestingly, the integrated events at the Commonwealth Games appeared to impact attitudes to a greater degree than the non-integrated events at the ParaPan Am Games. Implications are discussed pertaining to the impact of an integrated vs. non-integrated major parasport event on disability/accessibility awareness, and attitudes towards disability.     

Comparison of Physical Fitness Scores of White and Black Seventh Grade Boys of Similar Socioeconomic Level

Abstract

Boys (N = 115) in the seventh grade of a junior high school were tested for physical fitness by the AAHPER Youth Fitness Test. In addition, data were collected for age, height, weight, and socioeconomic level of each boy. Two racial groups were formed consisting of 30 white and 30 black students who were matched on age and socioeconomic level. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the physical fitness of white and black students of equal socioeconomic level was significantly different. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, height, weight, and socioeconomic level. The black students exceeded the white students significantly on the shuttle run, 50-yd. dash, 600-yd. run and composite fitness score. It was concluded that black male students of similar socioeconomic level to white students in the seventh grade, have a higher level of physical fitness.