Social Inclusion – Social Exclusion: Physical Exercise as Means Between Strengthening Individuals and Integration into Collectivities

Abstract

Physical exercise, beyond the mere physical aspect, is very much a social construct. But it is as well a means of constructing the social and as such it can be used in different ways. The contribution, taking a broad comparative perspective, will reflect on two major possibilities: the one may be called social inclusion as subordination and the other can be looked at as a matter of social inclusion by strengthening individuals. This also allows an understanding of new dangers of exclusion in the era of liquid modernity.     

A conceptual framework for understanding the transitions in perceptions of external students

Most student withdrawals from studying at a distance are for personal reasons. This paper is an attempt at clarifying and analysing the reasons from a more subjective perspective than the often‐used survey. The first step in this process is to identify the students’ perceptions of their situation, as they make the necessary transitions from non‐student to student.

The study endeavours to outline a conceptual framework for investigating these transitions, with its main emphasis being on the interpretation of the students’ perspective of the influences acting on them. The next step would be to use this information as a basis for more systematic (rather than intuitive) specialised counselling of distance education students.     

Learning consequences for university students using computerized mastery testing

Mastery learning, it is claimed, is among the most successful practices in higher education. Evidence supporting this claim has recently been criticized as empirically weak. This experiment employed a four-group, pre-post design to examine the learning consequences of a computer-administered mastery-testing approach in comparison with a seminar-discussion approach in a third-year university course. The mastery-testing approach generated significantly higher learning achievement than did the seminar-discussion approach. Replication and extension of this research approach are recommended to support generalizations across mastery-testing techniques, delivery systems, and disciplines.     

Entwicklungsförderung im außerschulischen Kinder- und Jugendsport

The concept “Psychosocial Resources in Sport” (Sygusch, Ein sportartenorientiertes Förderkonzept für Schule und Verein. Schorndorf: Hofmann, 2007) substantiates methodical measures to systematically promote resources such as self-concept, self-efficacy, group cohesion, and social competence. In the PRimus-study this concept was implemented in handball and apparatus gymnastics over 7 months in 29 training groups (age: 12–16 years). The aim, amongst others, was to evaluate whether the concept is effective in child and youth sport. For this purpose a mixed-method design was chosen. The development of resources were measured through qualitative trainer interviews (n?=?39) as well as quantitative surveys of athletes (IG: n?=?374; KG: n?=?270) over three measurement times. The trainer statements show that the intervention initiated resource strengthening processes which indicate a promotion of resources. The quantitative measurements, however, do not reveal substantial changes throughout the intervention period. The change in behavior of coaches and athletes – regardless of the intervention measures – influences the development of resources. Overall, it must be noted that broad-based intervention concepts, which are also feasible, had difficulty proving the effects and the effectiveness.     

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.     

卡尔斯鲁厄物理课程

卡尔斯鲁厄物理课程试图通过消除传统概念、重新建构内容和广泛运用实物模型来促使物理课程的现代化。该课程在欧洲已被试用了二十多年,并经过了试验和修改;在中国已被试用了近八年。本文将介绍该课程的结构,并讨论在物理学各分支学科中的相关教学问题。     

Entwicklungsförderung im außerschulischen Kinder- und Jugendsport

Extracurricular sport is coupled with many socialization and education potentials for developmental promotion of children and adolescents. The promotion concept “Psychosocial resources in sports” (Sygusch 2007) provides the starting point for the development of capabilities to react and perform in sports as well as for general personality development through sport. This incentive concept is oriented towards training and competitive routine as well as on concrete demands from types of sport. Among others it justifies the methodical measures for promotion of selected resources (e. g. self-concept, cooperative ability). Within the framework of the accompanying study PRimus (psychosocial resources in youth sports) an evaluation of the execution of the programme was realized. Among others it was investigated whether the incentive concept can be implemented in organized child and youth sports. The results indicate that the incentive concept “pedagogically arranged extracurricular youth sports” is implemented by voluntary youth trainers in most instances and is estimated by trainers to be feasible.